Why rugby sevens at the Rio Olympics represents a game-changing moment for the sport’s global growth August 7, 2016 The rugby world is excited. After a 92 year absence, the sport has returned to the Olympics in the sevens format and for many of the game’s stakeholders the next week marks one of the biggest moments for the sport since it entered the professional era in 1995. Along with golf, sevens is one of two [...]
Russian athletes to be barred from Rio 2016 Paralympics August 6, 2016 Russian athletes are to be banned from taking part in the Paralympic Games in Rio later this month. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has suspended Russian athletes provisionally in response to the report from Professor Richard McLaren that uncovered the extent of doping in Russia, according to the Observer. Read more: The most marketable athletes at the 2016 Olympic and [...]
FC Twente director says Manchester City and Chelsea use Dutch club to help spin profit on young players they’ll never use August 6, 2016 Manchester City, Chelsea and other big European clubs sign young players who they know will never reach the first team but could make them a profit claims the director of Dutch club FC Twente. Technical director at the Eredivisie team Jan van Halst argues that young players such as City's Turkish teen Enes Unal — loaned to FC Twente this summer — [...]
Rio Games kicks off with stunning ceremony August 6, 2016 Rio 2016 opened with a bang last night as fireworks flew from the Maracana stadium in a ceremony that featured supermodel Gisele Bündchen, former marathon runner Vanderlei de Lima, and Andy Murray leading Britain's athletes into the arena. Brazil shrugged off criticism that it wasn't ready for the games after months of concern about political protests, the Russian [...]
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez tells his players to calm down and work harder following defeat to Fulham in Championship opener August 5, 2016 A disappointed Rafael Benitez told his Newcastle players to calm down and get to work following a 1-0 defeat to Fulham in the Magpies' first Championship fixture in six years. Newcastle's campaign to win promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt got off to a faltering start after they failed to cancel out a first [...]
Slavisa Jokanovic heralds “different ambience” of new-look Fulham after Matt Smith header earns 1-0 victory over Newcastle in Championship opener August 5, 2016 Fulham shrugged off the departure of Ross McCormack in spectacular style by beating Championship favourites Newcastle 1-0 in the season curtain raiser at Craven Cottage. Matt Smith's header from a corner moments before half time was enough to give a new-look Fulham cause for optimism ahead of the new season, while Rafael Benitez's Newcastle will be left to reflect [...]
Don’t worry Manchester United fans, there is no legal case against Jose Mourinho over treatment of Bastian Schweinsteiger August 5, 2016 Jose Mourinho's freezing out of Bastian Schweinsteiger from the Manchester United first team has been described as criminal by a member of world player's union FifPro yet sports law experts in the UK believe there is no legal case against the manager. Slovenia FifPro member Dejan Stefanovic made headlines yesterday by telling the BBC that Schweinsteiger should "file [...]
Young Chekhov at National Theatre review: this triple bill of Platonov, Ivanov and The Seagull gives fresh perspective on one of the great dramatists August 5, 2016 Chekhov has a reputation as a miserabilist, due in large part to his recurring themes of suicide and existential dread. But this does a disservice to the comedy that runs through his work – and thank goodness it does, because if his plays were as gloomy as people tend to think, eight hours of them [...]
West Bromwich Albion takeover: New owner Guochuan Lai promises to “maintain stable structure” of Premier League club August 5, 2016 West Bromwich Albion's new Chinese owner pledged to maintain the club's stable structure after completing a takeover of the Premier League team. An investment group headed by Chinese entrepreneur Guochuan Lai has agreed a deal to purchase the club from outgoing chairman Jeremy Peace and is now just waiting on Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Premier League approval. [...]
West Ham United 3, NK Domzale 0 (Agg: 4-2): Happy Hammers’ housewarming, while Slaven Bilic targets a minimum of five new signings before start of Premier League season August 4, 2016 West Ham boss Slaven Bilic revelled in the atmosphere generated within the London Stadium as the Hammers marked their first match at their new home with a commanding Europa League victory over Slovenian minnows NK Domzale. Two first-half strikes from Cheikhou Kouyate and a late third from new signing Sofiane Feghouli ensured West Ham avoided [...]