Ed Warner: London 2012 convinced us that Para sport was moving forward, but it isn’t August 31, 2023 There are 363 days until the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Tickets go on sale on 9 October. The most expensive events are €100, a sliver over a tenth of the price of the best seats for Olympic athletics. I can guarantee there won’t be only one tenth of the enjoyment. You might [...]
Pay boost for England Women as cricket chiefs hand them same match fees as men August 30, 2023 England Women cricketers are to receive the same match fees as their male counterparts in a move that will boost their pay by thousands of pounds. The move was announced today by the England and Wales Cricket Board and will take effect immediately, starting in this week’s Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka. England Men, who [...]
Luis Rubiales suspended by FIFA over behaviour at World Cup final August 26, 2023 Luis Rubiales has been provisionally suspended by FIFA following the Spanish Football Federation president’s conduct at last week’s women’s World Cup final. Rubiales has refused to resign from his post despite a major uproar caused by him kissing Jenni Hermoso on the lips while she collected her medal after Spain’s 1-0 win over England in [...]
Luis Rubiales kiss row: Spanish FA threatens legal action over Jenni Hermoso claim August 26, 2023 The Spanish Football Federation has announced an intention to take legal action over comments made about its president Luis Rubiales by World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso. Hermoso was quoted in a statement issued by Futpro, the players’ union representing her, as stating “in no case did I seek to raise (lift) the president” during a [...]
Ed Warner: Why sport shouldn’t waste its time courting royals and politicians August 24, 2023 Politicians and royals rarely mix well with sport, so the fuss about the Prime Minister and Duke of Cambridge missing the Women’s World Cup final was classic British nonsense. In my experience, the less time spent trying to sprinkle dubious stardust on sporting events, the better. Civil servants and UK Sport spent ridiculous time that [...]
Spanish football chief Rubiales under fresh pressure to quit over Jenni Hermoso kiss August 22, 2023 Embattled Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales is facing renewed pressure to resign as the fallout from kissing Women’s World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso on the lips continues. Rubiales’ apology on Monday has failed to dampen the furore over his public lunge at Hermoso as she collected her medal following Sunday’s 1-0 final win over England [...]
England World Cup final defeat smashes UK TV audience records for women’s football August 21, 2023 England’s World Cup final with Spain on Sunday smashed UK TV audience records for a women’s football match, despite an early kick-off and the Lionesses missing out on the trophy. The nail-biting 1-0 defeat attracted an average audience of 13.3m watching on live television, with both BBC One and ITV broadcasting the match from Australia. [...]
Spanish football chief apologises for kissing player Jenni Hermoso after World Cup win August 21, 2023 The president of Spain’s football federation, Luis Rubiales, has apologised for kissing Women’s World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso on the lips in the aftermath of Sunday’s final. Rubiales’ public act after Spain beat England 1-0 sparked widespread condemnation, with Spanish ministers, other prominent female players and footballers’ unions criticising his lunge. “There is something I [...]
Nike still won’t sell England goalkeeper shirt despite Mary Earps’ World Cup heroics August 21, 2023 Nike has resisted calls to put an England goalkeeper shirt on sale in the near future despite Mary Earps and the Lionesses’ success in reaching the Women’s World Cup final. The sportswear giant has attracted criticism from fans and players for not producing a replica of Earps’s kit following her World Cup heroics, despite selling [...]
Hurt goes on for England, but will Spanish women’s football catch up at league level? August 20, 2023 And so the hurt goes on. Like other England teams before them, the Lionesses battled bravely in the Women’s World Cup final but ran aground against technically superior opponents who ruthlessly exploited their mistakes. Still, they have earned great credit along the way. Sarina Wiegman’s team had to overcome adversity before the tournament, seeing Euros [...]