All Premier League games to be televised until fans return to stadiums February 17, 2021 The Premier League has committed to televising every match until clubs are allowed to reopen stadiums to supporters. All games have been available on Sky Sports, BT Sport, the BBC or Amazon Prime Video for most of the pandemic – save for short-lived experiment with pay-per-view. That arrangement has now been extended indefinitely, with a [...]
France suffer Six Nations title setback as third member of coaching staff tests positive for Covid-19 February 17, 2021 Six Nations favourites France’s Covid-19 crisis has deepened after a third member of the coaching staff tested positive. Assistant coach William Servat’s diagnosis followed that of head coach Fabien Galthie and another unnamed non-playing staff member on Tuesday. All three have been ordered to self-isolate for seven days, while Les Bleus’ playing squad have been [...]
Uefa snubs Israeli offer to stage Euro 2020 matches and reaffirms commitment to 12 host nations February 16, 2021 Uefa says it is not pursuing an offer from Israel to help with hosting Euro 2020 and European club competitions. Israel’s world-leading Covid-19 vaccination programme means it would be well placed to welcome fans to matches. The Israel Football Association confirmed it had offered Uefa the use of three stadiums for staging matches at this [...]
Why are English clubs playing Champions League and Europa League matches at neutral venues? February 16, 2021 Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea are all playing Champions League fixtures at neutral venues this month. The same is true for Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in the Europa League. So why is it happening? Why have both legs of Arsenal’s tie been moved? Why is Leicester’s trip to Prague unaffected? And what does [...]
Henley Regatta at risk of cancellation for second year in a row after plans for June start are scrapped February 15, 2021 The Henley Regatta is in danger of being cancelled for the second year running after organisers said it would not start in June as planned. Organisers hope to stage the regatta in August instead, if not in Henley itself then at Dorney Lake. The five-day rowing spectacular on the Thames last year suffered the first [...]
Why Manchester City’s 16-game winning streak is even better than you think February 15, 2021 Let’s start with what is indisputable: Pep Guardiola has turned Manchester City back into the best team in England. Through the flames of the dumpster fire that is Liverpool’s title defence, City have marched to the summit like a team of indestructible terminators. Seven points clear and with a game in hand, only a monumental [...]
Is Liverpool’s defeat by Manchester City a sign that history is repeating itself for Jurgen Klopp February 13, 2021 To paraphrase Liverpool owner John Henry, what do you think they’re smoking at Anfield? Because something is up with the champions. Losing to your main domestic rivals is one thing. Losing to them 4-1 at home is another. And losing to them when you are 27 points down on your tally at the same stage [...]
Week in Sportbiz: English football puts the boot into Twitter and Facebook; Rolex deal shows value of golf tours’ alliance; dystopian snack marketing February 11, 2021 It is rare to see all of English football sing from the same hymnsheet. But that was in evidence today as the game’s leading bodies joined forces to demand more action from Twitter and Facebook against racist, sexist and threatening behaviour. The Premier League, Football Association, English Football League, Women’s Professional Game, players’ union the [...]
Tokyo 2020 Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori set to quit in sexism storm just months before Games February 11, 2021 Yoshiro Mori, the president of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics organising committee, is expected to quit over a sexism row. Mori, 83, has faced widespread calls to resign since saying that women talk too much earlier this month. The former prime minster of Japan is set to step down at a board meeting tomorrow, local media [...]
Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton signs new contract with Mercedes – but only for one year February 8, 2021 Lewis Hamilton has finally ended speculation over his immediate future by signing a new contract with Mercedes. The move comes just weeks before the Formula 1 world champion is due to begin his seventh title defence in Bahrain on 28 March. Hamilton’s last contract expired at the end of last season and was reported to [...]