Vannes shows Top 14 and France are doing it right. England should learn December 17, 2024 Matt Hardy went to Vannes this December and saw exactly why French rugby and the Top 14 is exactly what every league should aim for. Rounding a grand piano in the courtyard of a music school to reach the turnstiles at the Stade de La Rabine is not something you’d expect – posh boy stereotypes [...]
All BBC Sports Personality of the Year category winners December 17, 2024 On Tuesday the nation picks its Sports Personality of the Year with a grand ceremony crowning the winner. Jude Bellingham, Luke Littler, Alex Yee, Keely Hodgkinson, Dame Sarah Storey and Joe Root are up for the main gong. But there are a number of awards that celebrate teams, individuals and unsung heroes. An all-female cast [...]
Chelsea star denies wrongdoing after club confirms failed drug test December 17, 2024 Chelsea’s £89m winger Mykhailo Mudryk has denied any wrongdoing after the Ukraine international tested positive for a banned substance. The Premier League confirmed on Tuesday that they had been notified by the Football Association of Mudryk’s test result, which could carry a ban of up to four years. “I can confirm that I have been [...]
Amorim offers olive branch to axed stars after Manchester derby December 15, 2024 Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim offered axed pair Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho an olive branch after his side snatched a 2-1 Premier League win in the derby at freefalling Manchester City. United trailed with three minutes remaining thanks to Josko Gvardiol’s header but Amad Diallo turned the contest upside down by first winning a [...]
Wolves lose patience with O’Neil after fourth defeat in a row December 15, 2024 Wolves have sacked manager Gary O’Neil after a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat left them second from bottom of the table. Saturday’s stoppage-time 2-1 loss at home to fellow strugglers Ipswich Town was their 12th reverse of the season in all competitions. Chairman Jeff Shi said: “We’re very grateful to Gary for all of his [...]
How betting markets reflect Manchester City’s shock slump December 13, 2024 Betting markets might not tell the whole story but they do reveal certain underlying truths and, right now, they don’t make easy reading for Pep Guardiola or Manchester City. This week their wholly unexpected and utterly miserable run continued with a 2-0 defeat against Juventus in Turin that has left them fighting to avoid elimination [...]
Ed Warner: Sport owners mustn’t forget the loyal and local in rush to go global December 12, 2024 In the frenzied rush to create global franchises and events, the sport business risks forgetting local and loyal fans at their peril, says Ed Warner. Storm Darragh dashed many sporting dreams last weekend, including those of the Australian 15-year-old who spent all his savings on a solo trip from Down Under only for the last [...]
Saudi Arabia promises ‘tournament of lifetime’ after getting 2034 World Cup December 11, 2024 Saudi Arabia has vowed to stage “the tournament of a lifetime” after Fifa confirmed the country as hosts for the 2034 World Cup. Its was the only bid and its appointment was a formality confirmed by acclamation at a virtual Fifa congress on Wednesday. As expected, six nations – Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Uruguay, Argentina and [...]
Ahead of the Game: British Horseracing Authority accused of ‘selling out sport’ December 11, 2024 Campaign group Clean Up Gambling has switched horses and is backing racing in the sport’s push to be regulated separately from online casinos and slots. Clean Up Gambling, which is funded by multimillionaire Labour donor Derek Webb and run by former party official Matt Zarb-Cousin, has called for racing to be exempt from affordability checks [...]
Exclusive: Forest, Chelsea and Inter players join £1.1m boot firm Sokito’s funding round December 11, 2024 Players from clubs such as Nottingham Forest, Chelsea and Inter Milan have joined a £1.1m funding round for eco-friendly football boot firm Sokito. A total of 60 players, 44 of whom are new investors, have joined the roster of investors from leagues including the Premier League, MLS and the Bundesliga. Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah is on [...]