Category Archives: Sport

Sven-Göran Eriksson reveals he has cancer and ‘at best’ about a year to live

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  • Former England manager will ‘fight it as long as possible’
  • He says he is determined to ‘see the positive sides of things’

The former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson has revealed he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and in a “best-case” scenario has about a year left to live.

Eriksson, who managed England for five years before leaving after the 2006 World Cup, stood down from his most recent role as the sporting director at the Swedish club Karlstad 11 months ago due to health issues.

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Michigan overwhelm Washington to claim first national title in 26 years

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Blake Corum ran for 134 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns as Jim Harbaugh and Michigan – undeterred by suspensions and a sign-stealing case that shadowed the program this season – completed a three-year climb to a national championship by beating Washington 34-13 on Monday night in the College Football Playoff title game.

The Wolverines (15-0) sealed their first national title since 1997 when Corum, who scored the winning touchdown in overtime to beat Alabama in the Rose Bowl semi-final, blasted in from the one-yard line with 3:37 left to put Michigan up by 21 and set off another rousing rendition of The Victors.

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Snookered by China? Masters tournament owner plots Asia expansion

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World Snooker and PDC World Darts owner Matchroom weighs up India and south-east Asia amid feared overreliance on China

The owner of the Masters snooker tournament is plotting an expansion trail across Asia after the pandemic exposed the company’s reliance on China, its chair has revealed.

Steve Dawson, the chief executive of World Snooker Ltd, told the Guardian it was considering staging tournaments in India, Pakistan, Malaysia and Thailand, after its business was held back by three years of Beijing-imposed Covid lockdowns.

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‘I had no idea’: the new wave of fans attracted to darts by Luke Littler

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The teenage sensation may have lost his world final showdown but has helped bring a fresh audience to the sport

When Eilidh Milne was visited by her dad and brother on Tuesday, she initially protested against their insistence on watching the darts world championship on television.

But Milne soon found herself on the edge of her seat, yelling at the TV and leaping into the air when the 16-year-old Luke Littler, who had taken the tournament by storm, defeated the 2018 world champion Rob Cross in the semi-finals.

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Hong Kong beat China at football for first time in 29 years

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‘I don’t have to motivate the team against China,’ says manager after 2-1 win in friendly played behind closed doors

Hong Kong have beaten China for the first time in 29 years in a friendly football match in Abu Dhabi.

Hong Kong’s 2-1 victory over China comes as the former British colony prepares to participate in the Asian Cup for the first time since 1968, when the territory was still under British rule.

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Friends pay tribute to Melissa Dennis as Australian cycling community mourns

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Anna Meares among athletes paying tribute to former track cyclist who competed at world championships and Olympics

• Rohan Dennis charged over death of wife Melissa

Melissa Dennis is being remembered as a popular and talented competitor as Australian cycling reels from her death.

Olympic gold medallist Anna Meares paid tribute to Dennis on Monday morning, while AusCycling also released a statement.

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Rohan Dennis charged over death of wife, fellow cyclist Melissa Dennis

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Reports name Melissa as woman who died after being hit by car in Adelaide and Rohan as the driver

Two-time Olympian and Two-time Olympiancyclist Melissa Dennis has died after she was struck by a car in Adelaide’s inner north.

Dennis’s husband and fellow Australian Olympic cyclist, Rohan Dennis, has reportedly been charged in relation to her death.

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‘I can’t celebrate 2023 now’: Jack Grealish ‘devastated’ by burglary

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  • Manchester City midfielder says experience was ‘traumatic’
  • Robbers reportedly took £1m worth of jewellery and watches

Jack Grealish has spoken of his devastation and the “traumatic experience” of burglars targeting his home. Raiders struck at the England and Manchester City midfielder’s Cheshire mansion during his club’s Premier League match at Everton on Wednesday.

Members of Grealish’s family and his fiancee, Sasha Atwood, were reportedly watching the televised match at the property when they heard a disturbance. An alarm was raised and an emergency response was launched with a helicopter, police dogs and a number of officers sent to the property near Knutsford, but no suspects were detected.

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‘An outstanding person’: tributes paid to former Team GB footballer Gemma Wiseman

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Wiseman, who has died at the age of 33, represented England and Great Britain’s deaf women’s teams

Tributes have been paid to former Team GB footballer Gemma Wiseman after her death at the age of 33.

Wiseman represented England and Great Britain’s deaf women’s teams and helped guide GB to third place at the 2016 World Deaf Football Championships.

In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counsellor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org

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‘T-shirt row’ causes Saudi Arabia-based Turkish Super Cup final to be postponed

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  • Galatasaray and Fenerbahce were set to play in Riyadh on Friday
  • Tribute to founder of modern Turkey was reportedly rejected

The Turkish Super Cup final between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce scheduled to be played in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, on Friday was postponed over what the clubs have described as “some problems” in the event’s organisation.

At the heart of those issues, according to media reports, was the wish of the two teams to wear T-shirts featuring the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, during the warm-up before the evening kick-off.

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Police investigating alleged racist remark aimed at Luton’s Carlton Morris

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  • Luton confirm South Yorkshire police are looking into incident
  • Morris spoke to officials during team’s win at Sheffield United

Luton Town have confirmed South Yorkshire police are investigating an alleged racist comment towards Carlton Morris in his side’s Boxing Day win at Sheffield United.

“We can confirm that Carlton Morris reported an alleged racist comment from the crowd during this afternoon’s Premier League fixture at Bramall Lane,” a club statement said.

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Ski resorts battle for a future as snow declines in climate crisis

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International Ski Federation urged to cut emissions, while activists warn of damage through heavy use of snowmaking

After promising early dumps of snow in some areas of Europe this autumn, the pattern of recent years resumed and rain and sleet took over.

In the ski resorts of Morzine and Les Gets in the French Alps, the heavy rainfall meant that full opening of resorts was delayed until two days before Christmas, leaving the industry and the millions of tourists planning trips to stare at the sky in hope.

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Sydney to Hobart yacht race 2023: sailors warned of thunderstorms and erratic weather as start time approaches

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  • Weather forecast is for storms and strong winds across first two days
  • Andoo Comanche raises protest after near-collision with Scallywag

The 78th edition of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race has begun under dark skies that threatened to be much worse as the scheduled start time approached.

Thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds blanketed Sydney Harbour an hour before the 1pm AEDT start but cleared as the 103-vessel fleet jostled for position.

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South Asian fans in Cricket Australia’s sights as it strives to be a ‘sport for all’

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Multicultural action plan seeks to remove barriers to players and volunteers from diverse communities

Two-thirds of south Asian-Australian cricketers find it challenging to find a club, according to Cricket Australia’s multicultural action plan, which calls for the body’s staff to undergo unconscious bias and cultural awareness training.

The plan – which was released on Friday in Melbourne in the lead-up to the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan – is the result of thousands of hours of consultation with members of local communities.

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Bournemouth v Luton abandoned after Tom Lockyer suffers cardiac arrest

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Premier League match halted and Luton Town captain was taken away on a stretcher, described as ‘alert and responsive’

Luton’s Premier League match at Bournemouth on Saturday was abandoned after their captain, Tom Lockyer, collapsed on the pitch after a cardiac arrest.

The match was stopped in the 59th minute as medics tended to Lockyer, who collapsed off the ball.

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BBC shelves Question of Sport, blaming ‘funding challenges’

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Corporation halts production on world’s longest-running sport quiz after 53 years and says it is ‘not the final whistle’

The BBC is pulling Question of Sport, the world’s longest-running sport quiz, citing “funding difficulties”.

The show began in 1970 with David Vine as presenter, followed by David Coleman, Sue Barker and the current incumbent, Paddy McGuinness, who took over two years ago.

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NBA indefinitely suspends Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green

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League announces penalty less than 24 hours after Green hit Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić and received foul and ejection

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was suspended indefinitely by the NBA on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after he hit Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić in the face and received a Flagrant 2 foul and ejection.

The league announced the penalty handed down by operations chief Joe Dumars and said the suspension begins immediately. It’s already Green’s second suspension this season.

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Man jailed for six months after racially abusing Rio Ferdinand at football match

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Jamie Arnold, 33, made racist remarks and gestures at former England defender, who was working as a TV pundit, court heard

A football fan who racially abused the former England international Rio Ferdinand has been jailed for six months and banned from watching live matches for seven years.

Jamie Arnold, 33, uttered racist remarks and made monkey gestures at the former Manchester United defender, who was working as a pundit for BT Sport, a court heard.

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No UK rescue for 2026 Commonwealth Games after Gold Coast withdrawal

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  • British government rules out stepping in to save 2026 event
  • Original hosts Victoria pulled out in July due to prohibitive costs

The British government has told Commonwealth Games organisers that the UK will not step in to rescue the event again after the Gold Coast withdrew its bid for the 2026 event.

Substantial UK government support allowed Birmingham to ride to the rescue of the 2022 Games after Durban was stripped of the event in 2017.

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Peter V’Landys accuses politicians of ‘outright lies’ as plan to extend Racing NSW chair Russell Balding’s tenure fails

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Racing body will need to scramble to replace chair after Coalition and crossbench team up to try to strengthen oversight

The Racing NSW chief executive, Peter V’Landys, has accused politicians of spreading “outright lies” and “mainly wrong diatribes” during the parliamentary debate that ultimately resulted in the loss of his chairman.

One of the most powerful men in Australian sport, V’Landys is overseen by the Racing NSW board. He has held the position of chief executive for nearly 20 years, 12 of those with Russell Balding as chair.

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