Sports

Neither Australia nor New Zealand will take part in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup, with both nations announcing their decision to pull out over “player welfare and safety concerns” on Thursday. Both the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) and New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) have requested the World Cup…

Two athletes have become the first to test positive for the coronavirus in the Tokyo Olympic Village, officials said on Sunday, just days before the pandemic-delayed Games open. The cases will heighten concerns over the Olympics, which are facing opposition in Japan over fears they will bring new cases to…

Barcelona are close to announcing that Lionel Messi has signed a contract to 2026 and are in advanced talks over swapping Antoine Griezmann for Atlético Madrid’s Saúl Ñíguez. Messi has agreed a five-year deal on reduced wages rather than a two-year extension initially discussed. His partnership with Griezmann in attack…

England has been charged by UEFA after a fan shone a laser pointer in Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel’s face during Wednesday’s Euro 2020 semi-final at Wembley. The incident occurred as Harry Kane was taking an England penalty in the first period of extra-time. Schmeichel saved the penalty but Kane scored…

Lionel Messi is now officially a free agent after his enormous four-year, €500 million Barcelona contract expired at the stroke of midnight on July 1. The Argentina international’s deal was the largest signed by an athlete in sports history, even eclipsing the contracts offered to the leading lights in the…

A member of the Ugandan Olympic team tested positive for the coronavirus after arriving at Narita Airport on Saturday night in the first known case of COVID-19 among athletes traveling from abroad. The discovery comes just over a month before the opening ceremony and amid concerns of another spike in…

FRIDAY, May 21; Most decorated Kenya Sevens’ head coach Benjamin Ayimba is dead. It is reported that Ayimba has been at Nairobi hospital where he has been undergoing treatment for cerebral malaria and breathed his last on Friday evening.  Last month, his family came out to seek help over his…

Chelsea will meet Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League final after a 3-1 win on aggregate over Real Madrid on Wednesday. Goals from Timo Werner and Mason Mount secured a 2-0 victory for the hosts to eliminate 13-time Champions League winner Real Madrid in the semifinal at Stamford Bridge.…

Three months before the Tokyo Olympic Games, Eliud Kipchoge returned to his winning ways when he ran 2:04:30 to win Sunday’s NN Mission Marathon in Enschede, the Netherlands. The world record-holder competed in the elite-only race with 70 runners aiming to secure an Olympic qualifying time after the majority of…

Valencia’s players walked off the pitch after defender Mouctar Diakhaby appeared to accuse Cadiz’s Juan Cala of racism during Sunday’s clash in La Liga. Diakhaby approached Cala after a comment was aimed in his direction shortly after the half hour mark of the game, with the centre-back then approaching referee…