Football match-fixing on rise as ‘lone wolves’ take it to lower leagues and even youth level March 6, 2022 It is almost 30 years since Bernard Tapie’s Marseille were found to be match-fixing in French football and more than 15 since the Calciopoli scandal rocked Serie A. Yet far from being consigned to the past, the manipulation of results is on the rise across sport and becoming more prevalent outside of football’s top divisions, [...]
Explainer: Why have Championship rugby clubs been denied promotion? March 4, 2022 “Disappointed, dismayed and disheartened,” is how Championship rugby leaders Doncaster Knights reacted to news this week that they will not be promoted even if they win the league. The Knights were joined by Ealing Trailfinders in being denied entry to the Premiership, English rugby’s top division, for failing to meet a series of off-field criteria. [...]
Abramovich sale of Chelsea could take place next week, says Premier League March 3, 2022 The Premier League has welcomed Roman Abramovich’s decision to sell Chelsea and indicated that a takeover could be completed as soon as next week. Chief executive Richard Masters called it the “right solution because the position was unsustainable” given Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “It’s the right decision. The situation escalated incredibly quickly,” Masters told the [...]
F1 champion Verstappen signs new deal with Oracle Red Bull until 2028 March 3, 2022 Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has signed a contract extension that commits him to Oracle Red Bull Racing for the next seven seasons. The deal, which is reported to be worth £40m a year, is a five-year extension to his current agreement and takes him to the end of the 2028 campaign. “I really [...]
Russian athletes banned from Winter Paralympics after rivals threaten boycott March 3, 2022 Athletes from Russia and Belarus have been banned from the Beijing Winter Paralympics after other nations, including Britain, threatened a boycott. The move represents a swift U-turn from International Olympic Committee, which had on Wednesday said they could compete as neutrals when the Games begin on Friday. It is the latest sporting sanction to hit [...]
Ed Warner: Sport needs a united front against Russia, not patchwork of policies March 3, 2022 On the opening day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine the Polish wheelchair rugby team decided not to take to the court in their Euros group match against Russia in Paris. A classy move. If only others were so decisive. The leaders of world sport are already divided in their response to Vladimir Putin’s war. It [...]
Chelsea: Abramovich confirms London club is up for sale March 2, 2022 Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has tonight confirmed that his club is up for sale with the net proceeds going to help Ukrainian war victims. The Premier League club owner confirmed the news in a statement on the club’s website and says the decision “is in the best interest of the club”. In a statement, he [...]
Clock ticking on Roman Abramovich after he puts Chelsea up for sale March 2, 2022 Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has put the Premier League club up for sale – but faces a race against time to find a buyer amid the continued threat of sanctions. Abramovich has hired US bank the Raine Group to advise on a deal and is believed to want £3bn for the reigning European champions, who [...]
Ukraine: Everton suspend arrangements with Russian linked billionaire March 2, 2022 Premier League side Everton have suspended their commercial sponsorship arrangements with all Alisher Usmanov owned companies. The Russian billionaire is on a list of people who have had their assets frozen by the European Union in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Usmanov owns USM Holdings, who sponsor Everton’s training ground and has Everton owner [...]
Swiss billionaire receives offer to buy Chelsea as Roman Abramovich is pushed to sell Stamford Bridge club quickly March 2, 2022 A Swiss billionaire has been approached to buy Chelsea football club, according to various reports this morning. 86-year-old Hansjorg Wyss reportedly confirmed he is interested in purchasing the Stamford Bridge club from Roman Abramovich, but only in a consortium. Russian-Israeli billionaire Abramovich is understood to want to retain his ownership of Chelsea but that could [...]