Sports & Casinos UK

Nigel Dewale, 60, given suspended prison sentenceOffensive messages were sent during Euro 2025A 60-year-old man has received a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to sending offensive messages about the England international Jess Carter during the European Championship last summer.Nigel Dewale, of Great Harwood in Lancashire, was sentenced to six weeks, suspended for 12 months, after a hearing at Blackburn magistrates court. He also received a four-year football banning order, and a requirement to engage in a 10-day rehabilitation programme. Continue reading...

The NBA’s board of governors voted to move forward with the cities as targets for its first expansion since 2004. Here’s what it means for the future of the leagueThe NBA has moved a step closer to adding teams in Seattle and Las Vegas.The league’s board of governors met this week and voted to explore bids and applicants for teams exclusively in those two cities, beginning the process for its first expansion in more than two decades. Bids are expected to be in the $7bn to $10bn range per franchise. Continue reading...

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!With ratings declining, it was inevitable ties needed to be severed without commissioning a new season of a cherished Liverpudlian mainstay. This is what happens when things get tired, they can never replicate what they were in their prime. It is no great shame to have such a long run, collect plenty of awards on the way and finally realise the industry has moved on and there is nothing fresh you can bring to compete with the elite rivals. Plenty of drama and joy was provided, testing the boundaries of what was possible and changing a nation in the process by challenging the establishment. But in the end, time caught up with Brookside and it had to go. Continue reading...

Home nations frontrunners to host Women’s World CupUnited’s New Stadium Development wants showpieceThe FA is resisting lobbying from Manchester United to nominate a rebuilt Old Trafford as the venue for the 2035 Women’s World Cup final.The chief executive of United’s New Stadium Development, Collette Roche, went public with the club’s aspirations to host the 2035 final for the first time on Tuesday but the FA is committed to staging the showpiece occasion at Wembley. Continue reading...

Lead runners were led off course by guide vehicleWorld Athletics gives runners special entryThree runners who were led off course in a race that served as a qualifier for the World Road Running Championships have been given entry into the upcoming competition.Jessica McClain, Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat were leading the USA Track & Field Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta earlier this month when the guide vehicle took the trio off course. Molly Born, who had been more than a minute behind the leaders, came through to win the race, with Carrie Ellwood and Annie Rodenfels in second and third. McClain, Hurley and Kurgat finished in ninth, 12th and 13th respectively, around two minutes behind Born. Continue reading...

Ireland face Czech Republic in playoff semi-final‘We are just riding the wave of confidence’Séamus Coleman believes the Republic of Ireland have “a duty” to lift the country by completing the job of qualifying for a World Cup for the first time since 2002.The Republic visit the Czech Republic on Thursday in a World Cup playoff semi-final that few would have imagined possible after collecting one point from their opening three qualifiers. Having reignited their campaign with two Troy Parrott-inspired wins over Portugal and Hungary in November, however, Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side will take confidence and momentum into their bid to end a 24-year absence from the World Cup. Continue reading...

Son Cameron confirms 77-year-old has the diseaseToshack managed Swansea and Madrid among manyThe Liverpool and Wales great John Toshack has been diagnosed with dementia, according to his son Cameron.Toshack had a celebrated playing career with the Merseyside club, scoring more than 100 goals and winning nine trophies between 1970 and 1978, and earning 40 caps for Wales before turning to management, including roles with Real Sociedad, Real Madrid and his national team. Continue reading...

Shiffrin holds off challenge from Germany’s Emma AicherUS star ties record set by Annemarie Moser-Pröll in 1970sMikaela Shiffrin secured a record-tying sixth women’s overall World Cup skiing title by holding off a challenge from Germany’s Emma Aicher in the final race of the season. Shiffrin needed only to finish in the top 15 of Wednesday’s giant slalom in Lillehammer, and the American secured that before Aicher had even began her second run. Shiffrin finished 11th and Aicher – who needed to win the race and hope that Shiffrin finished 16th or worse to clinch her first title – finished 12th.“It’s quite emotional,” Shiffrin said. “This thing sums up a whole season of work and fighting with the whole team and I have to say to Emma that her skiing has been just outstanding and today it was just so cool to watch her, especially on the first run. “I think the outcome of this day is that she can do this. And I think that’s the coolest thing about ski racing – that anything is possible,” Shiffrin added. Continue reading...

Sadness over the Egyptian King’s departure from Liverpool is matched by gratitude for the goals and glory he gave supportersThe first time I saw Mohamed Salah play was in August 2017. Arsenal were the visitors to Anfield. Liverpool were sensational on that sunny Sunday afternoon. Bobby Firmino and Sadio Mané had fashioned a 2-0 first-half lead, before the third member of Jürgen Klopp’s new attacking trio added his name to the record.Arsenal’s corner was cleared to Héctor Bellerín, about 30 yards out. Salah was on him instantly, robbing the hapless Spaniard easily. His whirring legs blurred like the Road Runner’s as he raced into the Arsenal half and towards Petr Cech. I’d never seen a player bear down on the Kop goal so rapidly. Then came a cool finish and an almighty roar, followed by his celebration. Tongue out, arms spread wide, embracing the adulation. A sign of things to come. And it was exhilarating – one of those Anfield moments that swipes the breath from the lungs. We had a player. We had a team. And nothing would ever be the same after that. Continue reading...

‘Double London Marathon’ plans backed by mayor’s office2027 event would raise tens of millions more for charity The London Marathon is in advanced talks about staging a two-day event in 2027, allowing tens of thousands more runners to take part in the iconic race and to raise tens of millions more for charity.While the Double London Marathon, as it is being called internally, has not been granted formal approval it is believed to have the backing of the mayor’s office for it to be staged on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April next year. Continue reading...