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Football
Wolves sign Tchatchoua
News Desk: Wolves have signed defender Jackson Tchatchoua for 12.5m euros (£10.8m) on a five-year deal from Serie A side Hellas Verona. The Cameroon international can play as a right-back or wing-back and was last season named the fastest player in Serie A with an average top speed of 34.88 kmph., external Wolves said the 23-year-old produced a top speed of 36.3kmph last season. Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven was the fastest player in the Premier League in 2024-25, reaching a top speed of 37.1 kmph and the Dutch defender holds the league record of 37.38kmph.
Football
Romero signs new contract
NEWS DESK: Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero has signed a new four-year contract to commit his future to the club. The 27-year-old Argentina centre-back joined Spurs from Atalanta in August 2021, initially on loan before the move was made permanent the following summer. He has made 126 appearances for the club, scoring eight goals, and captained the side in the Europa League final as Tottenham beat Manchester United to end their 17-year wait for a trophy.
Iconic
Kusal Perera heroics lead Sri Lanka to remarkable Test win in South Africa in 2019
Record Corner
8720
is the record of the highest number of runs scored while chasing in ODIs by India’s Sachin Tendulkar
Trivia
Which team won the inaugural UEFA Nations League?
A. Portugal
Side Stories
Bournemouth sign Doak
News Desk: Bournemouth have signed Liverpool winger Ben Doak for an initial £20m with a further £5m in add-ons. The 19-year-old has signed a five-year contract and becomes Bournemouth’s fourth summer acquisition. Doak was left out of Liverpool’s 4-2 win over Bournemouth at Anfield on Friday night. “I’m buzzing to be here,” Doak said. “I feel like it’s the right time for me and it’s a great opportunity to play regular football at the highest level. It feels like the perfect fit. “The team play very nice football. It’s fast and it really suits my game, so I felt like I couldn’t say no to the chance to play here.”
AC Milan eye Hojlund
NEWS DESK: AC Milan sporting director Igli Tare has confirmed the Italian club are interested in Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund. The Denmark forward was left out of the matchday squad for United’s 1-0 home defeat by Arsenal on Sunday. It is understood coach Ruben Amorim took the decision amid intense speculation over the 22-year-old’s future. While Hojlund has previously expressed a strong desire to remain at United, the arrival of Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig for £73.7m means his opportunities are likely to be severely restricted. “Hojlund is a good option for us,” Tare told Sport Mediaset, external before Sunday’s 2-0 win over Bari in the Coppa Italia.
Edmund announces retirement
NEWS DESK: Former British number one Kyle Edmund on Monday announced his retirement at the age of 30 after a turbulent few years heavily impacted by injuries. Edmund reached his career-high ranking of world number 14 in October 2018 following his maiden ATP Tour title win in Antwerp. That same year, he also made history by reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open, becoming only the second Briton since Andy Murray to achieve this milestone in the Open Era. His second ATP title came at the 2020 New York Open, further cementing his status as one of Britain’s leading tennis players.
Konstas excited to welcome Shadab
NEWS DESK: Australia’s top order batter Sam Konstas on Tuesday expressed his excitement about teaming up with Pakistan all rounder Shadab Khan in the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) season. Konstas recently extended his contract with Sydney Thunder for another four years and said he is eager to deliver top notch performances alongside Shadab. Speaking about his new deal, Konstas said, “our team will take the field with the best combination this season, and especially with Shadab Khan joining us, I feel we will deliver outstanding performances this year.” Konstas also described the honor of playing alongside some of his childhood heroes.
Rabada to miss Aus ODIs
NEWS DESK: South Africa suffered a major setback as premier fast bowler Kagiso Rabada was ruled out of the entire ODI series against Australia due to an ankle injury. The 30-year-old pacer underwent scans on Monday, which confirmed the extent of the injury, forcing him to remain on the sidelines. Rabada, who has been a vital cog in South Africa’s bowling attack across formats, will stay in Australia and begin rehabilitation under the supervision of the team’s medical staff. His absence adds to South Africa’s growing injury concerns, with left-arm quick Marco Jansen also unavailable as he continues to recover from surgery on his left thumb. To bolster their pace department, South Africa have drafted in teenager Kwena Maphaka, who impressed in the recently concluded T20I series against Australia by finishing as the highest wicket-taker.
Wissa deletes all Brentford links
NEWS DESK: Yoane Wissa has removed all association with Brentford from his Instagram account as his uncertain future takes a fresh twist. The DR Congo forward, who was left out of the squad for Sunday’s 3-1 loss at Nottingham Forest, wants to join Newcastle. The Magpies have seen at least one offer for the forward rejected by Brentford this summer. BBC Sport was the first to reveal that Wissa had flown home early from their pre-season camp in Portugal, after which he threatened not to play or train for the club again if they did not sanction his protracted move to St James’ Park. Since then there had been a slight thawing of relations, resulting in the 28-year-old returning to first-team training while continuing to make clear that he wanted to join Newcastle.
Piastri gets own grandstand
NEWS DESK: Melbourne-born Oscar Piastri will have his own grandstand at next year’s Australian Grand Prix. The 24-year-old is leading this season’s drivers’ championship by nine points from McLaren team-mate Lando Norris with 10 races to go. Piastri has already won more grands prix in a single season than any other Australian driver since the world championship started in 1950, with six so far in 2025. “It feels very surreal and I never thought this would happen, but the support is incredible and I can’t wait to see it all come together next March,” he said on X., external The grandstand will be on the main straight, opposite the pit lane.
Isak to skip PFA awards
News Desk: Newcastle striker Alexander Isak is not expected to attend Tuesday night’s Professional Footballers’ Association’s awards gala. The Sweden international has been nominated for the main award but could miss the ceremony amid ongoing uncertainty over his future at St James’ Park. Isak is currently in the middle of a stand-off with Newcastle over his ambition to join Liverpool before the transfer deadline. Just over 24 hours before the awards, BBC Sport has learned Isak is yet to confirm his attendance at the function, which will be held at the Manchester Opera House, casting doubt over whether he plans to appear. Indeed, other sources have indicated that Isak – as things stand – is not planning on attending the event.
Top Quote
Alonso: I’m more about doing than talking. Making promises before you act doesn’t usually work in football. Just saying it is not going to make it happen
Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso is optimistic to make his La Liga debut
Side Quote
Kane: “I think you can see what he brings one-v-one on the wing. Really sharp, really agile. I think his biggest asset is he scores goals
Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane praises Luis Diaz after a gutsy performance against Stuttgart. Sky Sports
Play at the India Open badminton tournament was halted twice on Thursday after bird droppings were spotted on Court 1 during Indian HS Prannoy’s match against Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew, Indian media reported.
The incident kept the spotlight on conditions at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium for a third straight day and added to questions over the venue’s preparedness for the World Championships in August.
Play was first stopped in the opening game when officials rushed in with tissues to clean the floor, and was halted again in the third after fresh droppings were spotted.
“I think it was bird poop,” Prannoy said after the match.
The disruption followed other incidents reported at the venue in recent days, including birds flying around on the practice courts and a monkey being seen in the stands.
While the Badminton Association of India (BAI) has defended the conditions and arrangements so far, Indian media said Thursday’s episode adds to a growing list of embarrassments for organisers and points of review for the Badminton World Federation (BWF), which is monitoring the venue.
Players have also raised concerns over the city’s pollution and weather conditions, with Loh adding to the issues flagged during the tournament.
Earlier this week, Danish player Blichfeldt raised concerns about what she described as “dirty and unhealthy” conditions, calling on the BWF to intervene, a significant allegation given the same venue will host the World Championships scheduled to be held in August, with India set to host the global showpiece for the first time in 16 years.
Last year’s India Open was held at the smaller KD Jadhav Arena before being moved this season to the larger Indira Gandhi Stadium, while training sessions continue to take place at the KD Jadhav Stadium located around 250-300 metres from the main arena.
Blichfeldt had reiterated her concerns this week, specifically referring to the warm-up halls, saying players were forced to wear multiple layers due to cold conditions and describing the environment as unfit for elite preparation.
She also raised health concerns after claiming to have seen birds inside the warm-up area, including instances of droppings on court surfaces.
“That’s clearly unhealthy and not normal,” she said, adding that falling sick or getting injured due to such conditions would be unfair to players.
While acknowledging organisers’ efforts, she maintained improvements were still needed and urged tournament authorities and the BWF to ensure professional standards are met.
Sports
State Department lists major sporting events in addition to World Cup, Olympics exempt from Trump’s visa ban
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The Trump administration has revealed various “major sporting events” in addition to the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games in which athletes and coaches will be exempt from a broad visa ban on nearly 40 countries, allowing them to travel to the U.S. to compete.
In a cable sent Wednesday to all U.S. embassies and consulates, the State Department said athletes, coaches and support staff for the World Cup, the Olympics and events endorsed or run by a lengthy list of collegiate and professional sporting leagues and associations would be excluded from the full and partial travel bans subject to citizens of 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority.
But foreign spectators, media and corporate sponsors who wish to attend the events would still be impacted by the ban unless they qualify for another exemption.
TRUMP TOUTS 2026 WORLD CUP DRAW SUCCESS, CLAIMS MASSIVE VIEWERSHIP
The Trump administration has revealed the “major sporting events” in addition to the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games in which athletes and coaches will be exempt from a broad visa ban. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
“Only a small subset of travelers for the World Cup, Olympics and Paralympics, and other major sporting events will qualify for the exception,” the message said.
The federal government has issued several immigration and travel bans as well as other visa restrictions as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to curb immigration, although the administration still wants athletes, coaches and fans to be able to attend major sporting events in the U.S.
Trump’s proclamation last month banning the issuance of visas to the 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority had included an exception for athletes and staff competing in some sporting events such as the World Cup and the Olympics, and a decision on the other sporting events that would be covered would be made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
WORLD CUP FANS BANNED FROM US TRAVEL MAY BE UNABLE TO ROOT FOR TEAMS IN PERSON
Foreign spectators, media and corporate sponsors who wish to attend the events would still be impacted by the ban unless they qualify for another exemption. (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
The events covered, according to the cable, include all competitions and qualifying events for the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games and Parapan American Games; events hosted, sanctioned or recognized by a U.S. National Governing Body; all competitions and qualifying events for the Special Olympics; and official events and competitions hosted or endorsed by FIFA or its confederations.
Official events and competitions hosted by the International Military Sports Council, the International University Sports Federation and the National Collegiate Athletic Association as well as those hosted or endorsed by U.S. professional sports leagues such as the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and Women’s National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and Little League, National Hockey League, Professional Women’s Hockey League, NASCAR, Formula 1, the Professional Golf Association, Ladies Professional Golf Association, LIV Golf, Major League Rugby, Major League Soccer, World Wrestling Entertainment, Ultimate Fighting Championship and All Elite Wrestling are also covered under the exemption.
Other events and leagues could be added to the list in the future, the cable said.
Other events and leagues could be added to the list in the future. (Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images)
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Under the new visa restrictions, a full travel ban covers citizens of Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen and individuals holding Palestinian Authority–issued passports.
A partial ban applies to citizens of Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Togo, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Former Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros star outfielder Kyle Tucker has agreed to a $240 million, four-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, per multiple reports.
Tucker’s $60 million average annual value would be the second-highest in baseball history, not factoring discounting, behind Shohei Ohtani’s $70 million in his 10-year deal with the Dodgers that runs through 2033.
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Kyle Tucker #30 of the Houston Astros runs to third base during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 28, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
When healthy, Tucker is among the best all-around players in the majors. But the outfielder has played in just 214 regular-season games over the past two years.
CUBS, ALEX BREGMAN AGREE TO 5-YEAR DEAL: REPORTS
Jeremy Pena #3, Kyle Tucker #30, and Alex Bregman #2 of the Houston Astros celebrate after Tucker hit a home run in the third inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game One of the 2022 World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 28, 2022, in Houston, Texas. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
He batted .266 with 22 homers and 73 RBIs with the Chicago Cubs last season. He was acquired in a blockbuster trade with Houston in December 2024 that moved slugging prospect Cam Smith to the Astros.
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Kyle Tucker #30 of the Chicago Cubs swings the bat in the third inning during game five of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on October 11, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Brandon Sloter/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images)
Tucker was slowed by a pair of injuries in his lone season with the Cubs. He sustained a small fracture in his right hand on an awkward slide against Cincinnati on June 1. He also strained his left calf against Atlanta on Sept. 2.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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