Juventus docked 10 points with immediate effect over transfer irregularities
Juventus have been docked 10 points by the Italian football federation for irregularities in the club’s accounting. The Serie A side were initially hit with a 15-point sanction in January, but the penalty was rescinded after an appeal. The federation has now moved to issue a new punishment after the federal court of appeal intervened, meaning the club could miss out on European football next season. The sanctions relate to the club having artificially inflated the value of players in their accounts using capital gains. The appeal court, whilst upholding the charges against the club, acquitted officials Pavel Nedved, Paolo Garimberti, Assia Grazioli Venier, Caitlin Mary Hughes, Daniela Marilungo, Francesco Roncaglio and Enrico Vellano of wrongdoing. Former Tottenham sporting director Fabio Paratici, who performed the same role at Juventus from 2018-21, received a two-year global ban from football from FIFA in April over his part in the matter, forcing him to resign from his position at Spurs. The club said in a statement that they had taken note of the ruling and reserved “the right to read the reasons to evaluate a possible appeal”. They added that the decision “arouses great bitterness in the club and in its millions of supporters” who have found themselves “penalised by the application of sanctions that do not seem to take into account the principle of proportionality”. The points deduction sees the club drop to seventh in the Serie A table, a point outside the European qualification places. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
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NFL approves emergency 3rd QB after 49ers' injury woes in NFC title game
NFL teams will be allowed to play an emergency quarterback from the inactive list if the first two are injured during a game
1970-01-01 08:00
Roma held by Salernitana but Champions League hopes boosted by Juventus penalty
Roma has drawn with Salernitana 2-2 in Serie A and still had its hopes of sneaking into the Champions League boosted
1970-01-01 08:00
Wilson, Legge crash heavily in Indianapolis 500 practice session
Stefan Wilson and Katherine Legge crashed heavily with just under an hour left in practice for the Indianapolis 500 on Monday
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Carmelo Anthony officially announces his retirement from hoops
Carmelo Anthony officially announces his retirement from hoops
1970-01-01 08:00
Newcastle vs Leicester LIVE: Latest updates from Premier League clash as Maddison starts on bench
Newcastle need just one point to secure Champions League football next season as they host Leicester City in the Premier League tonight. Eddie Howe’s men are currently third in the table and know that if they avoid defeat to the Foxes they will secure a top four finish in the first full season since the Saudi-backed takeover of the club. Leicester meanwhile are hoping to avoid relegation. They are 19th in the table but a victory tonight would send them out of the drop zone (on goal difference) ahead of this weekend’s final league fixtures. Dean Smith’s side have not won in four matches and were heavily beaten last time out against Liverpool. Can they surprise the Magpies and earn a win away from home? We’ll have all the action from St. James’ Park in our live blog below:
1970-01-01 08:00
Smith: North Wilkesboro 'definitely has a place' in NASCAR's world, but unclear what capacity
Speedway Motorsports CEO Marcus Smith said North Wilkesboro Speedway “definitely has a place in the NASCAR world” moving forward, despite an All-Star race that lacked drama Sunday night
1970-01-01 08:00
Alcaraz jumps Djokovic, returns to No. 1 in ATP rankings; Medvedev No. 2; Swiatek leads WTA
Carlos Alcaraz has replaced Novak Djokovic at No. 1 in the ATP rankings and earned the top seeding at the French Open
1970-01-01 08:00
MATCHDAY: Valladolid hosts Barcelona looking to avoid relegation in Liga
Valladolid hosts new champion Barcelona in the Spanish league
1970-01-01 08:00
Spanish Football’s Attempt to Deal With Racism Hits New Low
Spain’s football league has long attempted to promote its image by tightly controlling what can be broadcast. One
1970-01-01 08:00
Madeleine McCann disappearance: A timeline
Parents Kate and Gerry McCann have spent 16 years searching for answers over their missing daughter.
1970-01-01 08:00
Boxxer’s Ben Shalom: ‘I sacrificed my twenties, I sacrificed absolutely everything’
Ben Shalom knows what you’re thinking. “Where’s this guy come from? Where the f*** has he come from?” It is the same question that arises when fans come across the 29-year-old’s company, Boxxer, which has emerged as one of the sport’s leading promotions since its inception as Ultimate Boxxer in 2018. Back then, Shalom was just 23, the youngest licensed promoter in Britain. So, where did this guy come from? Where the f*** did he come from? The Mancunian recalls Amir Khan’s outings at the 2004 Athens Olympics as having generated his first memories of boxing, before the “ITV nights” that followed for Khan deepened Shalom’s intrigue in the sport. They were bouts that drew “seven or eight million viewers”, and though Shalom, the 11-year-old boxing fan, could probably not recount those figures at the time, it is telling that Shalom, at 28, does so now. Ricky Hatton vs Floyd Mayweather in 2007 and David Haye vs Nikolai Valuev in 2009 were also impactful for Shalom, the latter fight leaving him “obsessed” with the sport. The entrepreneurial spirit that would give life to Boxxer first shone at university, where Shalom studied law but was “always trying to find a way not to do law”. He would organise club nights and concerts and sell fast food, and that proclivity for business later combined with boxing in part due to Shalom’s friendships back in Manchester. There, a number of his friends boxed – some professionally. Shalom tells The Independent that his desire to step into the business side of the sport came from “really seeing how much the fighters put into it, but how little there was for them in terms of reward. It became obvious to me that the sport was so difficult, so cruel. It’s not like tennis where the best play the best and the rise to the top is meritocratic, it’s not like there’s any sort of infrastructure unless you’re in the top 1 per cent. “Seeing the way events were put on, how sponsors and broadcasters didn’t really want to get involved... I could never really understand it, because for me it was the most admirable profession or sport that you could ever go into. But it had this sort of ‘dirty’ tag, and events felt intimidating. I wanted to get into the business so it was more reflective of the fighters.” Shalom borrowed £10,000 to obtain his boxing promoter’s licence, but money will only get you so far in a business that also deals in respect. With the task of having to win over the relevant authorities and personalities at 23, Shalom credits his “work ethic” and “being genuine, consistent and committed” for his success. “When you look back at it,” he says, “the naivete was good, because if I knew what I knew now, maybe it would have been more difficult to embark on that journey. But I was incredibly passionate, and I think a lot of the boxing fraternity were glad at that point that young people were coming into the sport; there’s not many that actually want to work in boxing. It’s been the same promoters for 40, 50 years – the same families. If you’re brave enough and are coming in with good intentions and a different way of looking at things... Luckily the board recognised that and licensed me – maybe prematurely, I don’t know.” It is one thing to want to effect change, however, and another to actually do it. “I think you do it by putting on events that anyone will enjoy coming to – men, women, anyone,” Shalom suggests. “Making sure that it’s accessible, the pricing’s at a point where people can afford to go, the way it’s presented and the way you run your operation is transparent, so brands and broadcasters want to come into the sport. Also, it’s important to try to break down barriers like these long-winded undercards, the belt system, judging, regulation. If we can achieve that bit by bit, that’s when we’ll create a much better environment.” Boxxer would host tournaments because it was not in a position to sign fighters, its shows just about breaking even thanks to ticket sales and sponsor funding. The promotion’s first TV deal was with Channel 5’s 5Spike, before Boxxer landed a huge deal with Sky Sports in June 2021, drastically improving its funding, ability to sign fighters and put on events. Now Boxxer’s roster boasts the likes of women’s stars Claressa Shields, Savannah Marshall and Natasha Jonas, as well as Liam Smith, Lawrence Okolie and 2020 Olympians Frazer Clarke and Ben Whittaker. The promotion is focused on “diverse signings”, with Shalom playing a key role due to the advantage of being a similar age to the fighters. In 2022, a leaked clip surfaced on Twitter, showing Shalom telling an interviewer – before the interview had officially begun – not to ask questions about Matchroom. The 28-year-old received criticism and support in equal measure after the clip had circulated, but says now: “I don’t think I need to slag off other promoters. In what other sport would you have business owners just going at each other all the time? “I do think it’s funny, and I actually enjoy it, but we’ve got such a job on our hands. Sometimes it’s just a soap opera. To be a great promoter... Look, a lot of attention comes with it, but I don’t think there’s a prerequisite that I need to be famous or a celebrity; I think we need to do the best job by our fighters.” It is a cause to which Shalom is committed with singular focus. “There was massive sacrifice,” he stresses. “I sacrificed all my twenties – not going out, not doing things that a normal person would at my age. If you want to do great things and believe in what you’re doing, you’ll sacrifice everything; I sacrificed absolutely everything, but I don’t see it like that, because I’m doing what I love. This is a dream come true. “I’m young, the other promoters are a lot older than me, I have more energy than ever. Working in boxing is amazing, because when you’re working with boxers, it doesn’t matter how stressed you are or how tough it is for you; it’s always harder for them, so you get so much energy off that. We have a massive responsibility to the sport. I’m not thinking anywhere near about the end; we’re very much at the start of our journey.” Read More How to watch Okolie vs Billam-Smith online and on TV this weekend What time does Okolie vs Billam-Smith start in UK and US this weekend? Conor McGregor reveals how he scored Katie Taylor fight from ringside How to watch Okolie vs Billam-Smith online and on TV this weekend What time does Okolie vs Billam-Smith start in UK and US this weekend? Conor McGregor reveals how he scored Katie Taylor fight from ringside
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