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The IOC says Russia and Belarus won't get a formal invitation to the 2024 Paris Olympics when more than 200 national teams receive their traditional invites later this month

Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey told a court in London Thursday in his ongoing sexual assault trial that he touched the complainant -- who is one of four men who made allegations against the actor -- in a "romantic and intimate" way.

Players have been urged to come forward for support from the Professional Footballers’ Association if they feel they are developing an addiction to sleeping tablets. Everton midfielder Dele Alli said in an interview released on Thursday with The Overlap podcast that he had developed a “scary” addiction to sleeping pills, adding: “It’s probably a problem that not only I have, I think it’s something that’s going around more than people realise in football.” Dr Michael Bennett, the director of player well-being at the PFA, said the union “regularly supports” members who have developed addictive behaviours or dependencies – including reliance on medication such as painkillers and sleeping tablets. “Sleeping tablet use is an issue we are aware of and one we monitor and report back on in our work with the football authorities,” Dr Bennett said. “We know there are many reasons why a player may begin to use sleeping tablets. It is common for players to struggle to sleep after night games as they find that it often takes time, both mentally and physically, to ‘come down’. “Other common issues, such as frequent international travel, particularly across time zones, can severely disrupt players’ sleep patterns. Players may also simply be struggling with sleep due to personal issues such as stress, and might be concerned that it is damaging their rest and recovery. “Even administered in small doses, prescription medications can be habit-forming. If players are using sleeping tablets or any other prescription medication and are concerned that they may have developed a dependency, we encourage them to speak confidentially with the PFA and access the support we offer. Help is available.” Former Rotherham player Ryan Cresswell said in an interview last year he had developed an addiction to painkillers and sleeping tablets. He told ITV: “Plain and simple, if I had carried on doing what I was doing, I would have been dead. I didn’t want to die. I just didn’t know how to live. “I told the doctor and he said ‘Ryan you should be dead’. The sleeping tablets and the painkillers – I was just numb. I eventually got help. I don’t want anyone to go through what I went through.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Even in a time of extortionate inflation in the United Kingdom, it was eye-catching when a Spanish man in north London agreed to pay £105m for Rice and £36m for Timber; Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber, admittedly, and if the midfielder’s price ranks among the highest ever forked out by a Premier League club, the Dutch defender has the potential to look a relative bargain for Arsenal. But each, like Kai Havertz, is a testament to Mikel Arteta’s expensive ambition; to his relentless drive and his permanent restlessness, too. Arsenal’s summer spending will soon top £200m. Their outlay over last season’s two transfer windows came to around £170m, while the summer of 2021 amounted to about £150m in fees alone. None of which even makes Arsenal the biggest spenders in the capital, and if Chelsea still have the air of an anomaly, there is also a cost to competing with the Manchester clubs, Liverpool, Tottenham and now Newcastle. And as Arteta inherited a team in mid-table, he was starting from a low base; there was a greater need for rebuilding. Yet it is notable that Arteta’s reaction to a breakthrough season has been so dramatic. The exponential improvement of both the team – from 69 points in 2021-22 to 84, from 61 goals to 88 – and individuals, whether in Martin Odegaard’s transformation into a scorer, Ben White’s conversion into a right-back, William Saliba’s makeover from serial loanee to defensive mainstay or Bukayo Saka’s new status as one of the best players in the country, could have pointed to a model of continued evolution. Instead, there is more of a revolutionary feel to Arsenal’s summer. If 2021, with an investment in youth, seemed to set in place a plan for years, and 2022, with the purchases of the Manchester City pair of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus, looked another phase, the stakes seem raised again in 2023: taking on City for Rice, taking the Champions League final scorer Havertz from Chelsea. But a departure that could free up a place for either has both a footballing and a symbolic significance. Granit Xhaka was the last Arsene Wenger signing to remain pivotal; redemptive a season as the Swiss had, Rice and Havertz look upgrades. If Timber’s arrival ushers Rob Holding towards the exit, another link with the Wenger era will be gone. Should Kieran Tierney go, as is possible, there will be less of Unai Emery’s legacy left: Saliba signed under the current Aston Villa manager, but never played for him, while Gabriel Martinelli’s maiden Premier League start came under the caretaker Freddie Ljungberg, a couple of weeks before Arteta’s appointment. This is Arteta’s Arsenal now. He will not celebrate his fourth anniversary until December but the speed of change is reflected not just in the composition of the squad but in terms of who is actually on the pitch. Of the 14 footballers to play the most Premier League minutes for Arsenal last season, one (Xhaka) was bought by Wenger, two (Saliba and Martinelli) joined under Emery and two (Saka and Eddie Nketiah) were youth-team products who barely featured before Arteta took charge. The other nine – seven of the 11 with the most minutes plus the January recruits Leandro Trossard and Jorginho – were Arteta buys. Tierney ranked 15th, the oft-injured Takehiro Tomiyasu 16th and Holding 17th. So even factoring in the probability that another Hale End Academy graduate, Emile Smith Rowe, will feature more in the forthcoming campaign, along with another January addition, Jakub Kiwior, the division of labour is likely to be shifted still further towards Arteta’s arrivals. Eight of the probable first 11 could be his buys, along with perhaps 13 of the 18 most-used players. That preferred 11 could contain a couple of notable omissions: the speed of change may mean some Arteta flagship buys are sidelined. Thomas Partey looks likely to drop out of the strongest side; in defence, Tomiyasu was demoted last season, despite an encouraging debut year, and Timber’s signing will pose questions if the same fate awaits White, terrific as he was, or if the newcomer proves a back-up. Meanwhile, a comparison is instructive. Three and a half years into his mentor Pep Guardiola’s reign at City, a host of players bought under previous managers – David Silva, Fernandinho, Vincent Kompany, Kevin de Bruyne, Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling – were still pivotal. Three and a half seasons into Jurgen Klopp’s time at Liverpool, so were survivors of previous regimes such as Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Roberto Firmino, while others – Dejan Lovren, Joe Gomez, Divock Origi, Adam Lallana – were still involved. But, three and a half years into Arteta’s time at Arsenal, it is very possible everyone who features regularly will either be his signings or those who only made minor contributions under his predecessors. It really will be his team. Read More Defender William Saliba commits to Arsenal with new long-term contract Granit Xhaka departs Arsenal on busy day at the Emirates It’s been a hell of a journey – Reiss Nelson wants to take Arsenal to next level

Virgin Galactic Holdings said on Thursday that the space tourism startup will launch its second commercial flight in

Everton footballer Dele Alli has opened up about struggles during his childhood in a deeply emotional and personal interview. In 2015, Alli signed for Tottenham Hotspur and made his Premier League debut, but behind the success, many were unfamiliar with the footballer’s harrowing past. The now 27-year-old recently sat down with Manchester United legend Gary Neville on The Overlap YouTube channel for a deeply moving interview in which he detailed parts of his childhood that left him traumatised and that has continued to impact his mental health in adulthood. Here’s everything we learned from the interview: Alli entered a rehab facility for his mental health, childhood trauma and an addiction to sleep pills In the interview, Alli revealed that he was leaning on sleeping pills to cope with his mental health issues, rather than seeking help. After attending a rehab facility in America for six weeks, his outlook on asking for help has changed. Alli said: “[My family] had heard a few times about [the sleeping tablets], but I’d swear on everything that I’d never taken them, which is part of the problem you know, I didn’t want help. I’d tell myself that I wasn’t an addict, I wasn’t addicted to them, but I definitely was.” Dele: "Now is the Time to Talk" www.youtube.com He also added: “With our schedule, you have a game, you have to be up early in the morning to train, you’ve got all the adrenaline and stuff so sometimes, you know, to take a sleeping tablet and be ready for the next day is fine, but when you’re broken as I am, it can obviously have the reverse effect because it does work for the problems you want to deal with.” The footballer said that with Everton’s support, he entered a rehab facility that deals with addiction, mental health and trauma, for six weeks. He said: “So, when I came back from Turkey, I came in and I found out that I need an operation and I was in a bad place mentally and yeah, I decided to go to like a modern-day rehab facility for mental health. They deal with like addiction, mental health, and trauma because it was something that I felt like it was time for.” Alli continued: “So I went there, I went there for six weeks and Everton were amazing about it, you know. They supported me 100 per cent and I’ll be grateful to them forever. “I think, whatever happens in the future, for them to be so open and honest and understanding, I think I couldn’t have asked for anything more in that time when I was probably making the biggest decision of my life – something I was scared to do. But I’m happy I’ve done it and to be honest, I couldn’t have expected it to go the way it did.” Alli suffered sexual abuse as a child and began selling drugs at eight years old In a particularly emotional part of the interview, Alli revealed the extent of his childhood trauma, explaining that he was molested at the age of six. He said: “My childhood is] something I haven’t really spoken about that much, to be honest. I mean, I think there were a few incidents that could give you kind of a brief understanding. So, at six, I was molested by my mum’s friend, who was at the house a lot. “My mum was an alcoholic, and that happened at six. I was sent to Africa to learn discipline, and then I was sent back. At seven, I started smoking, eight I started dealing drugs. “An older person told me that they wouldn’t stop a kid on a bike, so I rode around with my football, and then underneath I’d have the drugs, that was eight. Eleven, I was hung off a bridge by a guy from the next estate, a man.” The footballer continued, explaining that he was 12 when he was adopted by “an amazing family” that helped him get his life on track and his footballer career started. Alli said: “Twelve, I was adopted – and from then, it was like – I was adopted by an amazing family like I said, I couldn’t have asked for better people to do what they’d done for me. If God created people, it was them. “They were amazing, and they’ve helped me a lot, and that was another thing, you know – when I started living with them, it was hard for me to really open up to them, because I felt within myself, it was easy to get rid of me again. “I tried to be the best kid I could be for them. I stayed with them from 12, and then started playing first-team, professionally, at 16. It all sort of took off from there.” At 24, Alli considered retiring from football Alli revealed that when he was 24 years old and playing for Tottenham under manager at the time, José Mourinho, there was a moment when he considered retiring from the sport altogether. He said: “It’s hard to pinpoint one exact moment [when I started to feel that things weren’t right]. Probably the saddest moment for me, was when [José] Mourinho was manager, I think I was 24. I remember there was one session, like one morning I woke up and I had to go to training – this is when he’d stopped playing me – and I was in a bad place. “I remember just looking in the mirror – I mean it sounds dramatic but I was literally staring in the mirror – and I was asking if I could retire now, at 24, doing the thing I love. For me, that was heart-breaking to even have had that thought at 24, to want to retire. That hurt me a lot, that was another thing that I had to carry.” Mourinho apologised for calling Alli "lazy" Alli opened up about his relationship with the former Spurs manager Mourinho and touched on the comment he made about Alli being “lazy” in the documentary that was filmed for Amazon’s Prime Video. Alli explained: “I’m glad you asked me about that [Jose Mourinho calling me lazy], so that lazy comment people all love to bring that up, that interview obviously that was on Amazon. “He called me lazy – that was the day after recovery day. A week later, he apologised to me for calling me lazy because he’d seen me actually train and play. But that wasn’t in the documentary, and no one spoke up about that because it was only me and him. “In the team meeting, he called me lazy but then one-on-one, I think it was on the pitch he apologised for it. And I didn’t think anything of it at the time because I know myself – I’m not lazy.” Alli feels better than ever and energised about football again Despite all the challenges with injuries, as well as his mental health and addiction, Alli says that he now feels in a much better place and is ready for the next challenge. Yeah, I think [I’m ok], that’s a question I’ve definitely been asked a lot – but I think this is probably the first time in a long time that I can say ‘yeah’ and like mean it. “I think mentally I’m probably in the best place I’ve ever been, and I feel good. Obviously injured at the minute, but I’ve got that passion back for football – I’m doing really well.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Novak Djokovic will carry winning streaks of 33 matches in a row at Wimbledon and 26 in a row at all Grand Slam tournaments into the semifinals at the All England Club

Manchester United have made initial overtures for Fiorentina and Morocco star Sofyan Amrabat but any move is dependent on sales. Erik ten Hag's main priorities are – in order – a goalkeeper in Internazionale's Andre Onana and a striker, with Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund currently the most realistic option. United are negotiating with both Italian clubs in order to bring in the two within budget, after which the Dutch coach will seek to bolster his midfield. Many industry sources beyond Old Trafford however say that the market is currently completely blocked due to a range of factors, among them Saudi Pro League money inflating fees and affecting plans, as well as an ongoing stand-off in the highly competitive No 9 market. This has exacerbated United's long-term struggle to sell players, although one issue is much more simple. West Ham United are waiting until the formality of Declan Rice's move to Arsenal is completed, at which point they will step up strong interest in Scott McTominay. There has also been tentative interest in Harry Maguire, potentially on loan, although any such deal currently looks much more unlikely. The feeling within Old Trafford is that McTominay and one other player would have to go to fund Amrabat, who so impressed during Morocco’s stunning run to the World Cup semi-finals last year, especially if the prices for Onana and Hojlund exceed the current budget. United are in negotiations with both Italian clubs but are still £5m off Inter's price on Onana, with many sources stressing the need for significant compromise to get this done. Atalanta are meanwhile sticking to a huge valuation on Hojlund, especially as he represents the main striker target in this market outside the elite options of Harry Kane, Randal Kolo Muani and Victor Osimhen. Hojlund himself almost represents a compromise for United, although Ten Hag is a huge admirer of his abilities. The club have at least been monitoring Kane's situation, especially as it is commonly believed the player's first preference would be to go to Old Trafford. Read More Mason Mount echoes iconic Manchester United No 7 in energetic debut David de Gea, Sir Alex Ferguson’s last player, ends 88 years of Manchester United history Harry Maguire edges closer to Manchester United exit with four players set for moves

Dele Alli has emotionally revealed he returned from a six-week rehab stint just three weeks ago, after becoming concerned about his mental wellbeing and a growing 'addiction' to sleeping pills. The football ace sat down with Gary Neville on The Overlap, who struggled to hold back tears, as the 27-year-old told of the tragic last 12 months. "I was in a bad cycle. I was relying on things that were doing me harm. I was waking up every day, winning the fight going into training every day smiling - willing to show I was happy", he said. "Inside I was losing the battle and it was time to change." Click here to sign up for our newsletters

Sports merchandise giant Fanatics Inc. is introducing a new events business in a bid to create a network

A disabled Manchester City fan was left lying alone in her own urine in a hospital bed after breaking her femur in two places amid the chaos at last month’s Champions League final in Istanbul. Clare Watson, who is ambulant disabled following the collapse of her three lower vertebrae, travelled to Turkey with her grandchildren for the showpiece game on June 10, but suffered an accident on the way to the match which has forced her to miss six weeks of work. Watson described her experience as “atrocious” after she and her grandchildren were forced to get out of the taxi they were travelling in to the Ataturk Stadium by police due to a road closure. She recalled walking over “building site rubble” and tripped as she tried to avoid an oncoming vehicle. “It was then clear from the pain that I needed an ambulance, but they would not allow my grandchildren to come with me, ” she told disability access charity Level Playing Field (LPF). “Once at the hospital, I was told the severity of my injury and that I would need surgery. I was moved to another hospital for the operation the following afternoon but was ignored and received no attention for hours on end. “Lying there in my own urine, soaking wet, was the most upsetting part of the experience.” LPF has demanded answers from match organisers UEFA over how disabled supporters were accommodated at the Ataturk Stadium in the week following the match, but has so far received no response. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin admitted on a visit to Manchester last month that “not everything was perfect” in Istanbul, with many supporters reporting issues with transport and access to water and toilets. Watson’s daughter is a nurse and advised her to go back to hospital when she returned to Manchester. “I went to North Manchester A&E and they could not believe I had been advised to fly home,” Watson recalled. “I was cared for there for another week, still in pain, but with the necessary equipment and plenty of care from my daughter. “I am now at home and unable to work, having missed the game and brought back a metal rod instead of a souvenir flag.” LPF fan liaison officer Liam Bird said Watson’s experience demonstrated “a clear lack of respect for fans” from UEFA, and that lessons had not been learned from the chaotic scenes at the 2022 final in Paris between Liverpool and Real Madrid. An independent report into that match found UEFA bore primary responsibility for what almost became a “mass fatality catastrophe” with supporters kept penned outside the perimeter of the Stade de France. Wembley will host next year’s Champions League final. Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt said last month that the staging plans would be “tested to destruction” by all the agencies involved in organising it. Bird believes Wembley will “undoubtedly provide better” but added: “This lottery of access and inclusion (based) on which year your team gets to the final cannot continue. “UEFA need to engage with organisations with expertise in disability access and inclusion, as well as disabled supporters themselves, when planning all showpiece events.” Football Supporters Europe is compiling a report into fans’ experiences at this year’s final which will be presented to UEFA. UEFA has been approached for comment. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Sheffield United sign Anis Slimane from Danish club Brondby Andy Murray ‘will be devastated with Wimbledon exit – but can still win titles’ Frank Lampard reveals he wanted to sign Declan Rice when he was Chelsea boss

Everton have praised the “bravery” of Dele Alli after the midfielder revealed he was sexually abused as a child, with England captain Harry Kane and Match of the Day host Gary Lineker also supporting him. In an emotional interview, Alli told how he was “molested” as a six-year-old and was dealing drugs aged eight, while he also spoke about alcohol problems, sleeping pill addiction and addressing his mental health struggles by spending six weeks in a rehab clinic. The 27-year-old said he had contemplated hanging up his boots three years ago before leaving Tottenham for Everton in 2022. Alli made just 13 appearances before joining Besiktas on loan last season but is now back at Goodison Park. “The club has been supporting Dele in both his return to fitness and overcoming the personal challenges highlighted in his interview with The Overlap,” an Everton spokesperson said. “Everyone at Everton respects and applauds Dele’s bravery to speak about the difficulties he has faced, as well as seek the help required. “The physical and mental welfare of all our players is of paramount importance. The club takes very seriously its responsibility in protecting the confidentiality of players and staff. “Dele will not be conducting any further interviews in relation to his rehabilitation, and we ask that his privacy is respected while he continues his recuperation from injury and receives the full care and support needed for his physical and mental well-being.” Alli spoke out in an interview with Gary Neville on a special edition of The Overlap podcast in partnership with Sky Bet, which was released on Thursday morning. England skipper Kane, a former teammate of Alli’s at Spurs, retweeted a clip from the interview, posting: “Proud of @dele_official for speaking out and sharing his experience to try and help others.” Another former Spurs teammate, Son Heung-min, took to Instagram stories to deliver his support, posting pictures of the pair together along with the message: “Your brave words will help so many people. Proud of you mate” Lineker tweeted: “This is very powerful and brave. Good luck to you @dele_official.” The Professional Footballers’ Association also issued a statement on Twitter in response to Alli’s interview. “It’s incredibly brave of Dele to tell his story with such honesty in this important interview with @gnev2,” they wrote. “Hearing Dele speak with such openness will make a difference, and his desire to use his own experiences to act as an inspiration to others - inside and outside of football - is something he should be extremely proud of.” Neville himself commented on conducting the interview, claiming it was the “most emotional, difficult yet inspirational conversation I’ve ever had.” “I’m struggling to find the words to put with this post but please watch my most recent interview with Dele,” he wrote on Twitter. “It’s the most emotional, difficult yet inspirational conversation I’ve ever had in my life.” TV presenter Jake Humphrey praised the interview, saying: Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant chat with Dele Alli and @GNev2. These kinds of conversations putting empathy over opinion are so incredibly important. So many people are struggling but don’t feel able to speak. Dele will help them hugely.” Alli won 37 caps for England and the national team also tweeted their support: “Sending our love, @dele_official” Read More Dele Alli reveals childhood drug dealing, sexual abuse and sleeping pill addiction Dele Alli praises ‘best manager’ Pochettino for ‘caring about me as a person’ Dele Alli reveals childhood drug dealing, sexual abuse and sleeping pill addiction Sheffield United sign Anis Slimane from Danish club Brondby