The Guardian

Referees’ body stands by diversity initiatives Webb believes diverse talent pool will ‘raise standards’ Howard Webb, England’s chief refereeing officer, has vowed to continue increasing the talent pool from under-represented communities in English football’s officiating pathway, rejecting the wider backlash against diversity initiatives. Addressing that historic under-representation has prompted …

Judge quashes Enfield council’s decision to grant planning permission for new women’s and girls’ football academy A council’s decision to allow Tottenham Hotspur Football Club to build a new training facility in a park in north London has been quashed by a judge at the high court. The campaign group Guardians of Whitewebbs told a hearing in June that Enfield council’s decision to grant planning p…

Jim Allen’s drive, enthusiasm and focus will be a big loss to the five-year Epsom project to revive the Classic The King George card at Ascot on Saturday was an day that showcased Flat racing at its best, and the sense of optimism at the end of the afternoon was only enhanced by the imminent prospect of five days at Glorious Goodwood this week. Scandinavia and Trawlerman will reprise their Ascot …

The supply of soccer seems to be enormously exceeding demand. It’s made the sport feel utterly overwhelming On Friday, the Scottish Premiership kicks off its 2026-27 season. The following Friday, the Dutch Eredivisie begins anew, and England’s Carabao Cup sets off on its ponderous journey. The various European club competitions have already begun their qualifying rounds – and did so on 7 July, in…

Elliot Jones grabs golden ticket offered by withdrawals Welsh sprinter Azu: ‘I would never disrespect the flag’ It took Elliot Jones, an unheralded English 100m sprinter making his international debut at the grand age of 28, to cut through the noise. Asked about all the no-shows at these Commonwealth Games, he began to shake his head, almost in disbelief. “The national pride I have is so, so high…

Veteran scored 13 goals in 37 league games last season Interest signals shift in Stamford Bridge transfer strategy Chelsea are understood to be in talks over a move to sign Danny Welbeck from Brighton. Welbeck is a surprise candidate to bolster Xabi Alonso’s forward line after scoring 13 goals in 37 Premier League match last season, and there is optimism at Stamford Bridge that a deal can be conc…

Slovene has quickly drawn level with the greats Paul Seixas acknowledges Pogacar’s dominance Tadej Pogacar woke up in Paris on Monday as the fastest and the youngest cyclist to win five Tours de France. The 27-year-old Slovene took his fifth overall win on the Champs Elysées on Sunday evening in a thrilling final stage won by Matthieu van der Poel. Pogacaris level with Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merc…

Artistic gymnast takes uneven bars title Win banishes memories of 2022 failure Artistic gymnast Kate McDonald’s quest for Commonwealth Games redemption is complete after she won uneven bars gold for Australia on Monday. McDonald banished haunting memories of her sub-par finish at the 2022 Birmingham Games with a near-flawless performance at Glasgow International Stadium, scoring 14.333 points. Co…

Virginia authorities arrest 27-year-old Elijah Bieniemy Mia Bieniemy is stable after multiple gunshot wounds Kansas City OC was at team camp in Missouri on Sunday The son of Chiefs assistant coach Eric Bieniemy has been arrested and charged with the shooting of his mother, Mia Bieniemy, the wife of the Kansas City offensive coordinator, according to authorities in Virginia. The Loudoun county she…

The buildup to this All-Star Game had some headaches, but the festivities in Chicago – with a Barack Obama cameo and a record crowd – were a rousing high Sign up for our free weekly WNBA 30 newsletter If your perceptions of what the WNBA is like in 2026 are largely shaped by narratives derived from and driven by social media, the scene in Chicago at WNBA All-Star Weekend would have proved a surpr…

Real Madrid interested after World Cup performance Midfielder’s contract at City expires in June 2027 Manchester City are hopeful that Rodri will sign a new contract, but the club are braced for a bid from Real Madrid for the midfielder as well as moves from other suitors. Rodri’s contract expires in June next year and he has failed to sign City’s new deal, which has been on the table for a while…

Scans reveal gymnast escaped with bruising to neck ‘I suppose it could have easily gone a different way’ The Team England gymnast who suffered a horror fall in the Commonwealth Games says he is thankful to have avoided life-changing injuries – but his initial reaction was to feel he’d let his country down. Gabriel Langton was taken away on a stretcher after landing on his neck following his fall …

A growing connection with fans has helped make the women’s team by far the most enjoyable part of supporting Spurs The exciting football played by Tottenham’s women last season provided a much-needed antidote to the dreadful men’s team, who not only flirted with relegation but took it out on a dinner date, looked deep into its eyes and started to plan a future together. Fortunately, that relation…

In Sunday’s bout, two boxers past their primes were fighting for the win, yes, but moreso for the chance to break themselves anew A matchup between post-prime boxers has endless narrative potential, often disguising the ickiness of an already-shot fighter taking a beating. Robbed of their most explosive physical attributes, they try to compensate with wisdom and capacity for suffering. With legs …

‘He’s more in control of his emotions,’ says Andrea Stella World champion won first F1 race of season in Hungary Lando Norris is at the peak of his powers after his win at the Hungarian Grand Prix demonstrated the world champion has a stronger psychological approach to driving, according to the McLaren team principal, Andrea Stella. Norris took his team’s first win of the season on Sunday with a …