New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo remains optimistic free agent Shohei Ohtani, widely regarded as the world’s best baseball player, could be part of his team set to play in London next summer.
Generational Japanese two-way talent Ohtani was two weeks ago named American League MVP for the second time in three years and draws frequent comparisons to Babe Ruth, still probably the most recognisable baseball name in Britain and beyond despite the former Boston Red Sox and New York Yankee slugger having been dead for 75 years.
Ohtani, reportedly within days of deciding on his next destination and poised to fetch an MLB-record free-agent fee, is historically peerless in his dual-role as a starting pitcher and batter, so much so that a new MLB rule introduced in 2022 – effectively designed to address his singular abilities – is commonly referred to as ‘the Ohtani rule’.
Nimmo, whose Mets are set to play the Philadelphia Phillies at the London Stadium next June, said: “(Ohtani) really is everything that everyone says he is. He’s unbelievable. He hits the ball harder than everyone, he throws the ball harder than everyone, he runs faster than everyone.
“He really is the special talent that everyone has hyped him up to be. He’s one of those special, once-in-a-generation players.
“I know that our front office and our owner and our president were very excited about the prospect of getting him. I know we’re going to be in on (him), I just don’t know where it is going to lead to.”
In baseball, unlike cricket, players are pitchers or combine a fielding position and batting, save for the “designated hitter” (DH), a batting-only position which typically replaces pitchers in the order. But under ‘the Ohtani rule’, he can still serve as a DH even after being pulled as a pitcher.
The DH has featured since 1973 in the American League and National League in 2022, but, even before its universal adoption, no pitchers came anywhere close to Ohtani’s prowess at the plate. He has won MLB’s best DH award for three consecutive seasons.
In 2023, he hit the fourth most home runs in MLB, all while striking out 167 batters and finishing with a 3.14 earned run average.
While the Mets have been linked to Ohtani, who is rumoured to be considering deals worth between USD 500m-600m (£396,205,000-£475,446,000), the latest reports suggest they may be out of the picture, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, Atlanta Braves and former club the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim among those considered front-runners for his services.
Whoever ultimately signs Ohtani will likely have to wait a full season until he is fit enough to pitch following surgery to his elbow in September, though he should be available to hit come opening day 2024.
Next summer’s London Series marks the third time MLB has made the trip to Britain, in an ongoing attempt to grow the global reach of a game that has variously been accused of being too American to find a footing in the UK, too similar to cricket to take off, and conversely too confusing for the uninitiated to understand.
Nimmo, however, will happily evangelise for the game’s global potential, and agrees that fact that it is a Japanese talent quickly becoming MLB’s most recognisable face – even cracking highlight reels in the United Kingdom – is important as the sport tries to conquer new territory.
He added: “One of the areas where we’ve struggled in MLB is making the players world recognised, and now Shohei has that star quality that can bridge that gap. He’s an integral piece to us growing the game worldwide.
“We need to market him. We need to get him out there. I think a great opening and a great door is to be like, check out this guy.
“He’s not from the States, he’s larger than life, he’s doing something that hasn’t been done before, since one of the great baseball legends like Babe Ruth. Those guys are mythical.”
:: New York Mets will play Philadelphia Phillies in the MLB World Tour: London Series 2024 on June 8–9 at London Stadium
Substitute Chris Kane netted in stoppage time as St Johnstone ground out a 1-0 win over faltering St Mirren at McDiarmid Park.
An underwhelming encounter in Perth looked set to end in stalemate until the hosts were awarded a penalty, from which the striker forced home at the second attempt after initially being denied by goalkeeper Zach Hemming.
The victory lifted St Johnstone from 11th to 10th in the cinch Premiership, while it was a third straight defeat for fourth-placed St Mirren, who have now won only one of their last seven matches.
Home boss Craig Levein made one change to the team that started Sunday’s 3-1 defeat by Celtic as Tony Gallacher was handed his first start since August in place of Dara Costelloe.
There were two tweaks to the St Mirren side that kicked off the 2-0 defeat by Rangers at the weekend as Charles Dunne and Lewis Jamieson took over from Conor McMenamin and Richard Taylor.
St Mirren had the bulk of the early possession, but it was the Perth side who had the first attempt of the evening in the 19th minute when Matt Smith shot wide from distance after Gallacher’s cross from the left caused momentary panic in the visiting defence.
The Buddies almost went ahead in the 24th minute, but Jonah Ayunga was denied by goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov after getting himself free in the box before Jamieson – on the follow-up – saw his close-range effort deflected over by Sven Sprangler.
Following a rare burst of fluent passing, St Johnstone carved out an opportunity just before the half hour but Smith was unable to get enough power on his close-range volley, from Graham Carey’s cross, to trouble Hemming.
The visitors threatened in the 47th minute but Greg Kiltie could only head straight at Mitov after Mark O’Hara’s looping cross from the right bounced into his path six yards out. At the other end, Carey fizzed a dangerous ball across goal.
Following another lengthy lull in goalmouth action, St Mirren centre-back Dunne tried his luck with a 25-yard strike that forced Hemming into an excellent save in the 71st minute.
Two minutes later, the Buddies went even closer when Toyosi Olusanya burst clear down the right and rolled the ball across the face of goal to fellow substitute Mikael Mandron who watched in dismay as his close-range effort struck the inside of the post.
Just as it looked set to end in stalemate, however, Kane – who had missed a big opportunity in the 78th minute – was given the chance to win it deep into stoppage time after Dunne was penalised for a foul on Liam Gordon.
The striker saw his penalty saved by Hemming but reacted well to force in the rebound.
Pressure continued to mount on Aberdeen boss Barry Robson as his side suffered a late 1-0 home defeat to Kilmarnock in the cinch Premiership.
Midfielder David Watson curled home the only goal of the match in the second minute of stoppage time as Derek McInnes’ side got one over his former employers for the second time this term.
Defeat saw the Dons’ winless league run stretch to four matches and left them just three points clear of bottom side Livingston.
On a bitterly cold Pittodrie night, the Dons showed three changes from their weekend defeat to Hibernian, with Angus MacDonald, Jonny Hayes and Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes coming into the side. Kilmarnock stuck with the same team that were beaten by Hearts.
The game took a while to get warmed up and it was beyond the 15-minute mark when Daniel Armstrong’s through ball sent Marley Watkins clear of the Dons defence, only for the returning MacDonald to make up the ground to make a timely tackle.
The home side’s first chance fell to Duk, who perhaps could have done better with his close-range diving header from Jamie McGrath’s cross.
At the other end, a deflected Armstrong shot gave the same man the opportunity to swing in a corner which was met powerfully by the head of Liam Donnelly and Kelle Roos in the Dons goal produced a fine save to push the effort over the crossbar.
With the play going from end to end, Nicky Devlin will have been disappointed not to have connected with a tempting low Graeme Shinnie cross, while two minutes later Duk’s smart turn and cross saw Bojan Miovski fire wide.
The Dons had the ball in the net after 39 minutes, but VAR confirmed Miovski had edged offside before he headed home Leighton Clarkson’s free-kick.
If anything the second half would prove to be even more scrappy, though Robson’s men forced some good spells of pressure without ever really troubling Will Dennis in the Killie goal.
Stefan Gartenmann was being allowed room on the right to provide an overload, and he delivered a 56th-minute cross which McGrath would have hoped to do better with.
A few minutes later came a scramble in the area with blue and white striped shirts seemingly coming from everywhere to block shots from Miovski and McGrath.
Killie lost both Brad Lyons and Donnelly to injury and the resultant changes forced a change of formation with Liam Polworth and Matty Kennedy coming off the bench.
They were duly punished as Watson seized on a loose ball 20 yards out to curl a superb strike beyond a helpless Roos.
Substitute Kieffer Moore’s second-half stoppage-time header sealed a 2-0 victory for surging Bournemouth over a frustrated Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Marcos Senesi put the Cherries ahead in the 25th minute with a nodded effort of his own in a first half that saw Tyrick Mitchell forced off in another worrying scene for the injury-plagued hosts.
Jefferson Lerma came closest for the Eagles when he hit the upright early in the second half, but his side remain in search of just their second Premier League victory at home.
Moore, who was introduced in the 88th minute, buried any hope of splitting the points in south London and ensured his side made it 13 points from their last six league games ahead of Saturday’s trip to Old Trafford.
Palace’s first chance came when Michael Olise floated in an early free-kick from near the left touchline, where Jordan Ayew was only able to head a weak effort into the arms of Bournemouth keeper Neto.
He came closer with his second attempt, a strike from inside the penalty area that Neto was able to palm over the crossbar, before the visitors got their first break of the period, with both Adam Smith and Antoine Semenyo calling Sam Johnstone into action.
Flurries of activity in favour of the hosts ended without anything to show and the pace had slowed by midway through the half, but the visitors were ahead after 25 minutes when Luis Sinisterra rose highest to meet Ryan Christie’s corner, flicking it on to Senesi to finish.
Ayew saw another effort saved while a well-timed sliding Illia Zabarnyi tackle denied Odsonne Edouard an angle on the rebound, and soon came another worrying scene for Roy Hodgson when Mitchell was forced off and replaced by Nathaniel Clyne.
Justin Kluivert fired an effort that Johnstone saved, and it was the Cherries who remained on the front foot until half-time, when boos rang out as Palace entered the tunnel.
The crowd was encouraged when Lerma rifled an effort off the right post to start the second half, a fleeting flash of excitement, but soon the hosts were back looking for a breakthrough that rarely looked close to coming as the hour mark approached.
Lerma tried again with a volley over the crossbar before Hodgson made a double change, bringing Naouirou Ahamada on for captain Joel Ward, who on Wednesday night surpassed Wilfried Zaha for the most Premier League appearances in Palace history, and Will Hughes for Jeffrey Schlupp.
But every time they looked to test the visitors the Cherries had an answer, and, though the crowd had slowly come back into the contest, the chorus of boos loudly reprieved when Moore nodded into the bottom right to ensure Bournemouth walked away winners.
Oh Hyeon-gyu capitalised on a rare start to hit a double as Celtic consolidated their position at the top of the cinch Premiership with a 4-1 victory over Hibernian at Parkhead.
Oh got the final touch on Celtic’s opener from a fifth-minute set-piece before hitting the fourth shortly before making way for Kyogo Furuhashi.
Matt O’Riley’s header and a Luis Palma penalty had extended Celtic’s lead in between the South Korean’s goals.
Substitute Christian Doidge netted a consolation for Hibs to give them some reward for Nick Montgomery’s attempts to build from the back and utilise his many attacking players.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers brought in Tomoki Iwata, Mikey Johnston and Oh, who had one start between them this season.
Iwata came into the holding midfield role for his first start under Rodgers, allowing Callum McGregor to push further forward. Johnston was making his first start since February 2022, after making three substitute appearances since his return from a loan spell at Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes.
The champions got an early settler when Cameron Carter-Vickers got on the end of Palma’s corner and hit a shot which skimmed off Oh’s leg and beat David Marshall.
Oh was on the end of several crosses without seriously threatening before Marshall parried McGregor’s 25-yard strike.
The second goal came in the 36th minute when O’Riley timed his run perfectly to head home Palma’s cross after the winger had turned Lewis Miller inside out.
There were more chances at either end before the break. Alistair Johnston and Carter-Vickers both almost converted balls across the face of goal while Joe Hart made a good stop from Elie Youan.
Nat Phillips replaced Carter-Vickers at half-time and Celtic went further ahead in the 51st minute when Palma sent Marshall the wrong way from the spot.
Referee John Beaton was initially unconvinced over Lewis Stevenson’s challenge on Alistair Johnston but he did not take long to change his mind after being called to the VAR monitor by Gavin Duncan.
Oh netted four minutes later when he got on the end of McGregor’s ball down the left channel, brushed off Will Fish and guided the ball into the far corner.
Youan hit the post with a deflected effort before the wide player set up substitute Doidge for a 72nd-minute tap-in with a return pass.
Australian winger Marco Tilio had come on in the 63rd minute for Celtic for his second appearance for the club. The Australian winger created a decent shooting chance for himself but shot weakly at Marshall from 20 yards.
Celtic came closer when Marshall stopped Palma’s free-kick and both Furuhashi and Iwata missed glorious late chances.
Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai goals ensured Liverpool ruined Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United homecoming with a 2-0 victory at Bramall Lane.
The Dutch centre-backfired home from a first-half corner and Szoboszlai added a second at the death to give the Reds all three points in South Yorkshire to extend their Premier League unbeaten run to eight games.
Jurgen Klopp’s men closed the gap on league leaders Arsenal to just two points.
Wilder was condemned to defeat in his first game back as Blades manager, two-and-a-half years after he left in March 2021, following Tuesday’s sacking of Paul Heckingbottom.
This was United’s 12th defeat from 15 games and although they are only four points behind Luton, they look to have a mountain to climb.
The 56-year-old was given a warm welcome before the game and his side started with enthusiasm, creating two openings in the first 20 minutes.
Cameron Archer led a lightning quick counter-attack and played in James McAtee, who really should have done better than to just poke straight at Caoimhin Kelleher from eight yards out.
It was Archer who had the next chance as he was given space to run in on goal until Van Dijk came across and blocked his shot at the vital moment.
Liverpool were far from their fluent best but began to take control and took the lead in the 37th minute.
Van Dijk was left completely free from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner and he stroked home from 12 yards for his first goal of the season.
The visitors continued to control the game and Blades goalkeeper Wes Foderingham had to be alert to tip Alexis Mac Allister’s dipping shot over the crossbar before the break.
Foderingham made an even better save 10 minutes into the second half as he showed brilliant reactions to palm over Mohamed Salah’s volley from another Alexander-Arnold corner.
The Blades managed to get a foothold in the game but their lack of quality in attack ensured that Kelleher was untested in the Liverpool goal as he filled in for the injured Allison Becker.
It was the Reds who had chances to kill the game as an incisive pass from the creative Alexander-Arnold played in Darwin Nunez but Foderingham again came to the Blades’ rescue.
United threw bodies forward in the final 10 minutes in a bid to try and earn a point, but they again failed to trouble Kelleher, with McAtee’s early effort their only shot on target in the match.
Instead, it was Liverpool who found a late goal, Szoboszlai clinically firing home after Nunez had won the ball back deep into time added on.
England Under-19 international Jack Hinshelwood claimed his first Premier League goal to earn Brighton a 2-1 comeback win over Brentford at the Amex Stadium.
The 18-year-old full-back, making only his fifth top-flight appearance, headed home Pascal Gross’ cross early in the second half, having cleared Yoane Wissa’s effort off his own goal-line just a minute earlier.
Stand-in Albion skipper Gross levelled for the hosts in the opening period after they fell behind against the run of play to a Bryan Mbeumo penalty.
Bees forward Mbeumo was later forced off by a nasty-looking ankle injury on a disappointing evening for the visitors, while his replacement Wissa was perhaps fortunate to avoid a second-half red card for swinging a hand into the face of Billy Gilmour.
The match-winning contribution of Sussex-born Hinshelwood, whose father Adam played 100 league games for Brighton between 2002 and 2009, earned his side a first home victory since September 24 following three successive score draws.
Depleted Brighton were once again without a host of key players due to injuries and suspensions as they went in search of only a second win in their last nine top-flight outings.
The Seagulls shaded a forgettable opening period devoid of goalmouth action before Brentford capitalised on sloppy defending to snatch the lead in the 27th minute with their first attack.
Bees captain Vitaly Janelt was pulled down by Jan Paul van Hecke following an impressive burst into the box and Mbeumo coolly sent Jason Steele the wrong way to find the bottom left corner from 12 yards.
Brighton had scored and conceded in each of their previous 18 Premier League fixtures.
Roberto De Zerbi’s hosts swiftly resumed their intricate interplay and ensured that statistic would continue just four minutes later.
Gross, leading the team in place of the banned Lewis Dunk, thumped home the eye-catching equaliser, taking a touch on the edge of the Bees’ 18-yard box after collecting the ball from Kaoru Mitoma before rifling a left-footed drive into the bottom right corner.
Brentford then suffered a major setback when the hobbling Mbeumo was helped from the field by medical staff after going over on his right ankle.
Teenager Hinshelwood took centre stage after the restart with a couple of key contributions in the space of two minutes to decisively turn the game in Brighton’s favour.
The academy graduate, who joined the club at the age of seven, was alert to deny Wissa a certain goal before rising above Bees substitute Keane Lewis-Potter at the other end to nod in Gross’ scooped cross from the left.
Brentford rarely threatened to snatch a point and could have finished the game a man down after Wissa swung his right arm at Gilmour, which resulted in a booking from referee Peter Bankes.
Brighton had chances to make the result comfortable, with Simon Adingra twice going close, before Hinshelwood jubilantly celebrated a night to remember with the home fans.
Alex Iwobi and Raul Jimenez scored doubles as Fulham heaped the pressure on Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper with a 5-0 Premier League victory at Craven Cottage.
Tom Cairney also found the net to ensure the Cottagers bounced back from their late disappointment at Anfield on Sunday and condemned struggling Forest to a fourth consecutive defeat.
A scrappy opening period offered little until Forest midfielder Nicolas Dominguez produced a quality pass into the feet of Divock Origi, who tested Bernd Leno from range in the 17th minute.
Fulham took time to warm up after Sunday’s 4-3 agonising defeat at Liverpool.
Andreas Pereira almost opened the scoring in the 26th minute.
The Brazilian stood over a set-piece and used a whipped technique which narrowly missed the inside of Odysseas Vlachodimos’ post.
And not long after Fulham converted a chance to take a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute.
Willian produced a moment of genius when he jinked inside onto his right foot and produced a perfect back-post cross to Iwobi, who avoided his marker to tap home from close range.
The Cottagers had the bit between their teeth and scored a second in the 34th minute.
A well-timed challenge in midfield by Joao Palhinha saw Iwobi combine with Pereira before he slipped in Jimenez and the striker rifled his effort into the top corner.
The Mexican, who had struggled for goals earlier in the season, looked full of confidence.
On the stroke of half-time Iwobi nearly grabbed a second when he did well to turn on the edge of the box before producing a curled effort from range which almost nestled into the top corner.
Forest forward Anthony Elanga ran the ball out of play in the 51st minute which summed up a dull showing from the visitors.
Iwobi’s dominating performance got even better when the Nigeria international produced a dangerous cross which was slightly too high for the rising Jimenez.
But moments later, in the 54th minute, Jimenez took his chance and grabbed his second of the match.
The creative Pereira found Jimenez and he brought it down on his chest and rounded Vlachodimos before finishing with a deft backheel into the empty net.
Fulham grabbed a fourth through Iwobi after 73 minutes.
Harry Wilson found space down the byline and his cutback found the winger who finished first time to grab his brace.
Cairney got in on the action to make it 5-0 after 86 minutes.
The skipper wandered into acres of space through the middle of Forest’s backline and calmly stroked home.
Newly elected Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) president Lance Rochester says his administration intends to hit the ground running to execute on their vision to achieve growth, and, by extension, move aquatic sports forward.
Rochester, who is the former vice-president in charge of water polo, takes the reins from Martin Lyn, as he found overwhelming favour with delegates, during the ASAJ’s Annual General Meeting at the National Aquatic Centre on Tuesday.
He tallied 46 votes to Georgia Sinclair’s seven in the election process, which was managed by Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) president Christopher Samuda.
Along with Sinclair, the former vice-president in charge of swimming, incumbent Shauna Jackson, was also ousted from the Secretary position by former Treasurer Florence Grizzle-Williams.
Grizzle-Williams earned 40 votes to Jackson’s 12, while Robyn-Ann Chin Sang was unopposed for her post of vice-president in charge of artistic swimming, and Marlon McIntyre has taken over as vice-president in charge of water polo. Richard Hopkins and Michelle Parker, who will serve as treasurer and assistant treasurer respectively, complete the administration.
Rochester pointed out that his first order of business for his administration is to restore accountability and integrity to the association by demonstrating good governance skills.
“It is a very humbling experience to have received the support of a majority of delegates, it is clear that the vision which was outlined connected with members and I am very excited about the opportunities to come, and also to execute what has been outlined,” Rochester told SportsMax.TV.
“I must say I am grateful for the support which the outgoing members provided to this association over the past few years. Sports administration is very challenging and demanding, and so we have to be grateful to those who choose to serve, and of course if they are able to lend support in some other capacity going forward, I am keen to receive that support,” he added.
While admitting that he feels some pressure to deliver accordingly, Rochester explained that he is mentally and strategically prepared to ensure his administration’s two-year term will be a fruitful one.
“Of course, there is pressure to deliver because the vision that was outlined was a bold vision, but the good thing is that I am not alone in this because we have a very strong team that is keen on working to execute,” he declared.
“One of the central objectives is not only to develop an all-island and grassroots programme to ensure that we are identifying talent early, and developing that talent appropriately, but also to ensure that Jamaican boys and girls right across the country are learning how to swim because swimming is an essential life skill.
“We are also moving to develop a high-performance programme to ensure that we are providing the most value and support to our club and national level athletes,” Rochester shared.
Newly elected administration
President – Lance Rochester
1st Vice President – Dr Hilary Nixon in charge of Swimming
2nd Vice President – Robyn-Ann Chin Sang in charge of Artist Swimming
3rd Vice President – Marlon McIntyre in charge of Water Polo
General Secretary – Florence Grizzle-Williams
Treasurer – Richard Hopkins
Assistant Secretary/Treasurer – Michelle Parker
Sam Curran rebounded from his drubbing at the weekend with three wickets as England skittled the West Indies for 202 in 39.4 overs in their must-win second ODI in Antigua.
Three days on from being belted for 98 in 9.5 overs – the most expensive ODI figures by an England bowler – Curran snared top-order trio Brandon King, Keacy Carty and Shimron Hetmyer.
Windies captain Shai Hope did his bit for nominative determinism after his side had slipped to 23 for four, following up his match-winning hundred in the series opener with a crucial 68 at the same venue.
Hope put on 129 in 138 balls with Sherfane Rutherford but Liam Livingstone took out both en route to figures of 6-0-39-3 to make sure Curran’s three for 33 were not wasted on a fresh strip.
The England all-rounders endured a poor World Cup, with Livingstone averaging 10 with the bat while Curran was dropped after three anonymous performances and his woes followed him to the Caribbean.
But England persisted with the pair and named an unchanged side from the one beaten by four wickets on Sunday, and were rewarded as they look to take this series to a decider in Barbados on Saturday.
Curran was driven for fours in each of his first three overs by King but Gus Atkinson made the breakthrough by jagging one back through Alick Athanaze. It appeared the ball missed everything en route to a diving Jos Buttler but England’s review was vindicated by a snick on UltraEdge.
A partnership that put on 104 at the weekend was snuffed out for 15 and it got better for England as Carty aimed a cross-batted shot at Curran only to top-edge through to Zak Crawley at slip.
The duo combined again as Curran gained revenge over King following an indeterminate push while the left-arm seamer had big-hitting left-hander Hetmyer lbw later in the over.
Buttler was persuaded to review by Ben Duckett after Hetmyer was pinned on the back pad by a fuller delivery and HawkEye predicted the ball would have clattered into leg-stump.
Having lost their first four wickets in 20 balls, the Windies relied on skipper Hope and Rutherford, in his second ODI, to rebuild. Hope drove fluently and took three straight fours off Atkinson in the over while his more junior partner was initially content to swim in his captain’s slipstream.
Will Jacks was given his first bowl of the series, having been curiously overlooked on Sunday, but conceded 27 in four innocuous overs while Brydon Carse was belted back over his head for six.
As the smoke from the barbecue vendors beyond the stands drifted across the ground, the partnership had extended well into three figures, with both batters going past 50 before Livingstone, held back until the 26th over, ended the union as Rutherford drove loosely to Phil Salt in the ring.
Yannic Cariah was then castled through the gate by a floaty off-spinner from Livingstone, who produced a precision piece of bowling to leave Hope in two minds as he was beaten through bat and pad.
Livingstone had his figures spoiled slightly as Romario Shepherd took four fours in five balls off the all-rounder before perishing in the deep for 19 after looking to take down Rehan Ahmed.
The Windies got past 200 but they had 10 overs unused as Atkinson bookended the innings, taking a return catch after Alzarri Joseph top-edged straight up in the air.
Kevin De Bruyne has been named in Manchester City’s squad for the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia later this month, organiser FIFA has announced.
The Belgium playmaker has not featured for the treble winners since undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury in August.
De Bruyne recently said his recovery was going well but he was not expecting to return to action until the new year.
The 32-year-old’s presence in City’s official 23-man squad for the tournament indicates his comeback is indeed on track, but whether he will actually be fit enough to feature in Jeddah remains to be seen.
At the very least, it will be an opportunity for De Bruyne to return to first-team training at a warm-weather camp.
De Bruyne said he still had “a little bit to go” when interviewed by Sky Sports at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 26 but hoped to be playing again “from close after new year”.
The Club World Cup begins on December 12 but City, who are representing Europe as the Champions League holders, do not enter until the semi-final stage seven days later.
They will play the winner of the second-round match between Mexican side Club Leon and Urawa Reds of Japan. The final takes place on December 22.
Christian Horner maintains Red Bull did not raise any official complaint with the FIA over allegations F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff and her husband, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, shared confidential information.
A report in Business F1 magazine said there is concern among other Formula One team principals that Toto Wolff has had access to information, via his wife, which is not being shared with them that he is using to his benefit.
In her role at the all-female F1 academy, to which she was appointed in March, Susie Wolff reports directly to F1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali.
The FIA announced on Tuesday that its compliance department was “looking in to the matter”.
Susie Wolff issued a statement on social media saying she was left “deeply insulted” by the allegations, which she rejected “in the strongest possible terms.”
Horner has dismissed suggestions Red Bull instigated the action from the FIA and pointed to the team’s involvement with the Academy as well as praising the “great job” done by Susie Wolff.
“We have a big rivalry (with Mercedes) on track, but we haven’t raised any official complaint, either about Susie or Toto or Mercedes to the FAI,” Horner said on Sky Sports News.
“In fact, Red Bull has been the team which has got most involved with Formula One Academy from its inception, to the point that between the two Red Bull owned teams we will be entering three cars.
“We have been working closely with Susie, who has been doing a great job on Formula One Academy.
“I think we, like others, were quite surprised at the statement that came out last night, but it certainly wasn’t instigated or required or set off by Red Bull.”
Pressed again over any possible involvement across the organisation’s group, which also includes the AlphaTauri F1 team, Horner said: “We have not raised any official complaint or made any requests to the FAI or to FOM (Formula One Management).
“Indeed, we have been working very closely with Susie on the Formula One Academy – we are the only group that is going to be entering three cars in the academy for 2024.
“It is great work that they are doing with the academy and we are certainly exited about that.
“As far as the other teams, I can’t talk on behalf of others. This is an FAI thing, they have taken this action and, as I say, (it is) certainly nothing to do with Red Bull.”
Later on Wednesday, other F1 teams also went on record to distance themselves from the reported allegations.
A statement from Ferrari read: “We can confirm that we have not made any complaint to the FIA regarding the allegation of information of a confidential nature being passed between an F1 team principal and a member of FOM staff.
“We are pleased and proud to support F1 Academy and its managing director through our commitment to sponsor an entrant in our liveries from next season.”
Using the same wording in statements posted on social media, McLaren, Williams and Haas also rejected suggestions the team had been involved.
Mercedes also released a statement in response, which said it “wholly rejected” what had been alleged.
A statement from Formula One, meanwhile, said it had “complete confidence” the allegations were wrong.
“We have robust processes and procedures that ensure the segregation of information and responsibilities in the event of any potential conflict of interest,” the statement added.
“We are confident that no member of our team has made any unauthorised disclosure to a team principal and would caution anyone against making imprudent and serious allegations without substance.”
Danni Wyatt shone on her record 150th T20 international appearance as England began their first tour of India in four years with an impressive 38-run victory in Mumbai.
Wyatt hit 75 and Nat Sciver-Brunt made 77, with the pair sharing a match-winning stand in an imposing total of 197 for six.
Sophie Ecclestone ensured their work did not go to waste, rounding out the result with figures of three for 15 on her comeback appearance after four months out with a shoulder injury.
Opener Wyatt began the match by becoming the first English cricketer to reach the cap landmark but soon found herself in a scrap at the Wankhede Stadium, losing two batting partners in the first over of the day and before she had even got off the mark.
Renuka Singh was responsible for her side’s fine start, bowling Sophia Dunkley via a deflection off the bat and then knocking over Alice Capsey for a golden duck as she took out off stump with a beauty.
Wyatt and Sciver-Brunt were unfazed by the double setback and proceeded to put on 138 off the next 87 balls.
Wyatt helped herself to eight fours and two sixes, the first a slog sweep off Deepti Sharma and the second a big swing over long-off charging debutant Shreyanka Patil.
Sciver-Brunt added 13 boundaries of her own as the scoreboard raced along but Wyatt’s 47-ball attack ended with five overs left as she was stumped off newcomer Saika Ishaque.
Captain Heather Knight fell cheaply and Sciver-Brunt was caught behind in the 19th but Amy Jones ensured an action-packed finish by scoring 23 off nine balls at the death.
Sciver-Brunt was back in the thick of things early in the chase, coming on for the third over and forcing an error from the dangerous Smriti Mandhana, who was bowled middle stump.
Shafali Verma collected a handful of fours as she kept India in touch with the required rate but when Freya Kemp had Jemima Rodrigues caught behind in the final powerplay over it was another big boost to the tourists’ cause.
India were relying on a big stand between Verma and Harmanpreet Kaur, the latter briefly looking in rude health before Ecclestone’s arrival spelled the end. The left-arm spinner had not played since dislocating her shoulder in August but needed just one sighter before bowling Kaur via an inside edge.
With five overs left India still needed 74, leaving England to mop up a clinical win as Ecclestone added the battling Verma (52) and Kanika Ahuja to her haul.
Ascot has announced an increase in prize-money for 2024 when the King’s Stand sprint will also be run as the King Charles III Stakes for the first time.
Prize-money for 2024 will be worth £17.5million, an increase of 3.9 per cent on 2023, with Royal Ascot accounting for £10million on its own.
The figure excludes the industry-owned Qipco British Champions Day fixture in October.
Group One races at Royal Ascot will be run for a minimum of £650,000 (up from £600,000) while no race will be worth less than £110,000 at the big meeting.
Royal Ascot 2023 benefitted from the first royal winner since the King’s succession to the throne through William Haggas’ Desert Hero.
Nick Smith, director of racing and public affairs at Ascot, said: “We are pleased to be delivering these prize-money increases in 2024 against a backdrop of uncertainty and an unprecedented number of negative headwinds for the industry. The financial impact on all facets of the industry is already being acutely felt.
“It is, however, crucial for Royal Ascot to maintain its position on the global stage at a time when participants at home and abroad have so many alternative lucrative options away from Britain.
“Whist the main increases have been made to the Royal meeting to enable us to get to £10million for the first time, we have made increases in other areas of the programme as well.
“These include increases to fit with the new Premier fixture structure, including at the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, where there is a particular focus on maintaining full fields.
“Importantly, no race at Ascot will be run for less than in 2023 including at our core (non-Premier) fixtures. This is in spite of a reduction in central funding to this element of the programme, which has therefore required further increases in executive contribution.”
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