FIFPRO has condemned Roma for a "mobbing campaign" of Rick Karsdorp after head coach Jose Mourinho labelled the defender a "traitor".

Mourinho made the comment following a 1-1 draw with Sassuolo in November, albeit without directly naming Karsdorp, though reports quickly identified the former Feyenoord man as his target.

Mourinho said there was one player who "betrayed his team-mates" and urged them to leave the club in January.

Karsdorp initially refused to train following his coach's comments, though he was later present as the club held a training camp in Portugal during the World Cup.

FIFPRO, the global union for professional football players, hit out at Roma's treatment of Karsdorp on Thursday.

FIFPRO said in a statement: "FIFPRO strongly condemns AS Roma's treatment of Rick Karsdorp, who in recent weeks has been the victim of a mobbing campaign.

"Karsdorp has been accused in public of being a 'traitor', a hurtful and baseless term that club management has failed to address or apologise for, and fans have repeatedly used to confront him and his family.

"Furthermore, he has been made the subject of an unjustified disciplinary case.

"These acts apparently are a way to deflect from the club's poor recent performances and are aimed to put unjustified pressure on the player.

"Such behaviour is incompatible with the FIFA regulations on the status and transfer of players.

"Rick Karsdorp has the full support of both FIFPRO and Dutch players' union VVCS."

Jonas Baer-Hoffmann, FIFPRO's general secretary, added: "It cannot be stressed enough that players are first and foremost employees of their clubs and that, as such, clubs have a duty of care towards them.

"We call on AS Roma to immediately comply with that duty of care and ensure that Rick Karsdorp is treated fairly, and that his rights are respected."

Ben Stokes and Sam Curran are among the England T20 World Cup winners who could go for big money in the Indian Premier League auction on Friday.

The 10 franchises have varying amounts of cash to splash in Kochi, where some big names will be up for grabs.

Stokes opted out of the IPL this year, but England's Test captain and Curran, the player of the tournament in their recent World Cup triumph, are two of the 19 overseas players with the highest base price of 2.0 crore – worth just over £200,000.

Chris Morris was sold for a record 16,25 crore in February 2021 and it would be no surprise if that is broken as ambitious franchises shape their squads for the 2023 edition of the tournament.

There are a total of 87 slots to be filled, with up to 30 of those available for overseas players.

Stats Perform highlight what to look out for in the latest auction for a competition that was won by debutants the Gujarat Titans this year.

Sunrisers have money to burn

Sunrisers Hyderabad wielded the axe following a poor 2022 IPL season, having finished down in eighth place.

They suffered eight defeats and reacted by releasing 12 players, including captain and most expensive player Kane Williamson.

Sunrisers have the most money to spend in the auction, with 42,25 crore burning a hole in their pockets. On the other end of the scale, Kolkata Knight Riders only have 7,05 crore to play with.

Hyderabad could opt to re-sign Williamson on a less lucrative deal for the New Zealand skipper.

Curran to break the record?

England all-rounder Curran was outstanding in the T20 World Cup, taking 13 wickets – including 3-12 against Pakistan in the final last month.

Possessing great variation and giving little away, the left-arm seamer is sure to be in demand and could be in for a huge early Christmas present.

Stokes, Williamson, Cameron Green, Rilee Rossouw, Jimmy Neesham and Jason Holder are among the other overseas players with a base price of 2,0 crore.

With a base price of 1,5 crore, Harry Brook could also earn a big pay day for what would be a first IPL after a dream start to his England career.

Pandey and Agarwal under the hammer

Manish Pandey and Mayank Agarwal are the two Indian players with the highest base price in the auction.

The first Indian player to score an IPL century, Pandey has a base price of 1,0 crore and the same goes for fellow batter Agarwal.

Pandey was released by Lucknow Super Giants, while Agarwal was allowed to leave by Punjab Kings.

Record-breaking teenager Ahmed to cap a dream week

What a story it would be if Rehan Ahmed is picked up in the auction after making history in England's Test win over Pakistan in Karachi.

The 18-year-old leg-spinning all-rounder became the youngest man to make his England Test debut as they secured a 3-0 whitewash and the teenager made a big impact.

Ahmed became the youngest man to take a five-wicket haul on his Test debut in the second innings and would cost at least 0.5 crore – although there are due to be discussions over what his schedule will be after his incredible start on the international stage.

World Rugby will introduce a countdown timer for scrums and kicks at goal from January in a bid to speed up the game.

A series of rule changes are to be enforced from January 1 following World Rugby's Shape of the Game Conference, at which ways to improve rugby union's "entertainment value" were discussed.

Under the law changes, players will have 90 seconds to take a conversion following a try and a minute to take a penalty, with kicks being disallowed if they are not taken within that time.

Meanwhile, scrums must start within 30 seconds of being awarded and line-outs must be formed "without delay", with any time-wasting resulting in a free-kick.

A statement released by World Rugby on Thursday said: "The guidelines, which are designed to assist match officials, players and coaches and to enhance fan experience, are part of a drive by the international federation to speed up the game and reflect key outcomes of the Shape of the Game Conference in November.

"With the Rugby World Cup 2023 fast-approaching, the new directives are designed to support a quicker, more entertaining game while balancing safety and spectacle."

The 2023 Rugby World Cup gets under way in France on September 8, with South Africa looking to defend the title they won by beating England in the 2019 final.

Jesse Marsch revealed a joke with his former Salzburg striker Erling Haaland ahead of Manchester City's visit to Leeds United on Wednesday.

Haaland – who spent half a season under Marsch before joining Borussia Dortmund in 2020 – has scored 18 Premier League goals this season, six more than his closest rival Harry Kane.

The Norway international was born in Leeds, where his father Alfie Haaland spent three years as a player before himself joining City in 2000.

Haaland was perhaps the most high-profile player not to feature at the recent World Cup in Qatar, and Marsch is concerned about what that could mean for Leeds when they resume their Premier League campaign against the champions.

Asked if he had been in contact with Haaland ahead of the game, Leeds boss Marsch said: "He texted me as soon as the schedule came out. 

"He said he's most excited for this, and I gave him permission to have a small hamstring injury for that match!

"He was born in Leeds, his father has history here, and he has the club in his heart because of that. 

"We have talked about it. When I got the job, he and his father were supportive. We'll expect him to be fully ready, and that causes issues for us."

Leeds lost their two Premier League meetings with City by an aggregate score of 11-0 last season, and they have not won any of their last seven home games against reigning top-flight champions.

While City boss Pep Guardiola is waiting for several players to return, Marsch would have preferred to see more of their key men remain involved in the World Cup until the latter stages.

Kevin De Bruyne's Belgium and Ilkay Gundogan's Germany did not make it out of the group stage, while Spain exited in the last 16 and England, Portugal and Brazil in the quarter-finals. Argentina forward Julian Alvarez was the only City star involved from the semi-finals onwards.

"Right now, it is Man City we are focused on. I would have hoped their players would have gone deeper in the World Cup, but it is so competitive," Marsch said.

"They have a great squad and the best manager in the world. We are not afraid of the biggest opponents. 

"We've proven we can compete and get points, but we need a good plan and execution to do that, and we know that."

The Philadelphia Eagles will not allow Jalen Hurts to "play through" his shoulder sprain, meaning Gardner Minshew will start against NFC East rivals the Dallas Cowboys.

Hurts is among the MVP frontrunners having led the 13-1 Eagles to the NFL's best record in 2022.

They will clinch the number one seed in the NFC with another win against the Cowboys but will have to get it without their quarterback, who suffered the injury to his right shoulder in last week's clash with the Chicago Bears.

Hurts was keen to play regardless, coach Nick Sirianni suggested, having earned a first Pro Bowl selection this week.

But Minshew, who has taken snaps in three games this year and started twice in 2021, has Sirianni's backing in place of Hurts.

"Gardner will be our guy, and Gardner will be ready," the coach said. "Gardner worked his butt off for this opportunity against a really good football team. He had a great practice [on Wednesday]."

He added: "[Hurt] is disappointed because he wants to play. He's the toughest guy I know.

"But we have to do what's best as an organisation to put us in a safe spot, because he will play through anything.

"Jalen did everything he possibly could to get his body ready to go. At the end of the day, he's not going to be able to do it. He tried like crazy.

"I know he still wants to go. That's just the toughness. Jalen Hurts is the toughest player I've ever been around."

Minshew practised on Wednesday after missing the Eagles' walkthrough on Tuesday to speak at the funeral of Mike Leach, his coach at Washington State.

Arsenal are looking for a player to take them to the "next level" in the January transfer window after losing Gabriel Jesus to injury, says manager Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners entered the World Cup break five points clear of champions Manchester City at the Premier League summit, leading some to tip them as contenders for a first top-flight title since 2004.

Striker Jesus has played a key role for Arsenal this season, but he underwent surgery earlier this month after suffering a knee injury during Brazil's World Cup campaign.

With reports suggesting Jesus could be absent for three months, Arteta is targeting reinforcements – though he will only move for the ideal player. 

"I never gave a date on Jesus – it will take some time, for sure. He's gone through surgery," Arteta said at a press conference to preview Monday's meeting with West Ham.

"We have to be active, we're looking to strengthen the team. This squad does not have the luxury of not maximising every transfer window. 

"It has to be the right player. We need a player that will have an impact and take us to the next level.

"We know where we are in terms of the squad and numbers. We'll be extremely cautious about what we want to do in the window."

Arteta also revealed he had face-to-face contact with the club's hierarchy during the World Cup break, in order to plan for what will likely be a congested second half of the season.

"We are always connected, and that relationship is getting stronger and stronger. It's a very special relationship right now," he said.

"The ambition is there so it's very positive to spend time together. It was spare time, so it was useful to do it in that period.

"We've done our work but the second part of the season will be very different. Matches will come very fast with big congested periods so we have to have a fit, healthy squad to maintain the level that we want.

"There are new coaches and new owners around, so the window will be interesting and we have to be active on it too."

Kuldeep Yadav's exclusion from India's squad to face Bangladesh was a "management call", with team-mate Umesh Yadav describing the decisions as something people had to accept.

The fast bowler took eight wickets as the tourists sealed the first Test in Chittagong in style and was expected to keep his place for the second and final game in Mirpur.

But Kuldeep was excluded to make way for an additional pace option in Jaydev Unadkat, who played his first red-ball match for India in over a decade in his place.

The call from coach Rahul Dravid caught many by surprise, but Umesh was unmoved in his post-stumps assessment, simply indicating his omission was nothing out of the ordinary.

"It's part of your journey," he said. "It happened to me. Sometimes you are out of the team because of performance.

"Sometimes it's a management call. You have to go with the team's requirements. It's good for him."

Unadkat, playing in his second Test match a dozen years after he debuted as a teenager at Centurion against South Africa, repaid the faith with two wickets, including that of first-Test centurion Zakir Hasan.

Umesh was delighted to see him earn a second chance, adding: "When he made his debut, I was with him in South Africa. I'm very happy that he finally got his chance.

"When he came in to bowl with the new ball, [it] was doing a bit. We know [he] can swing it both ways, so he just had to keep bowling in the right areas."

India will resume on day two in Mirpur trailing by 208 runs.

Didier Deschamps' future as France head coach will be left up to him when he meets French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet next week.

France reached a second consecutive World Cup final in Qatar, but were heartbreakingly defeated 4-2 on penalties by Argentina following a 3-3 draw after extra time.

With Deschamps' contract expiring at the conclusion of the tournament, it is unclear whether the 54-year-old will decide to continue on in his role.

But with Deschamps leading France to three major tournament finals since his appointment in 2012, Le Graet is hopeful the former midfielder will choose to stay on when they talk next week.

However, if Deschamps indicates he wants to end his tenure, Le Graet will respect that decision.

"Didier has done his job well, he has priority, and I think we will agree [to carry on]," Le Graet told Ouest-France.

"We are already going to spend some time together to talk a bit about what happened in Qatar and how we are already considering the 2024 European Championship.

"If he does not want to stay, it will be a very short [meeting].

"If he wants to stay, there will be slightly longer discussions.

"It would be good if we can complete this [process around the decision] before the end of the year."

Former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has been among the names linked with the job if Deschamps opts to leave.

Former Denver Broncos running back and Super Bowl champion Ronnie Hillman has died of liver cancer at 31 years old.

Hillman led the Broncos in rushing with 863 yards and seven touchdowns in the 2015 season as the Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50, in what was Peyton Manning's final game before retiring.

Having been drafted by the Broncos out of San Diego State in the 2012 draft, Hillman went on to play for the Minnesota Vikings, San Diego Chargers and Dallas Cowboys, racking up 1,976 career yards.

Hillman was diagnosed with a rare form of liver cancer in August 2022, and it was revealed he had entered hospice care this week before passing away on Wednesday.

A statement was posted to his Instagram account, saying: "It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved son, brother and father, Ronnie K Hillman Jr.

"Ronnie quietly and peacefully transitioned today in the company of his family and close friends."

Hillman tragically becomes the second member of the Broncos' 2015 championship team to pass away, after receiving leader Demaryius Thomas' death from a seizure in 2021.

Jacque Vaughn was unaware his Brooklyn Nets side had achieved a franchise record in their blowout of the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.

The Nets routed the undermanned Warriors 143-113 at Barclays Center, putting up a whopping 91 points in the first half alone.

That tally was a record for the Nets and represented the third-best effort ever in the NBA.

Having had to come back from slow first-quarter performances in wins over the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons in their prior two games, it was a welcome change for head coach Vaughn.

"I did not [know it was a record], wow, nicely done huh?" Vaughn said.

"That's what happens when you come to work and you're ready to work from the beginning.

"I definitely consider it progress, it was definitely the message in our walk through."

Kyrie Irving was absent for the Nets due to tightness in his right calf. Vaughn was unsure if he would return on Friday to face the Milwaukee Bucks.

Vaughn said: "No update, he'll come in tomorrow [Thursday] and get assessed again, hopefully looking forward to him playing again on Friday."

Kevin Durant was in fine form against his former team, putting up 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

The Warriors were still without Steph Curry, while Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins did not feature, but Durant said Steve Kerr's side still had to be taken seriously.

"It's the Warriors - you always respect them whoever is on the floor," he said.

"They have a championship system, championship players. Steph, Klay, Wiggins out – they [still] have that next up mentality. You can't count them out, so we did a good job staying focused to start."

Jaydev Unadkat took two wickets in his first Test for over a decade as India made a strong start to restrict Bangladesh to 227 all out on day one in Mirpur.

In the final game of the two-match red-ball series, the tourists put themselves on course for a clean sweep with an emphatic performance with the ball, closing on 19 without loss in reply.

Four-wicket hauls for Umesh Yadav (4-25) and Ravichandran Ashwin (4-71) headlined a dominant bowling display from India at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

But the warmest reception was saved for Unadkat, in just his second Test appearance, and first since his debut in 2010 as a teenager.

The 31-year-old struck either side of lunch to dismiss Zakir Hasan (15) and Mushfiqur Rahim (26) to take his first Test wickets and was embraced by his team-mates.

Bangladesh's resistance came almost single-handedly through Mominul Haque, who carved out a patient 84 from 157 deliveries to keep the hosts ticking over.

But his dismissal by Ashwin as the penultimate wicket of the first innings effectively signalled the end of his side's modest resistance and put India in the driving seat. 

KL Rahul escaped an LBW call to finish on three not out, with opening partner Shubman Gill still alongside him on 14.

Unadkat joins record books

It was at Centurion in December 2010 that the bowler made his debut against South Africa, suffering a bruising outing as the Proteas won by an innings and 25 runs.

In finally returning to the fold, he sits 11th on the list of players with the longest gap between Test appearances – well off the record of 22 years and 222 days held by John Traicos.

Mominul spares Bangladesh blushes

After a highly successful white-ball series, these two Tests have so far been a bumpy return to earth for the hosts, and it could have been worse were it not for their top-order saviour.

Arriving at the crease with his team 39-1, Mominul survived all but final two batsmen Taijul Islam and Khaled Ahmed, to ensure Bangladesh scraped past the 200 mark.