LIV Golf players will be able to play in the 2023 Masters provided they meet the tournament's existing entry criteria.

Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson, Patrick Reed and Charl Schwartzel joined the controversial Saudi Arabia-backed breakaway LIV Golf series this year, but will be eligible to compete at Augusta next April due to being former Masters champions.

Cameron Smith has been invited to play due to his Open triumph this year, while Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka can also tee off in Georgia as a result of their major successes.

Augusta National Golf Club Fred Ridley said in a statement: "From its inception in 1934, the purpose of the Masters Tournament has been to benefit the game of golf.

"Each April, the Masters assembles the world’s leading golfers to compete for the Green Jacket and a place in history.

"Regrettably, recent actions have divided men’s professional golf by diminishing the virtues of the game and the meaningful legacies of those who built it.

"Although we are disappointed in these developments, our focus is to honour the tradition of bringing together a pre-eminent field of golfers this coming April.

"Therefore, as invitations are sent this week, we will invite those eligible under our current criteria to compete in the 2023 Masters Tournament.

"We have reached a seminal point in the history of our sport. At Augusta National, we have faith that golf, which has overcome many challenges through the years, will endure again."

Mickelson did not play in the Masters this year as he took time out from the sport after coming in for huge criticism over comments he made about Saudi Arabia's human rights record before joining LIV Golf.

Tom Brady has expressed sympathy for Kylian Mbappe after his remarkable hat-trick was not enough to win the World Cup final for France.  

Mbappe became just the second man to score a treble in the tournament's showpiece game – after Geoff Hurst in 1966 – as Les Bleus forced a penalty shoot-out at the end of an epic 3-3 draw with Argentina.

The forward's eight goals in Qatar won him the Golden Boot, but he was unable to get his hands on the trophy for a second time as the Albiceleste triumphed on spot-kicks.

Speaking on the Let's Go podcast, seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady said Mbappe's World Cup final heartache was proof no sportsperson was "entitled" to victory.

"Man, losing sucks. That's just the reality. There's not a lot of explanation," the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback said.

"I have a lot more empathy for guys who are putting in a lot more time and energy and things aren't going their way. 

"That could be not just a football player. That's anyone in their job. That could be the guy working at UPS. That could be the guy working in the military. That could be the guy working in the sales office.

"That could be Kylian Mbappe, who scored three goals in the World Cup final, and you know what? The team didn't win. That's life. 

"You're not entitled to winning. No one is guaranteed winning. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. 

"The sun came up today, and you're going to try and make this the best day you can."

 

Formula One drivers will be required to obtain prior written permission to make "political statements" after the FIA updated its International Sporting Code.

The sport's governing body has added a new clause into its rulebook for next season.

It states: "The general making and display of political, religious and personal statements or comments notably in violation of the general principle of neutrality promoted by the FIA under its Statutes, unless previously approved in writing by the FIA for International Competitions, or by the relevant ASN for national competitions within their jurisdiction."

Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, who retired from F1 at end the end of last season, are among the drivers who have made political statements.

There was a ruled chance over attire after Mercedes driver Hamilton wore a T-shirt at the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix protesting against the death of American Breonna Taylor.

He also competed in a rainbow pride helmet during races in the Middle East, while last year Vettel sported a rainbow-coloured T-shirt promoting LGBTQ+ rights ahead of the national anthem at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Valtteri Bottas, Carlos Sainz and Lance Stroll were also reprimanded for failing to remove 'We Race As One' T-shirts at the same race as Vettel.

Barbadian all-rounder Matthew Forde produced an excellent display to help the Dambulla Aura defeat the Galle Gladiators by four wickets in the Lankan Premier League on Monday.

Despite a top score of 63 not out from Nuwanidu Fernando, the Gladiators were restricted to 129-8 from their 20 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat.

Forde, who represented the West Indies at the 2020 ICC Under-19 World Cup in South Africa and the St. Lucia Kings in the most recent edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), was spectacular with the ball, producing figures of 4-11 from his four overs, conceding just one boundary in the process.

The Barbadian also led the way with the bat, scoring a 30-ball 52 including six fours and two sixes to spearhead an easy chase. Englishman Jordan Cox also contributed well with 34 as the Aura needed just 14.2 overs to reach 134-6.

The win was just the second for the Aura this season meaning they failed to advance to the playoffs.

The Playoffs begin on Wednesday with the Kandy Falcons taking on the Jaffna Kings in Qualifier one before the Colombo Stars and the Galle Gladiators face off in the eliminator.

The French Football Federation (FFF) has confirmed it will be filing complaints after some France players were subject to "racist and hateful remarks" on social media.

France went down 4-2 on penalties to Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday, following a 3-3 draw at Lusail Stadium in Doha.

In the wake of that loss, several France players are said to have been racially abused on social media.

On Monday, Bayern Munich condemned the abuse of Kingsley Coman, who missed a penalty in the shoot-out. 

Now, the FFF has promised to lodge complaints against those responsible for the abuse of Coman and his team-mates.

"Following the World Cup final, several players from the French team were the subject of unacceptable racist and hateful remarks on social networks," a statement read.

"The FFF condemns them and will file a complaint against those responsible."

The Sydney Thunder hit 10 times as many runs against the Adelaide Strikers as they managed the last time the two met, but still came up short on Tuesday.

Unwanted history was made by the Thunder when they were all out for just 15 in the Big Bash League on Friday, the lowest total ever recorded in men's professional T20 cricket.

Unsurprisingly, they lost that game at the Sydney Showground Stadium to the Strikers, who had set a target of 140.

All eyes were on the Thunder to see if they could respond when the two teams met again in Adelaide, and an ironic cheer went up from the home fans as openers Alex Hales and Matthew Gilkes went past 15 after just two-and-a-half overs.

T20 World Cup winner Hales went on to hit 68 from 50 balls, including six fours and three sixes, while Ollie Davies added 42 from 30 as the Thunder posted a far more respectable total of 150-5 from their 20 overs, exactly 10 times as many as last week.

It was not enough, though. Jake Weatherald fell early for Adelaide in their chase, but they were rarely troubled after that as Matt Short (65) was ably supported by 28 each from Chris Lynn and Adam Hose (not out).

Despite a late run out of Colin de Grandhomme, the Strikers eased to the target with six wickets and eight balls to spare to maintain their winning start to the season, while the Thunder have won just one of their four matches.

Manchester City's Alex Greenwood has penned a three-year contract extension, fixing her future ahead of next year's World Cup.

The 29-year-old, who signed for City in 2020, has agreed to extend her stay at the club until June 2026.

Greenwood, a member of England's Euro-winning squad under Sarina Wiegman earlier this year, has made 80 appearances for City.

"Feeling settled at a club for me is so important," she told the club's official website. "I just love being here."

"I have a really good relationship with Gareth, and the way he wants us to play marries up exactly with how I want to. It's the perfect match for me."

"We just want to keep winning football matches and trophies, which is what we expect of ourselves here. It's an exciting time to be at City."

Greenwood's secure future will prove one less distraction for her and hands a boost to the Lionesses, who will hope to replicate European success on the world stage in 2023.

Having lost the 2019 World Cup final with the Netherlands, boss Wiegman is looking to go one better next year, though she knows the greatest performance of a lifetime can still fall short.

"If you play your best game, like the England men did against France, [it could] be a win, could be a tie, could be a defeat," she told The Guardian.

"But you can be proud of yourself because you played at your highest level. You're going to be devastated by not winning, but at the end you can be proud because you did everything that's in your control.

"That's how I approach it. Don't always think of the result. We're not going to a World Cup just to play, we're going there to win."

The World Cup will take place in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.

Manchester City's Alex Greenwood has penned a three-year contract extension, fixing her future ahead of next year's World Cup.

The 29-year-old, who signed for City in 2020, has agreed to extend her stay at the club until June 2026.

Greenwood, a member of England's Euro-winning squad under Sarina Wiegman earlier this year, has made 80 appearances for City.

"Feeling settled at a club for me is so important," she told the club's official website. "I just love being here."

"I have a really good relationship with Gareth, and the way he wants us to play marries up exactly with how I want to. It's the perfect match for me."

"We just want to keep winning football matches and trophies, which is what we expect of ourselves here. It's an exciting time to be at City."

Greenwood's secure future will prove one less distraction for her and hands a boost to the Lionesses, who will hope to replicate European success on the world stage in 2023.

Having lost the 2019 World Cup final with the Netherlands, boss Wiegman is looking to go one better next year, though she knows the greatest performance of a lifetime can still fall short.

"If you play your best game, like the England men did against France, [it could] be a win, could be a tie, could be a defeat," she told The Guardian.

"But you can be proud of yourself because you played at your highest level. You're going to be devastated by not winning, but at the end you can be proud because you did everything that's in your control.

"That's how I approach it. Don't always think of the result. We're not going to a World Cup just to play, we're going there to win."

The World Cup will take place in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.

Rehan Ahmed will forever be grateful to his mother, even if she was not in attendance to take in his England Test debut against Pakistan.

The teenager became the nation's youngest men's Test debutant when he was named in the side to face the hosts in Karachi for the third and final match of their tour.

The 18-year-old spinner grasped his opportunity to shine, taking seven wickets as England completed a series clean sweep at the National Stadium.

With two wickets in the first innings, Ahmed became the youngest bowler to take a five-for on debut in a men's Test in the second, while the last England spinner to post better match figures in their maiden game was Peter Such in 1993.

Ahmed's father was in the stands to see his son make history, though his mother was not in attendance.

The teenager knew she was praying for him however, writing on Twitter afterwards: "I can't put into words how I feel.

"Without my mother's prayers, I would never have got to this stage.

"I'm forever grateful to my mum, who unfortunately wasn't able to be here with me. However, her prayers are always with me regardless."

Lionel Messi's Instagram message celebrating Argentina's World Cup win has become the most popular post in the social media platform's history, with 56 million likes.

Messi finally won international football's greatest prize after Argentine edged out France 4-2 on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw in Sunday's final at Lusail Stadium.

For the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, it is the final rubber stamp on his status as the greatest footballer of his generation, and arguably the greatest of all time.

Now, Messi has another record to his name, with his post in the wake of Argentina's success surpassing the previous high-water mark held by the World Record Egg, which gained 55.9 million likes.

"Thank you very much to my family, to all who support me and also to all who believed in us," the 35-year-old wrote in his caption.

"We demonstrate once again that Argentines when we fight together and united we are capable of achieving what we set out to do.

"The merit belongs to this group, which is above individuals. It is the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the dream of all Argentines... We did it!!!"

Messi, who was named the World Cup Golden Ball recipient for the second time, scored twice in Sunday's final, and netted the first successful penalty of his side's shoot-out.

Liverpool and Manchester City have sent a joint statement to fans of both clubs in an attempt to ease tensions.

The chief executives of the Premier League pair wrote a collaborative email to fans ahead of their EFL Cup fourth round tie at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday.

Liverpool and City's rivalry has developed in recent seasons as both teams have competed for league titles and various cups.

The Premier League clash at Anfield in October saw coins thrown at City boss Pep Guardiola by home fans, while City supporters could be heard singing songs related to the Hillsborough disaster in which 97 Liverpool fans were unlawfully killed in 1989.

A meeting was held last month between officials and fan representatives of the clubs in an attempt to mend fences.

As a follow-up, a statement issued to fans on Tuesday by City CEO Ferran Soriano and his Liverpool counterpart Billy Hogan said: "We write to you today on behalf of both Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC, ahead of our Carabao Cup match at the Etihad Stadium later this week.

"As with any meeting between our clubs, it promises to be a fantastic spectacle of football and we are sure that you are all counting down to kick-off with much anticipation following the break in domestic football for the World Cup.

"The passion and enthusiasm that we see from our fans when we play each other – at the Etihad Stadium or Anfield – is part of what makes matches between our clubs so special, and we know you are committed to creating a stadium environment where everyone is welcomed, accepted and has a fantastic matchday experience.

"Regrettably, based on recent meetings between our clubs, we also know that a minority of fans are responsible for behaviours and actions that have no place in our game.

"We are therefore writing to ask for your full support in tackling these behaviours and to ensure that both of our clubs' good names are preserved. You can help us by reporting any incidents via the options at the bottom of this email so they can be investigated.

"We appreciate that some fans may not be aware of the impact of their behaviours on other fans, both inside and outside the stadium, and we will continue to work with our fans on this education.

"It is however important for everyone to be aware that we are fully committed to dealing with unacceptable behaviours and will take action by issuing bans to those found to be responsible.

"We have engaged the chairs from both our respective fan groups in our discussions and have their full backing to help create the right environment for our matches.

"If we all stand together to report the behaviours and actions that cause harm – including inappropriate gestures, chanting, throwing of objects, as well as any and all forms of discrimination – then we can all concentrate on supporting our teams.

"Thank you for taking the time to read this email, and for your commitment to help eliminate unacceptable behaviours in football."

Luka Doncic felt his ejection during the Dallas Mavericks' defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves was uncalled for after he and head coach Jason Kidd were thrown out by the officials.

The pair were both ejected during the third quarter as the Mavs slipped to a 116-106 loss, moving them to 15-16 for the season.

Doncic's protests for a no call after a possible foul saw him earn two quick whistles from referee Rodney Mott, before Kidd was also sent with two technicals from referee Nick Buchert for his angry response.

The Slovenian played just over 28 minutes before then, amassing 19 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

Having finished second with 18 technicals last season, Doncic acknowledged he likely earned his first, but professed his puzzlement at being handed a swift second.

"I probably deserved the one, but two for sure no," he said. "I deserved the first one, I'm not going to lie. But for sure not the second one.

"I was really shocked when I was ejected. It was confusing. I don't even know what was going on. I heard that I got ejected [and] I was like 'that was [a] surprise'."

Kidd bit his tongue when it came to his own post-match comments, having been left fuming at the call to toss Doncic and then his own ejection, effectively cutting his media conference to the bare minimum.

"I'm here because I have to be here," he said. "I already gave up money, so I don't want to give up any more. So no questions.

"We'll go back and look at the tape and see how we can get better. They were the better team tonight, and we'll go from there."

With another clash against the Timberwolves on Wednesday, Dallas will get the chance to offer an immediate response.

The Mavericks then travel to the Houston Rockets on Friday, before a Christmas Day home game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

India captain Rohit Sharma will miss the second Test with Bangladesh as he continues to recover from a thumb injury.

Rohit suffered a dislocation of his left thumb during the recent ODI series against the Tigers and missed the opening Test in Chattogram as a result.

KL Rahul stepped in to lead India in their 188-run victory, culminating on Sunday, and will do so again in Dhaka.

After being ruled out of the first Test, the BCCI said Rohit would be assessed ahead of the second and final game of their red-ball tour.

However, it was confirmed on Tuesday that the 35-year-old will be absent again, with the BCCI stating: "The medical team is of the opinion that the injury needs some more time to heal completely before the Indian captain can bat and field with full intensity.

"He will continue his rehab and will not be available for the second and final Test against Bangladesh."

India will also be without Navdeep Sani, with the pace bowler ruled out after suffering an abdominal muscle strain.

Shubman Gill retains his place after scoring 110 in India's second innings in Chattogram.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, have made changes to their squad after struggling in the opener, including spinner Nasum Ahmed coming in potentially for his Test debut amid fitness doubts around skipper Shakib Al Hasan, who only bowled 12 overs in the first Test.

The second Test gets under way on Thursday.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay acknowledged 2022 has been "a very humbling season" after the Super Bowl champions were eliminated from play-off contention.

Less than a year on from winning Super Bowl LVI, an injury-wrecked Rams side slipped to a 24-12 loss against the Green Bay Packers on Monday to officially put the postseason beyond their reach.

No Baker Mayfield heroics were able to save them this time around, and with a 4-10 record, they are tied with the 1999 Denver Broncos for the most losses coming off claiming the sport's biggest prize.

Asked whether he could have imagined his side's underperformance just months on from the greatest high of all, McVay acknowledged it had been a chastening campaign for his team and himself.

"I think it's hard to say that you could [have expected this]," he said. "You certainly can't, but this is the reality that we're in, and this is where we're at.

"My job is to focus on [finishing] up the season with the right competitive spirit, with the mindset and mentality that's reflective of who those guys are in the locker room and who those coaches are.

"There's been a lot of things I've thought about that I think you can make sense of, but it still doesn't make it any easier. It's a very humbling season, for sure."

McVay was adamant the Rams will not fold in the remaining weeks of the campaign, even with only pride to play for now, and credited his team for their performances amid a number of trying situations.

"This has been a real struggle in a lot of instances, a lot of adversity that we've gone through," he added. "But I think what we've seen from our guys is they're going to continue to battle.

"They're going to finish up these last three games the right way, with the right mindset and mentality, and we'll compete to the best of our ability.

"That's all I know how to do, and I trust that that's exactly what we'll do collectively as a group."

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