Rangers have pulled out of a proposed friendly with Celtic that was due to take place in Australia in November.
It had been announced that the champions of Scotland would play in a four-team tournament, titled the "Sydney Super Cup", against their Old Firm rivals as well as A-League duo Sydney FC and Sydney Wanderers.
The game between Rangers and Celtic would have been the first Old Firm derby to take place overseas.
However, Rangers have now confirmed they will not be taking part in the tournament.
A statement released by the club on Thursday read: "Rangers can confirm the club will not be participating in the Sydney Super Cup in November 2022.
"After it became clear the tournament organisers were unwilling to fulfil their commitments to Rangers, we have, with immediate effect, terminated the club's agreement with the organisers."
Rangers fans had voiced their displeasure at the proposal, interrupting the recent 2-1 win at Dundee on several occasions by throwing tennis balls and toilet paper onto the pitch.
Jamaica will be well represented in the sport of weightlifting at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England this summer.
Chloe Whylie, Sky Norris and Omarie Mears all secured bipartite spots at the games to join Sientje Henderson, who previously qualified in ranks.
“They have worked so hard and we couldn’t be happier for them,” said Jamaica Weightlifting in a post on Instagram.
“We are so proud of them and can’t wait to see them on stage.”
Whylie and Henderson made history in February when they both medalled at the 2022 Canadian Invitational in Ontario, Jamaica’s first medals at an international weightlifting competition in 40 years.
Whylie won a silver medal in the snatch, bronze in the clean and jerk and bronze overall.
The team will be looking to replicate that success when weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games begins on July 30 and runs until August 2. The Commonwealth Games run from July 28-August 8.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta remains uninterested by the other teams in the Premier League's top-four race, insisting it is all in the Gunners' hands.
Arteta's side have lost just one of eight top-flight games since a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City at the start of 2022, surging up the table to fourth in the league.
Arsenal are three points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham, who have played a game more, as they push for Champions League qualification, with their next fixture coming away at Crystal Palace on Monday.
That means Spurs, Manchester United and West Ham will have all played before the Gunners are in action at Selhurst Park, but Arteta does not see the late game as an advantage over his competitors.
"We're going to focus on what we can do. That's the only thing we can control," he told reporters at Thursday's pre-match news conference.
"Through the TV we can suffer and we can enjoy and there's not much else we can do. What we have to do is win the football matches that we need to achieve what we want and that's all in our hands."
Aaron Ramsdale missed the 1-0 win at Aston Villa last time out, with Bukayo Saka scoring the winner before the teenager withdrew from international duty with England due to COVID-19.
Arteta confirmed Saka has returned to training, but the clash with Patrick Vieira's Palace may come too soon for Ramsdale, who suffered a muscle injury in a 2-0 loss to Liverpool earlier in the month.
"Bukayo is feeling good," he added. "He's training today hopefully if he's still feeling as he was yesterday. Aaron, it's a doubt. He's still feeling not great, he hasn't trained yet so we don't know what he'll be able to do on Monday.
"He wanted to play against Villa but it was a significant injury and he had to take his time and the physios are doing everything they can. We will see more in the next few days when he starts to do real training."
Meanwhile, Takehiro Tomiyasu nears a return from a calf injury that has kept him on the sidelines since early January.
"I think it will be close. He's been training more and more. He has the boys back now, so he will be joining some sessions this week, and let's see how it is," the Spaniard said of Tomiyasu.
The Premier League also announced the reintroduction of five substitutes from the start of next season, a decision that Arteta is glad to see introduced.
"I'm glad that in the end, we have unified the criteria with the whole of Europe," he said on the rule change. "It's now how we do it and how we manage it. There will be some changes because that gives you different opportunities and tactically the chance to make some changes.
"I think the most important thing is that you manage the load of the players much better. Make sure we don't slow the game down too much and I think it's good. It gives the players opportunities to be on the pitch, which is what they want to do.
"The options you are given to change the game, to refresh the game, to change in many different positions which is something you are always restricted to do, and probably the timing of the subs because when you have three the last sub is always in the back of your mind and if you make it too early you can pay the consequences. So that gives you more flexibility."
Premier League clubs have agreed to five substitutions being permitted per match from the start of next season.
Teams in England's top flight were previously allowed to use five substitutes when football resumed in May 2020 following the first coronavirus pandemic shutdown.
However, despite the International Football Association Board (IFAB) recommending the rule stayed in place permanently, clubs have decided against it in previous votes.
But at a shareholders' meeting on Thursday in which all 20 sides were represented, it was collectively decided that the rule should be reintroduced.
Clubs will therefore be permitted to use five substitutions per game from next season, to be made on three occasions during a match, with an additional opportunity at half-time.
A total of nine substitutes can be named on the team sheet, as is currently the case.
The Premier League also confirmed on Thursday the next transfer window will open on June 10 and close at 23:00 BST on September 1, in line with other European leagues.
From April 4, meanwhile, the league will remove twice-weekly COVID-19 testing of players and staff and move to symptomatic testing only.
That is part of the Premier League returning to "business-as-usual operations", though it is subject to change should the coronavirus situation in the United Kingdom alter.
Lewis Hamilton has "struggled mentally" to deal with global events this year, the Mercedes driver and seven-time world champion has disclosed.
In an Instagram stories message, the British star said anyone feeling the same should realise "you are not alone" and there should be a brighter future.
Hamilton, 37, wrote: "It's been such a tough year already with everything that is happening around us.
"Hard some days to stay positive. I have struggled mentally and emotionally for a long time, to keep going is a constant effort but we have to keep fighting, we have so much to do and to achieve.
"I'm writing to tell you it's ok to feel the way you do, just know that you are not alone and that we are gonna get through this!
"A friend reminded me today, you are so powerful and you can do anything you put your mind to! We can do anything we put our mind to.
"Let's remember to live in gratitude for another day to rise. Sending you love and light."
Hamilton did not explicitly mention the circumstances that have left him low-spirited, but world events have impacted upon his sport already in 2022.
Formula One's Russian Grand Prix has been cancelled this season due to the military invasion of Ukraine, and conflict struck close to the heart of motorsport only last week.
A Houthi missile strike that hit an Aramco facility 10 miles from the Jeddah circuit during a practice session last Friday sparked concern over the safety of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The Saudi energy and chemical company is also a sponsor of F1, as well as a principal sponsor of the Aston Martin team.
Amid criticism of the Saudi regime's human rights record and fears for their safety, there was serious concern over a driver boycott of Sunday's race.
Hamilton, who qualified 16th, finished down in 10th, but the seven-time world champion said afterwards he was just pleased to finish the race and leave the country.
"I am so happy the weekend is done," Hamilton said on Sunday. "I am so happy everyone is safe, I am just looking forward to getting out. I just want to go home."
Russian teams will be welcomed back into world football immediately once the invasion of Ukraine ends, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has declared.
Infantino said FIFA "would be there the first day to play football again", as he spoke at the world governing body's congress in Qatar, this year's World Cup host country.
Infantino, who in 2019 was awarded an Order of Friendship medal by Russian president Vladimir Putin, said he was "devastated" by the news coming out of Ukraine.
But he said it was right that there was Russian representation at the congress, insisting the country's national federation had not been suspended by FIFA.
The country's national and club teams have been blocked from playing in FIFA and UEFA competitions, including the World Cup, but Infantino said it was important to maintain dialogue with federation officials.
Speaking in a news conference following the congress session, Infantino said: "I'm very sad of course for what is happening, and I'm as devastated as everyone."
He added: "We had to suspend Russia and Russian teams. It's not an easy decision of course, because it's about people who love football.
"We had to take the decisions, and now we have to look forward and hope the hostilities can stop, and we can bring a little bit of peace.
"The decision on Russia has been taken. The Russian Football Union has appealed the decision to CAS [the Court of Arbitration for Sport] so we are waiting for the result of the CAS deliberations.
"We will see what comes next. I sincerely hope the conflict can end, and we would be there the first day to play football again, because that's what I think is needed in this country.
"Russia as a football union, like any other federation, has not been suspended as such by FIFA, it has been participating in this congress as well."
Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup, and now Qatar, whose qualification as suitable hosts has frequently been called into question, will stage the tournament in November and December of this year.
Asked whether Qatar would be awarded a World Cup based on what FIFA considers are now increasingly robust methods of deciding who should be hosts, Infantino initially distanced himself from the decision that was made in 2010, when Sepp Blatter was the governing body's president.
"When it comes to the Qatar World Cup, the decision has been taken now 12 years ago, when I was far away from FIFA happenings in these days," said Infantino, who was UEFA secretary general at the time.
"We've now put in place a different bidding process, which I think is also pretty unique, and I said in the past bulletproof. I hope it will continue to be bulletproof. It's open, it's transparent, it's professional and you know why you vote for somebody when you vote for somebody.
"This is what has happened for the men's World Cup in 2026 and for the women's World Cup in 2023.
"We still see even in these decisions there are political votes rather than factual-based votes. That's probably part of the game.
"When it comes to Qatar, the decision has been taken. We'll organise the best World Cup ever here in Qatar, and in any case we shouldn't go back. We should look forward, and we should look at what has happened.
"All the changes that have happened in this country in terms of workers' rights and human rights, and so on, would not have happened or certainly not at the same speed without the projectors of the World Cup being there."
Speaking about Qatar, whose records have been criticised by human rights organisations, Infantino said the tournament would "show to the world there are people living here, and you can come here and feel safe and be safe".
Massimiliano Allegri has revealed he signed an agreement to become Real Madrid head coach before opting to return to Juventus.
The Italian guided the Bianconeri to two Champions League finals, in 2015 and 2017, while winning 11 trophies during his five-season stay, including five straight Serie A titles and four consecutive Coppa Italias.
However, Allegri was dismissed by Juve president Andrea Agnelli at the end of the 2018-19 campaign, with a quarter-final Champions League exit to Ajax defining the season in which they signed Cristiano Ronaldo as a failure.
Spells with Maurizio Sarri and Andrea Pirlo yielded unsuccessful returns for Juve, who brought back Allegri at the start of this season, but the 54-year-old almost became the Madrid boss.
"I had already signed with [Madrid] last summer, but I called the president [Florentino Perez] to tell him that I would not go because I had chosen Juventus," Allegri said in an interview with GC, as quoted by CalcioMercato. "He thanked me. When they called me in May, I had no doubts.
"I have no regrets, it would have been a great professionally: Milan, Juventus, Real Madrid… but you can't have everything in life. I am proud to have coached Milan for four years and to be at Juventus now.
"I rejected Real Madrid twice. The first time I was in talks to extend with Juventus. I told Florentino that I had already given my word to Agnelli."
Allegri did not take up a managerial role between his exit and return to Juve, and believes he made the right decision to come back at the time he did.
"It was the right time. I could have returned earlier, but I didn't do it because of personal reasons," he added.
"My mother died in 2018, so I didn't want to go too far away. I remained close to my son Giorgio and my father, who was severely affected by the death of my mum. He still lives in Livorno.
"I decided to return to Juventus because I have a strong bond with the club and the owners, but also to stay closer to my son, who lives in Turin with his mother. I like to be close to my loved ones."
The Juve head coach will be hoping his side, who are fourth in the league and seven points adrift of leaders Milan, can continue their strong run of form when they host Inter on Sunday.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has dismissed the plans for a biennial World Cup as he claimed the changes were never a formal proposal.
Led by chief of global football development Arsene Wenger, FIFA had promoted the idea for the World Cup to shift format and take place every two years – an idea strongly opposed by both UEFA and CONMEBOL.
Infantino claimed the alterations would yield significant financial returns if the plans were approved, with a boost of $4.4billion in the first four-year cycle of a new international calendar, which would climb to $6.6bn if each confederation also switched its regional competition to become biennial.
FIFA also published results from a study that claimed "the majority" of football fans would like to see more frequent World Cups, while UEFA said an independent survey called proposals "alarming".
But the prospects of those plans coming to fruition appear over after Infantino told the FIFA Congress, with 211 member associations in attendance, that the governing body never proposed the changes.
"Let me clarify one thing here – and I want to speak about some of the discussions and speculations on a biennial World Cup," he said on Thursday during his speech in Qatar. "Fifa has not proposed a biennial World Cup.
"Let's get the process clear. The last FIFA Congress asked the FIFA administration for a vote and 88 per cent voted in favour to study the feasibility of that and some other projects for women's and youth football.
"The FIFA administration, under the leadership of Arsene Wenger, did that. We studied the feasibility. But FIFA did not propose anything.
"FIFA came to the conclusion that it was feasible, but it would have some repercussions and impacts. The next phase was consultation and discussions and trying to find agreements and compromises.
"In addition to the confederations and the member associations, the clubs and the players present here as well, we tried to have a discussion and a debate to find what was most suitable for everyone.
"Everyone has to benefit, the big ones have to become bigger with the whole movement, and the smaller ones have to benefit to give opportunities to everyone and I'm thanking everyone for their input, their feedback, positive or negative.
"What is important is we have put national team football back on the agenda all over the world, we have to talk with the clubs, of course, which is the biggest part of where the players are playing.
"There are ways to find compromises and what is important is respect of the footballing institutions, of the football pyramid, with FIFA at the top, the confederations, the league, the clubs and the players all being involved, that is how football is organised and it is paramount we protect this structure from all organisational challenges."
The Jamaica Boxing Board and GC Foster College on Wednesday announced a partnership to develop and grow the sport of boxing on the island and the wider Caribbean. Under the partnership agreement, GC Foster, Jamaica’s only sports college, will become a hub for a national training programme as well as offer related coaching courses that will help raise the level of the sport.
Beyond that, GC Foster College will be the host of the Gloves over Guns initiative that aims to channel youth away from the negative influences of the community and onto a more progressive pathway. The Jamaica Boxing Board has already provided the college with equipment and a new ring is to be delivered in the near future to the tertiary institution will be afforded national gym status.
“I think we can expect to change the game for the sport of boxing not only in Jamaica but in the Caribbean. GC Foster College speaks for itself. What they do for the community and the country, aligning with an institution like that is only going to raise our game, raise our level in terms of the boxing that we have here, the coaches that we have access to, the officials that we have access to in terms of recruiting and have a hub which we can train from a national programme, which we can invite international bodies to come and do courses here and to have it elevate our sport on that level,” said boxing board president Stephen ‘Bomber’ Jones.
“Then the fact that GC Foster has agreed to be the hub for Gloves Over Guns in Spanish Town where we can do the sport for development and deal with the boys and girls here, have them a part of the invitationals and have them a part of the mentorship programme I think is going to go a long way so we are very, very excited.”
Principal of GC Foster Maurice Wilson said he is looking forward to the opportunities that will be afforded to the youth in the parish.
“I am extremely excited for the community of GC Foster College and its environs – Spanish Town and indeed St. Catherine. I think this was a venture long in waiting. I do believe the benefits are going to supersede the time that we waited,” said Wilson.
“We have seen where boxing would have changed the lives of so many youngsters. Sonny Liston, who had numerous problems with the law, became heavyweight champion and it helped him somewhat. Mike Tyson, Cassius Clay later Mohamed Ali, who really stood up against certain things, however, they thought that he was breaking the law but boxing was able to guide him along a particular pathway.
“We are cognizant of some of the factors facing youngsters in Jamaica. We are sure that with the collaboration of the boxing board we will be able to give the youngsters greater opportunities, we will give them options in terms of career, becoming a professional boxer, we will engage them in their extra-curricular activities that are done in a more purposeful way and the fact that the boxing board is providing relevant and current equipment will make it even so much easier."
The GC Foster principal says he expects nothing but success from the partnership.
“We also believe that if there is any institution in Jamaica, that can provide the proper base, the proper support, that institution would be GC Foster. So we are extremely happy about the collaboration. GC Foster will benefit. Jamaica will benefit. The youngsters in this country will benefit and overall the economy can benefit because as you know professional boxers that do well make a lot of money.”
Sebastian Vettel has been declared "fit to race" after missing the first two grands prix of the season due to COVID-19, Aston Martin said on Thursday.
It means the four-time champion can head to Melbourne for next week's Australian Grand Prix and look to put points on the board for the struggling team.
Aston Martin have failed to score in the opening races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, with Nico Hulkenberg stepping in as Vettel's replacement.
Hulkenberg will step aside to allow Vettel to partner Lance Stroll for the April 8-10 race weekend.
Aston Martin said on Twitter: "We are pleased to confirm that Sebastian Vettel is now fit to race and will therefore line up alongside Lance Stroll in Melbourne to kick off his 2022 F1 season at the Australian Grand Prix."
The team are eager to get off the mark after their slow start, and Stroll said after the Saudi disappointment, where he finished 13th and Hulkenberg took 12th place: "There is still a long season ahead of us, so we will keep working hard to find more performance in the car for the coming races."
Vettel, 34, won his world titles consecutively from 2010 to 2013, and he joined Aston Martin ahead of the 2021 season.
Barcelona star Sergio Busquets would hand the captain's armband back to Lionel Messi if the forward returned to Camp Nou.
Argentina skipper Messi left the Blaugrana in a sensational free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain last August, with a financially crippled Barca unable to fulfil the terms of a new contract that had been all but agreed.
The 34-year-old is yet to hit the lofty heights in Ligue 1 that he reached for much of his astounding career, scoring just seven goals across all competitions for Mauricio Pochettino's side.
There has been speculation that the Blaugrana legend could leave PSG – who may also lose Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid – at the end of the season, and Barca head coach Xavi suggested the door will always be open for Messi's return.
Former team-mate Busquets echoed Xavi's sentiments as he expressed his desire for the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner to come back to Spain.
"Of course I miss him. On the field and off it," Busquets said of Messi in an interview with Spanish radio station RAC1. "Nobody else has given us what he gave us. He made a huge difference.
"After so many years, it's normal to miss him. I'm sure he will miss me too."
He added: "At first it was difficult [when Messi left]. It was a shock for us too. We are still here, but imagine it for him; changing city, changing team, changing style.
"When you don't win, you're not happy. I wish him the best. I would like Leo to come back, but I know it's very difficult. He has a contract with another team and it's complicated because of how he left us.
"If Xavi told him that the doors are open, imagine me as his friend and team-mate. I would give him the armband. He always has my admiration and respect."
Jamaica wrapped up their Concacaf World Cup Qualifying campaign for Qatar 2022 with a comeback 2-1 victory over Honduras on the 14th and final matchday of the Third Round of CWCQ on Wednesday night at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.
Honduras enjoyed the better start of the two sides and grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 18’.
After a VAR review, the referee ruled there was a penalty for Honduras and Angel Tejeda stroked home the spot-kick to give the Catrachos the advantage.
Jamaica looked to get back on level terms and they would get the 1-1 equalizer in the 38’ with a penalty conversion from Leon Bailey.
The momentum was with Jamaica and the Reggae Boyz took their first lead of the contest just moments before the halftime whistle with Ravel Morrison burying a shot off a corner kick to make it 2-1 to the home side.
Jamaica aimed to extend their advantage in the second half, while Honduras tried to find a way back on even terms, but in the end, no goals could be found in the second 45 minutes, as Jamaica saw things out to collect the three points.
Sergio Busquets has revealed Xavi struggled to make an immediate impact as Barcelona head coach – confusing players with his plans.
The return of club legend Xavi to Camp Nou was announced by Barcelona on November 5, after a rocky start to the season under Ronald Koeman's leadership.
Barcelona lost four of their last six matches during Koeman's tenure, before caretaker Sergi Barjuan temporarily stabilised matters ahead of Xavi's arrival from Al Sadd, the Qatari club where he launched his coaching career.
Despite his celebrated playing days, which saw him make 767 appearances for Barcelona – only Lionel Messi has managed more – Xavi was untested at LaLiga level as a coach and did not initially convince everyone in the current squad.
There were sticky results in his first two months, but since the turn of the year Barcelona are unbeaten in LaLiga, with a 4-0 thumping of Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu last time out emphasising their improvement.
It would take a major turnaround still for Xavi's side to leapfrog Madrid at the top of the table, given they trail by 12 points with just one game in hand, but Barcelona's belief is soaring.
Busquets said: "He's worked hard, especially early on. It wasn't easy because a lot of players didn't understand his ideas and he's had to work hard to get things to improve.
"He has changed a lot and brought in his own staff. I think he learned a lot under Pep [Guardiola]. We veterans try to help him, but not just with the idea and not just with Xavi, we always have done to make sure the young players come through and adapt properly."
If they beat Sevilla on Sunday, Barcelona will go second in the Spanish top flight, a prospect that seemed unlikely when the team sat ninth as Koeman departed.
Xavi starred in the great Pep Guardiola teams at Barcelona and will have taken many of his teachings from the influential coach, who is now at Manchester City.
To win LaLiga in his first season will probably be beyond Xavi, given the substantial lead Madrid have, but next term promises to see the great rivals in a serious title battle.
"We still have our hopes in the league, but all we can do is win and hope," Busquets said in an interview with RAC 1. "We are on good form and have the right mentality to at least make sure we have a chance."
At the age of 33, Busquets has a year left on his Barcelona contract and could then follow Xavi into coaching, another great Barcelona stalwart taking on a tracksuit role.
First stop for Busquets after Barcelona is likely to be outside Europe, if he elects to play on. Like Xavi, who saw out his playing days in Qatar, Busquets cannot stomach the thought of competing against Barcelona.
"I'd find it very hard to go elsewhere in Europe and play for a team that's chasing the same things as Barca," he said. "I can only really see myself going to play in a different continent."
Luka Doncic was hoping to "put on a show" and did not disappoint as he helped the Dallas Mavericks seal a playoff spot with a 120-112 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Doncic put 35 points on the board as well as recording 13 assists and nine rebounds, narrowly missing out on a spectacular triple-double.
Dorian Finney-Smith also benefited greatly from the Slovenian star's performance, claiming 28 points of his own.
There were a number of Slovenian fans in attendance at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, which Doncic claimed inspired his efforts in Cleveland on Wednesday.
"When all the people come to see you, you want to put on a show," he said after the win.
The Mavericks trailed 67-61 at half-time but scored 17 more points than the Cavaliers in the third quarter to put themselves in a strong position.
Caris LeVert (32 points) and Darius Garland (25 points) impressed for the hosts, but Doncic's domination secured the crucial win for Dallas, who move to 48-29 while Cleveland drop to 42-34.
Doncic has an average of 28.1 points per game this season, with only LeBron James (30.1), Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid (both 29.9) averaging a higher figure than that in the league, and he has scored more than 30 in each of his last three outings.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd noted the presence of the Slovenian fans, and praised the 23-year-old Doncic for his impact.
"We talked about there being a large Slovenian contingent in Cleveland on the plane," Kidd said. "He wanted to put on a good show and came to work. He comes to work every night.
"He knew when to pass the ball and when to attack. Luka will have two [guys] on the ball and he trusts his team-mates to make plays."
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