New York Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir has been banned for six MLS games after using racist language during last Saturday's clash with the San Jose Earthquakes.

The encounter was stopped for 15 minutes at Red Bull Arena after Belgium international Vanzeir was involved in a confrontation.

He has since apologised, saying he "made a mistake and will take all the necessary steps to grow", but that did not spare him from firm punishment from league chiefs.

Announcing the suspension in a statement, MLS said it had also imposed a fine of an unspecified sum on Vanzeir, adding he must take part in "league-mandated training and education sessions, as well as a restorative practices programme".

The league added: "MLS is working with both clubs and the MLS Players Association to provide impacted players and staff with support and resources, and is committed to continuing to review and improve its in-game protocol."

Vanzeir will be eligible to return to action against CF Montreal on May 20.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Vanzeir said he would "accept full responsibility for my actions".

"While I did not intend to cause any harm or offense with my language, I know that I did and for that I am deeply sorry," he said.

Anticipating his punishment, Vanzeir added: "I will use this opportunity to better myself, reflect and dedicate my time and efforts to work with organisations that tackle racial injustice."

With some at least two of his star athletes matriculating to college this fall, Hydel High School Head Coach Corey Bennett will be hard-pressed to fill those massive shoes when the new high school track season rolls around.

 However, he is optimistic he can find his next set of starlets from within remaining members of team that won their first girls title at the ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships in Jamaica earlier this month.

Over the past few seasons, Hydel High School has seen a number of their top athletes matriculate to colleges in the United States or have gone pro. Athletes like Oneka Wilson, Shardia and Shadae Lawrence, Charokee Young and others have gone on to further their studies, testament to the school’s emphasis on finding balance between academics and athletics.

Meanwhile, others like Commonwealth Games silver medallist and NACAC Champion Shiann Salmon and Ashanti Moore have gone pro. Young subsequently chose to forego her college eligibility to sign a professional contract last summer.

In 2022, Hydel lost 2022 World U20 200m champion Brianna Lyston to Louisiana State University (LSU) on a scholarship and World U20 sprint hurdles champion and world record holder Kerrica Hill chose to go the professional route.

This coming fall, Alana Reid and Onieka McAnnuff will be the next to leave. Reid, who set a new championship and national junior record of 10.92 at Champs, will begin classes at the University of Oregon while McAnnuff, the talented 400m hurdler and team captain, will take up a scholarship to the University of Kentucky.

Losing them will undoubtedly have significant impact on Hydel’s ability to defend their historic Champs title but Bennett remains optimistic.

“When you have a world-record holder last year leaving prematurely and a record holder at Champs – Brianna and Kerrica leaving – it does set you back and that’s why we take the pressure of winning off the team,” he said.

“It’s just a matter of who else can we put out there that can excel. I thought we had some good performances (at Champs). I want to highlight Jody-Ann Daley, who won the 400m and the hurdles even when at one point she didn’t want to do the hurdles and I said ‘no, come on, you can do it’,” Bennett said.

“And Shemonique Hazle in the 200 when nobody gave her a chance, we believed. We are a small team about 34-members strong and we believe that no matter what, each one can go out there and give of their best and we delivered.

“Let’s hope that next year the girls will come inspired to give of themselves, train hard to be the best versions of themselves and with trust in God with the process.”

Bennett’s comments are in line with his over-arching philosophy of how to build strong teams with limited resources and personnel at Hydel. He revealed that with a four-member team in 2010, Hydel’s first year at Champs, they finished 11^th.

 For him, the focus has always been on quality than quantity.

“I am still going to build individuals. If I can make the individuals better, then ultimately the team will be better. I am not going to just go and throw persons into events just to win a championship. It is about being very individualistic and getting the best out of persons,” he said.

“Alliah Baker is our top high jumper. She high-jumped in Class IV and got a medal but she is a runner. We want to focus on where we think she will be better so we are not going to seek points, points will seek us. We want to maintain excellence in our girls.”

With the vast improvement in the performances of Jamaican juniors in track & field over the last few years, there has been a steady increase in the number of athletes who forgo a tertiary education to pursue a professional career immediately after high school.

While Jamaica Administrative Athletics Association President Garth Gayle admits there is nothing the administration can do to prevent this, he is urging athletes to think about life after track & field when making these decisions.

“I’ve always said education is the means by which any individual will be able to make good in years to come,” Gayle told SportsMax.TV.

“So, these are young athletes that are doing exceptionally well in their chosen disciplines within track and field. We believe that it is best for them to reach a particular age or at least a level of experience because getting into the senior elite program is not easy. There is some level of protection within the schools or within the education system and I believe they should relish and seek to benefit from that rather than to be making the rush too early,” Gayle added.

He did point out, however, that there are some clubs out there that prioritize athletes’ education while giving them an opportunity to compete professionally.

“There are programs and clubs that allow for these junior athletes to be properly prepared and taken care of, including their education. Usain Bolt when he made the move from William Knibb into the High-Performance Centre and continued his education as well because there was that support base and he was able to earn very well,” he said.

Gayle, who is also principal of the Charlemont High School, then had a message for young athletes in all sports, not just track and field.

“Those that are making this transition, remember your education because there is life after your chosen sport. It happens in all the various sports. As an educator myself, I believe the more you can be protected and get the necessary guidance, it will allow an athlete to stay with the sport a lot longer,” he said.

“There will come hiccups and when they come, and you don’t have that support base, Jamaicans are hard task masters. We demand a lot from our sportsmen and women, more so in track and field. It is on that basis that I would want to be cautious but we can’t stop it. We would want to provide as much encouragement and guidance towards one’s development through education,” Gayle said.

Led by a brilliant half-century from Christian Lall, Trinidad and Tobago were crowned champions of the West Indies Rising Stars Under 15 Championship, as they defeated the Leeward Islands by six wickets at the Coolidge Cricket Ground on Wednesday.

The Leewards batting first posted 162 all out in 48 overs, with a half-century for skipper Matthew Miller. He shared in a 63-run partnership with Jaheem Clarke as the pair showed resistance to the spin of Yasir Deen and Alejandro Kassiram. Deen and Kassiram finished with figures of 3/34 and 3/9 respectively.

Lall and Dimitri Ramjattan then posted a 77-run opening partnership before Ramjattan was caught for 19. Trinidad and Tobago lost three more wickets in pursuit of victory, but Yasir Deen nudged the ball for the winning single in the last ball of the 35th over.

In the end, the champions reached 163-4 with Lall making 52 and Zane Maraj 28*. Kunal Tilokani finished with figures of 2/45.

The Windward Islands took home a four-wicket win over Jamaica at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium to close of their championship on a winning note. Batting first, Jamaica posted 146 all out in 42.3 overs, thanks to a top score of 39 from Demarco Scott and 36 from Odane Binns. Theo Edward was the pick of the Windward bowlers with figures of 4/27.

Edward then starred with the bat as well with 59 as the Windwards reached 149-6 off 35.5 overs. Nicoli McKenzie, Geovanni Gray and Joel Williams all ended with two wickets for Jamaica.

In the third match, Guyana beat last year’s winners Barbados by seven wickets at Liberta Sports Ground. Batting first, Barbados was all out for 69 in 20.5 overs. Oliver Gooding top-scored for the Bajans with 23. Arun Gainda 3/10, skipper Dave Mohabir 3/13 and Jonathan Mentore 3/14 were the leading bowlers for Guyana.

Mentore then returned to score 17 runs and 14 from Romario Ramdeholl, but it was the 25 runs that came via extras that took Guyana home to a comfortable win at 70-3 in 23 overs. Akobi Crichlow-Byer was the best Barbados bowler with figures of 2/18.

Earsinho Fontaine of the Windward Islands finished as the leading run-scorer with 197 runs while T&T’s Yasir Deen ended with 14 wickets to lead the tournament. In the field, T&T teammates Christiano Ramanan (9) and Scyon Charles (6) led the tournament in dismissals and catches, respectively.

Sacked West Indies Women’s Coach Courtney Walsh said he was shocked and disappointed by his dismissal by Cricket West Indies as he feels the players were showing signs of improvement.

CWI announced early this week that the contracts of Walsh, Robert Samuels and Corey Collymore were not renewed and that they were looking at recruiting new coaches for the West Indies Women, who have struggled for form for the past three years.

Walsh took over from Gus Logie in October 2020. Under his charge the West Indies Women won seven out of 24 T20Is and 11 of 32 ODIs. The team lost 15 consecutive T20 matches and made it to the semi-final of the ICC Women 50-over World Cup in 2022.

However, during T20 World Cup in South Africa, West Indies failed to qualify for the knockout round after winning two matches - against Pakistan and Ireland - in the group stage.

Notwithstanding, Walsh while a guest on Mason & Guest radio show in Barbados on Tuesday, Walsh said he was surprised when he was told that his contract was not going to be renewed.

"I was surprised at the time when I was told, but it was a job, and I was employed until the end of last month when I was told the contract won't be renewed," Walsh said.

"The timing was very surprising. I would have much preferred to have known earlier, but that's not my call. I got a message to call him [CWI director of cricket Jimmy Adams] and I called him, and he told me the contract won't be renewed."

Walsh also revealed that he was disheartened by the news that the Samuels and Collymore had also suffered a similar fate as he believes the players were showing signs of progress.

"I was also disappointed to find out that the other coaches were not going to be reinstated, as well. I thought we were making some strides with the girls and the pool of players we had at the time,” Walsh said.

“We suffered injuries to players at some crucial times, but we still fought through it, and I felt the coaches worked really hard in trying to get the best team we could on the park in tough times.”

Jamaica’s U20 Reggae Girls are scheduled to depart the island on Thursday, April 13 for Nicaragua where they will play in the CONCACAF Women’s U20 Championship qualifiers. The team will have to hit the ground running as they play their first match on Friday.

The Jamaicans who are in Group E, will open their campaign against Anguilla on April 14 before they take on Bermuda on Sunday, April 16. Their final match in the group will be against Honduras on Tuesday, April 18.

Elaine Walker Brown is head of delegation that is comprised of Technical Director Wendell Downswell, Head Coach Hugh Bradford, Team Manager Julett Cobourne, Physical Trainer Iris Saemundsdottir, Goalkeeper Coach Clive Wedderburn, Team Doctor LoriAnn Miller, Masseur Devin Lawson, Equipment Manager Tyrese Palmer and Physiotherapist Nicole Reid.

The squad: Dreanna Thaw, Shaneil Shellicia Buckley, Dannique Lishon Wilson, Davia Brittanie Richards, Liha Williams, Lillian Maxine Clarke, Tiny Tihana Seaton, Kieba Janice Cowan, Natoya Britana Atkinson, Destiny Abigaile Powell, Akeila Avagaye Johnson, Janiel Mignott, Kayesha Jada Sibbles, Liya NjeriNday Brooks, Avery Fay Johnson, Maya Kiera Raghunandanan, Sundai Mary Amele, Tyesha Mchalia Nelson, Katie Nicole Oakley.

West Indies wicketkeeper/batsman Joshua Da Silva and Alick Athanaze, the top scorer in the recently concluded West Indies Championship, have been appointed captains for Team Headley and Team Weekes, respectively for the upcoming Headley Weeks Tri-Series.

The two teams have been drawn from the leading performers in the 2023 West Indies Championship and those deemed to be on the fringe of the Test team.

The series aims to provide further first-class opportunities to the best performers from the West Indies Championship in a competitive and intense setting, as well as opportunities for players who the selectors believe would benefit from playing red-ball cricket as West Indies prepare for the upcoming “A” Team tour of Bangladesh and the two-Test Series against India at home.

Team Headley and Team Weekes will play against each other and against the West Indies Academy in the three-match series running from 19 April to 6 May, at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua. All three matches have been awarded first-class status. The West Indies Academy was unveiled last year and played CG United Super50 tournament last November.

Team Weekes will feature Athanaze who was the leading batter in the West Indies Championship with 647 runs, which included two centuries; left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul the second-highest wicket-taker with 28 wickets; as well as Jahmar Hamilton who was the joint leading keeper with 19 dismissals.

Team Headley will feature experienced left-hander Darren Bravo, who was the second highest run-scorer in the West Indies Championship with 446 runs which included two centuries; fast bowler Akeem Jordan who was third highest wicket-taker with 22 wickets in four matches; as well as Tevyn Walcott, who was the joint leading keeper with 19 dismissals.

“Following the conclusion of the West Indies Championship, we are pleased to have more first-class matches on the calendar,” said CWI Lead Selector Desmond Haynes.

“This is a great initiative and will provide our players with more opportunities as we look ahead to the very important Test Series against India later in the year as well as ‘A’ Team matches. We looked at everyone who was available, and we came up with teams who will be very competitive and push each other.”

All matches in the Headley Weekes Tri-Series will be streamed LIVE on the Windies Cricket YouTube channel with live scorecards and ball-by-ball scoring on the Windiescricket.com live match centre.

Team Headley: Joshua Da Silva (captain), Sunil Ambris, Darren Bravo, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Chaim Holder, Akeem Jordan, Marquino Mindley, Shayne Moseley, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Kieran Powell and Tevyn Walcott.

Team Weekes:  Alick Athanaze (captain), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Keacy Carty, Dominic Drakes, Jahmar Hamilton, Brandon King, Jair McAllister, Zachary McCaskie, Veerasammy Permaul, Raymon Reifer, Kevin Sinclair, Nial Smith and Devon Thomas.

West Indies Academy: Kevlon Anderson, Ackeem Auguste, Joshua Bishop, Teddy Bishop, McKenny Clarke, Rivaldo Clarke, Joshua James, Johann Layne, Kirk McKenzie, Ashmead Nedd, Kelvin Pitman, Keagan Simmons, Ramon Simmonds, Kevin Wickham and Nyeem Young.

According to Cricket West Indies Shai Hope was selected but was given permission to represent Yorkshire in the English County Championship while Rahkeem Cornwall and Shane Dowrich made themselves unavailable for selection.

MATCH SCHEDULE

All matches to be played at CCG, Antigua

Match 1: 19-22 April: Team Headley v West Indies Academy

Match 2: 26-29 April: Team Weekes v West Indies Academy

Match 3: 3-6 May: Team Weekes v Team Headley

Cricket West Indies (CWI) will shortly be starting the process to recruit a new West Indies Women’s team Head Coach after taking the decision not to renew the contract of Women’s Head Coach Courtney Walsh and Technical Assistant Coaches Robert Samuels and Corey Collymore. This follows a review of the senior Women’s team performances and programme.

During Walsh's tenure, which started in October 2020, he oversaw Home and Away Series wins to Pakistan and secured a semi-final spot in the 2022 ICC Women's 50-over Cricket World Cup. 

CWI Director of Cricket Jimmy Adams said “We are very grateful for the contribution of Courtney and his technical team over the past two and a half years and we wish them all the best going forward. CWI remains committed to our international women's programme and will now be focusing on recruiting a new Head Coach and technical support team. ​ An interim technical support team will be put in place during the recruitment period.”

Further information on the recruitment process will be provided in the coming weeks with the coaching roles being critical for the development of women’s cricket in the West Indies. In recent years, CWI has significantly increased investment into the women’s game at every level focusing on deepening the talent pool within the Caribbean and producing the next generation of West Indies Women’s players.

For the 37^th year in a row, Jamaica have topped the medal table at the CARIFTA Track & Field Championships.

The unofficial medal tally saw Jamaica finish the 50^th edition of the Games, which were held from April 8-10 at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau, The Bahamas, with 78 medals, 32 more than the hosts in second and 47 more than Trinidad & Tobago in third. 

The top five was rounded out by St. Kitts & Nevis with 11 and Barbados with 10.

Of those 78 medals, Jamaica took home 40 gold, 22 silver and 17 bronze medals.

Furthermore, 36 of those medals came on the Boys side while 42 came on the Girls side.

Hosts, The Bahamas, also had an excellent showing at home with 46 medals including 10 gold, 13 silver and 23 bronze while Trinidad and Tobago ended with nine gold, 10 silver and 12 bronze.

Jamaica swept all four 4x400m relays on the final day of the 50^th edition of the CARIFTA Games at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau on Monday.

First, Jamaica’s quartet Breana Brown, Jody-Ann Daley, Rosalee Gallimore and Rhianna Lewis comfortably won the Under-17 Girls section in 3:43.43. More than seven seconds behind in second were Barbados (3:50.94) while the Bahamas were third in 3:51.60.

The team of Demarco Bennett, Nickecoy Bramwell, Deandre Gayle, Kenrick Sharpe combined to run 3:19.04 to win the Under-17 Boys section ahead of the Bahamas (3:20.47) and Trinidad & Tobago (3:23.74).

Tonyan Beckford, Rickiann Russell, Kacian Powell, Abigail Campbell combined to absolutely dominate the Under-20 Girls section in 3:33.35. Trinidad & Tobago finished a distant second in 3:44.19 while the Bahamas were third in 3:47.68.

Jasauna Dennis, Roshawn Clarke, Delano Kennedy and Malique Smith-Band combined to run 3:07.68 for victory in the Under-20 Boys section ahead of Trinidad & Tobago (3:09.97) and Grenada (3:10.59).

Individually, Trinidad & Tobago’s Tafari Waldron took gold in the Under-20 Boys 5000m in 15:33.38 ahead of Bermuda’s Kahzi Sealey (15:37.56) and Jake Brislane (15.45.84).

In the field, Jamaican World Under-20 record holder Jaydon Hibbert jumped 16.11m to retain his Under-20 triple jump title ahead of the Bahamas’ Laquan Ellis (14.92m) and Guyana’s Trevon Hamer (14.89m).

Under-20 400m hurdles winner, Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke, who became only the second man to run under 50 seconds at CARIFTA, was named the Austin Sealy Award winner as the meet’s most outstanding athlete.

In front of a vociferous home crowd, Jamiah Nabbie completed the U17 sprint double on Monday’s final day of the 2023 Carifta Games in The Bahamas on Sunday.

Nabbie, who emerged victorious in a keen 100m battle with St Lucia’s Naomi London on Saturday, found herself in another stern test against London in the 200m. The two were even going into the final 50m of the race before Nabbie dug deep to find that little bit more to win in 23.67, while holding off London (23.72) who won her second silver medal of the games.

Jamaica’s Natrece East ran a brave race to claim the bronze in 23.85.

Nabbie’s compatriot Cayden Smith ran 21.70 to win the U17 Boys 200m ahead of Grenada, who clocked 21.96 for the silver medal. Andrew Brown won Bahamas’ second medal in the race, taking bronze in 22.02.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Sanaa Frederick stormed to victory in the U20 Girls 200m clocking 23.60. Kenyatta Grate of the British Virgin Islands won the silver in 24.11 while finishing just ahead of Amari Pratt of the Bahamas (24.17).

The U20 Boys 200m saw a Jamaican 1-2 as Malique Smith-Band benefitted from his 400m strength to surge past the field and win in 20.67. Javourne Dunkley took the silver in 20.88 with Adam Musgrove of the Bahamas taking bronze in 20.96.

The impressive Michelle Smith of the Virgin Islands and Nathan Cumberbatch of Trinidad and Tobago pulled off impressive victories in the U20 800m races on Monday’s final session of the 2023 Carifta Games in Nassau, Bahamas.

Jamaica picked up another gold medal in the U17 Girls event while Guyana secured their gold medal in the U17 Boys race.

Smith, who won the U17 800m in Jamaica in 2022, took the lead after 400m and never looked back. She widened her lead over the last 100m to win her second gold medal of the Games in 2:09.71. The battle for the other two medals was intense as Jamaica’s Kishay Rowe, Haiti’s Victoria Guerrier and Barbados’ Layla Haynes fought tooth and nail for a spot on the podium.

In the end, Haynes managed to grab silver in 2:11.91, just ahead of Guerrier who clocked 2:11.99 for take the bronze. Rowe was credited with the same time but was awarded fourth place.

Cumberbatch led from the front from start to finish and never looked threatened winning in 1:51.34. Favian Gollop of Barbados stormed home from fourth place with just over 100m to go to win the silver medal in 1:52.33. Stefan Camejo won Trinidad and Tobago’s second medal in the race, taking bronze in 1:52.92.

Alikay Reynolds of Jamaica timed her run perfectly in the final 80 metres to take gold in 2:14.67. Ashlyn Simmons of Barbados relinquished her lead late and was forced to settle for the silver medal with a time of 2:16.28 while her teammate Chamecia Bryan took the bronze in 2:16.81.

Guyana’s Javon Roberts won the U17 Boys two-lap race in 1:56.64 with a late surge to get by Delano Todd of Jamaica (1:57.44) and Trinidad and Tobago’s Brandon Leacock, who stopped the clock at 1:58.17.