Sunday, 12 July 2026
MAX VERSTAPPEN SPEAKS OUT ON CHRISTIAN HORNER'S F1 PADDOCK RETURN
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| Max Verstappen has revealed he and Christian Horner remain in contact after his ousting from the Red Bull Team Principal role |
Max Verstappen has revealed he speaks to former Red Bull Formula 1 CEO and Team Principal Christian Horner “almost every week”.
Horner had lead the Milton-Keynes-based squad to eight Drivers’ and six Constructors’ titles during his 20-year tenure at the team.
Four out of those titles came with Verstappen, between 2021 and 2024. But since then, Red Bull’s form had deteriorated, eventually leading to a falling out between Horner and the upper echelons of Red Bull’s management.
12 months on, with Horner still looking for a permanent way back into the paddock, he made a return cameo at Silverstone.
At the time of Horner’s departure, a lot of speculation was surrounding the role Verstappen, and his father Jos had had in orchestrating the Briton’s removal.
But the 28-year-old revealed something completely contrary to the speculative record.
“I speak to Christian almost every week,” he told media including Motorsport Week when asked if he had spoken to Horner in the paddock at Silverstone.
“I saw him on the camera walking around, but I haven’t had time to meet anyone to be honest. It’s been busy.”
When prodded if he had been discussing something in particular with Horner, Verstappen simply replied, “Like you do with your friends or people that you’ve known for a long time.”
Max Verstappen opens up on “painful” 12 months after Horner’s Red Bull F1 departure
Hot on the heels of Horner’s ousting, Red Bull GmbH promoted Laurent Mekies as the CEO and Team Principal of the main team, after a year of service leading Racing Bulls in 2024 for the Frenchman.
And immediately after his arrival, the team did see an uptick in performance.
Verstappen launched an audacious bid to reclaim his F1 title, with a 100+ points deficit to Lando Norris, after the Dutch GP, reduced to just two points after the chequered flag fell at the Abu Dhabi GP.
But Red Bull’s first season as a works outfit, with a RBPT-Ford power unit collaboration, has turned out to be a pretty underwhelming reality for the Dutchman.
Heading into the Belgian GP weekend, the race where Mekies succeeded Horner at Red Bull last year, Verstappen is a staggering 103 points off of championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli, in seventh.
Looking back on these 12 months, Verstappen conceded that it has been “painful” but erred on the side of caution before pinning the blame solely on Mekies.
“Everyone is trying their best. I’m not blaming one person or whatever. It’s just painful for everyone that this is happening,” Verstappen explained.
At Silverstone, Verstappen suffered his second rear-wing related incident, after his Q1 crash at Austria, DNFing out of P3 with only a handful of laps remaining.
“He [Mekies] came straight in my room, of course, to discuss the problems that we had in the race, to let me know what happened out there,” he concluded.
“But that’s normal. We always do that, good or bad.”
With Horner’s F1 return imminent, the last couple of race weekends has also exposed the fragility of the relationship between Verstappen and Red Bull, with the four-time F1 Champion reportedly on his way out at the end of 2026.
- Anirban Aly Mandal
WORLD SAILING EYES GREENER OLYMPIC EQUIPMENT TO SHRINK ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The boats are commonly made of carbon fibre, fibreglass and PVC foam, which take a lot of energy to produce in processes that emit carbon pollution
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| Wikipedia |
The governing body for sailing is looking at how the sport's Olympic-class equipment is made, used and discarded, to eventually make changes that will reduce its environmental impact.
Alexandra Rickham, director of sustainability at World Sailing, said this first-of-a-kind life cycle assessment project will give the organisation the evidence it needs to make smarter choices and shape the future of Olympic equipment.
"Sailing naturally has a close relationship with nature, with the environment. It's seen very much as this clean, green sport using the wind," she said. "But the reality is that our equipment has an impact. It goes through some major industrial processes."
Rickham said the project could be useful not just for Olympic sailing but for the broader sailing community and potentially other sports.
Competitive sailing, an Olympic sport since 1900, involves racing boats powered by only the wind and the waves. In the 2024 Olympics, one- and two-person crews sailed boats with hulls measuring as long as 17 feet around a course marked by buoys in the Bay of Marseille.
Outside the Olympics, competitive sailors race throughout the year in local events and larger regattas.
The boats are commonly made of carbon fibre, fibreglass and PVC foam, which take a lot of energy to produce in processes that emit carbon pollution. These materials don't decompose and are challenging to recycle. So when elite sailors are done with them, the boats would need to be sold, passed onto junior sailors or sent for specialised recycling to avoid landfills.
As part of World Sailing's initiative, the sustainability consultancy Marine Futures is collecting data from boat builders about their operations and surveying athletes about how many boats, sails, masts and other gear they use, how often they replace their equipment and how they travel with their vessels.
By the end of this year, the goal is to capture the environmental impact of a four-year Olympic cycle and identify which interventions by World Sailing could make the most difference, said Ollie Taylor, director of Marine Futures.
- AP
PAOLI MALDINI NAMED FIGC TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, WITH LEONARDO AS AN ADVISOR
It is with great satisfaction that FIGC President Giovanni Malagò announces that Paolo Maldini has accepted the offer to become the Federation’s Technical Director.
It is with great satisfaction that FIGC President Giovanni Malagò announces that Paolo Maldini has accepted the offer to become the FIGC’s Technical Director. Maldini will carry out this role alongside Leonardo in his capacity as an Advisor.
Giovanni Malagò will also appoint Paolo Maldini as President of Club Italia. "Maldini was always my first choice," Malagò said. "I felt he could be the right person to oversee the FIGC's technical sector, which doesn't just cover the senior national team but the entire pathway of the national youth teams. Over the past two weeks, we have discussed all the projects in detail, and Paolo immediately told me that he would be happy to involve Leonardo as a consultant because there is a lot of work to do and it will be demanding and challenging. I'm pleased because I have enormous respect for Leonardo. They are two sides of the same coin. This is a four-year commitment that must take us from here to the next World Cup in 2030, with a European Championship along the way."
- Italian Football Federation
MCCALLUM 'GUTTED' AS HE'S SACKED AS ENGLAND ENGLAND TEST CRICKET COACH
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| Brendon McCullum has been sacked as head of red ball cricket for England. Credit: PA |
Brendon McCullum has left his role as England’s Test head coach but will remain in charge of the white-ball set-up.
McCullum has paid the price for a poor run of red-ball form with a 4-1 defeat in last winter’s Ashes followed by a 2-1 home loss to New Zealand last month, which occurred against the backdrop of another off-the-field incident under the watch of the Kiwi coach.
Ben Stokes announced his international retirement midway through defeat at Trent Bridge, and that will prove the final Test of McCullum’s England red-ball tenure.
It started in extraordinary fashion in 2022 with ‘Bazball’ taking the cricket world by storm. England’s bold and fresh attack-minded approach under McCullum and Stokes led to 3-0 series wins over New Zealand and in Pakistan, where 500 runs were scored in one day, before a thrilling 2-2 home Ashes in 2023, but the trajectory soon changed.
A 4-1 thumping in India two years ago exposed England’s stubborn and at times naive mantra and along with multiple disciplinary issues, McCullum has lost his Test role months after the overseas Ashes were lost in 11 days during an abject tour of Australia.
It leaves England in need of a new head coach and captain for red-ball cricket.
Richard Gould, the England and Wales Cricket Board’s chief executive officer, said: “Brendon breathed new life into England men’s Test team during an exciting period which saw some amazing victories and we’re grateful for all he has given to the role.
“We now believe that the time is right to make a change for the Test team as we target victory in the Ashes next summer.”
Rob Key had faced scrutiny after a 4-1 loss to Australia but while Stokes and now McCullum have left their roles, he believes the red-ball set-up are “poised to achieve great things” on the foundations set by two figures which have left a mark on Test cricket.
“Some of England’s most memorable moments in recent history have occurred under Brendon’s leadership of the Test team,” Key said.
“It’s been an absolute privilege to watch him shape the mentality of the team, to one the players have loved and see him develop a new generation of talent who will be at the heart of England men’s teams for years to come.
“He leaves the Test team well-set and poised to achieve great things.”
This news occurred the day after England’s T20 team thrashed India by a 56-run margin at Ageas Bowl to seal a 4-0 Vitality Series win under McCullum.
McCullum, who took on the white-ball role in 2024 and will remain in charge of the one-day set-up, won 25 of his 44 Tests and said that while he was “gutted” to leave the Test role, he “respects” the decision to make a change.
“I’ve absolutely loved coaching the Test side and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together. There’ve been some unbelievable highs and a few tough days along the way, but that’s all part of taking on a challenge like this,” he said.
“It’s been a privilege and an honour, and I’m grateful. Grateful to the players, the staff and the fans who supported us on the journey.
“Of course I’m gutted not to be continuing, but I respect the decision. My focus now is on giving everything I’ve got to the white-ball teams and helping England keep moving forward.
“I wish the Test team nothing but success. There’s a hell of a lot of talent in that dressing room and they’re a special bunch of lads.
“I’ll always be backing the boys, with a smile on my face, and hoping they keep taking the game on. I know they’ll continue to make people proud.”
Former Australia captains Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting have both been touted for as possible England coaches in the past, while a second stint at the helm for Zimbabwean Andy Flower would also be a popular option.
Flower previously served between 2009 and 2014, and oversaw three successful Ashes campaigns – including their last away success in 2010-11. Domestically, Surrey’s three-time County Championship winner Gareth Barry and Gloucestershire’s highly rated Richard Dawson are well thought of.
Andrew Flintoff has also been spoken of as a future England coach by Key, who is a close friend, and he is effectively an internal candidate due to his role in charge of the England Lions setup. Whether he has the experience to oversee a rebuild of the Test regime is less clear.
- itvX
'WHAT YOU DON'T SEE...' - DOCTOR BREAKS DOWN FULL EXTENT OF CONOR MCGREGOR'S INJURY AGAINST MAX HOLLOWAY
McGregor's UFC return ended with a knee injury after just 69 seconds.
A doctor has explained the diagnostic details that might have been missed amid speculation over the extent of Conor McGregor's knee injury in his comeback fight in Las Vegas.
McGregor 'blew out' his knee right at the beginning of his welterweight main event against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on Saturday.
The Irishman appeared to injure himself while attempting his first high kick of the fight, which was subsequently awarded to Holloway by technical knockout after just 69 seconds.
McGregor now faces a spell on the sidelines after a five-year hiatus. Holloway promised that McGregor vs Holloway 3 will appear on a future card, acknowledging the unsatisfying manner of the conclusion.
The injured fighter will undergo scans to confirm the extent of his injury, which commentators immediately identified as a potential rupture of his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
If that proves to be the case, the 37-year-old can expect to be out of action for several months.
Dr Brian Stutterer is the expert behind a YouTube channel through which he assesses the medical stories that occur in the world of sport and he has been analysing the footage of the abortive UFC 329 bout.
"The commentators were talking about it looked like [McGregor] blew out his knee," said Sutterer in a six-minute video that forensically examines the moments leading up to Holloway's TKO victory.
"I will admit, yes, this position looks like the classic position that you will see with an ACL tear in terms of the rotation of how the foot is externally rotated, the idea that we see a little bit of the knee going inward, the trunk is leaning over his injured side.
Nevertheless, Stutterer offered some reason for doubt about the specific nature of the injury, which UFC head honcho indicated could be an ACL tear, but Stutterer has pointed out can be hastily evaluated even by the UFC's own medical staff at ringside. Only a scan will confirm the reality.
"But what you don't see on this injury is the classic pivot shift that you will sometimes see with an ACL tear," he added.
"Now that doesn't mean that this is not an ACL tear, but you at least don't see that stereotypic kind of pathognomonic shift forward of the tibia and then pop backwards like we would if you could confirm 100% that this was an ACL."
Will McGregor pursue another comeback?
While Holloway said after the fight that the appetite is there to go again after one win each in two McGregor vs Holloway fights, 13 years apart, there has to be some doubt over the 37-year-old's desire to get himself back into the kind of shape that would be required to actually win it.
Saturday's brief appearance was McGregor's first in the octagon since 2021 and marked a third consecutive defeat after back-to-back losses against Dustin Poirier.
McGregor's third consecutive loss dropped him to a 22-7 career record. He hasn't won two in a row since the end of 2016, when he won the UFC lightweight championship by beating Eddie Alvarez.
He lost the belt to Khabib Nurmagomedov by submission two years later.
Featured Image Credit: Getty Images
- Chris Nee
NORWAY BOSS SAYS OVERHEAD WIRE DESERVES AN ASSIST FOR ENGLAND GOAL
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| Stale Solbakken complains to the officals at half-time |
Norway boss Stale Solbakken believes the overhead wires deserve an assist for England's equaliser as the ball dropped down "straight from heaven" despite FIFA’s ball sensor showing no contact.
Jude Bellingham’s brace secured a 2-1 quarter-final victory that went to extra-time in hot and humid Miami, where Andreas Schjelderup’s cross-shot had given the Scandinavians the lead.
Bellingham cancelled out the opener with a smart finish in first-half stoppage-time, with England breaking quickly after Orjan Nyland’s goal kick was cut out.
The ball appeared to hit one of the overhead TV cables, but FIFA says the chip in the ball did not record anything.
A statement from the governing body read: "Before England’s goal in minute 45+2 against Norway, the sensor in the connected ball showed no peak in the 'heartbeat of the ball’ when in the air, and therefore no evidence that the ball touched the overhead wire and changed the movement of the ball."
Solbakken was asked at the start of the post-match press conference whether the camera wire deserved an assist for the leveller, with the Norway boss saying: "Yeah, it probably will.
"That was unlucky for us. The ball fell straight down from the sky, so it changed its direction.
"It became a misunderstanding among our players and it was in a bad moment for us, but we can’t do anything about that.
"I don’t think we will play the game again, so that’s how it is."
Solbakken did not see the ball hit the wire but many on the Norwegian bench did, even if it was not picked up by FIFA.
"I can’t say anything about that because FIFA," he said. If there’s no been no sound or there has been no (reading) in the chip, what can I say against that?
"But the ball drops down straight from heaven says everyone, including Orjan, who is the goalie, including the guy who is going to receive the ball.
"I saw another way just then, so I wonder also what happened. I think it’s pretty clear that it did and it was a strange thing."
It was a painful end to a summer to treasure for Norway, who marked their first World Cup since 1998 by going deeper in a major tournament than ever before.
Put to Solbakken that everyone in Norway will talk about the wire incident until death, he said: "I hope we can think about and talk about other things. That’s my sincere hope.
"I hope that this will not be the story about this team. It shouldn’t be."
- PA
RUCKER PARK STREETBALL FAMILY STATEMENT | 'THERE IS NO PLACE FOR VIOLENCE AROUND THE GAME'
Our deepest condolences to the family, friends, teammates, and loved ones of Kinu Rochford.
We are also keeping those injured in our thoughts as they recover.
This loss is being felt throughout the entire New York City basketball community.
Rest in peace, Kinu 🕊️
- Rucker Park Streetball
Saturday, 11 July 2026
SOUTH AFRICA WORLD CUP MIDFIELDER JAYDEN ADAMS DIES AT 25
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| Jayden Adams of South Africa looks to pass during ... |
Cape Town (Reuters) — South Africa international midfielder Jayden Adams, who featured in all three of his side’s group stage games at the 2026 World Cup, has died, the country’s sports ministry said on Saturday.
No cause of death was given.
Adams, 25, started the Group A fixtures against Mexico and the Czech Republic, and came off the bench in the 1-0 win over South Korea that earned the side a first ever place in the knockout rounds, where they were beaten by Canada.
The player’s grandmother died a day before South Africa played the Czechs, and he was replaced at halftime during the fixture.
He played for the Pretoria-based Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa, helping them to the African Champions League title in the 2025/26 season.
“South African football has lost a gifted player, a proud servant of the game and a young life that still had so much to offer,” the South African Football Players’ Union, an official body for players in the country, said in a statement.
South Africa’s minister of sport Gayton McKenzie also expressed his condolences.
“Our nation mourns alongside his family, his teammates and the millions of supporters who watched him grow from a promising academy prospect into a full Bafana Bafana international,” McKenzie said in a statement.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino offered his condolences via Instagram, saying his “thoughts and condolences, as well as those of everyone at FIFA and the global football community, are with his family, friends and teammates.”
Sundowns and SAFA did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Adams came through the youth development structures at Stellenbosch FC and joined Sundowns in January 2025.
He made his international debut against Mozambique in 2022 and won 13 caps, scoring two goals, both in qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
MARCO BEZZECCHI OUT OF GERMANY GP, NEEDS SURGERY AFTER BIG CRASH
Marco Bezzecchi will miss the German Grand Prix following a huge crash in qualifying
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| Marco Bezzecchi, 2026 Sachsenring MotoGP. © Gold and Goose |
Aprilia has announced that Marco Bezzecchi will miss the remainder of the MotoGP German Grand Prix following a huge crash in qualifying.
The erstwhile championship leader lost the rear of his Aprilia going through Turn 7 in the early stages of Q2.
When it gripped again, he was flung over his bike’s handlebars and bounced violently through the gravel.
Though he was able to walk away from the crash under his own steam, he was seen clutching his left arm when he got back to the paddock.
He was transferred to the circuit medical centre by ambulance shortly afterwards, where a displaced collarbone fracture was detected.
Marco Bezzecchi will require surgery on the injury.
“Following the crash, Marco Bezzecchi was taken to the circuit medical centre where, under the supervision of MotoGP Medical Director Dr. Angel Charte, he underwent an X-ray examination which revealed a complete and displaced fracture of the left clavicle,” Aprilia said in a statement.
“The type of fracture requires surgical intervention for optimal recovery, and it will be performed by Dr. Giuseppe Porcellini in Italy.
“Marco Bezzecchi is planning to return to Italy as soon as possible. We will keep you updated.”
Marco Bezzecchi's season goes from bad to worse
Bezzecchi was due to start from eighth on the grid, ahead of Aprilia team-mate Jorge Martin.
It marks his second big accident in as many rounds, following a fast crash during the Dutch Grand Prix.
With Bezzecchi withdrawing from the rest of the Germany weekend, it will bring his tally of non-scores in main races to four in a row, and marks his second scoreless event in three.
His crash out of the Dutch Grand Prix lost him the championship lead, dropping him seven points behind Martin. Currently, Martin is unlikely to fight for victory in either race, but the likes of Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marc Marquez could overhaul Bezzecchi in the points.
Bezzecchi's season has quickly turned hellish since his dominant start to the campaign, in which he won the first three grands prix and added a fourth to his tally in Italy.
Since then, he was involved in a Turn 1 pile-up triggered by Martin in Hungary, crashed out of the sprint at Brno and was subsequently banned from the main race for striking a marshal, before falling out of the Dutch Grand Prix.
Bezzecchi now has three weeks within which to have the surgery and recover in time to compete at the British Grand Prix at the start of August.
- Lewis Duncan
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