Wednesday, 10 June 2026
RUGBY BOSS BANNED FOR 'RACIST, HOMOPHOBIC, AND SEXIST' SPEECH
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| The terms of the ban prohibit Stewart from attending any rugby venue in Scotland for a year. Getty Images. |
Scottish Rugby has imposed a 12-month ban on Alloa RFC president Alan Stewart attending matches following an after-dinner speech, described as "racist, homophobic and sexist" by some present.
Stewart has also been suspended from holding any role within the game over the same time period.
Multiple objections were made following remarks by Stewart during Musselburgh RFC's annual dinner on 18 April and an independent disciplinary panel has upheld a misconduct complaint.
Stewart, who can appeal against the decision, has also been instructed to undergo equality, diversity and inclusion training.
Charges against Musselburgh RFC and their president were not upheld.
In April, the board of Musselburgh RFC issued an apology to those who attended, saying: "We particularly wish to recognise and acknowledge the hurt caused to our women's team, who we are extremely proud of and to whom we are committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment."
The club criticised the "very poor judgement of the speaker" and said he had sent a written apology.
In a statement issued at the same time, Scottish Rugby said it is "committed to equality, diversity and inclusion at every level of the game", adding: "There is no place for discriminatory behaviour in our sport, or in wider society."
BBC Scotland has approached Stewart and Alloa AFC for comment.
- Colin Moffat
LEWIS HAMILTON KNOCKED BACK DESPITE F1 RESURGENCE
Lewis Hamilton sits second in the F1 drivers' standings, but is he a legitimate contender for the championship?
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| © XPBimages |
Lewis Hamilton has claimed two consecutive second-place finishes in F1, a new point since joining Ferrari at the start of last year.
That revival has carried the seven-time F1 drivers' champion to second in the 2026 standings, albeit 66 points adrift of leader Kimi Antonelli.
The fact that he stands two points ahead of George Russell in the other Mercedes is not insignificant, given the early dominance shown by the W17.
But his former team-mate has been besieged by issues and has endured some dreadful luck of late, and will still be considered the most likely driver to take the fight to Antonelli over the final 16 rounds of the campaign.
And, unfortunately for Hamilton, the majority of F1 fans do not believe he can mount a challenge for the elusive eighth F1 drivers' championship.
In a recent poll by RacingNews365, most respondents wagered that the combination of Antonelli and Mercedes — in the seat once occupied by Hamilton — would be too much for the Ferrari driver to overcome.
- RN365 Staff
LEWIS HAMILTON MAKES FERRARI DISCOVERY AFTER 'ONE MILLION' OVERHAUL
Lewis Hamilton believes he has made a breakthrough at Ferrari after previous struggles.
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| © XPBimages |
Lewis Hamilton believes he is now starting "to see the fruits" of his 2025 Ferrari struggles after an upturn in form.
Hamilton scored his best Ferrari result to date in Canada with second place, and followed this up with another second in Monaco - the first time he has scored back-to-back podiums since Hungary and Belgium 2024 whilst at Mercedes.
He also scooped third in China and, after Monte Carlo, has climbed to second in the drivers' championship, two points ahead of George Russell.
It is the first time since the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP that Hamilton has been within the top two of the drivers' championship, after enduring a tricky handful of seasons, including 2025, where he failed to score a grand prix podium in his first season at Ferrari.
Detailing how the "ship" had turned, Hamilton explained that the woes of 2025 were finally starting to yield results.
"I came to a team that has everything it needs to succeed, but it is just putting the pieces of the puzzle in the right place, and I've been 100% committed to getting to that point," Hamilton told media, including RacingNews365.
"Fred [Vasseur, team principal] has been great when working with me and helping engineers, with the set-up being one million times better than it was last year, and I'm starting to see the fruits of driving the car last year, and I asked for certain things, and we have those today, for example, the suspension.
"So it is great to work with everyone to move the ship and steer it in the right direction, but there is still a way to go."
- Jake Nichol and Fergal Walsh
NBA FANS OUTRAGED DJ KHALED SPENDS INSANELY EXPENSIVE KNICKS-SPURS GAME 'ON HIS PHONE'
Maybe when DJ Khaled said “I’m on One,” he meant his cellphone.
The record producer and famed DJ was sitting on celebrity row sandwiched between rapper Fat Joe and former NFL head coach Jimmy Johnson for Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs at the Garden.
But Khaled, as shown on the ABC broadcast, appeared to be spending plenty of time on his phone while the action was going down.
It didn’t sit well with a number of users on social media.
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| DJ | Khaled and Fat Joe attend a game between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs during Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 8, 2026 at Madison in New York, New York. | NBAE via Getty Images |
“DJ Khaled sitting courtside on his phone all night is making me irrationally angry, ” Christopher Powers, a senior writer at Golf Digest, wrote on X.
“DJ Khaled won’t get off of his phone sitting court side and it’s really making me angry,” Dana Beers of Barstool Sports chimed in.
Another user speculated on what Khaled was really doing while sitting in prime real estate at the World’s Most Famous Arena.
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| DJ Khaled and Fat Joe in their seats before the start of NBA Finals Game 3 on June 8, 2026. Jason Szenes for the New York Post |
“DJ Khaled went to MSG to answer emails,” they wrote.
Tickets to the game were the most expensive ever for an NBA Finals contest, with get-in prices starting at four figures.
Before the game, Khaled shared a video of himself with Yankees great Alex Rodriguez and a picture that included himself, Fat Joe and Rev. Al Sharpton.
Khaled was far from the only celebrity on hand for the Knicks’ first NBA Finals home game since 1999.
Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, Timothée Chalamet, Derek Jeter, Eli Manning, Spike Lee and even President Donald Trump were all in New York to see the historic game.
- Andrew Battifarano
JOHN TERRY CLAIMS 11 ENGLAND PLAYERS ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR WORLD CUP
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| Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images |
John Terry has questioned ‘three or four’ of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup picks and claims 11 England players are not good enough to be in the squad.
The Three Lions face Costa Rica on Wednesday night in their final warm-up game before beginning their World Cup campaign next week against Croatia.
Tuchel’s 26-man squad has divided opinion and Chelsea legend Terry ‘disagrees’ with several of the players who were chosen to represent England out in the United States.
Terry believes Manchester United duo Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw should both have been picked and says Tuchel was ‘wrong’ to omit Chelsea star Cole Palmer.
Assessing England’s squad more generally, Terry believes Tuchel is reliant on ’14 or 15 starters’ and has questioned whether the ‘rest of the squad’ can contribute to a World Cup win.
‘First of all, I really like him [England boss Thomas Tuchel],’ Terry said on Piers Morgan Uncensored.
‘Obviously, seeing his work around Chelsea, when he was there, he brought success for us in the Champions League as well.
And what I like about him, he’s not afraid to make these big decisions, and I think we’ve seen that in his squad.
‘Now, that’s something I disagree with actually, in terms of the players that he’s not picked for this World Cup.
‘Harry Maguire being one, the first one. For me, he’s a better player than Dan Burn and now if the other two get injured, whether that’s John Stones coming in, I’d much rather Harry Maguire there and be the one coming in.
‘I think he always poses a big threat from set plays as well late on, and I know Dan Burn poses that threat as well, when he can play at left-back being a left sider.
‘But I would have Harry Maguire there every day of the week. Luke Shaw is another one at left back. We’re looking at Nico O’Reilly playing there.
‘I think someone like him needs someone like Luke Shaw around the place to help him, settle him, give him a little bit of advice because he is the future of us in our next World Cups coming up.
‘Cole Palmer is the next big decision as well. So I think he’s got it wrong in three or four big decisions on the pitch, actually. I think you need your best players, the further you get in these World Cups.
‘I don’t think Djed Spence is the future for England, for me. I think he’s had a poor season, Spurs have been really poor as well, so you can definitely argue that one.
‘But for me, I just think you need to have your best players there. When I look at it, I’m looking at the team now, there’s probably 14, 15 starters… there’s only 13, 14 or 15 players that can play if we’re going to win this World Cup.
‘When I look at the rest of the squad around me, I’m not sure they’re going to push the players who are going to be playing.’
England turn their attentions to Ghana and Panama after facing Croatia in their World Cup opener as they look to get out of Group L.
The Three Lions are bidding to win the World Cup for the first time since 1966, having came agonisingly close to winning a major trophy under former boss Sir Gareth Southgate.
England reached back-to-back European Championship finals under Southgate and went deep in two World Cups, reaching the semi-finals in 2018 and the quarters four years ago.
- Louis Sealey
FIFA IS EMBROIDERED IN SERIOUS CONTROVERSY | FIFA WORLD CUP 2026
What has happened at the 2026 World Cup over the last 48 hours:
• Swiss footballer Embolo's visa was put under review and he was only able to join his team days later.
• Iraqi national team player Aymen Hussein was held for questioning for nearly 7 hours upon entering the United States.
• The Iranian national team spent days dealing with visa procedures at the U.S. Consulate in Türkiye. The U.S. only allowed them entry on match days. Fifteen members of the delegation were denied visas.
• Omar Abdulkadir Artan, named CAF's Best African Referee of 2025, was denied a visa. Despite travelling to the U.S. with a diplomatic passport, he was refused entry and sent back. FIFA announced that he will not be able to officiate at the tournament.
• The South African national team arrived in the United States much later than planned because part of the delegation was not granted visas.
• Members of the Senegal national team staff were forced to remove their shoes and subjected to lengthy searches, sparking accusations of racism.
• The Uzbekistan national team was searched with bomb-sniffing dogs and the footage went viral in international media.
• Some Scottish supporters, despite being eligible to enter the U.S. visa-free under the ESTA programme, had their travel authorisations revoked just days before departure.
• Many supporters who had already bought tickets and booked accommodation had their visa applications rejected, resulting in financial losses.
- Julius Malema
NBA REVIEWING MISSED FOUL ON VICTOR WEMBANYAMA SHOVE OF JALEN BRUNSON
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| Jun 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) passes the ball to San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) and center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during game three of the 2026 NBA Finals in the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images |
NEW YORK -- Referees missed a foul call on Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama when he shoved Knicks guard Jalen Brunson in the first quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday.
Without a whistle on Wembanyama, the play continued with San Antonio on offense. A replay review appeared to show Brunson, who was on defense and working through a screen on the play, making initial contact with his left hand and grabbing a fistful of Wembanyama's jersey, prompting the retaliatory shove. With his own left hand, Wembanyama aggressively shoved Brunson in the upper back and neck area, sending him toward the floor.
But it remains unclear if either player will be cited for any offense in the review of the matter on the off day before Game 4 at Madison Square Garden.
NBA head of officiating Monty McCutchen said Tuesday the league is reviewing the play, and holds the ability to retroactively assess a flagrant-1 foul. The NBA rulebook deems "unnecessary contact" a flagrant-1 foul, because it goes beyond the actions warranting a common foul.
If the NBA issues a flagrant-1 for the play, Wembanyama would not be subject to a suspension. But the Spurs' big man would be skating into Game 4 on thin ice.
Wembanyama has already obtained two penalty points for a flagrant-2 foul in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against Naz Reid of the Timberwolves.
All players can accumulate a total of three penalty points in the playoffs. If Wembanyama's shove is upgraded to a flagrant foul, he would have three penalty points. His next flagrant in the Finals would prompt an automatic suspension.
Julian Champagnie had the ball on the left wing facing San Antonio's basket with Landry Shamet defending when the action happened near the foul line and away from the play.
Brunson was also called for a flagrant foul closing out on a Champagnie 3-pointer. Officials said he did not provide ample landing space for the Spurs' deep threat. Brunson had little to say about the non-call postgame.
"Whatever you saw is what you saw," Brunson said.
A flagrant-2, described as justified in the rulebook when "unnecessary and excessive or reckless contact" is "committed by a player against an opponent," would prompt an automatic ejection.
--Field Level Media
SOMALI REFEREE RETURNS HOME VIA ISTANBUL AFTER US ENTRY DENIAL
'I wanted to thank FIFA for supporting me all the way and the Somali people also,' Omar Abdulkadir Artan says at Istanbul Airport
Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry into the US to officiate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, returned Tuesday to his home country from Istanbul.
"I wanted to thank FIFA for supporting me all the way and the Somali people also. So I am very grateful for FIFA and CAF (Confederation of African Football) also. So this is what I have to say," Artan told reporters at Istanbul Airport before boarding a Turkish Airlines flight to Somalia.
The Somali Football Federation voiced deep regret Tuesday after Artan was barred from entering the US.
The federation said that no official explanation has been given for the decision, but it urged patience until all the facts have been revealed.
A senior White House official on Tuesday defended the decision to bar several international participants from entering the US for the World Cup, asserting that the measures are necessary to ensure a safe environment.
Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026, suggested that the decision to block Artan "was for a very good reason,” without elaborating.
Artan was due to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup.
- Diyar Güldoğan
SOFI WORKERS REACH AGREEMENT TO AVOID A STRIKE AHEAD OF WORLD CUP
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| May 25, 2026; Inglewood, CA, USA; A general overall view of Sofi Stadium (Los Angeles Stadium), a host site for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images |
A potential strike by SoFi Stadium workers, ahead of the United States' World Cup opening match at the venue Friday, was averted when an estimated 2,000 employees reached a tentative agreement Tuesday through their union.
The union representing hospitality workers at the stadium in Inglewood, Calif., had voted to authorize a strike last Friday, a week before the United States men's national team was set to play against Paraguay.
Mostly composed of concessions workers as well as cashiers, dishwashers, bartenders and food attendants, the union had voted 96% in favor of the strike, which had been looming for the last few months since the existing deal with stadium operators Legends Global expired.
The new agreement earned workers a 40% pay increase for concession stands attendants and also has a clause allowing workers to walk off the job if the union believes that the presence of federal agents, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), creates a "reasonable apprehension of harm to the safety and security of workers," The Athletic reported.
The agreement, which the union announced at a news conference, still has to be ratified by workers on Wednesday.
Kurt Peterson, co-president of the union, said the agreement will make the venue's concessions workers the highest paid at NFL stadiums, according to a report in The Athletic, with most earning "more than $40 per hour, and many of them significantly more than that."
Workers also will be able to earn "premium pay for mega-events, including all eight World Cup games," Peterson told The Athletic.
SoFi Stadium is scheduled to host two of the United States' three group-stage matches, against Paraguay (Friday) and Turkey (June 25), as well as three tournament knockout-stage matches, one of which is a quarterfinal on July 10.
The venue is the home of both the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers of the NFL. It also is slated to be a co-host for the Opening Ceremonies during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as well as the home for the swimming competitions.
The new agreement lasts until April 30, 2028, giving the union leverage for renegotiations before the Olympics begin.
--Field Level Media
Tuesday, 9 June 2026
YOUNG AFRICANS SIGN BURKINABÉ NATIONAL TEAM PLAYER FROM POLICE KENYA
DONE DEAL: Last night, Yanga completed the signing of the number 9 striker from Police Kenya and the Burkina Faso national team 🇧🇫, Yves Koutiama (27).
Everything is finalized — Yves Koutiama has joined Yanga on a two-year deal.
The star player joined Police in January this year and managed to score 10 goals in the Kenyan Premier League.
Yanga have terminated his two-year contract with Police.
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