JP MORGAN BANKER WHO LED INFANTINO’S FIFA SELL-OFF HAS EPSTEIN TIES EXPOSED

Emails sent to paedophile financier include birthday greetings four years after his conviction of procuring a minor for prostitution

Mary Erdoes led the efforts to find investors for Gianni Infantino’s Fifa sell-off plan Credit: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg

The JP Morgan Chase banker who was one of the secret figures behind the Fifa sell-off plan is also under pressure for her links to the late paedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Mary Erdoes, 58, the head of the asset and wealth management division, led the bank’s efforts to find investors prepared to take part of the 20 per cent stake in Fifa which its president Gianni Infantino sought to sell.

Erdoes has also come under scrutiny for her previous longstanding connection to Epstein, who died in 2019. Documents released by the US authorities indicate that Erdoes only ended JP Morgan’s relationship with Epstein in 2013, five years after he was convicted in Florida of procuring a minor for prostitution.

Emails exchanged between the pair, first reported by The Banker financial news site, suggest that they were in contact regarding banking. Erdoes emailed Epstein birthday greetings from her JP Morgan account in 2012. The pair were in indirect contact via staff about the banking arrangements for another associate of Epstein, Kathryn Ruemmler, the former Goldman Sachs executive.

Kathryn Ruemmler (centre) former chief legal officer of Goldman Sachs, has also been linked to Jeffrey Epstein Credit: Al Drago/Reuters

Erdoes is, according to the New York Times, understood to be one of the few individuals who knew about Infantino’s plans as they were formulated. Those involved selling a 20 per cent stake in Fifa at a value of $4.2bn (£3.1bn) to investors led by Joshua Kushner – the brother of US president Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner – and others. Infantino did not reveal the plan to his closest staff until days before the World Cup final.

Joshua Kushner’s investment vehicle, Thrive Eternal, and Fifa planned to use JP Morgan to find fellow investors for the putative sale, which was subsequently abandoned by Infantino. The Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) project caused uproar in world football and has left Infantino fighting for his future as Fifa president. The European governing body, Uefa, as well as counterparts in Asia and North and Central America have threatened to break away.

Erdoes, the bank’s second-highest earner last year on $32m (£24m), has not commented on her links to Infantino. The connection between the pair is not clear, although Infantino has been on stage with Erdoes when he spoke at a staff meeting at the bank.

Erdoes, the bank’s second-highest earner last year on $32m (£24m), has not commented on her links to Infantino. The connection between the pair is not clear, although Infantino has been on stage with Erdoes when he spoke at a staff meeting at the bank.

Previously JP Morgan apologised for its role in financing the 2021 European Super League. It is yet to make any comment on its role in FFE, or the relationship between Erdoes, the bank and Infantino.

Erdoes (right) and Infantino appeared together after he attended JP Morgan’s town hall Credit: Mary Erdoes on LinkedIn

In terms of Erdoes’s dealings with Epstein, JP Morgan told The Banker: “We regret any association we had with the man [Epstein], but did not help him commit his heinous crimes.

“The firm filed multiple Suspicious Activity Reports beginning in 2002 but heard nothing back from the government.

“Mary Erdoes made the decision to close his accounts in 2013, six years before his arrest. Mary has always held herself and her colleagues to the highest standards of integrity and trust, is consistently recognised as one of the top executives in financial services and continues to be a critically important leader of our firm.”



JP Morgan banker who led Infantino’s Fifa sell-off has Epstein ties exposed

Emails sent to paedophile financier include birthday greetings four years after his conviction of procuring a minor for prostitution



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Mary Erdoes led the efforts to find investors for Gianni Infantino’s Fifa sell-off plan Credit: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg

Sam Wallace

Chief Football Writer

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Published 10 August 2026 7:10pm BST

The JP Morgan Chase banker who was one of the secret figures behind the Fifa sell-off plan is also under pressure for her links to the late paedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Mary Erdoes, 58, the head of the asset and wealth management division, led the bank’s efforts to find investors prepared to take part of the 20 per cent stake in Fifa which its president Gianni Infantino sought to sell.

Erdoes has also come under scrutiny for her previous longstanding connection to Epstein, who died in 2019. Documents released by the US authorities indicate that Erdoes only ended JP Morgan’s relationship with Epstein in 2013, five years after he was convicted in Florida of procuring a minor for prostitution.

Emails exchanged between the pair, first reported by The Banker financial news site, suggest that they were in contact regarding banking. Erdoes emailed Epstein birthday greetings from her JP Morgan account in 2012. The pair were in indirect contact via staff about the banking arrangements for another associate of Epstein, Kathryn Ruemmler, the former Goldman Sachs executive.

Kathryn Ruemmler (centre) former chief legal officer of Goldman Sachs, has also been linked to Jeffrey Epstein Credit: Al Drago/Reuters

Erdoes is, according to the New York Times, understood to be one of the few individuals who knew about Infantino’s plans as they were formulated. Those involved selling a 20 per cent stake in Fifa at a value of $4.2bn (£3.1bn) to investors led by Joshua Kushner – the brother of US president Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner – and others. Infantino did not reveal the plan to his closest staff until days before the World Cup final.

Joshua Kushner’s investment vehicle, Thrive Eternal, and Fifa planned to use JP Morgan to find fellow investors for the putative sale, which was subsequently abandoned by Infantino. The Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) project caused uproar in world football and has left Infantino fighting for his future as Fifa president. The European governing body, Uefa, as well as counterparts in Asia and North and Central America have threatened to break away.

Erdoes, the bank’s second-highest earner last year on $32m (£24m), has not commented on her links to Infantino. The connection between the pair is not clear, although Infantino has been on stage with Erdoes when he spoke at a staff meeting at the bank.

Previously JP Morgan apologised for its role in financing the 2021 European Super League. It is yet to make any comment on its role in FFE, or the relationship between Erdoes, the bank and Infantino.

Erdoes (right) and Infantino appeared together after he attended JP Morgan’s town hall Credit: Mary Erdoes on LinkedIn

In terms of Erdoes’s dealings with Epstein, JP Morgan told The Banker: “We regret any association we had with the man [Epstein], but did not help him commit his heinous crimes.

“The firm filed multiple Suspicious Activity Reports beginning in 2002 but heard nothing back from the government.

“Mary Erdoes made the decision to close his accounts in 2013, six years before his arrest. Mary has always held herself and her colleagues to the highest standards of integrity and trust, is consistently recognised as one of the top executives in financial services and continues to be a critically important leader of our firm.”

Meanwhile, Fifa will face a further embarrassing episode on Wednesday when Omar Artan – the Somali referee refused entry to the United States for the World Cup – will take charge of Uefa’s curtain-raising Super Cup.

Artan has spoken about the “very tough period” he faced when denied entry to the US at Miami International Airport in June, before what should have been the highlight of his career.

Tensions were already high between Fifa and Uefa before the start of the World Cup, in which Infantino attracted further scrutiny for his role in the decision to suspend the two-match ban given to United States striker Folarin Balogun. In what was a thinly veiled move to humiliate the global governing body, Artan was named the match referee for Wednesday’s Super Cup in Salzburg between Aston Villa and Paris St-Germain.

Omar Artan was denied entry into the US before the World Cup, as Somalia is on the country’s travel ban list Credit: Hassan Ali Elmi/Getty Images

Artan said on Monday: “It was a very tough period. A lot of people have sympathy for me, because when someone has been working a lot of years and is supposed to do something, and then can’t do it, it’s very challenging.

“I really appreciate the support I received throughout the world, though; I’m so grateful.”

Artan, 34, was subjected to an 11-hour immigration interview before he was denied entry to the US. Somalia is one of the 12 countries on the United States travel-ban list. Infantino later admitted publicly that he was powerless to overrule the ruling from Donald Trump’s administration.

The Fifa president told critics at a press conference before the World Cup to “chill and relax” about the controversy, and added: “We work on everything, we try to resolve everything, [but] immediately screaming and shouting, that’s the opposite of finding a solution.”

Aleksander Ceferin, the Uefa president, reacted by appointing Artan for the Super Cup, where he will become the first African official to take charge of the European season opener.

Artan added: “When we got this call it was, for me and my family, really a very, very happy moment. There’s a big Somali community in Europe and in Austria, and they are over the moon with me officiating a match like this.”

- Sam Wallace

JONATHAN VAUGHTERS DEFENDS NIGHTTIME DROPPING TESTS, SAYS THEY COULD HAVE SAVED CYCLING 25 YEARS OF DRAMA

Photo: Thibault Camus /AP/TT

Cyclists and teams are complaining about doping tests in the middle of the night during the Tour de France. But the tests are also being defended. “Testing at 2:00 am is effective,” team manager Jonathan Vaughters writes on social media.

The manager of the EF Education team admitted in 2012 that he had doped during his cycling career. He believes that nighttime tests are effective in detecting microdosing of EPO, growth hormone and testosterone.

"If the UCI (International Cycling Union) had tested us at 2:00 AM in 2001, we would all have been suspended, saving the sport 25 years of drama," writes Vaughters.

The 1990s and 2000s were a dark period for cycling when many stars were either caught or admitted to doping, including Lance Armstrong.

Tour de France leader Tadej Pogacar and Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel have called nighttime doping tests inhumane and disrespectful.

- TT News Agency,English edition by Sweden Herald

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT NEW METS INTERIM MANAGER AFTER CARLOS MENDOZA'S FIRING

Mar 30, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64) looks on before a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Fans of the New York Mets can exhale now that Carlos Mendoza has been let go.

But who is the Mets’ new manager, and what is New York getting in interim manager Andy Green?

Green, the former Mets player who has been a coach since 2012, is taking over for Mendoza, who was fired Friday after the Mets went 34-47 in their first 81 games.

Mets fans of a certain age will remember Green from his one-season tenure in Queens (2009) or his three seasons as a player for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Or you may recall his three-plus years as the manager of the San Diego Padres.

Andy Green Played for the Mets and Managed the Padres

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New Mets interim manager Andy Green finished his playing career with the Mets and managed the San Diego Padres for four seasons between 2016-19.

Green came up in the D-backs system as a scrappy 5-9, 165-pound infielder who was chosen in the 24th round of the 2000 MLB Draft — a round that doesn’t even exist anymore.

So you can bet Green will want to push the Mets to be scrappier, hungrier and more intense over the second half of this season.

The Mets will be Green’s second role as a major-league manager. He spent three-plus seasons managing the Padres (2016-19) and finished with a .428 win% before he was fired with one week remaining in the 2019 season, posting a 69-85 record before being let go in September.

The Padres then made the playoffs in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, going 37-23.

Green only played 140 big-league games and finished his big-league career with a .547 OPS and two home runs. His attitude was enough to earn a job in the D-backs system as the manager in Missoula of the Pioneer League.

He won the title there in 2012 then was named Southern League manager of the year in 2013 and 2014 before being promoted to D-backs third base coach.

The Mets’ Manager Search is Officially on

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Alex Cora is likely to be high on the list of candidates for the Mets’ manager role.

The Mets may have put Andy Green in place to ride out the rest of the season, but you can bet they will leave no stone unturned in their pursuit of their next manager.

Mendoza was well-thought-of candidate from the New York Yankees organization that pushed all the right buttons in 2024, when they went to the NLCS. But owner Steve Cohen has already flexed his financial might in signing Juan Soto and luring David Stearns from the Milwaukee Brewers.

You can be sure he’ll do the same when finding his next manager.

So Alex Cora immediately comes to mind as the top candidate for the Mets job. He, of course, was fired by the Boston Red Sox in April then turned down the Philadelphia Phillies role, which ultimately went to former-Yankees great and 2020 NL manager of the year Don Mattingly.

Cora could again be a candidate for the Phillies role, which makes it imperative that the Mets at least bring him in for an interview — especially with the Phillies playing well under Mattingly.

Cora, of course, won the World Series in Boston in 2018 and boasts a .534 win% over his 1,161-game tenure as a manager. Other candidates will arise, including Mattingly if he is not retained by the Phillies.

But Cora has to be the first option for the Mets.

- Pat Pickens

FAN-FAVOURITE TRACK SECURES 2027 F1 RETURN TO TURKISH GP SIGNS NEW DEAL

The Turkish Grand Prix will return to the F1 calendar next year.

Turkey last hosted F1 in 2021

The Turkish Grand Prix will return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2027 after agreeing a major new deal.

The race will be held at the popular Istanbul Park near Tuzla, which last held races during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. It will be the first race of a fresh five-year agreement for Turkey to host grands prix.

Turkey first staged an F1 race in 2005 and was a regular fixture on the calendar until 2012 when it was dropped after no deal could be reached. While attendances were often poor, the Istanbul track provided good races.

The 2010 edition was particularly memorable, with Red Bull pair Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber wiping each other out and paving the way for an epic battle between the McLaren's of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

In 2020, Hamilton sealed a record-equalling seventh world championship at the Turkish Grand Prix by winning the race. Valtteri Bottas took victory for Mercedes the last time Turkey staged an F1 race in 2021.

Turkey will effectively be a replacement for the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, which will be held for the last time this year, with a new race in Madrid taking over as the home of the Spanish Grand Prix.

F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali said: “We are delighted to be returning to the incredible and vibrant city of Istanbul from 2027 to thrill all our fans in Türkiye and around the world on one of the most exciting and challenging circuits in Formula 1.

“As a city, Istanbul represents a cultural gateway between Europe and Asia, offering a unique blend of history and tradition with a forward-thinking approach to sport, business, and entertainment.

“I want to thank His Excellency President Mr. Erdoğan, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation for their support in securing Formula 1’s return.

“Many memorable moments have been made in our sport’s history at Istanbul Park and I’m excited to begin the next chapter of our partnership, giving fans the opportunity to experience even more incredible racing in a truly fantastic location.”

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem added: “Formula 1’s return to Türkiye is a powerful reflection of the continued global growth and appeal of our sport, and I am delighted to see the Turkish Grand Prix rejoin the FIA Formula One World Championship calendar.

"Istanbul Park is a circuit that holds a special place in Formula 1 history, and its return underlines our shared commitment to expanding the championship in dynamic markets.”

- Lewis Larkam

MOGUL ATTACKED: MILLIONAIRE FORMER PREMIER LEAGUE CLUB OWNER STABBED IN HIS OWN HOME AFTER CONFRONTING MASKED ROBBERS

MILLIONAIRE football mogul Fawaz Al-Hasawi was stabbed when he confronted masked ­robbers in his home.

The former Nottingham Forest owner was injured as they tried to ransack his £10million house.

The Kuwaiti entrepreneur, 57, is thought to have been sleeping when thugs burst into his room, leaving him with stab wounds on his hand and neck injuries.

They fled and it is not clear if anything was taken in Mayfair, central London, earlier this month.

Images online show Mr Al-Hasawi in a bloodied hospital bed and with his hands bandaged.

His lawyers urged cops to give more details of the attack, claiming that other visitors from the Arabian Gulf “fear facing similar incidents”.

Al-Hasawi is a collector of watches, flashing them on social media.

The Met said the injuries were not life-threatening or life-changing and inquiries were continuing.

The businessman bought Forest from the estate of Nigel Doughty in 2012 and sold the Midlands club to Evangelos Marinakis in May 2017 after going through nine different managers in five years.

It comes just weeks after Manchester City star Ruben Dias and his girlfriend Maya Jama were left devastated after an “away day” gang ransacked their home.

Raiders are believed to have stolen more than £1million of designer watches, jewellery, handbags and clothes at their £4 million mansion in Cheshire.

Ruben and Maya had moved into the four-bedroom property before Christmas.

Prem stars fear that someone they know is tipping off burglars with several spooked by last month’s raid.

In December, The Sun revealed the shocking moment thieves fled Tottenham star Yves Bissouma’s mansion after stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of designer gear.

The Premier League ace, 29, has since opened up on several “traumatic” raids on his home, which saw luxury watches, bags and jewellery nicked.

Bissouma, who earns £50,000-a-week at Spurs, has been targeted by thieves three times – losing £1million worth of precious items.

While the month before, Raheem Sterling confronted the masked burglar gang who broke into his home with a knife, it is understood.

The brave dad reportedly got hold of the weapon to protect his young family after the group of robbers smashed into his house.

- Thomas Godfrey

LIVERPOOL REVIVE ALLIANCE WITH ADIDAS IN £60M-A-YEAR KIT DEAL AS £200M WINDFALL CLAIM IS MADE

Arne Slot could be boosted by the money on offer from Adidas.

Liverpool have announced that they have signed a deal to reunite with Adidas in an agreement worth £60m per year to the Premier League club.

Following a spell with Nike, the Reds have returned to the German kit manufacturer after last using Adidas in 2012.

Some of most iconic shirts in Liverpool history have been made by Adidas and fans will be pleased with the news that the Reds have revived their alliance.

It’s understood that Liverpool could earn even more money if they perform well on the pitch as the deal with Adidas is incentivised.

Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan said: “Everyone at the club is incredibly excited to welcome adidas back into the LFC family.

“We have enjoyed fantastic success together in the past and created some of the most iconic Liverpool kits of all time.

“Adidas and Liverpool share an ambition of success and we couldn’t be more excited to partner together again as we look forward to creating more incredible kits to help drive on pitch performance.

“We’d like to thank Nike for their support over the last five years and wish them well for the future.”

On top of extra funds from their new deal with Adidas, former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson insists Liverpool could get a £200m Premier League prize money windfall this season.

“It’s a non-Champions League season, so you have to look at it in that context. That means that the bottom line is not amazing. But actually, the way to look at Liverpool is to think about this season in some ways.

“If you can take that base level that they’ve got from last season and then add on top of it what they’re going to get this season, they’re going to win the Premier League, so they’re going to be number one there.

“They are going to have the best part of £200million in Premier League money. That’s going to be maybe £15-20million more than last season.

“They are going to get close to the maximum amount from the Champions League because they’re likely going to be really close this season. They could be maybe semi-finalists or finalists.

“They are going to have the best part of £100million extra in Uefa revenue this season, so you can imagine what that’s going to do. The cost base will be broadly the same.

“There will be a little bit extra on operating costs and wages probably, but they haven’t spent very much. There isn’t going to be a huge spike in player amortisation.

“There isn’t going to be a huge spike in the wage bill except for the bonuses, so it’s going to be a super profitable year this season.

“You will see the quality of the 2023-24 accounts in 2024-25 because that is the base on which everything is built for this season.

“You are going to see some pretty spectacular numbers for 2024-25 profitability wise for Liverpool, assuming it all goes to plan from here.”

- Joe Williams

WNBA ALL-STAR LIZ CAMBAGE JOINS ONLYFANS AND MAKES MORE MONEY IN A WEEK THAN HER ENTIRE PLAYING CAREER

Former Los Angeles Sparks star Liz Cambage revealed that she made more money upon starting an OnlyFans page than in her entire basketball career.

A four-time All-Star, she ended her playing in 2022 after mutually parting ways with the Sparks.

Cambage signed a one-year deal for $170,000 in February of that year before exploring other opportunities.

The Australian center joined Maccabi Bnod Ashdod in Israel and her current team, SiChuan Yuanada.

Additionally, she turned to OnlyFans, where her financial success went beyond her WNBA wages. Cambage reportedly earned more in her first week on the platform than she did in all her years on the basketball court.

According to Cambage, joining OnlyFans was not just a financial move but a way to express another side of herself.

'Basketball was a part of me, but it wasn't all of me,' she shared, adding how she joined the platform to post fashion-forward, artistic, and suggestive content that reflected her creativity.

Cambage's success on OnlyFans reignited conversations around the pay disparities in professional sports, particularly between the WNBA and NBA.

Although she earned $221,450 in her highest-paying season, the gap in pay remains glaringly concerning.

Cambage now earns $1.5 million annually through OnlyFans as she continues to build her personal brand. She added that she is 'not closing any doors, but right now, I'm focusing on building something new.'

In addition to her time with the Sparks, Cambage was drafted by the Tulsa Shock in 2011 and also played for the Dallas Wings and Las Vegas Aces. Cambage was the WNBA scoring leader in and made the All-WNBA First Team in 2018. 

She also represented Australia and won a silver medal in the 2018 FIBA World Cup and a bronze medal in the 2012 London Olympics.

Cambage was the cover athlete for ESPN's Body issue in 2019. 

- LEOCCIANO CALLAO

SERENA WILLIAMS PERFORMS WITH KENDRICK LAMAR AT SUPER BOWL LIX HALFTIME SHOW

Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka shouted out the 23-time Grand Slam champion, who joined Kendrick on stage for his Grammy-winning “Not Like Us.”

Better not speak on Serena!

Serena Williams made an incredible cameo at the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, joining headline performer Kendrick Lamar to dance to “Not Like Us” at the Caesars Superdome Sunday night.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion, who revealed plans to be at the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs earlier in the day, had gotten a lyrical shoutout in the Grammy Award-winning hit, as the subject was about Williams’ reported ex-boyfriend Drake.

Joining the dancers on stage, Serena busted out her signature moves reminiscent of her 2012 Olympic moment at the London Summer Games, the former world No. 1 referencing it in a video posted to social media later:

“Man, I did not Crip Walk like that at Wimbledon,” she said before adding with a scream. “Ooh, I would have been FIIIIIINED!”

Williams’ performance got rave reviews from her fellow players, Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff—both of whom were proudly Team Kendrick when asked about the Drake feud at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia last spring—and Christopher Eubanks all shouting out the future Hall of Famer on X:

Though the Kansas City Chiefs, also known by Serena’s daughter Olympia as “Taylor Swift’s team,” did not ultimately win a third straight Super Bowl title, Williams certainly threw down the gauntlet for future Halftime Show cameos.

- David Kane

WIFE OF LATE PADRES OWNER PETER SEIDLER SUES FOR CONTROL OF TEAM

Manny Machado and Sheel Seidler

Sheel Seidler, the widow of late San Diego Padres chairman Peter Seidler, sued two of his brothers Monday in an attempt to become the team's control person.

In a complaint filed in Texas probate court, Sheel Seidler claims she and her three children have been "effectively ostracized" from the organization since Peter Seidler's death 14 months ago. The suit names Robert and Matthew Seidler as defendants, accusing the brothers of "fiduciary breaches of trust, fraud, conversion and egregious acts of self-dealing" in their roles as trustees and executors of Peter Seidler's estate.

The Padres announced Dec. 21 that Peter's oldest brother, John Seidler, would become the team's control person, which Sheel opposed and claims went against her late husband's wishes. 

In a statement, Sheel called her complaint "a very last resort" to "protect my family and to continue to carry out Peter's legacy."

"[A]s the holder of the largest individual ownership stake in the San Diego Padres, and the sole beneficiary of the Seidler Trusts, which possesses exclusive rights with respect to control of the franchise, I am seeking to be named the control person for the Padres," Sheel Seidler wrote as part of her statement.

A spokesperson for the Padres declined to comment, citing the team's stance regarding pending legal matters. Representatives for Robert and Matthew Seidler could not immediately be reached for comment. A Major League Baseball official also declined comment.

Peter Seidler, a two-time cancer survivor, died from complications of an infection on Nov. 14, 2023, leaving behind Sheel and their children, now ages 4, 9 and 11. Eric Kutsenda, a longtime friend and business partner, was named interim control person before essentially turning responsibilities over to John Seidler 13 months later.

Sheel Seidler's complaint claims assurances from Peter's brothers that they would act for the benefit of Sheel and the children have "shown to be hollow" in the wake of his death.

Matthew and Robert Seidler "not only disregarded the clear terms and purpose of the will and trust instrument that Peter created, but they also have intentionally schemed to take for themselves the estate and Seidler trusts' value rights and assets," the complaint states. "They have done so by misleading Sheel, engaging in conflicted transactions and egregious acts of self-dealing, and when Sheel began expressing concern and questioning their actions, they responded by demeaning and attempting to intimidate her -- including by using trust assets to pay lawyers to threaten her into submission and silence."

"They are trying to erase Peter's vision and legacy," another part of the complaint reads, "as well as falsely cast themselves as Peter's true heirs."

Under Peter Seidler, the Padres became a financial juggernaut, signing and retaining stars and placing themselves alongside big spenders such as the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fans rallied around the team, setting attendance records at Petco Park.

Peter Seidler, grandson of prominent former Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley, was part of a group that purchased the Padres in 2012 and assumed the role as chairman eight years later, becoming the organization's largest stakeholder. The pinnacle of Peter's ownership tenure arrived in October 2022 when the Padres defeated the rival Dodgers -- once deemed by Peter as "the dragon up the freeway that we're trying to slay" -- in the National League Division Series, before being eliminated the following round.

In the first offseason after Seidler's death, the Padres, who by that point had lost their local media contract through Diamond Sports Group's bankruptcy proceedings, decreased payroll by about one-third.Padres general manager A.J. Preller nonetheless fielded a competitive team in 2024 that won 93 games, made the playoffs for the third time in five years and almost defeated the Dodgers in the NLDS once again.

Seidler often expressed his hope to bring San Diego, a city that lost its NFL team, its first championship. Sheel Seidler believes she is the person to help bring that dream to fruition.

"While the children and I feel Peter's absence every day, our collective devotion to this team is stronger than ever," Sheel Seidler wrote. "Peter and I always planned, one day, to leave the team to the children. That remains my steadfast commitment. In the meantime, it is my intention to build upon the many recent successes, investing in both the short-term and long-term future of the franchise, and ensuring our dream of multiple championships is fulfilled.

"John Seidler's appointment as control person is still pending the approval of three-quarters of MLB's owners. A vote hasn't been scheduled but could take place as early as the upcoming owners meetings in February.

Sheel Seidler's complaint alleges that she and her three children are not welcomed at the ownership suite during games and that Robert and Matthew Seidler have gone as far as to "inform Padres employees that Sheel is not an owner of the team, and that her presence and input are not welcome in interacting with free agents and current players.

"Sheel Seidler also claims to have been excluded from charitable events meant to mark Peter Seidler's legacy.

The complaint includes what is said to be a handwritten note from Peter Seidler listing the priorities for control person in the event of his death, with Sheel and the children at the top.

Sheel Seidler and the children own approximately one-quarter of the Padres, fulfilling MLB's requirement of at least a 15% stake to qualify as a control person. But Matthew and Robert Seidler have "frozen Sheel out," according to the complaint, and "deprived her of the benefits of being the largest beneficial owner of the baseball team, while themselves enjoying the benefits."

- ALDEN GONZALEZ ESPN

KINGS COACH MIKE BROWN FINES $35K FOR PURSUING OFFICIAL

Getty

Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown was fined $35,000 by the NBA on Tuesday for aggressively pursuing a game official during live play.

The fine stems from Brown charging the refs after a foul was not called following Colby Jones' drive to the basket in the second quarter of the Kings' 108-103 loss to the visiting Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. Brown, instead, was assessed a technical foul.

Brown, 54, previously has been punished by the league for his conduct toward officials.

He was fined $50,000 on Jan. 16, two days after entering the court of play while yelling at referee Intae Hwang, leading to the coach's ejection in a 143-142 overtime loss at the Milwaukee Bucks.

Brown then used a laptop during his postgame news conference to point out multiple calls with which he disagreed.

In 2012, when he coached the Los Angeles Lakers, Brown was suspended one game without pay and fined $25,000 for making contact with an official.

A two-time NBA Coach of the Year, Brown has a 449-296 career record as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Lakers and Kings.

- Field Level Media

PARIS FC'S BILLIONAIRE OWNERS HOPE KLOPP CAN HELP TRANSFORM THE CLUB

Antoine Arnault. Photo: Stephan Feugere

The Arnault family, owners of the LVMH luxury empire, plan to draw on Jürgen Klopp's expertise as part of an ambitious project to transform Paris FC into a force in French soccer.

The family's takeover of the second-tier club includes bringing energy drink giant Red Bull on board as a minority stakeholder. Klopp, the former Liverpool manager, is set to join Red Bull as head of global soccer in January.

"I've spoken with Klopp several times, and he's very, very excited about working with us," said Antoine Arnault, son of billionaire Bernard Arnault.

Arnault spoke Wednesday at a news conference at the team's training ground in Orly, located 14 miles south of Paris.

"We're not coming in alone," Arnault said. "Red Bull is by our side because we know what we're good at and what we're not. We have management skills, but none in football operations."

Arnault highlighted plans to leverage Red Bull's tools to tap into the Paris region's deep pool of soccer talent.

"Paris has probably the best talent pool in the world, rivaling only São Paulo," he said. "Red Bull's revolutionary data tools will greatly aid our scouting efforts."

Arnault also outlined plans for the family's majority stake.

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will begin his director role with Red Bull in January. Sascha Schuermann/Getty Images

"This is a family project we started with my brothers and sister," Arnault told reporters. "We thought it was a good idea to venture into something more thrilling than our usual activities. Football has been my passion since I was 10 years old."

The family's holding company, Agache, will acquire a 52% stake in the club, while Red Bull will hold 11%. Arnault will represent Agache on Paris FC's board.

Current club president and owner Pierre Ferracci will retain 30% for now. He said the takeover has been approved by the French league, with the deal expected to be finalized on Nov. 29.

By 2027, the Arnault family is set to hold around 80% of the shares, with Red Bull increasing its stake to 15%.

The acquisition positions Paris FC as a potential rival to Paris Saint-Germain, the Qatari-backed powerhouse. However, Arnault downplayed any rivalry.

"PSG is a club I've loved since I was 12 years old," he said. "You'll never hear me say anything negative about it. I don't exclude supporting two clubs in the capital."

Arnault described the project as a long-term effort to elevate Paris FC's men's and women's teams to top-tier success.

Ferracci, who has led Paris FC since 2012, emphasized the importance of sustainable growth for the club.

"There's a sovereignty issue in football," Ferracci said, referring to the dominance of foreign ownership in French clubs. "If Paris FC can stand out with French investment, it would be a very good thing."

Created in 1969, Paris FC's men's team has yet to achieve any significant success. This year, they lead the Ligue 2 standings with more than half of the season remaining, and their women's team competes in France's top-tier league and the Women's Champions League.

"We're not doing this to make money," Arnault said. "We want to provide emotional experiences for fans. We were deeply inspired by the Olympics and their positive impact. While we are not used to wasting money, we'll work toward financial balance."

- Associated Press 

'I UAVE ACHIEVED EVERYTHING THAT I CAN' - MARK CAVENDISH CONFIRMS RETIREMENT AND FINAL RACE

Britain's Mark Cavendish, the most successful sprinter in cycling history, will retire after racing in the Tour de France Criterium in Singapore on Sunday.

The 39-year-old from the Isle of Man, who said in May that this season would be his last, broke the Tour de France record for stage wins with his 35th victory in July.

Cavendish won the road world title in 2011 and twice won the green jersey - awarded to the rider with the most points - at the Tour.

He has won 165 races since the start of his professional career in 2005, including 17 stages in the Giro d'Italia and three in the Vuelta a Espana, and received a knighthood in October.

On the track, Cavendish won omnium silver at the 2016 Olympics and was a three-time madison world champion.

"Racing career - completed it," Cavendish, who rides for the Astana-Qazaqsta team, wrote on Instagram.

"I am lucky enough to have done what I love for almost 20 years and I can now say that I have achieved everything that I can on the bike.

"Cycling has given me so much and I love the sport. I’ve always wanted to make a difference in it and now I am ready to see what the next chapter has in store for me."

Cavendish showed promise as a BMX and mountain bike rider, and was then part of the new era of investment in cycling in Britain as British Cycling dominated track cycling at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

He began his professional career on the road in 2005 in a feeder team for T-Mobile, winning his first Tour stage in 2008 for Team Columbia.

Cavendish suffered from injury and illness from 2017 and hinted at the end of the 2020 season that he could retire.

But following a return to form the following year he won four more Tour stages and the green jersey in his second spell with Quick Step.

Cavendish and his family were the victims of a violent robbery at their home in 2021.

He was omitted from Quick Step's Tour squad the following year, after which he signed for Astana-Qazaqstan for 2023.

Cavendish was set to retire at the end of the 2023 season but, after a crash ended his involvement in the Tour that summer, he delayed it by a year.

Having jointly held the record for Tour stage wins with the legendary Eddy Merckx since 2021, Cavendish surpassed the Belgian with victory in Saint Vulbas in July.

He finished third in the Tour de France Saitama Criterium in Japan last weekend.

- BBC

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS 🏅 | PARIS 1924 - PARIS 2024

SAKI KUMAGAI PLAYS CAPTAIN'S ROLE TO PERFECTION AS JAPAN PULL OFF MIRACLE TO BEAT BRAZIL

Having only scored twice previously in over 150 caps for Japan, Saki Kumagai showed real mettle under immense pressure with her injury-time equaliser against Brazil -- especially after Japan had missed an earlier penalty in the first half. Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

 For a team who were once champions of the world and Olympic silver medallists in 2012, expectations surrounding Japan were always going to be high in the women's football tournament at the Paris Games.

As fate would have it, the luck of the draw -- as well as how competitive the women's game has become -- meant that Nadeshiko were never going to have it easy despite their proud history.

Having lost to reigning world champions Spain in their campaign opener three days earlier, the Japanese looked headed for a second defeat on Sunday -- trailing Brazil 1-0 as the tie ticked over into injury-time.

Although two of the three third-placed teams in the women's tournament can still qualify for the quarterfinals, Japan were in real danger of missing out especially given their group-stage finale on Wednesday loomed as another testing encounter against Nigeria.

Somehow, not only did Japan come back from the dead, they mustered a full revival with two quickfire last-gasp goals to pull off a dramatic come-from-behind 2-1 win over the Brazilians.

Having spurned a golden opportunity to take the lead just before halftime when Mina Tanaka saw her penalty saved by Lorena, the Japanese then fell behind through Jhennifer's 56th-minute opener.

But as Nadeshiko were awarded a second spot-kick with a minute remaining, this time it was Saki Kumagai who stepped up and made no mistake in finding the back of the net to level the scores.

It was a classic captain's goal and should not have come as a surprise even if Kumagai -- a centre-back by trade -- had only scored twice previously at international level.

She is, after all, Japan's most-experienced player with over 150 caps to her name and a veteran of the highest order, having won nine major European league titles and five UEFA Women's Champions League crowns during her time with Lyon, Bayern Munich and Roma.

If ever there was anyone with the mettle and composure to handle the pressure, it would be Kumagai.

Having equalised at such a late stage of the contest, the Japanese might have been forgiven had they been content to hold on to the solitary point, regroup, and channel all their energies for one final battle against Nigeria.

Yet, there was still time for more drama. Nadeshiko had other ideas.

They are after all a fearless outfit. They showed that when they beat the mighty United States in the final to become world champions in 2011.

Just last year, in the most recent edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup, they pulled off one remarkable victory after another -- including a stunning 4-0 rout of eventual champions Spain -- before ultimately falling short in the quarters.

And with Brazil reeling from what they thought were two points dropped, it soon became all three -- as a misplaced pass from Rafaelle Souza was capitalised on by substitute Momoko Tanikawa with a long-range strike that sealed the unlikeliest of fightbacks.

The job is however far from done.

Nonetheless, depending on how the second Group C tie of the days pans out, Nadeshiko will at least be just three points off the pace in second place or be one of four teams all tied with a victory each.

Either way, the most important thing for them is that they remain in control of their own destiny. Beat Nigeria, and their haul of six points should almost certainly be enough for progress to the last eight, even if it comes as one of the third-placed qualifiers.

Japan are firmly back on the right path to go further at the Olympics.

It might not have been the case if not for a stunning comeback -- inspired by a leader who did not fail to rise to the occasion when she was needed the most.

- Gabriel Tan 

AT THE PARIS OLYMPICS, IT WILL LONGER BE PERSONAL FOR UKRAINE’S ATHLETES. THIS TIME, IT'S WAR

 KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — For Ukrainian hurdler Anna Ryzhykova, each stride on the Paris Olympic track will have meaning far beyond the time she clocks.

Her competitions are no longer strictly an individual battle, but war on a different front. Her goal is not just gold, but also to rivet global attention on her country’s fight for survival against Russia.

“You’re not doing it for yourself anymore,” she says. “Winning a medal just for yourself, being a champion, realizing your ambitions — it’s inappropriate.”

But the broader war is making it increasingly difficult for Ukraine, once a post-Soviet sports power, to get those headline-capturing medals, an Associated Press analysis found.

Skater Oksana Baiul won Ukraine's first Olympic gold, at the 1994 Winter Games, just three years after Ukraine declared independence. The medal ceremony in Lillehammer, Norway, was delayed while organizers hunted for a recording of Ukraine’s anthem, finally securing one from the Ukrainian team.

Pole vault star Sergei Bubka and the boxing Klitschko brothers — Vitali and Wladimir, the Olympic super-heavyweight champion in 1996 — were among other athletes who put the new nation on sport’s map. At the Summer Games, Ukraine outperformed every former Soviet or Eastern bloc state — except Russia and, in 2000, Romania — and through to London in 2012, always finished among the top 13 nations, ranked by total medals won.

Ukrainian performances began dipping after 2014. Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea that year was followed by eight years of armed conflict in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow backed armed separatists before unleashing its even deadlier full-scale invasion in 2022 to subdue the whole country.

Ukraine’s haul of 11 medals at the 2016 Rio Games was its smallest as an independent nation and it tumbled to a low of 22nd in the country rankings. Ukraine recovered to 16th at the pandemic-delayed Olympics in Tokyo in 2021 but just one of its 19 medals was gold — another new low.

Part of the explanation is that fighting takes lives and resources. Just as important is the psychological burden the war imposes on athletes.

While honing their bodies and skills for Paris, they have wrestled with their consciences. Athletes have had to explain to themselves and others why they are still competing when soldiers are dying and lives being ripped apart. Some are emerging from the journey with their priorities reordered and armed with new motivation to fight, through sport, for the broader national cause.

“Our victories are to draw attention to Ukraine,” Ryzhykova says.

She ran on Ukraine’s bronze medal-winning 400-meter relay team in the London Olympics in 2012, and placed 5th in her specialty in Tokyo, the 400-meter hurdles. Any medals she earns this summer will be for her country in a very real sense.

“Attention is drawn to you only when you win, when you perform, when you are on the podium,” she said in an AP interview. “The higher you are, the more attention you attract.”

A SPORTS POWER BEING DESTROYED

More than 500 sports facilities have been destroyed since the war began in February 2022. That was the year Russian missiles hit the Lokomotiv sports center in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, depriving Ukrainian artistic swimmers of the training venue they used before winning the team bronze medal in Tokyo. The gleaming “Neptune” aquatic center in Mariupol was bombed in the Russian siege of that devastated port city and now the city is under occupation. That ruined the plans of diver Stanislav Oliferchyk to use it as his Olympic training base for Paris.

High jumper Oleh Doroshchuk, aged 23 and one of Ukraine’s brightest prospects in Olympic track and field in Paris, has learned to ignore aid raid sirens that blare over his hometown, Kropyvnytskyi in central Ukraine, so they don’t interrupt his training. Still, after particularly deadly Russian attacks that regularly hit the country, Doroschuk says he’s been forced to look inside himself, questioning whether it’s morally right that he’s “just training” when other men are defending front lines.

“I think everyone has these kinds of thoughts,” he said. “Many people among those whom I know are fighting, and some were killed.”

Across Ukraine, air raids often derail training.

“You sit in the bomb shelter for an hour, then come out for 15 minutes and start warming up and moving again. The alarm goes off again, and you go back to the bomb shelter,” Ryzhykova says. She mostly trains abroad as a result.

SPORTS IN MOURNING

Among Ukraine’s many tens of thousands of dead and injured are athletes, coaches and others in sports organizations who together helped Ukraine to stand on its own as a sporting nation after it broke free of the former Soviet sports machine.

Some of the athletes killed might have had a shot of qualifying for Paris. Some of the coaches had been nurturing future generations.

Ryzhykova lost a mentor who helped ignite her passion for sports. Coach Valentyn Vozniuk and his wife, Iryna Tymoshenko, were among 46 people killed by a supersonic missile that slammed into an apartment building in Dnipro in 2023.

Vozniuk, who was 75, led the Dnipro sports school where Ryzhykova started track and field and where she still trains on trips home.

“He was always very cheerful, a happy person who did everything to make children come, enjoy, and stay,” she recalls.

She worries the war will accelerate a downward spiral for Ukrainian sport. “Few children are coming for training now, many have left,” she notes.

“There are times when depression and a feeling of not wanting to do anything set in,” she says. “And when you’re at a training camp and read the news about a massive rocket attack, you worry about all your relatives and loved ones.”

FACING RUSSIA IN PARIS

In Paris, Ukrainian athletes will endure another ordeal: the likelihood of crossing paths with competitors from Russia and ally Belarus.

The International Olympic Committee barred the two nations from team sports in Paris but didn’t bend to Ukrainian pleas for their complete exclusion.

Instead, Russians and Belarusians who pass a two-step vetting procedure will compete individually as neutrals. They must not have publicly supported the invasion or be affiliated with military or state security agencies.

The IOC has said dozens of Russian and Belarusian athletes qualify.

Ryzhykova struggles with the prospect of face-to-face encounters.

“I can’t even imagine this anger,” she says. “How to restrain oneself, how to look at them.”

Her priority remains Ukraine and keeping its losses and sacrifices in the spotlight.

“We cannot be without a position, be on the sidelines — because we are opinion leaders. And we have to be a support for our people,” Ryzhykova says.

“It will be challenging at this Olympics because there is no room for defeat or injury,” she adds. “It’s tough to cope with, but it’s both motivation and responsibility.”

- HANNA ARHIROVA and JOHN LEICESTER

FRANCIS NGANNOU | 2012