FRENCH OPEN HANDS ADOLFO DANIEL VALLEJO LARGEST FINE IN HISTORY FOR SEXIST REMARKS ABOUT FEMALE UMPIRE

 

Adolfo Daniel Vallejo has been handed a whopping 65,000 euros (£56,250) fine after sexist comments he made after losing a thrilling five-set battle against 17-year-old Frenchman Moise Kouame at the French Open.

He claimed it was unsuitable for a female umpire, in this instance Ana Carvalho, to be officiating the match. He stated this due to the partisan crowd passionately supporting Kouame as he looked to continue his progress in front of his home support.

Female umpires have been officiating men's tennis matches at Grand Slam level since 2007, almost two decades now. Vallejo would have been very annoyed after he ended up losing an absolute thrilling match of tennis

.After going two sets down, the Paraguayan mustered up what seemed to be a hugely impressive comeback as Kouame started to struggle. He was 5-2 up in the fifth and had the chance to serve it out but Kouame struck back. The tiebreak was also ridiculously tense and tight, but Vallejo would come the wrong side of a 10-8 deficit.

Afterwards, he told clay about his displeasure of the crowd not being under control. "This sort of match needs to be umpired by a man; it’s very difficult for a woman to do it," he said. “It has to be refereed by a man because it is a very heavy crowd, and you need a lot of strength to go against the crowd."

A lot of backlash came from this and Vallejo responded, apologising on social media. “I want to clarify that my comments were not meant in the way they have been understood. I have respect for the umpire and for the job they do, after a 5 hours battle I was very heated and with a lot of emotions, I apologise,” he wrote.

“I also want to clarify that I didn’t blame the loss on her; she did a good job throughout the whole match. I will learn and get better with this. I also have great respect for Roland-Garros, the French Tennis Federation, and everyone involved in tennis.”

Vallejo handed huge fine

This apology has not got him out of the woods. Deemed sexist, Roland Garros’ tournament director, Amélie Mauresmo, confirmed that he would be fined by the French Tennis Federation a large 65,000 euros. This is a large chunk of his earnings from the tournament, collecting 130,000 euros for reaching the second round.

“A financial penalty was imposed, amounting to approximately 65,000 euros—roughly half of his prize money,” Mauresmo said. "As far as we’re concerned, the situation is very clear: this kind of remark is unacceptable. Neither for the tournament nor for the Federation.”

It is a sorry end to Vallejo's Grand Slam debut. A rapid rise into the top 80 has seen him automatically qualify for the tournament, getting the better of Cameron Norrie in the first round after the Brit had to retire. He was not able to repeat the fate against Kouame as he now reaps the punishment for his comments made after the match.

- Lucas Michael

LAMELO BALL FINED BY NBA FOR RECKLESS CONDUCT

 LaMelo Ball has been fined $35,000 and assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 for "unnecessary and reckless contact" against Bam Adebayo, the league announced.

Ball was fined an additional $25,000 for using profane language during a live TV interview.

- ESPN

FIFA FINES ISRAEL, DENIES KEY PALESTINIAN COMPLAINT AND URGES IRAN TO FULFILL WORLD CUP SCHEDULE

Iranian government and soccer officials say they do not want to boycott the World Cup but that it is not possible for the national team to come to the US because of military attacks on the country

A drone view of the Banorte Stadium, also known as Azteca Stadium, the venue that will host the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and become the first stadium to hold three World Cups (1970, 1986, 2026), in Mexico City, Mexico, March 17, 2026.
Reuters picture.

FIFA fined the Israeli soccer federation for breaching anti-discrimination regulations but took no action on a Palestinian request to suspend Israel from global soccer for allowing clubs based in West Bank settlements.

Also, FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Thursday further dampened Iran's attempts to move its World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico, saying global soccer's governing body wants the tournament "to go ahead as scheduled."

Two separate Palestinian soccer federation petitions were addressed in Thursday's announcement.

FIFA fined the Israel Football Association 150,000 Swiss francs (USD 190,000) on disciplinary charges relating to "discrimination and racist abuse," plus "offensive behaviour and violations of the principles of fair play."

The Israeli federation was held responsible by three FIFA judges for "tolerance of politicized and militaristic messaging within football contexts," notably by fans of Beitar Jerusalem, and the "systemic exclusion of Palestinians from football infrastructure in Israeli settlements."

The disciplinary verdict against Israeli soccer, judged last August, was finally announced after a meeting of FIFA's ruling council chaired by Infantino, who restated his organization had peaceful goals in a month of turmoil for World Cup planning amid war in the Middle East.

Palestinian soccer denied on settler clubs issue

The Palestinian soccer federation has urged FIFA to act against Israel for supporting clubs in its national league from settlement communities in the West Bank.

FIFA's council decided on Thursday on advice from the governing body's governance panel not to act on formal Palestinian complaints in 2024 against its Israeli counterpart, including a request to suspend membership.

Palestinian soccer officials have long argued - including at FIFA annual congresses across the past 15 years, before Infantino was president - that Israel violates statutes by letting teams from settlements in the West Bank play in the national league.

"FIFA should take no action given that, in the context of the interpretation of the relevant provisions of the FIFA Statutes, the final legal status of the West Bank remains an unresolved and highly complex matter under public international law," the soccer body said.

FIFA wants Iran in the US at World Cup

Infantino reiterated FIFA is not moving toward granting Iranian requests to move the team's three World Cup group games in June from the United States to Mexico.

Iranian government and soccer officials have said they do not want to boycott the World Cup but that it is not possible for the national team to come to the US because of military attacks on the country by Israel and US since February 28.

The team is due to play two games at the Los Angeles Rams' stadium in Inglewood and one in Seattle.

"We have a schedule," Infantino said in a statement on Thursday about the World Cup fixtures announced in December, adding "we want the FIFA World Cup to go ahead as scheduled."

No team has refused a World Cup entry since the 1950 edition, a 13-team event in Brazil held in lingering global chaos after World War II. It would be unprecedented in modern World Cup history for a team's schedule to be changed after the draw for political reasons.

FIFA's political limits

"FIFA can't solve geopolitical conflicts," said Infantino, who presented his close ally US President Donald Trump with a specially created peace prize at the World Cup draw in December.

"(B)ut we are committed to using the power of football and the FIFA World Cup to build bridges and promote peace as our thoughts are with those who are suffering as a consequence of the ongoing wars," he said.

The disciplinary investigation of Israeli soccer also was opened 18 months ago in response to the second objection by the Palestinian federation.

The verdict was a fine for the IFA that amounts to 50,000 Swiss francs (USD 63,000) less than financial penalties imposed on Bosnia-Herzegovina's soccer federation for misconduct by fans at World Cup qualifying games in November.

FIFA judges criticise Israel soccer federation

FIFA disciplinary judges did uphold charges against Israeli soccer for institutional discrimination and also cited offensive social media comments by senior officials.

"The conduct of the IFA, in failing to take meaningful action against Beitar Jerusalem FC - a club whose supporters have engaged in persistent and well-documented racist behaviour - constitutes a clear violation," the FIFA disciplinary panel said.

One third of the fine must be spent by Israeli officials, FIFA ruled, on "implementation of a comprehensive plan to ensure action against discrimination and to prevent repeated incidents."

"The plan shall be approved by FIFA and shall focus on the following areas: reforms, protocols, monitoring, and educational campaigns in stadiums and on official channels for an entire season," FIFA judges decided.

The judges said they "cannot remain indifferent to the broader human context in which football operates" and the sport "must remain a platform for peace, dialogue, and mutual respect."

- AP

CHELSEA GIVEN BAN AND RECORD- BREAKING FINE FOR BREACHING PREMIER LEAGUE RULES

Chelsea have been handed an immediate transfer ban and record £10.75m fine by the Premier League after breaching their rules.

The rule breaks are in relation to three different areas - Financial Reporting, Third Party Investment and Youth Development.

The Premier League have concluded two separate disciplinary processes after Chelsea owners BlueCo, a consortium led by Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly, voluntarily self-reported potential historical breaches of rules in 2022 under previous owner, Roman Abramovich.

Chelsea Transfer Bans Explained

Chelsea have been found guilty of making undisclosed payments by third parties associated with the club, including unregistered agents, players and other third parties.

After assessing a series of recalculations of the club’s historical financial submissions, the Premier League have given Chelsea a £10m fine - the biggest in Premier League history - and a suspended one-year first team transfer ban, which is suspended for two years.

The Premier League Board decided that the club’s proactive self-reporting, admissions of breach and exceptional cooperation throughout the investigation were key to them handing out an appropriate sanction.

The Premier League also investigated potential breaches of the Premier League's youth development rules, with a separate transfer sanction being agreed with Chelsea. They have received an immediate nine-month ban from registering academy players purchased from Premier League and EFL clubs, as well as a £750,000 fine.

Premier League Release Statement

The Premier League released a statement on Monday afternoon:

'The Premier League has concluded two separate disciplinary processes involving Chelsea Football Club, following the Club voluntarily self-report to bying potential historical breaches of rules.

'Two sanction agreements have been ratified by an independent Commission under which Chelsea FC has accepted fines totalling £10.75 million for breaches of the Premier League’s rules relating to Financial Reporting, Third Party Investment and Youth Development.

'The Club has been sanctioned by the Premier League with an immediate nine-month Academy Transfer ban and a suspended one-year first-team player transfer ban (suspended for two years).

'The Premier League has completed a disciplinary process with Chelsea FC in respect of historical breaches relating to Financial Reporting and Third Party Investment. In 2022, Chelsea FC’s current owners voluntarily reported to the League that they had evidence of potential breaches of Premier League Rules.

'As a result of the Premier League’s investigation, it was established that between 2011 and 2018, undisclosed payments by third parties associated with the club were made to players, unregistered agents and other third parties. These payments were not disclosed to the football regulatory authorities at the time, including the Premier League. The payments were made for the benefit of Chelsea FC and should have been treated as having been made by the club. The club has also accepted, among other things, that the making of these payments, as well as the failure to disclose them to the League, constituted a breach of the requirement to act in good faith towards the League.

The Premier League assessed a series of recalculations of the club’s historical financial submissions which took into account the payments made for the benefit of Chelsea FC. Importantly, having undertaken that assessment, the Premier League Board was satisfied that in no scenario would the club have breached the League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules during the relevant periods, had the relevant payments been properly included in the club’s historical financial submissions.

'When considering the appropriate sanction, the Premier League Board noted that the club’s proactive self-reporting, admissions of breach and exceptional cooperation throughout the investigation acted as significant mitigating factors.

'The Premier League and Chelsea FC have now entered into a sanction agreement under which the club accepts a £10 million fine and a suspended one-year first team transfer ban (suspended for two years).

'In addition, the League also investigated potential breaches of the Premier League’s Youth Development Rules, committed by a former senior employee, relating to the club’s registration of Academy players between 2019 and 2022. This followed a further voluntary report by the club in 2025.

'As a result of this additional investigation, a separate sanction agreement has been entered into with Chelsea FC, under which the club has accepted an immediate nine-month ban from registering Academy players from Premier League and EFL clubs. The club will also pay a £750,000 fine.

'All sanctions will take effect immediately with the club also paying the full costs of the League’s investigation and disciplinary processes.

'In accordance with Premier League Rules, the sanction agreements with the club have been reviewed and approved by three members of the League’s independent Judicial Panel.

'A separate FA disciplinary process involving the club’s alleged breaches of FA Regulations arising out of similar conduct remains ongoing. In 2022, Chelsea FC also reported to UEFA the historic breaches which resulted in the CFCB First Chamber entering into a settlement agreement with the club. Chelsea FC paid a financial contribution of €10 million (£8.6 million).'

- James Beavis

RED BULL RACING 🏎️ FINED AFTER TRYING TO REMOVE LANDO NORRIS' GRID TAPE

Red Bull has been fined €50k by the FIA for a pre-race rules breach, which involved a team member attempting to remove tape guiding McLaren's Lando Norris to his grid position 🆕

CHELSEA'S MARESCA BANNED FOR FOREST MATCH AFTER WILD CELEBRATION

London (AFP) – Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca was given a one-match touchline ban on Wednesday for dissent and over-celebrating a last-gasp goal in a 2-1 Premier League win over Liverpool on October 4.

Chelsea's Italian head coach Enzo Maresca celebrated with his players after their winning goal against Liverpool © Glyn KIRK / AFP

The Italian will now be banned from the touchline for Chelsea's match away to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.

He has also been fined £8,000 ($10,685) and the Football Association said Maresca openly admitted the misconduct charge.

He was given a yellow card for railing against a penalty decision and picked up a second one in the sixth minute of stoppage time for wildly celebrating Estevao Willian's angled winner during a desperate onslaught.

Chelsea had lost their previous two matches before tackling Liverpool at home, and the win lifted them to sixth place at that time as under-fire Maresca avoided a third successive league defeat.

Maresca is reported to have told the Italian media that running down the touchline and celebrating with the players had been "an instinctive reaction" and added that it had been worth it even if he got sent off.

© 2025 AFP

FERRARI'S CHARLES LECLERC FINED €10K BY FIA FOR SWEARING IN MEXICO

Charles Leclerc said 'I don't want to join Max!' with swearing punishments. Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images

SAO PAULO -- Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has been fined €10,000 -- half of which will be suspended for a year -- for swearing during a post-race press conference in Mexico.

The stewards issuing the fine said a "mitigation factor" meant Leclerc's use of an expletive differed from Max Verstappen's own swearing controversy in Singapore, which landed the three-time world champion with a punishment akin to community service.

Leclerc used the word "f---" to explain his feeling when he nearly lost control of his car in the latter stages of the Mexico Grand Prix last weekend.

He immediately apologised for his use of language in the same press conference, saying he did not want to receive a punishment like Verstappen.

"Oh, sorry! Oh, no, oh no! I don't want to join Max!" Leclerc said in Mexico.

The stewards said the apology during the press conference differentiated Leclerc's use of language from that of Verstappen, who used the same word but did not immediately apologise.

"The stewards considered the mitigation factor that Leclerc was immediately apologetic," a statement said. "The stewards while noting that the driver's contrite behavior conclude that a breach has occurred and a penalty is warranted.

"The stewards do not consider that this breach reached the same level as the most recent case and as such chose to levy a fine of €10,000 with €5,000 suspended pending no repeat within 12 months."

The clampdown on driver swearing during press conferences followed comments from FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

Ben Sulayem said: "We have to differentiate between our sport -- motorsport -- and rap music.

"We're not rappers, you know. They say the F-word how many times per minute? We are not on that. That's them and we are [us]."

Ben Sulayem's comments led seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton to raise concerns about the comparison with "rappers," saying it played to a "stereotype" and featured a "racial element."

- Laurence Edmondson, F1 Editor

NFL PUNISHES FALCONS FOR TAMPERING

Kirk Cousins at the Atlanta Falcons' training facility in Flowery Branch, Ga., on May 14. Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images file

 The Atlanta Falcons were stripped of their fifth-round pick in next year's draft for violating the NFL's anti-tampering policy, the league announced Thursday.

The Falcons also were fined $250,000 and general manager Terry Fontenot $50,000 for the team's improper contact with prospective unrestricted free agents Kirk Cousins, Darnell Mooney and Charlie Woerner prior to the start of the 2024 league year.

Also on Thursday, the NFL informed the Philadelphia Eagles that it did not discover sufficient evidence to support a finding that the team violated the league's anti-tampering policy.

The NFL was looking into the Eagles' pursuit of free-agent running back Saquon Barkley. The Penn State product inked a three-year, $37.75 million contract that includes $26 million guaranteed at the signing.

Cousins agreed to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed shortly after the opening of the league's legal tampering window.

"While the policy permits clubs to engage with and negotiate all aspects of an NFL player contract with the certified agent of any prospective unrestricted free agent during the two-day negotiating period, any direct contact between the player and an employee or representative of the club is prohibited," the league said in a statement to the Falcons. "This includes discussion of travel arrangements or other logistical matters, which the club acknowledges took place with regard to these three players."

The Falcons released the following statement in response to league's conclusion:

"We are pleased this review is complete. We cooperated fully with the league and its review, and appreciate the NFL's thoroughness. As we do with every process, we will review how we operate and look for ways to improve."

As for clearing the Eagles, the league issued the following statement:

"In coming to this conclusion, the league reviewed phone logs, text messages and other documents related to Philadelphia's free agent strategy and decision to sign Barkley."

The Miami Dolphins forfeited their first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and a third-round selection in 2024 for tampering with quarterback Tom Brady and coach Sean Payton.

The Kansas City Chiefs lost their third-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and a sixth-round selection in 2017 for tampering with wide receiver Jeremy Maclin in 2015.

The Dolphins and Chiefs also were fined as part of their respective punishments.

- Reuters 

NBA FINES TORONTO RAPTORS COACH $25,000 AFTER HE CALLED OFFICIATING 'B.S' AND A 'SHAME'

Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic during a game against the Washington Wizards in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 27, 2023. Getty

Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Thursday, two days after he ranted about officiating following his team’s 132-131 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Rajakovic took particular exception to how the Lakers got 23 free throws in the fourth quarter while the Raptors shot only two. The 21 free throw disparity was the largest for any quarter of an NBA game this season.

For the game, the Lakers took 36 free throws — 14 by Anthony Davis alone — and the Raptors took only 13.

“What happened tonight, this is completely B.S.,” Rajakovic said after that game, sometimes hitting the table where he was sitting for emphasis. “This is shame. Shame for the referees. Shame for the league to allow this. Twenty-three free throws for them, and we get two free throws in the fourth quarter?”

ANDY REID AND PATRICK MAHOMES FINED A COMBINED $150,000 FOR CRITICIZING OFFICIALS, AP SOURCE SAYS

AP Photo 

Chiefs coach Andy Reid was fined $100,000 and quarterback Patrick Mahomes was fined $50,000 for criticizing officials following Kansas City's 20-17 loss to Buffalo last week, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Saturday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the fines weren’t announced.

BRAZIL SOCCER STAR NEYMAR FINED $3.5M FOR ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENCE

Routers 

Brazilian authorities said on Monday that soccer star Neymar was fined 16 million reais ($3.33 million) for breaching environmental rules during the construction of his coastal mansion in southeastern Brazil.

The luxury project violated rules regarding the use and movement of freshwater sources, rock and sand, local authorities first alleged late last month and confirmed on Monday.

INSIDE THE NBA REACTS TO NIKOLA JOKIC BEING FINED $25K FOR SHOVING PHOENIX SUNS OWNER MAT ISHBIN

INSIDE THE NBA REACTS TO MAVERICKS BEING FINED $750K

 

JACK DEL RIO FINED $100,000 FOR CAPITAL ISURRECTION COMMENT