KYLIAN MBAPPÉ CONDEMNS 'DESPICABLE' PARAGUAYAN SENATOR OVER VILE RACIST RANT AFTER FRANCE WORLD CUP CLASH

 

France edged out Paraguay to book their place in the World Cup quarter-finals (Picture: Getty)

Kylian Mbappe has hit back after Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla targeted him with a sickening racist attack on social media following France’s 1-0 win at the World Cup.

Mbappe’s 70th-minute penalty proved decisive in Saturday’s bad-tempered last-16 clash between Les Bleus, the two-time winners, and one of the surprise packages of this summer’s tournament in Paraguay.

Paraguay’s physical approach drew widespread criticism from fans and pundits alike, with ex-England goalkeeper Joe Hart branding the side’s ugly tactics and gamesmanship an ‘absolute disgrace’.

Before a ball had even been kicked, Paraguayan legend Jose Luis Chilabert had caused uproar with some vile remarks in his homeland, in which he claimed his country were essentially facing an ‘African team’ in Philadelphia.

The unsavoury war of words did not cease once France had safely secured their spot in the quarter-finals, and just days after Chilavert’s outburst, it was Amarilla who made headlines for all the wrong reasons with a shocking rant on X, formerly Twitter.

Reacting to a photograph of Mbappe supposedly celebrating in the face of Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill, Amarilla, of Paraguay’s Liberal Radical Party, wrote: ‘The brute didn’t even learn to write.

‘Instead of mother’s milk, he sucked on coconuts, and the most educated thing he heard were chimpanzees.

Amarilla suggested Mbappe had been raised by ‘chimpanzees’ in a vile social media outburst (Picture: Getty)

Mbappe is the joint-leading goalscorer at the tournament (Picture: Getty

‘You should’ve shown him the finger, Orlando Gill; I do it in the senate and nothing happens!!!’

Twenty-four hours on from Amarilla’s despicable rant, a defiant Mbappe issued his response, in which he claimed the politician had overshadowed Paraguay’s achievements at the World Cup with her ‘brazen racism’.

‘Madame Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and unworthy of your position,’ Mbappe wrote on X.

‘You do not represent Paraguay, that country which has sweated passion and honour throughout the competition.

Through your recklessness and your brazen racism, the entire world has already forgotten the journey and the historic effort that your players accomplished during this World Cup, making way for an incompetent woman who gives the worst possible image of her country.

‘I will never allow people like her the freedom to spread their hatred and racism across the world.

It comes after the French Football Federation released a statement condemning Chilavert’s pre-match remarks, with the former Paraguay goalkeeper labelled a ‘disgrace’.

‘I condemn in the strongest possible terms the racist remarks made by Jose Luis Chilavert against the French national team, which undermine the values of respect, fraternity, and diversity in our football,’ FFF president Philippe Diallo said.

‘If he was once a great goalkeeper, this man has now fallen into disgrace.’

France – the 2022 runners-up – will resume their campaign versus Morocco at 9pm BST on Thursday, with a match against one of Portugal, Spain, Belgium and the USA awaiting the victor.

Mbappe is the joint-top scorer at this summer’s tournament alongside Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi, having scored seven goals in his five appearances for Les Bleus.

- Tom Olver

VOZINHA HAS REACHED 14.5M INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS | FIFA WORLD CUP 2026

Cape Verde hero Vozinha has hit 14.5 MILLION followers on Instagram since his starring role against Spain 🇨🇻

He had just 50,000 followers over a week ago and is about to surpass Manuel Neuer 🧤👀

The power of the World Cup is unmatched 🤯

EXCLUSIVE: DEVIN HANEY I DON'T WANT MY KID ON MY EX'S SOCIALS ... 'Cause Of Her OnlyFans!!!

Devin Haney Slams Ex’s Request To Post Child On Social Media, Cites Her OnlyFans
EXCLUSIVE

Devin Haney is firing back after his ex-fiancée, Leena Sayed, filed legal papers in hopes of posting their kid on social media without his approval -- claiming her OnlyFans career is a good reason to keep their one-year-old off her pages.

As we previously reported, Sayed wants to modify the couple's custody order on their kid ... so she can share pics of Khrome without Haney being involved. As it stands, both sides have to sign off on any kid pics on the internet.

Getty / Instagram @leenasayed

According to court docs, obtained by TMZ Sports, Haney's legal team said the stipulation "does not unduly restrict Leena's self-expression," after she claimed "social media is an important part of how I share my life with friends, family, and my social media followers."

"That posting restriction, however, does not restrict Leena's ability to tell her followers all she wishes about 'her role as a mother,'" Haney's attorney, Rick Edwards, wrote.

Haney claims "Leena's self-objectification and encouragement of sexual fantasies via her postings on OnlyFans and on Instagram means that some of her internet 'followers' do not follow her because of her motherhood."

Haney's team included multiple exhibits from Sayed's OnlyFans page, which include captions like "All set for an orgy" and that she is "looking to juice a c***, any c*** will do."

"They are all of course protected by free speech," Edwards wrote. "And sex sells. But it takes one unbalanced fantasizer to create risk for [their child] Khrome."

The filing adds ... "The common sense point is that a celebrity's child on social media invites trouble. And Leena presents herself not only as a celebrity, but as a wealthy and fantasy-inducing celebrity."

Devin also addressed Leena's point that she can only share posts about their child if she is in "some proximity to his presence" -- including an exhibit in which he reposted a picture of Khrome watching him fight in Saudi Arabia.

"I learned that Leena wanted to post a picture showing the back of Khrome’s head in front of a television screen on which I appeared in the ring," Haney wrote. "I approved. I was carried away by the fight’s result and by seeing Khrome watching me, and did not exercise appropriate caution."

Getty

The 27-year-old's legal team wrapped things up by saying, "Enough is enough." and asking the judge to deny her request.

- TMZ Sports

MAN UNITED STAR SPOTTED 'LIKING' POST MOCKING RUBEN AMORIM FACES SUSPENSION

One Manchester United defender was spotted 'liking' a post that ridiculed manager Ruben Amorim for his tactical decisions

Patrick Dorgu liked a social media post criticising Ruben Amorim(Image: Poppy Townson - MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Patrick Dorgu faces a one-match Premier League suspension if he picks up another yellow card. It comes as the defender seemingly 'liked' a social media post mocking Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim. The Denmark international's Instagram account engaged with content criticising Amorim's decision to deploy Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro as a midfield partnership.

The post, published by 'mufcunion', featured a comment from X stating: "Any coach that sees Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes as a viable pivot is one that isn't serious."

The Instagram post's caption declared: "Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro CANNOT play together," which received a 'like' from the 21-year-old full-back's profile. Dorgu must now navigate his own challenges as he treads carefully ahead of Sunday's clash with Crystal Palace.

Should the left-back be shown a yellow card against the Eagles, he would be ruled out of United's home encounter with West Ham on Thursday. Amorim is yet to address Dorgu's social media activity, though many would suggest he has more pressing concerns given United's current form.

The Red Devils currently sit in 10th position after sliding down the table following a series of disappointing results. United had enjoyed significant momentum earlier in the campaign, defeating teams such as Liverpool, Brighton, and Sunderland during an impressive winning streak.

However, stalemates against Tottenham and Nottingham Forest halted this progress before it completely collapsed following their 1-0 defeat to Everton.

Despite Idrissa Gueye receiving his marching orders in the 13th minute following a confrontation with team-mate Michael Keane, United failed to make the most of their numerical superiority and succumbed to a 29th-minute effort from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

A fresh test now lies ahead against fifth-placed Palace, with United needing to deliver their finest performance against last season's FA Cup champions. With the Red Devils entirely committed to domestic matters, having failed to secure European qualification this campaign, Amorim requires his full squad at his disposal as he seeks to guide the club back up the league standings.

Ahead of the Palace encounter, Amorim said: "They are a different club [to us] and they are doing things better than us so that is quite simple."

"We play in a different way and they are just doing things better than us. They are doing things really well and they play more in transition than us. We have to look at all of these things when we compare our teams but of course, in every position, we can do so much better."

When asked whether his side possessed an edge due to their absence from European competition, the Portuguese manager added: "I said the same thing last year when we were in Europe and I say the same thing this year: there [is an] advantage and disadvantage of not being in Europe. There are no excuses. We have to always win games.""

 -  Abbie Meehan

 

SECOND ARREST MADE IN JESS CARTER RACIST ABUSE INVESTIGATION

A 30-year-old man from Ripley was arrested on suspicion of malicious communication

England's Jess Carter received racist abuse online during the Women's Euros this summer (The FA via Getty Images)

A second man has been arrested by police investigating online racist abuse sent to England defender Jess Carter during the Women's Euros.

Derbyshire Constabulary arrested a 30-year-old man from Ripley on suspicion of malicious communications in relation to the abuse towards Carter.

The man has been released on bail.

It followed the arrest of a 59-year-old man from Great Harwood by Lancashire Police on August 28, also on suspicion of malicious communication in relation to some of the messages.

Both arrests stem from an investigation launched in July by the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) and social media companies.

Cheshire Constabulary Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the National Police Chief Council (NPCC) lead for football policing, said: "Nobody should be subjected to such disgusting abuse, and we want to make it clear that racist abuse of this nature will not be tolerated.

"Everyone is responsible for what they do and say, and we want to ensure offenders cannot hide behind a social media profile to post vile comments."

Sergeant Gemma Thursfield from Derbyshire Constabulary said: "Abuse online is no different to being in person and people need to be clear that the posts they make, or messages they send, on social media are just the same as making them in person.

Second arrest made in Jess Carter racist abuse investigation
Carter was a key player in England's European Championship win despite receiving abuse throughout the tournament

"The impact on Jess, and other victims of this crime, are clear to see and we will work with our partners in law enforcement to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice."

Carter revealed in July she had been the target of "a lot of abuse" during the tournament.

Carter told ITV News last month that the psychological impact of the abuse she suffered made her feel "scared" when England head coach Sarina Wiegman told her she had been selected to play in the Euro final, which England won on penalties against Spain to retain the title.

"That's the first time I've ever been scared; too scared to play," she said.

"I think it was a mixture of such a big game but then on top of that, (I was) scared of whatever abuse might come with it, whether it's football-based or whether it was going to be the racial abuse that was going to come with it because I did something wrong.

"(The abuse) makes you feel really small. It makes you feel like you're not important, that you're not valuable.

"It makes you second guess everything that you do - it's not a nice place to be. It doesn't make me feel confident going back onto the pitch. My family was so devastated by it as well and so sad."

- Jamie Gardner

MARC MARQUEZ HITS BACK AT CRITICS

 

UEFA DELETE SOCIAL MEDIA POST 'TROLLING' TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

UEFA have acted quickly after they unintentionally rubbed salt into the wounds of Tottenham Hotspur fans.

The official Europa League account on X posted a picture of Tottenham star James Maddison winking and giving a thumbs up to the camera.

The official Europa League account came under fire for this post of MaddisonCredit: @EuropaLeague - X

But it seemed those behind the account were unaware Maddison was set for a prolonged period on the sidelines after he sustained a knee injury in the first leg of Tottenham's Europa League semi-final tie against Bodo/Glimt.

Maddison bagged the second goal in Tottenham's 3-1 victory over the Norwegian outfit before he was taken off injured in the 65th minute.

Football broadcaster and host of talkSPORT's Trans Europe Express Danny Kelly took note of the initial post and wrote: "W****** @UEFA trolling Spurs!"

Kelly was not the only one who vented their frustrations on social media as other football fans felt the post was in poor taste.

One said: "Is this legit? Surely an organising body shouldn't be flaunting the disappointment of one of the participant team's injured players? @EuropaLeague needs to apologise."

Another posted: "No dog in this fight, but what a disgusting tweet. I don't particularly like James Maddison, but seriously, the lad is out for the season and this is what come from an official @UEFA account? Disgusting."

However, someone at UEFA evidently realised the error of their ways as the post was eventually taken down.

Although Tottenham are yet to confirm the severity of Maddison's injury, talkSPORT understands the midfielder is not expected to play again this season.

Maddison and Dominic Solanke were left out of the Tottenham side that drew 1-1 with West Ham on Sunday and manager Ange Postecoglou divulged the former was 'more of a concern'.

"We're pretty hopeful with Dom that it will be OK, he's improving every day but it made no sense to bring him on today," Postecoglou said post-match.

Star midfielder Maddison went down in the second half against Bodo/GlimtCredit: Gett

"Maddison's a bit more of a concern until we get some more information but he's the one that's more of a concern."

The 28-year-old has been a constant presence in Postecoglou's side this season having made 45 appearances across all competitions.

He also boasts 22 attacking contributions throughout the campaign having registered 12 goals and ten assists.

Maddison's tally of 22 contributions makes him Tottenham's equal-most productive player alongside Dominic Solanke and skipper Heung-min Son.

But he won't get a chance to add to that figure due to the knee injury.

The grim news of Maddison's injury comes as Postecoglou's side stand 90 minutes away from a berth in the Europa League final.

Postecoglou is two games away from ending Spurs' 16-year trophy droughtCredit: Getty

Tottenham travel to Norway on Thursday for the second leg of their semi-final with a two-goal lead.

Progression to the Europa League final would mark the third final Tottenham have made since the 2018/19 campaign.

The north London side reached the final of the Champions League that season but fell short at the last hurdle against Liverpool.

Tottenham then made the final of the Carabao Cup in 2021, only to lose to Manchester City.

But should all go to plan on Thursday evening, Tottenham will have another chance to win their first piece of silverware since 2008.

- Alex Conrad

NEMANJA MATIC'S POST AFTER ANDRE ONANA S MISTAKE IN LYON 2-2 MAN UTD GOES VIRAL

Andre Onana made two big mistakes as Manchester United drew 2-2 in their Europa League quarter-final first leg match against Lyon on Thursday evening. The Cameroonian, who has come under-fire after making a plethora of errors since signing for the Red Devils, was at fault for Thiago Almada's 25th minute opener as he misjudged a cross.

United battled back, with Leny Yoro's strike and a late goal from Joshua Zirkzee looking like United would come away from France with the victory. However, Lyon restored parity with virtually the last kick of the game, courtesy of another Onana error.

The ball fell to Georges Mikautadze inside the box and his shot was parried by United's number one straight into the path of Rayan Cherki, who made no mistake from close range, ensuring the game ended 2-2.

Nemanja Matic's Post After Andre Onana's Mistakes Goes Viral

The Serbian was involved in a social media spat with Onana ahead of the game

Onana's performance was even more significant given he was involved in a big spat with Lyon midfielder Nemanja Matic ahead of the game. The war of words started when Onana claimed that United were 'way better' than Lyon.

That irked the former United midfielder, who responded by claiming that Onana should be careful with what he says as he is 'one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United history'.

“If you are one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United history, you need to take care what you are talking [about]. If David de Gea or Peter Schmeichel or Edwin van der Sar said that, then I would question myself. But if you are, statistically, one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United’s modern history, he needs to show that before he says. So, we will see.”

Onana was quick to respond to Matic's words as he mocked him for failing to win a trophy during his time at United. He wrote: "At least I’ve lifted trophies with the greatest club in the world. Some can’t say the same."

It was Matic who got the last laugh, though. The 36-year-old, who was an unused substitute for the match at Parc Olympique Lyonnais, took to social media after the match and his post has gone viral. He posted an image of his son with a plethora of United shirts, including that of their third-choice goalkeeper Tom Heaton.

While the shirts in the picture all belonged to Matic's ex-teammates at United, football fans have interpreted the post as a way of hitting back at United's number one, given his son was posing next to Heaton's shirt and not Onana's.

"Elite-tier hating", one wrote, while another said: "Noted, never disrespect Matic." A fan stated: "Top tier hating here. Game's back", while another claimed: "Matic is an even better hater than footballer, and he was one of the world's best in his prime."

United will welcome Lyon to Old Trafford for the second leg on Thursday April 17. Onana, if he is picked, will no doubt be looking to prove his critics wrong and turn in a much, much better performance.

- James Stroud

FORMULA 1 TEAMS' SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS

 

MARTIN BRUNDLE TAKES AIM AT ELON MUSK

 

DRAYA MICHELLE AND HER 22-YEAR OLD SON POP OUT TO SUPPORT JAKEN GREEN

Draya Michele and her 22-year-old, Kniko Howard, recently attended a Houston Rockets game to support her man, Jalen Green— who’s also 22—reigniting their controversial age-gap relationship.

Photos and video of the mother-son moment surfaced on Sunday (Jan. 5) while attending the Lakers vs. Rockets game in Houston.

Criticism set social media ablaze. One user tweeted, “This is just sick.. Taking advantage of that young man.. You couldn’t secure a retired athlete or a coach? Jalen is the same age as your son.”

Another commented, “I’d be so embarrassed to have her as a mom.”

There were some who defended the mother of three. “Lol I mean I dated a woman who’s son was my age, it be like that,” the person tweeted, adding, “Bro a grown man, he fine. His mom’s grown, her dude grown lol. I was hype grabbing a milf at the time too and I ain’t have M’s.”

Draya, being 17 years older than Jalen, has already spoken up amid backlash from their relationship.

“We try to stay off the internet and really listen to that kind of stuff,” said the reality TV star to TMZ back in June. Green chimed in, stating, “We also don’t care.”

She added, “We block it out and we mind our business. I don’t know what people’s problem is. Two adults being in love, I don’t know why that would rub people the wrong way. It’s kind of weird. Love is love at the end of the day.”

The two welcomed their daughter, whose name has not been shared, last May.

- Mya Abraham

LAKERS STAR LEBRON JAMES SAYS HE'S TAKING SOCIAL MEDIA BREAK

LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James says he's taking a break from social media.

The NBA's all-time leading scorer and Los Angeles Lakers star posted on X and Instagram on Wednesday to announce that he's stepping away from his pages. James has 159 million followers on Instagram, 52.9 million on X.

James started the farewell by reposting something that Rich Kleiman, Kevin Durant's longtime manager, posted to X on Oct. 24.

"We can all acknowledge that sports is the last part of society that universally brings people together. So why can't the coverage do the same?" Kleiman wrote that day. "It's only click bait when you say it. When the platform is so big, you can make the change and allow us all an escape from real life negativity. I for one find it all a waste of breath."

James, on Instagram, posted a screengrab of Kleiman's post and added the caption, "Amen!!" and then below it wrote, "Damn shame what it's come to!" On X, his repost of Kleiman simply said, "AMEN!!"

Kleiman has posted only a handful of times since his Oct. 24 post, and evidently, James isn't planning to post much -- or anything -- until further notice.

His announcement came one day after he said "everybody on the internet called me a liar all the time" when he said he was watching Dalton Knecht's college games last year at Tennessee -- long before the Lakers drafted the sharpshooting guard.

"And with that said I'll holla at y'all! Getting off social media for the time being. Y'all take care," James posted, followed by emojis of a hand holding up two fingers -- often symbolizing someone leaving a place -- and a crown, a nod to his "King James" moniker.

James, who will turn 40 next month and is the NBA's oldest active player, is a four-time NBA champion and a three-time Olympic gold medalist, the most recent of those coming earlier this year at the Paris Games.

The Lakers are 10-4, winners of six straight and next play Thursday at home against Orlando.

- Associated Press 

A BILLION FANS | CRISTIANO RONALDO

 

CRISTIAN RONALDO CELEBRATES 1 BILLION SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS

Cristiano Ronaldo on Thursday thanked his supporters after reaching the milestone of 1 billion social media followers across all platforms.

The Al Nassr captain has 638 million followers on Instagram, 170m on Facebook and 113m on X.

He recently launched his YouTube channel, "UR · Ronaldo," that became the fastest channel to hit 1 million subscribers on the platform and has now reached over 60 million.

"We've made history -- 1 BILLION followers! This is more than just a number -- it's a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond," Ronaldo wrote on Instagram.

"From the streets of Madeira to the biggest stages in the world, I've always played for my family and for you, and now 1 billion of us stand together.

"You've been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey, and together, we've shown that there are no limits to what we can achieve. Thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life."

Ronaldo, 39, this month became the first men's player in history to score 900 goals in official matches.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner said: "The best is yet to come, and we'll keep pushing, winning, and making history together."

- Adriana Garcia

COPA AMÉRICA FINAL START DELAYED AFTER FANS RUSH GATES

Police put a man in handcuffs after fans rushed the gates at Hard Rock Stadium ahead of the Copa final. Getty Images

 MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The start time for the final of the 2024 Copa América between Argentina and Colombia was delayed for over 75 minutes on Sunday following a security breach in which fans broke through one of the main entry gates.

The game, which was originally scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET, kicked off at 9:22 p.m., and after 120 minutes of regular and extra time Argentina pulled out a 1-0 victory to win the Copa América -- their third consecutive major tournament title and a record 16th trophy in the South American tournament.

The delays before kickoff began when, earlier in the day, video on social media showed fans breaking through the southwest gate at Hard Rock Stadium, with some being tackled or otherwise apprehended by police and security personnel. A security guard manning an interior entrance to the stadium confirmed to ESPN that the southwest gate at the venue had been locked down because of a breach.

Both teams were taken off the field during their respective warmups as the chaos brewed outside.

The stadium briefly went on lockdown, before Hard Rock Stadium issued the following statement: "In anticipation of tonight's Copa America Final, thousands of fans without tickets attempted to forcibly enter the stadium, putting other fans, security and law enforcement officers at extreme risk. Security has shut the gates in order to control the entry process at a much slower rate and ensure everyone is kept safe.

"As a result, tonight's match start time has been delayed until further notice to accommodate for ticketed fans to be able to safely enter the stadium."

Organizers ultimately reopened gates to allow fans to enter the stadium as people at the front of lines were beginning to get crushed by those in behind them. A Hard Rock Stadium spokesperson told reporters: "In collaboration with CONMEBOL and law enforcement officers, the decision was made to open the stadium gates for a short period of time to all fans in order to prevent stampedes and serious injury at the perimeter. There was serious concern of fans being crushed in an attempt to enter."

Earlier in the day an officer for the Miami-Dade Police Department told ESPN that all gates were locked down after the initial rush of fans, while another officer said it kept changing, describing the situation as "very fluid."

Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister's mother Silvina said she needed her son's assistance to enter the stadium and described the situation outside as "inhumane." She said the two were in constant communication as Mac Allister waited in a Hard Rock Stadium tunnel to assist his family inside.

"Alexis had to leave the locker room to help us get in because he was worried. I thought [the game] couldn't continue," she said in a post on social media. "I thought the game wouldn't be played because if the players thought they would resolve this, impossible that it would be played. It was inhumane. We are okay.

"We were in communication with Alexis the whole time, but he said he would stay outside until we would come in. he waited for us until we came in. We hugged him once inside, left him to be calm and told him to win."

Reports said that an estimated 7,000 people without tickets gained entry to the stadium, and prior to kickoff, fans were crowding the aisles and walkways. Security personnel were seen clearing those areas once the game had begun and checking to see if fans without seats had tickets.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and chief public safety officer James Reyes released a statement during the game expressing outrage at what they had seen and saying the county assigned more than 550 police officers to the stadium detail, plus other personnel from neighboring departments.

"Let's be clear: This situation should have never taken place and cannot happen again," read the statement. "We will work with stadium leadership to ensure that a full review of tonight's events takes place immediately to evaluate the full chain of events, in order to put in place needed protocols and policies for all future games."

The Miami-Dade Police issued the following statement after the initial lockdown of the stadium occurred: "We have had several incidents prior to the gates opening at Hard Rock Stadium for the COPA America final game. These incidents have been a result of the unruly behavior of fans trying to access the stadium.

"We are asking everyone to be patient, and abide by the rules set by our officers and Hard Rock Stadium personnel."

Video and images taken by ESPN showed fans crowding around the southwest gate waiting to be let in. Fans have been congregating at Hard Rock Stadium since well before the planned kickoff at 8 p.m. ET, with one parking lot attendant saying he had been called to work early given that fans started to arrive as early as 6 a.m.

A handful of people could be seen receiving medical treatment and asking for water in the sweltering South Florida heat. Officers were able to push the crowd behind black gates and lock down the entrance so that no one could get inside, although plenty of fans had already made it to their seats before then.

A sellout crowd of more than 65,000 was expected for the championship match of the South American tournament, with Argentina looking to defend its title.

It was unclear which of the fans who gained entrance during the rush had tickets to the match. CONMEBOL, South America's governing body, released a statement a day before warning that fans must have tickets to enter the venue.

The Copa América has been plagued by organizational and planning issues almost from the moment the tournament started, with teams complaining about field conditions, field sizes, the state of training fields, as well as crowd control issues.

At the conclusion of Wednesday's semifinal when Colombia beat Uruguay, Uruguayan players Darwin Núñez and Ronald Araújo went into the stands at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, when they thought family members were in danger from opposition fans.

ESPN writer Lizzy Becherano contributed to this story, while information from The Associated Press was also used.

- Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondent

WIMBLEDON IS MONITORING SOCIAL MEDIA TO TRY TO PROTECT PLAYER'S FROM.CYBER BULLYING

 LONDON (AP) — The All England Club is monitoring social media to try to help protect players at Wimbledon from cyberbullying for the first time this year.

“This is not something you’ll see in the public domain at all. You won't see us shout about it. But effectively, we are scrolling social media for any of this type of content, and it means that we can get information that we haven't had in the past. We’re not just relying on what the player might be saying has happened to them,” tournament director Jamie Baker said Friday. “Also, if there is something that is of concern, that’s when our security (team) … can help do something about it.”

Baker said the new initiative is similar to what the French Tennis Federation did during the French Open last year, when it began paying a company to provide players with software that uses artificial intelligence to block negative comments.

“Tennis is doing a lot more of this now, so I think in general, for the athletes, it’s really positive that we’re taking this step,” said Baker, a former player.

He said AI plays a role in the All England Club's efforts in this area, but people also are involved in keeping an eye on what's being directed at competitors online during the two-week Grand Slam tournament that finishes on July 14.

Players can opt in for the service and choose to have full scans of what is being posted on social media. Messages can include anger expressed by gamblers who lost money on a particular match, racist comments and even sometimes rise to the level of death threats, players say.

“The basis of it is if they’ve got anything that we think is a concern or worth flagging, ultimately, it's engaging with the player," Baker said. "The benefit of having it is, you do have the ability to ... officially register what's going on."

After a discussion with the player, the tournament could reach out to the police, if deemed necessary, although Baker declined to say whether that has happened yet.

“I guess, if it got to a point where there was any type of criminal activity,” law enforcement authorities would be brought in, Baker said, adding: “But that would be out of our hands. We'd obviously pass that on. ... But we’re not obviously stepping in and becoming the police.”

- HOWARD FENDRICH

YESJULZ BREAKS SILENCE ON LEBRON JAMES CHEATING RUMOURS

 Social media influencer YesJulz, whose real name is Julieanna Goddard, finally addressed the 2014 rumors claiming she and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James were sexually involved.

Goddard, 33, released a video debunking multiple rumors regarding her, including that she had an affair with the married James.

"I have never in my entire life been alone with LeBron James," Goddard said, "Period. ... Clearly we were friends, I was working in Miami I was one of the most popular party goers and throwers in Miami."

She went on to state that her love interest at the time was one of James' NBA buddies. Goddard did not give any more details regarding the identity of that player.

The social media influencer revealed her friendship with James has not continued, but are still amicable.

ICE CUBE'S SON MOVES TO DEFEND LEBRON JAMES AND BRONNY JAMES

LAPRESSE

LeBron James experienced a surge of emotions as he witnessed his son, Bronny James, make his debut for USC, marking a triumphant return to the court just five months after a cardiac arrest.

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NBA SUSPENDS JA MORANT 25 OVER ALLEGED FIREARM VIDEO

 

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The National Basketball Association (NBA) has suspended Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant 25 games without pay after finding he "intentionally and prominently" displayed a firearm in a live-streamed video on May 13.

The two-time All-Star was previously suspended for eight games in March after he appeared in another social media video holding a firearm at a nightclub.

The Grizzlies suspended Morant from team activities in May over the latest incident, in which he appeared to pose with a firearm in a car, conduct that the NBA found to be "detrimental to the league."

"Ja Morant's decision to once again wield a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting given his similar conduct in March for which he was already suspended eight games," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.

"The potential for other young people to emulate Ja's conduct is particularly concerning.

"Under these circumstances, we believe a suspension of 25 games is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behaviour with guns will not be tolerated."

Morant took accountability for his actions last month and released another statement after the suspension was announced, apologising to the NBA, the Grizzlies and the city of Memphis.

"I'm sorry for the harm I've done. To the kids who look up to me, I'm sorry for failing you as a role model. I promise I'm going to be better," Morant said in a statement reported by ESPN.

"To all of my sponsors, I'm going to be a better representation of our brands. And to all of my fans, I'm going to make it up to you, I promise.

"I'm spending the off-season and my suspension continuing to work on my own mental health and decision making. I'm also going to be training so that I'm ready to go when I can be back... I'm so sorry I won't be out there with you (team mates) at the beginning of the season."

The suspension was effectively immediately and remains in effect through the first 25 games of the 2023-24 NBA regular season.

- Reuters