Sports
Kylian "Mobutu" Mbappé: 'Les Bleus' embrace the trend at the World Cup

#WorldCup2026: AI-generated videos of French captain Kylian #Mbappé dressed as a #dictator and giving orders to his teammates have taken over social media – a joke which the French team have embraced by nicknaming Mbappé “Mobut”, in reference to the dictator #Mobutu Sese Seko.
Sports
How a PXG iron fitting led to unexpected gains
When I walked into my PXG iron fitting, I wasn’t expecting to replace the irons in my bag. In fact, it was the first club fitting I’d ever gone into genuinely happy with my current set. But still, I was curious to see whether they could actually outperform the clubs I already trusted.
The fitting started with a question from GOLF’s Johnny Wunder that set the tone of the session:
“What’s the miss that scares you the most?”
For me, it’s the big slice that creeps into my game every now and then. Nothing rattles my confidence faster than watching my shot peel off to the right. As we talked through my tendencies, my fitter explained that the goal of the session wasn’t to chase the occasional perfect shot — it was to make my misses look more like my good shots, both in distance and dispersion.
We started with PXG’s 0311T GEN8 irons in a configuration close to my current setup, pairing the head with a slightly heavier shaft and neutral weighting. It only took a few swings to notice a difference. Right off the bat, my ball speeds jumped, my carry distance increased, my launch window came down and I still had plenty of stopping power into the green.
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The added distance was impressive, but the forgiveness was what really stood out. Shots struck low on the face maintained more ball speed than I expected, flew nearly their full distance, and stayed on line enough to keep me within scoring distance.
From there, we began dialing in the weighting. By adding more mass to the heel, we introduced a slight draw bias that offset my tendency to leave the face open. These weren’t dramatic changes, but they made a noticeable difference. I watched as my dispersion tightened, my start lines became more consistent and my misses finished in better spots.
We also compared the 0311T GEN8 against PXG’s Players option (0311P GEN8). At address, the two looked remarkably similar, with the Players iron offering just a touch more offset. Both performed well, but the T consistently produced a tighter dispersion and more predictable start lines, making it the clear winner.
By the end of the session, we landed on a blended set: 0311T GEN8 irons from 6-iron through pitching wedge, a 0311P GEN8 5-iron, lofts bent one degree stronger, SteelFiber 95 shafts, and a heel-biased weight setup built specifically for my swing.
When I walked into the fitting, I wondered if PXG could outperform a set of irons I already loved, and now I had my answer.
The biggest difference wasn’t the extra ball speed or even the added length — it was the confidence this set of irons gave me. My good swings were rewarded, but more importantly, my mishits were no longer at risk of wrecking my rounds.
Sports
UEFA won’t use FIFA red card rule for mouth-covering in Champions League
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FIFA introduced a wild rule for this year’s World Cup in which players could receive red cards for covering their mouths while speaking; however, one of soccer’s largest governing bodies will not be following suit.
FIFA established the new rule to prevent players from hiding abusive, discriminatory or offensive language while on the field.
But the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) announced Thursday that players will not be sent off the field for the infraction during Champions League, Europa League and Conference League matches next season.
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Miguel Almiron of Paraguay reacts after receiving a red card for covering his mouth while talking to another player during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between Türkiye and Paraguay in Santa Clara, California, on June 19, 2026. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
UEFA did say, however, that players could receive a yellow card if they are “attempting to conceal communication as an act of unsporting behaviour.”
“This is obviously without prejudice to any disciplinary investigation or proceedings that may follow as a consequence of or in connection with such behaviour,” a statement said.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino pushed for changes after Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni tried to hide verbal insults toward Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior in a Champions League match. Soccer’s rulemaking panel, the International Football Association Board, agreed that players can be penalized with a red card if they cover their mouths when verbally confronting another player.

Piero Hincapie of Ecuador (R) covers his mouth while arguing with Santiago Gimenez of Mexico (L) during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 32 match between Mexico and Ecuador at Mexico City Stadium on June 30, 2026, in Mexico City, Mexico. (Martín Fonseca/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
FORMER TEAM USA STAR WANTS TO SEE RED CARD RULE CHANGE AFTER FOLARIN BALOGUN CONTROVERSY
The rule is not mandatory within the Laws of the Game but gives tournament organizers like FIFA the option to use it at their discretion.
The rule change was unanimously approved by IFAB, which includes officials from FIFA and the four British soccer federations, at a special meeting ahead of the FIFA Congress. FIFA’s proposal followed Vinícius, backed by Real Madrid teammate Kylian Mbappé, accusing Prestianni of making a racially charged insult while raising his jersey to cover his mouth during the game in February.
Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron and Piero Hincapie of Ecuador are the only players to be red-carded for mouth-covering.

Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic expels Ecuador’s defender Piero Hincapie during the 2026 World Cup Round of 32 football match between Mexico and Ecuador at the Mexico City Stadium in Mexico City on June 30, 2026. (Yuri Cortex / AFP via Getty Images)
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If a player is shown a red card by an official, the player is ejected from the match and must serve a one-game suspension in the following match. The team is also forced to play the remainder of the match with 10 players.
OutKick’s Matt Reigle and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Sports
Lakers interested in Andre Drummond, Jonas Valanciunas, Kevon Looney
Shams Charania: The Lakers will now focus on finding Walker Kessler's backup on the market — with centers such as Andre Drummond, Jonas Valanciunas and Kevon Looney among those being considered, sources said. The Wizards took a patient approach to the start of free agency and now land a durable, reliable center to join Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr in the frontcourt.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Lakers interested in Andre Drummond, Jonas Valanciunas, Kevon Looney
Sports
One free throw rule coming to NBA Summer League after G League test
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A major experiment will be going on during this year’s NBA Summer League.
The NBA announced Thursday that the “one free throw rule” will be used at the Summer League events happening this month in Salt Lake City, Northern California and Las Vegas.
The G League has used this rule since the 2019-20 season, which is designed to speed up play.
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Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks shoots a free throw during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. (Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
Any foul that would typically result in the awarding of one, two or three free throws will instead result in a single free-throw attempt. That attempt will be worth the same total number of points as the free throws it replaces.
The rule doesn’t apply to the entire game, though. Standard free-throw rules — two shots for a two-shot foul, etc. — will be used for the last two minutes of fourth quarters and in all of overtime.

Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs takes a foul shot against the New York Knicks in Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 10, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) ((Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images))
It’s unclear whether the one-free-throw rule will make it into NBA games, but similar to the minor and independent leagues and Major League Baseball, the Summer League has been a proving ground for eventual rule changes.
Among those that started at those levels and eventually got to the NBA are the coach’s challenge, resetting the 24-second shot clock to 14 seconds after offensive rebounds and the one-shot award for a transition take foul — which is when a defender intentionally commits a foul to halt a transition opportunity for the opposition.

Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots a free throw during the first half of Game 4 against the New York Knicks in the second round of the NBA playoffs in Philadelphia on May 10, 2026. (Matt Slocum/AP)
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The G League also plays 10-minute quarters, something NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has openly advocated for. The league once tested 11-minute quarters in a preseason game, while exhibition games prior to the “bubble” in 2020 used 10-minute quarters.
The Summer League begins on July 9.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Sports
At the Letters: Blue Jays mid-season vibe check
After a series win over the Mets, it’s time for a mid-season vibe check. Sam McKee joins Ben Nicholson-Smith to talk about the state of the Jays, Bo Bichette’s return and what happens next.
Sports
Toronto Tempo finding fans all across Canada in first season
TORONTO — The WNBA’s decision to make Toronto the home of its first international team is going well.
Tempo fans can be found across Canada. The expansion team could break the WNBA single-game attendance record next week. Not in Toronto, however, but around 550 kilometres east in Montreal.
On the opening leg of their Cross Canada Series, the Tempo are playing two games at Montreal’s Bell Centre, which holds 22,114 for basketball. A capacity crowd could top the WNBA playoff attendance record of 22,076.
In August, the series heads west for two games in Vancouver.
“We’ve put the work in and we’re continuing to get better every game, so I think the support is going to continue,” said Tempo guard Marina Mabrey. “It’s very inspiring to see this kind of hype and energy around it in Canada. It kind of motivates you to do better every single night.”
The Tempo have two home games before playing Dallas July 10 in Montreal. They have been giving fans much to be excited about. Toronto is one game under .500, with a 9-10 record, thanks in part to the scoring of Mabrey, who is having an All-Star calibre season averaging 21.2 points a game, third-best third in the WNBA.
Mabrey made headlines when she matched the WNBA scoring record with a 53-point performance in a June 25 win over Los Angeles. With the trip to Quebec coming up, she’s looking forward to scoring more points and making fresh fans in a brand new city.
“I haven’t been to Montreal, so I’m excited to see who shows up for that and for us,” Mabrey said.
Guard Kia Nurse is the lone Canadian on the Toronto roster and she expects a great turnout for the team that features players from eight different countries and is led by an Australian coach — two-time WNBA champion Sandy Brondello.
Nurse’s unofficial duties with the Tempo have included using her local knowledge to help her teammates adjust to their Canadian home.
“Early in the season, there were a lot of conversations around the most simple things,” Nurse said. “I’ve tried to help them with anything that’s different, even from the beginning when we got here, they were looking for CVS. I’m like, you want Shoppers Drug Mart. What are the grocery stores? OK, this one is near your house.”
Now that the Tempo have the basics figured out, Nurse said she’s seen her teammates learning something else, too.
“I think what everybody’s really starting to understand is how unique it is to play in a Canadian city and be the only Canadian team in the entire country, the same way the Raptors and Blue Jays are,” Nurse said. “We’re not on national television all the time in the U.S., but we are on national television every single game here in Canada, and that makes a difference, being able to reach people and get more love and excitement about women’s basketball. When we go to Montreal and when we go to Vancouver, the fans will fill out arenas.”
Brondello, who was a WNBA All-Star as a player, said she has received messages of support from Canadian basketball fans far beyond Toronto.
“We are Canada’s team, and we actually do feel it,” Brondello said. “One of the reasons I took this job is because it was a new challenge in a whole new country, and we had this unique opportunity to grow the game even bigger here.
“The WNBA is a real movement at the moment, the last few years,” Brondello said. “I’ve been part of this for 27 of the 30 years, so I’ve seen the evolution from when I played in the early, early days to how it is now, and there’s a sense of pride to see that. Women’s sport is so much more talked about than just a decade ago, five years ago. It’s our time now, and Canada gets to see that.”
As much as Mabrey is inspired by the prospect of a record crowd in Montreal, she also sees a bigger picture for her sport.
“Honestly, this is for all of women’s basketball,” Mabrey said. ’There’s so many players who have sacrificed time, money, themselves for us to be in this position now. It’s only right that when we get a fan base like that, that they’ve been working so many years for, that we go and we do it right and we put on a show, both teams.”
Sports
Naomi Osaka reaches Wimbledon last 16 for first time

Naomi Osaka of Japan celebrates winning the third round women’s singles match against Daria Kasatkina of Australia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 3, 2026.(AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
LONDON–Japan’s Naomi Osaka ended her long wait to reach the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time with a 6-1, 6-3 win against Australian Daria Kasatkina on Friday.
Osaka has caused a stir at Wimbledon with her eye-catching outfits, but the 28-year-old is finally stealing the spotlight with her performances as well.
After advancing no further than the third round in her five previous main draw appearances at the All England Club, Osaka finally made it to the last 16 with a dominant display on Court One.
She needed just 65 minutes to dispatch Kasatkina, setting up a fourth-round clash against world number one Aryna Sabalenka or former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.
“I’m really happy. In my career I’d never won on this court. I’m just glad to have made a really good memory here,” Osaka said.
“I’ve played a lot of matches on grass over the last few weeks. I’m feeling really confident. I hope I’m able to get further and further.”
Osaka’s habit of wearing haute couture costumes on to court before removing them to play in her usual tennis attire has been the talk of Wimbledon.
She earned headlines with a kimono-inspired outfit prior to her first-round match and wore a long wedding-dress train for the second round.
And once again she struck a pose with her latest creation — an all-white layered Japanese ceremonial-style kimono — before facing Kasatkina.
The outfit, by Tokyo fashion designer Hana Yagi, featured cherry blossoms in another nod to her native Japan.
She also wore a jelly-fish themed dress at the Australian Open this year and an Eiffel Tower-inspired costume at the recent French Open.
Osaka’s tennis has been as memorable as her cat-walk moments.
She reached her maiden final on grass at Bad-Homburg in June but was forced to retire in the second set with an injured ankle.
Osaka has maintained that grass-court excellence in south-west London, raising the prospect of a genuine challenge for her first Wimbledon title.
The four-time Grand Slam champion cruised to straight-sets wins over Elsa Jacquemot and Anastasia Gasanova before routing Kasatkina.
Osaka, the 14th seed, had only reached the last 16 at a Grand Slam twice since winning the Australian Open in 2021.
Having lost to Sabalenka in the fourth round of the French Open in June, Osaka is rounding into form just in time for a potential revenge mission against the Belarusian.
She was far too strong for world number 65 Kasatkina, whose ranking has slumped over the past 18 months due to poor form while she battled with a nagging hip injury.
Sports
The real story behind the Triple Diamond
Sports
João Fonseca stunned by qualifier Roman Safiullin

Russia’s Roman Safiullin (R) is congratulated by Brazil’s Joao Fonseca for winning their men’s singles third round tennis match on the fifth day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 3, 2026. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)
LONDON— Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin wiped away tears after beating Brazilian rising star João Fonseca 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon on Friday.
Safiullin, ranked No. 132, dealt with a knee injury last year but this week has eliminated two seeded opponents at the All England Club. He surprised 12th-seeded Andrey Rublev in the first round. Fonseca was seeded No. 24.
The 28-year-old Safiullin, a Wimbledon quarterfinalist in 2023, became emotional when he described his journey back.
“After the U.S. Open, I had to stop — for treating my injury,” he said in an on-court interview. “That time was super tough. Even let’s say half a year ago I didn’t know if I will be able to be back.”
Safiullin then paused and used his shirt to wipe away tears as fans applauded on No. 2 Court.
“I’m super happy to be back here,” he added.
Safiullin will face either Novak Djokovic or Arthur Rinderknech for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Djokovic and Rinderknech were playing on Centre Court. Later, defending champion Jannik Sinner faces Jenson Brooksby of the United States on No. 1 Court.
In the women’s draw, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka plays Jelena Ostapenko later on Centre Court.
Sports
‘It’s not straightforward’: Team India coach sends clear message on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s debut | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: India bowling coach Morne Morkel has made it clear that the team management will continue to back openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, despite growing calls for 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to make his international debut.Sooryavanshi has been one of the biggest talking points since being picked for India’s T20I squads against Ireland and England following his sensational IPL season. While Abhishek has scored a half-century and a 49 in his last three innings on the ongoing UK tour, Samson has struggled, managing scores of 5, 0 and 1.Even so, Morkel said the team believes in showing faith in players who have already delivered for India.“I think we just need to respect the fact that we’ve got the number one batter, or we had our number one batter in T20 cricket, Abhishek Sharma. You know, Sanju was the player of the World Cup,” Morkel said on the eve of the second T20I against England.“He (Samson) had a great IPL. So, I think as a coaching staff, it’s only fair to show faith and back your players. Yes, there’s a young man knocking on the door and it’s exciting. But I reckon for not just those two players at the top, but for the rest of the group, it’s a good sign that we show that we back you guys,” he said.
‘We don’t want to bat players out of position’
Morkel said selecting the playing XI is not simply about bringing in a new player. He stressed that the coaching staff also wants to avoid changing players’ batting positions.“In a day, it’s about putting performances on the board. That is the key. But we also don’t want to think too much and bat other players out of positions. So, I reckon it’s not straightforward, Ok, let’s play (Sooryavanshi).“It’s a matter of backing some of the guys who’ve won World Cups, who’ve done really well for you in tough situations, and then also from there, build and see how we can structure and make our top order as good as possible in these conditions,” he explained.
‘When he gets an opportunity, he’ll be ready’
Although Morkel did not reveal when Sooryavanshi could make his India debut, he praised the teenager for settling into the dressing room quickly.He also said the youngster has impressed everyone during training despite being only 15 years old.“I think he’s filled in very, very well. You know, I think if you follow the boys on Instagram, there’s already a lot of photos being posted, with him especially. At the nets as a 15-year-old at the international stage, it can be intimidating.“But, I think just the couple of nets we’ve had, it’s been very impressive. And, you know, we’re all excited to see how he goes. When he gets an opportunity, I’m pretty sure he’ll be ready. But in terms of coming into the squad and fitting in, it’s been very smooth,” he said.
Morkel praises Prince Yadav
The former South Africa fast bowler also had words of praise for young pacer Prince Yadav, who has taken six wickets in his first three international matches.Morkel revealed that he had worked with Prince during his time with the Lucknow Super Giants and had noticed his talent even then.“I was quite lucky to work with Prince while I was with Lucknow Super Giants. Prince at the time was a net bowler and there he was already marked as somebody who was highly skilled. I’m just blown away by how calm he keeps things.“I think he’s also a guy who is always looking for ways to improve his game. But at the end of the day, it’s about execution. If we talk about death bowling and that middle phase, how he reads the play, what decisions he makes under pressure and then executing that, for me, it’s great to see,” he noted.
Harshit Rana impresses after injury
Morkel also praised fast bowler Harshit Rana, saying it was encouraging to see him bowl with intensity after returning from an injury layoff.With the second T20I against England set to be played at Old Trafford, the India team management appears ready to continue backing its experienced players, while keeping a close eye on exciting youngsters like Sooryavanshi for future opportunities.
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