Ukrainian officials are poised to boycott the upcoming Milano Cortina Paralympics next month, protesting the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes competing under their national flags.

Ukraine‘s Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi confirmed on Wednesday that while Ukrainian athletes will still take part in the 6-15 March games, no official representatives from Ukraine will attend the opening ceremony or any other event.

It comes after the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) decision on Tuesday, which cleared a combined total of 10 para-athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete. Six slots have been handed to Russia and four to Belarus.

It will mark the first time a Russian flag has been flown at the Paralympics since the 2014 games in Sochi, Russia. The country’s athletes were initially banned because of a state-sponsored doping program, and the sanctions against Russia have continued since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Should a Paralympic athlete win gold, it will be the first time the Russian anthem has been played on the stage of a major global sporting event since the invasion.

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The IPC statement reads: “The IPC can confirm that NPC Russia has been awarded a total of six slots: two in Para alpine skiing (one male, one female), two in Para cross-country skiing (one male, one female), and two in Para snowboard (both male).

“NPC Belarus, has been awarded four slots in total, all in cross-country skiing (one male and three female).”

IPC President Andrew Parsons claimed in November that there would be no athletes from those countries at the Milan Cortina Games because the sports’ governing bodies had maintained their bans.

The following month, an appeal from Russia saw the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturn a blanket ban imposed by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation – paving the way for Russians to compete as neutral athletes at the 2026 Olympics, and with their own flag and anthem at the Paralympics.

Tuesday’s announcement stands as another indicator that Russia and its national identity will be fully restored in Olympic circles well ahead of the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

The NBA All-Star break did not end well for Charlotte Hornets star guard LaMelo Ball. He crashed his custom Hummer in the city Wednesday.

Video footage obtained by WSOC-TV captured the moment when Ball’s vehicle smashed into a gray sedan heading straight while he was attempting to make a left turn.

Ball’s Hummer, which was wrapped in a camouflage pattern, continued to roll slowly as the sedan remained in the video’s frame. There was clear damage to both vehicles.

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LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets drives by Paul Reed of the Detroit Pistons during the second half of a basketball game at Spectrum Center on Feb. 9, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (David Jensen/Getty Images)

The Hummer lost its driver’s front side wheel in the accident, and the Kia had considerable front-end damage.

Ball exited his vehicle with no apparent injuries, while the status of the sedan driver is unknown.

Ball stayed at the site of the crash while both vehicles were getting towed. WSOC-TV reported that he left when someone in a Lamborghini picked him up.

Ball’s custom Hummer isn’t going to be cheap to fix.

LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets, right, drives by Nickeil Alexander-Walker of the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Spectrum Center Feb. 11, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (David Jensen/Getty Images)

Dreamworks Motorsports worked hard on Ball’s 2022 Hummer EV Edition 1, adding large custom wheels with orange rims that said “1 of 1” on the inside.

The design replicated his signature Puma basketball shoe.

It’s been a vehicle Ball has used frequently in Charlotte since Dreamworks Motorsports finished it for him.

It will need to be back in the body shop for some work after the accident.

LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets reacts during the first half against the Detroit Pistons at Spectrum Center Feb. 9, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (David Jensen/Getty Images)

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The Hornets return to play the second half of the NBA season Thursday, taking on the Houston Rockets at home.

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Eddie Hearn has hit back at Dana White’s most recent dig as the war of words between the two men continues.

Matchroom chief Hearn and UFC CEO White had been on good terms prior to White’s entry into boxing, but the pair have gone back and forth in recent weeks after Zuffa began staging their own events.

During a press conference on Sunday following his third fight night, White claimed the Matchroom chairman has no vision and was simply just working for his father, Barry Hearn, who started the company back in 1982.

Whilst speaking to The Stomping Ground, Eddie has now had his say, first responding to White’s suggestion that he lacks foresight.

“It’s very strange because I’ve got to be honest with you, I wouldn’t say up my ar**, but Dana has always been so complimentary about us a company and me as a promoter, but to say I don’t have any vision is really quite strange.

“Right now when you talk about Zuffa or whatever it’s called, when you talk about their vision, what’s their vision? Getting Max Kellerman to tell everyone that Callum Walsh is the next Roy Jones or putting Charles Martin on a headline show on a Sunday night in front of 126 people in your garage on a ring that looks like you’ve just got it out of a local club show. I mean, what sort of f**king vision is that?

“Or better still, here’s a belt and it’s Zuffa, look at the vision. That’s not vision, that’s control. The reality is, when he says we can’t compete, they can’t compete in this cut throat world of boxing because it’s a horrible world and they don’t want to compete. They want to create their own world.”

Hearn then compared his own events to that of Zuffa’s, delivering a damning verdict on what White has produced so far.

“At the moment, when you compare Matchroom shows to Zuffa show, quite frankly, Zuffa shows are absolute complete dogs**t. They’re going to get better and they’re going to sign some big fighters and spunk some money and waste some money.

“I’ve said it before, they’re clever people, but right now they’re trying to manipulate fight fans and they don’t understand how intelligent fight fans are when it comes to boxing. You can’t create these cards and tell everyone it’s the best vs the best because quite frankly it’s not.”

The British promoter, who promoted his first major card in 2011, finished by addressing the comments made by White earlier in the week about Eddie just working for his father, Barry.

“The reality is yes, I do work for my dad. But guess what? Dana White has worked for his daddy for a long time, the Fertitta Brothers. That’s who he worked for, and right now, Dana White has got a new daddy, and his name is Turki Alalshikh. He is Dana White’s papi.

“It took him a nanosecond to get personal, and that’s because right now he’s at the bottom of the pile in terms of quality as a boxing promoter but as I keep saying, they’re a good operation and they will get better.”

It certainly appears that any hopes of seeing the two men reconcile are quickly fading, and it shouldn’t take White long to respond to the latest comments from Hearn.

Saad Bin Zafar has had an inspiring journey (Photos from Instagram)

NEW DELHI: In 2004, T20 cricket was still an idea waiting to happen. The shortest format, which today commands prime-time slots, billions in franchise cricket, biennial World Cup events, and the ICC’s most-reliable route to globalise the game, had not yet been played at the international level.That same year, a 17-year-old Saad Bin Zafar moved from Gujranwala in Pakistan to Canada. Cricket was not the reason for the move. Education was.“When we moved to Canada in the beginning, the sole reason was for me to get a good education,” Saad told TimesofIndia.com during an exclusive interaction. “My parents, especially my dad, used to tell me to focus on my studies, ‘play cricket but don’t let your studies affect you. That’s the sole reason we decided to move you to Canada.’ So, there was some pressure from my family.”

Two decades later, Saad is Canada’s most experienced campaigner in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 and their leading wicket-taker with four wickets.And as his team prepares to play Afghanistan in their final match of the tournament on Thursday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, the 39-year-old has just one ambition: “To give our best and show our potential.”A late start to ‘serious’ cricketFor the 1989-born, cricket was a pastime in Pakistan, rather than a serious pursuit.“I didn’t play a lot of club cricket in Pakistan. I played school cricket. I didn’t have in mind that I would take up cricket as a career,” he said.After moving to Canada, he joined the University of Toronto and completed a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration there.

Canada’s Saad Bin Zafar, left, celebrates the wicket of New Zealand’s Tim Seifert (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Cricket initially fit around his studies. He would play club cricket in Toronto’s Super 9 league before making his debut for Canada in 2008.However, the early years were filled with inconsistency.“From 2008 to 2015, I was on and off in the team. I used to be picked and then dropped,” he added. “I was a youngster. I was new in the team. I was trying to make my place.”That changed in 2015. He gradually made his mark as a regular in the national side and became one of the team’s most trusted assets.A leader in the roomSaad played an integral part in leading Canada through the qualifiers into the T20 World Cup, later becoming the country’s first captain in the tournament’s history. Under his leadership, Canada regained ODI status in 2023.Although he doesn’t hold the captain’s armband anymore, the responsibilities have only got bigger.“I play my role as a bowling all-rounder, left-arm spinner, left-hand batsman, lower-middle order. I want to win matches for Canada through good performances. And I want to share my experience with the youngsters and groom them,” he said.

Canada’s Saad Bin Zafar, smiling, and Shreyas Movva celebrate the wicket of United Arab Emirates’ Mayank Kumar (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

He has also had experience of playing foreign franchise cricket, including the Caribbean Premier League for St Lucia Zouks.In November 2021, he recorded a rare feat in T20Is: becoming the first man to concede no runs in a four-over spell and finishing with figures of 4-4-0-2 against Panama.Cricket became full-time over timeFor most of his career, cricket was not a full-time profession in Canada. Saad worked as a procurement analyst in an insurance company while playing international cricket.“It was very difficult at the start. After all, cricket was not a full-time profession in Canada,” he revealed. “Even when you play for Canada, you have to work together.”He negotiated leave for tours and sometimes worked remotely while travelling. But employers were not always welcoming. “There was a point when they said that we can’t accommodate you that much. So, you have to either work or play cricket,” he recalled.“When a company would start bothering me, I used to find another job. But I didn’t leave cricket.”In 2018, after becoming Player of the Match in the GT20 final and receiving opportunities in other franchise leagues, he made the decision to quit his job and focus fully on cricket.‘My parents started believing that I am talented’Saad moved to Canada with his family as the eldest son. The move was primarily for his university education. After three years, his family returned to Pakistan while he stayed back to complete his studies. However, eventually, his other four siblings also moved to Canada. Also, his father’s stance changed.ALSO READ: From ice hockey to T20 World Cup 2026’s youngest talents: Ajayveer Hundal finds ‘great feeling’ in Delhi“Eventually, when I got a call-up in the national team and started playing for Canada, my parents started believing that I am talented enough to represent Canada. After that, my dad started supporting me,” he added with a smile.“He then stopped telling me to give up cricket and focus on my studies. They now feel proud.”

Teddy Atlas has delivered his verdict on Mario Barrios vs Ryan Garcia, insisting that the outcome should ultimately be determined by Garcia’s psychological state.

The pair will square off this Saturday at Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena, with Barrios gearing up for the third defence of his WBC world title.

His last two outings both resulted in a draw, against Abel Ramos and a 46-year-old Manny Pacquiao, though the 30-year-old is nonetheless considered a solid test for Garcia.

Entering his second world title challenge, Garcia has had just one outing at 147lbs, a unanimous decision defeat to Rolando Romero in May, since moving up from super-lightweight.

Prior to that, the American claimed a majority decision victory over Devin Haney in April 2024 which, due to him testing positive for banned substance ostarine, was later over-turned to a no-contest.

Not only that, but Garcia was also handed a year-long ban by the New York State Athletic Commission, during which time he has openly admitted to ‘drinking and partying’.

As a result of such antics, many have questioned the 27-year-old’s dedication to the sport, which appeared particularly problematic throughout the build-up to his showdown with Haney.

During that time, Garcia’s erratic behaviour led many to express concern over his psychological state in general, let alone any perceived lack of application to his craft.

And those same questions, it seems, are still lingering ahead of his clash with Barrios, though Hall of Fame trainer Atlas has opined on his YouTube channel that Garcia’s relative silence could be taken as an encouraging sign.

“At this point in Barrios’ career – Garcia being younger; Garcia being faster with his hands, a little more explosive – I think that you’d favour Garcia.

“But again… is he okay, mentally? Where is he at? You’ve got to take a gamble: Is he right, mentally?

“It’s been quiet on the western front [and], if it’s quiet on the western front with Garcia, that’s good news. If there’s no noise, then maybe things are good … And if I’m going to go with that, I’m gonna say I favour Garcia. Where you’ve got to favour Barrios is you know what you’re gonna get. With Garcia, you don’t know for sure what you’re gonna get.

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“At the end of the day, I’ll guess that Garcia will be together.”

Many others would likely agree with Atlas’ assessment of the situation, believing that a mentally-focused Garcia has the beating of Barrios.

To the list of famous trees in golf — the Eisenhower Tree, the Lone Cypress, the Ghost Tree — we can now add two more: the Hovland Trees.

A pair of sycamores, to be precise, now planted hard along the right side of Riviera’s 487-yard dogleg-right par-4 15th, a hole that ranks second-toughest on the scorecard and typically rates among the nastiest in the Genesis Invitational, too.

The trees weren’t added for aesthetics. They were installed as a defense against their namesake, Viktor Hovland, who in past Genesis starts has attacked the 15th unconventionally, launching his drive to the right, up the neighboring 17th fairway. It’s not the route Riviera’s designer, George Thomas, had in mind, but it opens up a wider landing area and a clean view of the 15th green. (Several other players have taken the same alternate route, but none has done so as frequently as Hovland).

Last year, of course, Riviera never got the chance to defend itself. Wildfires forced the Genesis to Torrey Pines. But in Hovland’s last appearance in the event at Riviera, he played the 15th in even par for the week — two pars, a birdie and a bogey. How much of an advantage that detour provided is impossible to say without having access to the alternate reality where he played the hole conventionally.

Regardless, this year, Riviera closed the loophole. In practice rounds, the trees appear to have served their purpose.

But if they’ve stymied Hovland, they haven’t silenced him. On Instagram, Hovland posted photos (above) of the new look with a caption that required no translation: SMH.

Hovland is hardly the first Tour pro to take a creative line in search of a competitive edge. At the Sony Open in Hawaii, Charley Hoffman has taken his drive on the par-5 18th down the 11th fairway. At the now-defunct Dell Technologies Championship, Justin Thomas and several others played the par-4 12th up the adjacent 13th.

Just as players get creative, so do courses and tournament committees, whether by planting trees or installing internal out-of-bounds. In 2023, Riviera tried a different kind of deterrent, positioning a tournament scoreboard in Hovland’s alternate line.

Hovland simply hit over it.

Good luck trying that this week.