La Liga chief Javier Tebas has criticised the Premier League over its handling of Manchester City’s 115 charges case and warned new financial rules will cause transfer market inflation
La Liga president Javier Tebas has launched a scathing two-pronged attack on the Premier League, including their handling of Manchester City’s 115 charges case. Tebas branded it a “failure” that Manchester City‘s case remains unresolved more than three years after the club were charged with 115 alleged rule breaches.
Tebas also cautioned that the Premier League’s revised financial regulations will trigger significant transfer and wage inflation throughout Europe. This came as Premier League chief executive Richard Masters once again dodged the City question, stating: “I can’t talk about it and talk about the timing of it. Having spent three years not talking about it, I’m not going to stop now obviously.”
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Tebas, however, pulled no punches over the Premier League’s timeline of the City case, particularly given that Everton, Nottingham Forest, and, most recently, Leicester City, were dealt with swiftly and handed points deductions.
Tebas said: “It’s a failure of Premier League governance. Other clubs are looking at and watching this and seeing what’s going on. They are being fined and having points deductions and that’s fine, if you don’t abide by the rules
“But City appear to have impunity. I speak to a lot of English clubs and the majority of them don’t understand this either. “It makes the institution of the Premier League weaker.”
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The tribunal examining City’s alleged 115 violations of Premier League financial regulations was wrapped up in December 2024, yet the independent commission continues to deliberate over its verdict. Tebas, speaking at the FT Live’s Business of Football Summit, also launched a scathing attack on the Premier League’s financial regulations and spending rules.
Top-flight clubs voted to replace the existing Profitability and Sustainability Rule with a new Squad Cost Ratios system from next season. Clubs will be permitted to allocate up to 85 per cent of their seasonal revenues on wages and transfers, with the option to stretch this to 115 per cent, provided they balance their books within three years.
Tebas said: “In Spain, we have special and strict rules on Financial Fair Play, FFP is what everyone has to apply at home. You can’t spend more than our revenues.
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“But then new regulations here will cause more inflation and more problems. If you allow clubs to spend 85 per cent of revenues but aren’t taking into account expenses, no fair play rules are of any use at all.
“English football has got the highest turnover, revenues double the amount of Spanish League or Bundesliga. Clubs have twice the capacity to invest of any other league.
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“We cannot compete financially, We can sign better players and have better coaches but they have these enormous capital contributions from the owners.
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“What will happen to the market? It’s not rocket science. The English system of 85 per cent SCR plus transfers, which means clubs can go to 115 per cent of revenues, that will cause inflation, I’m sure about that.
“I don’t know where they get these figures from. I’m really surprised. We should harmonise FFP in Europe, that’s the way forward.”
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.
Manchester United have a busy summer ahead, regardless of whether they clinch qualification for the Champions League
It has been a busy week for several Premier League sides thanks to European responsibilities, but Manchester United have had the luxury of observing from the sidelines. Weekend opponents Crystal Palace faced Zrinjski Mostar in the second leg of their Conference League play-off on Thursday, giving them only a few days’ recovery time ahead of their visit to Old Trafford.
Should Michael Carrick’s side capitalise and claim all three points, it would bring them a little closer to making sure they end the season in the top four. Nearest rivals Chelsea and Liverpool will be looking to ramp up the pressure, though, with Arne Slot’s reigning champions welcoming West Ham to Anfield on Saturday and Liam Rosenior’s Blues taking on league leaders Arsenal in Sunday’s 4.30pm kick-off.
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Carrick’s own position may well depend on his ability to build upon the foundations he has already laid. United have accumulated 16 points from a possible 18 under the interim manager, and appear to have reaped the rewards of a lighter schedule whilst their competitors contend with a more congested calendar.
In today’s round-up, attention shifts to the summer transfer window and the business the club will and won’t be pursuing. Here’s the very latest from around Old Trafford.
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Onana may not get his wish
Manchester United have no plans to reintegrate goalkeeper André Onana next season, according to TeamTalk. The Cameroon international is currently on loan at Trabzonspor but is not anticipated to remain with the Turkish side beyond the conclusion of the current campaign.
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United are reportedly eager to remove Onana’s wages from their payroll, with Senne Lammens now firmly established as the number one keeper at Old Trafford. Reports suggest they will dismiss Onana’s request to prove his worth back at Old Trafford, instead seeking to offload him this summer, whether that’s on another loan or in a permanent deal, which would surely force them to take a hit on the £47m they paid Inter Milan to acquire him in 2023.
Mainoo contract risk
United face the prospect of allowing Kobbie Mainoo to enter the final year of his contract without a new deal in place. The Sun report that neither party has yet resumed negotiations over an extension, with the midfielder currently still on the deal he agreed around the time he made his debut for the club in 2023.
Mainoo turned down an offer from United towards the close of the 2024/25 season and struggled for regular game time under Ruben Amorim in the first half of the current campaign. There was talk of a departure in January amid interest from Napoli but he has re-established himself as a first-team regular under interim manager Carrick.
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United do retain a one-year extension clause on Mainoo’s contract, which currently runs until the summer of 2027. However, the club are said to be planning further discussions over a lengthier deal when the time comes to reopen talks with his representatives.
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Ronaldo’s new investment
Former Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo has acquired a 25 per cent stake in Spanish side Almeria. The promotion-chasing club was bought by Saudi consortium SMC Group and has now seen Ronaldo invest via CR7 Sports Investments.
“It has been a longtime ambition of mine to contribute to football, beyond the pitch,” Ronaldo said in a statement as the investment was confirmed. “UD Almeria is a Spanish club with strong foundations and clear potential for growth. I look forward to working alongside the leadership team to support the club’s next phase of growth.”
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
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Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.
Man Utd are seeing commercial revenues fall and are without a training kit sponsor this season, while Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s comments on immigration are also a challenge.
06:00, 27 Feb 2026
The fallout from Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s claim that the United Kingdom is being “colonised by immigrants” might have died down now, a couple of weeks after the Manchester United co-owner made the controversial claim in a TV interview that angered club staff, players and fans.
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Its after-effects might be felt for a little longer yet, however. Ratcliffe has been quiet since his half-hearted apology the following day, and United will be hoping the issue blows over, but it could still cause complications, especially at a time when the club’s commercial team are trying to raise revenues and attract new partners.
“I’m not sure they will be forgotten, that kind of thing sticks, and that is something that if he’s well advised, he will be thinking about,” sport marketing expert Tim Crow told the Manchester Evening News.
“It’s not every day that a football club owner makes a comment that the Prime Minister then says you should apologise for and withdraw. That’s not tomorrow’s fish and chips wrapper, that sticks because Google has got a long memory.”
United’s latest financial results, released this week, spelt it out in black and white, reporting a 13.5% drop in revenues compared to the same three-month period last year. That is almost all down to the absence of a training kit sponsor this season, with the £24million-a-year Tezos deal expiring at the end of last season.
The partnership with DXC Technology is also set to expire at the end of this season, but United insist they are relaxed about both situations and would rather wait for the right partner at the right time, rather than rush into a deal that doesn’t provide value.
They aren’t alone in finding the market more competitive now, and Chelsea haven’t had a permanent shirt sponsor for the last three seasons. But at a crucial time for United, having their co-owner voice his opinion on such a controversial topic is unlikely to be helpful.
“Sponsors don’t like risk,” said Crow. “You can imagine the sponsorship managers of the various companies wake up in the morning and they see that comment. And they’re thinking, ‘right, okay, I’m gonna have a chat with the CEO now, explain what’s going on, they’ve got to call the club’. It creates a lot of work, a lot of angst, and it’s unnecessary.”
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How much of an impediment it is to attracting new sponsors will only become clear in the months ahead. United still set the standard with many of their deals, signing industry-leading partnerships with Adidas (£90million a year) and Snapdragon (£60million a year) recently, and sources insist there is still plenty of interest from brands in partnering with the club.
“Whilst the marketing department would have probably listened to that interview with their fingers covering their eyes, I don’t think it will make a significant difference, because Manchester United are looking for an international or global brand to partner with,” said football finance expert Kieran Maguire.
“For a long-term relationship, they’re more concerned about getting value for money. It’s not helped, but I genuinely don’t think it will have hindered things either.
“If somebody wants to partner with United, they can separate Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s role as the golf club bore from the benefits that partnering with a brand as strong as Manchester United.”
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Anecdotal evidence certainly suggests United aren’t finding it as easy as they once did to attract sponsors. There has been upheaval in the commercial department and the days when Ed Woodward could claim playing performance was irrelevant to the club’s commercial success appear to be over.
United fell to their lowest-ever position in the Deloitte Football Money League recently, sliding four places down to eighth, and they are likely to fall further next season, although it will primarily be down to a lack of European football and a season that will include just 20 games at Old Trafford.
“There are larger issues that have been holding United back, and continue to hold them back, which are what you might call standard commercial issues,” explains Crow.
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“On the pro side, what they’ve got is they’ve a very good reputation for their partners. They handle partners very well and have done for a long time.
“The other is that because of an extraordinary period where the Premier League was growing globally and United was doing so well, they benefited from the growth of each other, and United generated this enormous worldwide fan base.
“But they are being caught up, and the signs are that when it comes to the contest for new fans, they are not acquiring new fans anywhere near as quickly as they used to be
“That’s down to two things: one is success on the field and the other is the type of football United have been playing. Something that a lot of people forget is that the reason United were such a commercial phenomenon was not just about the fact that they were good; it was the type of football they played. United forgot that for a while.”
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Returning to the Champions League, which United are on course to do, will be a significant boost to their ability to attract new partners. It is transformative in terms of global eyeballs on the club. Something else which could help is if the club’s new signings continue their own impressive impact at Old Trafford.
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“What have Manchester United prepared to throw into the deal?” asks Maguire. “Which players are going to be doing the advertising? That’s always important. With no disrespect, you don’t want the Under-21s left-back, and Manchester United at the present perhaps don’t have, with the exception of Bruno. They don’t really have that many faces where you would really like your product aligned with the brand.
“At the end of the season, if Bryan Mbeumo continues to play as well as he is doing, if Cunha is going well, then United might be in a stronger position, especially if they qualify for the Champions League, when they go to the market holding a much stronger hand.”
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But one issue they can’t escape is the market’s competitive nature. Crow tells a story of one of his clients receiving 11 separate commercial proposals from Premier League clubs in the space of a week.
“It’s a tough market at the moment. The global economy is very volatile, very patchy, a lot of turbulence and it is not easy to find that kind of money,” he said.
“You can see examples all over the place, not just in top football but in top sport everywhere, where people are finding it hard to retain and find new sponsors. It is just a tough marketplace and it’s incredibly competitive.”
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United have found form under Michael Carrick, edging towards a return to the Champions League, and what Crow referred to as the club’s DNA has also been restored recently.
They will be two major advantages as they seek at least two new partners this summer, when they hope Ratcliffe’s comments are long forgotten and the positives on the pitch are the biggest selling point.
“Well, the further away it gets from Old Trafford, the less of an issue it is,” said Crow. “What effect does it have on United over time from a PR perspective? I think there are a lot of other things in the mix when it comes to sponsorship. This is an unwelcome one, but I suspect it’s just a short-term issue, which would not have endeared him to any of United’s sponsors.”
Two University of Nebraska-Omaha women’s basketball players are being praised for springing into action after a sinkhole opened in the middle of traffic on Tuesday. Once Olivia Borsutzki and Esra Kurban realized two cars had been swallowed by the concrete while waiting at a red light, they left their respective vehicles to help those trapped.
“I was still in the car and I saw a man in a hole,” Borsutzki told On3. “I was like, ‘I need to help.’ Nobody was helping.”
When a sedan and pickup truck surprisingly sunk into the earth, the vehicles closest to the sinkhole backed away in case the hole expanded. Borsutzki and Kurban did the opposite and ran towards the danger to help the trapped drivers.
Authorities said no one was injured during this wild incident, but check out what happened, here:
The Metropolitan Utilities District said that “it is too early to attribute the cause to any single source,” according to KETV, but the incident also included a water main break.
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Borsutzki said that after the clip went viral, her teammates and Omaha staff began to recognize her and Kurban. Borsutzki also said her strength coach texted her, “Very strong, big dog.”
“My dad told me that could have been really bad … ,” Borsutzki said. “In the moment it was just adrenaline. We just wanted to help.”
It was a good week for the Omaha Mavericks, as they defeated Oral Roberts on Wednesday, 84-75. It was a historic victory in which freshman Regan Juenemann dropped 40 points, while Sarai Estupiñan scored 30 points. There was also Avril Smith, who grabbed a whopping 23 rebounds. According to OptaSTATS, this Omaha trio was the first NBA, WNBA and Division I men’s or women’s trio to include a 40-point scorer, a 30-point scorer and a player that recorded 20 rebounds in a single game in the last 15 years.
Welcome! Where are you, you ask. I’m calling this the Weekend 9. Think of it as a spot to warm up for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We’ll have thoughts. We’ll have tips. We’ll have tweets. But just nine in all, though sometimes maybe more and sometimes maybe less. As for who I am? The paragraphs below tell some of the story. I can be reached at nick.piastowski@golf.com.
My golf game turns 35 on Sunday.
For my first round of the year, my brother-in-law and I are playing a muni in Hawaii, which on its website, has a reef, beach and water in the background, which is a very, very long way from a course in northern Illinois, where, in 1991, I played my first-ever round. My dad and I played with another father and son, and it was my dad’s first-ever golf, too. He was a butcher, and butcher’s days went like this: 12-hour day, eat, drink an obscene amount of Joe, smoke a pack of Marb reds, then bed; and no golf. It showed. Our combined score was 300, give or take.
We also committed a no-no on the first hole.
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We rode in a cart, and the instruction was as follows: Drive it next to your ball, hit, drive again. And we did that.
All the way until we parked atop the green.
That’s memory No. 1 — and lesson No. 1 — from 35 years of golf.
Here are eight more.
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Memory No. 2: The random playing partners, plural. I’m bending my own rules here a bit and making this more than one, because I’m positive I could make a list just of nine people I’ve randomly been paired up with and not forgotten. Let’s see. There’s the two college-age dudes who, in the summer of ’93, saw me break 50 for nine holes for the first time, then offered to buy me a beer. There’s the Austrian man who my friend and I played with in Vegas who told us how he flew only private, smoked only Cuban cigars and knew where the real fun in Sin City was, and we’ll leave that at that. There’s the PGA Tour Champions player who shot an easy par round while his wife sat in the cart and read a book. And on and on. Honestly, this is one of my favorite parts of playing — the folks you meet. Except for …
Memory No. 3: The farthest distance I ever holed out from was 175 yards, though what stroke it came on is open to debate. On hole 10 at Greenfield Park just outside of Milwaukee, I’d hit my tee shot into the trees to the right, moved it ever so slightly away from one, then rocketed it toward the bunker fronting the green, only for it to skip out and roll into the hole. Eagle! And eagles back then would get reported to the newspaper if your group vouched for it. My friend would. But the guy we were paired with? “I saw you take a drop there,” he said, “so no.”
Memory No. 4: I once got to the “zone.” Beforehand, I’d played four straight days on a friend’s trip, and I reached the point where I purposefully was swinging as hard as I could — and still found fairways and green. The 76 — with a penalty stroke that I did count that day — remains my lowest score. But I’ve never gotten back to the zone. In the years since, I’ve tried to duplicate the lead-up — and once tore a muscle in my lower back due to the combination of overuse and a lack of stretching.
Memory No. 5: I almost got in a fight. I wrote about it here, but the short version goes like this: I hit a tee shot farther than I normally do, and the group in front of me was already hot. (The reason for the latter is understandable — a person in the group behind us had, accidentally, fired a shot from a fairway over directly into the group ahead of us. These things happen, though, at Van Cortlandt in the Bronx, where the congestion equals what you’d find crossing the GW.) Anyways, the almost-fight started after a person walked back to my tee shot — and hit it into the woods. I shouted. He shouted. We got closer. But that was about it. Stupid. Very, very stupid. (But all of it did lead to asking readers a few years back to message me similar-type blowups — and I still occasionally get emails about it today.)
Memory No. 6: While playing in a high school match, my opponent once asked me if I played baseball, too. I said I did and I kept playing — and it took me a few holes to realize he didn’t care so much about my other hobbies as he did commenting on my swing. That stuck with me for the rest of the round — and for the next 30 years. Good one.
Memory No. 7: For just over six years now, I’ve worked at a golf website, and one of the questions I’ve gotten is how that’s helped my own game. It must, right? To start the answer, an editor here had warned me about what was to come: All of those tips and tricks that you read and write are going to be harder to escape from than U.S. Open rough. My scores show it. Last year, I shot another 76. And 110. That round, I’d just read something about the takeaway, and there you go.
Memory No. 8: Somewhere in a bird’s nest at Spring Lake Golf Course in Omaha, Neb., rests a wedding ring. Or at least that’s the theory. During a round there about a decade ago, my wife took off the ring, placed it in the cart, and we never saw it again. The clubhouse guy told us that that wasn’t the first time he’d heard of something like that happening.
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Memory No. 9: Over the past couple of months, I’ve been re-reading a few of Dr. Bob Rotella’s books in advance of an upcoming story, and this line in “Golf Is Not A Game Of Perfect” has been sticking with me lately: No matter what happens with any shot you hit, accept it. Acceptance is the last step in a sound routine. I like that. I think of the golf balls that end up in divots and still playing. But I also wonder what it says about me that I can honestly say I’ve never hit a ball out of a divot, and I think you know why.
Extra! Best memory? My nephew, Mason, being told he’s going to play college golf. Best course I’ve ever played? Considering everything a course has to offer, it’s Lawsonia Links. Most scenic course at sundown? Chambers Bay. Most scenic course in the fall? Green Mountain National in Vermont. Course I’ve played the most? I think it’s a tie between a pair of munis: Whitnall Park just outside of Milwaukee and Elmwood Park in Omaha. Most interesting course I’ve played? Augusta Wind in Nebraska. I was the only player on the course — on a Saturday.
Let’s see if we can find eight more items for the Weekend 9.
3. In a couple of weeks, at the Players Championship, the thought is we’ll learn something more definite on the PGA Tour’s future schedule, and I’ve been thinking some about a Tiger Woods’ quote from last week at the Genesis Invitational. Woods, the head of the Tour’s new Future Competition Committee, said this about the work being done:
“I think it’s trying to serve literally everyone, from the player side of it, from our media partners, from all of our title sponsors, from the local communities or even changing venues and going to bigger markets.”
It’ll be interesting to see if anyone is served best, though. To that end, one of the nation’s leading sports economists told me recently that changes shouldn’t necessarily be made for the golf fan, as they’re going to keep coming back regardless. It’s the non-fans where you grow, and non-fans have already decided they don’t necessarily care about the current product’s shape.
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One takeaway for the weeks ahead
4. This story here, written by Money in Sport, should tell you something about the direction of LIV Golf. It says that the league has recently received a $266.6 million capital injection.
An instruction tip for your weekend
5. I thought the video below was good. In it, Bryson DeChambeau was asked for his best tip for amateurs playing a practice round.
His answer? Mix up where you hit shots.
“If an amateur golfer is prepping for their club championship,” DeChambeau said, “I would say the best thing to do is don’t always play from the fairway. Go hit shots out of the rough. Go hit shots out of bunkers. Go hit shots around the greens. You see that all the time with pros.
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“One thing that amateurs don’t do is hit shots out of the rough on the golf course in the practice rounds.”
Five things (!) that interest me
6. I thought the video below was interesting. Produced by the PGA Tour, it shows Ben Griffin and Ryan Gerard trying to name the top 100 players from last year’s points race.
Can you name ALL 100 players in last year’s FedExCup regular season standings?!
Play along with Ben Griffin and Ryan Gerard … the results will not disappoint. pic.twitter.com/G0ZubiUtm1
7. I also thought this story here, written by the Palm Beach Post’s James Coleman, was interesting. Coleman is a 12 handicap, and he shared how he played PGA National, the host of the Cognizant Classic, this week’s PGA Tour stop.
8. And I thought this story here, written by Today’s Golfer Ben Parsons, was interesting. It describes how an 18-hole course will be cut to nine holes to make way for a soccer team’s training ground.
9. I thought this story here was interesting, too. Written by Adam Stanley for pga.com, it describes how a PGA member coached Norway’s Olympic curling team.
10. Let’s do 10 items! I also thought this story here was interesting. Written by Matt de Neef for escapecollective.com, it describes how pro cyclists are turning to golf.
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What golf is on TV this weekend?
11. Let’s do 11 items! Here’s a rundown of golf on TV this weekend:
– Friday
9:30 p.m. (Thursday)-2:30 a.m. ET: HSBC Women’s World Championship second round, Golf Channel
5:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. ET: Investec South African Open Championship second round, Golf Channel
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2 p.m.-6 p.m. ET: Cognizant Classic second round, Golf Channel
– Saturday
9:30 p.m. (Friday)-2:30 a.m. ET: HSBC Women’s World Championship third round, Golf Channel
5:30 a.m.-10 a.m. ET: Investec South African Open Championship third round, Golf Channel
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1 p.m.-3 p.m. ET: Cognizant Classic third round, Golf Channel
3 p.m.-6 p.m. ET: Cognizant Classic third round, NBC
– Sunday
9:30 p.m. (Friday)-2:30 a.m. ET: HSBC Women’s World Championship final round, Golf Channel
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4:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. ET: Investec South African Open Championship final round, Golf Channel
1 p.m.-3 p.m. ET: Cognizant Classic final round, Golf Channel
3 p.m.-6 p.m. ET: Cognizant Classic final round, NBC
Good news for your weekend
12. Let’s do a dozen items!
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The video below, featuring Lucas Glover, should make your weekend.
Really cool gesture by Lucas Glover.
This young fan at tonight’s TGL match had every autograph from Atlanta Drive and LA Golf Club except Collin Morikawa. Lucas Glover noticed, went to find Morikawa, and returned with the final signature. pic.twitter.com/P66ZKiqXQt
The weightlifting events at the 2nd Niger Delta Games showcased immense strength and determination from all participants. Every category featured thrilling contests for bronze, silver, and gold medals, with athletes demonstrating top form across snatch, clean & jerk, and total lifts.
In the 88kg Men Total, Duru Destiny (Bayelsa) claimed bronze, Francis Onaifo (Edo) took silver, and Joseph Obinna (Abia) won gold.
For the 88kg Men Clean & Jerk, Duru Destiny (Bayelsa) earned bronze, Francis Onaifo (Edo) took silver, and Joseph Obinna (Abia) claimed gold.
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In the 88kg Men Snatch, Duru Destiny (Bayelsa) finished with bronze, Joseph Obinna (Abia) took silver, and Francis Onaifo (Edo) secured gold.
In the 79kg Men Total, Chukwu Chibuike (Abia) won bronze, Mayowa Olajide (Ondo) took silver, and Thankgod Sunday (Edo) claimed gold.
For the 79kg Men Clean & Jerk, Chukwu Chibuike (Abia) earned bronze, Mayowa Olajide (Ondo) took silver, and Thankgod Sunday (Edo) secured gold.
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In the 79kg Men Snatch, Mayowa Olajide (Ondo) finished bronze, Chukwu Chibuike (Abia) took silver, and Thankgod Sunday (Edo) won gold.
In the 69kg Women Total, Nwichi Ngozi (Abia) claimed bronze, Joy Godbless (Bayelsa) took silver, and Peace Osagie (Edo) won gold.
For the 69kg Women Clean & Jerk, Nwichi Ngozi (Abia) earned bronze, Joy Godbless (Bayelsa) took silver, and Peace Osagie (Edo) claimed gold.
In the 69kg Women Snatch, Nwichi Ngozi (Abia) finished bronze, Joy Godbless (Bayelsa) won silver, and Peace Osagie (Edo) secured gold.
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In the 63kg Women Total, Asogwa Promise (Delta) took bronze, Abiola Olajumoke Islamiat (Edo) won silver, and Chinasa Chukwu (Rivers) earned gold.
For the 63kg Women Clean & Jerk, Asogwa Promise (Delta) earned bronze, Chinasa Chukwu (Rivers) took silver, and Abiola Olajumoke Islamiat (Edo) claimed gold.
In the 63kg Women Snatch, Asogwa Promise (Delta) finished bronze, Abiola Olajumoke Islamiat (Edo) took silver, and Chinasa Chukwu (Rivers) won gold.
In the 65kg Men Total, Okon Goodnews (Akwa Ibom) claimed bronze, Victory Mmadubuchi (Imo) took silver, and Goodnews Jacob (Edo) won gold.
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For the 65kg Men Clean & Jerk, Okon Goodnews (Akwa Ibom) earned bronze, Chibuzur Emeka (Bayelsa) took silver, and Goodnews Jacob (Edo) secured gold.
In the 65kg Men Snatch, Okon Goodnews (Akwa Ibom) finished bronze, Victory Mmadubuchi (Imo) took silver, and Goodnews Jacob (Edo) won gold.
In the 53kg Women Total, Mboutidem Etim (Akwa Ibom) claimed bronze, Marvelous Chidirim (Abia) took silver, and Beauty Akpore (Edo) won gold.
For the 53kg Women Clean & Jerk, Mboutidem Etim (Akwa Ibom) earned bronze, Marvelous Chidirim (Abia) took silver, and Beauty Akpore (Edo) claimed gold.
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In the 53kg Women Snatch, Mboutidem Etim (Akwa Ibom) finished bronze, Marvelous Chidirim (Abia) took silver, and Beauty Akpore (Edo) won gold.
In the 60kg Men Total, Obodomadu David (Delta) claimed bronze, Eze Vitalis (Abia) took silver, and Iniubong Ita (Akwa Ibom) won gold.
For the 60kg Men Clean & Jerk, Eze Vitalis (Abia) earned bronze, Obodomadu David (Delta) took silver, and Iniubong Ita (Akwa Ibom) secured gold.
In the 60kg Men Snatch, Obodomadu David (Delta) finished bronze, Iniubong Ita (Akwa Ibom) took silver, and Eze Vitalis (Abia) won gold.
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In the 48kg Women Total, Moyinoluwa Adebusuyi (Ondo) claimed bronze, Christiana Ollorma (Rivers) took silver, and Esther Adebola (Edo) won gold.
For the 48kg Women Clean & Jerk, Odivwri Jennifer (Delta) earned bronze, Christiana Ollorma (Rivers) took silver, and Esther Adebola (Edo) claimed gold.
In the 48kg Women Snatch, Moyinoluwa Adebusuyi (Ondo) finished bronze, Christiana Ollorma (Rivers) took silver, and Esther Adebola (Edo) won gold.
The 2nd Niger Delta Games will end today, February 26, 2026, with the closing ceremony at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.
Brady Tkachuk is back with his Ottawa Senators, and he stood his ground when faced with a question about the viral moment when Team USA laughed at a joke by President Donald Trump about the women’s ice hockey team during a phone call after both teams won gold medals in Milan.
As players like Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman admitted, players “should have reacted differently.”
Tkachuk responded to a reporter’s question about the moment Trump said he would “have” to invite the women’s team, which also defeated Canada in the Olympics, to Tuesday’s State of the Union or else he “probably would be impeached.”
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“Yeah, I get it,” Tkachuk said when a reporter asked if he understood that the women’s team felt displeased with the men’s team’s reaction. “I have no other comments other than for the things we can control. We supported them. They supported us. Can’t control what other people say.”
Brady Tkachuk (7) and Matthew Tkachuk (19) of the United States celebrate after their game against Team Canada during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena Feb. 22, 2026.(Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)
Tkachuk added it was “fun” being around the women’s team while in Milan.
“It was fun seeing them play, fun to see the excellence they brought every single game and how they’re, by far, the best team in that tournament,” he said. “It was just fun seeing them after picking their brains. They were picking our brains, and it was just fun being around them.”
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Tkachuk was asked a follow-up question about why he would laugh at Trump’s joke. Again, he stood his ground.
“It was a whirlwind of a moment. You can’t really control what somebody says, and I guess it caught [us] off guard a little bit,” he said. “I mean, when you’re talking to the president 10 minutes after you just achieved your dream, it’s just the fact that you’re talking to him,
“You can’t really believe where your life is at where you’re talking to the president of the United States after you just won a gold medal.”
Tkachuk was with his U.S. teammates at Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, and the chamber gave the team a standing ovation as players showcased their Olympic gold medals
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The women’s team declined an invitation to Washington, D.C., citing “previously scheduled academic and professional commitments.” Trump said at the State of the Union address that the women’s team will visit the White House “soon.”
Brady Tkachuk of the United States celebrates after winning the gold medal during the men’s gold medal match against Canada at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games Feb. 22, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)
USA Hockey responded to Trump’s suggestion that the team would be going to the White House.
“Players are back competing with their professional and collegiate teams and are in the midst of their season,” a USA Hockey spokesperson told Front Office Sports. “They’re honored and grateful to be invited, and any opportunity to visit the White House as a team will be based on their schedules once their seasons conclude.”
While there’s been a divide on social media about the moment, Ellen Hughes, the mother of Jack and Quinn Hughes, who played a role in Team USA’s fate in Milan as a player development staff member with the women’s team, did not seem bothered by Trump’s comments.
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“These players, both the men and women, can bring so much unity to a group and to a country,” she told “Today.” “People that cheered on that don’t watch hockey, people that have politics on one side or on the other side, and that’s all both the men’s team and the women’s team care about.
Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators during warmups before a game against the Nashville Predators Oct. 13, 2025, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (André Ringuette/NHLI)
“If you could see what we see from the inside, and the men and women sharing, you know, dorm rooms and halls and flex floors and the camaraderie and the synergy and the way the women cheered on the men and the way the men cheered on the women — that’s what it’s all about,” she added.
“And the other things they cannot control. They care about humanity. They care about unity, and they care about the country.”
Does an authentic video show Hilary Knight, captain of the 2026 gold medal-winning U.S. women’s hockey team, saying she was “mortified” for the U.S. men’s team? No, that’s not true: There is no evidence that Knight ever said that, but she did call President Donald Trump’s invitation to the White House a “distasteful joke.” Also, the creator of the original video labeled it as AI-generated.
The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on Facebook on February 25, 2026, and features a fake Knight saying:
I’m honestly mortified for the men’s hockey team. They won one gold medal and laughed like that in the locker room. I get why they’re excited. Their last Olympic gold was in 1980, basically as old as their parents. But us women, we won in 1998, 2018, and now 2026.
Gold medals don’t lie, but some people really think laughing in the locker room counts as strength. Since women’s hockey became an official Olympic event in 1998, we’ve made the finals every single time, winning eight Olympic medals, three gold, four silver, and one bronze. And them, they’ve been playing since 1920 and only managed to get three gold medals in more than 100 years. We did it in 28 years. What took them a century?
Honestly, I feel a little embarrassed for them. We’ve been on the championship stage for so long that we’re used to focusing on the ice, not on whatever someone says on a phone call. We won gold and had to deal with school, training, and work the next day. Meanwhile, they were busy flying around and snapping photos, like that was harder to get than the medal itself.
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We don’t have time to be mad. We’re too busy winning again, because the future of hockey isn’t going to wait for anyone.
This is what the post looked like on Facebook at the time of writing:
Image Source: Lead Stories screenshot of Facebook.
The full Facebook video can be watched here:
The US women have not made the finals every time, as the video claims. Their lone bronze medal means they lost once in the semifinals. In total, the U.S. men have won a dozen Olympic hockey medals since the sport started in 1920: three golds, eight silvers, and one bronze. The U.S women have medaled in all eight Olympic appearances since the sport was added in 1998 (archived here). In addition to gold in 1998, 2018, and 2026, the team won silver in 2002, 2010, 2014, and 2022; bronze in 2006 (archived here).
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Original video
The original video (archived here) was posted on TikTok on Feb. 25, 2026. A screenshot of the post below shows where it is tagged: “Creator labeled as AI-generated.” It’s circled in yellow with a red arrow pointing to it.
Image Source: Lead Stories screenshot of TikTok.
“Distasteful joke”
A Google News search (archived here) found no evidence that Knight ever used the term “mortified” in connection with the U.S. men’s hockey team.
Knight did, however, respond to questions on ESPN Sports Center about President Donald Trump’s phone call with the men’s team following their gold-medal victory on Feb. 22, 2026. During the call, Trump said he “probably would be impeached” if he didn’t invite the women to the White House, too. The women’s hockey team won gold at the Milan Cortina Olympics, too, just three days earlier, but didn’t get a call from the White House (archived here).
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“I thought it was sort of a distasteful joke and unfortunately that is overshadowing a lot of the success, the success of just women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA and having amazing gold medal feats,” Knight said on Feb. 25, 2026.
CHENNAI: It was a day everything went according to plan for India, starting with South Africa’s easy win against West Indies in Ahmedabad earlier in the day. That result smoothed out the rough edges of this Super 8 Group 1 and meant India would just have to win their remaining games to safely book a semis berth. And against a team like Zimbabwe, which is not quite ready for a stage as big as this, Suryakumar’s boys did the needful. As thousands of mobiles flickered in the MA Chidambaram Stadium stands, India got their campaign back on track, winning by 72 runs and setting up a direct ‘quarterfinal’ against the West Indies at Eden Gardens on Sunday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!With a pleasant evening breeze blowing across the Chepauk, the fans never stopped partying. They had their reasons. The much-loved Abhishek Sharma came back to some sort of form with a 30-ball 55, new CSK signing Sanju Samson punched a quickfire 24 and the entire middle order got some good hits on a batting beauty. Zimbabwe, though, did make things easier for India. From choosing to bowl after winning the toss to bowling pedestrian pacers in the Powerplay to dropping catches at crucial junctures, the African minnows were just the team India would have liked at this stage of the tournament.
India keep T20 World Cup dream alive, over to Kolkata now
Towards the back end, they kept delivering lollipops in trying for the yorker and were thrashed for 17 sixes in the process. A total of 256/4 was comfortably India’s highest in the T20 World Cup, going past their previous best of 218. It was way beyond Zimbabwe’s reach and they didn’t seem too interested in the chase. Zimbabwe instead chose to bat out the 20 overs and get some big-stage experience against top quality bowlers. Right-handed opener Brian Bennett (97 not out off 54 balls) played an innings of great quality that may stand him in good stead against some other opposition on some other day. But for now it’s the end of the road for Zimbabwe.The quality of opposition notwithstanding, India had to get the runs and all eyes were on the recycled opening partnership of Sanju and Abhishek.The left-hander, woefully out of form till now, wasn’t tested with off-spin, his nemesis so far in the tournament, in the Powerplay and he cashed in on it.
The blitz, though, was started by Samson, who punched a six off the back-foot over mid-off off left-arm pacer Richard Ngarava. Sanju was tested with short balls — he hit a few too — but fell to a similar delivery. However, with the score reading 48 off 3.4 overs, he had already done his job.Thereafter, it was Abhishek’s turn to show that the hard work put in by him at the nets on Tuesday would pay dividends. The southpaw kept his head still and didn’t try to pre-meditate his shots. He also didn’t show the pacers his stumps and didn’t look to charge down the track. Instead he held his shape, stayed in his crease and looked to play the ball straight. Of course, there was nothing in the Zimbabwe attack that was really challenging but the Punjab cricketer kept his side of the bargain.The crowd erupted in joy, the “Abhishek, Abhi-shek” chants grew louder as his beautifully crisp shots kept the scoreboard galloping. Even though India raced away to 80 in the Powerplay, Abhishek’s half-century, coming off 28 balls, was his second slowest in T20Is. Instead of looking for over-boundaries and power all the time, Abhishek didn’t mind the occasional boundary (4×4, 4×6). He played the field with great dexterity as India heaved a sigh of relief.
For reasons better known to Zimbabwe, skipper Sikandar Raza bowled only six overs of spin. He himself didn’t complete his quota despite dismissing Ishan Kishan while the other two shared three. They conceded 56 — a little over nine — while the pacers went anywhere between 10 to 20.Hardik (50* off 23 balls) and Tilak (44* off 16 balls), batting at No. 6, found themselves back in the flow. But things may get tougher going forward.
Trainer Chris Waller holds no illusions about toppling elite fillies Tempted and Apocalyptic but predicts gritty efforts from his charges Karinska and Panova in the Group One Surround Stakes at Randwick.
At lengthy double-figure odds for Saturday’s premier three-year-old contest, Waller seeks strong closing sections from both with the Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) firmly in sight for their following start.
Last spring’s Group 1 mile placer Karinska ran on well for fifth behind rival Savvy Hallie in the Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) and lurks as a $34 outsider continuing to evade much attention in the Surround.
“She is under-rated. That’s not saying she can beat those good horses, it’s a very good edition,” Waller said.
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“We’re not expecting too much, but if she’s running top five than we’re on track to finding our own way somewhere.”
Her handler has nominated the March 14 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill – where fillies have delivered all eight of his 11-year haul of wins – as the immediate priority.
Panova, a $17 hope, matches that plan, making her Group 1 bow after powering home for Group 3 doubles in the Reginald Allen (1400m) and Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) to end spring.
Waller buzzes with anticipation for her career arc, keeping options alive for a crack at older rivals in the Coolmore Classic (1500m).
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“She will go to the Phar Lap and the Vinery. If she was really impressive in the Phar Lap, she could go to the Coolmore,” he said.
“She is a really good horse. She was impressive in those two wins. She came from well back in each of them.”
“She is still carrying a bit of weight, but Saturday is a great starting point.”
James Mcdonald guided Panova through her two most recent trials and holds the booking aboard the unexposed filly Saturday.
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Waller’s Surround Stakes history lacks his customary firepower, registering triumphs only with Hinged in 2022 and Lady Shenandoah last year.
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