Italian cricket is in crisis days after the country’s T20 World Cup debut, as it emerged that a senior national governing body official has been investigated over a sexual assault allegation.

Federazione Cricket Italiana (FCRI) women’s cricket co-ordinator Prabath Ekneligoda, 57, was the subject of a criminal investigation relating to a claim he inappropriately touched a member of the Azzurri women’s national team.

Multiple members of the Italy board are said to have resigned over this case and other governance issues, BBC Sport has been told.

The sexual assault allegation was made to police in Rome in March last year by a player who has represented the national team.

The player, whose identity is protected for legal reasons, alleged that the sexual assault occurred during a massage on a knee injury at a training session, and she had been scared to report the incident because she feared it would cost her a spot in the team.

An investigation was concluded by a Rome prosecutor in November 2025 and Ekneligoda was interviewed by police the following month.

A decision is now set to be made on whether there is sufficient evidence to bring it to trial. Ekneligoda’s lawyer said his client denies the allegations, that there are ulterior motives to the allegations, and that a witness supports his version of events.

FCRI said in a statement to BBC Sport it “noted proceedings are currently under way before the federal prosecutor’s office” and will “co-operate with the relevant authorities”.

“The Italian Cricket Federation reiterates that its conduct is guided by principles of fairness, transparency and the protection of its registered members, as well as by the ethical and civic standards that underpin the sporting system,” added the statement.

“The federation therefore defers to the competent judicial authorities for any determinations arising from the matter.”

Ekneligoda, who is originally from Sri Lanka, was suspended from his role with the FCRI in November but has remained a visible presence on the Italian cricket scene.

He is the partner of FCRI president Maria Lorena Haz Paz and accompanied her to India for the men’s T20 World Cup.

BBC Sport has seen evidence that Ekneligoda attended Italy’s matches wearing official accreditation and was permitted to sit with the rest of the FCRI party.

Ekneligoda was also seen at various events laid on for Italy’s cricket delegation, including a reception at the Italian consulate in Kolkata for officials, players and coaching staff.

The FCRI, its president Haz Paz, and safeguarding officers, had full knowledge of the seriousness of the claims made against Ekneligoda before the World Cup.

Last weekend, Il Messaggero, external and Corriere della Sera, external reported the allegations in the Italian media for the first time.

As of Monday, Ekneligoda was still listed as the women’s cricket coordinator on the FCRI website.

Sources have told BBC Sport that some members of the FCRI’s board have resigned over the matter, and other governance issues, which has placed Haz Paz’s position under greater scrutiny.

Senior officials in Italian cricket fear potential reputational damage, and the possibility of legal cases, will hamper opportunities to capitalise on their debut T20 World Cup appearance and grow the game further in the country.

Haz Paz was appointed president of the Italian cricket federation in February 2025 until 2028.

Italy’s debut at the T20 World Cup, and the stories of some of their players, had captured the imagination of the cricket world.

The Azzurri failed to make the Super 8 stage but beat Nepal in Mumbai and gave England a scare in Kolkata in their Group C fixtures.

The brand new bar has finally been spotted on shelves, incorporating new and existing flavours to create an original treat in anticipation of Formula 1.

KitKat Chunky’s new bar consists of a marbled caramel chocolate coating, with the standard crispy wafer inside.

It was announced in partnership with Formula 1 and is one of a number of products tailored towards the upcoming speed contest.

Stop the scroll. Start your engines 🏁 The NEW KitKat Chunky Caramel flavour bar, an innovation that celebrates the global partnership between KitKat and Formula 1 ️🍫 Created using our advanced technology, the new bar features a unique and distinctive marbling effect which is… pic.twitter.com/H7Zu6FNshr

— Nestlé UK & Ireland (@NestleUKI) February 18, 2026

The brand also recently released small race-car-shaped chocolate bars, signed off as ‘Official Chocolate Bar of Formula 1’.

Stephanie Scales, Marketing Manager for KitKat, Nestlé UK & Ireland, said: “Formula 1 brings unmatched energy and global cultural relevance, and we wanted to translate that into something that KitKat fans and Formula 1 lovers could enjoy.

“With its striking marbled effect and smooth caramel flavour, it’s poised to capture attention and generate real excitement for shoppers.”

The bar is also part of an on-pack promotion, allowing shoppers to win F1 prizes until April.

These include a full expenses paid trip to the Grand Prix in Monaco or Britain.

In the UK, KitKat is an absolute staple. The “Have a break” tagline has been used since the 1950s, successfully positioning the product as a staple for breaks.

It is bought by more than 60% of households annually and is considered the most global chocolate brand, with massive, consistent production (over 4 million bars a week in York alone).

The bars are being sold individually and in multi-packs, and are available across UK stores now.

Lindsey Vonn has shared she nearly had her leg amputated after suffering a horror crash at the Winter Olympics, with Cristiano Ronaldo among those sending messages of support

Cristiano Ronaldo has sent a message to Lindsey Vonn after the American skiing legend revealed in an emotional statement that she nearly faced a leg amputation following the severe crash she endured at the Winter Olympics. The 41-year-old was airlifted to hospital after striking a gate merely 13 seconds into the women’s downhill competition.

After being restricted to a hospital bed in Italy, where she underwent four major operations and subsequently a fifth after returning to the United States, she has now disclosed that she could have lost her leg were it not for Dr Tom Hackett. Taking to Instagram on Monday, she shared a video outlining her injuries and described how her leg was saved.

Vonn said: “I had a complex tibia fracture, I also fractured my fibula head and everything was in pieces, and the reason it was so complex was because I had compartment syndrome. Compartment syndrome is when you have so much trauma to one area of your body that there is too much blood and it gets stuck. It basically crushes everything in the compartment – muscles, nerves, tendons, it all kind of, dies. Dr Tom Hackett saved my leg, he saved my leg from being amputated.

READ MORE: Lindsey Vonn shares leg amputation truth as Winter Olympics star says ‘doctor saved me’READ MORE: Winter Olympics star who won gold against the odds was forced to return her medal

“He did what is called a fasciotomy, where he cut open both sides of my leg, let it breathe, and he saved me. I always talk about everything happening for a reason. If I hadn’t torn my ACL, which I would have done anyway in this crash, Tom [Hackett] wouldn’t have been there, he wouldn’t have been able to save my leg. I feel very lucky and grateful for him, for this six-hour surgery he put in to rebuild it, which went amazingly well. I was in the hospital a little longer than I hoped because I had very low haemoglobin from the blood loss from all the surgeries.

“I was really struggling, the pain was a little bit out of control and I had to have a blood transfusion. That helped me a lot and I turned the corner and now I am out. I am in a wheelchair right now, I am very much immobile, and I will be in a wheelchair for a whilst because I also broke my right ankle. I hope I can be on crutches in a little bit but we will see, and I will probably be on crutches for at least two months. But I’ll get right to work on rehab and see what I can do and take it one step at a time, like I always do.”

Amongst the thousands of supportive messages was one from Portugal and Manchester United icon Ronaldo, who posted a stirring tribute. “Champions are defined by the moments they win, and the moments they refuse to give up,” he wrote beneath the post.

“Lindsey Vonn, the mountains you conquered were never bigger than the strength you carry. Keep fighting. Legends always rise.”

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Vonn has undergone multiple operations in Italy before travelling back to the United States where she had an additional procedure. However, after a gruelling fortnight, she has now returned home where she will carry on with her recovery.

“Now I will focus on rehab and progressing from a wheelchair to crutches in a few weeks,” Vonn continued. “It will take around a year for all of the bones to heal and then I will decide if I want to take out all the metal or not, and then go back into surgery and finally fix my ACL.

“It will be a long road but I’ll get there. At least I’m out of the hospital. Love you all.”

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Local residents have raised concerns about the recent appearance of the site

An ‘illegal’ lorry park has been issued an Enforcement Notice by a Cambridgeshire council. An investigation into environmental concerns relating to the lorry park is ongoing, according to Huntingdon MP Ben Obese-Jecty.

Mr Obese-Jecty said Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) has issued an enforcement notice and is investigating environmental concerns relating to an ‘illegal’ lorry park on the edge of Brington. The Enforcement Notice has reportedly been appealed by the landowner and a decision by the Planning Inspectorate is due.

Mr Obese-Jecty visited the site earlier this week and said that he had been contacted by nearby parish councils and local residents who have raised concerns about the recent appearance of the site and the activities taking place there.

He said that the council’s Environmental Health Service had visited the site and investigated concerns regarding pollution, oils, and fluids leaking into nearby waterways. The service requires more evidence of environmental pollution before they are able to take further action, Mr Obese-Jecty said.

The MP said: “I will continue to monitor this situation closely and the outcome of the Planning Inspectorate’s decision.”

A spokesperson for HDC said: “I can confirm we did issue a Planning Enforcement Notice in September 2025 against the unauthorised material change of use of the land. The tenants of the land have submitted an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate against our Enforcement Notice, which is currently under consideration and we await the Inspectors [sic] decision.”

The prosecution argues Stephen McCullagh put on an ‘act’ to police after his girlfriend was found with horrific injuries in her home

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A man accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend allegedly tried to cover his tracks by pre-recording a clip he said was ‘livestreamed’ online at the time she was killed.

The mum-to-be, Natalie McNally, 32, was brutally attacked and killed in her own home in Lurgan, Co Armagh, just a week before Christmas on December 20 in 2022.

Stephen McCullagh, 36, of Lisburn, appeared before Belfast Crown Court this week on suspicion of her murder, which he denies, reports The Mirror.

The prosecution argues McCullagh murdered his partner and tried to cover his back for the crime – going so far as to suggest an ex of McNally’s was behind the attack. He also reportedly insisted he had been live streaming a game on YouTube for six hours at the time of the attack.

He sat in the dock between two prison guards on Monday morning as the trial got under way. Family and friends of Ms McNally are watching on from the public gallery.

A jury of six men and six women have been sworn to serve during the trial, which is expected to last for around five weeks, before Judge Mr Justice Patrick Kinney.

Prosecuting barrister Charles MacCreanor KC said it is their case that the defendant murdered Ms McNally and then “put on an act” to cover his tracks.

This included suggesting that an ex-partner of Ms McNally’s had been responsible, telling police there was “blood everywhere”, and that “someone had knocked 10 bells out of her by the look of it”.

Giving an outline of the evidence that will be heard during the trial, Mr MacCreanor contended that McCullagh, known on the online platform YouTube as Votesaxon07, concocted a “cover story” that he had been livestreaming himself playing video games on the evening of Sunday December 18.

But it is the prosecution case that McCullagh had pre-recorded six hours of himself playing video games which he broadcast as live that Sunday evening, and instead he took a bus to Ms McNally’s home in Lurgan.

McCullagh’s distressed sounding 999 call on the night of Monday December 19 was also played during the first day of the trial.

“We say that this is a planned, calculated, pre-meditated murder by the defendant,” Mr MacCreanor put to the jury. One which he hoped to get away with. Natalie McNally had suffered serious and multiple fatal injuries.”

He said her cause of death was found to have involved compression of her neck, “suggestive of finger tips grasping”.

She also suffered three stab wounds to her neck caused by a bladed weapon and five lacerations to the back, top and right of her head “in keeping with having sustained at least five heavy blows”.

He said any of these could have caused death alone.

He went on: “Natalie McNally was pregnant at the time and Stephen McCullagh was the father of her unborn child.”

The time of death has been estimated to be between 8.50pm and 9.30pm on Sunday December 18 2022. McCullagh made a 999 call at around 10pm on Monday December 19 from her home in Lurgan, and told police the last time he saw Ms McCullagh had been on Sunday afternoon.

“On the prosecution case, this call is false, it’s an act, it’s put on by him, part of his plan to do the murder and get away with it,” Mr MacCreanor KC said.

He said the ambulance service and police were quickly at the scene, and reported finding McCullagh with Ms McNally.

“Natalie McNally is lying at the top of the stairs … which was the living area of the home,” he said. “It’s clearly apparent to paramedics that Natalie McNally is dead, everything is consistent with this being an attack upon her, presence of blood and the visible injuries.

“Stephen McCullagh is described by the paramedics as performing CPR to the female and he’s described as being quite visibly upset.”

He said police described McCullagh as being “distraught and overcome”.

“Again, we say this is all part of an act, a front,” he said. During the 999 call, McCullagh is heard audibly upset and sobbing as he asked for emergency services to come to Ms McNally’s address in Lurgan, urging: “Please come as soon as you can”.

The operator talks McCullagh through how to position Ms McNally and administer CPR compressions as he waited for paramedics to arrive, encouraging him to “keep going”, telling him he was giving her the best chance.

The trial continues.

British number one Jack Draper marked his post-injury return to action on the ATP Tour with a straight-set victory over Frenchman Quentin Halys in Dubai.

Competing on the men’s tour for the first time since the US Open last August, Draper won 7-6 (10-8) 6-3 on his debut at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

The 24-year-old, who has slipped to 15th in the world after reaching a career-high ranking of fourth in June, will play Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan or France’s Arthur Rinderknech next.

Draper contested his first competitive match for 164 days when he played at the Davis Cup Qualifiers earlier in February, beating Norway’s Viktor Durasovic in straight sets.

But he had remained absent from tour-level singles competition since withdrawing from the US Open before his second-round match because of a left arm injury six months ago.

Draper won the prestigious Masters 1,000 title at Indian Wells and reached the fourth round of the Australian and French Opens in a promising start to his 2025 season.

But he began struggling with a bruised bone in his service arm during the clay-court swing in April, and the issue progressively worsened.

The cardigan is fluffy and cosy for those colder spring days.

As spring starts, you might be packing your winter wardrobe away and wanting to add some more colourful pieces to your outfit rotation. You could treat yourself to some new clothes in time for the new season to freshen up your style.

Tesco’s clothing brand F&F has just released the F&F Knitted Fluffy V Neck Cardigan in Blue that is a useful layer to have in your wardrobe. The cardigan also comes in two other colours, burgundy and mink, ideal for spring.

The cardigan has been designed with a “classic V neckline and button up fastening” and has “ribbed cuffs” for a “neat finish”. The cardigan is currently being sold for £22.50 and can be worn as a top or layered over a camisole with jeans for a simple yet stylish look.

The fluffy cardigan was posted on the Tesco F&F Instagram page, which currently has 886K followers. The post was captioned: “Ready for the weekend coffee date with the girls.”

If you want to get your hands on this cardigan or anything else from the brand’s collection, you can go to the Tesco website to browse all of its pieces. You can also go in person to a Tesco store with a clothing department.

If this cardigan is not quite in line with your style, Boden has some other options to choose from. There is this Valeria Crochet Trim Cardigan, which has a cute flower print on it, or this Emilia Cotton Crew Cardigan that reviews say is “extremely good quality and very well made”.

New Look also has plenty of pieces in for the springtime. There is this Cream Cotton Rich Crochet-Look Knit Scalloped Collar Cardigan that has a bold black trim around the collar and sleeves or this Blue Hammered Button Cotton Rich Chunky Knit Cardigan, which comes in a range of different colours.

Ms Badenoch appeared to discuss her party’s proposed pledge to cut the amount of interest paid on some student loans amid widespread concerns over costs.

The Tories have promised to limit the rate on Plan 2 loans to the retail price index (RPI) in a move that will heap further pressure on the Treasury.

Following Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ November budget, the salary threshold at which repayments kick in under the system will be frozen at £29,385 for three years, leading to many having to pay more.

Martin Lewis is calling on the Chancellor to change a key decision on student loans she made in the last budget, calling it a breach of the contract graduates originally signed.

Martin Lewis questions Kemi Badenoch about the Conservatives’ proposals. pic.twitter.com/aj5r6mklF6

— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) February 23, 2026

Interest on Plan 2 loans is charged at the rate of RPI inflation plus up to 3%, depending on how much a graduate earns.

The Conservative leader has announced plans to restrict this to RPI only, which the Tories argue would help higher numbers of graduates pay off their debt.

However, Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis, also appearing on GMB this morning, said the move would not help lower and middle earning graduates.

Mr Lewis said: “If you want to help the middle earning students the most important thing is the repayment threshold should be increased. When the Tories brought this in it was a graduate contribution scheme.”

In response, the Conservative leader said: “This is exactly why young people are suffering. We have a lot of people who finished university where they did not have to pay fees, didn’t have to take out loans, and now you are saying nothing can be done.”

Before Mr Lewis replied: “I am not saying nothing can be done, I am saying what you should do.”

He added: “I 100 per cent agree in principle and I have objected to it since the Conservatives brought it in in 2012. I have said we should not have above inflation interest rates.

“Lowering the interest rates will not only help those who can clear within the first 30 years which means lower and middle earning graduates won’t benefit from that change.

“If you have ££1 billion to help students the most direct thing that would help all students would be not freezing the repayment threshold, it would be increasing the repayment threshold.”

Yesterday (February 22), the Education Secretary has said she will “look at” Plan 2 student loans amid widespread concerns over repayment costs, but refused to commit to changing the system.

Bridget Phillipson insisted she wanted “fairer” arrangements for graduates but warned that the Government was dealing with “a question of priorities” when asked whether the burden would be eased.

Speaking to broadcasters on Sunday, Ms Phillipson said it was “galling that the very people who designed, implemented and delivered that system are now complaining about the fundamental problems that they see within it”.

She also hit out at suggestions to reduce the number of people entering university, which she said were coming from those who “had the benefits of a university education” themselves and wanted to deny it to others.

“I’m not in the business of pulling up the drawbridge behind me and saying to other young people who are ambitious, who want a chance to go to university, that they’re going on to study on poor-quality courses,” Ms Phillipson said.

Asked whether the Government would change the Plan 2 system, over which critics have accused the Treasury of acting like a “loan shark”, she told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “I will look at it, of course I will.”

The acclaimed feature film will receive its television debut next month on BBC iPlayer

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The highly praised feature film Aontas is scheduled to land on BBC iPlayer next month, forming part of BBC Gaeilge’s Seachtain na Gaeilge programming roster.

This Irish language crime thriller has earned global recognition across the film festival circuit throughout 2025 and is set to make its television premiere next month on BBC iPlayer, BBC One Northern Ireland and TG4.

The narrative focuses on three unlikely criminals, spearheaded by Mairéad (Carrie Crowley), a woman on the brink of breakdown, as they plot to rob a rural Irish Credit Union.

As their plan begins to unravel, Mairéad and her two accomplices, sister Cáit (Bríd Brennan) and Sheila (Eva-Jane Gaffney), swiftly realise they can’t escape their past.

The cast is completed by Seán T. Ó Meallaigh (Colly), Marcus Lamb (Dara), Art Parkinson (Éamonn), Naseen Morgan (Elma), Niall Mac Eachmharcaigh (Brian), Bríd Ní Chumhaill (Nóirín), Mary Ryan (Mary), Christopher Grant (Caoimhín), Frankie McCafferty (Len) and Eoghan Mac Giolla Bhrighde (Con), reports the Mirror.

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Belfast-based writer Damian McCann and Sarah Gordon crafted the screenplay, whilst Órfhlaith Ní Chearnaigh and Christopher Myers produced for Púca Pictures. Funding for Aontas was provided by Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund, BBC Gaeilge and TG4, with support from Yellowmoon.

Aontas scooped Clár Teilifíse/Scannán na Bliana at the Oireachtas Media Awards held in Belfast in November 2025.

It also secured Best Film Feature at the San Diego International Film Festival 2025, San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, Maryland International Film Festival, Three Rivers Film Festival, Ojai International Film Festival, Manchester International Film Festival and Irish Film Festival London.

Lead actress Carrie Crowley previously shared her thoughts on why she believes “it’s a great time to be an older woman” in cinema.

Speaking to the Irish Mail on Sunday, she remarked: “‘It’s a very good time to be an older woman. I think maybe 30 years ago, would there have been many interesting parts? Probably not, because they were looking for the hot totty all the time.”

The 1997 Eurovision presenter feels the contribution of older women, and their significance in television and cinema, is at last being acknowledged by the industry. “Now we have come to understand that there are stories in older characters and older women. They don’t have to be the leads in the story but they are very much a part of it.”

The actress also discussed how young people don’t require much convincing these days as she believes there is a “hunger for the language among the younger generation”.

And she feels its usage is “now much more widespread” as it is “not just the little elite groups but it is being opened out to other people, regardless of the level they can use it”.

She attributes this to artists such as rappers Kneecap and a shift in attitudes, with more people now prepared “to give it a try.”

The film launches on BBC iPlayer, BBC One Northern Ireland and TG4 on Monday 16 March.

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North Yorkshire Council’s Skipton and Ripon area planning committee will debate the application for land off Swinton Road on Tuesday (March 3).

The application was first submitted in 2022 and has been amended several times since, with the number of homes reduced from 48.

The scheme would include 18 affordable properties.

Masham Parish Council has raised a number of concerns and says revisions made to the scheme have not addressed the issues.

These include fears over flooding; additional pressure on Masham sewerage works, increased traffic and highway safety given current speeds and visibility on Swinton Road.

Some 48 local residents have also raised objections over the five rounds of consultation.

A wide range of concerns have been raised, including the scale of the scheme, the loss of agricultural land, that the density of the homes is too high anf the lack of open space and play facilities in the estate.

But a report by planning officers concludes that the application should be passed.

It states: “The scheme would make a positive contribution to delivering housing on an allocated site, including affordable homes, and those that are accessible and adaptable.

“When taking account of the council’s housing land supply at 2.2 years, there is not such significant harm created by the development that would outweigh the benefits provided by the scheme.

“Having regard to the overall planning balance, the proposed scheme complies with the overarching objectives and policies of the local development plan and national planning requirements and thus it represents sustainable development.”

The application will be decided by councillors rather than officers because it is deemed a sensitive site, which Councillor Felicity Cunliffe-Lister has an interest in the land as the owner of Swinton Park.