KOCHI: S Murali gave an unusual analogy to describe the struggles his son, long jumper Sreeshankar Murali, undertook to regain full fitness after a career-threatening knee injury he sustained two years ago.“Sreeshankar’s comeback was as difficult as preparing for the IIT and Civil Services simultaneously,” he told TOI.Murali is currently near Prague, where he is closely monitoring his son’s training ahead of a busy stretch that begins with the World Athletics Continental Tour (silver level) meet in Bhubaneswar on Aug 22, followed by next month’s Asian Games in Japan.“Sreeshankar’s training now revolves around strength and conditioning, along with the prehab and rehab programme designed by coach Wayne Lombard. There is very little time to work on technique. The priority is to protect the knee on his take-off leg,” Murali said.His IIT-UPSC analogy aptly captures the magnitude of the challenge Sreeshankar faced after suffering the devastating injury just months before the 2024 Paris Olympics.Two years later, the journey came full circle when the 27-year-old clinched the silver medal at last week’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.“Of all the medals Sreeshankar has won, this one gives me the greatest satisfaction because of the circumstances under which he achieved it. It reflects his mental toughness and hunger,” Murali said.The conditions in Glasgow were anything but favourable.“It was around 12 degrees Celsius with drizzle and strong winds, making the runway tricky,” Murali said. Despite the difficult conditions, Sreeshankar produced a best jump of 8.09m to finish second.The performance inevitably brought back painful memories of 2024, when the family received a grim diagnosis after Sreeshankar tore the patellar tendon in his take-off leg.“The doctors in Mumbai had not seen an injury like this. I thought he would never be able to walk again,” Murali recalled.“They told us it wasn’t a common sports injury but the kind usually seen after a serious car accident. His knee was completely ruptured.”Determined to find the best treatment, Murali travelled nearly 1,900 miles with his son to Doha’s Aspetar Hospital. “The surgeons reconstructed his knee using four screws.”The Palakkad athlete spent more than eight months away from competition before beginning the long rehabilitation process.The painstaking recovery paid rich dividends. Since returning to elite competition, Sreeshankar has consistently cleared the eight-metre mark, including a season’s best of 8.38m at the Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar in June.“There is no time to bask in the Commonwealth Games glory,” Murali said, pointing to the demanding schedule ahead.Sreeshankar will now turn his attention to the Asian Games in Japan, where he hopes to upgrade the silver medal he won at the previous edition in Hangzhou.“With everything Sreeshankar has gone through, he has every reason to believe he can stand on top of the podium at the Asian Games,” Murali concluded.

Pakistan’s Olympic gold medallist javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem has come in for criticism after his disappointing in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Nadeem finished ninth with a sub-80 effort in Glasgow with Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage winning gold and India’s Neeraj Chopra and Yashvir Singh finishing second and third respectively.

The outcome was not unexpected keeping in mind Arshad took part in only one preparatory event in Switzerland in 2026 for the CWG and that he spent all his time training in the hot weather in Lahore without working with any foreign coaches or trainers in person.

Arshad, who has previously trained under South African caoch, Terseus Liebengberg trained with his local coach, Salman Butt and local trainers.

Ironically the weather conditions in Lahore and Glasgow were the opposite.

Now compare this with how Arshad’s arch rival, Neeraj Chopra and other Indian javelin throwers trained for the CWG.

While Neeraj had his final preparation and rehabilitation camp at his training camp ion Biene in Switzerland his teammates like Rohit Yadav and Yashvir Singh trained in Spala, Poland with foreign coaches and trainers.

The result India won the silver and bronze medals in the CWG Javelin throw events.

Arshad, who was the defending champion in the Commonwealth Games after winning the gold in the last CWG in Birmingham in 2022 with a best of 90.12 metres was unable to even cross the 80 metres mark in the finals in Glasgow.

He failed to qualify for the final round of eight due to his poor performance dashing Pakistan’s hopes of another medal in the games.

For his fans it was a big letdown to see him struggling to even get past the 80 metres mark as he had also won the Olympic Gold Medal with a record throw of 92.97.

Arshad’s long serving coach, Salman Butt admitted that Arshad was nowhere his best in the CWG and was under prepared.

While Arshad is also to partially blame for his fall from grace as he clearly didn’t look 100 percent fit in the finals, he has also had to battle many issues off the track.

The biggest one being the Pakistan Amateur Athletics Federation totally disowned him after a feud over the retention of Salman Butt as coach last year.

A reliable source close to Arshad said that since late last year the PAAF and even the Pakistan Sports Board have not made life easy for the Javelin thrower as he prepared for the CWG.

The PAAF the source said totally distanced itself from Arshad’s preparations and left him on his own and when he made a few request pertaining to his training they were not entertained.

Similarly the PSB also didn’t release any funds for foreign coaches trainers to help Arshad train even in Lahore.

“This is an athlete who is self made and comes from a village and belonged to a low income family. But he brought so much glory to Pakistan with his gold medals. And yet he couldn’t prepare properly for the CWG. It is a sad reflection on our sports structure,” former Olympic boxing bronze medallist Hussain Shah said.

Even Pakistan’s first female to win any medal in the Commonwealth Games, boxer Fatima Zehra has rued that if she had got better training and exposure she could have won the gold medal in her weight category.

Fatima still managed to bag a bronze in the boxing event until now Pakistan’s only medal in the CWG after sending a 36 member contingent.

Linebacker Sione Takitaki was in the Twin Cities last season, mostly serving in a depth role. The tackler played in just a trio of games for Minnesota, spending the rest of his time on the practice squad.

He’s now joining some former Vikings in Houston.

The news arrives courtesy of Aaron Wilson of KPRC2: “New #Texans linebacker Sione Takitaki arrived in town today after agreeing to terms Saturday following successful workout.” Getting grafted into the Texans’ front seven means operating in perhaps the most ferocious unit in the NFL. Seeing the 6’1″ and 245-pound ‘backer crack the final roster will mean being able to feast on tackles since the defensive line is so dominant.

Former Vikings Defender Sione Takitaki is in a Good Spot

Right now, the Vikings are pretty loaded at linebacker.

When healthy, Blake Cashman is a great LB1. Not elite, but very good. He’s somebody who can cover, blitz, and erase runners. Most teams would be well served by having a ‘backer as smart and competitive as Mr. Cashman. Only injury slows him down. When his body allows, he’s a difference maker.

Next up are a combination of Eric Wilson, Jake Golday, and Ivan Pace Jr. There’s a good chance that those three end up being the LB2, LB3, and LB4 for the duration of the 2026 season, provided health cooperates. After those three, there are some standard depth pieces looking to surprise people.

Last year, the Vikings had a pretty similar linebacker setup. What was missing was full health for Cashman and the presence of Golday. Part of the fix could be found in Takitaki.

The 3rd-Round selection spent most of the season on the practice squad. Doing so gave the Vikings some peace of mind since he could get called up at a moment’s notice if a veteran was needed. Minnesota did burn up the three freebie elevations from the practice squad but didn’t give him a full contract for the 53-man roster.

The final tally shows that Takitaki offered the Vikings 3 tackles. He played 45 snaps on specials but none on defense.

Originally, the linebacker got into the NFL in the 2019 NFL Draft. He did so as a Brown, a spot where he stayed until 2023. Since then, the linebacker has put in time with the Patriots and Vikings before getting his latest gig with the Texans.

Houston operates in the AFC. Minnesota, obviously, is in the NFC. The teams aren’t scheduled to play each other in the upcoming season but could meet in the Super Bowl, though the odds of the Vikings holding up their end of the bargain appear exceedingly small.

Other former Vikings players to pickup work with the Texans are edge rusher Danielle Hunter and right guard Ed Ingram.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

Mauricio Pochettino is staying with the U.S. soccer team, agreeing Monday to a four-year contract to coach the Americans through the 2030 World Cup.

The 54-year-old Pochettino, who took over the national team in October 2024, led the U.S. to the round of 16 at this year’s World Cup, where the tournament co-hosts were eliminated in a 4-1 loss to Belgium.

Still, he helped the seeded U.S. team to a pair of firsts in the expanded 48-nation tournament, clinching advancement from the group stage with a game to spare and winning three games in a single World Cup. The team captivated American fans with excited audiences in stadiums and record television viewers.

“The magic thing that happened during the World Cup, the connection with the people, of course with the whole organization and everything was a key point,” Pochettino said during a Zoom news conference from his home in Barcelona, Spain.

Since reaching the quarterfinals at the 2002 World Cup, the U.S. has lost four round-of-16 games.

“What we learn(ed) is that we can compete, that we have the quality and we have the talent,” Pochettino said. “We were so close. That gap with the best teams in the world is not too big.” 
Pochettino said there is potential to make soccer in the U.S. “grow and grow and grow and be one of the important sport(s) in America, like it is in the rest of the world.” 
“We have players and organization that can compete with the best organization in the world in that sport,” he said. “We learned that the fans are amazing and when they were so excited to discover a sport that made our fans become crazy, no? The connection was amazing.” 
Pochettino views the next cycle as a new start for a program lacking quality depth at goalkeeper and central defender.

“It is going to be important to provide the young kids that we really believe (in) that they have the potential to arrive in 2030, in four years,” he said.

Before taking the U.S. job, Pochettino coached Espanyol (2009-12), Southampton (2013-14), Tottenham (2014-19), Paris Saint-Germain (2021-22) and Chelsea (2023-24).

When Pochettino replaced Gregg Berhalter two years ago, he signed an initial contract through the 2026 World Cup. Pochettino said ahead of the tournament that he had discussed a possible new deal with the USSF. He also said in May that his agent had spoken with AC Milan, a club that then hired Ruben Amorim.

Pochettino, who has homes in Spain and London, said he may move to the U.S. He intends to stay with the American team until 2030 but left himself an out.

“Four years time is a really long period. You never know what can happen in soccer,” he said. “Today people really love you. In eight weeks time, maybe that change(s), that feeling.” 
He has led the U.S. to 17 wins (including a penalty-kick victory), 13 losses and one draw. Twenty-three of 62 players to appear under Pochettino have accounted for the team’s 57 goals.

“We know we have a lot of work to do to achieve our clear ambitions, including competing to win Men’s World Cups and having soccer become the most played sport in every community,” USSF CEO JT Batson said in a statement.

Hedge fund manager Ken Griffin is again the lead philanthropic funder supporting Pochettino’s contract with additional support by Scott Goodwin, Adam Freede and commercial partners. Pochettino earned just over $5 million in his first seven months as coach, according to the U.S. Soccer Federation tax return.

U.S. coaches have not been successful when they remained for a second World Cup cycle.

After leading the Americans to the 2002 quarterfinals, Bruce Arena was unable to get his team past the group stage in 2006.

Bob Bradley helped the U.S. reach the round of 16 in 2010, then was fired a year later after the team lost the CONCACAF Gold Cup final.

Jurgen Klinsmann took over and in December 2013 was given an extension through the 2018 World Cup. The Americans reached the round of 16 in 2014 but Klinsmann was fired in late 2016 after the U.S. lost its first two games in the final round of qualifying. Arena returned but the U.S. failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

Berhalter was hired in late 2018 and led the Americans to the round of 16 in 2022. Given a new contract in 2023, he was fired a year later after the U.S. failed to advance past the group stage at Copa America.

“We are going to demand more from them,” he said of the players. “We are not going to be in some situation(s) not flexible like we were because before it was (for) the benefit of players, benefit of structures that were already built. But now it’s about to start the house from zero.

Commonwealth Games silver medallist weightlifter Gyaneshwari Yadav on Monday recalled that overcoming menstrual cramps was the biggest challenge for her at the event, with her firm commitment to achieving the goal acting as her motivation.

Yadav said her next target is the Asian Games for which she had about a month to prepare.

She recalled the struggles of the years and kept reminding herself of the dream of her father, who pursued bodybuilding as a hobby, to bring glory to the country.

The 23-year-old from Rajnandgaon district in Chhattisgarh won the silver medal in the women’s 53 kg weightlifting in the just-concluded event in Glasgow.

On Monday, Yadav and her parents met Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai at his official residence, where she was felicitated for bringing laurels to the country and her home state, 
Speaking to PTI Videos, Yadav said her biggest challenge during the Commonwealth Games was that it was the first day of her period (menstruation).

“I had trained under such conditions before, but had never competed on the first day of my periods. I kept telling myself to stay focused, and my family and coaches also kept assuring me that everything would be fine,” she said.

Yadav said she performed with a calm mind, and after successfully completing her first lift, her confidence grew.

“I told myself that the pain was nothing compared to my goal, and that motivated me to clear all my lifts,” she added.

Yadav noted that her success was the culmination of years of struggle shared by her family, coaches and the people of Rajnandgaon.

“There is a lot of struggle behind every success. My parents struggled alongside me. I still remember my father pushing me on his bicycle to the gym every day. He had once told me that he could never make it to the national or international stage, but wanted me to achieve that dream and bring glory to the country,” she said.

Earlier, the Chief Minister announced a reward of Rs 30 lakh for Yadav and granted her an out-of-turn promotion to the rank of deputy superintendent of police (DSP).

Reacting to the honour, the weightlifter said it would help her immensely to prepare for future competitions.

“Joining the police as an ASI (assistant sub-inspector) came as a great support. This promotion to DSP will motivate me further and help me prepare better so that I can bring more glory to India and Chhattisgarh on bigger stages. My next target is the Asian Games, and I have one month left to prepare,” she said.

Yadav also urged young weightlifters to remain patient and work hard.

“There are many competitions that offer cash prizes, which provide financial support and motivate athletes. Success takes time, but if you keep working hard, the rewards eventually come,” she said.

Her father, Deepak Yadav, said the silver medal was a proud achievement for Chhattisgarh and expressed confidence that his daughter would win more medals with everyone’s blessings.

“We came from a financially weak family. I used to do bodybuilding as a hobby and would take her to Jai Bhavani Vyayam Shala, where she was given training in weightlifting. I never imagined she would reach this level,” he said.

Describing the cash reward and promotion as a major motivation, Deepak Yadav said they would encourage more children to take up sports and pursue excellence.

It’s still early, but there are positive signs for Vikings trench defender Caleb Banks.

The hulking DT got chosen at No. 18. So much of what made the decision surprising — one conducted by fill-in GM Rob Brzezinski — had nothing to do with talent, team need, or a lack of these things. Rather, the issue had to do with health and polish, or lack of these things. Could the kid be ready to play in 2026 given the issues with his foot?

Kevin O’Connell has been upbeat and positive for a little while about the trajectory for Banks. Some of that is standard O’Connell stuff; he’s prone to offering a pile of words, often with little value. But as it relates to Banks, the updates are consistently positive.

Warren Ludford (Daily Norseman) was out there yesterday and made the quick comment on social media, “Banks w 1D.” Translation: Caleb Banks was getting work alongside the starters.

Vikings Trench Defender Getting Run with 1s

Opting for a defensive tackle so high means boasting considerable optimism for what he can bring to the table. The perspective inside TCO Performance Center is that the team gained an unusual level of value when choosing Banks due to his injury. Essentially, the belief is that being healthy would have resulted in being a top-ten selection rather than a perceived reach at No. 18.

The Vikings therefore feel confident in where things are going with Banks.

The early word is that Brian Flores wants to lean on the rookie to function as a 3T/5T, meaning he’ll play a role that’s roughly similar to what Aaron Donald offered the Rams. But while the alignment may have some overlap and similarities, you may notice that Banks and Donald boast a different build. Donald stands at 6’1″ and weighs 280 pounds; Banks is listed as being 6’6″ and 327 pounds.

Part of the point of inserting Caleb Banks into the job of a 3-4 defensive end is to create matchup nightmares for the other side. Oftentimes, the player tasked with that DE job looks like Ty Ingram-Dawkins, a player who weighs roughly 290 pounds.

With Banks, the calculus is a bit different since he’s a massive presence. Better yet, he’s a ballerina in there, boasting excellent athleticism. Minnesota is banking on that size/speed combo for chaos.

Earlier in camp, Banks chatted with the media. On the question of whether he was completely ready, Banks offered a confident “absolutely.”

In fact, the sense coming from the powerful defensive tackle was that he felt ready to roll earlier than the team did. Minnesota kept him back, forcing him to respect the yield sign rather than roll through. Quite possibly, that’s the exact correct approach. Why push things in the summer months, especially with a player who is so young?

At the end of the day, football is a matchup sport. Offensive coordinators are going to see the Vikings on the schedule and try to devise ways to stretch Brian Flores to the point of being unable to shutdown the attack. Flores, though, isn’t going to be passive.

To the contrary, Minnesota’s DC wants to go on the attack.

In Caleb Banks, the Vikings feel like they boast somebody who changes the math. Leaving him with a single blocker could lead to a bad day at the office for that lonely blocker. Being so explosive, long, and huge could mean losing the line of scrimmage in a hurry. Do that over and over again and the Vikings will have an edge.

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The response, quite possibly, will be to double Mr. Banks, but that’s a solution that creates another problem. Devoting a pair of blockers to a single player means more room to operate for guys like Dallas Turner, Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman, Jalen Redmond, and others.

Banks, 23, boasts all-world potential. Health is the first step. Continuing to demand work with the starters is the next as he looks to shine as a rookie.

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Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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Ruben Amorim will come up against his former side later in pre-season, with the former Man United boss sending a clear message to one of his players.

Ruben Amorim has told Rafael Leao that he is “lucky” to be with AC Milan amid speculation over his future. Manchester United were one of the teams credited with an interest.

The club have since distanced themselves from a move, but the Portugal international continues to be linked with an exit from Milan. Turkish side Fenerbahce are the team most heavily linked, with reports that they are in talks over a deal, with Milan setting an asking price of around €50million (£43m).

Despite the talk over his future, Leao has joined up with his teammates in Australia following his post World Cup break. He is expected to be involved in the pre-season friendly meeting with Inter on Wednesday (12pm kick-off).

Ahead of that game, former United boss Amorim has sent a clear message to the midfielder when speaking about his future.

“Rafa is lucky to be at a club like Milan, so he should be happy,” he said, via TuttoMercatoWeb. “I feel that he’s happy and motivated.

“I don’t know what will happen between now and the end of the window, but I feel the group is really united. I haven’t heard or seen any difference in Leao compared to the other lads.”

Amorim was appointed as Milan boss earlier this summer and is preparing for his first season in Serie A. Despite facing a Milan derby in pre-season, the manager’s full focus is on the first competitive game.

“Being pre-season champions isn’t important,” he said. “The only thing that really counts is when the referee blows for kick-off in Turin.”

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Just under a year after leaving United, the Portuguese will have a reunion on August 15 when United take on Milan in a pre-season friendly as both sides prepare for the new season.

United will hope to have some new players feature in that match, with midfielder Youri Tielemans returning from his post World Cup break this week. The club have also been linked with several other possible transfers including Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall.

In 2022, Eala was on the cover of Vogue Philippines after becoming the first Filipina to win a junior Grand Slam title.

But it was her victory over Swiatek in the quarter-finals of the Miami Open in 2025, that brought a new passion for tennis to the Philippines.

There has been a lot of love for the young star from her community, with queues to see her play growing and fans following her all over the world.

There are more than 75,000 members of the Filipino community in Washington, with a further four million across the US who will be watching her in the US Open in late August.

“To all the Filipino fans that came out and have supported, you guys are helping grow tennis around the world,” Pegula said after the match.

Fellow Filipino and former boxing champion, Manny Pacquiao, wrote on social media that her comeback showed the “heart of a Filipino” before calling her “our new champion”.

Big Cass was among those who returned to WWE’s “Monday Night Raw” and made a statement doing so.

After nearly a decade away from the company, Cass’ return was teased for weeks. He attacked Je’Von Evans after Evans defeated Ethan Page in his match.

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Big Cass faces Je’Von Evans during “Monday Night Raw” at Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa, on Aug. 3, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)

“Eight years. I was left for dead in the dirt. Eight years it took me to get back here from rock bottom,” he said in a backstage interview with Jackie Redmond. “Je’Von Evans – nothing personal, bro. You were just in the way. Make no mistake about it. I am here to stack bodies. You were just the first. You surely won’t be the last.”

Big Cass wasn’t the only one to get back in the ring on Monday.

Becky Lynch and Stephanie Vaquer also returned.

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Liv Morgan and Becky Lynch speak during “Monday Night Raw” at Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa, on Aug. 3, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)

Lynch came out after Roxanne Perez took on Sol Ruca. Liv Morgan was caught trying to interfere in the match, which led to Perez’s disqualification. As The Judgment Day put a beatdown on Ruca, Lynch made her appearance.

Lynch made clear she was going after Morgan’s Women’s World Championship after she successfully defended the title against Iyo Sky at SummerSlam. As The Judgment Day left the ring, Vaquer’s music hit.

She chased Morgan back into the ring and got some revenge on the champion. Vaquer took out Rodriguez and Perez in the process before the trio scurried away.

Becky Lynch and Stephanie Vaquer face off during “Monday Night Raw” at Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa, on Aug. 3, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)

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Vaquer and Lynch stared each other down in the ring as it appeared two contenders emerged for Morgan’s title.

West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan has been advised to stay away from the club’s home matches at the London Stadium following allegations of historic sexual misconduct.

A joint investigation by BBC Panorama and The Times saw the 77-year-old businessman accused of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour by seven women. He has categorically denied the allegations and described them as “factually incorrect and entirely false, decades-old allegations concerning my personal life”.

Sullivan stood down as joint chairman of West Ham shortly before the investigation was broadcast but remains the club’s largest shareholder, although the make-up of the Hammers’ ownership is set to change this year, with a consortium led by Amanda Staveley agreeing a £150m deal to acquire a 25.1 per cent stake from Vanessa Gold, daughter of former co-owner David Gold, who died in 2023.

West Ham were relegated from the Premier League in May but are pre-season title favourites in the Championship as they look to bounce back at the first time of asking and begin their 2026-27 campaign with a home Carabao Cup clash against Portsmouth on Saturday.

And a spokesperson for London Stadium confirmed they had recommended that Sullivan not attend the Hammers’ home matches due to the “potential for demonstrations and anti-social behaviour by some spectators.”

A London Stadium statement read: “Following media reports at the end of the season regarding a safeguarding matter being managed by the club, London Stadium sought further information to ensure it could fulfil its own safeguarding responsibilities.

“Based on the information provided by the club, we understand the matter was investigated and that the club does not consider there to be an ongoing safeguarding risk associated with Mr Sullivan attending the stadium.

“However, given the potential for demonstrations and anti-social behaviour by some spectators, we have recommended to the club that he does not attend.

“We have also requested advance notice of any planned attendance so that appropriate safety and operational measures can be put in place.”

West Ham have declined to officially comment, although it is understood Sullivan intends on defying the recommendation to stay away.

The BBC Panorama and Times investigation also revealed that Sullivan has been banned by the Football Association (FA) from having contact with West Ham’s women and youth teams for three years due to safeguarding concerns.

Sullivan has said of the action by the FA: “I wish to clarify recent media reports regarding a negotiated agreement with the Football Association, which has been inaccurately described as a disciplinary ‘ban’.

“In my entire 16 years at West Ham I have never met any academy or women’s team players one-to-one, therefore I negotiated and temporary agreement with the FA not to do so until the FA resolved an outstanding complaint in relation to a single anonymous complaint regarding an event in 1981.

“The complaint had nothing to do about my time in football and it never happened. I saw it as a meaningless restriction, as it didn’t impact on my work in any way. Therefore, I accepted it for a quiet life.”