Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Tariq Bugti resigned from his post on Thursday after imposing a two-year ban on national captain Shakeel Ammad Butt, following the fallout from the team’s troubled Australia tour during the FIH Pro League.

Hotel controversy sparks crisis

The latest developments come after videos circulated on social media showing Pakistan players standing on the streets with their luggage during the Australia leg of the Pro League, raising questions over accommodation arrangements. Initially, Butt released a clip stating that everything was fine, but after returning to Lahore, he criticised the federation and alleged serious mismanagement during the tour.

Butt claimed the squad had to wander without confirmed hotel bookings and even carry out basic chores before matches, while also raising concerns about unpaid daily allowances for several players.

Ban imposed over disciplinary issues

Before stepping down, Bugti announced a two-year ban on Butt from international and domestic hockey, citing verbal misconduct and actions that he said had brought disrepute to Pakistan hockey. He maintained that disciplinary measures were necessary to maintain order within the team set-up.

The media reports also state that the head coach expressed concerns about indiscipline within the squad and said certain players’ behaviour had affected the team’s performance during the Pro League campaign.

PHF and PSB trade blame

The resignation comes amid an ongoing dispute between the PHF and the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), with both sides holding each other responsible for the logistical breakdown during the Australia tour. Bugti stated that the PSB handled travel and accommodation arrangements, while questions were raised over funds released for hotel expenses.

Players questioned why logistical issues occurred despite government funding being allocated for the team’s participation across all phases of the Pro League.

Poor results add to pressure

Pakistan’s struggles on the field have compounded the crisis, with the team losing all eight matches so far and sitting at the bottom of the nine-team standings. The disappointing run has intensified scrutiny of the federation’s management and the overall structure of Pakistan hockey.

What lies ahead

With Bugti’s resignation now awaiting formal approval, uncertainty surrounds the future leadership of the PHF and the national team. Pakistan are scheduled to travel to Egypt later this year to compete in the final World Cup qualifying tournament, even as the fallout from the Australia tour continues to dominate headlines.

Who were the big winners and losers?

Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway is the undisputed king of the Milan Cortina Olympic Games. With six gold medals, the 29-year-old cross-country skier equaled the record of US speed skater Eric Heiden at the 1980 Winter Games in Lake Placid. With a total of 11 gold medals in his career, Klaebo is the most successful Winter Olympian in history.

His fellow Norwegian, Jens Luraas Oftebro, celebrated three Olympic victories in the Nordic combined. With three gold medals, Franjo van Allmen of Switzerland was the outstanding alpine skier. Among the women, Federica Brignone sparked euphoria among the Italian hosts with her victories in the super G and giant slalom – as did two-time gold medalist Federica Lollobrigida in speed skating.

Some gold medal dreams were spectacularly shattered. Figure skating superstar Ilia Malinin of the United States, who took a lead into the free skate, fell twice and plummeted to eighth place.

A similar fate befell skier Atle Lie McGrath in the slalom. The Norwegian started the decisive second run in first place but crashed out due to an error. Devastated, he fled the slope for the adjacent woods.

How was the atmosphere?

Many athletes complained that while the Games in northern Italy were well-organized, they lacked the true Olympic spirit. They said the large distances between the competition venues made it impossible for a lot of them to follow other disciplines.

They also complained that in some sports, like alpine skiing, the spectators were too far away from the action.

“If this is what enjoying the Olympics is supposed to be like, I’m glad this was my last time,” lamented German skier Linus Strasser.

What were the biggest controversies?

Lindsey Vonn’s crash dominated the headlines on the first weekend of the Olympics. The 41-year-old had hoped to crown her illustrious career with a second Olympic gold medal in the downhill after 2010 – despite having a torn ACL, which she had suffered in her last race before the Games.

A few seconds into the race, she crashed, suffering a complex tibia fracture and was forced to undergo multiple surgeries.

The disqualification of Ukrainian Vladislav Heraskevych sparked discussion beyond the world of sports. The skeleton racer was excluded from the event because he insisted on wearing a helmet bearing images of more than 20 Ukrainian athletes killed in Russia’s full-scale war on his country.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarded this as a violation of the Olympic Charter, which prohibits political statements at competition venues. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld the IOC’s ban on Heraskevych’s participation.

How did Germany fare?

The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) sent a record contingent of 185 athletes to Milan Cortina with the stated goal of finishing in the top three in the medals table – which it failed to achieve.

While Germany  dominated in luge and bobsleigh, there were some bitter disappointments, including in biathlon, Nordic combined, and men’s alpine skiing, where Germany failed to win a medal.

The results in ski jumping were also meager overall; apart from Philipp Raimund’s sensational gold, the team went home empty-handed. Germany’s men’s ice hockey team, featuring superstar Leon Draisaitl, fell to Slovakia in the quarterfinals.  

What can the IOC learn for the next Winter Games?

The problem of long distances between venues is also bound to come up at the 2030 Games in the French Alps; the events are to be spread across the city of Nice and several ski resorts in the Alps, some of which are more than a six-hour drive away from the Riviera.

To improve the atmosphere on the ski slopes, the IOC should at least ensure closer proximity between the athletes and spectators. The Olympic rule-makers would also be well advised to agree on a clear policy beforehand to prevent a repeat of the communications disaster that occurred in the Heraskevych case.

This article was translated from German.

Shortly after winning America’s first gold medal in men’s hockey in 46 years, members of Team USA honored Johnny Gaudreau, a former Team USA member who tragically died in August of 2024. 

Zach Werenski, who played alongside Gaudreau during his final NHL seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, held up Gaudreau’s Team USA jersey along with team captain Auston Matthews and assistant captain Matthew Tkachuk shortly after he fed Jack Hughes for the game-winning goal against Canada. 

The gesture occurred with members of Gaudreau’s family looking on in the stands. 

After receiving their gold medals, Werenski and Dylan Larkin, who played with Gaudreau at multiple world championships, brought Gaudreau’s young children out to the ice for a team photo. 

“It means everything — we all know he should be here with us,” Larkin said of Gaudreau prior to the gold medal game. “He should be with us. We love him, and I like that we continue to think about him and I wouldn’t imagine it any other way.”

Johnny and his younger brother Matthew Gaudreau were killed after being stuck being an alleged drunk driver while cycling in New Jersey. Like his older brother, Matthew Gaudreau was also an accomplished hockey player who played professionally in the AHL and ECHL before becoming a coach. 

A seven-time NHL All-Star, Johnny Gaudreau was a six-time All-Star for the Calgary Flames. He was the 2017 recipient of the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, which is given annually to an NHL player “adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.”

In 2022, Gaudreau shocked most of the hockey world by deciding to sign with the Blue Jackets as a free agent. He was named to his seventh and ultimately final All-Star team during his first season in Columbus, who has continued to honor his legacy following his untimely death. 

Gaudreau helped Team USA win the gold medal at the 2013 IIHF Junior World Championships. He most recently played on Team USA during the 2024 IIHF World Championship. He never got a chance to play in the Olympics, though, as the NHL did not participate in the previous two Olympics. 

“He wanted to be on this team,” his father, Guy Gaudreau, said during the third period of the America’s win over Slovakia. “And it would’ve been nice if he’d been here.”

Members of the Gaudreau family made the trip to Italy after being invited by Team USA. 

“Our two daughters, for 24 hours, they just kept at us: ‘You have to go. The boys would want you to do this. This would mean so much to John,’” said Gaudreau’s mother, Jane. “It just means so much to our family, and we’re so excited to remember what our boys meant to hockey.”

Their presence was certainly felt by Team USA. 

“It’s great having them here, and it’s super special,” Werenski said prior to Sunday’s game. “We’re happy that we made it to the gold medal game so they can watch that and be a part of it. It’s on us to make them proud.”

Gaudreau served as inspiration throughout the Olympics for Team USA. His uniform was on the locker room throughout the Olympics, and it was on the ice on Sunday when the Americans made history by winning the gold medal for only the third time. 

“He was one of America’s very best,” said Team USA coach Mike Sullivan. “He’s just a good person on the ice and off the ice, and I think he’s an inspiration to our players to this very day.”

Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp has warned that Tottenham Hotspur are in serious danger of relegation after the team’s embarrassing 4-1 defeat at the hands of rivals Arsenal.

New manager Igor Tudor took charge of his first game as Spurs boss but it ended in a damaging defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze both scoring a brace to restore the Gunners to a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

And while Spurs briefly fought back to go level at half-time, the subsequent collapse and lack of threat in the second half will be cause for concern for Tudor, with the club now in 16th and in real danger of being dragged into a relegation battle.

Speaking on Sky Sports after the full-time whistle, Redknapp called the game “a complete mismatch”, adding that Spurs could be relegated if they aren’t careful.

”They [Arsenal] were so much better than Tottenham, it was like two different leagues. If Tottenham aren’t careful, they might be in a different league.

“They cannot keep performing like this. They’ve not had a win in 2026,” added the former England midfielder.

As mentioned by Redknapp, Tottenham are without a win in the league in 2026, while they have also exited the FA Cup at the hands of Aston Villa.

And though they have advanced to the knockout rounds of the Champions League, that will be of little consolation to a side that has four draws and five losses in nine league games in 2026.

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But while the threat of relegation looms over the club, new manager Igor Tudor emphasised his confidence in Spurs escaping the drop, explaining that “these are good players with bad habits”.

“They are good players, nobody can tell me they don’t have quality. We need to change [a] mental switch and have this mental sharpness to be in the game in the first to second minutes,” added the Croatian.

The result leaves Tottenham in 16th after 28 games, just four points ahead of 18th-placed West Ham with 10 games remaining, and Tudor’s side will face Fulham in the league next week before a string of potentially tricky matches against Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul’s 2026 season is off to an impressive start, as the 23-year-old claimed her eighth career LPGA win at the Honda LPGA Thailand on Sunday — and her first-ever victory in her home country.

Thitikul fired rounds of 67-63-66-68 to reach 24 under, edging Japan’s Chizzy Iwai by one shot. Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim was third at 22 under.

Thitikul was three shots back at the tournament’s halfway point but entered the final round with a two-stroke lead after birdieing the final three holes of her third round. On Sunday, Thitikul made six birdies, bringing her tournament total to 25, which tied for the most of any player in the field.

Thitikul has competed in her home-country tournament a total of eight times, but until this year, her best finish was runner-up in 2021.

“I mean, I would rate it like A+++ something,” Thitikul said Sunday of where this victory ranks. “I mean, you know, like I know it’s not that big event like compared to the majors, but like for us, for me, winning in my home country just means a lot to me, sometime more than a major feeling.”

Another element adding to the momentousness of the occasion was the fact that Thitikul’s mother was onsite to watch her daughter win in person for the first time.

“Yeah, it’s mean a lot. My mom just came up to me when I finished 18 and she cried a lot, and then I told her, I finally won the tournament in front of you. Like you were here with me,” Thitikul said. “So she’s just really emotional. Make me emotional, too.”

Thitikul has now won three times in five starts, and has earned $17,704,399 in just 86 total starts, bumping her to No. 7 on the LPGA’s all-time career money list. Annika Sorenstam is No. 1 with $22,583,693 in 308 starts.

This week, the LPGA heads to Singapore for the HSBC Women’s World Championship where Lydia Ko is the defending champion. The first round begins on Thursday, February 26.

Former unified heavyweight world champion Hasim Rahman has looked ahead to April’s veteran showdown between Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder, predicting that the contest will end by knockout.

Chisora was advised to retire by fighters and fans when he came up short in a second challenge for the heavyweight throne against Tyson Fury, back in December 2022. However, the beloved big man has continued to fight on and has surprisingly strung together three straight victories since.

Although, Chisora has promised that his next outing will be his last, as he reaches fight number 50 in his professional career, bowing out on home soil against former WBC champion Wilder, who will also achieve the same landmark half-century bout in the contest.

At ages of 43 and 40 respectively, some have criticised whether Chisora and Wilder should still be fighting, but Rahman told FightHype that he believes the clash is fair game, because of their similar ages.

“The way that I look at it is this, if you are talking about one of them fighting somebody significant younger than them, then there might be an issue, it might be something to talk about.

“But, you are talking about both of them, the playing field is even, so it’s OK.

“It washes out, it evens itself out, both of them are in the same boat, so what is the difference? Ain’t no advantage, either way.”

When discussing the scrap itself, ‘The Rock’, who famously knocked out Lennox Lewis to become the heavyweight champion in 2001, forecasted that the outcome of the fight will hinge on how much Wilder has declined, but that the judges will not be needed either way.

“I think that, if Deontay has anything left, he should win the fight by knockout. But, if Deontay is through, with his wars with Tyson Fury, then I see Derek outworking him and possibly stopping him late.”

Wilder-Chisora takes place on Saturday, April 4, at the O2 Arena in London, and will be available to watch live via DAZN PPV.

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Holders Chelsea edged past Manchester United into the FA Cup quarter-finals thanks to an extra-time tap-in from defender Naomi Girma.

The United States international prodded home from close range in the 99th minute to open her goal account for the Blues after the visitors had failed to clear their lines from a corner.

It was a disappointing end to the tie for Marc Skinner’s side, who had battled from behind to take the contest into extra-time.

Substitute Simi Awujo arrived at the back post on 81 minutes to cancel out Sam Kerr’s opener – the Australian had come off the bench to steer home Veerle Buurman’s knockdown three minutes prior.

Chelsea had beaten United in last season’s final and victory will hand Sonia Bompastor’s side a psychological edge over the Red Devils before they meet again in the League Cup final at Ashton Gate on 15 March.

Elsewhere, captain Kim Little scored for a second FA Cup tie in a row as 14-time winners Arsenal claimed a 3-0 victory over Bristol City.

Victoria Pelova and Frida Maanum were also on target in a second half that was blighted by a head injury to winger Olivia Smith, who was stretchered off.

Manchester City are also through after ruthlessly despatching second-tier Sheffield United 4-0.

The Women’s Super League leaders raced into a three-goal lead inside 22 minutes thanks to two close-range finishes from Lauren Hemp, and a low drive from Aoba Fujino. Laura Coombs poked home their fourth in the 90th minute.

Brighton ran out 2-1 winners at West Ham in another all-WSL tie, as manager Dario Vidosic returned to the dugout.

The 38-year-old has been away from the team in Australia for the past month after the passing of his father Rado, who was also Brighton’s women’s and girls’ head of coaching.

Veteran Fran Kirby rolled back the years with a goal and assist in a commanding first-half display, with Leila Wandeler’s 75th-minute goal unable to inspire a West Ham fightback.

Birmingham City and Charlton Athletic prevailed in the only ties not involving top-flight clubs.

Oceane Hurtre scored a hat-trick in an 8-0 rout for the Blues over Chatham Town on Friday night, while the Addicks edged out fourth-tier Oxford thanks to Lucy Fitzgerald’s 76th-minute penalty.

London City Lionesses host capital neighbours Tottenham on Monday, 23 February (19:30 GMT) in the remaining fifth-round tie.