Sports
Hearts: Derek McInnes happy to play title climax ‘in car park’
“I actually don’t really care from our point of view where we play and the times and all the rest of it.”
McInnes said the fixtures came as “no real surprise” as Hearts had been pre-warned.
“We’re just delighted to be part of the whole conversation, delighted that we’re going to be in amongst it and looking forward to the games when they come up,” he said.
“It’s not great for the fans that they don’t get Saturday three o’clock, but I think, you know, having three away games it was probably difficult to fit everything in.
“I get how not everybody’s going to be happy. I think the league have got a tough job to try and keep every club happy and every set of supporters happy, but for us we’re just obviously excited about the games that’s coming up.
“I think you look at them, a lot of mouth-watering fixtures, we’ve said that the top six would sort everything out and these fixtures will. They’re brilliant fixtures.”
The SPFL explained that Hearts are away on the final day because it was unable to have both Glasgow or Edinburgh sides play at home on the final two fixture dates, as they all kick-off at the same time, and not to have a city derby on the final day.
Only around 600 visiting fans are likely to be at Celtic Park for what could be a pivotal day in Hearts’ history as they aim to clinch their first top-flight title since 1960.
“That’s disappointing, that is, and I can understand the frustration from that,” McInnes said.
“Let’s hope that we are getting into that game with plenty to play for and we’ve got a lot of work to do before then, but I totally get that.”
However, McInnes realised that the SPFL was keen to have “a fixture at the death that would be pretty key” and said: “I think it’s an unbelievable fixture if we are and particularly if Celtic have still got a chance as well.
“If both teams are still in the mix for winning a league, it’s the most dramatic fixture you can have.”
McInnes fully expects the title race to go down to the final day, when Rangers also visit Falkirk.
“They’ve got a difficult away game last game of the season as well, so I think it’s up to the league and the TV companies to try and maximise the drama,” he added.
Martin Bakole has lashed out over the delay in getting back inside the ring.
Bakole was last in action nearly a year ago in May 2025 when he was held to a majority decision draw against Efe Ajagba in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
That clash came three months after Bakole had stepped in on short notice to face Joseph Parker, suffering a second round stoppage loss, but prior to that the Congo heavyweight had claimed an impressive win over previously unbeaten Jared Anderson.
It was claimed this week by fellow heavyweight contender Guido Vianello that Bakole had pulled out of a bout between the two that was planned for the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven card in Egypt next month, but now Bakole has spoken out on the matter.
Posting on social media, Bakole said promoter Ben Shalom is ‘trying to ruin his career’ despite being ‘out of contract.’
“For everybody asking what is happening with me. I am ready to fight anytime but one man is trying to ruin my career: Ben Shalom. I don’t understand why he is doing it. He has been earning money from me for years and years and has kept me tied up in a contract.
“My lawyer has confirmed that my contract with him is finished. I try to move on and he sends crazy emails to everyone blocking me from fighting and earning a living.
“He is trying to scare me saying he will sue everyone if I fight and don’t pay him. I fight to provide for my family, not for Ben Shalom. He is not my promoter. I am ready to fight but I will not pay that man another cent.”
Shalom and Bakole have had a promotional relationship for since 2023, but it is clear there are now major issues between the two men.
Sports
Leicester lose appeal against six-point deduction in major blow to Championship survival hopes
Leicester City’s hopes of overturning a six-point deduction have been dashed, with an independent appeal board upholding the penalty for breaching financial rules.
The decision further complicates the Sky Bet Championship club’s battle against relegation.
The Foxes, who were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2022-23 and 2024-25 seasons, had challenged an independent commission’s recommendation of the sanction.
This penalty was imposed for offences committed under the EFL’s profit and sustainability rules over the three-year period leading up to 2024.
A Premier League statement confirmed the outcome: “An independent commission’s decision to recommend a six-point deduction on Leicester City Football Club this season has been upheld by an independent appeal board. The club were found by the commission to have breached the EFL’s profit and sustainability rules for the period ending season 2023/24.
“The club appealed that decision on a number of grounds, including the power of the commission to recommend the points deduction, as well as the level of sanction. These were dismissed by the appeal board.
“The appeal board also dismissed a challenge by the Premier League, which was limited to the commission’s decision not to increase the sanction on the club as a result of its breach of the League’s rules regarding the late submission of its annual accounts.”
Currently languishing in 22nd place in the Championship table, Leicester City issued a statement on their official website.
It read: “With the matter now at an end and five games of the season remaining, everyone at the club is fully focused on the matches in front of us and on shaping the outcome of our season through our results on the pitch.”
Leicester are one point from safety in the Championship, but have played one more game than the team directly above them in the table, Portsmouth.
NEW DELHI: Like the Delhi weather over the past two days, chilly and cold on Tuesday evening to warm and hot on Wednesday afternoon, Vaishnavi Adkar also had contrast in fortunes and performance in the BJK Cup.On Tuesday, against Indonesia’s Aunchisa Chanta, she was swept aside by the left-hander’s shot-making, letting nerves dictate her debut for the national team.A day later, starting the Asia/Oceania Group 1 tie against New Zealand, she was on the money with her forehands and the errant serve had also subsided. In a contest lasting an hour and 30 minutes, she beat New Zealand’s Aishi Das 6-2, 6-4 for her first win in the national team colours.
“This is something that I have been looking forward to for so many years. Like getting on to the team, not just as a reserve, but as one of the playing five. So being able to get the win is really special because it means a lot. Because there is a lot of emotion behind it,” she told reporters after the win.“So it really feels very special. Especially when it’s at home, and I’ve got the crowd support and everything. It really means a lot,” she continued.The far more experienced Indian, who became the top-ranked Indian this week, made the most of World No. 1151 Das’s inconsistent show. Ironically, less than 24 hours after having her serve repeatedly put under the pump, Adkar closed out the first set with an ace. The 21-year-old had her lead cut and was broken to bring the second set to 4-4. But the Indian hit back immediately as Das’ error count went against her chances to force a decider. The change in weather and conditions did play a role, she admitted.“Yeah, when it’s cold, the ball travels a bit faster. And when it’s warm, the balls feel heavy, and it travels a bit slow. So definitely, it was more controlled today than yesterday. So I think that also really helped me a lot,” she stated.
Sahaja Yamalapalli in action (Photo by DLTA)
Vaishnavi wasn’t the only Indian to celebrate a milestone win. Sahaja Yamalapalli, too, notched her first win in India colours in the team competition. Since making her debut against China in 2024, she went through ties against New Zealand, Thailand, Korea, Slovenia, Netherlands and Thailand again only to come out second best.Having suffered a three-set defeat to Patcharin Cheapchandej in a match that resumed on Wednesday morning, Sahaja walked up to the court once again with the hope of picking her first win.It took her all of 76 minutes to dispatch Valentina Ivanov 6-1, 6-3 to not just seal her maiden ‘W’, but also assured India of an unbeatable scoreline.“Definitely I’m happy. I know my record has not been great in the BJK Cup but I also played really tough matches. So it was tough to get a W. But I’m happy to get one win under my belt.“I don’t want to look at it that way also. I want to take it one match at a time and focus on what I can do and not on my records,” she told TimesofIndia.com after the match.
Vaishnavi adkar doing serve (Photo by DLTA)
Sahaja, who has come through the US Collegiate system, was broken to start wtih but quickly bounced back to win the next eight games in a row, including the first set along the way.Ivanov tried to mount a comeback in the second set, bringing things back to serve, and then saving three break points but couldn’t fend off a fourth.Yamalapalli sealed the deal on the first match opportunity, forcing Ivanov into an error.Rutuja Bhosale and Ankita Raina made it 3-0 to India, pocketing their second win of the day, after beating Monique Barry and Erin Routliffe 6-4, 6-2.
Day 1 Scores from BJK Cup Asia/Oceania Group 1
- India 1-2 Thailand
- Korea 3-0 Mongolia
- New Zealand 1-2 Indonesia
Day 2 Scores from BJK Cup Asia/Oceania Group 1
- India 3-0 New Zealand
- Indonesia 3-0 Mongolia
- Korea 3-0 Thailand
Sports
Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans LIVE Score, IPL 2026: Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, Washington Sundar Slam Fifties; GT Post 210/4 vs DC
Gujarat Titans XI vs DC: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Ashok Sharma.
Straight swap as Gill replaces Kushagra. No changes otherwise for GT despite two losses in a row. Jason Holder remains on the bench.
Monday brought the first day of 2026 Masters week. Eager patrons entered the gates excited to experience Augusta National’s hallowed grounds, all while on their best behavior. That is except for one ticketless Masters fan, who was arrested after refusing to leave the property.
He hoped to find himself watching the pros at Amen Corner, but he ended up spending the day in jail.
Here’s what you need to know.
Man arrested for refusing to leave Augusta at 2026 Masters
According to a report from the Augusta Press, Matthew Stroud, a 36-year-old from Easley, Ga., arrived at Augusta National’s North Gate on Masters Monday “intoxicated.”
Once there, Stroud allegedly walked up to Masters patrons waiting to get into Augusta and requested their tickets for Monday’s practice round. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies first asked Stroud to leave the premises at 11 a.m. ET.
Tears, magic and a returned check: Masters patrons share favorite memories
;)
But the incident was not over. Richmond County Sheriff’s Captain Scott Gay told the Augusta Press that Stroud initially agreed to their commands and left. Sometime later, though, Stroud returned and “continued the behavior” of harassing patrons for their Masters tickets.
Officers again told Stroud to leave, but this time he refused. At that point, officers placed Stroud under arrest for criminal trespassing.
From there, he was taken to the local Charles B. Webster Detention Center. Stroud was released on a $285 bond later in the day.
You can read the full Augusta Press report here.
Masters ticket scheme leads to charges for Texas family
Masters tickets are one of the hottest commodities in sports, and one of the hardest to come by. Most tickets are awarded via the Masters ticket lottery, and reselling tickets is strictly prohibited by Augusta National.
But in the past, multiple people have been arrested over Masters ticket schemes.
;)
How Augusta National gets put to bed each night of the Masters
In 2019, a Texas family was convicted of conspiring to commit mail fraud in relation to an illegal Masters ticket venture.
The four relatives arrested in the incident bought mailing lists to obtain the names and addresses of people, which were used to create fake accounts for the online ticket lottery for the Masters, according to court documents. The fake accounts were entered into the lottery using email addresses belonging to the family.
“These profiteering con artists thought they had succeeded in hijacking the Augusta National’s generous ticket lottery system to satisfy their own greed,” said Bobby Christine, who then served as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, in a statement at the time.
Leicester City have lost their appeal against their six-point deduction for breaching English Football League financial rules.
The sanction was imposed on the club in February by an independent commission and saw the Foxes fall from 17th to 20th, however they have since dropped into the Championship relegation zone and are a point adrift of safety with five games remaining.
Advertisement
They were initially charged by the Premier League in May 2025 for breaching profit and sustainability rules (PSR) relating to the 2023-24 season, when they were in the Championship.
“With the matter now at an end and five games of the season remaining, everyone at the club is fully focused on the matches in front of us and on shaping the outcome of our season through our results on the pitch,” a Leicester statement said.
“We know this has been a challenging period, and we thank our supporters for the backing they continue to give the team.
“The responsibility now is to ensure these remaining games are approached with the focus and intent our current situation demands.”
Advertisement
Leicester were “disappointed” when it was announced they were docked six points on 5 February and described the punishment as “disproportionate”.
Under PSR, Premier League clubs cannot lose more than £105m over three years but the figure is reduced by £22m for every season a club spends outside the top flight.
Despite being charged by the Premier League, the EFL took on the case following their relegation last year and they were found guilty of breaking PSR rules in the English Football League.
Leicester had argued their case should have been considered over a 36-month period rather than 37 months, caused by a delay in submitting their accounts for 2023-24.
Advertisement
The commission ruled that it should be 36 months meaning the club’s overspend of the EFL’s rules during that period was £20.8m above the £83m limit.
The Foxes appealed the decision two weeks later – and less than 24 hours after the club appointed Gary Rowett as their new interim head coach until the end of the season.
Since they were deducted six points, Leicester’s form has slumped further and they now face an uphill battle to survive a second successive relegation, after a run of just one win in 12 games in all competitions.
NEW DELHI: The BCCI has introduced a new rule in IPL 2026 to limit the movement of substitute and benched players during matches, according to a report from Cricbuzz. Under this update, only the 16 players named in the match squad are allowed on the field, while others must stay in the dugout. The move is seen as an effort to tighten on-field discipline, though no official reason has been given.
New rules for substitutes
The report understands that the teams have been told that players who are not part of the playing 16 cannot step onto the field, even for routine tasks like carrying drinks or messages. Only a maximum of five players, wearing bibs, are allowed to move near the boundary at any time.“Instructions have been passed to us only recently that all substitutes cannot move around during the match. They are also not allowed to carry drinks onto the field. Only the 16 named in the team for the match can do so. In addition to that, only five outside the playing XI can move around. The others can sit in the dugout, but cannot move between the boundary line and LED advertising boards,” team sources said.
What this means
Earlier, larger squads often had several players assisting on the field during matches. Now, the BCCI has tightened existing rules to reduce unnecessary movement and maintain better control. The change applies to all IPL teams this season, where squads can have up to 25 players but only 16 are officially part of a match.While the exact reason remains unclear, the decision is being seen as a stricter enforcement of playing conditions to streamline match operations and avoid overcrowding around the field.
Ademola Lookman will be at the centre of attention as Atlético Madrid aim to end their 20-year wait for an away win against Barcelona at the Camp Nou.
Atlético have not beaten Barcelona away since 2006, but much of the belief ahead of this Champions League quarter-final clash is now built around Lookman’s form.
The Nigerian forward has made a bright start since joining Atlético from Atalanta in January. In a short time, he has scored five goals, provided four assists, and become one of the team’s most dangerous attacking players.
Lookman already showed his quality against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey, where he scored and assisted in a 4-0 victory. That performance proved he can deliver on the big stage.
Manager Diego Simeone is expected to start Lookman after resting him in the recent league defeat to Barcelona. The decision was aimed at keeping him fresh for this important European tie.
Atlético are likely to defend deep and stay compact, but Lookman will be key when they move forward. His pace, dribbling and direct style make him the perfect player for quick counter-attacks.
Barcelona, under Hansi Flick, will try to control the game with possession and high pressing. However, this approach could leave space at the back — an area where Lookman can be very dangerous.
With players like Julián Álvarez supporting the attack, Atlético will look to release Lookman quickly whenever they win the ball.
Despite Barcelona’s strong home record, Atlético will take confidence from past Champions League meetings where they knocked the Spanish side out of the competition.
Team news could also favour Atlético. Barcelona are dealing with injuries to key players, which may give Lookman more chances to exploit gaps in defence.
All eyes will now be on the Super Eagles star. If Lookman delivers another strong performance, he could help Atlético finally break their long-standing record at the Camp Nou.
Koen Bergs, the father of Jannik Sinner‘s Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters doubles partner Zizou Bergs, is reporting on social media that Sinner is withdrawing from doubles. He says the Bergs and Sinner team will not play in Round 2.
The blue checkmarked X account seemingly belongs to Bergs’ dad. Koen is his father’s name, and the description mentions Zizou’s name as a family member and Koen’s role as an entrepreneur and ATP coach.
Advertisement
MORE: Carlos Alcaraz’s recent comment should end questions about ATP World No. 1 ranking
What’s happening
Though it is not validated by the Tennis Channel or members of Sinner’s team, it appears to be true. It is unfortunate because fans enjoyed seeing Sinner’s playful side on the doubles court.
MORE: Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys react to Rafael Nadal working with Iga Swiatek
Sinner has been playing a lot of tennis this spring
Bergs told the media that Sinner reached out to him and asked him to play in Monte Carlo.
This may be the result of how much tennis the World No. 2 has played in the past month. He won the Sunshine Double so he has logged a lot of matches in Indian Wells and Miami.
The clay court season brings new challenges, and perhaps Sinner wants to pull back from doubles to focus on the surface change.
Singles players withdraw from doubles competition all the time, and some are criticized for it. It is a tightrope they walk in wanting more competitive matches on court without overplaying.
Armagh coach Conleith Gilligan feels his players are “cute enough” not to underestimate Tyrone in Sunday’s Ulster Senior Football Championship preliminary round clash at the Athletic Grounds.
The Orchard men go into the game as overwhelming favourites to move into a quarter-final against Fermanagh 13 days later, but Gilligan insists they are not thinking along those lines.
Armagh retained their Division One status in the league while Tyrone did likewise in the second division, but the Red Hands had been tipped to do much more at the outset.
Malachy O’Rourke’s side struggled to hit top form, but Gilligan feels Sunday’s derby match could well produce a much different Tyrone challenge and it is one Armagh are ready for.
“The proximity of Armagh to Tyrone, even our younger players would have looked at their younger players winning Hogan Cups and All-Ireland U20s, so there’s no illusion with the younger players as to the quality Tyrone have,” Gilligan said.
“The older players, they’ve been through the mill before and been stung in big games before where they were supposed to be favourites. Last year’s Kerry game was the prime example, where the expectation was that Kerry wouldn’t beat Armagh, and look how that turned out.
“The fact that the league is done now, every team’s looking for that one big win to ignite their summer. From a Tyrone perspective, going to Armagh to do that would be high on their list of priorities.”
Biconomy, Ethereum Foundation Unveil Execution Standard for AI Agents
Starmer Takes Thinly-Veiled Swipe At Donald Trump As Iran Ceasefire Begins
Martin Bakole finally speaks out: “One man is trying to ruin my career”
-
NewsBeat6 days agoSteven Gerrard disagrees with Gary Neville over ‘shock’ Chelsea and Arsenal claim | Football
-
Business6 days agoNo Jackpot Winner and $194 Million Prize Rolls Over
-
Fashion5 days agoWeekend Open Thread: Spanx – Corporette.com
-
Crypto World7 days agoGold Price Prediction: Worst Month in 17 Years fo Save Haven Rock
-
Business4 days agoExpert Picks for Every Need
-
Business3 days agoThree Gulf funds agree to back Paramount’s $81 billion takeover of Warner, WSJ reports
-
Sports4 days agoIndia men’s 4x400m and mixed 4x100m relay teams register big progress | Other Sports News
-
Business7 days agoLogin and Checkout Issues Spark Merchant Frustration
-
Tech19 hours agoHow Long Can You Drive With Expired Registration? What Florida Law Says
-
Business3 days ago
No Jackpot Winner, Prize to Climb to $231 Million
-
Tech6 days agoCommonwealth Fusion Systems leans on magnets for near-term revenue
-
Fashion2 days agoMassimo Dutti Offers Inspiration for Your Summer Mood Board
-
Tech7 days agoDrawing Tablet Controls Laser In Real-Time
-
Crypto World7 days agoRipple rolls out enterprise crypto treasury platform for corporates
-
Fashion24 hours agoLet’s Discuss: DEI in 2026
-
Politics5 days ago
Wings Over Scotland | The quality of mercy
-
Crypto World7 days agoWhy It’s Partnering, Not Issuing
-
Sports7 days agoSteal Gary Woodland’s subtle power move for longer drives
-
Sports7 days ago
Tom Pelissero Drives the Final Nail in the Coffin
-
Tech7 days agoBattery Tester Outperforms Cheaper Options
You must be logged in to post a comment Login