Aziz Abdul never met his grandfather. He was a military dictator and died in exile when little Aziz was a toddler. His name was Idi Amin.
Globally, he had another name. The Butcher of Uganda.
Amin took charge of his homeland in a coup in 1971 – becoming the country’s third president – and ran a brutal regime for eight years. It’s estimated half a million people were killed and the country’s entire Asian population were expelled.
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He married six times and fathered around 60 children. Or, rather, that’s how many he acknowledged. Somewhere among all that, belongs Abdul.
This week, the 25-year-old is one of around 3,000 athletes in Glasgow. Just another face in a tracksuit, here for the Commonwealth Games. But not many others have the lineage that the super-heavyweight boxer does.
Abdul fights England’s Damar Thomas in the quarter-finals of the 90+kg category on Wednesday, knowing victory will guarantee at least bronze and make him Uganda’s first Commonwealth boxing medallist since Auckland in 1990.
That it could come in Glasgow is particularly pertinent.
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The despotic Amin harboured a fascination with Scotland after serving in the King’s African Rifles in his 20s. At the height of regime, he was fond of wearing a kilt and playing the bagpipes – and even declared himself “King of Scotland” in 1976.
Some years later, those predilections even spawned an Oscar-winning film, The Last King Of Scotland, starring Forest Whitaker and James McAvoy.
So what would it mean to Abdul – who goes by the nickname Ringo – to win gold in Glasgow?
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“In everything we do, God knows tomorrow,” he told BBC Sport Scotland. “It’s God’s plan. I might be the new King of Scotland. It’s possible.
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“When I arrived, I put up the flag, ’cause I like Scotland so much.”
‘I want my country to recognise me’
Amin was an accomplished fighter himself, holding the Ugandan light-heavyweight title for nine years from 1951. Even that was not without controversy, though.
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Having been beaten in one fight during that time, he reportedly decreed a rematch after taking power, and delivered a staged knockout while wearing his a suit and tie.
In a previous interview, Abdul said he was “inspired” by Amin, although it was not entirely clear whether was was talking about his boxing feats or not.
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He refused to answer when asked if he was proud to be the dictator’s grandson, but he did address the question of how he feels when he is linked to someone with such a sinister reputation.
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“Sometimes people say positive about him, but others say negative about him,” he explained. “That’s why I don’t want to talk more about him.
“It’s not good to say something negative about someone who is not there, and it’s not good to say something about someone negative who was not there by the time when the incident happened, if it happened.”
As well as those killed under Amin’s rule, many more were imprisoned and tortured.
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Human rights groups and the Ugandan government both expressed disappointment that he never faced trial for his alleged crimes before dying in Saudi Arabia in 2003.
All this happened long before Abdul was born, clearly. His life in Kampala has been an ordinary one but now he has the chance to make a positive contribution to the reputation of Uganda.
He wants the gold chain he wears around his neck to be replaced with a gold medal this week. He believe his “Ringo punch” will be too much for his rivals.
“Our first medal will be won tomorrow. No excuse,” he says. “That’s why I’m here. I have that dream that I’m gonna go back with gold medal. That’s the reason I’m here in Glasgow right now.
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“I want to do something for my country. I think the day is tomorrow for them to recognise me and for the world to recognise me. I want to be known as the Ringo the boxer.”
Finger click sparked a cheating scandal (Image: BBC/X)
An amateur cricket match in England has found itself at the centre of a major controversy after a fielder was accused of using a finger-clicking trick to fool the umpire into giving a batter out. The incident, which has gone viral on social media and is now being called “Clickgate” or “Clicky Ponting”, occurred during a North Yorkshire and South Durham (NYSD) Cricket League Division Two match between Saltburn Cricket Club 2nd XI and Norton Cricket Club.
What happened?
The controversy revolves around a dismissal involving Norton batter Noman Shabir. As the bowler delivered the ball, it passed close to Shabir’s bat without appearing to make contact. At that exact moment, a Saltburn fielder stationed at first slip clicked his fingers, creating a sharp sound that closely resembled the noise of the ball edging the bat. The wicketkeeper caught the ball cleanly, Saltburn’s players immediately appealed, and the umpire, believing he had heard an edge, gave the batter out.Shabir protested the decision, insisting he had not touched the ball, but the umpire stood by his verdict. A video of the incident quickly spread across social media, with many viewers claiming the finger click had deliberately deceived the umpire.Saltburn won by 159 runs and are top of Division 2 by 18 points.
More allegations surface
The controversy did not stop with the viral video. Following the incident, cricket fans began analysing Saltburn’s statistics and previous matches. One statistic that attracted attention was wicketkeeper Josh Bowes’ tally of 31 catches in just eight matches, including eight catches in a single innings against Shildon Railway.For comparison, the world record for catches by a wicketkeeper in a men’s Test innings is seven, making the figure unusual enough to fuel further speculation, although the statistic alone is not evidence of wrongdoing.Soon after, Rory Cotterill, captain of Middlesbrough Second XI, publicly claimed his side had experienced two similar finger-clicking incidents during a defeat to Saltburn earlier in the season. Another video from a separate match against Wolviston FC has also emerged online, showing a batter being dismissed under similar circumstances, adding to the scrutiny surrounding the club.
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League launches investigation
The North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League confirmed it has received a formal complaint and has opened an investigation.In a statement, the league said: “The league have received a formal complaint regarding alleged incidents in a Division Two game on Saturday. A full investigation has been initiated and until such time as the formal processes are complete no further comment will be made.”The unusual incident has attracted worldwide attention. The original video has been viewed more than five million times on X (formerly Twitter), while cricket fans from around the world have debated whether the dismissal should stand.Former newspaper editor and television presenter Piers Morgan also reacted, describing the player involved as the “biggest cheat in cricket history”, a comment that further amplified the controversy online.
India batter Pratika Rawal has signed with Warwickshire Women for the remainder of the 2026 domestic season, with the 25-year-old set to strengthen the county side’s batting line-up in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup. Rawal will be available for selection from Warwickshire’s next One-Day Cup fixture on August 19, as the Bears continue their push for a place in the tournament’s eliminators.
Return after injury
The move marks Rawal’s return to competitive cricket after recovering from a knee injury that ruled her out of India’s one-off Test against England at Lord’s. She suffered the injury during an India A match in Taunton on July 1, requiring stitches and forcing her to miss the landmark Test.Warwickshire currently occupy fifth place in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup standings and are aiming to finish inside the top three to qualify for the knockout stage. The club believes Rawal’s arrival will provide added firepower at the top of the order during the closing stages of the competition.Welcoming the India opener, the club said her addition would strengthen the squad as they look to finish the season strongly.“It’s a great signing for the team, and we are most pleased to be able to welcome Pratika to Edgbaston. Our position in the One Day Cup table at the moment is a good one, and bringing in a player of Pratika’s calibre can only serve to strengthen our team as we aim to end the season on a positive note,” the club said in a statement.Rawal said she is eager to experience county cricket and is looking forward to representing Warwickshire at one of England’s most iconic venues.“I am most pleased to be joining Warwickshire; I have heard many positive things about the club and am excited to get going and do all I can to assist the team. Testing myself by playing in England will be a great experience for me, and I’m also looking forward to walking out at Edgbaston, which is such an iconic ground in world cricket,” she said.
A rapid rise in international cricket
Rawal has emerged as one of India’s brightest batting talents since making her international debut in December 2024. She holds the record as the fastest woman to reach 500 ODI runs, achieving the milestone in just eight innings. The opener also played a key role in India’s successful Women’s ODI World Cup campaign, scoring 308 runs, including a century against New Zealand, to help the team lift the title in 2025.
‘TJ told me to move forward’: How injured Tejaswin Shankar put aside his heartbreak to help Sarvesh Kushare script CWG history | Commonwealth Games News
Sarvesh Kushare and Tejaswin Shankar during the CWG 2026 high jump final in Glasgow.
NEW DELHI: Tejaswin Shankar’s own Commonwealth Games campaign ended in heartbreak, but the Indian high jumper ensured his disappointment did not stop a teammate from making history.The national record holder, forced out of the men’s high jump competition by a recurring knee injury, stayed back at the venue to guide compatriot Sarvesh Kushare from the sidelines. The advice proved decisive as Kushare overcame a shaky start to clinch the silver medal — India’s best-ever result in the event at the Commonwealth Games.Tejaswin had won a historic bronze at the 2022 Birmingham Games, the country’s first medal in Commonwealth Games high jump. On Monday, however, the 27-year-old’s title hopes were dashed before they had truly begun.
From medal contender to coach on the sidelines
Tejaswin experienced a sharp pain in his knee during the warm-up and was unable to continue after clearing only his opening height.Instead of leaving the arena, he remained beside the competition area, closely watching Kushare’s attempts and offering technical inputs that helped the Indian recover after struggling midway through the event.Kushare revealed that Tejaswin’s timely advice transformed his competition.“I wanted to clear the height in my first attempt itself, but during 2.25m my rhythm was affected and my stride became shorter. Then TJ told me to move forward in my run-up, and that helped,” Kushare said after winning silver.The medal improved on Tejaswin’s bronze-winning effort from Birmingham and marked India’s finest-ever Commonwealth Games finish in men’s high jump.
‘It really stings’
A visibly emotional Tejaswin admitted the injury struck at the worst possible moment.“I felt a shooting pain in my knee. It happened during my warm-up. It’s nothing new; I have always had tendonitis in my knees,” he said. “I don’t think there is any high jumper who doesn’t have it. That’s why it’s called jumper’s knee. Everyone manages it, and so do I.”The timing of the flare-up made the disappointment even harder to accept.“But it’s one of those days. You want just one day in a year when you don’t have that pain, but it came on that day only. It really stings. In these conditions, I was really confident I could jump for a win, jump for a medal. I really knew I could win a medal,” he said. “But to not even get through the first height, it stings because I was in really great shape.”Explaining the issue further, he added: “It’s just overuse of the patellar tendon. There is nothing spectacular about it. It just flared up today and ruined my entire competition.”
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Eyes now on decathlon return
Despite the setback, Tejaswin has not given up on his Commonwealth Games campaign.The versatile athlete remains optimistic of recovering in time for the decathlon, which begins on Thursday.“I will come back in two days. We still have two days. I’ll give my best over the next two days and try and fix this. I will obviously start. I’m not here on vacation,” he said. “The patellar tendon is used in high jump and long jump, so if I’m somehow able to get by those two events, I’m still confident the other events will be fine.”Tejaswin is the national record holder in the decathlon too.
Uefa has reacted furiously to reports that Fifa president Gianni Infantino is planning to sell stakes in the World Cup and its other tournaments to investors.
Infantino is plotting a scheme whereby Fifa would retain majority control of a new enterprise, and the rest would be sold, partly to each of Fifa’s 211 national associations should they wish to invest, and partly to private investment.
The plan could potentially see Infantino installed as the “commissioner” of the World Cup when his Fifa presidency finally ends in 2031, a position that would prove extremely lucrative, according toThe Times .
Uefa, the governing body of European football and a long-term critic of Infantino, said in a statement: “This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross.
“UEFA takes it extremely seriously. So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game. The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially.
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“None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”
Gianni Infantino has defended Fifa’s handling of the World Cup (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire)
The investment would be led by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, who is married to President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka, through his Thrive Eternal fund.
Thrive Eternal took a minority stake in Major League Baseball’s San Francisco Giants this year. The vehicle was founded by Kushner, and former Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger serves as an adviser.
Fifa is working with bankers at JPMorgan to raise billions of dollars by bringing in external investors to take as much as a 20 per cent stake in the entity. Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei has been involved as a commercial adviser on the creation of the Fifa enterprise.
In a statement, Fifa said it would “raise up to $4.2bn later this year” to fund the project, “based on an initial equity valuation of $ 20bn by carefully selecting long-term investors who will purchase minority, non-controlling interests … All net benefits will be reinvested back into football worldwide.”
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It added: “In a similar way to other sports governing bodies with dedicated commercial subsidiaries, FIFA will invite third parties to make … investments.
“Any such investors would be selected against clear long-term, governance, and strategic criteria. They would represent a geographically diversified group that reflects the global nature of the game, acting as minority, long-term partners that could contribute capital and commercial expertise in support of FIFA’s mission to grow the global game.
“FIFA would retain sole control via majority board representation and exclusive authority over football governance, competitions, the international match calendar and all regulatory and sporting decisions.”
The proposal is subject to approval by the Fifa Council.
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Football Supporters Europe called for Infantino’s resignation. “The World Cup is not for sale,” it said. “Enough of this charade. FIFA member associations – and everyone who cares about the future of the game – must stand up to the man who wants to sell world football. Gianni Infantino must go.”
Fifa and its president Gianni Infantino, pictured left, is proposing to create a new company to run its competitions including the World Cup (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire)
Last week, Infantino praised Fifa for “delivering the best show in the world” and spoke of the World Cup bringing “joy and togetherness,” in a 900-word statement published across a 15-page post on his Instagram account and on the Fifa website.
“Sorry that you were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all,” the Fifa leader wrote, addressing his comments to “those behind their pens and papers, behind their screens spreading hate and false rumours”.
Fifa and Infantino faced criticism during the World Cup for Iran team officials, a Somali referee and fans being denied entry to the United States; alleged political influence by Mr Trump in letting Folarin Balogun avoid a ban for a red card; unprecedented high ticket prices and commercialised breaks in play midway through each half of all 104 games.
“Every city was packed with fans from all around the globe,” Infantino wrote. “While they celebrated, you were busy planting seeds of hate.”
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have turned their attention to their next match after beating Ghana 4-2 in their opening game of the WAFU B U20 Championship.
The impressive win over their West African rivals gave Nigeria a strong start to the tournament and boosted their hopes of reaching the semi-finals.
Head coach Abdu Maikaba said the team is not getting carried away by the victory and is fully focused on the next challenge.
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“We are fully focused on the next game. We are taking this tournament one match at a time, and that is how we will continue. We know that a win against Togo will secure our place in the semi-finals,” Maikaba said.
The Flying Eagles will face Togo in their next Group B match, knowing that another victory will book their place in the last four.
After an exciting display against Ghana, Nigeria will be hoping to produce another strong performance and continue their winning start in the competition.
Jul 22, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp (65) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images
A pair of young right-handers attempting to complete an unbeaten month of July will go head-to-head Tuesday night when Logan Henderson and the Milwaukee Brewers take on Landen Roupp and the host San Francisco Giants in the continuation of a three-game series.
The Giants opened the set with a 3-0 victory Monday, getting brilliant pitching from Tyler Mahle and a two-run homer from Grant McCray.
Roupp (7-8, 3.93 ERA) will attempt to successfully follow in Mahle’s footsteps as he looks to continue the form that led to a fast start this season before a two-month slump.
The 27-year-old began the season 5-1 through the end of April, but then started 11 consecutive losses, seven of which went on his record, in May and June.
The third-year major-leaguer has regained his winning form in July, however, going 2-0 with wins against the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners. He took a no-decision against the Kansas City Royals in a 5-4 win last Wednesday. He has allowed just three runs and nine hits in 21 innings.
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Roupp’s earlier skid reached its greatest depth when he suffered through his worst outing of the season in a 16-2 loss at Milwaukee on June 1, charged with eight runs in four innings. The loss ran his career record against the Brewers to 0-2 with a 7.16 ERA in five games, including three starts.
Jackson Chourio’s two-run double and Brice Turang’s two-RBI triple, hit consecutively, were the big blows against Roupp in the earlier head-to-head in Milwaukee.
Henderson (4-1, 3.05) has had a similar month. Like Roupp, he is 2-0 with a no-decision in July. The Brewers have won all three Henderson starts, games against the St. Louis Cardinals, Miami Marlins and New York Mets.
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In just his second major-league season, the 24-year-old Henderson went winless in his first three starts in 2026 before going unbeaten in his past five. He has allowed just six runs and 11 hits in 15 1/3 innings in July.
His July starts followed almost a six-week layoff due to back soreness. But he watched closely, especially the games of hard-throwing staff ace Jacob Misiorowski, who clearly inspires him.
“It never gets old, and he’s taking it up a notch every start,” Henderson told reporters recently. “I feel privileged to have a front-row seat every game.”
Henderson never has faced the Giants.
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One player Henderson definitely won’t see will be Giants slugger Casey Schmitt, who strained his right knee rounding first base after a hit in the second inning of the opener and had to be removed from the game.
The Giants announced after the game that Schmitt, whose hit raised his average to .271, would undergo an MRI on Tuesday.
San Francisco manager Tony Vitello said after the game that he feared Schmitt could miss “significant” time.
“He’s a little bummed out. He loves to play every day,” Vitello told reporters after the win. “Scary moment for him. He was really struggling just to move around. Heart’s got to go out to him and you hope for the best.”
Jul 26, 2024; Paris, FRANCE; Zinedine Zidane during the Opening Ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games along the Seine River. Mandatory Credit: Andrew P. Scott-Imagn Images
Zinedine Zidane, who led France to the 1998 World Cup championship, has been named the next coach of the French men’s national team.
He replaces Didier Deschamps, 57, who had been at the helm since 2012. Deschamps said in January 2025 that he intended to retire at the end of the 2026 World Cup, in which France lost 6-4 to England in the third-place match.
The deal with Zidane, announced Tuesday, is for four years, and he officially will begin his job on Aug. 1. His staff is expected to be revealed in September.
Zidane, 54, entered coaching after his playing days, and his Real Madrid teams won three consecutive Champions Leagues finals (2016-18) and two LaLiga titles.
He resigned from his job in Madrid five years ago and has not coached since, long projected as the successor to Deschamps.
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“For me it’s a continuity, a dream,” Zidane said. “I had some offers during the five years I was away to take charge of a club but I turned them all down for the France team. It was the only thing I wanted to do.”
And Zidane said he is ready to get to work.
“I have so many emotions, I am ready for the challenge,” he said. “That’s what motivates me.
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“Today I have the opportunity to be in charge of this team and I will give everything so that this team can win.”
Zidane will make his coaching debut with the national team on Sept. 25, when he leads France against Turkey in their first match of this UEFA Nations League schedule.
Terence Crawford has recalled the biggest crises of his 42-fight career, reflecting on the only time he claims to have ever experienced serious jeopardy in the ring.
The American did not quite have it all his own way, however, as many will remember his surprisingly challenging encounter with Egidijus Kavaliauskas in 2019.
Ultimately, Crawford won via a ninth-round stoppage, but only after climbing off the canvas in what referee Ricky Gonzalez controversially ruled a no-knockdown during the third frame.
According to Crawford, though, it was down at 135lbs where he was left in genuine trouble by Olympic gold medallist Yuriorkis Gamboa.
When asked on The Real Report to name his hardest fight, ‘Bud’ highlighted a moment in round nine of their 2014 clash as the closest he ever came to getting stopped.
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“Gamboa. He just caught me [with a right hand]. [I was] being cocky. My leg got stiff. That’s the only time I’ve ever been hurt that bad in a fight.
“That had a lot to do with the weight, too. Losing all that weight; not being able to get all the fluids back in my brain.
“So, when he caught me, I was like, ‘Damn’.”
While Gamboa – unbeaten at the time – had his man on unsteady legs, Crawford showed tremendous spirit to weather the storm and stop his opponent in the same round.
Gamboa was world featherweight champion prior to the meeting with Crawford, and has a current record of 30-6 after last competing back in May.
Florida volleyball will start its 2026 season campaign with the first-ever “Gators vs. Gator Greats” event. Nine alumni will return to the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Sunday, Aug. 16, at 2 p.m. ET and take on the current squad.
“The Gators vs. Gators Greats match is an exciting and important event for our program,” head coach Ryan Theis stated. “Not only does it give our current team the opportunity to compete against professionals, it gives us a chance to welcome back alumni who make our program so special. We can’t wait to have our alums back in Gainesville playing high-level volleyball together, and we hope to make this special event a yearly tradition.”
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Rhamat Alhassan, Emily Canaan, Anna Dixon, AC Fitzpatrick, Rachael Kramer, Isabel Martin, Elli McKissock, Marli Monserez and Kennedy Muff will all return and suit up for the Gator Greats, with Jenny Manz Theis acting as coach.
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More guests are expected to make an appearance.
The get-in price for the match is free, with the first 500 fans in attendance receiving an autograph book. The book will be used for an autograph session for current and former athletes.
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