Atlanta Braves starter Chris Sale was ejected on Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, and he wasn’t even scheduled to pitch.

Before the game even started, Sale was still fuming about a balk call on Saturday night against the New York Yankees that he decided to unload on the umpire who called him for it.

As umpires took the field for the series finale between the Braves and Yankees in the Bronx, Sale started to yell toward umpire Dan Merzel before Yankees starter Cam Schlittler threw an official pitch.

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Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves looks on before a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 9, 2026. (Getty Images)

Merzel clearly didn’t like what he was hearing, and who can blame him after the ordeal occurred the night before. Merzel quickly ejected Sale, but the veteran left-hander continued to get his money’s worth as he shouted something toward crew chief Dan Bellino.

Sale rarely balks. In fact, he did it only twice prior to Saturday night for his entire career.

ROYALS MANAGER MATT QUATRARO EJECTED BEFORE TEAM THROWS A SINGLE PITCH VS YANKEES

But Merzel called him for that third career balk in the fifth inning on Saturday night, which allowed Yankees rookie Spencer Jones to score after hitting an RBI triple the at-bat prior.

In the end, the run proved costly with the Yankees picking up the victory, 5-4. Braves manager Walt Weiss was tossed from the game, but he likely did so because Sale was barking at Merzel and he stepped in between to continue the argument.

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Home plate umpire Dan Merzel talks with manager Walt Weiss and Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves after a balk call during the fifth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City on Aug. 8, 2026. (Getty Images)

After the game, Bellino said to a pool reporter that Sale was called for the balk after not declaring he was going to be pitching from the windup. He said Sale was pitching from the windup when he struck out José Caballero, but he didn’t do so before facing Austin Wells.

Sale’s night in the Bronx ended with three runs allowed on five hits across six innings in what was his first loss since late June. He has enjoyed quite the season with the NLEast-leading Braves, owning a 2.20 ERA across 21 starts.

Chris Sale No. 51 of the Atlanta Braves looks on during a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, in New York, N.Y. (MLB Photos)

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The Braves managed to salvage the series on Sunday, as they defeated the Yankees, 2-1, in extra innings. But Sale couldn’t watch it from the dugout all game long after being tossed.

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In athletics, Étienne Daguinos won the bronze medal in the 5,000 metres at the European Championships. Jimmy Gressier finished fourth. In football, Yan Diomandé took part in his first training session with Real Madrid. Gianni Infantino and FIFA remain under fire. In basketball, Tony Parker is set to coach a former team-mate, Patty Mills.

NEW DELHI: Eighteen years after scripting history at the Beijing Olympics, Indian shooting legend Abhinav Bindra looked back on the moment that changed Indian sport forever, describing his individual gold medal as the “biggest peak of my sporting life”.On August 11, 2008, Bindra became the first Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal when he triumphed in the men’s 10m air rifle event with a score of 700.5.Marking the 18th anniversary of his historic achievement, Bindra reflected on the significance of that day in a post on X.“18 years ago today, I reached the biggest peak of my sporting life. Life since has taught me that the spaces between the peaks matter just as much,” Bindra wrote.

A historic gold that changed Indian sport

Bindra’s triumph ended India’s long wait for an individual Olympic gold and established him as one of the country’s greatest sporting icons. His feat was matched only when javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra won India’s second individual Olympic gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021.Bindra went on to compete at two more Olympics, finishing 16th at London 2012 and fourth at Rio 2016. But the Beijing triumph remained the defining moment of his career.The shooter also enjoyed an illustrious record beyond the Olympics. He won seven Commonwealth Games medals, including four golds, and three Asian Games medals, including a silver. He was also crowned world champion in the 10m air rifle in 2006.Across a career spanning more than two decades, Bindra won over 150 individual medals.His contribution to shooting was also recognised internationally when he received the ISSF’s Blue Cross in 2018, the organisation’s highest honour.Since retiring, Bindra has continued to contribute to Indian sport through the Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust, which works with grassroots athletes and focuses on high-performance training, sports science and education.He also served as vice-chair of the IOC Athletes Commission before completing his tenure earlier this year. During his time with the IOC, Bindra became the first Indian to receive the Olympic Order for his contribution to the Olympic movement.

US President Donald Trump (R) waves next to FIFA President Gianni Infantino (L) during the award ceremony of the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

US President Donald Trump on Monday backed FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who is in hot water over allegations of a workplace affair and criticism of a failed private investment scheme.

“FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino,” Trump said in a Truth Social post, calling the Italian-Swiss lawyer “fantastic” and saying he “presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented.”

READ: What next for beleaguered FIFA president Gianni Infantino?

“If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again!”

Trump’s backing of Infantino contrasts with the response of US Soccer, which issued a statement critiquing the FIFA leader alongside Canada Soccer and football organizations in Central America and the Caribbean.

Infantino, who faces reelection next March, has denied allegations of wrongdoing, and FIFA for their part has backed its beseiged president, calling the backlash “a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine” the organization.

Other football organizations, including the Confederation of African Football and South American governing body CONMEBOL, share Trump’s position in supporting Infantino.

The Dallas Cowboys and veteran defensive tackle Quinnen Williams agreed to a three-year extension prior to the start of the 2026 NFL season that will make him one of the highest-paid players at his position.

Williams agreed to an extension worth $105.9 million, including $101 million in guaranteed money and $63.35 million guaranteed at signing. He is also getting a signing bonus worth $31.85 million.

Williams, who has made the last four Pro Bowls, was traded to the Cowboys before the deadline last season in a blockbuster deal with the New York Jets.

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Quinnen Williams of the Dallas Cowboys smiles during training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard, Calif., on Aug. 3, 2026. (Getty Images)

The Jets, who were in the middle of another lackluster season, decided to trade away Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner (Indianapolis Colts), parting ways with two top four NFL Draft choices as they continue to rebuild.

Williams’ trade was interesting considering the Jets inked him to a four-year extension worth $96 million with $66 million guaranteed in 2023. The Jets acquired a second-round pick in 2026, a 2027 first-round pick and defensive tackle Mazi Smith in exchange for Williams.

DALLAS COWBOYS SET THEMSELVES UP FOR INTERNET MOCKERY WITH CALEB DOWNS TROPHY WALKTHROUGH

Now, the Cowboys have one of the best at the position locked in through the 2030 campaign – a priority that team executive vice president Stephen Jones mentioned at the start of training camp.

Williams became the fourth defensive tackle to sign a deal averaging more than $30 million per season, joining the Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Carter (four years, $152 million), Tennessee Titans’ Jeffery Simmons (three years, $105.8 million), and Kansas City Chiefs’ Chris Jones (five years, $158.75 million).

Quinnen Williams of the Dallas Cowboys participates in Pro Bowl team practice during the NFL Pro Bowl Games at Moscone Center South in San Francisco, Calif., on Feb. 2, 2026. (Getty Images)

And the Cowboys have not been shy about flexing their finances, as fellow defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa was signed to a four-year, $80 million extension to remain a key piece on defense next to Williams.

With Kenny Clark, who was acquired in the Micah Parsons trade to the Green Bay Packers, and Rashan Gary, the former Packers defensive end who joined the team in free agency this offseason, also on board for the Cowboys, they have a revamped defense that can match the firepower their offense clearly showcased in Brian Schottenheimer’s first year as head coach in 2025.

In his seven games with Dallas last season, Williams tallied 21 combined tackles, 1.5 sacks, three tackles for loss and nine quarterback hits.

Quinnen Williams of the New York Jets looks on before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on Oct. 26, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

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For his career, Williams has totaled 343 combined tackles – 62 for loss – 41.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles and earned a First Team All-Pro nod during his breakout 2022 campaign with the Jets, where he had 12 sacks.

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While their crossroads showdown is becoming increasingly less likely, Moses Itauma has nonetheless considered whether he would defeat the great Oleksandr Usyk.

The 21-year-old is fighting for one of Usyk’s old belts on August 29, taking on Filip Hrgovic for the vacant IBF world title at London’s O2 Arena.

If he succeeds, Itauma will become the youngest heavyweight champion since Mike Tyson dethroned Trevor Berbick with a two-round demolition in 1986.

The prodigious talent must then defend his title against mandatory challenger Frank Sanchez, who has agreed to wait in the wings for an unspecified lump of step-aside money.

Before that, though, Itauma is expected to encounter his toughest assignment thus far against Hrgovic, whose only defeat came when he was stopped on cuts in round eight of his 2024 contest with Daniel Dubois.

In other words, Hrgovic should determine whether the Brit is capable of competing at world level, where Usyk has represented the leading operator for quite some time.

Even after vacating his three titles, the Ukrainian remains the lineal heavyweight champion following his back-to-back victories over Tyson Fury in 2024.

Since then, however, a subpar performance against former kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven, who he ultimately stopped in round 11 of their May encounter, has signalled that Usyk is closer to retirement than many had anticipated.

As such, the 39-year-old has revealed that he is now approaching his last dance, while Itauma tells DAZN that he remains fully confident in defeating the all-time great.

But while Usyk-Itauma would make for a fascinating spectacle, it is far more likely that the two-division undisputed champion ends up facing Deontay Wilder.

Italy’s Jannik Sinner returns to Germany’s Alexander Zverev during their men’s singles final tennis match on the fourteenth day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 12, 2026. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP)

CINCINNATI — Jannik Sinner, the world’s No. 1 men’s tennis player, withdrew from the Cincinnati Open on Sunday because of a knee injury.

Sinner, who hasn’t competed since capturing his second straight Wimbledon title last month, also withdrew from the tournament in Toronto that began Wednesday.

The 24-year-old Sinner has five Grand Slam titles and just needs to win the French Open to complete the career Grand Slam.

READ: Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic withdraw from Montreal Masters

“After consulting with my doctors and my team, I have to announce that I need to withdraw from the Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati,” the Italian said in a statement released by tournament officials.

“My right knee has been bothering me and even though we have been working hard with my medical team, I have to accept that I’m not ready to compete yet. I’m very disappointed not to be able to play in Cincinnati. I can’t wait to be back next year and I’m now focusing on getting ready for the U.S. Open.”

Sinner’s announcement follows a similar decision by Carlos Alcaraz, who said Tuesday he also was withdrawing from the hard-court event in Cincinnati because of a lingering wrist injury.

READ: Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka lead US Open fields

The absences mean fans in Cincinnati will not see either of the world’s top two players when men’s singles begins Saturday.

Two years ago, Sinner won the title in Cincinnati, which traditionally is one of the last stops before the U.S. Open and serves as a warmup. He then went on to win the U.S. Open.

Last year, Alcaraz dethroned Sinner with a four-set victory in the U.S. Open final. The 23-year-old Spaniard will try to defend his title when the main draw of the tourney begins Aug. 30.