Ghanaian international footballer Thomas Partey, who is currently facing rape and sexual assault charges in the United Kingdom, has been refused entry to Canada and will be unable to take part in his team’s World Cup opener against Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.

“FIFA ​can confirm that player Thomas Partey will be unable travel from Ghana‘s ​Base Camp in Boston, USA, to Canada for their first ​match against Panama on Wednesday, 17 June, as ⁠his ​visa application ​has been refused by the ​Canadian government,” said world football’s governing body in a statement to media outlets including ​Reuters and The New York Times.

“FIFA ⁠is not involved in the immigration ⁠processes ​of host countries, including the adjudication of visas,” the statement added.

Canada is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup along with Mexico and the United States.

What is Thomas Partey accused of?

Midfielder Partey, 32, was charged in July 2025 with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by London‘s Metropolitan Police. The charges date back to his time with current Premier League champions Arsenal.

He pleaded not guilty in September 2025 but was charged with two fresh counts of rape in February 2026, to which he also pleaded not guilty in April.

Partey, who now plays his club football for Spanish side Villarreal, appears to have had no issues entering the United States after arriving in Washington, DC, on June 4 with the rest of the Ghana squad.

But he will now be unavailable for the Black Stars’ opening fixture against Panama at Toronto‘s BMO Field stadium.

“The safety and security of Canadians is our priority as we welcome FIFA World Cup participants and visitors from around the world,” read a statement from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) given to The New York Times earlier this month in anticipation of this eventuality regarding Partey.

“IRCC applies its rules consistently and without exception, regardless of nationality, profile, or role in the tournament. IRCC officers are trained decision makers who assess an individual’s eligibility and admissibility in accordance with Canadian immigration laws,” the statement said. “If they believe that an individual could pose a security risk, they may decide to deny them entry.”

Ghana’s other two games in Group L are both in the United States — against England in Boston on June 23 and Croatia in Philadelphia on June 27.

Partey, who has scored 16 goals in 58 appearances for his country, should be available for those games.

Edited by: Sean Sinico

Jesse Rodriguez is unwilling to crown himself as the pound-for-pound king of boxing just yet, admitting that Naoya Inoue and Oleksandr Usyk should be ranked above him on a pound-for-pound list.

Based on achievements alone, it is difficult to dispute the 26-year-old’s assessment, given that both Inoue and Usyk have become two-division undisputed champions.

In terms of recent performances, however, it could be argued that ‘Bam’ is being a little harsh on himself, especially when considering Usyk’s subpar display against Rico Verhoeven last month.

Rodriguez, on the other hand, secured emphatic stoppages over Phumelela Cafu and Fernando Martinez last year, becoming the unified champion at 115lbs.

With this momentum, he now looks to become a three-division world champion against Antonio Vargas, who he faces for the WBA bantamweight title this Saturday.

If he emerges victorious, then Rodriguez is set to pursue a clash with super-bantamweight king Inoue, who he has named as the sport’s leading fighter.

Elsewhere on his list, ‘Bam’ has conceded that four-division world champion Shakur Stevenson is also ranked above him, purely based on his unanimous decision victory over Teofimo Lopez in January.

Revealing this information during a media huddle with several outlets, including FightHype, Rodriguez admitted that Usyk, too, deserves to be placed in the top three.

“I think I’m at number four. I was at number three but, with the win Shakur got [against] Teofimo, I feel like I have no choice but to put him at number three.

“So I’ve got Inoue at one, Usyk at two, Shakur [at three] and then myself [at four].”

While not quite doing enough to enter his own top three, Rodriguez would surely change his tune if he manages to defeat Inoue, who he could end up facing towards the end of 2026 or early next year.

Stratford High School has hired Desmond Cambridge to be the schools’ girls basketball coach, Metro Nashville Public Schools announced on June 12.

Cambridge takes over the program from William Cummings who was fired after the season ended in the Region 4-2A tournament in March. Cummings spent two years leading the Lady Spartans and finished with a 16-26 record, including going 9-13 this past season.

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Cambridge has more than 20 years of coaching experience at both the school and AAU levels. He’s spent the past 11 years coaching with the AAU program, Finest Basketball Club out of Atlanta.

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Day one photos from 2026 TSSAA Girls State Basketball Tournament

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Day one photos from 2026 TSSAA Girls State Basketball Tournament

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Day one photos from 2026 TSSAA Girls State Basketball Tournament

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Day one photos from 2026 TSSAA Girls State Basketball Tournament

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Day one photos from 2026 TSSAA Girls State Basketball Tournament

“The appointment of Coach Desmond Cambridge marks a new era of dominance for Lady Spartan Basketball,” said Dr. Michael Pratt, executive principal of Stratford STEM Magnet High School. “He is firmly committed to mentoring student-athletes, cultivating leadership, and outworking everyone to reach our goal of winning a state championship.”

Cambridge is a graduate of Whites Creek and played basketball there from 1994-98. He played college basketball at Alabama A&M University, and was inducted into the university’s Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2023. He holds the NCAA Division I men’s single-season record for most steals per game (5.52), set in 2001-02.

This story will be updated.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Stratford basketball hires Desmond Cambridge as girls coach

It’s that time of the year when players are looking to get paid and teams are hoping to improve.

Let’s break down the top available shooting guards in this year’s free-agent market.

(Note: Positions are determined off Basketball-Reference’s positional breakdowns, meaning a player will be listed at the position in which he played the most minutes.)

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Free-agent position rankings: Point guards

Status: Player option
Value of option: $14.8 million

The Austin Reaves breakout is upon us. The 6-foot-5 pick-and-roll decision-making maestro will unquestionably decline his modest option and enter into unrestricted free agency to cash in — and he certainly will.

Reaves is too attractive to not garner plenty of interest. He’s a three-level scorer, has greatly improved his playmaking and could help raise both the floor and ceiling for several franchises as a pending All-Star who’s entering the best years of his career.

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What makes sense: A four-year deal in $150 million-160 million territory would seem fitting for Reaves, whether he stays in Los Angeles or signs elsewhere.

Status: Player option

Value of option: $48.9 million

LaVine had an off-year with the Kings and is a prime candidate to land on the trade market if he picks up his option and becomes an expiring contract.

The 31-year-old can be enormously efficient, often sporting a TS% in the mid-60s, and that efficiency is bound to increase as soon as he’s cast in a proper role next to an elite playmaker who can set him up consistently and allow him to lean into more of an off-ball role.

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What makes sense: If the Kings can persuade LaVine to decline his option so they can offer him an extension at a lower price point, that could be worth an exploration. Of course, he’d have to get compensated thoroughly for turning down almost $49 million. Would $100 over three years get it done?

Status: Unrestricted free agent

Powell is a ridiculously efficient scorer — 60.9 TS% — who plays well within the fabric of an established offense and who fully embraces the fact that he’s not a creator. He can easily function next to a primary lead guard while maintaining a high volume of shooting responsibilities.

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There is tremendous value in a player of such quality who understands his own limitations, yet who can still dominate in certain aspects of the game. As such, Powell should have plenty of interest on the open market.

What makes sense: At 33, Powell is who he is, and a long-term deal might not be in the cards. A jumbo deal for two years for $55 million or a slightly more modest three years for $70 million is probably is within reason.

Status: Unrestricted free agent

Dosunmu, who was viewed as one of the better trade-deadline acquisitions, lived up to that hype as a Wolf, playing formidable ball in the postseason (including a 43-point eruption) and ultimately looking every bit the long-term backcourt fit next to Anthony Edwards.

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With his ability to play both on and off the ball, Dosunmu will have plenty of interest from teams around the league, looking to nab a reliable two-way player who occasionally can run the offense.

What makes sense: Sticking in Minnesota makes the most sense, as he could step into a ton of minutes, major responsibility and the chance to prove himself as one of the better guards in the league. Anything under $20 million per year would be a steal.

Status: Unrestricted free agent

This was an odd season for Grimes, who picked up his qualifying offer last summer and decided to bet on himself after a ridiculously strong finish to the 2024-2025 campaign.

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The 6-4 off-guard had moments when he looked like a future full-time starter and moments when he looked barely playable due to his passivity. Yet Grimes also had to deal with a changing role, more competition in the backcourt and having to adjust to several injuries to teammates. So while he assuredly lost money this season, there’s still potential.

What makes sense: Grimes’ inconsistent season was a problem, and you have to wonder if signing a short-term contract actually is the best bet moving forward so he can redeem himself. If he’s offered the full non-tax MLE, however, he should probably take it.

Best of the rest

6. Luke Kennard, Los Angeles Lakers

Status: Unrestricted free agent

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Kennard remains one of the very best 3-point shooters in the NBA, a major talent to have firmly in place next to Luka Dončić. Just off that fact alone, it makes sense for the Lakers to have interest in bringing him back.

7. Kevin Porter Jr, Milwaukee Bucks

Status: Player option

Value of option: $5.4 million

Porter has always had big numbers, but questions remain about his actual influence. If he opts out, teams will have questions about his fit on a good team and whether he can integrate in a meaningful way.

8. Keon Ellis, Cleveland Cavaliers

Status: Unrestricted free agent

Ellis is a player who is easy to implement, given the combination of his off-ball gravity and defensive acumen. While it isn’t clear how much he’ll earn on the open market, several teams should have interest.

Brighton have tabled a substantial £30m bid for Tottenham’s highly-rated Croatian defender Luka Vuskovic.

The 19-year-old is widely considered one of Europe’s most promising young defensive talents, despite yet to make a senior appearance for Spurs since his 2023 move from Hajduk Split.

Vuskovic spent last season on loan at Hamburg in the Bundesliga, where he enjoyed a breakout year in senior football.

He featured 30 times across all competitions, including 28 league appearances, and also made his full international debut for Croatia.

His impressive form has earned him a spot in Zlatko Dalic’s 26-man squad for the World Cup, where he could potentially face England next week.

Prior to Hamburg, he also had loan spells with Westerlo in Belgium and Radomiak Radom in Poland.

The Seagulls’ pursuit of Vuskovic comes as they continue discussions with Tottenham over the potential sale of fellow central defender Jan Paul van Hecke, for whom two bids have already been rejected.

Brighton have already moved to bolster their defensive options under Roberto De Zerbi, having secured the signings of Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi.

Robertson and Senesi have both arrived on free transfers after their contracts expired at Liverpool and Bournemouth, respectively.

Spurs are aiming to get back on track after narrowly escaping relegation on the final day of the 2025-26 season.

It was a torrid campaign for the north London club, which saw Spurs go through three managers after sacking Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor before finally settling on De Zerbi.

Meanwhile, Brighton want to bolster their own ranks ahead of their return to Europe after qualifying for next season’s Conference League.

It promises to be a busier season for Brighton due to their European commitments, and the potential signing of Vuskovic could set the club up well for another strong campaign.

TORONTO (AP) — Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will not play in his team’s World Cup opener Wednesday after Canada denied his visa application while he awaits trial in London on multiple charges of rape.

FIFA said Friday in a statement that the 32-year-old Partey won’t be able to travel from his team’s base camp in Smithfield, Rhode Island, for Ghana’s opening match with Panama in Toronto.

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“His visa application has been refused by the Canadian government,” the governing body of world soccer said. “FIFA is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas. As with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country.”

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Nor did the Ghana soccer association.

Partey was traveling back to Ghana’s base camp in Rhode Island after his visa denial. He will be able to play June 23 when Ghana plays England in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Ghana concludes group play June 27 against Croatia in Philadelphia.

Partey is scheduled to stand trial in November or later on allegations dating to his time with English club Arsenal from 2020-25. Partey, who now plays in Spain for Villarreal, has pleaded not guilty.

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A second World Cup player, Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi, is awaiting trial on similar charges in Paris.

Ghana is making its fifth appearance in the last six World Cups.

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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

MCG will play host to Saturday’s
Round 14 AFL game between Melbourne Demons and
Essendon Bombers. The game kicks off at 1:15 pm with Melbourne Demons heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Melbourne Demons vs.
Essendon Bombers
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Saturday June 13, 2026 at 1:15 pm

Where: MCG

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Melbourne Demons vs Essendon Bombers Odds

Melbourne Demons vs Essendon Bombers Preview

Melbourne faces a quick turnaround after its King’s Birthday triumph over Collingwood when it takes on Essendon at the MCG on Saturday. The Demons showed plenty of grit to edge the Magpies, but backing up after such an emotional contest presents its own challenge. Essendon will draw confidence from its earlier-season upset win over Melbourne at Gather Round, where the Bombers dominated the clearances and played with an attacking flair rarely seen since. However, scoring has become a major issue for Brad Scott’s side, with the Bombers among the league’s lowest-scoring teams. Melbourne’s defence remains one of the competition’s strengths, though the physical and mental toll of Monday’s clash could open the door for another surprise if Essendon can rediscover its best football.

For Canada, Jonathan David will certainly be the main man up front, but they also have an excellent right wing, with winger Tajon Buchanan and right-back Alastair Johnston. Midfielder Ismael Kone is also an exciting player.

As for Bosnia, Sead Kolasinac and Tarik Muharemovic are part of a strong defensive unit. Keep an eye out for wingers Esmir Bajraktarevic and Kerim Alajbegovic. Bajraktarevic is starting today, while Alajbegovic is likely to come off the bench. And, of course, Edin Dzeko too!