“We will contact our lawyers and file an appeal. We will stop at nothing. The law is on our side,” Sow announced on state radio RTS, calling the decision a “disgrace for Africa.”
Titles being stripped retrospectively is rare in football. Juventus were stripped of two Serie A league titles in the mid 2000s due to match fixing and Marseille had a Ligue 1 trophy taken off them for a bribery scandal in 1993. More recently, Romania were awarded a 3-0 win over Kosovo in 2024 after the Kosovo team walked off in the final minute of their match in Romania when when they heard pro-Serbia chanting from home fans, which Romania has denied. The game was not resumed, and UEFA concluded that Kosovo were responsible.
“The timing is really bad. CAF should have taken a decision earlier, quicker. The situation has only rotted more and more,” said DW’s Ali Farhat, an African football expert who was at tournament and final for DW. “Plus, if Senegal wins in front of the CAS, the CAF is going to look less and less credible as an institution. It is really bad for African football.”
Collins Okinyo, a former CAF media consultant, agrees.
“It puts African football under a lot of scrutiny because the decision has shocked almost everyone,” he told DW.
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‘Value of African football will go down’
Okinyo doesn’t believe Morocco can be blamed for pursuing the letter of the law, a view supported by Moncef El Yazghi, a Moroccan researcher author, and expert in sports politics.
“The most important factor is the application of the law,” El Yazghi told DW. “Announcing the title two months after the end of the tournament is secondary, as history remembers titles and results rather than the surrounding circumstances.
“Moreover, this establishes a vital legal precedent that will deter other teams from withdrawing from matches whenever a referee’s decision does not suit them—a behavior that has unfortunately been observed in several matches across the African continent in recent weeks.”
Combined with the recent news that the women’s AFCON has again been delayed, the image of African football has definitely enjoyed brighter days.
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“If you look at it critically, the value of African football will definitely go down with this,” Okinyo said.
A lot of criticism has surrounded the referee’s handling of a chaotic final in which Senegal left the pitch after having a late goal disallowed before seeing Morocco awarded an injury time penalty which they missed on the resumption of play.
The final between Morocco and Senegal ended in a chaotic fashion, with the result now overturnedImage: Ulrik Pedersen/CSM/ZUMA/picture alliance
“It is important to remember that several top officials from CAF and the tournament hierarchy were present at the stadium, which may have shaped how events unfolded,” Okinyo said. “It’s a situation that deserves deeper reflection.”
DW has contacted CAF with a series of questions but has not yet received a reply.
Morocco within rights to appeal
Morocco is clearly emerging as a major hub in African football, but talk of influence is without foundation, said El Yazghi.
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“The suggestion that there was Moroccan interference in the decision is incorrect; Morocco simply exercised its right to litigation,” he said. “Morocco does not ‘control’ CAF. This is evidenced by the fact that Morocco lost two Women’s AFCON finals on home soil, one of which was due to a clear refereeing error. CAF has its own jurisdictions and authorities, and its integrity cannot be questioned without evidence. Ultimately, CAS will have the final word—unless one believes Morocco controls CAS as well.”
With Senegal’s appeal now going to the highest court in sport, tougher questions will follow. How did it reach this point? What were the decisions that led to chaos in the final?
But, for many, the saddest part is that this dispute comes off the back of an Africa Cup of Nations widely considered to be a major success for both host Morocco and the continent.
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Final overshadows successful tournament
“The AFCON in Morocco was the best ever,” Okinyo said. “A lot was done to improve facilities and the organization was perfect, but the tournament was overshadowed by the final. It was one of the worst things to happen. The impact is heavy. African football led by [CAF President] Patrice Motsepe has to find a way to bring things back to life, because at this moment the damage is so big.”
While this story will roll on, El Yazghi believes that, contrary to much reporting, the image of football in Africa should be burnished by the decision.
“The real issue is that some still wish to maintain hegemony over Africa and manage its affairs on its behalf,” El Yazghi argued. “When a decision is made by CAF, it is suddenly viewed as a loss of credibility. Why? Why don’t we instead say that CAF has implemented the law and provided fair litigation opportunities to all parties? That is the real question.”
Ali Farhat and Hicham Driouich contributed to this article.
The Lions named Washington as their linebacker coach Wednesday.
Washington began his CFL coaching career with B.C. in 2008, spending six seasons as defensive backs coach before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2014. He remained in that job until becoming the Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive co-ordinator/defensive backs coach in 2019. Washington was let go by the Ticats during the 2024 season.
Washington played defensive back for 11 CFL seasons with the Montreal Alouettes (1997-02) and Lions (2003-07). He registered 483 tackles, 48 special-teams tackles, 17 interceptions, 12 fumble recoveries, and one sack over 156 regular-season games.
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Washington won two Grey Cups as a player (2002, 2006) and another as a coach (2011).
Buck Pierce returns for a second season as the Lions’ head coach, offensive co-ordinator and quarterback coach.
The remainder of his staff includes: Mike Benevides (defensive co-ordinator); Cory McDiarmid (special-teams co-ordinator); Kevin Bourgoin (receivers coach, pass-game co-ordinator; Paul Charbonneau (offensive-line coach, run-game co-ordinator); Kristian Matte (running backs, assistant offensive-line coach); Ryan Phillips (secondary coach, pass-game co-ordinator); Randy Melvin (defensive line coach); and Derek Oswalt ( assistant receivers coach).
Former Super Eagles head coach Johannes Bonfrere has raised concerns about the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for two consecutive FIFA World Cup tournaments.
Nigeria missed out on the 2022 World Cup after losing to Ghana on the away goals rule, while their hopes for the 2026 edition ended in a penalty defeat to DR Congo. The absence from both tournaments has dealt a blow to the country’s football reputation on the global stage.
Bonfrere, who guided Nigeria to Olympic gold in 1996, said the situation is unacceptable and called on the football authorities to take urgent action. He stressed that preparations for future tournaments must begin immediately to avoid another disappointment.
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According to the Dutch coach, missing the 2026 World Cup is damaging not only for Nigeria but also for African football. He urged the federation to review what went wrong and ensure proper planning ahead of future competitions, starting with the next Africa Cup of Nations.
He noted that Nigeria has many talented players competing in top European leagues and warned that it would be a major setback if such a generation fails to appear at multiple World Cups.
Bonfrere also reminded stakeholders of Nigeria’s rich football history, describing the country as a leading force in Africa that should always be present on the world stage. He pointed out that Nigerian teams have traditionally brought excitement, colour, and strong fan support to global tournaments.
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Reflecting on past successes, he recalled how Nigeria attracted global attention at previous World Cups and the Olympic Games, with fans eager to watch the team play. He expressed concern that the absence of the Super Eagles is now being noticed worldwide.
The veteran coach concluded by urging the federation to put its house in order, insisting that there is still enough time to rebuild and prepare properly for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups. He added that decisive action now will be key to restoring Nigeria’s place among football’s top nations.
WWE is on the Road to WrestleMania, and the company recently hosted another major premium live event. Meanwhile, NXT General Manager Robert Stone sent a message to a female star following the recent edition of NXT when demands were made on X.
Last year, Mariah May signed with the Stamford-based promotion and joined the developmental brand. May, now known as Blake Monroe, was one of the names to leave All Elite Wrestling and join WWE under the new regime. Before the end of the year, she captured the NXT Women’s North American Championship and lost it in December accidentally to Thea Hail.
Thanks for the submission!
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After losing the title, Blake Monroe feuded with Jaida Parker and returned to the division for the title she wasn’t planned to drop in the first place. On the recent edition of WWE NXT, Monroe and The Vanity Project’s Jackson Drake defeated Tatum Paxley and Shiloh Hill in a mixed tag team match. The 27-year-old WWE star pinned the current NXT Women’s North American Champion for the win.
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Later, she uploaded a picture on X with a custom title and claimed in character that she’s now a two-time NXT Women’s North American Champion and demanded her side plates from the NXT General Manager. Robert Stone sent a message to Monroe and claimed she’s not a champion, stating it wasn’t a title match, which Monroe and Drake won on the show.
“YOU’RE NOT A CHAMPION,” Stone tweeted on X.
Monroe might’ve earned a title match against the champion, but the mixed tag team match was a non-title bout.
Blake Monroe lost at WWE Stand & Deliver 2026
Earlier this year, Izzi Dame won the NXT Women’s North American Championship from Thea Hail while she was in a feud with Tatum Paxley. Last year, Dame and The Culling turned on Paxley and cost her the NXT Women’s Championship against Jacy Jayne. The 29-year-old WWE star vowed to get revenge on her former on-screen family.
After Dame became the new champion, the title was inserted into her ongoing feud with Tatum Paxley. Later, Paxley won the title at NXT Vengeance Day and defended it against the former champion in a Steel Cage match and won. Later, she entered a feud with Blake Monroe, who stole the title in the weeks leading up to their match at Stand & Deliver.
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The biggest event of the developmental brand took place in Missouri, and Tatum Paxley defeated Blake Monroe in a title match. After the match, Monroe took an assist from The Vanity Project and pinned the champion in a mixed tag team match. It’ll be interesting to see what’s next for both stars in the coming weeks.
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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.
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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.”
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Shalom and Bakole have had a promotional relationship for since 2023, but it is clear there are now major issues between the two men.
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.
Leicester’s appeal has been rejected (Nigel French/PA) (PA Archive)
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.
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“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.
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“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.
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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.
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.”
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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.
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.
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From there, he was taken to the local Charles B. Webster Detention Center. Stroud was released on a $285 bond later in the day.
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.
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.
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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.
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“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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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