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Juventus' Italian teenage forward Moise Kean suffered racist abuse from the stands during Tuesday's Serie A match at Cagliari

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Juventus' Italian teenage forward Moise Kean reacted defiantly after suffering racist abuse from the stands during Tuesday's Serie A match at Cagliari.

The 19-year-old held his arms aloft after scoring Juve's second in the 2-0 win, seemingly in response to chants, and was subjected to further abuse.

Afterwards he wrote on Instagram: "The best way to respond to racism."

Boss Massimiliano Allegri and defender Leonardo Bonucci said Kean should take some of the blame for his celebration.

"He shouldn't have celebrated in that manner," said Allegri. "He is a young man and he has to learn, but certain things from the crowd also shouldn't be heard."

Italy international Bonucci - who scored the opening goal - told Sky Sport Italia: "You celebrate goals with your team-mates. He could have done it differently.

"I think the blame is 50-50. Moise should not have done that and the Curva [fans] should not have reacted in that way."

Kean's Juventus team-mate Blaise Matuidi protested to the referee after the abuse and threatened to walk off.

Matuidi complained in 2018 he suffered racist abuse at the same stadium on the island of Sardinia.

The France midfielder later posted a photograph of himself and Kean, who has Ivorian parents, on Instagram with the caption: "BIANCO + NERI (white and black) #NoToRacism."

After Kean scored in the 85th minute, play was stopped for about three minutes and a warning was broadcast to the crowd - the first step in the three-step procedure which ultimately leads to the teams being led off the field.

Cagliari captain Luca Ceppitelli went over to the home fans behind the goal, appealing for the chants to stop,

The home side's president, Tommaso Giulini, blamed Kean, who has scored two goals in three games for Italy, for his celebration.

"I heard mostly boos, if they started making animal noises then we were in the wrong," he said. "What happened at the end was because of a celebration which was wrong and it would have happened with any other player."

Earlier on Tuesday, Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin asked referees to be "brave" and stop matches if there was abuse from "loud, aggressive and primitive" people.

Serie A leaders Juventus are now 18 points clear of second-placed Napoli and need just 10 points for an eighth straight Serie A title.

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Moise Kean: Juventus teenage striker suffers racist abuse at Cagliari

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Juventus' Italian teenage forward Moise Kean reacted defiantly after suffering racist abuse from the stands during Tuesday's Serie A match at Cagliari. The 19-year-old held his arms aloft after scoring Juve's second in the 2-0 win, seemingly in response to chants, and was subjected to further abuse.

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Sophie Jones banned for racial abuse and leaves Sheffield United

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Sophie Jones banned for racial abuse and leaves Sheffield United

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Sheffield United has said that Sophie Jones has left the club after being given a five-game ban for racial abuse

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Arsenal-Manchester United spectator arrested after invading pitch following Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty

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Arsenal-Manchester United spectator arrested after invading pitch following Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty

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A man has been arrested on suspicion of common assault and pitch invasion after he ran onto the Emirates Stadium pitch following Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's penalty during Arsenal's win over Manchester United on Sunday.

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Matteo Salvini mocks move to tackle racism in Italian football

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Matteo Salvini mocks move to tackle racism in Italian football

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Interior minister says officials have 'Richter scale for booing' after threat to halt matches

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Man charged over Jack Grealish assault during Birmingham vs Aston Villa

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Man charged over Jack Grealish assault during Birmingham vs Aston Villa

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West Midlands Police have charged a man in connection with assaulting Jack Grealish following Birmingham's game against Aston Villa on Sunday.

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How globalisation killed the old-school English football manager

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"Michael Zorc stands for Borussia Dortmund like no one else." It was the sort of acclamation that a football club would normally reserve for a club captain or, perhaps, a long-serving manager. But Borussia Dortmund's chief executive, Hans-Joachim Watzke, instead used it to describe their sporting director when he signed a new contract in 2014. Dortmund have had five different managers since, but Zorc is still there.

It remains almost impossible to imagine a sporting director in the UK being similarly feted. But the role, once derided as a continental idiosyncrasy, is now accepted as a necessity of a modern club. Both Arsenal and Manchester United are in the midst of recruiting new directors, who will be afforded great powers and charged with modernising their clubs' structures.

Traditionally English football thought of managers as autocrats, with unique powers to bend a club according to their will. The logic was simple. The manager was accountable for the team's performance, so they should be solely responsible for buying and selling players.

Having a powerful sporting director was "a joke," Harry Redknapp once said. "I've never been in favour of them or wanted to work under one. How can someone else select your players and not be accountable when you have to work with them and if they're rubbish you get the blame?"

New model

The Redknapp view was the orthodoxy in England until under a decade ago. Now it has been swept away. Clubs are not mocked for having powerful sporting directors, as Tottenham were when Daniel Levy introduced one in 2004. Instead, like Manchester United under Jose Mourinho, they are attacked for not having them. "I think it's time to put a more modern system in - sporting director," Gary Neville said. Fifteen of the 20 Premier League clubs currently have sporting directors - or analogous figures with different titles, like director of football or technical director - according to the academic Daniel Parnell.

England is just catching up with the continent. There, sporting directors have long been entrusted to work alongside the manager, and the job has been taken seriously: Italy created a formal qualification for sporting directors as long ago as 1976. Like a general manager in US sports, a sporting director in European football oversees recruitment, player contracts, sports science and hiring and firing the coach. The coach's job is squarely to focus upon the first team, and manage the players they are given.

Globalisation and changing job requirements killed the old-school English manager. Where once player recruitment was a matter of knowing the British market, today it demands global expertise. There is simply not enough time for any manager to monitor targets throughout the world while playing 60 games a season - especially as the surge in data and video analysis means sides prepare for opponents in forensic depth.

A new model of owner - running clubs unabashedly to make profit - "do not want one man with little or no business experience handling millions of pounds in funds," a Premier League director told Parnell. Instead, the owners, many of whom have experience of US sports, mimic the US general manager structure, which seems to guard against crippling short-termism.

The average manager in English football now remains in their post for barely a year. "The English-style manager comes in and wants to get rid of half the players and bring in his own," Daniel Levy once lamented, doubtless thinking of managers like Redknapp, with whom he worked at Tottenham. "So the club writes off millions, selling at a loss and buying all over again." It is no way to run a modern business.

Confusion remains

English clubs are still grappling with the sporting director. Interviewing 25 figures at Premier League or Championship clubs with the sporting director title, or a close cousin, Parnell found that job descriptions were poorly-defined.

Directors' powers vary considerably from one club to the next, for instance, in whether they have the final say over recruiting players and the manager. This creates uncertainty and confusion. Clubs sometimes don't appear to take recruiting for the role seriously; in 2017, Crystal Palace appointed Dougie Freedman, a talismanic former player with no experience as a director. The sporting director needs both business and sporting expertise; too often, clubs neglect the business side.

Sporting directors are rarely on the board at a club, which Parnell recommends to facilitate communication with the chief executive and chairman.

"Clubs need to commit to that so you can do the job," said one Premier League director interviewed by Parnell. "I don't understand why anyone would take a director role in title and not insist on being on the board."

Developing culture and philosophy

The most effective sporting directors operate like a sporting chief executive - as Les Reed did during eight years at Southampton, when he held the title vice chairman - says Omar Chaudhuri from the consultancy 21st Club. This means they supervise all sporting operations - including sports science and the academy, and creating a recruitment strategy but delegating the detail - and liaise between the board and the rest of the club.

As sporting directors last much longer than managers, they can develop a team culture and footballing philosophy - like Reed with the 'Southampton DNA' - that outlasts any sole head coach. And with such a structure in place, a new manager should have less need to try and transform the squad anyway.

Clubs with powerful sporting directors tend to be better run, Chaudhuri believes, and therefore perform better. European sides, where the sporting director is the norm, have long outperformed English teams on a points-per-pound-spent basis. Perhaps this is why the Football Association has launched a new pilot course for sporting directors last year.

As the demands on a football manager have snowballed, the role has effectively been broken down into two. The age of the autocratic manager is dead.

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How globalisation killed the old-school English football manager

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"Michael Zorc stands for Borussia Dortmund like no one else." It was the sort of acclamation that a football club would normally reserve for a club captain or, perhaps, a long-serving manager. But Borussia Dortmund's chief executive, Hans-Joachim Watzke, instead used it to describe their sporting director when he signed a new contract in 2014.

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Mohamed Salah: West Ham investigate racist abuse of Liverpool striker

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West Ham are investigating after a video emerged of a fan racially abusing Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah during Monday's 1-1 draw at London Stadium.

Egypt striker Salah, 26, was filmed on a mobile phone from a section of home supporters as he was taking a corner.

The footage, taken by a fellow fan, shows expletives directed at Salah, including about his Muslim religion.

In a statement, West Ham said they have "a zero tolerance policy to any form of violent or abusive behaviour".

It continued: "Anyone identified committing an offence will have their details passed to the police and will face a lifetime ban from London Stadium.

"There is no place for this kind of behaviour at our stadium."

The user who posted the video on Twitter said: "I was disgusted by what I was hearing. People like this deserve no place in our society let alone football matches."

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Mohamed Salah: West Ham investigate racist abuse of Liverpool striker

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West Ham are investigating after a video emerged of a fan racially abusing Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah during Monday's 1-1 draw at London Stadium. Egypt striker Salah, 26, was filmed on a mobile phone from a section of home supporters as he was taking a corner.

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A mass brawl between Millwall and Everton fans was "some of the most shocking football violence seen for some time", a senior Met Police officer has said.

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A mass brawl between Millwall and Everton fans was "some of the most shocking football violence seen for some time", a senior Met Police officer has said.

Rival supporters clashed before Saturday's FA Cup tie between the two sides, with one man slashed across the face with a knife.

An officer was also injured and the Met said a number of coaches carrying Everton fans had been damaged.

No arrests have yet been made.

Trouble between fans started in the Hawkstone Road area of Southwark, near to Millwall's stadium The Den.

Both the police officer and the injured fan have been discharged from hospital, but the man is said to have a "life-changing" scar to his face.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist praised the efforts of his officers, saying their actions "prevented the violence from escalating".

He said: "Their determination in restoring order was outstanding, despite furniture, bottles and glass being launched at them as they attempted to disperse the crowd."

Video footage is being analysed by officers in an attempt to identify dozens of people involved in the violence.

Mr Twist said: "We will use this evidence and all of the tools within our power to locate the individuals involved in this ridiculous behaviour whether they come from London, Liverpool or elsewhere.

"We will bring them to justice."

Because the violence happened outside Millwall's stadium the Football Association said it would not be investigating.

The match, which Millwall won 3-2, was also marred by allegations of racist chanting.

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Police slam 'abhorrent' football violence

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A mass brawl between Millwall and Everton fans was "some of the most shocking football violence seen for some time", a senior Met Police officer has said. Rival supporters clashed before Saturday's FA Cup tie between the two sides, with one man slashed across the face with a knife.

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Premier League players taking part in concussion study this season

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Premier League footballers are taking part in a "ground-breaking" new concussion study this season that could lead to pitch-side diagnosis.

The study includes saliva and urine samples being taken from players with head injuries and uninjured 'control' players by club doctors after matches.

The samples are then put through a new test by University of Birmingham medics who are running the study.

It is hoped this will in time be done pitch-side using a handheld device.

"Having a black and white test that gives you a clear answer that's understandable to everyone - medical staff, players, coaches - is the holy grail," Dr Patrick O'Halloran, sports concussion research fellow at the University of Birmingham and academy doctor at Wolves, told BBC Sport.

"An objective test like this would be a game-changer and would really help at all levels of sport."

The 'Birmingham Concussion Test', which has been developed after a decade of research led by academic neurosurgeon Professor Tony Belli, looks for molecules in the blood, saliva or urine - known as microRNAs - that can act as biomarkers to indicate brain injury.

The team are developing a handheld device to conduct the test during a match and which will assist in concussion diagnosis and work out when those affected can return to play across sport.

"There will be a drop of saliva going on a chip and the chip is then inserted into a device, with the results sent to a mobile phone or tablet and the doctor would be able to see and interpret the results, possibly within a minute or two," said Prof Belli.

This study builds on ongoing research carried out by the University of Birmingham for the past two years in collecting and testing the urine and saliva of concussed Premiership and Championship rugby union players.

In November, MPs called on the government to introduce better concussion protocols in sport.

A report by the New York Hospital for Special Surgery that month found concussion protocols in football were "ineffective" in almost two thirds of matches at the 2018 World Cup.

The Professional Footballers' Association said it "is and always has been committed to a duty of care" for all players" and has lobbied football authorities to "join with us on all aspects of health and safety in the game".

It added: "Neurological problems in later life - which may be connected to concussion, head injuries and heading the ball - have been on our agenda for the last 20 years."

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Premier League players taking part in concussion study this season

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Premier League footballers are taking part in a "ground-breaking" new concussion study this season that could lead to pitch-side diagnosis. The study includes saliva and urine samples being taken from players with head injuries and uninjured 'control' players by club doctors after matches.

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Watch Bielsa's remarkable PowerPoint presentation in the wae of the "Spygate" scandal.

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Leeds: Marcelo Bielsa's PowerPoint presentation after 'spying' claims - BBC Sport

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When Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa held a news conference, nobody expected a full PowerPoint presentation.

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Amateur team Headingley adopt gambling addiction charity as shirt sponsor

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Amateur side Headingley AFC believe they are about to become the first English club with a shirt sponsor warning of the dangers of gambling.

The move by the Leeds club comes at a time when nearly 60% of Premier League and Championship clubs promote betting firms on their shirts.

The shirts will feature a 'Gambling With Lives' logo in memory of former Headingley player Lewis Keogh, who took his own life aged 34 in 2013, having run up gambling debts of £50,000.

"We wanted to do our bit," chairman Callum Butcher told BBC Sport.

As a group of friends who were close to Lewis, we were shocked to discover how he suffered in silence

"Playing matches around West Yorkshire, we come into contact with a lot of young men and hopefully this will help to educate them about the dangers of gambling," said Butcher.

"We have spoken to families, who like Lewis' family, have been devastated by gambling addiction and we wanted to help raise awareness."

Gambling With Lives is a charity set up by the families and friends of young men who have taken their own lives as a result of gambling. The team will carry their logo on their shirts for the first time on Saturday.

Charity founders Charles and Liz Ritchie said: "This is a special deal. Every game will flag up the dangers of gambling and generate discussion among people who are targeted by gambling marketing.

"One day Headingley will be seen as pioneers of changing the place of gambling in football."

Such was Keogh's bond with team-mates at Headingley - who play in the West Yorkshire Premier League, the 11th tier of English football - that the club run an annual fundraiser in his honour to raise money for mental health and anti-gambling charities.

Gambling With Lives attended the event last year when the club held a raffle to find their next shirt sponsor.

"The funny thing is that they didn't win," says Butcher. "But one of our former players who runs a local interior design business wanted Gambling With Lives to be the sponsor so he gifted the prize to them.

"We think it might be a first, and have joked about how we are following in the footsteps of Barcelona, who used to be sponsored by Unicef.

"As a group of friends who were close to Lewis, we were shocked to discover how he suffered in silence. We always wondered whether we missed something or whether we could have done more, but you learn that you can't."

According to a Gambling Commission report, there are 430,000 problem gamblers in the UK, with a further two million people at risk.

More than £5.35bn was spent on online gambling last year, compared with £5.55bn spent in betting shops, casinos, arcades and bingo halls combined.

Betting firms recently confirmed plans to effectively ban television betting adverts during pre-watershed live sport after "responding to public concerns".

Butcher welcomed the change, saying: "It was about time something was done. You can see why people are so influenced by gambling.

"I'm glad the industry has succumbed to the growing pressures and I hope more can be done, particularly to protect the younger generation."

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Amateur team Headingley adopt gambling addiction charity as shirt sponsor

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Amateur side Headingley AFC believe they are about to become the first English club with a shirt sponsor warning of the dangers of gambling. The move by the Leeds club comes at a time when nearly 60% of Premier League and Championship clubs promote betting firms on their shirts.

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Marcelo Bielsa 'spy' revelation: Leeds United boss 'reminded of club's integrity and honesty'

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Head coach Marcelo Bielsa will be "reminded of the integrity and honesty" of Leeds United after he admitted sending a staff member to 'spy' on a Derby County training session.

Before Leeds' 2-0 win over the Rams on Friday, Bielsa said he was responsible after a man was seen outside the Rams' training ground the previous day.

Leeds have also "formally apologised" for Bielsa's pre-match conduct.

The Football Association has said it is investigating the incident.

A Leeds statement said: "Following comments made by Marcelo Bielsa on Friday, the club will look to work with our head coach and his staff to remind them of the integrity and honesty which are the foundations that Leeds United is built on.

"Our owner Andrea Radrizzani has met with Derby County's owner Mel Morris to formally apologise for Marcelo's actions."

Derbyshire Police removed the man and no arrests were made.

'I don't feel I cheated', says Bielsa

Leeds moved five points clear at the top of the Championship with their victory at Elland Road.

Both before and after the match, the Argentine reiterated that "the responsibility for this lies with me" and insisted nobody from Leeds had given him permission to 'spy' on Derby's training session.

But Bielsa, who said he had been carrying out the practice for "many years", denied it was "immoral".

He said: "I understand (Derby manager) Frank Lampard is angry because he thinks I'm someone who is cheating.

"I understand he draws this conclusion. But I don't feel I cheated because my goal was not to get an illegal advantage.

"I can explain my behaviour but my intention is not to be understood or to justify it. I have to respect the norms in the country where I work."

Lampard refused to use the pre-match 'spygate' saga as an excuse for his side's performance - but said "it has to be dealt with".

The former Chelsea and England midfielder told BBC Radio 5 live: "It's not right. I'm a big fan from afar of Bielsa, I've got his book at home in my front room, but that's slightly clouded it for me.

"I've never heard of going to a training ground on your hands and knees with pliers trying to break into private land to watch.

"But I don't attribute our performance to it because that's on us."

On Friday, an English Football League spokesman said it had received no official complaint or contact from the club.

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Marcelo Bielsa 'spy' revelation: Leeds United boss 'reminded of club's integrity and honesty'

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Head coach Marcelo Bielsa will be "reminded of the integrity and honesty" of Leeds United after he admitted sending a staff member to 'spy' on a Derby County training session. Before Leeds' 2-0 win over the Rams on Friday, Bielsa said he was responsible after a man was seen outside the Rams' training ground the previous day.

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England to host Women's Euro 2021 but venue choices prove controversial

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England to host Women's Euro 2021 but venue choices prove controversial

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Uefa has confirmed that England will host the 2021 Women's European Championship but the FA's choice of proposed host cities and stadiums is controversial

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Children's football coach jailed after sexually assaulting two girls

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A children's football coach has been jailed for sexually abusing two young girls in his care.

Neal Harris was a trainee primary school teacher when he coached youngsters at a football club based in South Gloucestershire.

Bristol Crown Court heard he groped one 14-year old before having sex with a 15-year-old one month before she turned 16.

Harris, 25, of Rectory Close in Yate, pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child, in a position of trust, regarding both girls.

Judge James Patrick jailed him for four years.

He told Harris: "You were their coach.

"You were training to be a primary school teacher.

"You used your position to groom these two girls, both very significantly younger than you."

Harris was barred from working with children and vulnerable adults and was told to register as a sex offender for life.

James Tucker, prosecuting, said Harris was 21 when he abused a girl aged 14 by kissing and touching her sexually above her clothes.

Mr Tucker said: "She fell in love with him."

At one stage Harris messaged the child with a picture of himself in his stained pants, telling her: "Look what you do to me."

That made her feel uncomfortable, the court heard, but she initially felt unable to tell anyone.

Harris told her they should wait to have sex when she was 18, but cuddled her on a bed and kissed her stomach, Mr Tucker said.

Eventually Harris moved on to another girl he coached and, after exchanging messages on social media, they became intimate and had sex a month before her 16th birthday.

Mr Tucker told the court: "She was worried because it was her first time.

"She told him she wanted to.

"She describes him using condoms and they spoke about her having an implant.

"He bought her a ring and Christmas gifts."

The court heard they went on to have sex at his home and in his car.

When Harris was arrested he denied any wrongdoing with the first girl and denied sex with the second girl before she was 16.

Virginia Cornwall, defending, said her client was a reserved man lacking self-worth and self-confidence.

She said: "The abuse was as a football coach.

"He was training to be a primary school teacher. He will never be as such."

Miss Cornwall said he felt "valued and wanted" with the first girl but knew what he was doing was wrong.

She said he was flattered by attention from the second girl and they had consensual intercourse.

Investigating officer DS Geoff Smith said: "Neal Harris abused his position of trust in the worst way possible and took advantage of two teenage girls who he was in contact with through his football coaching.

"He groomed the victims who believed they were in a relationship with them and he used social media as one method of communicating with them. He told them they had to keep the "relationship" a secret.

"He met them in parks, woods, car-parks and in public places including behind a supermarket, which is where the sexual abuse would take place.

"The victims now understand they were groomed and the offending committed against them will have an impact on them for the rest of their lives."

Victims of rape or sexual assault, recent or non-recent, can also self-refer to The Bridge, a Sexual Assault Referral Centre available 24/7 365 days a year. Visit their website at thebridgecanhelp.org.uk or call 0117 342 6999.

The Bridge provides medical care and emotional and practical support to anyone affected by rape and sexual assault. You can call The Bridge for help and decide about talking to the police later.

You can also visit thisisnotanexcuse.org for details of charities and organisations who are experts in supporting victims.

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Children's football coach jailed after sexually assaulting two girls

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A children's football coach has been jailed for sexually abusing two young girls in his care. Neal Harris was a trainee primary school teacher when he coached youngsters at a football club based in South Gloucestershire. Bristol Crown Court heard he groped one 14-year old before having sex with a 15-year-old one month before she turned 16.

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Police make arrest for racist offence at Tottenham vs Chelsea Carabao Cup tie

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Police have confirmed a man has been arrested for a racially aggravated public order offence at Tuesday's Carabao Cup semi-final between Tottenham and Chelsea.

In a post on Twitter, the football unit of the Metropolitan Police, whose officers were on duty for the first leg at Wembley, wrote: "Police have arrested a 17-year-old male for a racially aggravated public order offence at tonight's @SpursOfficial v @ChelseaFC.

"The male is currently being dealt with at a North London police station."

An earlier post from the force had read: "We are working with London football clubs to ensure hate crime, including racism and anti-Semitic language, is tackled robustly.

"Any instances of such behaviour will be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated."

The incident is the latest instance of alleged racist behaviour to shake the top tiers of European football in recent weeks.

Manchester City's Raheem Sterling was subjected to abuse from the stands during his side's defeat at the hands of Chelsea at the beginning of December, with the man responsible later identified and banned from Stamford Bridge.

Police have arrested a 17 year old male for a racially aggravated public order offence at tonight's @SpursOfficial v @ChelseaFC The male is currently being dealt with at a North London police station. - MPS Football Unit (@MPSFootballUnit) January 8, 2019

In Italy, meanwhile, Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly suffered monkey noises and other offensive remarks at San Siro as his side went down to Inter.

The club was subsequently punished with two games to be played behind closed doors, a sanction that they declined to appeal.

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Racism in football: Police make arrest for racist offence at Tottenham-Chelsea Carabao Cup tie | Goal.com

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Police have confirmed a man has been arrested for a racially aggravated public order offence at Tuesday's Carabao Cup semi-final between Tottenham and Chelsea. In a post on Twitter, the football unit of the Metropolitan Police, whose officers were on duty for the first leg at Wembley, wrote: "Police have arrested a 17-year-old male for a racially aggravated public order offence at tonight's @SpursOfficial v @ChelseaFC.

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Renee Hector: Tottenham Ladies defender says opponent racially abused her.

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Tottenham Hotspur Ladies defender Renee Hector says she was subjected to racist abuse by an opposition player at Sheffield United on Sunday.

Hector, 23, made the claim in a tweet after Tottenham won 2-1 to go second in the FA Women's Championship.

"Such a shame that racism seems to be rising up again in football," the former Watford Ladies player wrote.

"I received some monkey noises from an opposition player. The only reaction was to let football do the talking."

Sheffield United Women said in a statement that they "are aware of the post on social media and have already begun an investigation to determine the full facts".

Spurs said the incident was reported to the referee by Hector during the game.

The club added in a tweet: "We have since reported the alleged incident to the FA and await their response."

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Renee Hector: Tottenham Ladies defender says she was subjected to racist abuse

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Tottenham Hotspur Ladies defender Renee Hector says she was subjected to racist abuse by an opposition player at Sheffield United on Sunday. Hector, 23, made the claim in a tweet after Tottenham won 2-1 to go second in the FA Women's Championship.

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Jeff Astle: Head injury footballer's case tip of the iceberg?

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It is 12 years since an inquest into the death of England and West Bromwich Albion footballer Jeff Astle ruled he died from brain trauma caused by heading heavy leather footballs.

After the FA failed to publish promised research into the condition, the Astle family renewed calls for a study to be done via its Justice for Jeff campaign.

The campaign has prompted other families of ex-players to come forward, claiming Astle's case could be the "tip of the iceberg".

Among them is physiotherapist, Andrew MacLeod, whose father Ally managed Scotland at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.

He believes his dad developed Alzheimer's after repeatedly heading a ball during a 16-year playing career with teams including Hibernian and Blackburn Rovers.

He died in 2002, aged 59, after suffering with the disease for almost 10 years.

"It started as memory loss and forgetfulness," Mr Macleod said. "He would forget where my house was or he would ask to go and visit his mother in Glasgow who had died 23 years before.

"I was keen to see the research by the FA published because if there is evidence that repetitive heading causes brain injuries then it does have consequences even for the modern day player."

Richard Wickson, the chairman of Reading Football Club's former players' association, believes the Astle case is "the tip of the iceberg".

"We're hearing a lot of disturbing stories from organisations like ours around the country and it seems that these illnesses are affecting players from a certain era, the 50s and 60s," he said.

"Head a medicine ball"

Duncan Forbes, 72, played more than 500 games for Norwich City and Colchester in a 16-year career starting in 1961.

He was admitted to a dementia care home in October.

His wife, Janette, believes his condition, which started when he was 64, was caused by heading footballs.

She said: "Duncan played the game since he was a little boy and with being centre back he was always heading balls out, which were a lot heavier than nowadays.

"He once told me as part of his training he used to head a medicine ball, with the idea that he could then head a normal football much further.

"I know of several players that haven't come out to say they've got dementia because there's a stigma attached to it but I think if clubs investigated it and looked at ex-players, we would find a lot more."

"I think the fear of having to pay out compensation is the only thing holding back the authorities from fully researching it.

"But the families I have spoken to are not interested in money they just want to make sure young players don't suffer."

In a letter to Astle's widow, Laraine, the chairman of the FA, Greg Dyke, said a commission had been set up to investigate head injuries, which includes representatives from the FA, the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) and the Premier League.

A spokesman for the FA said "The football commission on head injury... are working towards increasing awareness at all levels of the game of football."

Dr Michael Lipton is currently carrying out a study with adult amateur footballers in the US investigating how heading impacts on the brain.

His initial findings suggested heading a ball more than a 1,000 times a year could cause traumatic brain injury.

"Those people were also more likely to perform worse in cognitive tests especially memory and, less so, processing speed and attention," he said.

"There is clear data that traumatic brain injury increases the risk of Alzheimer's and dementia maybe as much as three fold."

However, scientific opinion on the issue is divided.

Dr Andrew Rutherford, of Keele University, has been researching possible brain damage caused by heading for more than 10 years. He said there was no definite evidence to link it to dementia.

"There is a danger that when somebody who happens to have been a footballer suffers from dementia, it becomes highlighted as a problem with football when it could be any number of causes just as it is in a person who never played the game," he said.

"With these individual cases it can appear that a large number of ex-players are suffering from dementia.

"That may be the case, but it could also just be five or six footballers in the whole of the country that suffer from that particular problem."

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It is 12 years since an inquest into the death of England and West Bromwich Albion footballer Jeff Astle ruled he died from brain trauma caused by heading heavy leather footballs. After the FA failed to publish promised research into the condition, the Astle family renewed calls for a study to be done via its Justice for Jeff campaign.

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Brain injury expert calls for ban on heading in football

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Heading a football should be restricted in the professional game and banned for those under the age of 18, according to one of the world's leading experts on brain injuries.

Dr Bennet Omalu discovered the brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

The condition has long-term effects and is caused by repeated head trauma.

"It does not make sense to control an object travelling at a high velocity with your head," Dr Omalu said.

"I believe, eventually, at the professional level we need to restrict heading of the ball. It is dangerous."

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live's Phil Williams programme, Omalu added: "No child under the age of 18 should be heading the ball in soccer.

"Kids under the age of 12 to 14 should play a less contact form of soccer which we should develop for them. Kids between 12 and 18 can play but should not head the ball.

"I know this is difficult for many people but science evolves. We change with time. Society changes. It is time for us to change some of our ways."

An inquest into the death of former England and West Brom footballer Jeff Astle ruled he died from brain trauma caused by heading heavy leather footballs.

He died in 2002, aged 59, after suffering with Alzheimer's for almost 10 years following his 18-year football career.

On Wednesday, his daughter Dawn repeated calls for the game to investigate possible links between CTE and the heading of footballs.

"This is fact now. We are not just assuming other players may have died of the same illness as Dad, this is now fact," said Dawn.

Her latest comments come after the death of Rod Taylor, a former wing-half for Portsmouth, Gillingham and Bournemouth, who died in April having suffered from the condition.

His daughter Rachel Walden told the BBC heading the ball should not be banned but instead the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) and the Football Association (FA) should to do more to help support former players and their families.

"My father's dementia was caused by heading the ball and concussions," she said. "We can't wait for them to die before we start helping them. We need to start helping them now.

"We are not blaming the football clubs or the clubs that he played for. He was proud of all the clubs he played for. It's not about changing the game, it's about trying to get the PFA to take responsibility for their members in their hour of need."

Several high-profile ex-players have been diagnosed with dementia, including 1966 England World Cup winners Nobby Stiles, Martin Peters and Ray Wilson, Liverpool legends Ron Yeats and Tommy Smith and Celtic's European Cup-winning captain Billy McNeill.

Speaking about the effect heading a football has on the head, Omalu said: "The human brain floats like a balloon inside your skull so when you head the ball you suffer brain damage. You damage your brain when you head the ball.

"Playing soccer would increase your risk of suffering brain damage when you are much older and developing dementia and CTE."

There have been a number of moves across professional sport to combat head injuries.

Concussion substitutes have been introduced to county cricket this summer, allowing teams to replace a player who has concussion or suspected concussion, while rugby union chiefs introduced an eight-point action plan in March to make the sport safer.

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Brain injury expert calls for ban on heading in football

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Heading a football should be restricted in the professional game and banned for those under the age of 18, according to one of the world's leading experts on brain injuries. Dr Bennet Omalu discovered the brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The condition has long-term effects and is caused by repeated head trauma.

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A really good article about the recent match between Fulham and Huddersfield Town and their struggle to survive in a league which is too big for them

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Fulham versus Huddersfield Town. One of those fixtures that sounds like it should belong to another era: an era of heavy jerseys and maximum wages and wing-halves. And these days, the approach to Craven Cottage feels similarly dissonant: this quaint little throwback of a football ground nestled amid the rows of opulent £2 million terraced houses, each bearing a fluffy Christmas wreath on the door.

These days, the quaintness is built into the spiel. "London's Original Club", boasts the promotional literature, a reference to Fulham being London's oldest professional club. Dwarfed in size and stature by its bigger neighbours, Fulham has in recent years increasingly marketed itself as a sort of chic layover on the west London tourist trail: Portobello Road Market in the morning, Premier League football in the afternoon, fish and chips and a pint of Fuller's in the evening.

In this respect, of course, Fulham is blessed by geography. Huddersfield, by contrast, isn't on the tourist trail to anywhere. Hit by the decline of the textile industry in the second half of the 20th century, and more recently by local government cuts, it gets by, but not much more than that. From the moment Huddersfield Town were promoted to the Premier League in May 2017, its return to the Championship has felt inevitable. No footballer's wife dreams of settling in Denby Dale. No Chinese tourist dreams of taking in a game at the iconic John Smith's Stadium. (Even though both are lovely.)

You can sense that grim resistance, that nagging impermanence, in Huddersfield's football. They have a fine manager in David Wagner, wonderful fans who follow them all over the country, a strong work ethic, good defensive shape. But it's when they get the ball that the impostor syndrome begins to surface. Every pass is safe. Every decision, whether it's laying the ball back to Jonas Lossl in goal, or pumping it safely up the touchline, is parsed for minimum risk. It's almost as if, having waited so long for a glimpse of top-flight football, they're terrified of letting it slip from their grasp.

---

The fear is real, and in many ways so is the danger. Often, you would see relegated clubs getting picked apart like carrion. These days, it's very much a buyers' market. If Huddersfield were to go down, how many of their squad would find a Premier League gig next season? Aaron Mooy and Terence Kongolo, perhaps. Maybe Alex Pritchard. For many of the rest, this is pretty much it: their first and their last chance of making it as a Premier League footballer.

And it shows in the instinctive caution, the innate conservatism, the refusal to countenance any manoeuvre that might result in giving away possession in a dangerous area. Because, after all, these days virtually any Premier League side can hurt you. Even Fulham, who by the standards of the division really aren't very good. Every team can play out from the back these days. They can all do stepovers. They can all run hard for 90 minutes, and they all look like athletes. If this is the worst the Premier League has to offer in 2018, then it's still... not that bad.

Let's just clarify that. The quality of the footballers is not bad. As the whistle blows for half-time, however, the quality of the football has been extremely bad. Barely a chance has been had, because barely a risk has been taken. Fulham are terrified of losing the ball, so they've decided not to have it at all. Huddersfield are terrified of getting countered, so they've decided not to do anything with it. When Jonathan Hogg drops into the defensive line, they're basically six at the back. After all, when you're playing another team in the bottom three, the one thing you can't afford to do at any cost is lose.

This is the natural corollary of the Premier League's extreme stratification: the creation of a thicket of teams - at least eight, but perhaps as many as 13 - whose sole objective is to avoid getting relegated. Last season, Huddersfield received £102 million in TV and merit payments for finishing 16th in the Premier League. Wolves, by contrast, received about £7.4 million for winning the Championship. Survival isn't just a sporting aim: it's a business imperative.

Which is why you get managers whose only goal is to survive the month. Players desperate not to screw up their next deal. Games like this. The bigger teams put up with it for now, because they need someone to beat every week, and in any case nobody's really watching. It's one of those Premier League games that seems to exist solely to carry Premier League status: to convince everyone, in the face of all available evidence, that we're watching something elite here.

I wonder how long people are willing to carry on being convinced. One of the consequences of globalisation has been to shift the balance of power away from the local and towards the elite. If you don't like the band playing in your pub, you can go and watch a K-pop video on YouTube. If you don't like your local football team, you can watch Barcelona instead. The Premier League has benefited immensely from this process, using its financial might to harvest players from all over the world, denuding other domestic leagues of their best talent along the way. But what made you think it was going to stop there? Once the bottom half of the Premier League begin to outlive their usefulness, what's to stop them being jettisoned too? Already the big clubs have begun flexing their muscles, trying to win a greater share of overseas TV rights, holding clandestine talks over a European breakaway league.

Naturally, there will be the usual howls of protest. But if the market wants what it wants, then who might resist it? Beneath the Johnny Haynes Stand at Craven Cottage, Fulham have installed a kids' play area, with a face painter and some games consoles to play Fifa on. At half-time, a couple of young Fulham fans are preparing to give each other a game. The teams they've selected to do battle are Chelsea and Real Madrid.

---

Fulham don't have quite the same restless hunger as Huddersfield. Unlike their opponents, most of their players will be fine whether they get relegated or not. Calum Chambers, Sergio Rico and Luciano Vietto will go back to their parent clubs. Jean-Michael Seri, Andre Schurrle, Aleksandr Mitrovic and Ryan Sessegnon will all find willing buyers. That's not to pinpoint individuals for indolence: merely to define the basic character of a squad in which most, in one way or another, are simply passing through.

What they do have, however, is quality. Man for man, they're better for Huddersfield, and as the second half progresses, they begin to grind them down. Mitrovic forces a good save out of Lossl with a sharp header. Joe Bryan surges down the left wing, puts in a cross, and as Chris Lowe advances on the loose ball, it hits his arm. Aboubakar Kamara, who won the penalty, angrily snatches the ball away from Mitrovic, the designated kicker.

"I wanted to kill him," Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri says afterwards. Worse: Kamara misses the penalty, and is booed by the home fans for the rest of the game.

Again, it's hard to imagine anything like this remotely happening within the Huddersfield ranks. Things are hard enough when you stick together, never mind when you turn on each other. The same spirit of common endeavour that got them out of the Championship is still present in the Premier League: they work as a team, suffer as a team, win as a team, lose as a team. Trouble is, they're beginning to lose quite a lot.

In injury time, Huddersfield allow the one scenario they've been specifically set up to avoid: a Fulham counter-attack. Philip Billing loses the ball trying an audacious shot from distance, and 11.3 seconds later - via Tom Cairney, the snaking run of Sessegnon and the sharp finish of Mitrovic - Fulham have won the game. Full-time brings dejection and exhaustion. "It's hard to accept," says striker Steve Mounie, who hasn't scored since April and had a grand total of four touches in the final third all game. "But we will still fight until the end."

It's all they can do. In a fairer world you'd curb the power of the biggest clubs, level the playing field, filter more of the revenues down the pyramid, narrow the terrifying financial gulf between the Premier League and the Championship that turns a dozen clubs into zombified survival bots, clinging with decaying claws to the sheer cliff face. But until that happens, all they can do is fight, and scrap, and strain every sinew to stay in a league that - if we're perfectly honest - barely registers its existence.
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Fulham and Huddersfield fight for life in a league that barely knows they exist

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Fulham versus Huddersfield Town. One of those fixtures that sounds like it should belong to another era: an era of heavy jerseys and maximum wages and wing-halves.

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The Old Firm story: How sectarianism came to define a derby

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The religious hatred that often scars the relationship between Celtic and Rangers has its roots in resentment of the Irish immigrant influx in the early years of the 20th century, says Andrew Smith

There are uncomfortable truths when picking apart the potency of the Old Firm rivalry. For the 'unrivalled passion' so often gloried in, read instead poison. Strip away the euphemistic overtones of 'the religious divisions' acknowledged between Celtic and Rangers, and what is to be found underneath is religious intolerance, bigotry and hatred.

The bitterness that swirls around the two clubs has been given fresh impetus in recent years by Rangers' financial collapse and the rise of social media. But the roots of the divide are in the early years of the 20th century.

The Scottish Protestant, unionist, loyalist impulses that see Rangers as the antithesis of the Irish Catholic, republican Celtic aren't an accident of fate, place or geography. Rangers evolved this way because more than a century ago an element of the country's populace resented the Irish immigrants and their football team which had essentially colonised the Scottish game through becoming the powerhouse within it.

If there had never been a Celtic, who arrived on the scene 15 years after Rangers were founded in 1872, Rangers as a club would have been very different in outlook across the 20th century.

Celtic's genesis in 1887 to 1888 were imbedded in Irish Catholicism. The club was founded by a Marist Brother called Walfrid from Sligo - in the image of Edinburgh's Hibernian - to maintain the dinner tables of Catholic parishes in the east end of Glasgow. The popular story is that money was being raised to feed poor immigrant children who suffered severe prejudice in a city that perceived them as ignorant, unwashed incomers with fathers that would provide cheap or scab labour.

For those Irish Catholics in the city that were treated as second-class citizens, Celtic were the riposte to their oppressors. The club enjoyed immediate success because it franchised a group that had never been interested in attending games

Yet, the truth is that Walfrid wanted to establish these food kitchens more because those on offer from indigenous Scottish churches carried the threat of straining his parishioners' Catholicism; even demanding it be renounced for the food on offer. Walfrid's main driver for Celtic was to stop the Irish Catholic immigrant population "taking the soup". That Celtic was more about symbolism than sustenance to the go-getting Catholic businessmen with deep held convictions about Irish Home Rule is reflected in the fact that as early as the club's financial accounts of 1893, not one penny was donated to the foods halls Walfrid had supposedly established the club to support.

Moreover, by the end of the 19th century, Celtic had become a public limited company as the directors both sought monies to pay top whack to players as professionalism came on-stream, and fund a new stadium. The fact handsome dividends came their way too was just a happy accident...

For those Irish Catholics in the city that were treated as second-class citizens, Celtic were the riposte to their oppressors. The club enjoyed immediate success because it franchised a group that had never been interested in attending football games. Scottish football's first attendance boom followed as a result, and Celtic were posting record receipts for a British club within their first decade.

All of which was unpalatable to some in a city that, prior to the influx of Irish Catholics drawn by the desperate famine suffered in their homeland during the mid-1800s, had more anti-Catholic societies than actual Catholics.

To many Celtic, as Scottish football's big beast, were simply too big for their boots. Moreover, indeed, they had trashed all concepts of sporting integrity in poaching players from Hibs for financial inducements in their early years when the game was supposedly amateur.

Rangers, who had almost gone out of business as they found their way, did not seem a natural fit for chief foe. They had no religious impetus in their origins beyond the fact that their 'gallant pioneer' founders Peter and Moses McNeil, Peter Campbell and William McBeath had been brought up as Protestants. Rangers were no more different to Celtic in terms of any religious identity than, say, Clyde or Partick Thistle. As for love of monarch and country now so woven into the club's fabric, their first patron was Marquis of Lorne, future 9th Duke of Argyll, Governor of Canada and son-in-law to Queen Victoria.

As Rangers began to push Celtic on the pitch, so Protestants began to gravitate to the club as the anti - nay antidote - to an unabashed Catholic and Irish republican Celtic, though notably a team that resisted all attempts in its infancy to follow the Hibernian model and field only Catholic players.

This flow of Protestant fans picked up pace when Celtic claimed they were the "unofficial world champions" after Willie Maley led them to six consecutive titles; a period of dominance that ended in 1910 and had proved an affront to Scottish societal traditions across certain constituencies.

Two years later the die was cast when the political instability in Belfast led to Harland and Wolff opening a massive shipyard in Govan. The builders of the Titanic, which infamously often excluded Catholics from its workforce, brought over scores of Orangemen to work on the Clyde... from where Rangers' Ibrox home was a short walk.

Sometime shortly afterwards, the 'Catholics need not apply' principles of Harland and Wolff began to be reflected in a Rangers playing squad previously open to all. And, it must be said, the strategy had the desired effect once Bill Struth took over in 1920. Celtic were put in their place with 14 titles in 20 years coming Rangers' way.

In the early 1970s the author, novelist and broadcaster Cliff Hanley stated in a German-commissioned documentary about the Old Firm that while the tendency was to present Rangers as a Protestant club they were really an anti-Catholic club. He was commenting on the impression that in song, Celtic supporters tend to celebrate their Irishness, their republicanism and their 'Popery'. Rangers, in contrast, were seen as more likely to promote enmity with the 'Fenian' epithet for Catholics that reflects how political events across the Irish sea formed a backdrop to the bitter divisions - the Battle of the Boyne, 1916 Easter uprising, war of independence, partition, the Troubles and all points inbetween. In recent years, songs such as the The Billy Boys, with its "up to our knees in Fenian blood" line, No Pope of Rome, and Super Rangers ("we hate Celtic, Fenian bastards") have seen a continuation of that theme.

In turn, many Celtic supporters hid behind a pushed-for perception of them as politicking Provos that in reality was often a proxy for 'sticking it to the Proddies'. This sizeable faction were called out as "Catholic bigots" by Fergus McCann in the 1990s as he sought to drive out prejudice from the stands as he transformed the entire club and its ownership model - control of the institution till then having been passed through generations of the Kelly and White families.

By that stage, Rangers had experienced an event to pull them from the dark ages their discriminatory signing policy had caused them to reside in. Their release was occasioned by Mo Johnston, in 1989, having become the first high-profile Catholic to sign for the Ibrox club since the pre-First World War years.

The then manager and owner, Graeme Souness and David Murray, should be commended for ending a shameful practice that for too long existed at Ibrox.

There may have been an element of pulling the rug from beneath a rival in recruiting Johnston after he had signed, what represented, a pre-contract agreement at Celtic.

However, in the second half of Murray's two decades stewarding Rangers the Ibrox club had a Catholic manager, a Catholic captain and, at times, fielded more Catholics in their line-up than Celtic. None of this should matter, but it does when for so many decades it appeared unthinkable.

Around the turn of this millennium, indeed, it seemed as if the religious-inspired rancour was being pushed to the margins in their rivalry as both teams attracted big name players from outside these borders. Both clubs genuinely worked hard to tackle bigotry through education programmes.

However, social media, wars, poppies and various strains of nationalism - Celtic supporters ramping up their hatred of a British state so beloved by a great many among Rangers' faithful - and the fallout from the liquidation of the Ibrox side in 2012 and their need to restart in Scotland's fourth tier has appeared to take the bitterness between the pair to ugly new levels.

The Old Firm itself no longer exists in the eyes of some Celtic fans who seek to disassociate themselves from a tag that had its origins in a bond over business interests. Yet, whatever any protestations, the inconvenient truth is sections of the two supports remain very bound up together... in a hatred that simply refuses to go away.

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The Old Firm story: How sectarianism came to define a derby

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The religious hatred that often scars the relationship between Celtic and Rangers has its roots in resentment of the Irish immigrant influx in the early years of the 20th century, says Andrew Smith There are uncomfortable truths when picking apart the potency of the Old Firm rivalry.

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An article about the Barcelona vs. Girona match which was due to be played in Miami

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(Reuters) - Barcelona's decision to back out of next month's La Liga match against Girona in Miami highlights the differences that epitomise the European and American models of sport, according to sports industry analysts.

The Spanish league applied in September to move the Jan. 26 game to Florida from Catalonia but met opposition from various governing bodies who feel official matches must be held within the territory of the respective member association.

Spencer Harris, an assistant professor of sport management at University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, had a simple explanation for the protracted saga.

"In the U.S. context, commercialisation is firmly understood and accepted whereas the same unadulterated tactics in Europe --whilst (they) may be desired by some -- are more commonly frowned upon," Harris, who teaches a course called Managing Soccer: Global & Local Perspectives, told Reuters.

While many of soccer's glamour clubs have played lucrative pre-season friendlies on U.S. soil to build their brand, staging a competitive match abroad presents different challenges.

La Liga, Spain's top soccer division and home to some of the world's best players, signed a 15-year agreement with entertainment company Relevent Sports in August to play one league match per campaign in the United States.

But the proposal was met with widespread criticism from players and clubs in Spain and also faces opposition from the Spanish football federation and the sport's world and European governing bodies, FIFA and UEFA.

"FIFA are all about commercialisation of the game and all about growing wealth and remaining the dominant force in the global sports landscape," said Harris.

"But for FIFA, this is about politics and about defending the territorial rights of the associations. Because if they don't do that, chaos could ensue very quickly."

UNTAPPED MARKET

One source close to the negotiations said the match had been considered an excellent opportunity for Barcelona to expand their international brand while giving a boost to lesser-known Girona in the relatively untapped U.S. soccer market.

A successful staging of the game is also a key initiative for La Liga president Javier Tebas, a vocal proponent of expanding the league's reach into North America.

Despite the setback, the source said there is too much interest from U.S. fans for the game not to happen eventually -- likely next year -- and noted that 50,000 people signed a petition three weeks ago saying they wanted the game in Miami.

Last month, La Liga filed a lawsuit against the Spanish soccer federation, which turned down its application to have the game moved and whose president has protested loudly about the idea.

It is a far cry from U.S.-based leagues like the National Football League (NFL) and National Basketball Association (NBA), who routinely send teams overseas for regular-season games.

"There is a lot more involved in this than say an NFL or an NBA team trying to play in Europe," said Bob Dorfman, a sports marketing expert at Baker Street Advertising in San Francisco.

"It's more complicated because you've got the Spanish football association and they are the governing body so it's not as easy as just the NFL deciding to play a game overseas where they control their own destiny."

La Liga has pledged to persevere with a long-term strategy of taking games outside Spain, saying that Barca's withdrawal did not affect agreement with Relevent to promote Spanish football in North America.

"It really should be a La Liga decision. If they feel this is good for their team and good for their brand then they should be able to do it," David Ridpath, associate professor of sports management at Ohio University, told Reuters.

"But any time you have layers upon layers of governance there is going to be somebody there who, if they are able to prevent it, will likely throw a monkey wrench in it."

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Additional reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Ian Chadband)

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Football: Barca's Miami U-turn highlights culture divide - experts | The Star Online

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(Reuters) - Barcelona's decision to back out of next month's La Liga match against Girona in Miami highlights the differences that epitomise the European and American models of sport, according to sports industry analysts. The Spanish league applied in September to move the Jan.

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Why doesn't James McClean wear a poppy on Remembrance weekend?

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West Brom player James McClean has refused to wear the traditional Remembrance Day poppy on his shirt each and every year since first moving to England to join Sunderland in 2011.

He will again choose not to wear a shirt emblazoned with the poppy when his current side West Bromwich Albion take on Manchester City this weekend.

But why does McClean object to wearing a poppy on his shirt?

The history of the poppy

In the aftermath of the First World War, the poppy emerged as a potent symbol of commemoration, redolent of the swathes of red poppies that filled the battlefields of Northern Europe where so many gave their lives between 1914 and 1918.

And since 2012, each and every Premier League club has worn poppies sewn into specially made shirts during the month of November.

The special shirts are usually then auctioned as part of the annual Poppy Appeal organised by The Royal British Legion.

McClean's objection

McClean was born and brought up in city of Derry, in Northern Ireland. He grew up on Creggan estate, where six of the people killed on Bloody Sunday in 1972 came from.

Bloody Sunday was one of the most significant events of The Troubles conflict in the country, when British soldiers shot 28 unarmed civilians during a peaceful protest march.

McClean objects to wearing the poppy because the symbol commemorates military personnel who have died in war - and not just soldiers who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars.

What has he said on the topic?

In 2015, McClean explained his stance in the West Brom matchday programme.

"People say I am being disrespectful but don't ask why I choose not to wear it," McClean wrote.

"If the poppy was simply about World War One and Two victims alone, I'd wear it without a problem.

"I would wear it every day of the year if that was the thing but it doesn't. It stands for all the conflicts that Britain has been involved in. Because of the history where I come from in Derry, I cannot wear something that represents that."

What has been the reaction to his stance?

Mixed. McClean has previously been booed by supporters of opposition clubs as well as fans of his own team. He has also received sectarian abuse and loyalist threats.

However he has received support from various players and managers, including Tony Pulis, who said he respects McClean's decision but added he did not believe in it himself, according to the Telegraph.
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This is why McClean will not wear a poppy on his shirt this weekend

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West Brom player James McClean has refused to wear the traditional Remembrance Day poppy on his shirt each and every year since first moving to England to join Sunderland in 2011. He will again choose not to wear a shirt emblazoned with the poppy when his current side West Bromwich Albion take on Manchester City this weekend.

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Former Cambridge United football coach to face trial on historic sex abuse charges

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A former youth football coach who worked at Cambridge United is due to stand trial accused of the historic sexual abuse of young boys.

The trial of Michael "Kit" Carson, 75, of St Bartholomew's Court, Riverside, Cambridge, is due to begin on Monday (January 7) at Peterborough Crown Court.

He has been charged with 12 counts of indecent assault and one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The offences are alleged to have happened between 1978 and 2009 and involve 11 victims, all boys under the age of 16.

The former coach was arrested last year as part of the investigation into historical child sex abuse in football.

In April Carson pleaded not guilty to the charges and was originally bailed to appear at Peterborough Crown Court on May 15.

Kit Carson's career in football

He has worked as a coach and scout at Cambridge United , Peterborough United and Norwich City.

According to his football consultancy's website, which has now been taken down, Carson has coached a host of leading players.

He worked at Norwich as a youth coach between 1983 and 1993, before moving to Peterborough to run their team's youth academy until 2001.

He then spent five years at Cambridge United as their head of talent development.

More recently, Carson has worked at non-league Histon in Cambridgeshire and been a football scout in Finland.

According to his LinkedIn page, he has also written two coaching manuals.

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A Cambridge football coach is set to face trial accused of abusing 11 boys

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A former youth football coach who worked at Cambridge United is due to stand trial accused of the historic sexual abuse of young boys. The trial of Michael "Kit" Carson, 75, of St Bartholomew's Court, Riverside, Cambridge, is due to begin on Monday (January 7) at Peterborough Crown Court.

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Catalan referendum: How FC Barcelona found themselves at centre of issue

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FC Barcelona's motto is "more than a club", and never has that been more evident than this weekend, as the Nou Camp became a focal point for a city at the heart of the debate over Catalan independence.

Barca have always been an inherently political club and, with hundreds injured in clashes as police attempted to stop a referendum declared illegal by the country's constitutional court, they were always going to be at the centre of a story unfolding all around them.

Although Catalonia has enjoyed more autonomy recently than in the days of General Franco's dictatorship, when the Catalan language and cultural traditions were heavily suppressed, the club's role has not changed and Barca are effectively perceived within the region as a national team for a stateless people.

So when the Catalan government declared a referendum on independence - ruled illegal by the Spanish government - Barca were inevitably going to play a central role in the drama, especially when La Liga strangely scheduled their home game with Las Palmas on the same day as the vote.

The game could just as easily have been set for Saturday, and La Liga's decision to press ahead with the Sunday date backfired with a vengeance when Barca decided at the last minute, amid much confusion, to stage the game behind closed doors and continue an extraordinary day in suitably surreal fashion.

Barca jump off the neutrality fence

Officially, Barca's stance on the issue of independence has always been one of neutrality, but that did not stop the club from releasing a politically loaded statement a few days before the scheduled referendum.

When the central government in Madrid ordered strict measures to prevent the vote from taking place, including the arrest of several high-ranking Catalan officials and the seizure of millions of voting slips from a warehouse, the club responded with force.

"FC Barcelona, in remaining faithful to its historic commitment to the defence of the nation, to democracy, to freedom of speech, and to self-determination, condemns any act that may impede the free exercise of these rights," the club said.

"Therefore, FC Barcelona publicly expresses its support for all people, entities, and institutions that work to guarantee these rights. FC Barcelona, in holding the utmost respect for its diverse body of members, will continue to support the will of the majority of Catalan people, and will do so in a civil, peaceful and exemplary way."

Crucially, it should be noted the club were supporting the process of independence rather than independence itself - arguing the referendum should be allowed to take place in a legal and authorised manner - and stopped short of saying what they wanted the result to be.

But the strongly worded statement made it clear Barcelona would not shy away from a hugely controversial political hot potato. And, when the day arrived, they did not back down.

Game on? Game off? Private viewing

As the day of the referendum approached, reports started to circulate that Barca's game against Las Palmas was in danger of being postponed because of security concerns, but local police appeared to dismiss those rumours by insisting they were not concerned about their ability to control the crowds.

Nevertheless, those reports intensified again on Sunday morning, shortly after images of police using force to try to block voting started to circulate.

There was no official comment from either club or the league itself, but at about 2.45pm local time - 90 minutes before the scheduled kick-off - several credible reports claimed the game had been called off.

By then, both sets of players were already in their dressing rooms. The media were being allowed inside the stadium, but spectators were being held outside the locked gates around the perimeter of the Nou Camp, and nobody knew what was going on.

A few minutes later, with fans still locked outside amid new claims the game could be played behind closed doors, the players started to emerge for their warm-up, entering the pitch to the surreal sound of scattered applause from stewards and hospitality staff who had been given an unexpected afternoon off.

Preparations continued as normal inside the stadium, and it was only at 3.50pm - just 25 minutes before kick-off - that the club announced the game would go ahead but be played behind closed doors, with no spectators admitted.

From inside the stadium, the whistles and jeers of fans outside the ground - waiting fruitlessly to be allowed into their seats - were clearly audible, as were the loudspeaker announcements telling fans to leave which followed a few minutes later.

Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu quickly claimed the decision was made as a protest rather than out of security concerns, and the decision may also have been influenced by a prominent supporters' group promising to stop the match with a pitch invasion in the first minute if it went ahead.

Is Real fan Tebas right man to run La Liga?

Clearly, this issue is not going away, and one man firmly at the centre of the storm is La Liga president Javier Tebas.

A lifelong Real Madrid fan who never makes any attempt to hide his allegiance, Tebas predictably has a long-running dispute with Barcelona, who feel it is inappropriate to have the league run by a man happy to flout his personal preferences so openly.

A year ago, the club publicly called for disciplinary proceedings to be opened against Tebas after he criticised Barca players for their part in an hot-tempered game at Valencia which ended with Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and others being hit by missiles thrown by the home fans.

Although Tebas perhaps attempted to mend some bridges more recently by questioning the financial structure of Paris St-Germain and Manchester City following their summer exploits in the transfer market, the rift between him and Barcelona is now deeper than ever.

Never one to shy away from expressing his opinion, Tebas made a bold move in the run-up to Sunday's referendum by changing his Twitter profile picture to an image of a Spanish flag and a Catalan flag combined into a heart shape.

And on Sunday lunchtime, when Barca requested the postponement of their game with Las Palmas in the light of the violent incidents taking place around the region, Tebas was the man who said no, threatening Barca with a six-point penalty if they did not play.

Tebas also gave permission for Las Palmas to play with a badge of the Spanish flag woven into their shirts, a controversial and inflammatory move taken by the Canary Islanders to support the "unity of Spain" as they visited a region where many people are determined to leave that country.

With his actions over the past few days, Tebas has not exactly looked like he possesses the objectivity necessary to run La Liga with the support of all its member clubs, and we have not heard the end of the row between him and Barcelona.

'I feel Catalan' - Pique the figurehead

As ever, another figure in the limelight is Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, who has consistently stated his strong support for the campaign to hold a referendum over Catalan independence (although it should be noted he has argued for the staging of a referendum, without indicating how he would actually vote).

On Thursday, Pique again asserted his backing for the process by tweeting, in Catalan, that people should express themselves peacefully and sing loud and strong, using the popular hashtag #Votarem, meaning 'We will vote'.

Because of such views, Pique has been loudly jeered by Spain fans during appearances for the national team over the past couple of seasons, and Real Madrid skipper Sergio Ramos - Pique's central defensive team-mate in international colours - reacted to his latest tweet by saying it was "not the best thing to do".

Undeterred, on Sunday morning Pique was back on social media, posting a picture of him casting his vote in the referendum which has been declared illegal by the government of the country whose football team he represents, along with the caption: "I have voted. Together we are unstoppable in our defence of democracy."

After Sunday's behind-closed-doors victory over Las Palmas, which precedes World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Israel, Pique made a long and emotional appearance in the mixed zone in front of reporters.

Fighting back tears, he offered to quit the national team before the World Cup finals if his presence was causing a problem, and said "I am and I feel Catalan", but also added "people can vote yes, no or abstain. We just want to vote".

The campaign for Catalan independence is not going away, and Pique is fast becoming its figurehead.

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Catalan referendum: How FC Barcelona found themselves at centre of issue

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FC Barcelona's motto is "more than a club", and never has that been more evident than this weekend, as the Nou Camp became a focal point for a city at the heart of the debate over Catalan independence.

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Eighty sports coaches convicted of child sex abuse, says Offside Trust

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At least 80 sports coaches have been convicted of child sexual abuse in the UK in the two years since the Offside Trust was set up, the body has claimed.

The body was set up 'by survivors for survivors' after child sexual abuse in football was revealed in 2016.

According to Offside Trust research - drawn from media reports - almost half of the cases involved crimes that have been committed since 2006.

More than a third of cases have taken place in the last five years.

The most high-profile case involved former Crewe coach Barry Bennell, who was jailed for 31 years at Liverpool Crown Court for 50 counts of child sexual abuse between 1979 and 1991.

Football Association chairman Greg Clarke called the scandal one of the biggest crises in the history of the governing body.

Former Crewe footballer and director of the Offside Trust Steve Walters, who was abused by Bennell, said: "What these latest figures confirm is that child sexual abuse in sport is not just historic. It is still going on today, particularly at grassroots level and it affects every sport.

"We must be vigilant and make sure that we continue to raise awareness, especially among younger people, as well as supporting survivors to come forward and speak their truth."

The Offside Trust said the research has been drawn from media reports because no official breakdown currently exists.

They claim it does not not necessarily represent the complete picture, with the real figure likely to be much higher.

Walters added: "It's been two years since I spoke out with former team-mates to waive our anonymity.

"In that short time, we have seen several high-profile court cases involving abuse that occurred 20 or 30 years ago and we're particularly proud that our actions have inspired so many others to come forward to seek justice."

Police say they have received more than 2,800 referrals relating to their investigation into historical sex abuse in football - part of a wider investigation called Operation Hydrant.

Those referrals and reports came via police forces and an NSPCC helpline which was set up in November 2016 in response to the allegations made by Walters and others.

Meanwhile, an independent inquiry into historical sex abuse for the FA has been delayed indefinitely because of a pending retrial and further allegations in the Bennell case.

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Eighty sports coaches convicted of child sex abuse, says Offside Trust

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At least 80 sports coaches have been convicted of child sexual abuse in the UK in the two years since the Offside Trust was set up, the body has claimed. The body was set up 'by survivors for survivors' after child sexual abuse in football was revealed in 2016.

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Measures to help top British athletes deal with mental health issues are being introduced by UK Sport and the English Institute of Sport (EIS).

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Measures to help top British athletes deal with mental health issues are being introduced by UK Sport and the English Institute of Sport (EIS).

The new Mental Health Strategy launched on Wednesday - World Mental Health Day.

"I don't think high-performance sport will ever feel cosy or comfortable - it will always be tough and hard and there will be high pressure," said Dame Katherine Grainger, chair of UK Sport.

"But we want to help people deal with it better."

The new strategy's aim is to help produce "a positive mental health environment" for British Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

It will focus on four key elements - education, provision, communication and assurance.

A mental health screening programme will also be added for athletes and staff who are joining and leaving elite set-ups.

Grainger, who won five Olympic rowing medals during her career, believes that it is just as important to take care of athletes' mental needs as their physical ones.

"So just as I knew I had to be strong and fit to deal with the physical demands of the training, I think we should be making it easier for athletes to deal with the mental strain, too," she said.

In July, the father of British snowboarder Ellie Soutter said a history of mental health issues - coupled with the pressure of elite performance - may have contributed to her ending her life in Les Gets in the French Alps.

Inquiries into duty of care standards at British Gymnastics, British Cycling, British Swimming, British Canoeing, GB Taekwondo and the British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association, among others, have taken place since the Rio Games in 2016.

The new strategy will be led by a head of medical health and guided by a mental health expert panel, which is expected to feature four psychiatrists and psychologists, all with experience of high-performance sport.

Grainger said: "World Mental Health Day provides a fantastic platform to focus on this very important area that doesn't always get the attention it should.

"In both sport and society, it is vital that we work towards creating the most positive mental health environment whenever possible."

There will be a dedicated mental health section on the EIS website, to help athletes and staff find help more easily.

EIS director of medical services Dr Rod Jaques said he is confident the organisations are "moving in the right direction".

"For over a decade, we have had doctors who are consultants in sport and exercise medicine looking after our elite athletes," he added.

"The doctors are trained to recognise mental health issues and are assisted by EIS sports psychologists and performance lifestyle advisers.

"The new Mental Health Strategy and the other measures we are promoting today demonstrate that our work in the area is consistently evolving and improving as we move forward."

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World Mental Health Day: New plan to help British Olympic and Paralympic athletes

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Measures to help top British athletes deal with mental health issues are being introduced by UK Sport and the English Institute of Sport (EIS). The new Mental Health Strategy launched on Wednesday - World Mental Health Day.

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The landing page for Safeguarding on the Premier League website

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Premier League Safeguarding, Rules & Policy Information

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The Premier League places great importance on safeguarding the children and adults at risk we engage with. Read more, visit the official website of the Premier League.

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The landing page for the Safeguarding section on the FA website, a good starting place for information about Child Protection

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The website for the English football association, the Emirates FA Cup and the England football team

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Let's make football safe & enjoyable - Child protection procedures and implementation guidance for grassroots football

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Scottish football's child protection policies labelled 'inadequate'

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Scottish football's child protection policies labelled 'inadequate'

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Scottish football's child protection policies have been criticised in a damning report which calls for a comprehensive culture change across the country's footballing community

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Liverpool FC Foundation will support the NSPCC in its work to educate and protect children and young people in 2019.

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LFC Foundation will support the NSPCC in its work to educate and protect children and young people in 2019.

The Foundation's football coaches will be utilising their relationships with Merseyside schools and local young people to support the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children charity in its ongoing commitment to educate children and adults about the signs of neglect and abuse and provide help to those that need it.

Jenny Stewart, interim head of LFC Foundation, said: "The NSPCC is without doubt the most well-informed and respected authority in child protection. The principles of their best practice guidelines in safeguarding are embodied in every aspect of the LFC Foundation's work.

"We plan to use our excellent local connections to help capture the attention of children and adults alike and, alongside the expertise of the NSPCC, increase understanding around the important issues of child welfare and safety, encouraging anyone to speak out or seek help if they are worried."

The Foundation will also be promoting the NSPCC's 'Light For Every Childhood' campaign at the Boxing Day fixture against Newcastle United at Anfield.

The campaign highlights child neglect, an issue that often goes unseen and unnoticed, leaving children feeling unloved, invisible and alone. Nearly a third of all calls to the NSPCC Helpline last year were related to neglect - a figure that's even higher at Christmas.

Prior to the game, NSPCC representatives will be in Anfield's Family Park with information about the campaign, and will be providing free face-painting to help young supporters 'get their sparkle on'.

Alex Modder, a service centre manager at NSPCC's Liverpool base, said: "I am delighted that the LFC Foundation is lending its support to the NSPCC's efforts to shine a light on neglect.

"Liverpool FC is a family-driven football club and I know its supporters will help us to raise awareness of this issue and provide support to local children that may need it. I am certain that this will be the start of a powerful collaboration that will change children's lives for the better."
If you are worried about a child or you work with children and need advice or information, call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. Children and young people can get free information from Childline by visiting their website or calling 0800 1111.
For more information about the NSPCC's 'Light For Every Childhood' campaign, click here.

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LFC Foundation and NSPCC unite to protect local children

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LFC Foundation will support the NSPCC in its work to educate and protect children and young people in 2019. The Foundation's football coaches will be utilising their relationships with Merseyside schools and local young people to support the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children charity in its ongoing commitment to educate children and adults about the signs of neglect and abuse and provide help to those that need it.

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After martial law was declared in some regions of the Ukraine, Uefa's emergency panel announced that the match will now take place in Kiev's Olimpiyskiy Stadium.

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The decision to relocate Arsenal's Europa League fixture with Vorskla Poltava to Kiev will be a "major inconvenience" to both fans and the club, according to a leading supporters' group.

The Group E game had been scheduled to be held at Stadion Vorskla in Poltava - around 185 miles (300 kilometres) east of the Ukrainian capital.

However, after martial law was declared in some regions of the country, Uefa's emergency panel announced on Tuesday night that the match will now take place in Kiev's Olimpiyskiy Stadium.

Ukraine's president has called for martial law to be imposed in the country due to escalating tensions with Russia, whose coastguards are accused of seizing three Ukrainian ships in Crimea on Sunday.

Around 500 Arsenal fans were expected to make the trip to Poltava - with some already affected by the late change.

John Williamson, an Arsenal Independent Supporters' Association committee member, was already in situ for Thursday night's game having planned ahead.

Asked how the announcement had affecting plans, he said: "Dramatically. We arrived in Poltava on Tuesday with an original plan of spending four nights here, returning home on Saturday.

"Having been to Kiev three times previously, We have just decided that on matchday we will go by train to Kiev, return to Poltava on Friday and go to Kharkiv on Saturday for our flight back to London."

A statement released by Uefa on Tuesday confirmed the venue change and said other fixtures may fall foul of the political tensions in the region.

It read: "Uefa's emergency panel has today taken the decision to relocate FC Vorskla's Uefa Europa League group stage match against Arsenal FC from the city of Poltava, following the introduction of martial law into certain regions in Ukraine.

"The match will now take place at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kiev on Thursday, November 29 at 1855CET (1755GMT).

"Uefa will continue to monitor and assess the security situation in Ukraine in the coming days before making any decision on potentially relocating other matches."

It is understood a small group of Arsenal support staff were also already in Poltava before Uefa's decision - with Williamson unhappy about the governing body's handling of the situation.

"It's a major inconvenience not only for the fans, but for the team as well," he added.

"Having spent a night in Poltava, I see no issues whatsoever with the match being played here.

"I understand the political issues in surrounding areas but there are no problems in the town. I feel that Uefa hasn't assessed the situation and has overreacted."

Arsenal are already through to the last 32 of the Europa League and will win the group with victory over Poltava in Kiev, having beaten the Ukrainian side 4-2 at the Emirates Stadium in September.
Follow the Independent Sport on Instagram here, for all of the best images, videos and stories from around the sporting world.

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Arsenal warned Europa League venue switch will be a 'major inconvenience'

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The decision to relocate Arsenal's Europa League fixture with Vorskla Poltava to Kiev will be a "major inconvenience" to both fans and the club, according to a leading supporters' group. The Group E game had been scheduled to be held at Stadion Vorskla in Poltava - around 185 miles (300 kilometres) east of the Ukrainian capital.

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Information from the Premier League about the Rainbow Laces campaign for equality in football for the LGBT+ community

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Football has the power to bring us together.

Clubs and communities are stronger when everyone feels welcome, and it's down to all of us to make that happen.

That's why we, the Premier League, proudly stand alongside Stonewall in promoting equality and diversity.

Our clubs came together between 30 November and 5 December to celebrate Stonewall's 2018/19 Rainbow Laces campaign and showed support for all LGBT people in football and beyond.

At all Premier League fixtures across the two Matchweeks there were bespoke Rainbow Laces pitch flags, ball plinths, handshake boards and substitutes boards. There were also see rainbow captain's armbands and rainbow laces.

LED boards at the stadiums also highlighted the campaign and our social media channels featured a rainbow Premier League logo and promoted the campaign.

Each club also highlighted their support for the campaign. Indeed, we ask that all fans support LGBT people in football and beyond by making them feel welcome.

Show your support. Because when we all play our part, we make football everyone's game.

Reporting abuse

As part of creating a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere, we encourage everyone to challenge and report abusive behaviour wherever they find it, in stadiums or online.

But please use official channels and be careful not to put yourself, or others, in harm's way.

There are different ways you can report abusive behaviour, at a match or online:

At a match

If you are affected by an incident, or witness abuse, at a match, where possible it's best to report this at the time so positive action can be taken.

The stewards can provide immediate assistance or are able to contact quickly the stadium control room, which is staffed by senior safety officials and the Police.

Stewards, who can be clearly identified by their fluorescent jackets, are located at the front or rear of seating blocks, by the entrances to stands and stairwells.

Some stadiums also offer a reporting phone or text line. These details will be advertised in and around the stadium, on club websites and in match programmes.

Online

The Premier League partners with Kick It Out, football's foremost equality organisation.

You can submit information on incidents at matchdays or online using Kick It Out's Report It! app (download the iOS app or Android app).

Or you can use Kick It Out's website reporting form.

Details are always passed directly to clubs or the relevant body for further investigation.

Also in this series

Part 2: Rainbow Laces: Natasha's story
Part 3: Rainbow Laces: John's story
Part 4: Rainbow Laces: Zanka's story
Part 5: Rainbow Laces: Callum's story

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Read all about Stonewall's award-winning Rainbow Laces campaign, for LGBT equality in sport. Involving more than 20 associations including the Premier League. For more information, including practical tips everyone can take part in, visit the official website of the Premier League.

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How sport is helping those struggling with mental health issues

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How sport is helping those struggling with mental health issues

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In its 26th year, World Mental Health Day aims to promote education and awareness about mental health, and advocates against social stigma.

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An article on the LAD Bible about Hendon Town FC who are tackling mental illness with a new scheme

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Hendon Town FC Is Tackling Mental Health To Show Football Is More Than A Game

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The tiny London club are blazing a trail for their Premiership cousins

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An article from The Conversation about the importance of school PE lessons

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Physical activity is vitally important for health, but PE at school can run the risk of putting children off exercise for life. shutterstock

Physical Education (PE) is often viewed as a marginal subject within the curriculum. And many secondary schools actively reduce PE time to make way for what are deemed more "serious" or "important" subjects.

Research from the Youth Sport Trust shows that 38% of English secondary schools have cut timetabled PE for 14- to 16-year-olds. One of the main reasons for this is the increased pressure to produce exam results. Much of the time pupils would usually spend in PE lessons is now spent receiving extra tutoring on topics other than PE.

Despite these cuts, however, PE is still championed for its potential to promote health and encourage lifelong physical activity. This is an important issue given that over 30% of year six pupils are classed as "overweight" or "obese" according to the latest government figures.

PE is also praised for its contribution to improved psychological health, for helping to nurture social and moral development - as well as supporting cognitive and academic performance.

The Association for Physical Education maintains that high quality PE fosters the physical, moral, social, emotional, cultural and intellectual development of pupils. But the many aims for PE - such as health promotion, skills development as well as a focus on social and moral issues - has resulted in confusion about the subject and has done little to further the educational experiences in practice. In fact, it has been argued that PE offers more entertainment than education.

Not intellectual enough

A waste of time and a bit of entertainment, or vitally important to the education and development of a child - which is it?

Part of the problem seems to be that PE is often viewed as an opportunity for pupils to be active and to enjoy themselves. Or in some cases, as a form of stress relief and to serve as a break from traditional learning.

Clearly, these areas are valuable for pupils' general well-being and there is a growing evidence base to suggest that physical activity has the potential to support learning more broadly. But the role of PE is not merely to prop up and support pupils' learning in other subjects. Instead, it should provide meaningful learning experiences within the subject itself.

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What PE seemingly lacks in comparison to all other subjects is a platform on which pupils' learning can be communicated and evidenced with clarity and rigour. And while PE is often marginalised to make way for more valuable or academic subjects, it seems the intellectual and academic value of PE itself is largely overlooked.

The potential of PE

PE, sport and physical culture each offer a unique platform on which to explore a multitude of holistic learning opportunities. For instance, the ethical or moral controversies in sport can give teachers a range of educational stimuli for debate, reasoning and critical thinking.

The Sports Monograph is a recent project we worked on, which invited learners to collaborate and share their opinions and experiences about sport and what it means to them. The project included primary and secondary school pupils, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate students, who were all supported by their teachers and lecturers.

As part of the project, not only were the pupils recognised for their written contributions at school awards evenings, but unlike in traditional PE, their work left a trail of learning evidence and intellectual engagement - which the schools recognised and celebrated. PE was effectively standing shoulder to shoulder with other subjects in the curriculum as a valuable educational endeavour, with written evidence to support the claim. These pupils now have publications that are being used to teach undergraduate students at the University of Central Lancashire.

Future health

The spiralling downtrend of PE time in secondary schools is a major cause for concern and it would seem that PE is in urgent need of an overhaul. But while the future of PE may be uncertain, there are certainly many opportunities for cross-curricular links and integrative learning in PE.

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A recent project, for instance, explored the link between cycling and wider conceptual learning. Similarly, another recent study explored the physical aspects of learning across all curriculum areas, simply through setting up a tent.

The role that PE can play as part of the wider academic curriculum seems to be, at best understated, and at worst, completely overlooked. Activities like the ones raised here could help to broaden the educational potential of PE, encourage more pupils to engage with the subject and strengthen the place of PE as a unique and valuable educational pursuit. The opportunities are there, but PE must be ready to grasp them and let the pupils write about their sporting passions to reflect what they are said to be learning.

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Physical Education is just as important as any other school subject

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Physical Education (PE) is often viewed as a marginal subject within the curriculum. And many secondary schools actively reduce PE time to make way for what are deemed more "serious" or "important" subjects. Research from the Youth Sport Trust shows that 38% of English secondary schools have cut timetabled PE for 14- to 16-year-olds.

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Football in Crimea: the club split in two by Russia's invasion

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Football in Crimea: the club split in two by Russia's invasion

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Former champions Tavria are now two struggling teams: one in mainland Ukraine, and one in Russian-annexed Crimea

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The landing page on the Sport England website where you can find information relating to sport at all levels of education

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Children and young people | Sport England

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Our sport development work for young people is ambitious, innovative and is a significant part of our current strategy.

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The Education Secretary, Damien Hinds has called for more children to take part in sport in schools

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Education Secretary Damian Hinds has called on the country's leading sporting organisations to work in partnership with the Government to improve school sport and ensure all children have the opportunity to take part in competitive sport and increase their activity levels.

At a summit of top sporting organisations including the Premier League, the Rugby Football Union and England Hockey, Mr Hinds and the Sports Minister Mims Davies asked the country's biggest sporting institutions to advise the Government, ahead of the School Sport Action Plan next year, on how to help children to harness the benefits of sport. These include greater self-belief, working towards long-term goals and recovering from setbacks - alongside well-documented benefits to their physical and mental wellbeing.

The Education Secretary set out his ambition for every child to have the opportunity to take part in competitive sport, discussing with the summit's attendees how to work with schools and other sports bodies to achieve this aim. The Sports Minister underlined this message, and set out the importance of fun and enjoyment in getting children active and developing a lifelong habit of participation.

The Government's School Sport Action Plan will ensure that all children have access to quality, protected PE and sport sessions during the school week and opportunities to be physically active throughout the school day. It will set out an ambition for all pupils to have access to a wide range of sports and physical activities, with a focus on health, wellbeing and character. It will also promote a joined-up approach to physical activity, supporting schools through the local community and encouraging families to get active together.

Addressing today's summit, education secretary Damian Hinds said:

Education is not just about the taking and passing of exams, important though these are. We want all young people to leave formal education as happy, confident and well-rounded individuals. It is clear that exercise and organised sport in particular can play a huge part in children's personal resilience and emotional wellbeing.

Sporting bodies are offering a huge number of programmes and we want to work together to improve the co-ordination of these so they are easier for schools and teachers to use.

If opportunities are limited, there is a risk that children will give up - literally at the first hurdle - if they don't find a sport they enjoy; or else they'll think it's just not for them. A clear message I have taken is the role the education system can play in giving guidance to schools on what good school sport looks like, therefore enabling sports clubs and foundations to flourish.

The Action Plan will build on the recent publication of data from the Active Lives Children's survey, which found that one-third (33%) of children and young people do less than 30 minutes of activity per day.

It also highlighted disparities in activity levels between boys and girls, as well as children of different socio-economic backgrounds and some BAME groups. A key aim for the plan will be to engage the least active groups, ensuring that all children have equal opportunities and encouragement to develop an active lifestyle.

Sports Minister Mims Davies said:

Sport has the power to boost physical and mental wellbeing, while teaching important life skills. We are committed to building on the fantastic range of programmes already provided by the governing bodies here today to reach even more young people.

Our upcoming School Sport and Physical Activity Action Plan will give all children access to quality PE, sport sessions and clubs, in school, after school and during weekends and holidays. We know that fun and enjoyment are the key to children building a positive relationship with sport and physical activity. I look forward to working with schools, the sport sector, parents and local communities to ensure that the next generation have the best opportunities to be active and live healthy lives.

Public Health Minister Steve Brine said:

Exercise brings enormous health and wellbeing benefits and I do not underestimate the value of ensuring children are encouraged to live active lives. We want all children to have access to quality school sport and physical activity that caters to all levels, so even the least active children have the opportunity to get moving, and live healthy lives.

That's why as part of our plans to reduce child obesity we have encouraged every primary school in the country to offer an active mile initiative.

Sports governing bodies at the meeting welcomed the cross-government commitment to getting more children involved.

Wayne Morris, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Engagement at Premiership Rugby, said:

Through our community work in schools, we use rugby to teach children how the values of the game, such as discipline, respect, teamwork and sportsmanship can be transferred to their own lives, whether that be achieving at school, at work or in relationships. Sport is a powerful medium to teach children about life.

Jane Nickerson, CEO of Swim England, said:

Swimming is a great way to engage children and young people in sport while also developing an essential life skill. We welcome this move to get more children involved in sport and physical activity and look forward to supporting government on this initiative.

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Government and top sports bodies to help children play more sport

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Education Secretary Damian Hinds has called on the country's leading sporting organisations to work in partnership with the Government to improve school sport and ensure all children have the opportunity to take part in competitive sport and increase their activity levels.

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An article in the Financial Times which contains some good statistics and quotes about the reduction in school PE lessons

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I used to switch off when sport came on the television over Christmas. But in the past two weeks I have voluntarily watched the world cycling championships, Boxing Day racing and National Basketball Association games - much of it from the gym.

I never imagined myself as the kind of person who would enjoy watching people whizz around tracks or pump fists in the air. At primary school, my best friend Antonia and I were always the last to be picked for teams. We could barely do forward rolls, let alone catch a netball. We did not mind being uncoordinated: we fancied ourselves as artistic. Antonia was a genuinely talented painter whose pictures were always exhibited at the end of term. My parents were writers who thought that "exercise" was leaving the car in a lay by and strolling across a field to look at some ancient monument.

If I had not had three sons, I might have missed out on a whole other world. But this year, I've realised, they have transformed my attitude to sport. I used to say "it's only a game" until I realised that every contest is a battle for glory, even to a small person clutching a ball in the garden. We all need the chance to be the hero of our own story.

And it is beautiful. Watching the crew in which my 16-year-old rows, I marvel at the power and synchronicity of the flashing blades vanquishing the tide. Cheering my 14-year-old scoring a try in rugby ignites a primitive surge of pride and awe in my heart. I am amazed at what they are capable of: their skill and focus (luckily all, including the nine-year-old, have taken after their father in this). I despise the graceless football dads who scream at their offspring on the pitch as if every training session is the World Cup, with no concept of sportsmanship. But I do, finally, understand their passion.

Somewhere along the line, without noticing it, I've gone from reluctantly hauling small boys on to freezing cold winter pitches, and being unwilling to fathom the rules of eccentric games invented by men who were surely the forerunners of coding geeks, to wholeheartedly enjoying demonstrations of raw physical power. And even when I'm watching sport in the shelter of the gym, there is no better inspiration.

Exercise is a gracious friend. Practice reaps improvement, even for someone as uncoordinated as me. There is no better demonstration of the returns on hard work. Which is why studies the world over have linked sport to better academic performance, as well as to both physical and mental health. I recently met a child psychiatrist who said that kids who come to see her are often better at being able to stand outside themselves, and analyse their anxieties, if they play sport. She sometimes asks them to come up with advice for themselves, using the rules of whatever sport they play. It helps if they see themselves as a team player: it can curb their desire to be the centre of attention.

In an age when we all worry about the emotional resilience of our children, it's mystifying to me that there is not more emphasis on exercise. Mindfulness classes are a great innovation - but they should not come at the expense of physical activity.

This past academic year, a survey called Active Lives Children and Young People found that a third of five- to 16-year olds in England had not even managed half an hour of activity in a day, let alone the hour per day recommended by the chief medical officer.

That is worrying, when you consider that "activity" includes anything that raises your heart rate and leaves you out of breath.

Little fuss is made when schools sacrifice sport on the altar of grades. This year, a quarter of teachers polled by the Youth Sport Trust charity in England said that physical education time at their schools had been cut for 14- to 16-year-olds to accommodate key subjects. Such is the academic pressure, the charity claims, that the average 16- to 18-year-old is now getting only 34 minutes of sport a week. But that is a false economy. You won't improve grades by cutting sport from the curriculum: but you will create energy, motivation and focus by adding it.

Is it any wonder that we face an epidemic of stress, anxiety and depression among teenagers, if there are so few physical outlets? In this context, I find it of little surprise that boys are falling behind. Look at any group of boys hanging around on a street corner. Their energy is overwhelming. Gaming indoors may generate the same kind of dopamine high but not the same physical and mental benefits. The dramatic immediacy of sport may, in fact, be the only thing that can rival screen-time.

Many parents are already wise to this. According to Ofsted, the UK schools watchdog, parents want more time to be made for PE in the curriculum. Ofsted's wonderfully straight-talking head, Amanda Spielman, recently said that schools cannot be expected to solve all social ills. But she has also pointed out that PE lessons need not involve expensive equipment. Dodge ball can be just as energetic as swimming. The " Daily Mile " routine that has been pioneered by one Scottish headteacher to combat obesity involves nothing more than a 15-minute jog.

As the wider world becomes more unpredictable, sport begins to feel like a refuge, a drama played within defined rules. Things can go wrong on the pitch, and hopes can be dashed - but only temporarily. I shall be immersing myself next year.
The writer, a former head of the Downing Street policy unit, is senior fellow at Harvard Kennedy School

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Sport in schools should not be sacrificed

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I used to switch off when sport came on the television over Christmas. But in the past two weeks I have voluntarily watched the world cycling championships, Boxing Day racing and National Basketball Association games - much of it from the gym.

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An article about Arsenal players reportedly passing out after inhaling laughing gas at a party

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Arsenal have said their players will be "reminded of their responsibilities" after a string of first-teamers were pictured inhaling nitrous oxide, or "hippy crack", in a London nightclub.

Alexandre Lacazette, Mesut Ozil, Matteo Guendouzi and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were all pictured at the pre-season party, at which nitrous oxide was reportedly inhaled from balloons.

The Sun reported on Thursday night that boxes of "laughing gas" canisters were brought to the players in a private area of a West End nightclub in August. A club spokesperson said: "The players will be spoken to about this and reminded of their responsibilities as representatives of the club."

Nitrous oxide has become increasingly popular with partygoers but doctors have warned of possible health risks. It can cause feelings of euphoria, hallucinations and fits of giggles and laughter.

Medical risks including passing out if too much nitrous oxide is taken, while drug information website Talk to Frank says people have died as a result of suffocating from a lack of oxygen.

It was reported on Thursday that footage showed Ozil, Aubameyang, Guendouzi and Lacazette all inhaling the gas.

The Arsenal players, if the claims are true, would not be the first to be seen using the gas.

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Arsenal players accused of passing out after reportedly inhaling 'laughing gas' at party

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Arsenal have said their players will be "reminded of their responsibilities" after a string of first-teamers were pictured inhaling nitrous oxide, or "hippy crack", in a London nightclub. Alexandre Lacazette, Mesut Ozil, Matteo Guendouzi and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were all pictured at the pre-season party, at which nitrous oxide was reportedly inhaled from balloons.

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An article from the BBC which is all about drug testing and doping in football

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Urinating in a cup in front of strangers is an "embarrassing" but necessary and increasingly more frequent occurrence in English professional football.

As drugs-testing rates in the game continue to increase, BBC Sport speaks to players about what the process is like, and looks at what football is up against in the fight against drugs cheats.

'Tested just once as a Premier League player'

Recently retired striker Matty Fryatt - who played in the Premier League for Hull City, and in all three divisions below the top flight - recalls being drugs tested just five times during his 15-year career.

In his one season in the Premier League, a campaign during which he helped the Tigers reach the 2014 FA Cup final, he was tested just once.

"When I was in the Premier League, I could easily have gone the entire season without being tested at all," the 31-year-old, who also played for Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and Walsall, told BBC Sport.

It was not until joining Leicester City in 2006, almost four years after signing his first professional deal, that he recalls seeing a drugs tester.

Those, he said, were the "dark ages" as he saw an increase in drugs testing as his career progressed.

In the Premier League last season, testing rose by 47% compared to the 2015-16 campaign, with 1,171 samples taken by UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) from 524 players who made at least one appearance.

However, at least 553 players - about a quarter of those appearing in the English Football League - were not drugs tested, despite the number of tests being up 24% compared to the previous campaign.

"A couple of years back you could go the whole season without being tested," said Fryatt.

"As time went on in the Championship, there was more testing at Leicester and Hull. Then in the Premier League with Hull there was more testing again.

"When I went back to the Championship, testing seemed to have built up for that level. But it's all random, which means you could still go an entire season without being tested, while someone else could be tested a number of times. It's a lottery."

Following BBC Sport's 2015-16 study into drugs testing in English football, Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy said doping control officers were frequently at the club, while then Birmingham City boss Gianfranco Zola said they had been visited five times in just over half a season.

Sue Smith, who won 93 caps in 14 years as an England international, recalls being tested four times during her career - twice in club football and twice on international duty.

Lindsay Johnson, a former England team-mate of Smith's who won the Women's FA Cup and League Cup with Everton, said her "number seemed to come up a lot" for random tests for club and country.

"It would happen more frequently at the bigger events, so when I was playing for England at the World Cup - not necessarily the qualifiers, but at the World Cup itself," said Johnson.

"As a player, you'd come to expect it more there than in our domestic games."

How are samples collected?

In the majority of cases, a 'test sample' in football means urine in a cup.

The Football Association tests both in competition (post-match) and out of competition, which can take place at training sessions or a player's home. Both performance-enhancing and social drugs are tested for.

Players, who are chosen either at random or on a targeted basis, report "immediately" to the doping control station, where the doping control officer or "witnessing chaperone" stays with a player until they produce a urine sample of at least 90 millilitres.

Once nature calls, they have to be "directly observed" as they relieve themselves.

Blood samples, if required, are collected by a blood collection officer.

Samples are divided into two different bottles (A and B sample) and sealed and sent to a World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory for analysis.

Players are also subject to "an athlete biological passport programme and urine steroid profiling", according to the FA.

'I tucked my shirt into my sports bra to pee'

Fryatt and Johnson agree drug tests are "part of the job".

Smith says "stage-fright" and feeling "embarrassed" are also very much part of the procedure, which she admits has left team-mates stranded for "three or four hours" waiting for a player to produce a sample so they could return home on the team bus.

"One time I had to tuck my T-shirt into my sports bra so they could literally see me pee from inside the cubicle. It's got to be strict so they can see it's actually your urine," said Smith, who now works as a pundit for BBC Sport.

Then there are the tests that can mean players spend what should be their happiest hours after victory in doping control, drinking water and waiting.

As Johnson recalls of her 2010 Women's FA Cup triumph with Everton over Arsenal: "I got picked after we won and I knew all the squad, my family and friends were all celebrating - and I was sat there getting drugs tested.

"It takes the wind out of winning the FA Cup."

Football is clean... right?

Global testing figures collated by Wada show that, from 33,227 test samples collected in 2016, 168 returned an adverse analytical finding and a further 115 were atypical findings, which means a sample needed further investigation.

Of those 33,227 tests, 1,729 were on blood samples. None returned adverse or atypical findings.

During the 2016-17 season in England there were just two anti-doping violations, plus eight breaches of the FA's social drugs regulations, while three clubs were charged over failures to meet whereabouts regulations.

Fryatt says he never got the sense he played with or against a drugs cheat, and insists the subject was never spoken about by players.

"I've never thought anyone has been taking drugs to benefit their football," he said. "I've thought, 'wow you are a good player', but never thought 'I wonder what he is on?'

"I'm not saying that there are drugs in football or that there aren't drugs in football, but I just don't see how it can possibly benefit a footballer."

Asked if he thought the frequency of drugs testing would be a sufficient deterrent, Fryatt said: "Yes, because next week it could be you. If someone chooses to do drugs, they are gambling."

Johnson, who was capped 43 times for England, added she never felt the presence of doping in football.

"I've never been in a situation where any player I've played with - whether internationally or domestically - has been worried about being picked because something abnormal is going to come back from their urine sample," said the 37-year-old.

However, Professor Ivan Waddington - an expert in drugs in sport - says there is "clear evidence" both performance-enhancing and recreational drugs are used in the English game.

Waddington, co-author of the academic paper 'Drug use in English professional football' - published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, was involved in a study carried out by the BBC in 2003 which indicated more than 150 players were likely to be using performance-enhancing drugs.

Almost half of the 706 players involved in the survey, which was distributed by the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), admitted they knew of a team-mate or opponent in English football taking recreational drugs.

Waddington undertook a restudy, again with the co-operation of the PFA, in 2011 - with 394 footballers responding. Again, players indicated there was knowledge of banned substances being used in the game, and 27% said they knew of a fellow professional footballer in England taking recreational drugs.

Waddington says his research shows "beyond a shadow of a doubt" that players have used performance-enhancing drugs.

"Players told us that in our two surveys," said Waddington, a visiting professor at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences.

Consequences of doping in football

Offenders can face bans from competition and organised training for anything from several months to life, if they reoffend.

Football's world governing body Fifa says a "whole team can be banned if several players test positive".

An anti-doping rule violation not only relates to testing positive for banned substances, but includes breaches such as missing tests (a maximum of three), tampering or attempting to tamper with "any part of doping control" and failure to provide adequate whereabouts information, for which West Ham were charged last week.

'There is no pill for skill'

Fifa's take on the reasons for doping in football includes pressure to perform, injury recovery, ignorance, fear of failure and even that some athletes "cannot or will not accept their natural limits".

Fryatt, however, notes there are no drugs capable of improving football skills.

"I cannot see how a top player, or any player, would use drugs to acquire the skill to create a goalscoring situation, twist and chop a player, bring it onto his right foot from his left then bend it into the far corner," he said.

"How could drugs do that and why would anyone think they need drugs to produce that? None of that is drug-related.

"I don't see how it would benefit anyone in football because there are just so many elements to a game of football. It is not just a specific thing, speed, endurance or strength, that you are after."

Waddington agrees there "is no pill that will make you more skilful" but argues football has evolved to become more "vulnerable" to doping.

"Sports that are primarily skill-based, like football, tend to have lower levels of drug use than sports like cycling, sprinting or swimming, which are all about power and speed and endurance," he said.
Additional reporting by BBC Sport's Tom Garry.
"But, in recent years, changes in the game have significantly improved the risk that players will be tempted to use drugs.

"The game is much faster than it was 10 or 20 years ago, players are playing mores games, there are shorter recovery times and rewards for success are much greater. It is likely to lead to increased pressure on players to use drugs, rather than decrease pressure to use them."

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Drugs testing in football: The lottery, stage-fright and 'no pill for skill'

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Urinating in a cup in front of strangers is an "embarrassing" but necessary and increasingly more frequent occurrence in English professional football. As drugs-testing rates in the game continue to increase, BBC Sport speaks to players about what the process is like, and looks at what football is up against in the fight against drugs cheats.

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An article about the continued increase of money in football, leading to inflated transfer fees and wages.

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It was in 1863 when football was first developed and codified in London, England, along with the formation of the English Football Association (FA). Since then football has progressed to be the most popular sport in the world, as well as the richest business, but a question has been formed with this financial and popularity growth. Has it all gone a bit too far?

The top 8 richest clubs in the world all have value of over one billion pounds, which is an extremely large sum of money for one club to be worth, and with football constantly growing in today's current society, these figures will continue to increase. Real Madrid sits at the top of the pile of the richest clubs in the world this year, with a value £2.52 billion (Association, 2016). From the top 10, six of these clubs are from England, and all play in England's top-flight football league, known as the Premier League (Association, 2016).

English clubs are well known for their financial power, with many saying the introduction of the Premier League kick starting this major financial growth. If this is true, then what was football like pre Premier League?

Before the Premier League started in 1992, football was merely just a weekend hobby compared to current day. The highest tier of English football before 1992 was the First Division, and this ran from 1888 right up until the Premier League's formation. In 1961, the average wage for a player was £20 a week (Harris, 2011), which equates to £416 in today's money due to inflation. This is a large contrast compared to the recent most expensive player in the world, Paul Pogba, who earns a staggering £290,000 a week. With all the money that has equated in football over the years through ownership, sponsorship, tickets and sales, stadium naming rights, Sky TV etc., where did it all begin?

The very first sponsorship deal in English football was kit sponsors, and this began with Southern League Kettering Town on the 24th January 1976. The club had agreed a four-figure deal with local business Kettering Tyres, and set to wear the new kits branded with the business' name on. Despite this, just one month later the FA immediately demanded that the club remove the slogans from the kits, despite the fact that their ban on sponsorship in 1972 had not been put in writing according to then Kettering Chairman, Derek Dougan. The FA issued a fine of £1000 due to Dougan's incompetence, but eventually in June 1977 the ban was lifted with backing from other clubs Bolton and Derby (Terms, 2016). Shortly after, the first top-flight club then branded its first ever kit sponsor. Hibernian of Edinburgh struck a deal with Manchester based sportswear company 'Bukta' who also supplied the club with their kits (Godfrey, 2015). Soon in 1979, Liverpool would earn themselves a kit sponsorship deal with Hitachi, signing a two-year deal worth £100,000, although the contract clauses stated that the club could not wear the sponsored kits in European Competitions or any live televised games (Godfrey, 2015). Britain was actually rather late in terms of kit sponsors, as Uruguayan club Penarol are considered to be the first club to do so during the 1950's, but the first legal and official kit sponsorship deal was in Germany in 1973, when Eintracht Braunschweig bared the image of the Jagermeister stag on their kit (Godfrey, 2015).

This differs greatly to some of the current kit sponsors that has amassed in the Premier League, with the most expensive being Manchester United's deal with American car manufacturer Chevrolet, which is worth an incredible £53 million a year over 8 years (Smith, 2016). Last seasons Premier League teams sponsors created a total of £230,900,000 between the twenty clubs, and that's only through their kit sponsors. Clubs also earn money through their kit manufacturer, stadium naming rights and other types of income.

Historically, football stadiums in England were named after the neighborhood they were constructed in. Stadiums such as Old Trafford, White Hart Lane, Stamford Bridge, Anfield etc. do not have a corporate company named after them, but as more and more money began being pumped into the Premier League after its formation, stadium naming rights started to be introduced. This began in 2004, when Arsenal signed a deal with Emirates Airlines for their then new stadium at Ashburton Grove. Emirates struck a 15-year deal with Arsenal for £100 million for the naming rights of the stadium and 8 years on their kits. The clubs chairman at the time said that he would have preferred to have names the stadium of an Arsenal legend, but that things have changed in football and that it was a wonderful offer that they had received, and was the biggest ever in English football at the time (Lue et al., 2009). Surely from this statement though, it is clear that the influx of money that has been introduced to football has actually disfigured the values and traditions of Corinthian sport? Considering that the then chairman of one of the biggest clubs in the world caved to the offer of a big figure sum. In the book 'The Only Game: Football and our times', it wrote that the major English clubs transformed themselves in the 1990s, developing a host of facilities never before seen at football grounds; restaurants, museums, supermarkets - even hotels - and that they all clung to the stadiums like lucrative barnacles. Football had become an alien land for its own supporters. For those with money invested in the major football clubs, however, 1990s England proved to be a land of plenty (Walvin, 2001).

The first Premier League season started on the 15th August 1992, which replaced the original First Division, and then consisted of 22 clubs (P.L, 2016). Sky TV's first deal for the rights to air games from the Premier League began in 1992 and was a deal that would last for five years until 1997. The deal was to broadcast 60 games a year and was worth £191 million (Rumsby, 2015). These deals would gradually start to increase in worth, with the next deal lasting four years from 1997-2001, broadcasting another 60 games per year, but this time for £670 million (Rumsby, 2015). The deal between 2001-2004 was worth £1.2bn to broadcast 110 games from the Premier League (Rumsby, 2015). After this deal, all further contracts lasted for 3 years, and the latest contract between Sky and BT to broadcast 168 live Premier League games is worth £5.1bn (Rumsby, 2015). This increase in money has changed the way clubs work vastly over the last 24 years, and most are now considered to be more of a business than a football club.

Many players during this day and age look to play their football at the club that offers them the most money, with transfer figures rising through the roof over current years.

Back in 1893, the first three-figure transfer fee was paid by Aston Villa to West Brom for the services of Willie Groves, fast forward eleven years after this, and first ever four-figure transfer fee was made when Middleborough paid Sunderland £1,000 for the transfer of Alf Common. Then in 1928, Arsenal became the first club to pay a five-figure sum for a player when they bought David Jack from Bolton Wanderers. Denis Law was then bought by Torino from Manchester City in 1961 for £100,000, but was subsequently then brought back to England by rivals Manchester United for £115,000. Eventually, in 1979 football would see its first ever million pound player, when Trevor Francis moved Nottingham Forrest from Birmingham City for £1,180,000. Alan Shearer soon became the first eight-figure transfer fee when he moved to Newcastle for £15,000,000 from Blackburn Rovers. Since then no club has offered a nine-figure sum for a player, but it will most likely happen very soon, especially considering that the current transfer record (World and British) is £89,700,000, which was paid by Manchester United for Paul Pogba from Juventus in 2016.

It is clear that transfer fees for players have increased dramatically since Willie Groves' £100 move, along with wages that players are paid at clubs. Sometimes though, players can be seen more as a celebrity and a public figure than a sportsman and are better known off the pitch rather than on it. Many clubs might buy a player simply to make them more recognisable in the hope it will increase fans and ticket sales etc.

In 1975, Pele joined New York Cosmos of the now disbanded North American Soccer League and he made a massive impact instantly. Before Pele signed for them, the club were struggling to gain supporters to games and subsequently began to give away tickets on things such as Burger King vouchers and bumper stickers, but after his signing the stadium had to lock the gates once it had reached its capacity, which was every week. Pele independently transformed a struggling football franchise in a market that was thought to have very little interest in football (Lue et al., 2009).

Footballers are no longer seen just for their sporting ability; they are even sponsored and endorsed themselves, not just the clubs that they play for.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the world's highest paid athlete and the fourth highest paid 'celebrity' in the world. His current earnings for 2015 were £70,754,338.16 converted from US Dollars, and this is divided in to two sectors, his salary and winning and his endorsements (Badenhausen et al., 2016). His salary from Real Madrid and winning's from tournaments with club and country last year amassed to a massive £ 45,025,487.92. Then his endorsements added up to £25,728,850.24 from his sponsorship deals last year (Badenhausen et al., 2016). As the most recognisable sports person in the world, many companies cue up for Ronaldo, in a way for him to help promote their brand and their products.

Some of his most notable sponsorships that Ronaldo has are Nike, Tag Heuer, Sacoor Brothers suits, Monster Headphones, and his own brand CR7 (Badenhausen et al., 2016).

The most expensive sponsorship deal is his one with Nike, who pays him $13,000,000 a year to wear their sports clothing and football boots. It was reported that over the last 12 months Ronaldo has generated $36 million in value for Nike simply through posting on social media (Badenhausen, 2016). Over that period he had written 59 posts in total on all of his social media platforms referring to Nike, and this created the increase in sales. In total, Ronaldo created $176 million for his sponsors via promotion on his social media platforms (Badenhausen, 2016).

Football is no longer what it used to be. Clubs and players alike have been brainwashed and taken over by the money in the sport today, with investment in clubs coming from some of the richest people in the world, and who view it as a business opportunity instead of what it actually is, and that is being part of a community. This footballing community is what makes a club, most importantly the fans. Despite the money players make from their salaries, sponsorships, boot deals, TV deals etc., none of it would be possible if there we no fans. This is where football has lost its way, as the traditions and values of a true sportsman are no longer recognised. Chinese football is one of the lowest qualities in the world, yet big name players still move there simply for the large wage package. The pride of playing for your local club, or a well-known and respected club with a successful current status and history no longer exists, as the majority of players look towards the club that offers the most money. All though this is understandable, as most people would want to earn as much money as possible for their family and life etc., but the original values of a true sportsman have been lost over time, and blinded by the commercialisation of football. As the saying goes, money doesn't always buy happiness, and people involved in football on the pitch and behind the scenes must remember the reason they chose to do what they do, and that is for the pure love of football.
Bibliography [7] Walvin, J. (2001) The only game: Football and our times. Harlow: Longman.

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The commercialisation of football has disfigured the traditions and values of Corinthian sport

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It was in 1863 when football was first developed and codified in London, England, along with the formation of the English Football Association (FA). Since then football has progressed to be the most popular sport in the world, as well as the richest business, but a question has been formed with this financial and popularity growth.

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NSPCC left dismayed at lack of action from MPs over an inadequate system of child protection within football

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NSPCC left dismayed at lack of action from MPs over an inadequate system of child protection within football

NSPCC is dismayed at a lack of action from MPs on child protection in football

Minister for Sport Tracey Crouch promised to introduce strict laws but has failed

Teenagers are at risk of abuse from coaches that saw Barry Bennell locked up

Manchester City legend David White says he's astonished by the system's flaws

An inadequate system of child protection places teenagers at risk of the same predatory abuse from football coaches that saw Barry Bennell locked up for 30 years, Sportsmail can reveal.

The NSPCC is dismayed Minister for Sport Tracey Crouch's promise to make it a crime for a coach to have a sexual relationship with children aged 16 and 17 has not been kept - almost a year after she made the pledge.

The NSPCC said the Government had failed to learn from the case of Bennell, who was convicted in February on 50 counts of sexual abuse.

The revelation comes as one of Bennell's victims - former Manchester City forward David White, who has become a child protection expert - tells Sportsmail he is astonished by weaknesses in the system.

Only coaches who regularly work alone with children are put through full checks. Those who work alongside other coaches are not. A coach banned from a teaching role can begin work in local youth football without the club knowing his history. White said: 'Abusers like Bennell did not work alone. The whole point about Bennell is that he groomed children while others looked on.'

White said some clubs employ volunteers in child protection roles who have no idea about how to keep children safe.

There is also widespread feeling among children's charities that the delay in the publication of an FA-commissioned report into the abuse scandal is unhelpful.

Many FA county associations are waiting on Clive Sheldon QC's report before putting better child protection systems in place. Sheldon had planned to report by the end of the year, but revealed two weeks ago that will not happen.

Crouch told the House of Commons last November she had 'secured ministerial agreement' to make it a criminal offence for instructors to have a sexual relationship with children aged 16 and 17 whom they coach.

But Lucy Frazer, a justice minister, said the need to safeguard teenagers must be balanced with their right to consent to sex at 16. Frazer's response astonished the NSPCC.

Recorded offences of abuse of trust under the current law have been growing. Home Office figures show that in 2012-13 there were 192 such cases in England and Wales and 290 in 2017-18.

A Government spokesperson said: 'We remain committed to protecting children and young people from sexual abuse... we recognise abusing a position of trust is particularly horrific.'

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NSPCC left dismayed at lack of action on child protection in football

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NSPCC is dismayed at a lack of action from MPs on child protection in football Minister for Sport Tracey Crouch promised to introduce strict laws but has failed Teenagers are at risk of abuse from coaches that saw Barry Bennell locked up Manchester City legend David White says he's astonished by the system's flaws An inadequate system of child protection places teenagers at risk of the same predatory abuse from football coaches that saw Barry Bennell locked up for 30 years, Sportsmail can reveal.

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An article about the impact of commercialisation on teams lower down the football pyramid.

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£5,136,000,000. That's the amount of money BT and Sky were forced to pay in order to continue their live coverage of Premier League football between 2015 and 2018. A 70% increase on the previous deal, the deal works out at around £10.2m per match, according to the BBC. That means that under two minutes of Sunday's Premier League clash between Bournemouth and Arsenal is worth the same amount of money as Hartlepool United need to survive for the next two months. But what does this all mean?

Firstly, it's clear why the big TV companies pay for the Premier League coverage - it's because they'll still profit no matter what. If Sky Sports spent £5bn on a Premier League television deal and weren't going to make that money back, they quite obviously wouldn't spend it. It's also clear that the astronomical amount of money spent on this TV deal doesn't at all correlate with Hartlepool's desperate plea for funding, but that's the reason its brought up - because it is astronomical. The reason you'll have seen these stats everywhere online this week is because of the gap that continues to emerge between football's top flights and it's lower leagues.

Hartlepool United travelled to Dagenham and Redbridge in East London on January 6th. They left without a training kit or team coach, with the kit being 'held hostage' at a dry cleaners in the town, after its fee wasn't paid. The club's management couldn't complete post-match interviews amidst fears they would miss the 6.30 train home, they couldn't get the coach because they simply couldn't afford to. This is not how football should be.

I can't count the amount of times I've seen Hartlepool's struggle for £200,000 compared with Neymar's £198m transfer fee this week, but I do understand why people bring these issues to debate. To Neymar, Hartlepool United's £200,000 is less than a week's wages. Again, this shows the gap emerging between the top leagues and the lower. Whilst the transfer market continues to inflate, next to no money is trickling down to the lower league clubs that desperately need it. You can complain all you want about the lack of correlation, but this is still a huge problem regardless. This is an advert for what is wrong with the modern game.

In 1999, an agreement was made which stated that 5% of broadcasting rights would be handed down to the lower leagues. Did this ever happen though? No, it most certainly did not. The TV deal in 1999 was worth £670m, 5% being £33.5m, life changing money for non-league. Now, this agreement would have allowed £256m to be shared amongst grassroots clubs. This sort of money is more than enough to keep these clubs caught up with the demands of modern football, stopping a situation like Hartlepool's occurring at all.

It's not fair on the fans of such a historic club as Hartlepool's to be left to suffer, they are just as dedicated and supportive of their club as some fans are in the Premier League, and action needs to be taken to save grassroots football. The 5% levy that was agreed in 1999 needs to come into effect as soon as possible, and thus a fair gap between grassroots clubs and those in the top flights will be formed. Right now, the astronomical gap forming between the Premier League and beyond is crushing the life and soul out of some of the most historic clubs on the planet.

'Created by the poor and stolen by the rich' is a saying you'll have seen doing the rounds this week, and you can understand why. It's time for rules and regulations to change, it's time for the top teams and TV companies to contribute to the desperate situation faced by many clubs below, and even in, the Football League.
What do you make of these thoughts? Let us know in the comments below!
featured image credit the Sun

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How is top flight football's increasing commercialism affecting the lower leagues?

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£5,136,000,000. That's the amount of money BT and Sky were forced to pay in order to continue their live coverage of Premier League football between 2015 and 2018. A 70% increase on the previous deal, the deal works out at around £10.2m per match, according to the BBC.

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Carlos Tevez speaking about the decision to move the final of the Copa Libertadores to Madrid, rather than in Buenos Aires.

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Playing the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final in Madrid is "embarrassing for the people", says Boca Juniors forward Carlos Tevez.

The Buenos Aires derby between Boca and River Plate was postponed in November following an attack on the Boca team bus by River Plate fans.

It will instead be held at Real Madrid's Bernabeu Stadium on Sunday.

"It is a bit weird to play here but it is important for us to focus on how the game will be in Madrid," said Tevez.

The Argentina international, 32, told BBC World Service Sport: "I think it is embarrassing for the people, not so much for the players.

"They took away our dream of playing the final in our country."

Boca players suffered cuts from the glass from broken windows in the attack as they travelled to the River Plate stadium and were also affected by the tear gas used by police to disperse the crowds.

The fixture had been poised to be the biggest club match in the 127-year history of Argentine football, and the first leg of the South American equivalent of the Champions League ended 2-2.

"It is important because it is still a final," added former Manchester City and Manchester United striker Tevez.

"It is rare because of where it is going to be played, but it is still a Copa Libertadores final."

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Copa Libertadores final: Boca Juniors v River Plate in Madrid 'embarrassing'

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Playing the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final in Madrid is "embarrassing for the people", says Boca Juniors forward Carlos Tevez. The Buenos Aires derby between Boca and River Plate was postponed in November following an attack on the Boca team bus by River Plate fans.

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An article in the Guardian about the Tottenham fan who threw a banana at Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

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Tottenham fan banned for hurling banana at Arsenal's Aubameyang

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Magistrate also fines Averof Panteli £500, saying his actions had 'racial element'

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An article in the Guardian by Eni Aluko about the reaction to the recent racist abuse of Raheem Sterling at Chelsea.

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Sterling's racism ordeal was ugly but reaction has been oddly instructive | Eni Aluko

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Fallout from the Manchester City and England forward Raheem Sterling's complaint of the media scrutiny black players face has been positive and heartening

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Liverpool's Xherdan Shaqiri didn't travel to their match against Red Star Belgrade due to political tensions between Serbia and Albania.

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Xherdan Shaqiri has not travelled for Liverpool's Champions League trip to Red Star Belgrade following concerns that his presence in Serbia could cause unwelcome hostility.

Shaqiri was born in Kosovo, is of Kosovan-Albanian heritage and represents Switzerland at international level.

During the summer's World Cup, the 27-year-old provoked controversy by scoring a late winner against Serbia and making an 'double-headed eagle' gesture, in reference to the symbol on the flag of Albania.

Tensions between the Albanian and Serbian populations within Kosovo have long existed and led in part to the Kosovo War in the late 1990s.

Albania and Serbia fought on opposing sides of the conflict and, despite Kosovo declaring independence in 2008, Serbia does not fully recognise the province as a state.

Shaqiri's celebration in June angered the Football Association of Serbia, who also lodged a complaint to Fifa about the winger playing with an image of the Kosovo flag on his boots.

Shaqiri avoided suspension but was fined by Fifa for "unsporting behaviour", as were his Switzerland team-mates Granit Xhaka and Stephan Lichtsteiner.

Though there were no concerns regarding Shaqiri's safety in Belgrade, Jürgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager, believed the winger's presence could cause an unnecessary distraction for his side.

"It's a situation where we will go to the fantastic city of Belgrade as a football team to play football," Klopp told Liverpool's official website.

"We have heard and read the speculation and talk about what kind of reception Shaq would receive and although we have no idea what would happen, we want to go there and be focused 100 per cent on football and not have to think about anything else, that's all.

"We are Liverpool FC, a big club, a football team but we don't have any message further than that. We have no political message, absolutely not. We want the focus to be on a great game of football, free from anything else.

"We are keen to be respectful and keen to avoid any distractions that would take focus away from a 90-minute-plus contest that is important for football and only football. So for that reason, Shaq is not involved and he accepts and understands this. Shaq is our player, we love him, and he will play for us a lot of times, but not on Tuesday.

"I have heard so many wonderful things about the city of Belgrade, and the country of Serbia as a whole, from friends and colleagues who've visited before, so now I'm really looking forward to taking Liverpool there for a great game of Champions League football."

Following the 4-0 victory over Red Star at Anfield last month, Shaqiri claimed he had no concerns about playing in Serbia.

"I don't really care what people are saying," he said. "I just go there to play a football game. It is not about politics it is about football. I worry about nothing and go to play."

Red Star's sporting director, Zvezdan Terzic, said in September that though his club would do everything in their power to protect Shaqiri, it may ultimately be wise for Liverpool to leave the player at home.

"I think that Shaqiri will be under unbelievable psychological pressure because he will know where he is coming," Terzic said.

"He knows that the Red Star is a symbol of Serbia and playing the Marakana, I don't know whether he will play.

"Of course, as a football club we treat our rivals equally and we do not have to deal with the past and the history.

"Red Star must do everything to make Shaqiri feel that he came to play football and it is our duty to protect him in the case of unwanted situations. Let's be good hosts."
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Liverpool leave Xherdan Shaqiri out of Belgrade trip due to political tensions

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Xherdan Shaqiri has not travelled for Liverpool's Champions League trip to Red Star Belgrade following concerns that his presence in Serbia could cause unwelcome hostility. Shaqiri was born in Kosovo, is of Kosovan-Albanian heritage and represents Switzerland at international level.

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Arsenal's Henrikh Mkhitaryan was recently left at home when the team travelled to FC Qarabag due to political tensions between Kazakhstan and Armenia.

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Despite a ceasefire in 1994, fighting has again escalated again in the Nagorno-Karabakh region over the last decade.

Arsenal head coach Unai Emery is otherwise expected to name a relatively senior squad, although he will have the chance to rotate in certain positions ahead of the Premier League match against Fulham on Sunday.

Sead Kolasinac is again fit and can allow Nacho Monreal to rest while Stephan Lichtsteiner and Matteo Guendouzi are also among those expected to return to the starting team. Sokratis is again available at centre-back following a knee injury.

Emery must also decide whether to again pick Bernd Leno as his Europa League goalkeeper with Petr Cech currently sidelined by a hamstring injury. Arsenal's third choice goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, is highly regarded and so could make his first start of the season in Baku.

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Henrikh Mkhitaryan misses Arsenal's Europa League tie with Qarabag due to political tensions

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Despite a ceasefire in 1994, fighting has again escalated again in the Nagorno-Karabakh region over the last decade. Arsenal head coach Unai Emery is otherwise expected to name a relatively senior squad, although he will have the chance to rotate in certain positions ahead of the Premier League match against Fulham on Sunday.

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Samir Nasri given a six month ban from football by UEFA after failing a doping test during his time on loan at Sevilla.

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Former France international Samir Nasri has been banned from football for six months for an anti-doping violation dating from 2016.

Uefa says Nasri has been found guilty of using a "prohibited method" in violation of the World Anti-Doping Code and Uefa's anti-doping regulations.

A Los Angeles clinic, Drip Doctors, posted a photo of Nasri on its Facebook and Twitter accounts in December 2016, saying it provided him with a drip "to help keep him hydrated and in top health during his busy soccer season." He was playing at Spanish team Sevilla at the time, on loan from Manchester City.

European football's governing body, which opened disciplinary proceedings against the Frenchman on March 6 last year, said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon: "The player Samir Nasri has been found guilty for using a prohibited method in accordance with sub-section M2, par. 2 of the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) prohibited list.

"In this context, the CEDB (control, ethics and disciplinary body) has decided to suspend Samir Nasri for six months for violation of the World Anti-doping Code and the Uefa anti-doping regulations.

"This decision was taken on 22 February and is open to appeal."

Former Arsenal and City playmaker Nasri received 500 millilitres of hydration in the form of sterile water containing micronutrient components on December 26, 2016, while on holiday.

Nasri had reported feeling ill and vomiting before calling a doctor, his Maryland-based former girlfriend Dr Sarabjit Anand, who provided an initial diagnosis. Nasri received treatment in his hotel room and later posed for a photograph with the organisation's co-founder Jamila Sozahdah that drew publicity.

Wada rules state there is a 50 millilitre infusion limit per six-hour period for active athletes. A request by Sevilla for a retroactive therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for Nasri was refused in February 2017 by UEFA, whose decision was later upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Nasri is currently without a club after recently having his contract terminated at Antalyaspor in Turkey.
Topics

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Samir Nasri given six-month ban for doping violation over drip treatment

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Former France international Samir Nasri has been banned from football for six months for an anti-doping violation dating from 2016. Uefa says Nasri has been found guilty of using a "prohibited method" in violation of the World Anti-Doping Code and Uefa's anti-doping regulations.

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Women's cricket world cup facts about how much they make from the game and the viewing figures.

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(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

More people watched the final of the Women's Cricket World Cup than the number that tune into the average Premier League game.

Viewing figures have shown a record 1.1million people tuned into Sky Sports to watch hosts England win the tournament against India at Lord's on Sunday.

No women's cricket match in this country has attracted a bigger audience, and the number is 400,000 more that tuned into watch the Champions Trophy final between India and Pakistan last month.

The 1.1million figure is three times bigger than the number of people that watched the final day of England's victory over South Africa in the first Test of the series at Lord's, according to The Times.

Premier League games can peak at around 3.5million, but the average over the course of a season is just under one million.

The global audience of the match is likely to make it the most-watched women's cricket match of all time worldwide, with the presence of India in the final boosting the overall figures.

Official numbers have not yet been released by the ICC, but estimates say the ratings will surpass 150million.

Winning the World Cup has significantly increased the England players' earnings.

Their international deals are worth in the region of £50,000-a-year, but each player will receive about £34,000 each for the triumph, which is 15 times more than the World Cup winning squad of 2009.

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More people watched Women's Cricket World Cup final than average Prem game

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More people watched the final of the Women's Cricket World Cup than the number that tune into the average Premier League game. Viewing figures have shown a record 1.1million people tuned into Sky Sports to watch hosts England win the tournament against India at Lord's on Sunday.

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Childhood obesity in the UK is at a all time high

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Health campaigners call for restrictions on junk food marketing as NHS figures show higher levels of obesity in deprived areas

Obesity among children starting their first year of primary school has risen for the second year in a row.

Figures from NHS Digital show 9.6% of children in reception classes in 2016-17 are obese, compared with 9.3% the year before.

One-fifth of year 6 children (aged 10-11) are obese, the same as in 2015-16. The statistics for more than 1 million pupils across England show 32.4% of girls and 36.1% of boys in the final primary school year are overweight or obese, while the figures for reception are 22.1% and 23.1% respectively.

More than twice as many children in deprived areas are obese as in affluent areas.

In Kingston upon Thames, south-west London, 4.8% of children in reception are obese, compared with 13.5% in Wolverhampton. For year 6 pupils, 11.3% in Rutland, east Midlands, are obese, compared with 29.2% in Barking and Dagenham, east London.

Dr Alison Tedstone, the chief nutritionist at Public Health England, said: "Children deserve a healthy future and these figures are a reminder that addressing childhood obesity requires urgent action.

"There is no single solution to reverse what's been decades in the making. We need sustained actions to tackle poor diets and excess calorie intakes.

"We're working with industry to make food healthier, we've produced guidance for councils on planning healthier towns, and we've delivered campaigns encouraging people to choose healthier food and lead healthier lives."

Caroline Cerny, who leads the Obesity Health Alliance, a coalition of more than 40 organisations, said: "Each year, the childhood obesity statistics tell the same devastating story.

"Obesity continues to rise and it's the children from the most deprived backgrounds who have the odds stacked against them.

"The government says that tackling obesity is a priority. The soft drinks levy and the sugar reduction programme are both positive steps. But a real commitment to tackling obesity means also getting to grips with the environment in which our children grow up.

"Adverts for unhealthy foods have a significant impact on consumption habits, and we want to see immediate action to restrict junk food marketing at children, both online and on TV before the 9pm watershed."
Topics

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Obesity among children starting primary school continues to rise

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Health campaigners call for restrictions on junk food marketing as NHS figures show higher levels of obesity in deprived areas Obesity among children starting their first year of primary school has risen for the second year in a row. Figures from NHS Digital show 9.6% of children in reception classes in 2016-17 are obese, compared with 9.3% the year before.

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Ex Hearts player Isma Goncalves begins allegations of Hearts Fans giving racist abuse

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Hearts manager Craig Levein 'embarrassed' by Isma Goncalves racism allegations

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Hearts manager Craig Levein says he feels "slightly embarrassed" that Isma Goncalves did not tell him about alleged racist abuse.

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A recent article saying that west ham have suspended director of player recruitment Tony Henry after transfer racism claim

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West Ham have suspended their director of player recruitment Tony Henry after he was accused of racism for telling agents the club did not want to sign any more African players.

According to the Daily Mail, Henry made the comment in an email sent last Saturday to an agent and another senior West Ham official. When questioned by the newspaper, Henry said that African players "sometimes have a bad attitude" and "cause mayhem" when they are not in the team.

Henry, it is claimed, suggested the policy was supported by club management - but insisted West Ham had "nothing against the African race at all".

This morning the club's Senegal midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate, who was praised by Henry, posted on Instagram "African and proud" and the message was quickly liked by team-mates, including Arthur Masuaku, Pedro Obiang, Manuel Lanzini and Adrian.

West Ham investigate claims club has a policy against signing Africans

In a statement today, West Ham said: "The club can confirm Tony Henry has been suspended pending a full and thorough investigation. West Ham United will not tolerate any type of discrimination and has, therefore, acted swiftly due to the serious nature of these claims.

"The West Ham United family is an inclusive one where, regardless of gender, age, ability, race, religion or sexual orientation, everybody feels welcome and included. The club will make no further comment until the investigation has been concluded."

Henry, 60, is vastly experienced in the area of player recruitment, previously working with West Ham manager David Moyes at Everton. He was also responsible for scouting at Chelsea and Sunderland before joining West Ham four years ago.

It is difficult to see the former Manchester City and Bolton player surviving the storm with Lord Ouseley, chairperson of Kick It Out, suggesting the email could be unlawful.

The email at the centre of the storm, concerned the potential signing of a player of Cameroonian descent in this transfer window.

"We don't want any more Africans and he's not good enough," wrote Henry. When questioned by the Mail, he said: "We felt we didn't particularly want any more African players. It's nothing racist at all. It's just sometimes they can have a bad attitude."

He then went on to give the example of Senegal striker Diafra Sakho, who moved to Rennes on Monday following a long-running dispute with the club. Sakho, who has yet to comment on today's reports, almost left the Hammers at the end of the summer window.

"We had problems with Sakho, with Diafra Sakho," Henry told the Mail. "We find that when they are not in the team they cause mayhem. It's nothing against the African race at all.

"I mean, look, there are top African players. There's not a problem with them. It's just sometimes they cause a lot of problems when they are not playing, as we had with Diafra. He's left, so great. It's nothing personal at all."

Henry denied he was being discriminatory. "No. I don't know what you are trying to get at here. All I said was, look, we have a great lad in Kouyate, he's brilliant, a great player for us, he's a good lad. But the likes of Sakho have caused mayhem. When he's not playing... he always wants a new deal. That's all it was. It was nothing discriminatory at all."

Lord Ouseley said: "From my point of view, firstly, that is clearly unacceptable now in football. But secondly it's unlawful to make a statement like that. I would expect that club to take the necessary action."

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West Ham suspend player recruitment chief Tony Henry amid racism claim

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West Ham have suspended their director of player recruitment Tony Henry after he was accused of racism for telling agents the club did not want to sign any more African players. According to the Daily Mail, Henry made the comment in an email sent last Saturday to an agent and another senior West Ham official.

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A recent article which outlines the FA's plans to implement a version of the "Rooney Rule" to help increase the number of BAME coaches and managers in football

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The Football Association will interview at least one applicant from a black, Asian and minority ethnic background for future roles in the England set-up.

English football's governing body will adopt its own version of the 'Rooney Rule' implemented in the NFL in 2003.

Chief executive Martin Glenn said the move showed the "FA is for all".

"The FA wants to become a more inclusive organisation where the workforce more represents the people who play football today," Glenn said.

Speaking to BBC Sport, he added: "What it will say is the opportunity to have a career beyond playing is something that the FA is serious about promoting."

The Rooney Rule, named after NFL diversity committee chairman Dan Rooney, requires clubs in American football to interview at least one BAME candidate for each head coach or senior football operation vacancy.

The FA says this move will apply to jobs across England teams but BAME applicants will still need to show they meet the relevant recruitment criteria.

English Football League clubs agreed to introduce their own version of the 'Rooney Rule' from 1 January but the same measure has been applied to roles in their academies since June.

Research conducted in November showed 22 of 482 roles across England's top-four leagues were filled by coaches from BAME backgrounds.

Learning from Aluko controversy

Glenn also revealed moves to make it easier for players and staff to air grievances, while clarifying he will oversee attempts to change the culture around the England Women's team in the wake of the Eniola Aluko controversy.

In August of 2017, Chelsea Ladies striker Aluko said she was victimised for reporting discrimination by ex-England women's team manager Mark Sampson.

Sampson was sacked in September following evidence of "inappropriate and unacceptable" behaviour with female players in a previous role.

The FA is now working with UK Sport to create clarity on codes of conduct for players and coaches.

"We want to make sure everyone who puts on the England shirt has a way to air concerns or grievances in a fair, speedy and prompt manner," Glenn added.

"The lessons we had to learn from the Eniola Aluko affair was that we did not have the right procedures in place for elite people to raise concerns. But I think more subtly we did not have the right climate in place for people to feel they could raise their concerns easily. These measures address both of those."

Ashworth to focus on World Cup

In detailing the FA's wider plans for 2018, Glenn confirmed that for the remainder of the season he will oversee Baroness Sue Campbell, director of women's football, as she leads work to improve the culture of the England women's team.

This move means Dan Ashworth - the FA's director of elite development - is temporarily no longer in charge of non-technical decisions across the women's game.

Glenn insisted Ashworth remains head of the FA's technical division but that his focus should be on assisting England manager Gareth Southgate with World Cup preparations while "cultural changes" are made across the women's game.

Ashworth was interviewed by MPs at a parliamentary inquiry over the FA's handling of Aluko's discrimination claims against Sampson after he led an internal investigation into the case, which was described as "not a genuine search for the truth" by the Professional Footballers' Association.

He also admitted he should have "asked for more detail" with regard to the safeguarding issues raised when Sampson was appointed.

Glenn also revealed the organisation will publicly disclose its gender pay gap by April 2018 and confirmed plans to repay £142m of debt relating to the construction of Wembley Stadium by 2024 - saving over £2m a year in interest payments.

'A watershed moment' - reaction

Anti-discrimination campaign group Kick It Out has been critical of how the FA handled the Aluko affair, but described the new proposals as "a watershed moment".

Kick It Out chair Lord Ouseley added: "I looked to the Football Association to give leadership on the matter of equality, inclusion and cohesion and I now expect those in positions of power across professional football, along with the FA, to drive forward the highest standards of activity in order to achieve these objectives which will benefit everyone who participates in the game.

"We look forward to working with the FA and the other authorities to bring about the changes necessary to make the game inclusive for all."

Former Blackburn striker Jason Roberts, who is now development director for the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, said a version of the 'Rooney Rule' was a "positive step even though it's somewhat behind time".

"This could have been done four or five years ago," he told BBC Radio 5 live. He also said that the FA could take a lead in ensuring that it was implemented in the Premier League and EFL, which he said had not always followed correct procedure in the voluntary version it has adopted.

"The word voluntary worries me," Roberts added. "I think it's something [the FA] should do across the board and even take a role in ensuring the PL and EFL have this as a mandatory process as well."

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Football Association adopts 'Rooney Rule' as Martin Glenn outlines 2018 plans

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The Football Association will interview at least one applicant from a black, Asian and minority ethnic background for future roles in the England set-up. English football's governing body will adopt its own version of the 'Rooney Rule' implemented in the NFL in 2003. Chief executive Martin Glenn said the move showed the "FA is for all".

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Sledging is a term used in cricket to insult or intimidate your opponent, this occurred iet in the 2013-14 Ashes Series, Australian captain Michael Clarke tells England's Jimmy Anderson to "get ready for a broken arm"

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Andy Wilson at The Gabba

Alastair Cook is prepared to accept "war" on the field during the Ashes series, but accused David Warner of crossing the line in questioning Jonathan Trott's stomach for the fight in an acrimonious end to the first Test in Brisbane.

Cook refused the opportunity to criticise his opposite number Michael Clarke for his part in an angry exchange with Jimmy Anderson in which the Australia captain could be heard through Channel Nine's stump microphone appearing to tell England's No11 to " get ready for a fucking broken arm".

"On the pitch it's pretty much a war, isn't it?" said the England captain, agreeing that arranging back-to-back Ashes series was asking for trouble in that regard. "There are always going to be a few words, and I think that's pretty much how people want to watch cricket being played."

However when asked about Warner's description of Trott's second-innings dismissal by Mitchell Johnson as "pretty poor and pretty weak", Cook said: "I think the comment by David Warner was pretty disrespectful to any professional cricketer really."

There have been suggestions that Warner could be punished under the International Cricket Council's code of conduct, but that would seem unlikely, and Australia are clearly determined to keep up the attack.

Even before their vice-captain Brad Haddin had left the field, he told the former Test opener turned television commentator Michael Slater that Johnson had "seen in their eyes they weren't confident facing him".

When Johnson was asked afterwards whether he had seen fear in Trott's eyes, there was confirmation that England's No3 has now become a target in Australia. "Do you want me to answer that?" Clarke said as Johnson hesitated. When the man of the match finally answered, he said: "I dunno. There were a couple of nice ones that were zinging past his nose where there might have been a little bit of fear there."

Asked again whether he had seen fear in Trott's eyes, Johnson smiled and said nothing. "Good answer, Mitchy, good boy," added Clarke, to general hilarity. For Trott, this is deadly serious.

Cook had admitted: "He's had a tough game, he knows that. But you have to remember the guy is class. He's had a little blip in these last couple of games but he's a class player and class players bounce back. I know he's been working incredibly hard at it and anyone who has seen the net sessions can see he is trying to work on it.

"It is just a matter of him trying to take that into the middle. When the emotion and the pressure of the game is on, it can be quite tough to think as clearly as you need to."

Cook insisted England's problems - against Johnson and more generally -are collective rather than specific to Trott. "We've got to look at the way we're going to play him," he added. "He's bowled well in this Test match, I remember last time he bowled well in Perth and he hurt us there and there's been times in the past when we've played really well against him.

"We can draw on that and we are going to have to be very honest with ourselves in how we go about trying to play him. You can't brush the issue under the carpet, he's hurt us in this game and we're going to have to come back show our ability in the next game.

"This 10 days' break [before the second Test in Adelaide] will be good for us. It'll give us time to get away from it and really work on what we need to do to improve. We all need to be honest with each other as a group. It's not just those three who haven't had a good game - all 11 of us really need to improve if we want to win this series."

Australia have named an unchanged 12-man squad for Adelaide.
Topics

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Ashes: Alastair Cook ready for 'war' after Clarke's 'broken arm' sledge

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Andy Wilson at The Gabba Alastair Cook is prepared to accept "war" on the field during the Ashes series, but accused David Warner of crossing the line in questioning Jonathan Trott's stomach for the fight in an acrimonious end to the first Test in Brisbane.

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A brief exploration of how Muslims are changing the Premier League.

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When the Premier League started in 1992, it included just one footballer known to be Muslim, Tottenham's Spanish midfielder Nayim. England's top division now features 40 Muslim players and they are having a significant effect on the culture of the game.
On 5 February, 2012, Newcastle United played Aston Villa at St James' Park and one moment symbolised the impact Muslim players were having on the Premier League.

After 30 minutes, Demba Ba scored for the home side. He raced to the corner flag and was joined by Senegalese compatriot Papiss Cisse. The two devout Muslims then sank to their knees in prayer.

The growing influx of Muslim players has been fuelled by the internationalisation of football.

Find out more

Watch The Muslim Premier League, presented by Colin Murray, on BBC 1 at 12:20 BST on Sunday, 7 July, or catch it again at 23:35 BST on Monday 8 July.
The Muslim Premier League
Scouts have spread their nets wider in the search for new talent and the Premier League has become a much more diverse place.

Young men with origins in remote villages of west Africa or tough estates in Paris have become global stars.

They may have found wealth and fame playing for English clubs, but many still hold on to something that is rooted in their cultural identity, something that guides them and comforts them when the going gets tough - their Islamic faith.

When a player of the calibre of Ba, who left Newcastle last year to join Chelsea, says he is serious about his religion, some might argue clubs cannot afford not to listen.

And there is a genuine willingness, on the part of managers and clubs, to understand and accommodate the religious needs of their players.

Muslim footballers are provided with halal food, have the option to shower separately from the rest of the team and are given time and space for prayer.

Until recently, all Premier League players named man of the match were awarded a bottle of champagne.

Yet for Muslims, alcohol is forbidden. So when Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure politely refused to accept his award on religious grounds during a television interview, the competition organisers were forced to sit up and take notice.

Champagne was phased out and now all players receive a small trophy instead.

When Liverpool won the League Cup final in 2012, players had the sensitivity to move the clothes of their team doctor, a devout Muslim, out of the changing rooms so that alcohol wasn't sprayed over them.

Yet there are challenges to managing Muslim players and Ramadan is a particular pressure point.

How can players who aren't eating or drinking for up to 18 hours of the day perform at the highest level over 90 minutes of a game?

Some players insist on fasting every day. Others may fast during training but not a match day. Clubs tend to muddle through with some kind of compromise, but it can't be an easy period for players or managers.

Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby, 27, says: "Arsenal would prefer me to not fast, but they understand this is a special moment for me and they try to accommodate things to make me better."

Ba, 28, admits he has had some issues with managers about Ramadan, but says he has been steadfast.

"Every time I had a manager that was not happy with it, I've said: 'Listen, I'll do it. If my performance is still good, I'll keep playing; if it's bad you drop me on the bench, that's it.'"

Former Stoke striker Mamady Sidibe, 33, insists: "You have some players who are fasting on a match day and doing very well, it's no problem. I make sure that on match day I'm not fasting and not to give excuses to people."

Ramadan this year ends on 7 August, 10 days before the start of the Premier League season.

Sponsorship deals have also been a source of tension. Teams who advertise gambling and pay day loan companies on their shirts put their Muslim players in a difficult position, as it means they are being used to promote activities which contradict Islamic teaching.

Last month Cisse said he planned to talk to Newcastle and their new sponsors, Wonga, because he was worried his Muslim beliefs would be compromised if he were seen to promote the company.

Crewe striker Nathan Ellington, 32, who has also played for Wigan and West Brom, takes the view that he cannot affect which sponsor his club chooses.

He said: "I think that's usually out of the hands of the Muslim. Although he's not allowed to gamble, that's something you cannot affect really."

Wigan keeper Ali Al-Habsi, 31, agrees: "We are players and these are things that are coming from the football club. We can't do anything about it, we just do our job."

Fans are also getting an education in Muslim practices.

When manager Alan Pardew suggested Ba's slow start to the 2011-12 season was due to his fasting, fans picked up on it and marked every subsequent goal with a song celebrating how many goals he had scored since Ramadan, to the tune of Depeche Mode's Just Can't Get Enough.

Children playing football in the parks of Newcastle have even been spotted falling to their knees as if in prayer themselves after scoring a goal.

They may not completely understand what it means, but it's a sign that Muslim practices are becoming a more familiar part of popular British culture.
Watch The Muslim Premier League on BBC1 on Sunday, 7 July at 12:20 BST or catch it again on Monday 8 July at 23:35 BST.

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Premier League: How Muslims are changing English football culture

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When the Premier League started in 1992, it included just one footballer known to be Muslim, Tottenham's Spanish midfielder Nayim. England's top division now features 40 Muslim players and they are having a significant effect on the culture of the game.

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An article about the upcoming battle to secure the next cycle of Premier League TV rights

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The next round of Premier League football television rights are up for grabs and there appears to be all to play for, with a number of potential new entrants poised to step into the bidding battle.

The league is seeking an increase on the current £5.14bn television deal which entails 168 live matches a season, with Sky currently holding five packages of games and BT two.

The new tender document has now been released to interested bidders for the three-year cycle from 2019 to 2022. There will be an increased number of games - 200 - out of the total 380 matches each season, made available for live broadcast.

The live rights consist of five packages of 32 matches and two packages of 20 matches per season, with no single buyer allowed to acquire more than 148 matches each season.

Meanwhile, in other changes, there will be three complete rounds of 10 midweek matches shown live, plus one set of Bank Holiday games, as well as eight individual games being shown on a Saturday night.

As well as these changes, the current Sky-BT duopoly could be shaken up by new digital entrants, with WPP advertising executive Sir Martin Sorrell and Manchester United boss Ed Woodward among those predicting an entry into the bidding war by a tech giant such as Amazon, Facebook, Twitter or Netflix.

Bids are due in by the end of January, with the winning bidder set to be announced at the start of February.

'Bidding imponderables'

"It is the most fascinating tender process ever," says one TV industry insider with extensive experience of the sports rights bidding process.

"There are so many imponderables. Is the sports right bubble going to burst? Are these new names in the frame going to risk coming in at the very top just before the bubble potentially pops?

"Or maybe they will decide to wait this time and see if it does burst, and they can then pick up rights cheaper next time round."

A number of tech giants have already dipped their toes into the world of live televised sport.

Amazon loss-leader?

For example, Amazon has already gone for year-round content by securing ATP tennis rights. Amazon Prime members in the UK and Republic of Ireland will have access to 37 ATP world tour events.

The move was groundbreaking in that it saw tennis move away from from traditional linear TV to an over-the-top (OTT) offering selling directly to consumers via the internet - bypassing telecommunications, cable or broadcast television service providers.

Amazon then snapped up the UK rights to the US Open tennis tournament, precipitating speculation it is now ready to bid for Premier League rights.

"I am guessing that if they were able to win a package or two of games it would be a loss-leader to drive people to Amazon Prime," says the sports rights industry insider.

"But I am not sure if there is enough content in the Premier League rights for the Amazon business model. Also it might not be premium enough. No offence to these clubs, but something like Stoke City against Huddersfield Town might not be a great offering for them.

"Also Premier League football has not got great re-usability. It is not like a TV programme or film where it doesn't matter if you watch it two days later.

"After a Premier League game everyone knows the score and the excitement is quickly gone."

Facebook 'determined'

Facebook has also refused to rule out entering the Premier League bidding to stream live matches. In conjunction with Fox Sports it has streamed a number of Uefa Champions League games on Facebook Live this season.

Meanwhile, the ICC's Champions Trophy cricket final was broadcast live on Facebook in June in countries where no broadcaster had bought the rights.

And this autumn it unsuccessfully bid $610m (£456m) for the rights to stream five years of cricket games from the Indian Premier League.

"That IPL bid was really interesting as it showed they are really determined to be a sports player," says Robin Jellis, editor of magazine TV Sports Markets.

"If a new player does come in it has the potential to drive up the cost, which is not something the Premier League will object to.

"The biggest driver of the price for them is competition, or perceived competition."

New Sky channels

The biggest player that any serious competitor will have to take on is Sky, of course, which has held rights to live Premier League games since the foundation of the competition back in season 1992-93.

The broadcast giant has recently gone for new "vertical" packing of its sports rights; with new channels dedicated solely to individual sports such as football, cricket, golf and F1.

Not to win any Premier League rights - which admittedly seems an unlikely outcome - would be a spanner in the works of that model.

"Sky's business model has been built upon it having the Premier League. And football has become more important for them this time around," says Mr Jellis.

"If they were to lose a package or two of their current five, it would not be ideal for them, but they could still find themselves with 100 games a season. But if they lost all their packages it would be a complete disaster."

One interesting factor will be the approach Disney takes. It has recently bought 21st Century Fox -including Fox's 39% ownership of Sky. Prior to the close of the deal, it is anticipated that 21st Century Fox will look to complete its planned acquisition of the 61% of Sky it doesn't already own.

BT a strong number two?

In contrast with Sky, sport for BT is an add-on to its core telecoms and data services.

BT Sport is no longer free for broadband customers, and has to pay its own way. The firm has spent £3.8bn on football rights since 2012, but now says it is not in a situation where having Premier League TV rights is "existential for us".

The BT group's ambition is to retain its position as a strong number two behind Sky in pay-TV sports. It also has Premiership Rugby and Champions League football, so to lose the Premier League football would not be a complete sporting disaster.

"My guess is that the status quo and Sky and BT will retain their rights," says Mr Jellis. "If anything does happen it will be Amazon or Facebook winning one of the packages of matches.

"Although there might be some complete surprise, such as we had five years ago when BT emerged from total secrecy to win live games for the first time."

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Premier League TV rights battle kicks off

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The next round of Premier League football television rights are up for grabs and there appears to be all to play for, with a number of potential new entrants poised to step into the bidding battle.

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An article from the Kick It Out website about antisemitism and anti-muslim attitudes in football. This website also has links to Asian football, Women in football and disability football

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Are professional fouls, such as that committed by Joe Bennett against Leroy Sané, examples of deviance?

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Cardiff City's Joe Bennett has apologised for his dangerous foul on Manchester City's Leroy Sane in the Bluebirds' 2-0 FA Cup defeat.

Bennett was booked and later sent off for a second yellow card.

He tweeted: "Just want to apologise to Leroy Sane for my tackle today. I tried to stop the counter attack and completely mistimed my attempt."

But Bennett's boss Neil Warnock said such tackles should be expected in English football.

Warnock was responding to Man City manager Pep Guardiola's criticism of Bennett's foul with Sane set to be out injured as a result of it for up to a month.

"They dished it out a bit, they had one or two naughty tackles," Warnock said.

"He (Guardiola) is in England, what do you expect?

"I suppose when you're like that, you want everything to be nice, pretty and perfect.

"But you don't get that here, you get different challenges."

In one of his tweets on the subject, Bennett added: "I didn't mean to catch him like I did. I hope it's nothing serious and he (Sane) recovers quickly."

Like Warnock, Bennett's team-mate Joe Ralls was sympathetic towards the Cardiff City player.

"He [Bennett] is a bit upset and it looks bad on the still, but he didn't mean that at all," said Ralls.

"Sane is rapid, he's just trying to bring him down because he's probably going to score otherwise and it's one of those unfortunate things and hopefully Sane recovers as soon as possible."

With Cardiff trailing 2-0 shortly before half-time and Sane leading a City counter-attack, Bennett cynically brought the German winger down with a sliding tackle which caught him halfway up his shin.

Referee Lee Mason opted to show Bennett a yellow card but pundits such as former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson and ex-Cardiff defender Danny Gabbidon believed it should have been a red.

Bennett was eventually sent off for a foul on substitute Brahim Diaz in added time, though Warnock does not think the tackle on Sane was malicious.

"They're so quick, that's the problem," said Warnock.

"With the movement and everything else, you think you're there and all of a sudden he's gone.

"I was disappointed he got sent off at the end, obviously he doesn't want to go to Leeds [Cardiff's next game in the Championship] because it was an absolutely pathetic challenge when on a booking.

"To do something like that I think is disrespectful to team-mates."

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Leroy Sane: Cardiff City's Joe Bennett sorry for dangerous foul

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Cardiff City's Joe Bennett has apologised for his dangerous foul on Manchester City's Leroy Sane in the Bluebirds' 2-0 FA Cup defeat. Bennett was booked and later sent off for a second yellow card. He tweeted: "Just want to apologise to Leroy Sane for my tackle today.

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Manchester City become the first Premier League team to have a shirt sleeve sponsor, opening the door to a new wave of sponsorship opportunities which will bring even more money into the club

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Premier League clubs will be allowed shirt sleeve sponsors from next season

Manchester City are the first club to announce the new deal

Korean tyre manufacturers Nexen will be on City's sleeves from this summer

Injured stars Gabriel Jesus and Ilkay Gundogan modelled the new kits

Manchester City have made history by becoming the first Premier League team to announce a shirt sleeve sponsor.

A rule change coming into force next season will allow clubs to have a secondary sponsor on their sleeves.

And on Friday City revealed their partnership with Nexen Tire, a tyre manufacturer from South Korea.

Manager Pep Guardiola was on hand to unveil the new deal, which will see the company's name feature on the City kit from next summer.

He was joined by injured pair Ilkay Gundogan and Gabriel Jesus, who modelled shirts with the logo on them.

England women's international Jill Scott was also at the unveiling representing City's women's team.

Next year will be the first time Premier League clubs are allowed to advertise on their sleeves, and several teams are expected to take the opportunity.

However there are at least two top-flight clubs who will not be able to participate in the deal for next season, due to current deals with main sponsors banning the appearance of a secondary brand on the kit.

Each club will still have the Premier League logo on one sleeve, however advertising will take up the other.

City have not disclosed the financial deal behind the sponsorship, but the space is valued at around a fifth of that of a main kit sponsor. Clubs like Manchester United, who receive £47million-a-year from Chevrolet to be on their shirts, could see a further £10m invested in the club.

City have listed Nexen Tire as their official tyre manufacturer since 2015, but this is the first time their name will appear on the club's shirts.

'We are delighted to continue our successful partnership with Nexen Tire,' said City Chief Executive Ferran Soriano.

'At Manchester City, we are always striving to take an original approach to our commercial partnerships, creating great relationships and great content for our fans.

'We are especially pleased to be the first Premier League Club to secure an Official Sleeve Partner.

'Nexen is an exciting and growing brand and we are extremely happy both to have extended and grown our relationship.'

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Man City are first Premier League club to have a shirt sleeve sponsor

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Premier League clubs will be allowed shirt sleeve sponsors from next season Manchester City are the first club to announce the new deal Korean tyre manufacturers Nexen will be on City's sleeves from this summer Injured stars Gabriel Jesus and Ilkay Gundogan modelled the new kits Manchester City have made history by becoming the first Premier League team to announce a shirt sleeve sponsor.

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An article about the World Cup being expanded to now include 48 teams instead of 32, making it an even more global event

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The World Cup will be expanded to host 48 teams, up from 32, Fifa has decided.

An initial stage of 16 groups of three teams will precede a knockout stage for the remaining 32 when the change is made for the 2026 tournament.

The sport's world governing body voted unanimously in favour of the change at a meeting in Zurich on Tuesday.

The number of tournament matches will rise to 80, from 64, but the eventual winners will still play only seven games.

The tournament will be completed within 32 days - a measure to appease powerful European clubs, who objected to reform because of a crowded international schedule.

The changes mark the first World Cup expansion since 1998.

It will make a mockery of the qualification process for most confederations

Campaign group New Fifa Now

Why expand? 'Football is more than just Europe and South America'

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has been behind the move, saying the World Cup has to be "more inclusive".

"We are in the 21st century and we have to shape the World Cup of the 21st century," he said at a news conference after the announcement.

"It is the future. Football is more than just Europe and South America, football is global.

"The football fever you have in a country that qualifies for the World Cup is the biggest promotional tool for football you can have.

"This football promotion, in many parts of the world where today they have no chance to play [at the World Cup], was at the top of our thoughts."

According to Fifa research, revenue is predicted to increase to £5.29bn for a 48-team tournament, giving a potential profit rise of £521m.

Campaign group New Fifa Now described the expansion as "a money grab and power grab".

But Infantino said: "It's not at all a money and power grab, it is the opposite, it's a football decision."

He added the decision was taken "based on sporting merit".

He says the decision on who will get the extra qualification slots has yet to be decided but "this will be looked at speedily".

"No guarantees have been made," he added. "The only sure thing is that everyone will have a bit more [representation] than they have."

He says there is no rush to decide what will be used to separate teams who finish on the same points and goal difference. Reports had suggested there could be a penalty shootout at the end of each drawn match.

But Infantino said: "This will be part of the regulations to be decided a few years before the event, it is nothing for now."

FA wants further information

The Football Association said in a statement: "We will work with Uefa, Fifa and the other European associations to understand how the 48-team Fifa World Cup will work.

"The priority has to be consideration of the potential impact on fans, players, teams and leagues, and also recognition of the importance of sporting integrity and commercial viability.

"In terms of the allocation of places, we note that further discussions will follow across the confederations and would expect a proper consultation process to be carried out before any decision is made."

Scottish Football Association chief executive Stewart Regan welcomed the expansion, saying it was a a "positive step, particularly for the smaller nations".

Uefa, European football's governing body,said: "It was clear that all other confederations were overwhelmingly in favour of expanding the Fifa World Cup to 48 teams. As a result, Uefa decided to join in supporting the new format of the competition.

"Uefa is satisfied that it succeeded in postponing the final decision regarding the slot allocation of every confederation in the future format of the Fifa World Cup.

"We would also like to state that we are happy that the new proposed length and format of the tournament does not increase the burden on players. We will also ensure that clubs' interests will continue to be protected."

What the critics say: 'It will dilute the competitiveness'

The European Club Association (ECA), which represents the interests of clubs at European level, reiterated it was not in favour of an expansion. It said Fifa had made a political rather than sporting decision.

"We fail to see the merits to changing the format of 32 that has proven to be the perfect formula from all perspectives," it said in a statement.

"Questionable is also the urgency in reaching such an important decision, with nine years to go until it becomes applicable, without the proper involvement of stakeholders who will be impacted by this change.

"ECA will analyse in detail the impact and the consequences of the new format and will address the matter at the next meeting of its executive board, scheduled for the end of January."

New Fifa Now says the governing body needs to reform, said it would "dilute the competitiveness of the tournament".

"It will not help development of the game or provide improved competitive opportunities for lower-ranked nations," it added. "Instead, it will make a mockery of the qualification process for most confederations."

History of World Cup overhauls

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World Cup: Fifa to expand competition to 48 teams after vote

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The World Cup will be expanded to host 48 teams, up from 32, Fifa has decided. An initial stage of 16 groups of three teams will precede a knockout stage for the remaining 32 when the change is made for the 2026 tournament.

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An example of gamesmanship from the Bundesliga where a goalkeeper cuts up the penalty spot with his studs, causing the penalty taker to slip and miss the penalty

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One goalkeeper turned saboteur in the Bundesliga this weekend, as Augsburg's Marwin Hitz clandestinely carved up the penalty spot moments before an opponent took, and missed, his penalty kick.

Köln's Anthony Modeste slipped on the scuffed turf and Hitz saved the penalty low to his right.

In the hoo-ha that followed the decision to give Köln the penalty kick, the Augsburg goalkeeper was able to go digging with his studs without anyone seeming to notice.

Replays showed there probably was a debate to be had on the merits of the penalty award, but Hitz took full advantage of the distraction regardless.

Hitz apologised after the game and his own manager, Markus Weinzierl, criticised his actions: "He hasn't acted well.

"He hasn't acted cleverly and not fairly. But when you feel wronged you sometimes overreact."

Ich möchte mich für meine Aktion vor dem Elfer entschuldigen. Das war nicht ok & kommt nicht mehr vor! @fckoeln pic.twitter.com/1YmEoHwA1X
- Marwin Hitz (@HitzMarwin) December 6, 2015

The goalkeeper's apology will be of little comfort or use to Köln, who conceded the match-winning - and only - goal of the game six minutes after that penalty miss.

The win lifts Augsburg out of the Bundesliga relegation places to 15th, seven points behind 10th-placed Köln.

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Augsburg goalkeeper slyly destroys penalty spot before saving the following miskicked penalty

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One goalkeeper turned saboteur in the Bundesliga this weekend, as Augsburg's Marwin Hitz clandestinely carved up the penalty spot moments before an opponent took, and missed, his penalty kick. Köln's Anthony Modeste slipped on the scuffed turf and Hitz saved the penalty low to his right.

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John Terry and Anton Ferdinand row on the pitch led to Terry using racist comments

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Chelsea captain John Terry has been banned for four matches and fined £220,000 for racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.

A spokesman for Terry said the player was "disappointed" the FA had reached a "different conclusion" to the "not guilty verdict of a court of law".

In July, the ex-England skipper, 31, was cleared by Westminster Magistrates' Court of racially abusing Ferdinand.

The Terry statement continued: "He has asked for the detailed written reasons of the decision and will consider them carefully before deciding whether to lodge an appeal."

Analysis

Dan Roan BBC sports news correspondent

"Unlike in Terry's court case, the prosecution never had to prove intent, merely that certain words were used, so this verdict was no surprise.

"However, the punishment raises issues. Why a ban half as severe as that handed out to Luis Suarez? Why a fine that equates to just one week's wages? Will Chelsea punish their captain? And will the Ferdinands be satisfied?

"This bitter dispute has always been about more than what one footballer said to another. It shone a spotlight on the game, and the way it deals with discrimination.

"Terry left Wembley in disgrace and is likely to appeal. But regardless, the saga has done lasting damage - both to the his reputation and also the to football itself."

The verdict released by the FA said: "The Football Association charged Mr Terry on Friday 27 July 2012 with using abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards Queens Park Rangers' Anton Ferdinand and which included a reference to colour and/or race contrary to FA Rule E3 [2] in relation to the Queens Park Rangers FC versus Chelsea FC fixture at Loftus Road on 23 October 2011."

Terry will have 14 days from receiving the written reasons to decide whether to lodge an appeal. The ban and fine will not come into effect until after the centre-half has decided what to do.

A statement from his club added: "Chelsea Football Club notes and respects today's decision by the Football Association regarding John Terry.

"We also recognise that John has the right to appeal that decision. It is therefore inappropriate for us to comment further on the matter at this time."

Terry admitted using the word "black" and swearing at Ferdinand but insisted he had only been repeating words he thought the Rangers defender had accused him of saying.

The FA's decision to press ahead with their own charges led Terry, on the eve of the hearing, to announce he was retiring from international football with immediate effect, saying his position had become "untenable".

Terry's legal team argued the governing body's own rules dictated that his acquittal in court meant the case could not proceed but the FA believed their charge was distinct from the court charge.

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was given an eight-match ban when an FA disciplinary panel found him guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra last season.

The panel stated at that time that simply using racist language was enough to constitute a breach of FA rules.

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Chelsea captain John Terry has been banned for four matches and fined £220,000 for racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand. A spokesman for Terry said the player was "disappointed" the FA had reached a "different conclusion" to the "not guilty verdict of a court of law".

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Salah and Mane celebration after scoring a goal for liverpool. Showing their religion on the football pitch.

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During an UEFA youth league game, defender Leonid Mironov allegedly racially abused Rhian Brewster in which he has now been charged with this claim.

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Spartak Moscow defender Leonid Mironov has been charged with racially abusing Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster, Uefa has announced.

The alleged incident took place during a Uefa Youth League game at Prenton Park, which Liverpool won 2-0.

England Under-17 international Brewster had to be calmed down by team-mates and staff at the end of Wednesday's match.

The 17-year-old told the referee and the fourth official was informed, while Liverpool also complained to Uefa.

European football's governing body said the case will be dealt with by their Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body, with a date for the hearing yet to be confirmed.

Brewster was a key part of the England squad that won the Under-17 World Cup in India in October, scoring a hat-trick in the semi-final against Brazil.

Anti-racism campaign group Kick It Out said it was "appalled" by the allegation and called for Uefa to show it was "serious" about tackling racial abuse.

"It is also extremely concerning to this organisation that yet another incident of racism has taken place involving a Russian club, particularly before the 2018 World Cup," the organisation added.

Liverpool Under-19 coach Steven Gerrard told the Liverpool Echo: "It's difficult for me to comment on it right now. It's something that the club will look into and deal with.

"I'd rather talk about Rhian Brewster's performance. I don't want to take any gloss off that because he was superb. The only thing that was missing from his performance was a goal."

In September, Liverpool's Nigeria-born attacker Bobby Adekanye was subjected to racist chants and gestures from Spartak supporters in Moscow.

European football's governing body Uefa charged Spartak, who had to partially close their academy stadium for their next Uefa Youth League fixture, leaving 500 seats empty.

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Rhian Brewster: Uefa charges Spartak Moscow after Liverpool striker alleges racial abuse

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Spartak Moscow defender Leonid Mironov has been charged with racially abusing Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster, Uefa has announced. The alleged incident took place during a Uefa Youth League game at Prenton Park, which Liverpool won 2-0. England Under-17 international Brewster had to be calmed down by team-mates and staff at the end of Wednesday's match.

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Kevin Prince Boateng walks off the pitch after being subjected to racist abuse in a match in Serie A

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A friendly between AC Milan and Italian lower division club Pro Patria has been suspended after players walked off because of racist chants.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has announced an immediate inquiry.

Milan's Kevin-Prince Boateng sparked the walk-off by picking up the match-ball midway through the first half and kicking it into the crowd.

The Ghana international then removed his shirt and was followed by both sets of players and officials.

There had been appeals for the abuse to stop from the public address announcer.

I can only salute Milan's decision to leave the pitch. Also noted that the majority of the fans were completely supportive of the players

Vincent KompanyManchester City captain

Former Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur player Boateng later tweeted: "Shame that these things still happen... #StopRacismforever."

FIGC president Giancarlo Abete branded the incident "unspeakable and intolerable".

In a statement on the FIGC website, Abete added: "We must react with force and without silence to isolate the few criminals that transformed a friendly match into an uproar that offends all of Italian football."

On his way from the pitch, Boateng applauded sections of the crowd, who then reacted angrily towards the corner of the ground from where the chants came.

It was quickly established that play would not restart and Milan's official website said other black players in their side - M'Baye Niang, Urby Emanuelson and Sulley Muntari - suffered abuse.

Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri told reporters: "We are disappointed and saddened by what has happened.

"Milan play for the right to respect all players. We need to stop these uncivilised gestures.

"We are sorry for all the other fans who came here for a beautiful day of sport. We promise to return, and we are sorry for the club and players of Pro Patria, but we could not make any other decision.

"I hope it can be an important signal."

Milan's organising director Umberto Gandini told BBC Sport: "It is so sad but we had to give a strong signal. Very proud of all Milan players for their decision."

Fellow players, including Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany, threw their support behind Boateng and his team-mates.

Kompany said: "I can only salute Milan's decision to leave the pitch. Also noted that the majority of the fans were completely supportive of the players."

However, not all players believe Boateng took the correct action. Former Milan star Clarence Seedorf told BBC Radio 5 live: "I don't feel it's such a fabulous thing. These people will feel empowered now. They should just be identified and kicked out of the stadium."

Piara Powar, executive director of Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE), called for the FIGC to take strong action.

"We salute Kevin-Prince Boateng for his actions and his team-mates for their support," said Powar.

"This is the not the first time a player has walked off in Italy - if the situation continues it may not be the last.

"Italy, as much as any country in Europe, has a serious problem of racism to deal with. Football infrastructure is in need of renewal and at serious odds with the changing nature of Italian society.

"We look forward to strong action by the FIGC."

In June, Uefa president Michel Platini said that any players who walked off the pitch at Euro 2012 because of racist abuse would be booked.

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AC Milan friendly called off after racist chanting

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A friendly between AC Milan and Italian lower division club Pro Patria has been suspended after players walked off because of racist chants. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has announced an immediate inquiry. Milan's Kevin-Prince Boateng sparked the walk-off by picking up the match-ball midway through the first half and kicking it into the crowd.

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Euro 2020 will be the first tournament held in a number of European countries instead of the one traditional host country

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Wembley will host seven games at Euro 2020 after Brussels lost the right to host matches for the tournament.

Belgium's capital city has been ruled out as a planned new stadium is still to be built and Uefa have not received the necessary guarantees.

Wembley was already scheduled to hold the semi-finals and final but will now also host three group games and a last 16 tie.

Cardiff and Stockholm had also been in contention to host the extra games.

England's national stadium is one of 12 venues across Europe hosting Euro 2020 games.

Speaking in Nyon, Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said the decision of Uefa's executive committee had been unanimous as waiting on Belgium was deemed "high risk".

"We don't know if they can build a stadium or not," Ceferin added.

Wales lose 'one and only chance' to host Euro games

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) said they were "extremely disappointed" that their bid to host four matches at Cardiff's Principality Stadium had been unsuccessful.

"The concept of taking Uefa Euro 2020 to 13 different countries was devised to allow smaller countries, like Wales, to have a unique opportunity of being involved in staging a major tournament," the FAW said in a statement.

"Wales has never staged a Euro or World Cup final and this was its one and only chance of doing so."

Which countries is it being held in?

The 2020 tournament, which runs from 12 June until 12 July that year, is the first European Championship to be played under a new format with group games spread across several countries.

The opening match will be played at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Glasgow's Hampden Park and Dublin's Aviva Stadium will host last-16 matches and three group games.

The quarter-finals and three group matches will be held in Munich (Germany), Baku (Azerbaijan), Rome (Italy) and St Petersburg (Russia).

The other host cities that will hold three group games and a last 16 game are Copenhagen (Denmark), Bucharest (Romania), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Bilbao (Spain), Budapest (Hungary) and now London.
Euro 2020 host city pairings Each qualified host country will play a minimum of two games at home.
Group A: Rome & Baku

Group B: Saint Petersburg & Copenhagen

Group C: Amsterdam & Bucharest

Group D: London & Glasgow

Group E: Bilbao & Dublin

Group F: Munich & Budapest

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Euro 2020: Wembley to host seven matches after Brussels loses right to host games

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Wembley will host seven games at Euro 2020 after Brussels lost the right to host matches for the tournament. Belgium's capital city has been ruled out as a planned new stadium is still to be built and Uefa have not received the necessary guarantees.

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From 2010, when Togo withdrew from the African Nations Cup on the advice of their country's government after a machine gun attack on their team bus in Angola

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"We are obliged to respect that. The head of state knows what is good for our careers and our lives. The presidential plane will pick us up. He told me that the plane had left Lome. There are about two hours flying between Lome and Cabinda. We will leave in two or three hours."

Three members of Togo's party were murdered - assistant coach Abalo Amnalete, squad spokesman Stanislas Ocloo and an Angolan bus driver - and nine wounded.

Midfielder Alaixys Romao said the squad were keen to honour their fallen comrades by playing in the tournament.

"People died for this African Nations Cup, others were injured. We cannot abandon them and go like cowards," said Romao.

"If we stay here it is for them. But also so as not to satisfy the rebels. Our government does not necessarily agree with us but we are all determined to play in this tournament. The decision was taken unanimously. We will be on the pitch to play against Ghana on Monday."

Forward Thomas Dossevi added: "We are all heartbroken, it is no longer a party, but we want to show our national colours, our values and that we are men."

However, despite the players' stance, Togo's Prime Minister was adamant that the players should not compete.

He said: "We understand the approach of players who wanted to express a way to avenge their fallen comrades, but it would be irresponsible on the part of the authorities to let them continue. The team must return today. The government's decision is unchanged."

Yesterday, Robert Mingas, the secretary general of Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (Flec), claimed responsibility for the ambush of the Togo team and said that the authorities in Angola had been warned. "This operation is just the start of a series of planned actions that will continue to take place in the whole territory of Cabinda," he said in a statement.

But Angola president Jose Eduardo dos Santos has assured teams that security will be increased for the tournament, which begins today when the hosts meet Mali.

Several Premier League clubs have expressed their concerns over developments in Angola.

"The players should be brought home," said Bolton chairman Phil Gartside. "Of course there's an argument that sport should not be dictated to by the actions of others but at same time safety is paramount. We are concerned because one of our players is there (Danny Shittu of Nigeria). I'm sure other League clubs feel the same.

"You hear about attacks like this on TV and worry when it happens to someone close to you. I think anyone in that situation would want to get home soon as possible."

But Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, said he was happy for Emmanuel Eboué to be in Cabinda and that the competition must continue. "I don't believe you can just stop any competition because that means you reward the people who provoke the incident," he said.

"The international federation needs to ensure security is good enough for the competition. If players feel insecure, you have to look at the possibility of moving them out. The competition still has to go on."

CAF have confirmed a minute's silence will be held prior to the first round of African Nations Cup group matches.

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Togo attack: we are leaving African Nations Cup in Angola, says Emmanuel Adebayor

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"We are obliged to respect that. The head of state knows what is good for our careers and our lives. The presidential plane will pick us up. He told me that the plane had left Lome. There are about two hours flying between Lome and Cabinda. We will leave in two or three hours."

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North and South Korea have agreed to march together under a single "unified Korea" flag at the Winter Olympics in the Pyeongchange

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North and South Korea have agreed to march together under a single "unified Korea" flag at next month's Winter Olympics in the South.

They also agreed to field a joint women's ice hockey team in rare talks at the truce village of Panmunjom.

These are the first high-level talks between the countries in more than two years.

It marks a thaw in relations that began in the new year when North Korea offered to send a team to the games.

The games will take place between 9 and 25 February in Pyeongchang in South Korea.

What will happen?

If the plans are realised, a hundreds-strong North Korean delegation - including 230 cheerleaders, 140 orchestral musicians and 30 taekwondo athletes - could cross into the South via the land border to attend the Winter Olympics.

It will mean the opening of the cross border road for the first time in almost two years.

The two countries have also agreed to field a joint team for the sport of women's ice hockey. It would be the first time athletes from both Koreas have competed together in the same team at an Olympic Games.

The North has also agreed to send a smaller, 150-member delegation to the Paralympics in March.

The agreement will have to be approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Saturday, because North Korea has missed registration deadlines or failed to qualify.

South Korea will also need to find ways to host the North Korean delegation without violating UN Security Council sanctions outlawing cash transfers to Pyongyang and blacklisting certain senior North officials.

What has the reaction been?

South Korea's hockey coach and conservative newspapers have expressed concern about the prospect of a united hockey team, saying it could damage South Korea's chances of winning a medal.

Tens of thousands of people are said to have signed online petitions urging President Moon Jae-in to scrap the plan.

But the liberal leader told South Korean Olympic athletes on Wednesday that the North's participation in the Games would help improve inter-Korean relations.

Japan has viewed the latest detente with suspicion, with Foreign Minister Taro Kono saying the world should not be blinded by Pyongyang's recent "charm offensive".

"It is not the time to ease pressure or to reward North Korea," Mr Kono said, according to Reuters news agency. "The fact that North Korea is engaging in dialogue could be interpreted as proof that the sanctions are working."

No Korean Spring
Analysis by Jonathan Marcus, BBC Defence and Diplomatic Correspondent
The Olympic embrace between North and South Korea represents a rare moment of hope in a crisis that at times has appeared to be steadily moving towards another war on the Korean peninsula.

But is this a brief respite from the bluster and war-like words exchanged between Pyongyang and President Donald Trump, Seoul's main ally? Or does it really offer a platform for a diplomatic route out of this crisis?

The enormity of an armed conflict is clear to all - even President Trump. However, the Olympic detente does not alter the realities of North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

Both programmes need more testing to demonstrate a true inter-continental capability. And with Mr Trump insisting that this is a capability that the North will not be allowed to obtain, it is hard to see this developing into a Korean spring, let alone a definitive resolution of the nuclear dispute.

How did the agreement come about?

The talks which resulted in this agreement came after tensions on the Korean peninsula reached their highest point in decades.

This is because North Korea has made rapid advances in its nuclear and conventional weapons programmes in recent years.

Its latest ballistic missile test, on 28 November, sparked a series of fresh sanctions from the UN targeting petrol shipments and travel.

Soon afterwards North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said he was "open to dialogue".

In a New Year speech, he said he was considering sending a team to the Winter Olympics. South Korea's Olympics chief had said last year that the North's athletes would be welcome.

Then, on 9 January, the two countries made the breakthrough announcement that the North would be sending a delegation.

It was also agreed that a military hotline between the nations, suspended for nearly two years, would be reinstated.

President Moon Jae-in has said the Olympic agreement could pave the way for the nuclear issue to be addressed and lead to dialogue between the North and the US, according to Yonhap news agency in Seoul.

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North and South Korea have agreed to march together under a single "unified Korea" flag at next month's Winter Olympics in the South. They also agreed to field a joint women's ice hockey team in rare talks at the truce village of Panmunjom. These are the first high-level talks between the countries in more than two years.

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In a recent FA Cup match, West Ham United defender Arthur Masuaku spat in the face of Wigan's Nick Powell and has since received a six-game ban

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West Ham defender Arthur Masuaku will serve a mandatory six-game ban for spitting at an opponent, the Football Association has confirmed.

The Frenchman reacted to a challenge from Nick Powell in the Hammers' FA Cup loss to Wigan on Saturday.

Masuaku, 24, later issued an apology on social media, saying his actions were "unacceptable and out of character".

He will not be available for selection until West Ham host Manchester United at London Stadium on 18 March.

Hammers manager David Moyes - already without a number of players because of injury - described the incident as "despicable".

"[Masuaku] will deserve everything he gets and he will get something he deserves from us," he said.

The east Londoners are four points clear of the Premier League relegation zone and Masuaku will miss matches against Crystal Palace, Brighton, Watford, Liverpool, Swansea and Burnley.

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Arthur Masuaku: West Ham defender gets six-game ban for spitting

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West Ham defender Arthur Masuaku will serve a mandatory six-game ban for spitting at an opponent, the Football Association has confirmed. The Frenchman reacted to a challenge from Nick Powell in the Hammers' FA Cup loss to Wigan on Saturday. Masuaku, 24, later issued an apology on social media, saying his actions were "unacceptable and out of character".

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A recent example where a referee stops the match after the local Mosque near the stadium starts the evening call to prayer in Saudi Arabia

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Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg stopped a Saudi Arabia cup match apparently out of respect for the Muslim call to prayer - and has earned widespread praise from football fans in the country.

Clattenburg was officiating a match in Saudi Arabia between Al Feiha and Al-Fateh on Wednesday when the Adhan sounded around the King Salman Sport City Stadium from nearby mosques.

The game was into the fifth minute of extra time when he halted the action with the teams level at 1-1.

When the match resumed, Al Feiha scored their second goal in the 118th minute to reach the quarter-finals.

On a clip viewable on social media there is a round of applause for the decision and people have posted their admiration for Clattenburg's actions:

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Mark Clattenburg: Referee stops play for call to prayer in Saudi Arabia

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Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg stopped a Saudi Arabia cup match apparently out of respect for the Muslim call to prayer - and has earned widespread praise from football fans in the country. Clattenburg was officiating a match in Saudi Arabia between Al Feiha and Al-Fateh on Wednesday when the Adhan sounded around the King Salman Sport City Stadium from nearby mosques.

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The Orel Butchers explain why they went into Marseille to rough up with the English fans along side the other 200 Russian fans

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The secret world of Russia football hooligans

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In rare interviews, the Orel Butchers speak about their lives as Russian football hooligans.

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A video from Channel 4 about the racism case between Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra

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Luis Suarez & Patrice Evra: Did Liverpool make a mistake over racism row?

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The mother of murdered black teenager Anthony Walker tells Channel 4 News that Liverpool Football Club have admitted they 'made mistakes' during the Luis Suarez racism row. Keme Nzerem reports. .

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An article from Sky Sports about the Rainbow Laces campaign, focusing on inclusion for LGBT footballers

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Rainbow Laces campaign for LGBT inclusion backed by Sky Sports

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This month, Sky Sports is again helping to activate Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign which aims to 'make sport everyone's game'.

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An example of racism in football which highlights the difference in cultures between Eastern Europe and the UK

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A social media message containing "racist references" posted by Russian club Spartak Moscow "shows a shocking level of ignorance", says the chief of anti-discriminatory body Fare.

Spartak tweeted a video of some black players training in sunny conditions with a message translating as "see how the chocolates melt in the sun".

"Racism is one of the biggest issues Russia faces in the year they host the World Cup. References like this show how some minorities are seen by some in the country," said Piara Powar.

"For Russia's biggest club to tolerate and then celebrate racist references of this kind is wrong.

"They were sanctioned for Islamophobic chanting recently but clearly the message has not reached the players or the club management."

BBC Sport has requested a response from Spartak Moscow.

Anti-discriminatory body Kick It Out added: "This social media post from the official account of Spartak Moscow only continues to highlight the prejudices towards black people in Russia.

"With the World Cup only a few months away, it is a reminder that Russia - as with the whole of football - has significant work to do to eradicate racism of all forms from the game."

In September, Liverpool's Nigeria-born attacker Bobby Adekanye was subjected to racist chants and gestures from Spartak supporters in Moscow during a Uefa Youth League game.

European football's governing body Uefa charged Spartak, who had to partially close their academy stadium for their next Uefa Youth League fixture, leaving 500 seats empty.

Spartak defender Leonid Mironov has also been charged with racially abusing Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster.

The alleged incident took place during a Uefa Youth League game at Prenton Park, which Liverpool won 2-0 in December.

Uefa said the case will be dealt with by its Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body, with a date for the hearing yet to be confirmed.

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Spartak Moscow criticised for 'racist' tweet about own players

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A social media message containing "racist references" posted by Russian club Spartak Moscow "shows a shocking level of ignorance", says the chief of anti-discriminatory body Fare. Spartak tweeted a video of some black players training in sunny conditions with a message translating as "see how the chocolates melt in the sun".