Owen Farrell will miss the start of the World Cup after the England captain was banned for four matches by an appeal committee for his dangerous tackle against Wales

Farrell will be unavailable for the crucial Pool D matches against Argentina and Japan, with this month’s warm-up games against Ireland and Fiji also included in the suspension.

World Rugby had appealed against the decision of a disciplinary panel to downgrade Farrell’s red card for a high tackle at Twickenham on August 12 to yellow.

Owen Farrell will miss the start of the World Cup after the England captain was banned for four matches by an appeal committee for his dangerous tackle against Wales

Farrell will be unavailable for the crucial Pool D matches against Argentina and Japan, with this month’s warm-up games against Ireland and Fiji also included in the suspension.

World Rugby had appealed against the decision of a disciplinary panel to downgrade Farrell’s red card for a high tackle at Twickenham on August 12 to yellow.

There were mixed fortunes for the Caribbean men in the 400m semi-finals on day four of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Tuesday.

Antonio Watson was first up and set the track ablaze with a massive personal best 44.13 to take semi-final one over the likes of South African world record holder Wayde Van Niekerk and American Vernon Norwood.

Norwood ran a personal best of his own with 44.26 for second while Van Niekerk ran 44.65 in third and Jereem Richards ran 44.76 in fourth.

Van Niekerk made it through to the final as one of the fastest losers while Richards was just beaten out Norway’s Havard Bentdal Ingvaldsen who ran 44.70 in heat two.

Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson Smith won the second semi-final in a personal best, British and European record 44.26 ahead of 2011 World Champion Kirani James who ran 44.58.

Unfortunately, reigning Olympic Champion Steven Gardiner looked set to book his spot in the final before pulling up injured while leading with about 100m to go in the third semi-final.

The race was eventually won by American Quincy Hall in 44.43 while Jamaica’s Sean Bailey also made it through to the final with 44.94.

 

Three Jamaicans will contest the medals in the women’s 400m hurdles as the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Budapest after producing excellent semi-final performances on day four on Tuesday.

Clayton was first-up in semi-final one with a personal best 53.30 to win and book her spot in the final. American Anna Cockrell also advanced to the final with a personal best 53.63 in second.

Andrenette Knight had to go up against a loaded field in semi-final two including Femke Bol and former world record holder Dalilah Muhammad. Bol took the win in an easy 52.95 while Knight ran brilliantly to finish second in 53.72. Muhammad ran 54.19 in third and failed to make it to the final.

The third semi-final saw four athletes make it through to the final. Shamier Little produced a season’s best 52.82 to win ahead of Bahrain’s Kemi Adekoya (53.69). National champion Janieve Russell ensured that it would be three Jamaicans in the final with 53.83 in third while Italy’s Ayomide Folorunso ran a national record 53.89 to also advance.

Navasky Anderson failed to advance from the heats of the Men’s 800m on day four of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Tuesday.

Anderson, who ran a national record 1:44.70 in July to qualify for the championships, was only able to produce 1:45.81 for fifth in heat two.

After seven heats, Anderson’s time was just .05 slower than the final non-automatic qualifying time.

The 23-year-old also failed to advance from the heats at last year’s edition in Eugene.

Mary Earps has questioned Nike’s statement that defended the company’s decision not to sell replica England goalkeeper jerseys.

The Manchester United keeper won the golden glove at the World Cup, where she saved a penalty in the Lionesses’ 1-0 defeat to Spain in Sunday’s final.

Earps has become a firm fan favourite as interest in the women’s game has boomed – including the Euros success last summer.

Nike came in for criticism before the tournament when it became apparent replica Earps shirts would not be available.

In a statement released after the final, the kit manufacturer said: “Nike is committed to women’s football and we’re excited by the passion around this year’s tournament and the incredible win by the Lionesses to make it into the final.

“We are proudly offering the best of Nike innovation and services to our federation partners and hundreds of athletes.

“We hear and understand the desire for a retail version of a goalkeeper jersey and we are working towards solutions for future tournaments, in partnership with FIFA and the federations.

“The fact that there’s a conversation on this topic is testament to the continued passion and energy around the women’s game and we believe that’s encouraging.”

On Tuesday afternoon, Earps posted a screenshot of the statement on her Instagram stories, adding the comment: “@Nike is this your version of an apology/taking accountability/a powerful statement of intent?”

In a following post, Earps provided a link to a change.org petition that started in July, calling on Nike to release the goalkeeper shirt and it currently has more than 97,000 signatories.

Prince Khalid Abdullah – owner of such superstars as Frankel, Dancing Brave, Zafonic and Enable – has been posthumously inducted into the Qipco British Champions Series Hall of Fame.

Prince Khalid is just the second person to be recognised within the Hall of Fame’s Special Contributor category, following in the footsteps of the late Queen, who was inducted in 2021.

He was chosen by an independent panel of industry experts in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the sport, his achievements through his breeding and racing operation Juddmonte leaving a lasting legacy, its champions far too many to mention but also including Warning, Arrogate, Rainbow Quest, Dansili and Kingman and many others.

Prince Khalid’s induction will be officially marked through a special presentation moment at York on Wednesday, on the same day as the Juddmonte International, a race the organisation has supported since 1989.

Douglas Erskine Crum, chief executive of Juddmonte, said: “Prince Khalid was an owner-breeder like no other, with his numerous cherished champions, including perhaps the greatest thoroughbred of them all in Frankel.

“Through his racing and breeding operation, Juddmonte, the Prince has left a legacy which, now under the direction of his sons, Prince Fahad, Prince Saud and Prince Ahmed, continues to have a massive influence on the sport globally, at the same time as giving great pleasure and entertainment to his family.

“Prince Khalid would have been very pleased to be recognised by the British horse racing industry in this way and, on behalf of his whole family, I thank British racing and the Qipco British Champions Series Hall of Fame for this exceptional accolade.”

Trained by the late Sir Henry Cecil, Frankel won all 14 of his races, including 10 at Group One level which featured the Juddmonte International.

“He’s the best I have had. I am lucky to have this horse,” Prince Khalid would say of the colt in a rare interview, flashing his warm smile in between questions.

“Let us hope another like him comes along in the future,” he added.

Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister has had his red card against Bournemouth overturned.

Mac Allister was shown a straight red by referee Thomas Bramall after catching Bournemouth midfielder Ryan Christie on the foot in the 58th minute of Liverpool’s 3-1 home win on Saturday.

“An independent regulatory commission has removed Alexis Mac Allister’s three-match suspension following a claim of wrongful dismissal,” read a statement posted on the FA Spokesperson account on Twitter.

“The Liverpool midfielder was sent off for serious foul play during their Premier League game against Bournemouth on Saturday, 19 August.”

World Cup-winner Mac Allister’s home debut was cut short with Liverpool leading 2-1.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said: “After the game I saw it back. I think if you have a list of points, what we need to give a red card, besides contact there’s nothing else, no other boxes ticked.

“It’s a decision we all agree if he gives a yellow card VAR would not overturn it and if he gives a red card VAR will not overturn it because contact means it’s not a clear and obvious mistake.”

Liverpool responded to the FA decision by saying: “A club appeal against the suspension has now been upheld by an independent regulatory commission, meaning Mac Allister is eligible for selection when the Reds travel to Newcastle United on Sunday.”

James Harden didn't hold back in besmirching the Philadelphia 76ers, and now it's going to cost him.

The NBA fined Harden $100,000 on Tuesday for comments he made about his status with the 76ers.

While Harden famously called 76ers team president Daryl Morey "a liar," the league is punishing the 2017-18 NBA MVP for publicly saying he would not perform the services called for under his player contract unless he was traded. The league confirmed with Harden that he berated Morey because he believed the 76ers would not grant his trade request.

A $100,000 fine is the maximum the NBA can fine a player.

Harden picked up his $35.6million player option for the 2023-24 season in late June with the understanding that Morey would work out a trade, according to reports.

It was reported last week that the 76ers told Harden's agent, Mike Silverman, that Morey was unable to find a trade for the 10-time All-Star and the franchise wouldn't deal him unless it could find a trade that would help the team contend for a championship.

That prompted Harden to blast Morey at a promotional event in China.

"Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organisation that he’s a part of," Harden said in a video that went viral last week. "Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organisation that he’s a part of."

The 76ers were reportedly involved in trade talks with both the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks, but nothing came about of those discussions.

Harden, who turns 34 on Saturday, was a solid complement to NBA MVP Joel Embiid this past season, averaging 21.0 points and a league-leading 10.7 assists to help the 76ers to the third-best record in the Eastern Conference.

Philadelphia was knocked out in the conference semifinals for a second straight year after losing to the rival Boston Celtics in seven games, and Harden's play in the postseason was inconsistent. He had a pair of 40-point performances but averaged just 15.1 points on 30.0 per cent shooting with 8.4 assists in his other nine playoff games.

For his career, Harden has averaged 24.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.5 steals in exactly 1,000 regular-season games.

 

Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from August 22.

Football

The Lionesses returned home and vowed to come back stronger.

Peter Crouch had a win.

Cricket

Alex Hartley called it a day.

Formula One

George Russell was ready to return to action.

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were on the water.

Snooker

Six-time world champion Steve Davis turned 66.

Gymnastics

Max Whitlock returned.

Ackera Nugent, Devynne Charlton, Danielle Williams and Megan Tapper all progressed to the semi-finals of the 100m hurdles on day four of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Tuesday.

Nugent, the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Champion, was first up in heat one, producing 12.60 to narrowly win ahead of American Masai Russell who was credited with the same time. Ireland’s Sarah Lavin (12.69) and France’s Cyrena Samba-Mayela (12.71) completed the top four.

2019 World Champion, Nia Ali, ran 12.55 to win the second heat ahead of Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska (12.65), South Africa’s Marione Fourie (12.71) and Hungary’s Luca Kozak (12.71).

2015 World Champion Danielle Williams and 2022 World Indoor Champion Devynne Charlton both lined up in heat three. Charlton and Williams were second and third with 12.44, a new Bahamian national record, and 12.51, respectively, as the race was won by American former world record holder in a blistering 12.24. Great Britain’s Cindy Sember was fourth in 12.83.

Puerto Rico’s Olympic Champion, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, was next up in heat four. She continued her unbeaten run this season with 12.50 to comfortably win the heat ahead of the Netherlands’ Nadine Visser (12.68) and Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji (12.71). Celeste Mucci of Australia also made it through with 12.90 in fourth.

Jamaican national champion, Megan Tapper, finished second in the fifth and final heat in 12.51 to advance. Nigerian World Champion and world record holder Tobi Amusan ran 12.49 to win the heat while Australia’s Michelle Jenneke and Cyprus’ Natalia Christofi ran 12.71 and 12.90 in third and fourth, respectively.

York’s flagship meeting has plenty in store as the racing world descends on the city for the Sky Bet Ebor Festival.

The headline race on the opening day of the four-day event is the Juddmonte International, a Group One contest that is one of the highlight of not only the Ebor fixture but of the whole Flat calendar.

This year’s race has attracted a field of just four, but among them is arguably one of the best and most popular horses in training in Aidan O’Brien’s Paddington.

The colt has won a string of Group One events that includes the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes, the Coral-Eclipse and the Sussex Stakes and now aims to add a fifth success at the top level to an already stellar CV.

He will face John and Thady Gosden’s Mostahdaf, a four-length winner of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, plus his stablemate Nashwa and Andrew Balding’s Dante hero The Foxes.

“It looks a fascinating renewal, Paddington is seeking a fifth successive Group One and he’s taking on Mostahdaf, who was so impressive at Royal Ascot,” said William Derby, York’s chief executive and clerk of the course.

“I think they’ve won something like 14 Group races between them and the filly, Nashwa, adds a different dimension and of course The Foxes was so impressive in the Al Basti Equiworld Dante – it’s an interesting shape to the race and it’s filled with quality.”

On Thursday there is a superb race in prospect in the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks, with 10 high-quality fillies declared including Irish Oaks heroine Savethelastdance and Bluestocking, runner-up at the Curragh.

Al Husn, successful in the Nassau Stakes, joins the fray, as does Ribblesdale Stakes winner Warm Heart and Middleton Stakes victor Free Wind.

“I’m delighted, especially as it’s Pertemps first sponsorship of the Yorkshire Oaks and it’s such a fascinating contest,” said Derby.

“The first two in the Irish Oaks take on the older horses, it looks really exciting. Al Husn is a Group One winner from Goodwood and it looks a real highlight of Ladies Day at the Ebor Festival.”

The Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup promises to be a compelling renewal as many of the Goodwood Cup cast reassemble on the Knavesmire, including runaway winner Quickthorn and the Ascot Gold Cup champion Courage Mon Ami.

“It could be a Goodwood Cup rematch! I’m delighted that we have the Gold Cup winner from Royal Ascot looking like he’s coming, that division looks really open post Stradivarius so it will be interesting to see how it shapes up,” Derby said.

“Quickthorn did a similar job in the Lonsdale last year as he did at Goodwood so it will be interesting to see if they let him get an easy lead this time around.”

On the same day the five-furlong Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes is a race worth anticipating, with John Quinn’s locally-trained supermare Highfield Princess bidding to retain the title she won 12 months ago.

She is joined by a host of Northern-based rivals including the two-year-old Big Evs, Mick Appleby’s Royal Ascot and Goodwood star who was supplemented for the race following the latter of those triumphs.

Derby said: “In the Coolmore Nunthorpe Highfield Princess is a real local favourite, she’s trained 10 or 12 miles from the track and she won it last year as part of a hat-trick of Group Ones.

“The interesting addition is the two-year-old Big Evs, with a huge weight advantage, who tries to be the first two-year-old since Kingsgate Native in 2007 to overhaul his elders.

“It looks a really interesting race with lots of Yorkshire strength as well as the rest of fastest horses in the country.”

The final day of the meeting is the home of the valuable City of York Stakes and the namesake of the fixture, the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap, a wide-open contest held on what will likely be a final visit to York for the retiring great of the game that is Frankie Dettori – who also happens to be last year’s winner.

“We’ve got the Sky Bet City of York Stakes as well for £500,000, it is the most valuable Group Two and we’re really trying everything to see if that can be upgraded to Group One status,” said Derby.

“The Sky Bet Ebor is really open, as you’d expect for such a high value, highly-rated handicap. Twenty-two runners and each you could make a case for!

“It’s Britain’s richest Flat handicap and it looks really interesting as to whether Real Dream for Sir Michael Stoute can make amends for us all missing out on poor Desert Crown – that would be an amazing end to the week.

“It will also probably be Frankie Dettori’s last raceday at York so we’ll be looking forward to celebrating that. There’s a great deal to look forward to.”

Tommy Fury insisted he will end YouTube boxing by beating KSI on October 14, but the Briton’s fighting talk at a press conference was overshadowed by his father’s explosive antics.

Fury, the half-brother of unbeaten heavyweight world champion Tyson, returns to the ring for the second time this year after his decision victory over Jake Paul in February.

The 24-year-old was speaking in front of the media in London to promote the bout, only for the event to end prematurely after John Fury was angered by undercard fighters Logan Paul and Dillon Danis’ lewd war of words.

John Fury had enough, flipping over a table and kicking another to spark a melee on stage at OVO Arena Wembley.

Before the drama, Tommy Fury said: “I said that I’d end this (YouTube boxing) in 12 months.

“I fought Jake Paul in February and I’m fighting this man in October (KSI) and he will be done and YouTube boxing will be done. I only need one round (to win).”

Wales wing Louis Rees-Zammit believes he is “definitely quicker than last season” as he prepares to blast out of the starting blocks at his first World Cup.

The 22-year-old has carved out a reputation as one of world rugby’s finest finishers, combining blistering pace with a box-office ability to score spectacular tries.

And the sport’s biggest stage now awaits a player good enough to thrill a worldwide audience through his dazzling skill-set.

Asked to compare his speed with a year ago, Gloucester star Rees-Zammit said: “I would say I am even faster.

“I feel the fittest I have ever been, and I am just raring to go. In terms of numbers, I am definitely quicker than last season.

“Being so fit, it just allows you to repeat and repeat all day. Being able to do it once or twice isn’t good enough. I have got to maintain that and keep doing it.

“The (training) camps in Switzerland and Turkey lived up to expectations. They were the hardest things I have ever done.

“I feel so fit now. I am ready to perform, I am ready to play. We are all ready to go.

“We’ve got some very quick players – Rio (Dyer), Josh (Adams), the whole back-three, Mason Grady is rapid as well and the nines are very quick. We have got great pace in this squad.”

Fellow wing Adams has proved a source of inspiration to Rees-Zammit, who remembers watching as a 17-year-old while he excelled at the last World Cup in Japan.

Adams’ finished the tournament as top try-scorer with seven, a figure bettered only by three players in one World Cup campaign – Jonah Lomu, Bryan Habana and Julian Savea.

Adams’ 20 touchdowns for Wales mean he is in the same try bracket as greats like Sir Gareth Edwards and Gerald Davies, and Rees-Zammit is a huge fan.

“Josh helps me massively, doing analysis and making me learn the game better,” Rees-Zammit added.

“He has done it all, he has been on a (British and Irish) Lions tour and he has been top try-scorer at the World Cup. He is an unbelievable player.

“I was 17 at the last World Cup watching him score loads of tries while I was at Hartpury College. He was unbelievable.

“He was the stand-out player at the last World Cup. To be able to train and play with him day in, day out is so special.”

Despite his age, Rees-Zammit offers considerable experience on the back of 27 Wales caps and a Lions tour to South Africa in 2021.

“I feel quite experienced at such a young age,” he said. “Being on a Lions tour was amazing but being at a World Cup for your country is really special as well.

“I would never have have thought I would have gone to a World Cup, so I am absolutely over the moon to have this opportunity. I’ve got to take it now.”

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