The 2023 FA Cup final will kick off at the traditional time of 3pm, the Football Association has confirmed.

The showpiece match on June 3 is a Manchester derby for the first time in the competition’s 151-year history.

The clash of the north-west rivals led the Metropolitan Police to deem it a high-risk match and insist upon a kick-off time no later than 4.45pm.

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The FA Cup final will take place on Saturday 3 June at 15:00 (UK) ? pic.twitter.com/qbRCVliu3U

— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 26, 2023

On Wednesday afternoon the FA confirmed a 3pm kick-off time, the first occasion the final has been a 3pm kick-off since 2011.

The FA confirmed the winners would receive £2million in prize money, with the losing finalists banking £1million.

Simon Middleton says “the right person will be the best person” to succeed him as England head coach, whether they are male or female.

Middleton steps down after the Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam showdown against France at Twickenham on Saturday.

During his time in charge, England have reached two World Cup finals, won five Six Nations titles and four Grand Slams.

The Red Roses also embarked on a 30-game unbeaten run that ended with defeat to New Zealand in the World Cup final last year.

Sarina Wiegman led England’s Lionesses to success at Women’s Euro 2022, and there are many in English rugby who would like to see a female appointment, post-Middleton.

“We have got some very good coaches/directors of rugby-style females in the game,” Middleton said.

“Giselle Mather (Ealing Trailfinders director of rugby) is one, Jo Yapp (Worcester women’s head coach) being one, Susie Appleby (Exeter Chiefs head coach) being another.

???? ?#ENGvFRA pic.twitter.com/HBXUcrma7y

— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) April 25, 2023

“A lot of it is relevant to the team you build around you and how you manage that team of staff. The right person will be the best person.”

Marlie Packer, who will captain England in front of a record crowd for a women’s match of more than 53,000 on Saturday, added: “For me, I think it is the right person for the job.

“Whether it is a male or female, I don’t mind. I think that is what most of the squad think as well.

“We just want to be pushed as players to be the best players we can. We want someone who is going to give us a new drive, and it doesn’t matter who it is.”

The immediate focus of Middleton and Packer is to complete another Six Nations clean sweep, ending a tournament that has so far seen the Red Roses score 233 points and concede just 15.

France, though, are also unbeaten, and it promises to be a thrilling spectacle as Middleton bids farewell.

“The magnitude of the game this weekend is a huge distraction from potentially everything else,” he said.

“It has been a real privilege to be part of it, and we just desperately want to make sure we finish it in the right way on Saturday.

? Round 5 is going to be tasty!

Here's how the table stands heading into the final round of action, with everything to play for.#OurCharge #TikTokW6N pic.twitter.com/mSeWWqKYXb

— TikTok Women's Six Nations (@Womens6Nations) April 23, 2023

“What we want is more occasions like this one. The beauty about one of these occasions is it sends a massive message out about what is achievable, and it puts pressure on others to respond positively.”

Middleton has made four changes from the team that saw off Ireland 48-0 in Cork last weekend.

Centre Helena Rowland makes her first start of the Six Nations campaign, partnering Tatyana Heard in midfield, while scrum-half Lucy Packer, hooker Lark Davies and prop Sarah Bern also feature.

Packer, meanwhile, has allayed any fears about her fitness after going off injured in Ireland, and she packs down alongside back-row colleagues Sadia Kabaya and Alex Matthews.

“It is going to be a very special occasion,” Packer added. “To lead the squad out for a Six Nations Grand Slam decider is going to be epic.

“Simon will leave a massive legacy. The group has massive respect for him, what he has done for us as a group and for the women’s game.

“When he told me he was leaving, I gave him a hug and said, ‘Right, let’s go and win this Six Nations, let’s send you off properly’.”

Team: E Kildunne (Saracens); A Dow (Harlequins), H Rowland (Loughborough), T Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury), C MacDonald (Exeter); H Aitchison (Saracens), L Packer (Harlequins); H Botterman (Saracens), L Davies (Bristol), S Bern (Bristol), Z Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury), S Beckett (Gloucester-Hartpury), S Kabeya (Loughborough), M Packer (Saracens, capt), A Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury).

Replacements: C Powell (Gloucester-Hartpury), M Carson (Saracens), M Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury), P Cleall (Saracens), N Talling (Loughborough), N Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury), A Reed (Bristol), J Breach (Saracens).

Hartlepool chairman Raj Singh has announced that the struggling club will be put up for sale.

The decision comes towards the end of a difficult season for Pools, who are all but relegated from Sky Bet League Two as they currently sit second bottom and six points from safety with only two games remaining.

Their last game against drop rivals Crawley on Saturday saw Scott Lindsey’s visitors pick up a huge three points in the battle for survival with a 2-0 win at the Suit Direct Stadium.

“This comes as an incredibly tough decision, perhaps the toughest I have ever had to make, but I will formally be putting the club up for sale,” Singh said on the Hartlepool website.

“It is certainly not what I had intended to do but I feel I must listen to the voices from Saturday.

“I am hurting and deeply upset following Saturday. I do want to apologise to all the genuine fans for the shortcomings on the playing side. This season has been nowhere near good enough and I will elaborate on that in due course.

“As a local person I stepped in to help Hartlepool when it was in danger of ceasing to exist and I have done my utmost. Despite what some people might what to believe or portray, the club is in a much more secure position behind the scenes than when I arrived.

“I find some of the comments that are being made and the abuse that myself, my family and some staff have received incredibly difficult to hear and digest. I have dedicated my time, energy and money to help the club with the right intentions.

“Since my very first interview, I have always said that I will not stand in the way of other another owner or investors who have the right intentions and backing. I will now make that opportunity formally public and promote it.”

Singh also confirmed that John Askey will remain as manager going into next season.

Askey became Hartlepool’s third manager this term following Keith Curle’s departure in February 2023. He led the team on an encouraging eight-game unbeaten run, but their last three games have ended in defeat.

“John Askey will be the manager of this football club next season,” Singh added.

“I have sat down with John and Darren (Kelly) our sporting director to assure them, and all the fans, that I will remain fully committed to the success of Hartlepool both on and off the pitch until the club is sold.”

Hibernian have succeeded in their appeal against Jimmy Jeggo’s red card in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at St Johnstone.

An independent panel convened by the Scottish Football Association partially upheld Hibernian’s wrongful dismissal claim and downgraded the red card to a yellow card for a “reckless” challenge.

Manager Lee Johnson had launched a blistering attack on referee Craig Napier and his fellow officials after being left flabbergasted by what he felt was a “horrendous decision” to send off Jeggo in the cinch Premiership match.

Australian midfielder Jeggo saw red early in the second half after sliding to reach the ball before Saints forward Connor McLennan, who was subsequently caught by the Hibs player’s studs.

A club statement from Hibernian on Sunday evening read: “Following an extensive review of the footage from different angles, the competitive nature of the game, and knowing Jeggo won the ball first, the club has submitted an appeal to the SFA.”

Speaking after Saturday’s match, Hibernian boss Johnson was highly critical of the decision.

“That’s as bad (officiating) as I’ve seen,” the Englishman said. “I’ve probably played 1,000 games as a player, including youth, 500-odd games as a manager, and that’s the worst I’ve seen. Unreal.”

Hibs welcomed the outcome of the appeal but remain concerned over the standard of refereeing.

Chief executive Ben Kensell said on the club’s website: “We are pleased that common sense has prevailed and the appeal panel has overturned Jimmy Jeggo’s red card.

“This is a positive outcome, however, throughout the current campaign, we have raised serious concerns with the standard of officiating across the Scottish game on at least five occasions where decisions have wrongly gone against us.

“We will work with other clubs and the SFA to bring needed improvement to the current systems.”

Jeggo’s successful appeal comes less than a week after Aberdeen skipper Graeme Shinnie had an extra one-game suspension added on following a failed wrongful dismissal challenge.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will not shy away from pitching Anthony Gordon into a cauldron on his return to relegation-haunted Everton as he targets Champions League qualification.

The 22-year-old left Goodison Park in a £45million switch to the Magpies in January in acrimony, having made his name in the blue half of his native city.

Gordon has had to remain patient since – although he allowed his frustration to get the better of him when he was substituted at Brentford earlier this month – having started just two games for his new club, but will hope to play a significant role on familiar territory on Thursday evening.

Eddie Howe on Anthony Gordon:

"I can only really comment on the player I've seen and he's been very good. He's trained very well and he's passionate, wants to achieve and wants to do well in his career. He's in a good place and he's looking forward to the game." pic.twitter.com/JqP9PInSTr

— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) April 26, 2023

Asked if he had to be mindful of the hostile reception the youngster could receive, head coach Howe, who has a doubt over defender Fabian Schar, replied: “You don’t want to have or do anything that impacts the team, which is the most important thing.

“This is something surrounding the game, but is not influencing the game in terms of tactical preparation.

“There is nothing I can do to change that. It’s something we need to be mindful of, but I’m not too sure – other than concentrating on how we play – what we can do.”

In a terse announcement of Gordon’s departure, Everton confirmed the player, who had been confronted by angry fans as he left Goodison following a 2-1 defeat by Southampton in January, had submitted a formal transfer request.

He has since insisted the situation surrounding his departure was “misconstrued”, but whether he has a point to prove on his return, Howe – who revealed he would speak to the midfielder before the game – insisted he had to play the game rather than the occasion.

The 45-year-old said: “It’s staying very present and not thinking too much, just play the game – which is easier said than done in that environment where probably all eyes will be, he’ll feel, focused on him.

“I don’t want it to become a big talking point in the game.

“For me, it’s not important. It’s important for Anthony and it’s important that he comes through the game in a good way, but what’s important is that the team functions and we show our best selves.”

Seven of Gordon’s nine Newcastle appearances to date, the last of them in Sunday’s 6-1 Premier League romp against top-four rivals Tottenham, have come from the bench and while he is pleased with his contribution to date, Howe is confident there is more to come from him.

He said: “We have seen glimpses of potential, glimpses of what he can do. Putting it all together for 90 minutes, we have not seen that yet.

“I am really pleased with him and I know he will be a high-quality player for us in the future and I know he is going to be the right signing for us because of the way he has reacted to the move.”

5-0 inside 21 minutes!@NUFC were electric against Spurs ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/6PrPo7MEkO

— Premier League (@premierleague) April 26, 2023

Sunday’s rout of Spurs re-ignited the Magpies’ European charge and Howe and his players are in no mood to relax as the season’s climax approaches.

He said: “It’s hugely important that we don’t settle, that after a victory like we had on Sunday, we don’t sit back and relax with that.

“That is the wrong emotion. We have to use the confidence we have from the game, the way we played, the manner of the performance and use it to fuel us even more to try and recreate those moments again.”

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre will attempt to eradicate the “wobbles” from his new approach to staying calm on the course as he bids to secure a place in the US PGA Championship.

The top 100 players in the world rankings, who are not already exempt, are traditionally invited to compete in the year’s second major, with MacIntyre 90th in the standings.

The left-hander has two chances to seal his place at Oak Hill ahead of the May 8 ranking deadline, with this week’s Korea Championship followed by his title defence in the Italian Open at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome, venue for this year’s Ryder Cup.

And the 26-year-old arrived at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Incheon in good form following a final round of 64 in Japan at the weekend.

“It was really good,” MacIntyre said. “The golf course played tough on Sunday, it was firm and the wind blew.

“It was a good golf course. You knew if you scored well, if you were a couple under par, you would move up. Just happy to finish it off well.

“I’m trying not to get too emotional (on the course), whatever happens just hit it, deal with it, hit it again. That’s what I’m trying to do and last week it worked.

“I think I only had three holes where it wobbled a little bit. That was in the second round, I had two double bogeys within three holes, but we dealt with it and got on with it.

“Everyone gets annoyed and a bit stressed, it’s just recognising it is there and doing something to sort it.”

?? Jul 2022: Maiden Tour win ?? Dec 2022: Second success ? Jan 2023: Winning putt at Hero Cup ⛳ Apr 2023: Masters debut

There have been plenty of highlights for @AdrianMeronk in the past year ?#KoreaChampionship

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) April 25, 2023

World number 63 Adrian Meronk is the highest-ranked player in the field as he returns to action after becoming the first Polish player to compete in the Masters.

Meronk, who missed the cut at Augusta National by two shots following rounds of 73 and 76, said: “The Masters was an unbelievable experience.

“When I arrived on Sunday I was like, ‘Wow’. It’s such a cool place, a special place. I enjoyed the week, wish it was a bit longer for me, but I’ll get it next time. A special week and probably one of the highlights of my career.

“Playing with the best in the world gives you confidence and belief in yourself that you can do it. Hopefully that will help me to get better, improve my world ranking.”

Organisers of Europe’s biggest inclusive rugby union tournament will tap into Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games feelgood factor when the city hosts the IGR Union Cup.

Four years after bidding for the event and two years on from when Birmingham should have staged it, 47 LGBTQ+ teams – 1400 players from more than 10 countries – will descend on Perry Barr Stadium.

The three-day competition, which has a tiered structure for players of all levels, starts on Friday.

Last weekend we held a training event for the volunteers who will be helping us make the Union Cup 2023 a huge success next month in Birmingham! ? It was great to meet so many enthusiastic people.#volunteers #volunteering #birmingham #rugby #unioncup2023 #lgbtq? pic.twitter.com/MFqHYvioto

— IGR Union Cup (@unioncuprugby) March 22, 2023

It also sees the return of a women’s programme, which includes a masterclass training day taken by former England World Cup-winning coaches Gary Street and Graham Smith.

And there will be a familiar sight of kitted-out volunteers, with many of them returning after playing their part during the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

“Birmingham has an outstanding reputation for staging major events,” Union Cup organising committee chair James Anthony told the PA news agency.

“We’ve been really lucky in terms of volunteers. We have got over 100 of them, and in a real legacy of the Commonwealth Games, about half of them were involved last year.

? Only 3 Days To Go Till Union Cup 2023!? Best wishes to all teams playing.

ℹ️ For more information on the schedule:? https://t.co/aMBrGXrlP5#igrugby #rugbyforall #unioncup2023 pic.twitter.com/RCF1DB9yGk

— IGR International Gay Rugby (@IGRugby) April 24, 2023

“They have got the bug for volunteering at sports events, which has been a huge help to us.”

Four-figure crowds are expected, with Birmingham being the competition’s ninth host city as it returns following a four-year absence due to the Covid pandemic.

“The first tournament took place in 2005 in Montpellier, when I think only three or four teams from Europe competed, so it has developed significantly since then,” Anthony added.

“It is the biggest inclusive tournament in Europe, and one of the biggest rugby events in terms of people participating at one time in the country.

We did it! Winners of the Bingham Cup 2022: Kings Cross Steelers 1XV. ?

A great day of results for the club – we couldn't be prouder to win this trophy for the first time pic.twitter.com/UfVjdIk111

— Kings Cross Steelers (@KXSteelers) August 21, 2022

“We’ve got teams from Israel, Spain, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Holland, Sweden, as well as a very large contingent from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

“There are a number of tiers based on clubs’ previous performances, with eight of them competing in the top tier for the Union Cup, with three tiers sitting below that.

“And the range is incredible as we’ve got clubs that only started during and after Covid, along with clubs like Kings Cross Steelers, who won the Bingham Cup global event last year and are Harlequins’ official inclusion partner club.”

Apart from the competitive and coaching elements, the event, which starts with an opening ceremony at Birmingham Town Hall on Thursday and includes former Wales captain Gareth Thomas among the speakers, will have a key theme of driving participation.

“One of the things that LGBTQ+ clubs are very good at is bringing new people into the sport,” Anthony said.

“At my club, the Birmingham Bulls, I would say half of our players hadn’t played rugby in any serious way other than when they were at school, and we also get a lot of people coming into rugby for the first time, some in their 30s and 40s.

“There are probably 10 times as many clubs now as there were 10 years ago.

“And I would say to anyone looking to take up rugby to find their local IGR (International Gay Rugby) team, because they are so welcoming. A lot of clubs also have well-developed touch rugby teams, so you can find your space and give it a go.

“And you don’t have to live in a major urban area to take part in these things. There are clubs springing up in all parts of the country, and that makes a huge difference.”

Former Scotland captain and scrum-half Greig Laidlaw has announced his retirement from rugby.

The 37-year-old began his career with Edinburgh before moving on to Gloucester and Clermont Auvergne. He currently plays for Japanese club Urayasu D-Rocks.

Laidlaw earned 76 caps, including 39 Test appearances as captain, and toured New Zealand with the 2017 British and Irish Lions.

A post shared by Greig Laidlaw (@g.laidlaw)

He retired from international rugby after the 2019 World Cup in Japan and now plans to start a coaching career.

“We intend as a family to stay in Japan a while longer, but it is here I will finally hang up my playing boots,” Laidlaw wrote on Instagram.

“It is time to take everything I have learnt from a playing career I could only have dreamt of and move on into coaching.

One of the very best ?

Congratulations on an incredible career, Greig!#AsOne pic.twitter.com/eqyNRph4Aw

— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) April 26, 2023

“Throughout my playing career I have pushed myself, I have taken on new experiences, continuously learnt and immersed myself in different cultures.

“I have always enjoyed figuring out how to work as a team and how to get the best out of my team-mates, things I will take with me and continue to develop.

“I believe I have developed a really strong skillset in performing under pressure and leadership – the two areas that I have learnt most about and that have always fascinated me.”

Barcelona’s England defender Lucy Bronze will miss their upcoming Champions League semi-final second leg against Chelsea due to injury.

The 31-year-old limped off the pitch during the second half of the first leg on Saturday, which Barcelona won 1-0 thanks to Caroline Graham Hansen’s goal.

The Spanish club have now confirmed in a statement on Twitter that Bronze will be unavailable for the return fixture at the Nou Camp on Thursday after undergoing arthroscopy on her right knee.

COMUNICAT MÈDIC]@LucyBronze ha estat sotmesa a una artroscòpia al genoll dret. És baixa contra el Chelsea i l'evolució marcarà la seva disponibilitat pic.twitter.com/KcgxDoRwWY

— FC Barcelona Femení (@FCBfemeni) April 26, 2023

Bronze’s injury provides a fresh concern for England manager Sarina Wiegman, with both Beth Mead and captain Leah Williamson set to miss this summer’s World Cup.

However, after Saturday’s game Barcelona manager Jonatan Giraldez provided an upbeat assessment of Bronze’s injury.

“She felt something in her knee in the beginning,” Giraldez said.

“But in the end right now she’s fine. At the moment we made the substitution the feeling was bad, but right now the feeling she has is good.”

Chicago Bears wide receiver Chase Claypool remembers his NFL draft experience as the ultimate waiting game.

Claypool, 24, was a second-round selection in 2020 and had to hear 48 other names read out before his was called by the Pittsburgh Steelers for their first pick.

The 2023 edition opens outside of Kansas City’s Union Station on Thursday, with another crop of hopefuls poised to learn their fate – and eager to see who will be among the 31 players soon able to boast they went in the first round.

The updated #NFLDraft order after yesterday's shake up ?

?: 2023 #NFLDraft — Starts Thursday 8pm ET on NFLN/ESPN/ABC?: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/WH21J8zBCw

— NFL (@NFL) April 25, 2023

“I think every pick that got picked before me was just extra motivation,” said the Canadian, who – due to pandemic restrictions – celebrated his milestone moment with just a small group of family and friends.

“So it wasn’t that I was sitting there sulking that I wasn’t picked before one guy or another, but it just adds fuel to the fire. I think as the names come off the board you just get more and more ready for your name to be called.

“It was a super special moment and I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”

Claypool was the 11th wide receiver drafted in a year particularly ripe with prospects at his position, including Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb who have already found success with the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys respectively.

While some might find it natural to compare members of the same class, Claypool does not find the endeavour personally helpful, insisting: “I don’t ever look at another player and be like, ‘Oh I want to have his success’. I want to have my own success.”

Just a couple more sleeps! ?#NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/ERzYcJYJr7

— NFL UK (@NFLUK) April 25, 2023

Claypool saw his stock rise after participating in the NFL Scouting Combine, an annual event that sees over 300 college football players invited to a week-long February camp where they are put through their paces in front of scouts, executives, coaches and other decision-makers.

The pressure on many prospects, particularly those fighting to be chosen in the seventh and final round of the draft, can be immense.

Claypool, who led his team with 66 catches for 1,037 yards and 13 touchdowns in his final college season at Notre Dame, was likely to land somewhere – which helped alleviate some of the stress of the experience.

Speaking at the launch of the NFL’s new flag football league for girls in the UK, he said: “Obviously there’s always a little bit of pressure, but it just depends on how you look at the situation. For me it was an opportunity, and no matter what happened from the combine I was happy to be there, happy to be participating and happy to be showing off what I can do.

We’re officially Chase Claypool days away from the NFL draft pic.twitter.com/VAOlTieXof

— BearsNationCP (@CpBears) April 17, 2023

“And then for being drafted in the second round, if anything it might have been less pressure, because when you go super late you are afforded less mistakes and it just took the pressure off of ‘damn, I have to be perfect’, to then you have a little bit of fun.”

This draft, unusually, will have just 31 names taken off the board in the first round. An investigation into whether or not the Miami Dolphins had violated league anti-tampering policies resulted in the Florida team forfeiting their 2023 first-round pick and third-round selection next year.

Pittsburgh will have the first pick of the second round, a result of the trade that sent Claypool to Chicago in November after a promising start to his career in Pennsylvania petered out.

Stepping into a new locker room mid-season, admitted Claypool, was “definitely a brand new experience – something that you can’t really prepare for until it happens”.

He added: “The playbook was completely different, the weather wasn’t the greatest. It was an adjustment but I think knowing those things we’re going to be just fine next year.

“Sometimes it can take a shorter time or a longer time, but now I think having a full off-season with the Bears and then being able to play a full season with them is going to be a really great opportunity.”

Sophie Carrigill says playing wheelchair basketball was crucial in helping her adjust to her new identity as a disabled woman.

Carrigill’s life was turned upside down in 2010 when – aged just 16 – she was involved in a horror car crash while on holiday in America and suffered spinal injuries that left her in a wheelchair.

After recovering from equally horrific internal injuries Carrigill, now 29, decided that life had to carry on and came across wheelchair basketball.

A post shared by Sophie Carrigill (@sophcaz)

And it paid dividends as she was able to get to elite level, representing Team GB at two Paralympics – with a third on the horizon – and was part of the GB team that won silver at the 2018 World Championships.

But at first it was not about the success, it was about making her transition into a new way of life as easy as possible.

“Previous to the accident I was very sporty and I wanted to get back into it as soon as possible after,” she told the PA news agency.

“I wanted to get back playing in some competitive team sport.

“I never knew where it would go or what level I would end up getting to. But that initial phase was getting back into doing something I love and meeting new people as well.

“I didn’t know anyone else with a disability, so I guess in those early stages of me adjusting to my new identity as a disabled woman that was really key for me to be exposed to those types of people.

“Having that resilience and a bit of grit when you go through something like that and then to get out of the other side and I feel like I am thriving.

“I get to play sport for my job and I have got to travel the world so it is a really incredible opportunity.

“I would not have been playing this level of sport had I not had my accident so I do feel lucky in a way because the stars all aligned for this to happen.

“It is the most traumatic thing I would not wish on anybody but it has ultimately left me with an amazing life and I am fortunate to be doing what I am doing now and I do love it.”

Although the life-changing incident happened 13 years ago and Carrigill, who is based in Yorkshire, has achieved so much since, she admits it is only recently that she has fully accepted her transition into disability.

SUPER CUP CHAMPIONS ? @Briantea84 #wheelchairbasketball pic.twitter.com/3gUAmwfMBu

— Sophie Carrigill (@sophcaz) November 22, 2021

“It was a difficult transition but I only sort of understood it as I have grown older,” she said.

“My identity was all over the place anyway as a 16-year-old and then this massive car accident came and changed it all up on top of everything else that was already changing.

“It was a big adjustment period in accepting my identity. Only recently have I fully understood how difficult that was.

“Having that carefree way of living has helped me the most and just accepting who I am.

“It’s about learning to love yourself, I know that sounds cliche, but that is what I have done over the years.”

We’re excited to share our new partnership with @BritWheelBBall! ??

Our collaboration will remove barriers to the sport, enabling more disabled people to enjoy an active lifestyle, while raising awareness of the Motability Scheme among players & fans.https://t.co/m1Xnc0C8Ah

— Motability Scheme (@MotabilityOps) April 17, 2023

British Wheelchair Basketball has teamed up with UK charity Motability, which runs the Motability Scheme, intended to enable disabled people to lease a new car, scooter or powered wheelchair, using their disability benefit.

The two organisations will aim to remove barriers to sporting participation so that more disabled people can access and enjoy healthier, active lifestyles, with wheelchair basketball identified as one of the most inclusive sports around.

Carrigill added: “It is an incredible sport, it is one of the most inclusive sports out there at the moment.

“Able-bodied people can play alongside people with disabilities. At grassroots level it is great that so many people can play it. At the top end it is super competitive, fast-paced and exciting to watch.

“It’s a really great sport to watch and support.”

Russian and Belarusian athletes who receive state funding cannot be considered neutral and must remain excluded from international sport, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer has said.

Last month the International Olympic Committee published criteria under which global sports federations may consider readmitting athletes from those countries amid their invasion of Ukraine.

The recommendations say only individual athletes from those countries should be allowed to compete – not teams.

Athletes and support personnel who actively support the war in Ukraine must also remain barred, as must any athlete or support staff member contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or security agencies.

The IOC has postponed a decision on whether athletes from those countries will be allowed to compete at the Paris Games next year, but the recommendations mean that, in some sports at least, Russian and Belarusian athletes will be able to enter Olympic qualification events.

Frazer and France’s Olympics and Paralympics minister Amelie Oudea-Castera called for clarity regarding state-funded athletes in statements published on Tuesday as part of a Council of Europe hearing on Russian participation in international sport.

Frazer said athletes in receipt of funding from the state, or from state-controlled companies such as Russian energy giant Gazprom, were “de facto representatives of those states”.

“They are only there by virtue of being funded by, trained by, selected by, supported by, the Russian state,” she added.

Should athletes from Russia and Belarus be excluded from the 2024 Paris #Olympics?

Follow the @PACE_News event live in 5 languages ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

⏰ Today at 10h30 CEST

? https://t.co/lPPyGFjzP7 https://t.co/W7orL2rmCZ

— Council of Europe (@coe) April 25, 2023

“We have seen the IOC start to address some of our concerns and that is to be welcomed, but the IOC’s recommendations do not go far enough for us and they leave far too many unanswered questions.

“There is no reference anywhere in the recommendations to state funding, which I have said is a breach of neutrality.

“None of us should countenance the idea of a Ukrainian athlete being forced to share a pitch, a court, a field, a starting line with state-sponsored athletes from Russia and Belarus.

“The IOC must clarify their position or go back to the drawing board. Resolve the issues I have set out today.

“Implement an approach that guarantees only truly neutral athletes can participate.”

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe @PACE_News hearing today on participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus.⬇️Athletes representing the IOC:Arsen Julfalakyan (Armenia)Gaby Ahrens (Namibia)⬇️https://t.co/fiyMKVE2OR

— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) April 25, 2023

Frazer also said it was crucial to ensure other loopholes were not exploited, such as contracts with the military or security agencies being paused for long enough to enable athletes to compete.

Self-funded tennis players from Russia and Belarus will be able to take part at Wimbledon this summer provided they sign declarations of neutrality and do not express support for the war.

Oudea-Castera accepted the IOC had the right to take the “sovereign” decision but agreed with Frazer that there were “open issues” where clarity was required, including whether the exclusion of teams extended to sports featuring pairs of athletes competing together.

Gaby Ahrens, the chair of the athletes’ commission of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa, appeared at the hearing on behalf of the IOC.

She said: “If the Olympic Games become a platform only for athletes coming from like-minded countries or whose governments are at peace, it would not be a true reflection of the world and we would not be able to achieve our mission to unite the world in a peaceful competition despite the differences there are between countries and people.

“If governments took over the decisions regarding which athletes can partake in which competition, it would mean the end of world sport as we know today.”

Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have changed the landscape of Welsh football for good, according to Football Association of Wales president Steve Williams.

The Red Dragons ended a 15-year absence from the English Football League on Saturday by claiming the National League title as Phil Parkinson’s side produced a fitting Hollywood finale at a sold-out Racecourse Ground.

Wrexham’s rise under their celebrity owners has been one of football’s stories of the season, with fans of a club that was the subject of a winding-up order in 2011 now dreaming of climbing the English pyramid.

But the ripples of Wrexham’s success have been felt far outside its boundaries, throughout the rest of Wales, Great Britain and overseas as actors Reynolds and McElhenney sprinkle their celebrity stardust on a club they bought for £2million in 2021.

“It has gone from a club with three or four thousand people watching the team play to a global enterprise,” said Williams, himself a Wrexham season ticket holder who first watched them in the early 1970s.

“The vibe here is that the club will get even bigger when series two of the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary is released later this year.

“You hear American, Canadian and all other sorts of accents when you go in the Turf (the pub next door to the Racecourse) now and the change has been remarkable.

“In Wrexham you used to see Liverpool, Manchester City or Manchester United shirts. But now it’s just Wrexham shirts and that’s great to see.

ATTENDANCE | 9,511

Incredible support for @WrexhamAFCWomen ?

?⚪ #WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/322LyFzM45

— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) March 26, 2023

“The owners have also raised the profile of the women’s game in Wales and taken it to another level with record crowds and promotion. If they carry on with their progression they could end up playing in European football.

“It’s great to see how Rob and Ryan have engaged with the town and I think that’s why they’ve been so successful.

“Wrexham is attracting people from all over the world, and the only problem is they need a bigger stadium so people can get a seat to watch the games.”

The redevelopment of the Kop stand, which begins on June 1, will boost the Racecourse’s capacity to around 15,600 in time for the start of the 2024-25 season.

While that modest figure will not house all supporters who wish to see Wrexham play, the stadium’s upgrading makes it easier for the FAW to visit the birthplace of Welsh football.

Plans are in place for Wales to play a Racecourse friendly against Gibraltar in October, the first senior men’s international in Wrexham since 2019 and only the second in 15 years.

Senior women’s internationals in Wrexham are also on the agenda, while the FAW want to host the 2026 Under-19 European Championship finals in north Wales to mark the association’s 150th anniversary with the Racecourse as its centrepiece.

Williams said: “We know fans in the north are connected to the Wales national team and there is an appetite to play games in Wrexham.”

The FAW was formed on February 2, 1876 at the Wynnstay Arms Hotel in Wrexham by a group of businessmen.

A redeveloped Football Museum for Wales in Wrexham celebrates that heritage, as well as engaging Welsh language communities, fan culture, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and LGBTQ+ experiences.

“We have been working with the football club and Wrexham Council to put items in the museum,” said Williams.

“We tell our male and female players that today’s news is tomorrow’s history and both teams have been very helpful in that respect.

“Gareth Bale has given one of his World Cup shirts, as have Neco Williams, Harry Wilson and Danny Ward who are all from the area.

“Football has a great history in Wrexham and it’s great to see the town so excited again.”