• Dhaka Thu, 09 MAY 2024,
logo
  1. Sports
  2. Others
CricketFootballOthersBPLTennisAthletics
Premier Bank 7th FACD-CAB, International Education EXPO concludes
Britney Spears: No charges for Wembanyama security over hit
Las Vegas police have said no charges will be filed after pop star Britney Spears filed a report alleging battery. She was trying to talk to the highly-touted 2023 first-pick NBA rookie, Victor Wembanyama. The member of the security detail for this year's NBA first round draft pick Victor Wembanyama who allegedly struck Britney Spears in the face will not be charged, Las Vegas police said on Friday.  The French 19-year-old basketballer was in Las Vegas this week ahead of his first game in the NBA pre-season Summer League, and was heading to a restaurant on Wednesday night when fans and the pop star Spears spotted him.  Spears was pushed away by Wembanyama's entourage and the singer took to Instragram saying that a security guard "backhanded me in the face... Nearly knocking me down and causing my glasses [to fall] off my face." Police say security detail acted appropriately After Spears filed charges, a Las Vegas police investigation determined that the security guard had not willfully or unlawfully used force or violence.  Police said surveillance footage of the event "showed Britney going to tap the Spurs player on the shoulder. When she touched the player [redacted] pushes her hand off the player without looking which causes Britney's hand to hit herself in the face."  Police interviewed security guards for both the Spurs and for Spears herself, with them both saying that the response of removing the hand would be a standard first intervention if someone in a crowd tried to touch the person they were protecting. The security guard for the Spurs said he spoke with Spears afterward, identified himself and apologized. Spears' security team said she also apologized, the police report said. Who are the two stars involved in the incident?   Wembanyama is a 19-year-old teenager from France, standing 2.26 meters tall (just over 7 foot, 4 inches), and is probably one of the most highly-touted rookies to enter the league in years. Despite his giant frame, he appears to have many of the skills more typically associated with smaller players, like ball handling and a long range shot, making him even more dangerous. The San Antonio Spurs picked him first, as expected, in this year's rookie draft, and are hoping he can have a similar impact to the last big man they picked up first in an NBA draft, five-time champion Tim Duncan. He said of the incident that his security detail had told him not to pause to engage with anyone, for fear of attracting a large crowd. He said he had heard Spears speaking to him, but had not looked around and had simply walked on so never knew who it was.  Spears' fame probably peaked in the 1990s and 2000s. The "Princess of Pop" has been struggling with drug abuse and other issues in recent years and fought a protracted legal battle with her father over his extended conservatorship over her assets, winning back control in late 2021. 
Mali: FIBA takes action after sexual abuse allegations
Special Olympics: Sports stars lend voice to World Games
Pukhraj Singh Brar: The Golfing Sensation Taking the PGA World by Storm
Get ready to witness the Rally of Arunachal 2023
UFC's Conor McGregor accused of sexual assault at NBA game
The mixed martial artist has denied the allegations. The incident allegedly took place during a basketball match between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets. The Irish Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) star Conor McGregor on Thursday was accused of sexually assaulting a woman at an NBA Finals game in Miami. The survivor said that McGregor "violently" assaulted her in the bathroom during a match between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets that took place last Friday, reported ESPN and TMZ Sports who cited letters from the woman's attorney. The NBA and the Miami Heat have opened investigations into the allegations against the UFC champion. McGregor denies the allegations McGregor allegedly "aggressively kissed" the woman before attempting to force her into multiple sexual acts. The survivor has provided the Miami police with the clothing she wore that night and a report was filed, said her attorney Ariel Mitchell. In a statement released by McGregor's attorney Barbara Llanes on behalf of the Irishman he called the allegations "false" and said that he "will not be intimidated." The Miami Heat said that they are conducting a "full investigation." The NBA also said that they're looking into the allegations and working with the Heat to gather information. A history of misdemeanors McGregor's conduct at Friday's game had already come under scrutiny after an incident during the match's timeout hour. The mixed martial artist punched a Miami Heat mascot after the mascot appeared on court for a pre-planned promotional gimmick. The employee who posed as the mascot was taken to the hospital after the attack. McGregor is one of the biggest stars on the mixed martial arts circuit. He hasn't fought since 2021, after he injured his leg during a match. His last win was in January 2020. Previously, McGregor has been accused of sexual assault four times but never convicted, reported ESPN. He has also been accused of getting violent, making racist comments and homophobic slurs. 
UK cycling federation unveils new transgender policy
British Cycling says riders who were born male will not be permitted to race in elite female events. It says medical research shows that those who go through puberty as a male have a performance advantage. The UK's cycling governing body on Friday issued a new transgender and non-binary participation policy that will see competition split into "open" and "female" categories. The policy has been released after a nine-month review that included a study of pertinent medical research led by Dr. Nigel Jones, British Cycling's chief medical officer. That research was said to demonstrate that the performance advantage of people who go through puberty as a male cannot be fully evened out by suppressing testosterone. The review was triggered after British Cycling's former policy was suspended last year following an attempt by transgender woman Emily Bridges to race at the national omnium championships as a female rider. What do the new rules say? Under the new policy, transgender women, transgender men, non-binary individuals and those whose sex was assigned male at birth will be eligible to compete in the open category, which subsumes the current men's category. The female category will remain reserved for those whose sex was assigned female at birth and transgender men who are yet to begin hormone therapy. The federation's previous transgender policy permitted cyclists to participate in the female category if they had testosterone levels below five nanomoles per liter for a 12-month period prior to a competition. The policy differs from that of the UCI, cycling's world governing body, which allows transgender women who have gone through male puberty to compete in elite women's events if they have had reduced testosterone levels of 2.5 nanomoles per liter for the previous two years. What did British Cycling say about the policy? Jon Dutton, the new chief executive of British Cycling, said he was sorry for any anxiety and upset around the federation's transgender policy. "It's an incredibly emotive and at times divisive subject area," he said. "We have taken many months to look at three areas: firstly, a consultation with the athletes affected and the wider cycling community; secondly, looking at the medical research available at this point in time; and thirdly from the legal viewpoint in terms of the association with the Equalities Act." "We've made a decision on the balance of all three to give clarity, to give direction and that clear way forward for any athletes affected," he added. British Cycling said it would keep up with new research and regularly review its policy. There is still no set date for the new regulations to be implemented, but British Cycling said it would occur before the end of this year. 
NFL great and civil rights activist Jim Brown dies aged 87
The NFL Hall of Famer turned Hollywood actor and civil rights activist passed away at his home on Thursday. US football Hall of Famer, Hollywood actor and Civil Rights activist Jim Brown died on Thursday at the age of 87 at his home in Los Angeles. A family spokesperson on Friday said Brown's passing had been peaceful and his wife Monique had been by his side. "To the world, he was an activist, actor, and football star," Monique Brown said in an Instagram post. "To our family, he was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Our hearts are broken." One of the NFL's greats Brown is considered one of American football's greatest players and was named Most Valuable Player in 1965. He retired at the peak of his career after leading the Cleveland Browns to win the NFL Championship in 1964. "Jim Brown is a true icon of not just the Cleveland Browns but the entire NFL," said Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam. "He was certainly the greatest to ever put on a Browns uniform and arguably one of the greatest players in NFL history." Brown would then go on to become a successful Hollywood actor and appeared in more than 30 films including Oliver Stone's "Any Given Sunday" and World War II epic "The Dirty Dozen." Brown used his profile to amplify the voices of Black Americans in the fight for equality. In 1967, Brown joined activist athletes in supporting Muhammad Ali's refusal to be drafted into the U.S. military. Later years would see Brown working to help curb gang violence in LA with the founding of Amer-I-Can, a program to help disadvantaged inner-city youth and ex-convicts. Brown's admissions of domestic violence Brown faced allegations of domestic violence but was never convicted. He admitted to The Los Angeles Times that he regretted slapping women and had gone on a self-improvement program to manage his anger. "In a perfect world, I don't think any man should slap anyone," he wrote. "I don't start fights, but sometimes I don't walk away from them. It hasn't happened in a long time, but it's happened, and I regret those times. I should have been more in control of myself, stronger, more adult," Brown said in his 1989 memoir "Out of Bounds." He was divorced after 13 years of marriage from Sue Brown, with whom he had three children. Brown is survived by his wife Monique and their child.
Sherpa becomes 2nd person to scale Everest 26 times
A Nepali Sherpa guide has climbed Mount Everest for the 26th time, becoming only the second person in the world to accomplish the feat. However, the record is expected to be broken soon. Pasang Dawa Sherpa, also known as Pa Dawa, scaled Mount Everest on Sunday for the 26th time, matching the record set by a fellow Nepalese guide for the most ascents of the world's highest peak. The 46-year-old reached Everest's summit with a Hungarian climber, an official said.   As per the Himalayan Database, which keeps track of mountaineering records in Nepal's Himalayas, Pa Dawa had climbed the peak 25 times before, including twice in 2022. Since making his first successful of climb of the peak in 1998, Dawa has made the trip almost every year. The only other person to have climbed the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) mountain 26 times is fellow mountain guide Kami Rita Sherpa. Race for the record Kami Rita is currently leading a US team up the mountain and aims to break his own record by climbing Everest for a 27th time. That means Pasang Dawa's record could be broken in the next few days. It is unclear whether he will make another attempt this year. Nepal is home to eight of the world's 14 highest peaks, all above 8,000 meters. Sherpas, who mostly use their first names, are known for their climbing skills and make a living mainly by guiding foreign clients in the mountains. This year's climbing was slightly delayed after three Sherpa climbers fell into a deep crevasse on a treacherous section of the mountain in April. Rescuers have not been able to find them. Anniversary of the first ascent of Everest Climbers generally reach the base camp of the mountain in April and spend weeks acclimatizing to the high altitude, rough terrain and thin air before they go up the mountain's slopes. The season's first wave of climbers reached the summit this weekend as Sherpa guides fixed ropes and made paths for the hundreds of climbers who will attempt to scale the peak over the next few weeks. A record 467 climbers — excluding the local sherpas — have obtained permits to climb the world's highest peak from the southern side in Nepal, according to Nepal's Department of Tourism. This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay.
Irish rally driver Craig Breen dies in crash
The 33-year-old Hyundai driver was in a pre-trial event test in Croatia, when his car went off the road. He was preparing for a rally next week, which would have been his second of the season. Irish world rally champion Craig Breen died on Thursday after an accident in Croatia, where he was preparing for a rally next week. Breen's car swerved off the road just after midday local time. The 33-year-old was with co-driver James Fulton, who was unharmed in the accident, Hyundai Motorsport said in a statement. "Hyundai Motorsport sends its sincerest condolences to Craig's family, friends and his many fans," the team said. The Croatia Rally, the fourth event this season, runs from April 20-23. Rival teams and world motorsport's governing body, the FIA, also sent their condolences.  Like father, like son Breen is the son of former Irish champion Ray Breen. He followed in his father's footsteps, moving in 2009 into full-time rallying. He was known for his jovial manner, typically sporting a smile. Breen won the International, British and Irish Fiesta Sporting Trophy titles that year, being crowned Ireland's Young Driver of the year, according to his profile on the World Rally Championship website. In 2016, Breen got the chance to compete at the World Rally Championship's top level. He drove a DS 3 World Rally Car on selected rounds for the Abu Dhabi Total World Rally Team. He claimed a significant third place in Finland and several stage wins over the course of his career. He was later picked up by Hyundai Motorsport, but failed to win a full-time seat with them. Breen then briefly moved to M-Sport Ford to lead the team into a new hybrid-powered era of the championship, before moving back to Hyundai at the end of 2022.
Owner of UFC buys WWE to create sports entertainment giant
UFC and WWE are joining together to form a mega sports entertainment brand worth over $21 billion. Endeavour, the owner of the UFC brand, will hold a controlling share. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) are set to become one joint company, according to a deal announced by UFC-owner Endeavour Group Holdings Inc on Monday. The new publicly traded company will combine the two popular fighting entertainment brands with a combined worth of over $21 billion (€19.3 billion). WWE alone is valued at $9.3 billion. Endeavour will hold a 51% controlling stake in the new company with WWE's shareholders taking the remaining 49%. "This is a rare opportunity to create a global live sports and entertainment pureplay built for where the industry is headed," said Ariel Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor, in a company statement. More value for the shareholders Vince McMahon, the founder of WWE, will keep his job as executive chairman. He only returned to the company in January, saying that it was up for sale. There had already been rumors of such a move being planned, with Endeavour, Disney, Fox, Comcast, Amazon and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund seen as the most likely buyers. While both UFC and WWE brands broadcast fights for entertainment, the former focuses on mixed martial arts whereas the latter is well known as a performance of fighting along with soap opera-like storylines — although still with a high risk of injury for the performers. "For decades, Vince and his team have demonstrated an incredible track record of innovation and shareholder value creation, and we are confident that Endeavor can deliver significant additional value for shareholders by bringing UFC and WWE together," Emanuel said. WWE — an attractive acquisition WWE is considered a fruitful investment due to its broad range of appeal and large loyal fanbase, especially regarding social media interactions. The wrestling company pulled in a revenue of $1.3 billion last year. It hosted its annual flagship event Wrestlemania over the weekend. The company is a giant on social media with almost 94 million YouTube subscribers and over 20 million followers on TikTok. Its performers also have their own media pull, especially the women wrestlers who make up five out of the top 15 most followed female athletes across various social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Bangladesh crowned the Bangabandhu Cup Int'l Kabaddi
Bangladesh crowned the Championship title in the Bangabandhu Cup International Kabaddi tournament. In the final, Bangladesh beat Chinese Taipei by 42-28 points margin. On Tuesday, March 21, Bangladesh defeated Chinese Taipei in the final held at the Shaheed Noor Hossain National Volleyball Stadium.  In the final of the previous two tournaments, Bangladesh defeated Kenya.  This was the first All Asia final. However, Bangladesh fell behind at the beginning of the match. But Bangladesh led by 20-14 points in the first half.  The hosts were more threatening and aggressive in the second half.  Bangladesh was the champion in the previous two seasons as well. By reaching the final, Bangladesh confirmed next year's World Cup.  Total 12 countries participated in the 11-day tournament.
More