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Michaela Walsh has alleged “corruption” played a role in her unanimous decision defeat at the World Boxing Championships by Serbia’s Andjela Brankovic.

Home fighter Brankovic was unanimously awarded the opening round and claimed a 4-1 split decision in the final round by the judges of the 58kg contest, while Belfast boxer Walsh forced a 3-2 split decision in the second.

Overall, sixth seed Brankovic was awarded the win by all five judges.

Belfast fighter Walsh, 31, posted on her Instagram that her “dream was stolen” and she refuses “to let corruption define my story”.

“I stepped into the ring at the World Championships against hometown boxer and dominated the fight”, she said.

“It was clear as day. Yet somehow, the decision went against me”.

The Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) boycotted both the previous men’s and women’s amateur World Championships in 2023 in protest over the way the sport is governed by the International Boxing Association (IBA).

In October, member clubs of the IABA voted to remove any references of the IBA from its constitution, although it remains a member to compete at its events.

The future of amateur boxing at the Olympics had been in doubt after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped the IBA of its status as the sport’s world governing body in 2023 after it failed to meet reforms following its 2019 suspension over governance issues and alleged corruption.

However, the sport’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles was boosted in February after the breakaway World Boxing was provisionally recognised by the IOC.

In her post, two-time Olympian Walsh said decisions have “real consequences” for the fighters and added it was something she “cannot accept”.

“This sport is my livelihood, my passion, my life. Decisions like this have real consequences – funding cut, years of sacrifice overlooked, and dreams stolen in plain sight”, she added.

“Do they not understand what we put into this? The blood, sweat and tears?

” But let me be clear: this was a victory. I refuse to let corruption define my story.

At the age of just 24, Ethan Ampadu has led a nomadic career, with four loan destinations that can sometimes become part of being a young footballer at Chelsea.

But last summer was the first post-season in five years where the Wales international didn’t have to pack any bags.

Signed by Leeds United 12 months previously, he helped form the foundations on which Daniel Farke is building their push for automatic promotion, following defeat by Southampton in the play-off final last season.

Beyond Ampadu’s talents and versatility was his growing leadership and dressing room presence, honed over the seven different professional clubs that make up his varied CV.

Ampadu made his professional debut aged 15 years, 10 months and 26 days against Brentford in the EFL Cup for League Two side Exeter City in 2016.

His big transfer to Chelsea came just 12 months later. A series of four loans to RB Leipzig, Sheffield United, Venezia and Spezia each arrived with their own challenges, whether they were culture, language, tactical differences or situation.

Ampadu became the fastest player to 50 Wales caps last year, with former manager Rob Page saying he is a “future captain” for his country.

“I feel like I’ve found a home, and hopefully I can show that in performances and in the way I am as a person. I feel like those things I’ve experienced and lived through, I’ve had to mature quite early”, he told BBC Sport.

“I’ve lived in a few different places, experienced different cultures and see how people conduct themselves in those professional environments.

” Being trusted at 15 to play and perform to get results, I guess that’s one way I’ve had to mature. But also just being around people who are older than me for a large part of my development plays a part in it as well.

“I feel like I can come across as mature because of how I’ve been raised, but I’m sure if you were to ask a few of the boys around the training ground, they’ll probably still say I’m 24”.

Former Wales captains Gareth Bale and Ashley Williams are cited as major influences, as are Chelsea legend Cesar Azpilicueta and former Leeds centre-back Liam Cooper, who was his captain last season.

But his father Kwame Ampadu, a former footballer who coached him at Exeter, is “the first person I look up to”, but “also someone I butt heads with as a player talking to a coach”.

“I’ve got a little boy, so if I can pass on and influence him to become the man that I’d like him to become – and that he wants to become when he’s older – definitely. That’s a really big part of my life at the moment”, he added.

It is rare for Ampadu to conduct a media appearance away from football, but he was offering support to Green Football’s Great Save, donating his first shirt as Leeds captain in a surprise appearance at a charity shop in Ripon in North Yorkshire.

“I feel like it is a time where I can portray my message”, he added. “Even if it’s just to one person, just to be able to influence one person and benefit the environment – that would be really good.

” I’m not an expert and may never be but what I want to show is that I am learning. There’s this figure -100, 000 tons of sportswear end up in landfill every year – so it is about showing how to impact the environment in a positive way. “

Ampadu is currently out with a knee injury but hopes to return in time to help boost Leeds ‘ title push in a fierce automatic promotion battle with Sheffield United and Burnley.

” It’s the run-in, “he said”. There’s three top teams at the minute that are all fighting for the same thing – four, if you want to include Sunderland as well. But for us, we’ve got full confidence in what we can achieve.

Manchester United have announced plans to build the biggest stadium in the UK – an “iconic” new £2bn 100, 000-seater ground close to Old Trafford.

Once construction is complete, the club’s existing home will be demolished.

Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe said he wanted to build the “world’s greatest football stadium”, which the club hopes could be finished in five years.

United’s announcement comes after an extensive consultation process around whether to develop the existing stadium or build a new one.

Old Trafford has been Manchester United’s home since 1910.

The club would continue to play at Old Trafford until the new stadium was ready.

Senior club sources have previously said it would not be cost effective to shrink it for use as a home for United’s women’s and youth teams.

Architects at Foster and Partners, who will design the project, said the new stadium would feature an umbrella design and a new public plaza that is “twice the size of Trafalgar Square”.

Manchester United, currently £1bn in debt, are yet to say how they plan to pay for the stadium. Club chief executive Omar Berrada said he was confident it was “a very attractive investment opportunity” and he was “quite confident we’ll find a way to finance the stadium”.

It will form part of a wider regeneration of the Old Trafford area, predicted to be the biggest such project in the United Kingdom since the transformation of the Stratford area that accompanied the 2012 Olympics in London. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already given government backing to the plans.

United say the entire project has the potential to create 92, 000 new jobs, will involve the construction of 17, 000 homes and bring an additional 1.8 million visitors to the area annually. They add the project will be worth an additional £7.3bn per year to the UK economy.

“Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest stadium”, said Ratcliffe.

“Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years but it has fallen behind the arenas in world sport.

” I think we may well finish up with the most iconic football stadium in the world. “

He said there was no date in place for when building work on the stadium would begin, adding:” It depends how quickly the Government gets going with the regeneration programme. I think they want to get going quite quickly. “

Criticism of Old Trafford – England’s biggest club ground with a 74, 140 capacity – has grown in recent years, with issues including leaks from the roof of the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand.

The stadium has not had significant development since 2006.

United have spoken to senior people involved in the most recent large-scale stadium developments, including the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and the rebuild of Real Madrid’s Bernabeu Stadium, as part of their background work.

They also spoke to local residents and conducted a fan survey to establish whether supporters would prefer a new build or extensive improvements to the present stadium, which was thought likely to cost £1.5bn.

Leaving Old Trafford will be a controversial move for some but former manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: ” Manchester United should always strive for the best in everything it does, on and off the pitch, and that includes the stadium we play in.

“Old Trafford holds so many memories for me personally but we must be brave and seize this opportunity to build a new home, fit for the future, where history can be made”.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham welcomed the plans. He said: “If we get this right, the regeneration impact could be bigger and better than London 2012.

” Manchester United could, and indeed should, have the best football stadium in the world.

“To me, that means a stadium that means a stadium that is true to the traditions of the club, affordable to all, with nobody priced out”.

The Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) says it has plenty of questions around the planned stadium.

It wants to know how the club will pay for the ground but says the stadium news “could be very exciting”.

MUST says: “Whilst investment is much-needed and welcome, fans remain anxious about what it means and what the consequences will be.

” Will it drive up ticket prices and force out local fans? Will it harm the atmosphere, which is consistently fans ‘ top priority in the ground?

Barcelona are renovating their Nou Camp home which had a planned capacity of 105, 000 when work began. It was already the largest stadium in Europe with a capacity of 99, 354.

There are several college stadiums in the United States which hold more than 100, 000 people while the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, holds up to 132, 000.

North Korea has a stadium with a claimed capacity of 150, 000 which is often cited as the largest sporting arena in the world. However, the Rungrado 1st of May Stadium is rarely used and a smaller capacity figure is also widely reported.

United played at the largest stadium in the US during a pre-season tour in 2014 where 109, 318 saw them beat Real Madrid in Michigan.