Archive July 28, 2025

BBC investigates takeover turmoil behind Morecambe suspension

By in News, Sports News
Images courtesy of Getty
Austin, Daniel
Senior journalist for BBC Sport
Due to their risky financial situation, Morecambe have been given a suspension until August 20th, according to the National League.

The Lancashire club’s compliance with its rules is “serious concerns,” according to the league, and it was warned last week that there might be “possible further sanctions” if conditions were not met.

The Shrimps’ first three games against Boston, Brackley, and Scunthorpe have now been postponed. They face expulsion if they can’t provide evidence that they will be able to complete the entire season by the time the league’s compliance and licensing committee meets again next month.

The National League stated in a statement on Monday that it was decided that additional sanctions must be imposed, with the club’s membership being immediately suspended.

The committee will meet once more on Wednesday, August 20 to determine whether any unresolved issues have been resolved and whether the club can continue to compete in the future.

Morecambe have endured a turbulent summer since being removed from League Two, with a deal still pending despite two parties accepting takeover bids and the resignation of the board of directors.

Does Morecambe’s suspension surprise you?

Morecambe was purchased by current majority shareholders Bond Group, led by businessman Whittingham, in May 2018. By September 20, 1920, Whittingham had listed the club for sale.

Since then, the club has been relegated twice, but no takeover has been completed.

According to Companies House, Whittingham has worked for 25 companies in his career. 18 of those 25 businesses have either been liquidated, voluntarily disbanded, put in administration, liquidated, or put in receivership (the stage before liquidation).

Prior to his acquisition of Morecambe, two of Whittingham’s businesses had been forced to dissolve by default, but he still managed to pass the EFL’s owners and directors’ test.

Whittingham served as business partner to Colin Goldring, a legal professional turned entrepreneur, for many of the businesses until Goldring resigned in August 2022.

Following a court hearing in 2022, Whittingham and Goldring were given a 12-month suspension.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority forbids Goldring from working for any law firm without obtaining a clearance.

Morecambe fans hoist banners demanding that owner Jason Whittingham sells the club during the FA Cup tie against Chelsea at Stamford BridgeImages courtesy of Getty

What has become of the most recent Morecambe takeover offer?

Whittingham claims he has been attempting to sell the club to a group led by Jonny Cato, but that Cato has been put off completing the deal because “continuous negative press statements have had an impact on the club.”

Cato hasn’t been seen or heard in the public since Whittingham selected her as a bidder ten days ago. In fact, there isn’t a single businessperson named Jonny Cato on Companies House, and only one is a single Swedish MP on LinkedIn’s professional networking site.

The BBC received a message from a man who had a slightly different spelling of the name and was informed that he had nothing to do with a potential bid for the club. He is the only person with a credible business background in the UK.

Who is Cato, then? Why is there no business presence in the UK for him? Exists he, or not?

What justifies the Morecambe bid by Panjab Warriors?

Additionally, according to Whittingham, Panjab Warriors, a competing team that announced earlier this summer that they had reached a deal to buy the club, have been quiet and have turned down communication.

According to the BBC, Panjab Warriors had lined up a replacement who would succeed Derek Adams, who had already agreed to become their new manager. They were so convinced their takeover deal would soon be confirmed.

The Panjab Warriors threatened legal action if their takeover was not completed, claiming they have already put millions of pounds into the organization to keep it afloat.

Lawyers for Morecambe’s minority shareholders announced on Monday that they had been unable to contact Panjab Warriors’ representatives for a week, making it impossible for them to try to sway a deal.

According to their website, Panjab Warriors claim to “invest in sporting excellence” and “execute deals that drive value”. However, the organization does not provide any specific investment information or disclosures about other investments.

The group’s financial sources are also uncertain. A company called JKM Capital, which is largely owned by businessman Kuljeet Singh Momi, owns at least 75% of Panjab Warriors’ shares.

He has been a part of 15 businesses throughout his career, the majority of which have been established since 2023, according to records, but none of them appear to have made a significant profit.

Morecambe manager Derek Adams scowls on the touchline during a League Two fixtureImages courtesy of Getty
Sarbjot Johal, a young entrepreneur who had a strong connection to a club takeover in 2023, is a prominent figure in several of Singh Momi’s businesses.

Johal’s campaign and youth garnered a lot of attention, but no takeover was ever completed once the extent of his wealth was questioned.

Singh Momi and Johal’s business relationship is still unknown, but Singh Momi claimed in a statement last year that he had ended ties with Johal.

What does Morecambe’s future hold?

In June, Morecambe’s staff and players received only a third of their salaries. Payments made in July have not yet been made available to the general public.

The club has called off pre-season friendlies and has a squad of just 10 senior players.

Who will the eventual buyers are and when will the sale be completed will determine the club’s financial salvation sorely needs.

related subjects

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  • Football

Why I Didn’t Want To Watch WAFCON Final — Tinubu

By in News, Nigeria News

President Bola Tinubu explained why he was hesitant and what he felt as he watched the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final between Nigeria and Morocco on Monday while welcoming the victorious Super Falcons.

At the Presidential Villa, Tinubu addressed the team’s players and other guests.

“I didn’t want to watch the game, to be honest. High blood pressure wasn’t something I wanted. However, our citizens invaded and turned my TV on that channel.

UPDATED: Tinubu Presents Super Falcons With National Honors, Awards of $100, 000 To Each Player READ ALSO:

He said, “When it was 2-0, I got very offended and restless, but I was there still witnessing the unwavering spirit of resilience, determination, and courage.”

The team’s reduction of the deficit, however, gave the impression that the president was encouraged.

He said, “And after that penalty, and I saw a 2-1, my spirit was lifted, and I believe the nation’s spirit was also lifted.”

After their victory over Morocco on Monday, July 28, 2025, Rasheedat Ajibade of Nigeria, Rasheedat Ajibade, stands in front of the plane carrying the Super Falcons in Abuja, holding the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) trophy.

Tinubu continued, “But what you almost did was make me hungrier because your mother was almost abandoning my dinner,” amid cheers and applause from the Super Falcons and other seated in the hall. The game that she doesn’t really watch is played by the girls, who are the protagonists.

She ran, and she said, “We have won.” You still haven’t won, I said. And the entire nation was in awe at the final whistle.

After winning the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final football game against Morocco at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on July 26, 2025, the Super Falcons of Nigeria celebrate with the trophy on the podium. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT/AFP)

After winning the 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations competition in Morocco, the President later gave the players and technical team the national honor of Officer of the Order of Niger.

He made announcing the award of $50, 000, equivalent to $100, 000 to each player and $50, 000 to each technical team member.

Additionally, he directed the players’ and technical team’s allocation of a three-bedroom apartment.

You have inspired “much of people,” particularly young girls, who now have evidence that their aspirations are achievable and valid. You also influenced me.

“A nation’s assets are the hope of a nation’s future, tomorrow, and after that,” they say.

Raducanu makes winning start in Montreal

By in News, Sports News
Images courtesy of Getty
Bobbie Jackson
journalist for BBC Sport

Emma Raducanu, the British no. 1, won the Canadian Open 6-3, continuing her excellent form there.

The 22-year-old continued that momentum into her match with Romania’s Ruse, who won 6-2, 6-4, after making it to the semi-finals of the Washington Open last week.

In the second round, she will face American Peyton Stearns, who is 32nd seed.

As Raducanu prepares for the US Open, her final grand prix, and the event she won in 2021, in New York between August 24 and September 7, she has found her rhythm on the hard courts.

On Sky Sports, Raducanu said, “It’s difficult to play someone you know, but I’m happy with how I put that to one side.”

In her opening service game, the Briton showed resilience by surviving five set pieces.

She then won five games in a row to finish off the opening set in style.

Raducanu, who also defeated Ruse in Auckland in 2024, found the crucial break to take the match 5-4 after a few break breaks in the second set.

Raducanu has won four hard-court matches in five appearances, including a defeat to Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon earlier in July.

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Aid arrives in Syria’s Suwayda as UN says humanitarian situation critical

By in News, World News

The United Nations issues a warning that the humanitarian situation is still critical after last week’s deadly clashes, which left thousands of people homeless and essential services in disrepair.

Initial conflicts between Druze fighters and Sunni Bedouin tribes in Suwayda province, which started on July 13 and ended with a ceasefire a week later, were fought for decades. Later, government forces joined the Bedouin armed groups in fighting.

A Syrian Red Crescent convoy entered Suwayda on Monday, according to a report from state television that featured images of trucks entering the area.

According to state news agency SANA, the 27-truck convoy “has 200 tons of flour, 2, 000 shelter kits, 1, 000 food baskets,” as well as medical and other food supplies.

The Syrian government, the local community, and international organizations worked together to support the effort.

UN warns about a pressing situation

OCHA, the UN’s humanitarian agency, stated that the humanitarian situation in Suwayda province “remains critical amid ongoing instability and intermittent hostilities,” despite the ceasefire’s largely successful conclusion.

According to a statement from OCHA, “humanitarian access is still constrained by roadblocks, insecurity, and other impediments, preventing humanitarians from thoroughly assessing need and providing crucial life-saving assistance on a large scale.”

According to the report, the violence led to power and water outages as well as food, medicine, and fuel shortages.

Suwayda24, a local news outlet, reported that “Suwayda has a dire need for humanitarian aid,” adding that the province needed many more aid convoys.

On Monday, it claimed demonstrations demanding more humanitarian aid were held in a number of locations.

Local civil and humanitarian organizations issued a warning about a “humanitarian catastrophe” in Suwayda on Sunday, adding that the province is “under a suffocating, escalating siege imposed by the authorities,” which has resulted in a severe lack of basic supplies.

Government forces were stationed in some areas of the province, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, but traffic was hampered by the Suwayda-Damascus highway’s ongoing closure due to government-affiliated armed groups.

According to Mustafa al-Bakkur, the provincial governor of Suwayda, aid convoys regularly enter Suwayda province and “the roads are unobstructed for the entry of relief organizations to the province,” SANA quoted provincial governor al-Bakkur on Sunday.

On July 28, 2025, a Syrian man chants slogans as people gather to protest the humanitarian situation in Suwayda, a city dominated by the Druze.

Taus thousands of people were displaced by the bloody clashes.

More than 250 people were killed in the clashes, which threatened to end Syria’s post-war transition.

According to the UN’s International Organization for Migration, 128, 571 people were also displaced by the violence.

According to witnesses, experts, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor, government forces intervened on the Bedouin’s side during the clashes.

Israel intervened and launched airstrikes on Syria’s Ministry of Defense structures in Damascus.

Israeli forces also attacked Syrian government forces in Suwayda province, claiming they were protecting the Druze, who Israel refers to as its “brothers.”

Russia and Turkiye call for the protection of Syria’s territorial integrity.

Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, emailed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the importance of Syria’s territorial integrity following the Israeli attacks.

According to a Kremlin statement, Putin, an ally of former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, also stated that political stability in the nation must be achieved through the protection of “all ethnic and religious groups’ interests.

A senior Turkish official urged Damascus’ efforts to stabilize the war-torn nation, as well as for continued de-escalation and the end of Israeli military operations in Syria.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz stated to the UN Security Council that “from now on it is important to ensure continued de-escalation, Israeli non-aggression, support for the Syrian government’s efforts to restore calm in Suwayda and prevent civilian casualties.”

UN chief calls for ‘viable two-state solution’ to Israel-Palestine conflict

By in News, World News

A dozen ministers have gathered at a UN conference to urge the world to work toward an Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution, but Israel and the United States both boycotted the event.

In September of last year, the 193-member UN General Assembly made the decision to hold a conference in 2025.

Following Israel’s attack on Iran, the conference, which was hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, was postponed.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, urged all nations to support the conference’s goal of a roadmap that specifies the conditions for a Palestinian state while safeguarding Israel’s security.

Secretary-General of the UN Antonio Guterres said in his opening remarks, “We must make sure that it does not turn into yet another exercise in well-intentioned rhetoric.”

It can and must act as a decisive turning point, one that will enable us to realize our shared goal of a viable two-state solution.

At a time when the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is threatening the stability and security of the entire region, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said, “We must work on the ways and means to get there.”

“Only a political, two-state solution will be able to fulfill Israeli and Palestinian citizens’ legitimate desires for peace and security. There isn’t any other choice.

At the UN General Assembly’s annual gathering of world leaders in September, France will recognize a Palestinian state, according to French President Emmanuel Macron’s statement from last week.

Mohammed Mustafa, the prime minister of Palestine, pleaded with all nations to “recognize the state of Palestine without delay.”

At the start of the meeting, Mustafa remarked, “All states have a responsibility to act now.”

The meeting comes as Israel’s ongoing conflict with Gaza continues for more than 21 months.

According to Israeli statistics, Hamas’ lead attack on southern Israel in October 2023 resulted in the death of at least 1, 139 people and the capture of more than 200 others as captives.

More than 59, 000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s military assault on Gaza since then, mostly women and children, according to health officials in the besieged area.

US and Israel boycott a meeting.

Israel and the US were not present at the meeting despite growing international pressure on Israel to put an end to its war.

The three-day event, according to the US State Department, was “unproductive and ill-timed” and “publicity stunt” that would make finding peace more difficult.

The diplomatic push is “reward for terrorism,” the statement read, and Macron’s declaration that it would “counterproductive” would also be against the promise to recognize a Palestinian state.

Prince Faisal&nbsp demanded that US President Donald Trump play a role in the ongoing conflict in a press conference later on Monday.

According to him, “I’m firmly convinced that the US engagement, particularly President Trump’s engagement,” could lead to the end of the immediate conflict in Gaza and a long-term solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The regional powers appeared to have little influence over the situation in Gaza, according to Marwan Bishara, senior political analyst for Al Jazeera.

He claimed that “the Saudis, Egyptians, Jordanians, and others are all ineffective in changing the situation.” They are unable to take any action against the situation in Gaza because they are weak.

A vision of two states interacting in safe and recognized borders has long been supported by the UN.

Palestinians want a state in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip, which Israel claimed in its 1967 conflict with neighboring Arab states.

A Palestinian application to the UN Security Council was overwhelmingly supported by the UN General Assembly in May last year, reaffirming its eligibility and urging the UN Security Council to “reconsider the matter favorably.”

143 people cast ballots in favor of the resolution and nine against it.

After the US vetoed the Palestinian request in the UN Security Council a few weeks earlier, the General Assembly vote was used to gauge support for the Palestinians’ decision to become a full member of the UN.