Category Sports News

Chelsea’s final Premier League home game of the season against Manchester United has been moved to ensure there is no clash with the Women’s FA Cup final between the two teams on Sunday, 18 May.

Instead, the Premier League game will be played on Friday, 16 May, with a 20:00 BST kick-off. It will be screened on Sky Sports.

The entire round of matches was scheduled for 18 May as the Premier League had already pledged it would not hold any games on men’s FA Cup final day on 17 May.

However, Chelsea’s meeting with United in the women’s equivalent the following day also created an issue.

Both clubs were keen for fans to be able to watch that Wembley showpiece as well as the men’s game and requested a change of date, which the Premier League agreed to.

The only other game in that match round not being played on the Sunday is Brighton’s home game with champions-elect Liverpool, which will now be played on Monday, 19 May (20:00 BST).

While the Chelsea-United game does go into an existing TV slot, it is a sign of the importance of the Women’s FA Cup final as a showpiece event that the Premier League agreed to the request.

With Rory McIlroy’s Masters success – and career Grand Slam – expected to inspire a surge in participation, golf bosses are warning humble hackers to avoid cheating on their handicaps.

Millions of recreational players in Great Britain and Ireland are being sent information on how to stick to the rules of the controversial World Handicapping System (WHS) which was introduced in 2020.

Administrators admit the system is open to abuse and some players artificially manipulate handicaps to improve their chances of winning amateur competitions.

“Through our research it’s clear that in Great Britain and Ireland there are some specific concerns around the system,” Grant Moir, the R&A’s executive director of governance told BBC Sport.

“And particularly there is a perception that there are a small minority of players that are manipulating the system.

“We recognise that even if it is only a small number doing this then it can impact on competition golf and it negatively impacts on golfers’ opinions of WHS.

WHS was brought in to help make golf more inclusive. Players do not have to be a club member to acquire a handicap which can then be used at any course in the world.

In line with scores submitted, golfers are given a ‘handicap index’ which will provide the appropriate number of shots for the difficulty of the course they are playing. This should enable players of all abilities to play against each other.

Under the new system, scores from ‘general play’, rather than solely from rounds in formal competitions, can be submitted. The arrangement depends on the honesty of golfers to enter scores that reflect their true ability.

“The rules of golf and handicapping rely on the integrity of players,” Moir added. “And we all need to be prepared to challenge any behaviour that lacks that integrity.

“We want golfers to take the same view on the rules of handicapping as they would on the rules of golf.

“We know that it is very, very rare for people to seek to play other than in accordance with the rules of golf and we need people to view the rules of handicapping in exactly the same way.”

Golfers and club committees are receiving reminders on how the system should be implemented.

“We’ve got a social media and e-newsletter campaign,” Moir said. “We at the R&A are collaborating with England Golf, Golf Ireland, Scottish Golf and Wales Golf to address some of these concerns.

“The principle purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness among golfers, but also with handicapping committees as to what their own responsibilities are within the rules.”

Officials insist the new system works well and point to growing participation numbers, which are expected to be further boosted by McIlroy’s dramatic and inspirational play-off win in Augusta.

Last year, 14 million handicap cards were submitted in Great Britain and Ireland – up 1.4 million on 2023 – while nine million of those came from competition play.

With Rory McIlroy’s Masters success – and career Grand Slam – expected to inspire a surge in participation, golf bosses are warning humble hackers to avoid cheating on their handicaps.

Millions of recreational players in Great Britain and Ireland are being sent information on how to stick to the rules of the controversial World Handicapping System (WHS) which was introduced in 2020.

Administrators admit the system is open to abuse and some players artificially manipulate handicaps to improve their chances of winning amateur competitions.

“Through our research it’s clear that in Great Britain and Ireland there are some specific concerns around the system,” Grant Moir, the R&A’s executive director of governance told BBC Sport.

“And particularly there is a perception that there are a small minority of players that are manipulating the system.

“We recognise that even if it is only a small number doing this then it can impact on competition golf and it negatively impacts on golfers’ opinions of WHS.

WHS was brought in to help make golf more inclusive. Players do not have to be a club member to acquire a handicap which can then be used at any course in the world.

In line with scores submitted, golfers are given a ‘handicap index’ which will provide the appropriate number of shots for the difficulty of the course they are playing. This should enable players of all abilities to play against each other.

Under the new system, scores from ‘general play’, rather than solely from rounds in formal competitions, can be submitted. The arrangement depends on the honesty of golfers to enter scores that reflect their true ability.

“The rules of golf and handicapping rely on the integrity of players,” Moir added. “And we all need to be prepared to challenge any behaviour that lacks that integrity.

“We want golfers to take the same view on the rules of handicapping as they would on the rules of golf.

“We know that it is very, very rare for people to seek to play other than in accordance with the rules of golf and we need people to view the rules of handicapping in exactly the same way.”

Golfers and club committees are receiving reminders on how the system should be implemented.

“We’ve got a social media and e-newsletter campaign,” Moir said. “We at the R&A are collaborating with England Golf, Golf Ireland, Scottish Golf and Wales Golf to address some of these concerns.

“The principle purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness among golfers, but also with handicapping committees as to what their own responsibilities are within the rules.”

Officials insist the new system works well and point to growing participation numbers, which are expected to be further boosted by McIlroy’s dramatic and inspirational play-off win in Augusta.

Last year, 14 million handicap cards were submitted in Great Britain and Ireland – up 1.4 million on 2023 – while nine million of those came from competition play.

The Crucible curse refers to the fact that no first-time champion has been able to retain the World Snooker Championship title since the tournament moved to Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre in 1977.

A total of 19 winners have failed when attempting to defend their crown, and just two have reached the final.

Joe Johnson (1987) and Ken Doherty (1998) came the closest to breaking the ‘curse’ but fell at the final hurdle.

All-time greats such as Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby and Stephen Hendry have won multiple World Championships but failed to retain the title the year after their maiden victory.

O’Sullivan won his first in 2001 and went on to win again in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 and 2022.

Selby won back-to-back in 2016 and 2017 after his maiden title in 2014. He also won in 2021.

The Crucible Theatre’s contract to host the event expires in 2027, with discussions around the future venue for the tournament ‘ongoing and constructive’.

The Crucible curse refers to the fact that no first-time champion has been able to retain the World Snooker Championship title since the tournament moved to Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre in 1977.

A total of 19 winners have failed when attempting to defend their crown, and just two have reached the final.

Joe Johnson (1987) and Ken Doherty (1998) came the closest to breaking the ‘curse’ but fell at the final hurdle.

All-time greats such as Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby and Stephen Hendry have won multiple World Championships but failed to retain the title the year after their maiden victory.

O’Sullivan won his first in 2001 and went on to win again in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 and 2022.

Selby won back-to-back in 2016 and 2017 after his maiden title in 2014. He also won in 2021.

The Crucible Theatre’s contract to host the event expires in 2027, with discussions around the future venue for the tournament ‘ongoing and constructive’.

Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko says she will “seek justice in court” after being subjected to “moral abuse” by the Women’s Tennis Association.

The 35-year-old says she has suffered from panic attacks because of the tour’s decision to “protect” an unnamed senior official after their “conscious” attack on her.

“I spoke about it openly and directly. I tried to seek protection and justice within the WTA,” Tsurenko wrote.

“But in response, faced indifference and injustice, which led to a prolonged moral decline.

“Pain, fear, panic attacks, humiliation, withholding information, harassment of my team to silence me… and this isn’t even the full list of what I’ve had to endure.

“My last chance to defend myself, to stand up for my rights, my dignity, and to prevent such acts of violence in sports is to seek justice in court.”

Tsurenko, who considered quitting tennis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has spoken regularly about the challenges of competing on the tour against the backdrop of the war.

The Ukrainian, ranked 239th in the world, pulled out of a match in 2023 after suffering a panic attack following a conversation with the WTA leadership about its response to the war.

She says the organisation has become a “terrifying and alien place”.

“The WTA tour refused to protect a woman, a player, a human being. Instead, the WTA tour chose to protect a person in a leadership position,” wrote Tsurenko.

The WTA has emphasised its position in opposing Russia’s invasion and maintaining its support of Ukrainian athletes.

“From the outset, the WTA has been steadfast and clear in its condemnation of Russia’s war on Ukraine and the actions of the Russian government against the Ukrainian people,” the association said.

“Consistent with our position, the WTA has taken numerous steps to assist our Ukrainian player members, who have faced great challenges as professional athletes.

“The WTA has been equally clear that it was founded on principles of equality and non-discrimination and its rules provide that competitions are open to all women players who qualify based on their merit, and without discrimination.

“Consistent with those principles, and in common with other tennis organizations, the WTA has taken the position that individual athletes should not be penalised for the actions of their governments.”

It added: “While the WTA has the greatest sympathy for the significant challenges that Ms Tsurenko and our other Ukrainian athletes have faced, we are disappointed that she has decided to engage in litigation to seek to hold the WTA responsible for her distress.