Latest - Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and threats to kill, the Greater Manchester Police said after accusations surfaced online that the 20-year-old forward had assaulted a woman.
Mason Greenwood Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Police said they had detained a suspect on Monday after they were made aware of online social media posts by a woman reporting incidents of physical violence.
The allegations against Greenwood -- including video, photographs and a voice note -- were posted on Instagram and later deleted.
Sportswear giant Nike said they had suspended their relationship with Greenwood as they were "deeply concerned by the disturbing allegations".
United had suspended Greenwood, saying he would not return to training or play for the Old Trafford club until further notice. The club reiterated its "strong condemnation of violence of any kind."
Greenwood was also removed from the highly popular video game FIFA 22's offline modes, with the forward no longer available in the United squad.
-Reuters
Kefu to host charity game
Toutai Kefu will coach a star-studded Tongan invitational side against a vintage Queensland Reds outfit to raise funds for the nation's recovery effort.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Tonga coach Kefu is himself recovering, after a terrifying home invasion last August resulted in the former Wallabies great in hospital and his wife, son and daughter all injured.
But he'll be back for a 40-minute curtain-raiser to the Reds' Super Rugby Pacific home opener on February 19th at Lang Park in Brisbane.
George Smith, Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri will all feature for the Tongan side.
The disaster was felt heavily at Ballymore and across Australian rugby, given many players' strong family ties to Tonga.
Young century helps CD beat Auckland
A century from Black Caps batsman Will Young has guided Central Districts to a 113-run win over Auckland in their Ford Trophy one day game in Palmerston North.
Will Young Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Young scored 107 from 110 balls to help Central to 297-6 from their 50 overs.
It was his sixth List A one-day century, and fourth for the Stags in The Ford Trophy one-day championship.
Tom Bruce also made 50 and Doug Bracewell 42.
The Aces suffered the loss of Lockie Ferguson from the attack early in the innings with the Black Caps quick leaving the field with an Achilles niggle after having bowled just four overs.
In reply Auckland were dismissed for 183 in the 40th over with Martin Guptill making 54 while Blair Tickner and Bracewell took three wickets each.
Central remain unbeaten at the top of the standings, while Auckland are fourth.
24 New Zealanders available in IPL auction
Trent Boult has been named as one of ten players who will be part of the marquee set for next week's Indian Premier League auction.
Trent Boult Photo: PHOTOSPORT
A total of 24 New Zealand players have made themselves available for the two day auction.
The 15th edition of the IPL will feature 10 teams who will have 590 cricketers, including 220 overseas players, to choose from in the auction.
$404,000 is the highest reserve price.
Kane Williamson of the Sunrisers Hyderabad was the only New Zealander retained from last year.
Other New Zealanders in the auction include Lockie Ferguson, Jame Neesham, Devon Conway, Ish Sodhi, Martin Guptill and Tim Southee.
This year's IPL will begin in the last week of March but exact dates and venues have not been confirmed.
Tonga withdraws from World Cup qualifying
Tonga has withdrawn from the Oceania leg of this year's FIFA World Cup qualifying following the disaster caused by last month's volcanic eruption and tsunami.
The national team was due to play off against the Cook Islands on March 13th in a single-leg qualifying match to decide the final spot in Group A at the qualifying tournament in Qatar.
Tonga's withdrawal means the Cook Islands will automatically join the Solomon Islands, Tahiti and Vanuatu in Group A.
Oceania Football Federation General Secretary Franck Castillo says while it is disappointing, the decision is understandable.
Winter Olympics start with curling
Curling will kick off the 24th edition of the Winter Olympics today, two days before the opening ceremony, when the mixed doubles competition begins at the "Ice Cube" National Aquatics Centre in Beijing.
Curling Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Canada's mixed doubles champion John Morris will team up with Rachel Homan, who skipped the women's team in 2018, as the sport's traditional powerhouses aim to retain their title in Beijing.
Morris, who also won gold in the men's event at Vancouver in 2010, coached Australia's Tahli Gill and Dean Hewett towards Olympic history. The pair will become the first curlers from their country to compete at the Games.
Reigning world champions Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds of Britain will be among the favourites after winning last year's world championship representing their native Scotland.
Mouat, who skipped his rink to gold at last year's European championships and silver at the world championships, will also compete in the men's competition in the second week of the Games and provide Britain with another shot at Olympic glory.
New Zealand's first participants at the games are Zoi Sadowski-Synott and Cool Wakushima in snowboard slopstyle qualification on Saturday.
-Reuters
Cricket lineup complete for Commonwealth Games
The women's cricket lineup for this year's Birmingham Commonwealth Games has been completed with Sri Lanka confirmed as the eighth team.
Sophie Devine Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Sri Lanka join Australia, Barbados, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa in the first major sports event in history to award more medals to women than men.
Sri Lanka won the qualifying tournament in Kuala Lumpur.
There is a women's T20 competition at the Commonwealth Gamnes but not a men's competition.
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, being held from 28 July to 8 August, will see 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete across the 11 spectacular days of sport.
Birmingham 2022 will be the first major multi-sport event in history to award more medals to women than men.
World Swim Champs off
The world swimming championships, scheduled to be held in Fukuoka, Japan in May, have been postponed to July next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 19th edition of the championships, originally set to take place in 2021 but postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and the delayed Tokyo Olympics, had been set to run from May 13-29 this year.
The 20th world championships in Doha, Qatar, will take place in January, 2024, FINA added. The event was originally scheduled for November, 2023.
FINA said it was in constant dialogue with athletes and coaches on the international competition calendar due to the potential health impact of the Omicron coronavirus variant.
-Reuters
Scottish football club loses sponsor in protest
Crime writer Val McDermid has withdrawn her sponsorship of Scottish Championship club Raith Rovers after its decision to sign former Scotland striker David Goodwillie.
Goodwillie and former Dundee United team mate David Robertson were ruled by a civil court judge in 2017 to have raped a woman after a night out in 2011 and ordered to pay her $200,000 damages.
No criminal case was ever brought against Goodwillie or Robertson after the Crown Office deemed there to be insufficient evidence. He maintains his innocence, saying they had consensual sex.
Lifelong fan McDermid, who backs the Kirkcaldy club and has her name as a shirt sponsor, said she would be ending her association with Raith.
Goodwillie was signed earlier this week from Clyde on a permanent deal until the end of the 2023-24 season.
Raith's women's team captain Tyler Rattray has also quit the club in protest.
-Reuters
