UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid says he is ‘disappointed’ by reports of high-profile footballers refusing to take Covid-19 vaccines, saying that players have a moral responsibility to be ‘role models’ for fans.
Javid’s comments comes amid reports that five England international players haven’t yet received a vaccination against the virus – with three senior players said to be steadfastly refusing to budge on the matter.
Reacting to the reports of vaccine hesitancy on Saturday, Javid suggested that footballers are “role models” to younger people in the United Kingdom and that they should consider their moral obligations when promoting anti-vaccine sentiment.
“I would just appeal to these people, whether they are footballers, whoever it is…that the vaccines are working,” said Javid to Times Radio.
“They’ve made a conscious choice. It is disappointing, of course it is.
“They are role models in society. People, especially young people, will look up to them and they should recognize that and the difference that can make in terms of encouraging others.”
Per a report this week from The Daily Mail, several conspiracy theories are thought to be rife in dressing rooms up and down Premier League clubs in England such as those which state that the vaccines are designed as a government spying tool, and that natural remedies such as vitamins are more effective as a treatment against Covid-19 than the various vaccines.
Javid’s comments come amid what appears to represent renewed vigor from UK authorities in persuading those who have not yet received a vaccine to sign up for one, also telling unvaccinated care workers to “get another job” if they are vaccine reluctant.
The situation has a ripple effect too: organizers of next year’s World Cup in Qatar have pushed for mandatory vaccinations of players and have stated that unvaccinated players will not be permitted entry to the country to take part in the tournament.
While more than a year remains to iron out any disagreements, the Qatari stance threatens to impede England boss Gareth Southgate’s plans for the tournament – particularly if a selection of his first team regulars are, as of now at least, ineligible to participate.
Southgate would appear to agree with Javid’s stance. In the summer he fronted a pro-vaccine video in which he urged young people to receive the shot in order to “get your freedom back“.
The FA, though, have made clear their stance as it stands today.
“This is a private matter for individuals and their respective clubs as employers. Our preparations for the forthcoming internationals continue as normal,” they said.
But if Premier League footballers continue to stand in opposition not just to the advice of public health experts but also Boris Johnson’s government, one wonders how long that particular statement will remain true.
Chelsea left it late to secure three points against a stubborn Southampton side on Saturday thanks in part to a Timo Werner strike which came after he had a 16th goal disallowed of his career in West London.
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel faced an unfamiliar feeling as he prepped his charges for battle at Stamford Bridge: pressure.
The German, who has experienced a wave of success since succeeding Frank Lampard in the hot seat last January, came into the match after a pair of losses to Manchester City and Juventus, with the tussle against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side considered an important one to steady the ship before it risks running aground.
And judging by some of the omens he saw throughout the first 80 or so minutes of the match, the game had all the hallmarks of being ‘one of those days’.
Chelsea took an early lead when the latest academy project off their successful assembly line, Trevoh Chalobah, nodded in at the far post before the game was ten minutes old – but whispers of concern were evident in the Shed End after both Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner both had first-half strikes ruled out.
In Werner’s case the decision seemed particularly harsh as his thundering header counted for nothing due to a foul by teammate Casar Azpilicueta committed earlier in the build-up to the goal.
The decision was contentious enough enrage Chelsea boss Tuchel on the touchline as he earned a yellow card for his protests.
Remarkably, Werner’s disallowed goal was said by ESPN and others to be the 16th such strike he has had chalked off during his Chelsea career – an incredible statistic for the German international which speaks to either his miserable luck or his uncanny ability to wander into offside positions.
Timo Werner has now had 16 ( SIXTEEN ) goals Disallowed since Joining Chelsea pic.twitter.com/n0z1vtC8LL
After the break, Southampton began to impose themselves on a hesitant Chelsea and levelled the scores through a James Ward-Prowse penalty after Ben Chilwell had brought down another former Chelsea youngster, and the Blues’ reigning Academy Player of the Year, Tino Livramento.
Saints’ skipper Ward-Prowse soon turned from hero to villain, however, after VAR ruled that a yellow card he received for a dangerous tackle on Jorginho be upgraded to red.
That was the only invitation that Chelsea needed. Buoyed by the man advantage, Tuchel implored his team to storm forward and their persistence finally paid off when Werner found himself in the right place (hint: onside) to poke home from close range with five minutes of normal time remaining.
Chilwell also made up for his earlier error by smashing home a late third to put a little daylight on the scoreboard between the two teams.
The win was an important one for Chelsea and Tuchel – but perhaps even more-so for Werner after his occasionally calamitous run leading the line for Chelsea since his big money move from RB Leipzig last summer.
“Timo Werner has now had 16 ( SIXTEEN ) goals Disallowed since Joining Chelsea,” noted one fan of Werner’s run of misfortune before his eventual goal.
“VAR has ruled out a total 16 goals out for Timo Werner, at this point Werner must’ve slept with whoever created VAR’s wife because wtf,” added another.
“Timo Werner is the unluckiest player I’ve ever seen. Sigh,” said one fan.
“Ross Barkley and Azpilicueta deserve so much credit for that goal. But thank god Timo Werner finally gets what he deserves,” wrote another.
The win lifted Chelsea to the top of the Premier League table on 16 points from their seven games played, while title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City meet in a blockbuster clash at Anfield on Sunday.
A quintet of Russian female chess stars claimed the World Women’s Team Championship title as they beat India in Saturday’s final in Spain.
Competing under the banner of the Chess Federation of Russian (CFR) in the tournament in the Catalan town of Sitges, Russia ran out winners 2.5-1.5 in the first game and 3-1 in the second to see off their Indian rivals.
The CFR team was represented by stars Aleksandra Goryachkina, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Kateryna Lagno, Alina Kashlinskaya, and Polina Shuvalova.
Congratulations to the CFR Team for a deserved victory at the 2021 FIDE World Women's Team Championship!
Goryachkina, Kosteniuk, Lagno, Kashlinskaya, and Shuvalova won all the matches in Sitges and only lost two games throughout the event. pic.twitter.com/wFofgKx5yO
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) October 2, 2021
Russia had previously romped through the pool stage of the competition before seeing off the FIDE Americas team in the quarterfinal and then Ukraine in the semifinal.
India had reached the final by overcoming Kazakhstan and Georgia in the knockout stages but came up against an insurmountable challenge in the form of Russia’s formidable stars.
The Indian players were still hailed for a first-ever women’s medal at this level.
Others to take part in the tournament were Azerbaijan, Armenia, Germany, Spain, Poland, and France.
Congratulations to India, the runners-up of the 2021 FIDE World Women's Team Championship!
A historical achievement in Sitges marks India's first medals at the World Women's Team Championships. pic.twitter.com/KxSXwQrY3W
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) October 2, 2021
Russia are the 2021 #FIDE Women's World Team Chess Champions!
Hard luck Team India First ever medal (Silver) for Indian women in this event! #WWTC2021
The triumph is the second time Russia’s women have been crowned world team champions, after their victory on home soil in Khanty-Mansiysk in 2017.
This year’s victory also makes up for the heartache of losing to China in the final in 2019.
China – who have won the title a record four times – were not among the contenders in Spain this time round.
CFR Team, the winners of the FIDE World Women's Team Championship, are all smiles: Polina Shuvalova, Aleksandra Goryachkina, team captain Sergei Rublevsky, Kateryna Lagno, Alexandra Kosteniuk. Alina Kashlinskaya is missing from the photo, but will soon join her teammates. pic.twitter.com/69xJGirOPi
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) October 2, 2021
Andrey Filatov, president of the Chess Federation of Russia and head coach of the Russian national men’s chess team, was among those to congratulate the team.
“My congratulations to our outstanding chess players and coaches on this confident victory at the World Women’s Team Championship and to all the Russian chess fans and amateurs on this magnificent achievement!”said Filatov.
“The Russian athletes, who have recently won the second FIDE Online Olympiad as members of the national team, once again confirmed their highest class and a professional level of the country’s chess school, having won gold medals so convincingly. Bravo!”
Most athletes are likely to experience a downturn in their careers at some point but spare a thought for veteran fighter Charles ‘Felony’ Bennett who reportedly suffered his 17th straight defeat on Friday night.
The outspoken Bennett has long been held as one of mixed martial arts’ most colorful characters owing to his penchant for wacky in-ring antics, as well as what might charitably be described as an “occasionally lax” approach to his fight career.
Bennett, who goes by the rather appropriate nickname ‘Felony’ after leaving his previous moniker ‘Crazy Horse’ behind him, occupies a unique position within the sport – with much of the headlines he generates centered around his extra-curricular activities rather than his results in the cage.
Perhaps the most glaring example of this is the story of how he knocked out the then imperious Wanderlei Silva backstage during an event hosted by defunct Japanese promotion PRIDE several years ago, something which has since been confirmed by Silva through gritted teeth.
And while much of Bennett’s fanfare exists solely in situations such as that, his in-ring offerings lately aren’t giving much of an opportunity to outshine them.
Bennett competed on Jorge Masvidal’s latest Gamebred FC fight card in Biloxi, Mississippi on Friday where he took on former UFC fighter and The Ultimate Fighter contestant Rob Emerson in a ‘bareknuckle MMA’ fight – but much like every other fight he has had in the past five years or so, it didn’t go the way of ‘Felony’.
Bennett was finished inside the first round of their fight by Emerson, who hurt his opponent with a slew of punches against the cage before toppling Bennett with a stiff right hand.
Remarkably, according to the stats on Twitter this was Bennett’s 17th straight defeat in combat sports when you add his MMA, bare-knuckle and now bare-knuckle MMA ledgers together dating back to his last victory which came in 2016 – ironically against Wanderlei Silva protege Minoru Kimura.
And as one might expect, Bennett’s extended losing streak has left some fight fans with questions.
Firstly, that ref is way too far away for how clearly rocked Charles is, he took extra unnecessary shots. Also what do we gotta do to get him some help?
“Firstly, that ref is way too far away for how clearly rocked Charles is, he took extra unnecessary shots. Also what do we gotta do to get him some help?” wrote one fan online in response to the latest footage of Bennett hitting the canvas.
“Gotta admire the guy’s resolve, he’s really following his dream,” joked another.
“Imagine when he finally breaks that streak lol,” wrote a third. “What’s worse being on a 17 fight losing streak or losing to a guy that has 17 fight losing streak?”
A couple of young fans made the most of their 15 minutes of fame when interviewed by Man Utd’s TV channel following the 1-1 draw with Everton, using their time in the spotlight to call for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s head.
The pressure continues to rise on United’s Norwegian boss after yet another insipid performance this time at home to Everton, and when interviewed on live television by the club’s own station MUTV, these two fans couldn’t help but offer a concise description in United’s woes.
“What did you think of the game?” the host asks the two diminutive football fans, who were decked in half-and-half scarves (and may well have been Everton supporters).
“Ole out,” replied the first before making a swift exit leaving the spotlight on his pal.
“Ole out,” the second agreed, before adding some further color. “Sancho’s cr*p,” he said.
The outburst from the pair of cheeky youngsters seems to match a growing discontent in the Old Trafford stands of Solskjaer’s handling of his band of millionaire players.
The high-profile additions of Cristiano Ronaldo, Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho had been expected to confirm Manchester United as legitimate contenders to Manchester City’s Premier League crown – but the evidence so far, at least while we remain in the Premier League’s embryonic stages of the season, suggests that there is a lot more work to do before Solskjaer can deliver the type of silverware that Man Utd fans the world over crave.
And the two kids’ analysis of the problems at Old Trafford appear to have been endorsed in the comments.
“‘Sancho’s crap’ that kid knows ball,” joked one fan in the comments.
“No way children have higher standards for Man United than half of the adults in the ground lol,” added another.
“How disrespectful to a club legend . Give the man another season he will do wonders,” said another with their tongue firmly in their cheek and accompanied by a string of laughing emojis.
