Day: December 17, 2021

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Women’s basketball team takes knee, star claims racial discrimination in row about hair

A women’s basketball star has claimed that an apparent order for players to tie up braided hair was “clear racial discrimination” after her team took a knee in protest.

Tiffany Mitchell, an American star for Australian side the Melbourne Boomers, joined her teammates in taking a pre-match knee over a disputed email said to have been sent from bosses ruling that players should tie up braids.

Kneeling is usually associated with solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement, and Mitchell said the gesture had been made to “combat” Basketball Australia (BA), adding that she had been discriminated against.

“Throughout my first month here in Australia I had little-to-no problems,” she said, predicting that her words would prove “uncomfortable for some to read and inspiring for others”.

“Until this past week, when I was met with a situation that was clear racial discrimination.

“I was approached about my hair and [told] that, for the start of the regular season, I wouldnt be able to play if I didnt tie my hair up or wear it in a bun.

“An email was also sent out informing coaches and refs to make sure the ‘rule’ was in place for ‘the players’ with braids.

“Now, in I don’t know how many years, this league chooses to enforce this ‘FIBA’ [International Basketball Federation] rule about the length of someone’s hair.

“Braids specifically: of course, people with ‘free braids’, as they call it. Apparently it’s clear that only the black people in this league have these type of braids.

“I’ve played all around the world, in every top league at the highest level and my braids have never been an issue.”

In a statement, BA said it had reviewed and removed the rule, revealing that it was deemed “discriminatory” and inconsistent with a Diversity and Inclusion framework drawn up by a commission.

“Basketball Australia makes an unreserved apology for any anguish and pain that was caused by this rule,” it added, also sending a letter saying sorry to Boomers player Ezi Magbegor.

Jacob Holmes, the CEO of the Australian Basketball Players’ Association (ABPA), pledged support for Mitchell and other players “in the pursuit of a respectful, inclusive and safe environment at work, in the community and online.”

“We commend Tiffany and the players for addressing this issue,” he said. “Unacceptably, we have witnessed online abuse directed at players in relation to this incident.

“Racist abuse is abhorrent. People who perpetuate this abuse, whether online or offline, can expect to face consequences.

“As organisations, and as individuals, we have the responsibility to identify and call out racism in every space.

“You can stand with the players and us to call out abuse. When you identify systemic racism and discrimination, work to change it.

“The ABPA takes an active role in correcting the issues our players are facing with cultural insensitivities and discrimination in our basketball community.

“Collectively, we can set the example and continue to educate and support each other.”

Pictures from the game in which Mitchell observed the mistaken application of the bygone rule showed her looking upset.

“You can clearly see in the [picture] the pain I was still carrying, because how are you enforcing a rule that isn’t even a rule anymore?” she said.

“The target I felt I had on my back was undescribable but I still played [despite] all the disappoint I felt [with] Basketball Australia.

“Did [taking a knee] change how I still felt inside about the entire situation? No. But it gave me a sense of comfort knowing that the ladies that I suit up with every night had my teammate and my backs.

“Goes to show we have a long way to go for equality all over the world. Unfortunate that it had to [take] these conversations to happen, but I’m happy that Basketball Australia is held accountable and has become aware of the ignorance that was displayed in this situation.

“The support has been beyond amazing. You never know what someone is going through. It’s time to hold people accountable; situations like this are just not accepatable anymore.”

Australian NBA player Patrick Mills was among those offering Mitchell support. “No-one should ever be singled out because of their colour, origin or ethnicity,” he tweeted.

“It is unacceptable. I’m sorry you had to experience this. Sending lots of love and good vibes your way.”

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Woman burned to death in car crash involving ex-NFL star

The 23-year-old woman who died in an alleged crash involving a former NFL player who is accused of driving under the influence burned to death in her car, a Nevada coroner has said.

Tina Tintor and her dog died in the fiery smash which authorities are blaming on former Las Vegas Raiders star Henry Ruggs II, who they claim was driving drunk and far in excess of the local speed limit.

Police state that Ruggs’ Corvette was travelling at a speed of 156mph in a 45mph zone before he collided with Tintor’s Toyota Rav4, rupturing her gas tank and causing her car to be enveloped in flames, killing the victim and her golden retriever, Max. 

Tintor “died from thermal injuries due to a motor vehicle collision on Nov. 2”, according to the coroner, who added that “other significant conditions contributing to her death were inhalation of products of combustion, fractures of the nasal bones, right sided ribs … left forearm and (chest).

“The manner of her death was accidental.”

A spokesperson for Clark County, where the crash took place, said that there were no “delays in response or in the attack on the fire”, also saying that a fire captain on the scene maintained that “the passenger compartment was not survivable for anyone inside”.

Subsequent testing revealed that Ruggs’ blood alcohol content was 0.16 percent shortly after the crash – a figure which is twice the Nevada legal limit.

Police also indicated that a loaded handgun was found inside Ruggs’ destroyed vehicle. 

It was reported that Ruggs refused a sobriety test at the scene but later complied when he was transported to hospital. 

Witnesses to the late night crash claim that they heard screams from inside Tintor’s car but were unable to attempt a rescue because of the overwhelming fire and smoke.

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Footage showed the aftermath of the horror fatal crash involving NFL star Henry Ruggs. © USA Today Sports / Twitter @8NewsNow / Aimee Rego
Footage shows inferno of fatal car crash with ‘fastest man in NFL’ Henry Ruggs ‘facing 20 YEARS in prison’ after DUI charges

Ruggs and his partner, Kiara Je’nai Kilgo-Washington, were both hospitalized after the crash with unspecified injuries.

He was later charged with two felony counts of driving under the influence causing death or serious injury, as well as two felony counts of reckless driving and a misdemeanor weapon charge.

The 22-year-old was bailed for $150,000 but remains under house arrest. Local District Attorney Steve Wolfson indicated last month that Ruggs faces anywhere between two and 50 years in prison. 

Ruggs, who was one of the most high-profile young wide receivers in the NFL,  was released by the Raiders shortly after the accident.

He was in his second season with the team after being taken in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft following a tremendously successful collegiate career with Alabama, where he won a national championship in 2017. 

A preliminary hearing for the case is set for March 10. 

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English football club beats government Covid rules by reducing stadium capacity

English side Carlisle United have announced they are working around mandatory Covid rules set by the UK government for any crowd of 10,000 people or more – by reducing their stadium capacity to 9,999.

On Tuesday, Boris Johnson’s Conservative government announced further restrictions, called ‘Plan-B’, designed to slow the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 after a significant uptick in cases since the strain was first discovered in southern Africa in November, with MPs passing legislation which mandate that Covid certification should be checked in some areas of England from Wednesday.

The strengthening of restrictions has proved unpopular among large swathes of the country, with Johnson even being forced to fight off a revolt from dozens of backbencher Tories who voted against the move. 

The restrictions are poised to hit football grounds across the country – but one team who have signaled that they won’t be required to comply is EFL side Carlisle United, who revealed that they have reduced their stadium capacity from 17,949 to 9,999 as long as the system is in place.

This essentially means that any fans who attend games at their Brunton Park ground won’t be required to show proof of vaccination to gain entry as part of a move that will limit capacity to 6,000 seats and 3,999 standing fans.

By contrast, all venues with a capacity of 10,000 or more are forced by the legislation to require football fans to either present a valid NHS Covid pass which displays a negative lateral flow test from the previous 48 hours or proof of full vaccination.

It has also been suggested that the terms for ‘full vaccination’ may soon be amended to include a ‘booster’, or third shot of a Covid-19 vaccine.

Carlisle chiefs also revealed that the wearing of facemasks will not be mandatory in the seats and on the terraces but will be required in sections of the stadium which are indoors, including toilets.

“The club can confirm there will be no mandatory Covid certification at Brunton Park at this time,” the club said in a statement.

“At this point, all areas… are planned to remain open. At these levels of expected attendance, there will be no mandatory Covid certification required at Brunton Park under ‘Plan-B’.

“There will be no requirement to show vaccination status or a recent negative test to enter the stadium and come to games. Supporters will not be required to wear a face covering when located in their seat, or on the terrace, in the stadium bowl.

“All supporters aged 11 and over will be legally required to wear a face covering when located in all indoor areas of the stadium, other than when eating or drinking, or where exempt.”

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Fans in England will reportedly face new Covid requirements © Toby Melville / Reuters
English football fans are about to be told to provide vaccine passports and tests – report

Carlisle’s decision to institute a workaround to Johnson’s ‘Plan-B’ comes after the Premier League reported a record total of 42 positive Covid tests for the past week.

Manchester United’s trip to Brentford and Tottenham’s visit to Brighton were both called off because of Covid outbreaks at the clubs.

It should also be noted that Carlisle haven’t had an attendance this season of more than 8,000. The new plans will ensure that supporters won’t be required to conform to the policies being adopted by the majority of their peers in the English football pyramid. 

Carlisle added: “As a club, we have maintained the basic principles of dealing with Covid-19 which were initially introduced in March 2019, and which have been updated and modified regularly since.

“The football department operates in Red Zones both on matchdays and throughout the week, with access to those zones restricted to essential visits only for non-football staff and contractors.

“Players are on a regular cycle of lateral flow tests and are under the close supervision of the club’s medical staff for advice, should they have any concerns.

“The vaccination status of individuals is monitored, with seating and rooming lists compiled accordingly for away trips.”

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F1 chief accused of breaking his own rules as fuming fans make his words haunt him

F1’s race director has faced a furious backlash from fans and could even lose his job after he was accused of going back on his own words in the controversial conclusion to Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Australian Michael Masi, who has been in his position since 2019, has faced intense criticism since the race amid claims that he ignored the sport’s regulations in order to generate the sensational final lap which saw Belgian-Dutchman Verstappen pass Hamilton to claim his first ever world title.

Masi’s critics maintain that he gave an incorrect go-ahead for the safety car to be removed from the track following an earlier accident involving Williams driver Nicholas Latifi, affording Verstappen – who was on fresher tyres – an opportunity to eat into Hamilton’s lead before passing him on Turn Five and fighting off two desperate overtake attempts from the Englishman before he crossed the finish line.

The scandal has deepened after some viewers brought up an incident involving driver Lando Norris at the Eiffel Grand Prix in October 2018.

On that occasion, Masi allowed for the entire field of 10 lapped cars to un-lap themselves while the safety car was deployed. It was a move which led to extreme criticism of Masi, with the move taking a full six laps to complete.

Masi said at the time: “There’s a requirement in the sporting regulations to wave all the lapped cars past. From that point, it was position six onwards that were still running [on the lead lap], so between 10 or 11 cars had to un-lap themselves.”

The remarks appear to directly contradict Masi’s decisions in Abu Dhabi, leading to outrage among many.

The five cars that were allowed to un-lap themselves in the final Grand Prix of the season were the same five whose track positions were between first-placed Hamilton and Verstappen in second.

Masi also appeared to ignore guidelines which state that the safety car is to be withdrawn on the lap after cars un-lap themselves, instead ordering its removal to allow one final lap of racing between the two world title rivals. 

Hamilton’s Mercedes team have argued that, had the correct regulations been followed, their driver would have won the World Championship.

“Michael Masi and the FIA should be ashamed,” raged one critic. “Giving a driver an unfair advantage in breach of their own rules, then saying, ‘tough, I’m the race director’ is nothing short of madness. The wrong driver is the world champion.”

Another said: “Michael Masi determined the outcome of this championship. He used his discretion to interpret the rules in a way they have never been interpreted before to create a restart from which there was only going to be one winner. That is not his job.”

Masi’s job could be under threat after his apparent manipulation of the rules which led to the Hollywood-style ending, according to Fox Sports.

While a storm gathers around Masi, Hamilton put his heartbreak behind him by receiving a British honor at the Royal Family’s Windsor Castle on Wednesday.

The Prince of Wales gave Hamilton his official recognition for services to motorsport in the ceremony, which came after he was named on the New Year Honors 2021 list in January.

Hamilton’s mother, Carmen, joined him at the castle as he become the fourth Formula 1 driver in history to be knighted, following in the footsteps of Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Stirling Moss and Sir Jack Brabham.

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Ex-UFC star Lee makes McGregor claim after joining Khabib’s Eagle FC (VIDEO)

Ex-UFC title contender Kevin Lee has moved to Miami to join Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC at its new base as the former champion continues to build his promotion beyond Russia – and the new signing had words about Conor McGregor.

Former lightweight king Nurmagomedov revealed that his championship will be introducing 165lb and 175lb weight divisions as it continues to grow, adding Lee – who spent seven-and-a-years with the UFC – to the lighter new category.

Sitting alongside Sergei Kharitonov, who will headline Eagle FC’s first event in the US when he faces Tyrone Spong on January 28, Lee inevitably fielded questions about the desire he expressed to face Nurmagomedov during his career.

Lee called out Nurmagomedov in December 2018 and appeared to question the calibre of opponents the Dagestani had faced in August 2021.

“Life is amazing sometimes,” said the 29-year-old, claiming that the presence of Nurmagomedov had persuaded him to sign for his new promotion.

“I’ve said a lot about the man in the past; I’ve said I wanted to fight him and test myself against him.

“I only want to do that with people I respect. Since his retirement, that respect has grown – so I’m happy to go in there and shed some blood.

“It’s better to be partners and work together on this and grow something without having to fight each other.

“By doing this, I think we can move the sport on from the bullsh*t, the Conor McGregor style of trash-talking and all this.

“I haven’t hit my prime yet and, to have him help me get to my prime, that’s more important than us fighting each other.

“Free agency is amazing. I had so many offers and really got to test what I was worth. I chose to go with Khabib because he’s been there and done that, he’s a great champion. The evolution of the sport is for us to become our own promoters.”

When Nurmagomedov retired from the sport with an unbeaten record in October 2020, he ended a career that included a win over McGregor in 2018 which was acrimonious even by his opponent’s foul-mouthed standards.

Nurmagomedov said the full range of divisions in his championship have not been decided.

“I’m really grateful that Eagle FC is willing to do a 165lb division – I think it’s going to benefit a lot of guys,” enthused Lee, who fought at the 155lb lightweight limit and 170lb welterweight cut-off for the UFC.

“I’m the best in the world at that weight; I’ve said that for a long time and it’s a big part of the reason why I’m coming over.

“There’s never been a world champion at 165; there have been champions at 155, at 170. I’ll be the first one and it feels nice to make a little piece of history for mixed martial arts. 

“A 165 division is brand new but, when we look back on this in future generations and times, this will be the first one and I think that will be history in the making.

“They’ve done it in boxing, they’ve added weight classes, then people come after them. That’s what we’re doing here.”

His newest signing’s relocation is a sign of the globe-crossing appeal Nurmagomedov wants Eagle FC to have, and he said that women’s divisions could also be created in the future.

“I don’t want people to call this a promotion from Russia,” he explained. “This is now a global promotion. Our headquarters are going to be here in Miami.

“We’re still going to make events around the world but our home is going to be here in Miami. Next year, we will make maybe seven or eight shows here.

“If we talk about 2023, we are going to make a couple of shows every month. Next year, we have a very big year. It’s very exciting and I can’t wait.”

Lee lost on his final UFC outing in August, a result he hopes to reverse when he makes his expected return on March 11. He remains impressed by Nurmagomedov and his new employers.

“I’ve seen his rise through the UFC, I know how hard it is to be a champion and how hard it is to stay a champion,” he said.

“That’s one thing, but then I was able to see what he was able to do outside the cage in supporting his teammates and training other people. Now he’s getting into promoting and I give him credit for that.

“It’s amazing. Walking into this building feels like a fresh start. I can feel a new energy and to be around a great champion – and great champions in the past – I feel like it’s big shoes to fill and I’m here to do that.”