The death of former Argentina attacking midfielder and manager Diego Maradona has left the football world – neh, the world – in a state of shock as one of the greatest players of all time will be remembered for a long while.

He had successful surgery on a brain blood clot last month and was to be treated for alcohol dependency. But he suffered a heart attack at his Buenos Aires home.

A captain when Argentina won the 1986 World Cup, he scored 34 goals in 91 appearances for Argentina, representing them in four World Cups.

He started his career with Argentinos Juniors, also playing for Sevilla, and Boca Juniors and Newell's Old Boys in his homeland and as a player for Barcelona and Napoli, he won two Serie A titles with the Italian side.

Maradona led his country to the 1990 final in Italy, where they were beaten by West Germany, before captaining them again in the United States in 1994, but was sent home after failing a drugs test for ephedrine.

Argentina and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi paid tribute to Maradona, saying he was "eternal". He said: "A very sad day for all Argentines and football. He leaves us but does not leave, because Diego is eternal. I keep all the beautiful moments lived with him and I send my condolences to all his family and friends."

During the second half of his career, Maradona struggled with cocaine addiction and was banned for 15 months after testing positive for the drug in 1991.

He retired from professional football in 1997, on his 37th birthday, during his second stint at Argentine giants Boca Juniors.

Writing on Twitter Brazil legend Pele said: "What sad news. I lost a great friend and the world lost a legend. There is still much to be said, but for now, may God give strength to family members. One day, I hope we can play ball together in the sky." Former England striker and Match of the Day host Gary Lineker, who was part of the England team beaten by Argentina at the 1986 World Cup, said Maradona was "by some distance, the best player of my generation and arguably the greatest of all time".

Having briefly managed two sides in Argentina during his playing career, Maradona was appointed head coach of the national team in 2008 and left after the 2010 World Cup, where his side were beaten by Germany in the quarter-finals. He subsequently managed teams in the United Arab Emirates and Mexico and was in charge of Gimnasia y Esgrima in Argentina's top flight at the time of his death

In a statement on social media, the Argentine Football Association expressed "its deepest sorrow for the death of our legend", adding: "You will always be in our hearts." Declaring three days of national mourning, Alberto Fernandez, the president of Argentina, said: "You took us to the top of the world. You made us immensely happy. You were the greatest of them all.

"Thank you for having existed, Diego. We're going to miss you all our lives."

He was 60.

Individuals and organisations who could be affected by measures to restrict advertising and trading in and around Birmingham 2022 Games locations are being encouraged to provide their views on a number of proposed exceptions.

The Birmingham Commonwealth Games Act contains offences concerning unauthorised advertising and unauthorised trading in certain places at certain times. These restrictions will help ensure we deliver on our hosting commitments for the Games. They will:

• protect the rights of commercial sponsors, whose contributions help to offset the public costs of the Games
• ensure Birmingham 2022 Games locations and their surroundings have a consistent look and feel in line with Commonwealth Games branding
• ensure people can safely access the venues and the free flow of spectators

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is working closely with the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee and our Games partners to ensure we take a proportionate approach - one that protects the rights of commercial sponsors and ensures that spectators can move easily and safely around Games locations while minimising disruption to existing businesses.

The consultation will run from 5 November until 11 January. Responses will be used to inform potential exceptions to the advertising and trading offences which we expect to be brought forward in secondary legislation later next year. An ‘exception’ is a form of advertising or trading activity (for example, public transport services) that will not be caught by the advertising and trading offences in the Act.

The restrictions will be in place in and around specified Games locations at specified times, and will only be in place when and where necessary, but there is the possibility that the restrictions could apply at any time between 7 July to 13 August (a maximum of 38 days).

A list of the Games locations that we currently expect to be affected is included in the consultation document. In most cases, we would expect the restrictions on advertising and trading to extend no more than a few hundred metres around each location’s perimeter.

However, in some circumstances, restrictions may need to extend further to ensure that designated walking routes and key transport hubs are taken into account.

This consultation does not address the timing or vicinity of the restrictions, as this will be driven by when and how Games locations are used and is the subject of ongoing operational planning. Once they have been finalised, the locations and timings of the restrictions will be set out in secondary legislation.

A hugely successful half-term sports-themed community programme which provided dozens of West Midlands youngsters with access to a range of physical activities and much-needed food parcels is to be repeated in the run-up to Christmas.

Sport 4 Life UK’s October Sports Camp took place at Hodge Hill College in Birmingham during the autumn half-term break and attracted as many as 35 people a day aged between 11 and 29 from diverse backgrounds.

And following the initiative run by the charity which uses sport to improve the life chances of young people not in education, employment or training, a number of the participants are set to complete virtual sports leader qualifications.

The event will return in the third week of December at the start of the Festive school holiday for a Winter Sports Camp, but with the format to be dictated by relevant coronavirus restrictions at the time.

CEO and Founder of Sport 4 Life UK Tom Clarke-Forrest said: “On one hand it’s rewarding for us to be making such an impact on these youngsters’ lives and I would like to thank everyone who helped to make the October Sports Camp a success. But on the other, the level of interest in our school holiday camps is growing and that is testament to the intensifying challenges young people face as a result of the pandemic and economic downturn.”

He added: “We’re now planning to run a similar event in the lead-up to the winter break in December, however, we’re mindful that the pandemic may prevent sports activities. We’re thinking therefore that if that is the case we could be looking at a food programme along with online mentoring and support rather than physical activity. One way or another we will ensure we’re there for as many young people as possible this winter, assisting them to build a positive future.”

During the October half-term Sports Camp, participants received food parcels containing essentials such as cereal bars, fruit, crisps and bottled water.

Sporting activities including football, tennis and volleyball were provided along with informal mentoring throughout the week.

Businesses and organisations interested in partnering with Sport 4 Life UK in its work supporting young people aged between 11 and 29 should contact Rob Wells, Head of Business Development, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Karachi Kings won their first Pakistan Super League with a five-wicket victory over Lahore Qalandars in the final.

Babar Azam hit an unbeaten 63 off 49 balls as a Karachi side featuring England's Alex Hales comfortably chased their target of 135 with eight balls to spare on their home ground.

Earlier, Lahore collapsed from 68-0 to 81-4 as they posted a modest 134-7.

The tournament was halted in March by the Covid-19 pandemic and resumed with the play-off stages on Saturday.

Karachi were playing in their first final, having reached the play-offs on all four occasions since the competition launched in 2016.

Lahore had finished bottom of the table in every previous tournament. Having won the toss, Lahore started solidly through Tamim Iqbal and Fakhar Zaman, who made 35 and 27 respectively, before losing three wickets in seven balls.

Former England all-rounder Samit Patel - on the day he signed a new deal with his county side Nottinghamshire - fell for five as Karachi seamers Umaid Asif and Waqas Maqsood claimed 2-18 apiece.

Patel's Notts team-mate Hales made 11 in Karachi's chase but opener Babar, who was last week appointed Pakistan Test skipper to add to the limited-overs captaincy, played an elegant innings to see the side home.

There were 15 English players involved in this season's PSL, including Chris Jordan, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone and Lewis Gregory, who missed the play-offs because they were selected for England's limited-overs tour of South Africa which starts this week.

The 2021 PSL is scheduled to begin in February.

The UK Athletics ‘Let’s Talk About Race’ programme launched this summer has culminated in a sport-wide commitment to tackle issues of racial inequality endorsed jointly by UKA and the Home Country Athletics Federations (HCAFs).

The programme was launched to review all issues related to race within the sport following the murder of George Floyd. Whilst athletics in the UK is enjoyed by a diverse community, UKA CEO Joanna Coates appealed to the sport to let UKA know how it could be better at supporting ethnically diverse communities in the long term and not just in the immediate aftermath of this tragic event.

The programme launched with a series of roundtables, bringing together voices from across the athletics community to discuss race and was followed by a series of focus groups that identified priorities which have enabled UKA to finalise the actions to be taken forward as part of the 2021-2024 Diversity Action Plan – set to be published in January. 

The headline actions agreed by the CEO forum include:

• A sport-wide commitment to address racial inequality in athletics
• Embedding ED&I in UKA & HCAF strategies
• Diverse representation at all levels of athletics e.g. Developing a Club ED & I toolkit for use
• Development & Education e.g. Mandatory unconscious bias/ED&I training in coaching, officials and workforce qualifications
• Develop mentoring/shadowing programmes
• Policies e.g. Develop and implement a Race Equality Code of Conduct agreement for officials

Joanna Coates, UK Athletics CEO, said: “Following the impact of the murder of George Floyd, UKA felt it essential to engage with the sport and take positive action against racism by delivering the ‘Let’s talk about Race’ programme in line with our commitments to the Race at Work Charter.

‘We are very proud of the work undertaken so far on this having committed to real change within the sport. But agreeing the plan is only the first step. The recommendations will be taken forward as part of our 2021-2024 Diversity Action Plan, and the sport will need to work collectively to make these changes.”

Donna Fraser, Equality, Diversity and Engagement Lead at UK Athletics, said: “The murder of George Floyd sparked positive and negative conversations about race around the world and although a heart-breaking experience, we took the time to reach out to the athletics community to understand the true feelings and experiences within our sport. 

“The passion and commitment to make change from those who supported the programme really shone through and I thank them for their honesty. This is the start of a journey and I have no doubt that the athletics community will hold myself and the senior leaders at UKA and the HCAF’s accountable for the Let’s Talk About Race deliverables.” 

Thanks go to the respective Chairs of the focus groups; Imani Lansiquot, Yannick Phippen,  Michael Afilaka, Melanie Anning, Marcus Opoku, Mark Draisey and Sabrina Pace Humphreys.

The family of 1966 World Cup winner Nobby Stiles says football needs to "address the scandal" of dementia in the game. And they criticised the Professional Footballers' Association, saying there had been a lack of support for players.

The ex-Manchester United and England midfielder died in October, aged 78. He had dementia and prostate cancer. Stiles is the fifth member of England's World Cup-winning squad to have been diagnosed with dementia.

Previous research has shown that ex-footballers are three and a half times more likely to die of dementia than the general population. Stiles' family said they were proud of "what he achieved, but more importantly, the man he was". But they added: "There is a need for urgent action.

"These older players have largely been forgotten and many are in ill health, like dad.

"How can it be that these players are left needing help when their own union has tens of millions of pounds available today?

"How can it be that these players are struggling when the Premier League receives £3bn a year?

"The modern player will never need the help required by the older lads. How can it be right that some of the heroes of 1966 had to sell their medals to provide for the families?

"These older players are dying like my dad - many don't have medals to sell. It is right, of course to seek to identify the cause of dementia in older players but in truth the cause is irrelevant to the older players - whatever the cause, they need help now.

"I hope dad's death is the catalyst for this scandal to be addressed."

Stiles made 397 appearances for Manchester United between 1960 and 1971, later going on to play for Middlesbrough and Preston North End. He won 28 caps for England and is the seventh member of the England team that started the 1966 World Cup final against West Germany to die, after captain Bobby Moore, Alan Ball, Ray Wilson, Gordon Banks, Martin Peters and Jack Charlton.

Stiles had a minor stroke in 2010, and was then diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and prostate cancer.

The PFA said: "Our thoughts are with Nobby Stiles' family at this very difficult time.

"The PFA Charity offers a range of support to former professional footballers and their families/carers. The support we provide is always confidential and as each family's circumstance will vary, we try to ensure that the support provided is suitable to their individual needs.

"The PFA is listening to member feedback and evaluating ways to improve the services and care provided. We are at the of beginning of a process of consultation with sections of our membership who have lived experience of neurodegenerative conditions. We will be liaising with these members and their families to determine how the services can be of greater help and more accessible for those that need it.

"The PFA will continue to fund research as part of a working group, comprised of stakeholders from across the game. Currently, we are funding three separate studies looking at neurodegenerative conditions and football."

In a statement, the Football Association said: "We continue to work closely with the Alzheimer's Society and, alongside other sport governing bodies, we are pleased to be a part of their Sport United Against Dementia campaign to help raise awareness and gain support for their valuable work.

"Collaboration across football's governing bodies is key in order to better understand this important issue collectively, and we firmly believe that all areas of football should come together for this meaningful cause."

Research from a study by neuropathologist Dr Willie Stewart found that former footballers were between two and five times more likely to die from degenerative brain diseases.

It has yet to be proven whether heading is a contributing factor. But Stiles says he is "utterly convinced" heading had caused problems to the members of the 1966 World Cup team who have been diagnosed with dementia, including Sir Bobby Charlton.

Stewart's examination of former West Brom striker Jeff Astle concluded he died of a brain condition normally linked to boxers, and that it was caused by heading footballs. Last month, a coroner ruled that former Welsh international Alan Jarvis died from dementia linked to repeatedly heading the ball.

Stiles said that football was "hiding behind the fact that it's very difficult to get conclusive evidence of a brain injury" as it cannot be diagnosed until after death. He added: "It's blatantly obvious that heading the ball has given the World Cup players dementia.

"There's nothing else that they have done, although all I hear from football authorities is that they need more studies. But while they are doing that the players aren't getting the help they need and they need it now. Football hasn't reacted and in the meantime, there's been hundreds, maybe thousands of footballers who have suffered with it, and football has deliberately, in my opinion, not dealt with it because it will cost money and effect the brand.

"The research should continue, there is plenty of money to do it, to make sure that current players and youngsters coming through don't suffer the same fate as my father. But more importantly, players should be getting care and support now, substantial support and care.

"I don't think you could ever take heading out of football, but at least the players should be made aware that they make a decision to play the game knowing what the risks are."

The Premier League says it contributes £23m a year to the PFA, which goes to several charitable and development causes, including the recent study. It also has its own head injury advisory group, and is awaiting more details on concussion substitutions from IFAB, which are set to be trialled across the game from January 2021 onwards.