Sports News

Over the course of the pandemic the global community has seen the true extremity of disparities that pre-dated and were exacerbated by Covid-19. This included key events such as the death of George Floyd and subsequent worldwide outrage that brought the Black Lives Matter movement to a boiling point. A universal point of reflection and action was required, this stretched to individuals, institutions and sectors; including the sport and physical activity sector.

He spent the first dozen years of his life in Jamaica before moving to the UK with his family in 1975. Six years later he was a professional footballer, distinguishing himself for Watford, Liverpool and England, and in the process becoming this country's most prominent Black player.

One of English football's first Black players, Walter Tull, has been posthumously inducted into the National Football Museum's Hall of Fame.

Originally signed for Tottenham Hotspurs in 1909, he moving to Northampton Town two years later, where he played more than 100 games between 1911 and 1914 before he was killed in action during World War One, aged 29.

One of Test cricket’s biggest fixtures is coming to Birmingham in 2022 with the England men’s team meeting India at Edgbaston Stadium from Friday 1 to Tuesday 5 July in a Test series decider. Following discussions with the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Edgbaston has agreed to step in and host the rearranged fifth LV= Insurance men’s Test match, which was originally scheduled to be played in September 2021, due to the unavailability of the original venue.

England have been ordered to play one match behind closed doors as a punishment for the unrest at Wembley Stadium during the Euro 2020 final. UEFA also imposed a ban for a second game, which is suspended for two years.

The Football Association was fined 100,000 euros (£84,560) for the lack of order and discipline inside and around the stadium for the game.

42 athletes have been offered membership to join the British Athletics Paralympic World Class Programme (WCP) for 2021/22. The WCP is UK Sport’s National Lottery funded initiative supporting the delivery of success at named milestone targets, namely outdoor track World and European championships, and the Paralympic Games.

The WCP is split into several levels reflecting the actual and potential performance levels of athletes: Podium, Podium Potential and Confirmation. Paralympic T20 400m bronze medallist, Columba Blango, is offered Podium membership for the first time, while Tokyo champion in the T20 1500, Owen Miller moves up to the same level from Podium Potential.

A group of 67 athletes have been offered membership to join the British Athletics Olympic World Class Programme (WCP) for 2021/22.

The WCP is UK Sport’s National Lottery funded initiative supporting the delivery of success at named milestone targets, namely outdoor track World and European Championships and Olympics Games.

The relaxation of travel restrictions means that golfers looking to enjoy a round under the winter sun can now head overseas much more easily. Both Spain and Portugal are popular destinations with golfers thanks to their easy access from the UK, pristine courses and inviting weather with both Iberian nations looking forward to an influx of golfers over the next couple of months.

Sport and physical activity providers are being invited to complete a short 'health check' survey to show what impact, if any, Covid-19 has had on them.

As part of its ongoing work to support the local sport and physical activity sector, the City of Wolverhampton Council wants to take stock of where local providers are as a consequence of the pandemic.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II launched the 16th official Queen’s Baton Relay, a Games tradition that celebrates, connects and excites communities from across the Commonwealth during the build up to the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022.

The Relay began at Buckingham Palace, where Her Majesty placing Her message to the Commonwealth into the Baton.

A ‘one stop’ shop has been launched to give people the skills they need to land thousands of jobs at next summer’s Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The bespoke, on-line portal has been set up by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to offer valuable information on training courses that are matched to Birmingham 2022 jobs.

The popular city centre shuttle buses will be back to get fans to and from the Cazoo Grand Slam of Darts at Aldersley Leisure Village, Wolverhampton, from 13 to 21 November. Buses will be running from Wulfruna Street, and tickets can be purchased from Ticketmaster while buying event tickets.

Legendary West Indies bowler Michael Holding has said that England showed "Western arrogance" by pulling out of their tour of Pakistan.

He said the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) statement doesn't wash with him and claimed that it had; "No substance."

Walsall, in the West Midlands, welcomed the AJ Bell Women’s Tour, the world’s leading international women’s cycle race, for the first time in 2021.

Stage two started at the Walsall Arboretum, the area’s famous Victorian Park, and culminate with a finish on Lichfield Street in the heart of the town and in the shadows of Walsall Town Hall.

Motorsport star Bubba Wallace became a history-maker after becoming the first Black driver to win a race in Nascar's premier series in 58 years. After taking his first Nascar Cup Series win at Talladega Superspeedway, he follows the feat of Wendell Scott who won the race in 1963.

When asked about his achievement, he said: "I never think about those things.

Communities across the West Midlands are being encouraged to ‘rise up’ in aid of a charity which delivers sports-themed personal development programmes to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

Sport 4 Life UK, based in Digbeth, Birmingham, is staging the R15E UP Challenge to mark 15 years of supporting young people across the region into qualifications or employment.