Sports News

Cheshire Phoenix last night announced the addition of GB guard Jules Dang-Akodo from London Lions.

Jules represented the London Lions during the 2020-21 season and was a member of Great Britain’s 2017 Eurobasket squad – having also represented GB at Under 18 and Under 20 level.

The 6'3" guard has experience in the German BBL and Pro B leagues, as well as Spain’s LEB Gold and the Slovenian SKL.

Dang-Akodo is the latest addition to the Phoenix roster following the recent signing of GB point guard Teddy Okereafor.

“I’m really happy to have Jules here next season," said Head Coach Ben Thomas. "I think he has really improved his game over the last couple of years and when he has had the chance to prove himself, he has done just that.

“His defence will definitely make us better next season, he is very good on the ball and willingly picks up full court, but I think his offensive game will really help us too. He has a lot of positive attributes and most recently his shooting for the Lions has been really good.

“I look forward to working with him, he’s another high-level British player who needs a bigger role and that’s what he will get here.”

Jules Dang-Akodo added, “I am grateful for the opportunity to play for this club. I am really excited for next season and looking forward to meeting our fans.”

Sir Mo Farah will aim to clinch a Tokyo Olympics place on Saturday when he runs in the European 10,000m Cup at the British Athletics 10,000m Championships in Birmingham in what will be the first time he has raced the distance on a track since winning gold at the Worlds in 2017.

The four-time Olympic medallist must beat the qualifying mark of 27 minutes 28 seconds and finish in the top two. He will race against Marc Scott, who ran 27:10.41 in February.

Scott's time moved him second on the UK all-time rankings behind Farah's national record of 26:46.57.

Farah, who has only raced once in 2021 when he won the Djibouti half-marathon in March, said: "I've missed the track a lot. The 10,000m on the track has been very good to me so I am excited to get back out there and see what I can do." He, and Scott, will be joined at the University of Birmingham Athletics Track by Jake Smith, Emile Cairess, Kristian Jones and Matt Leach in the Great Britain men's team.

The women's team will be led by Eilish McColgan and completed by Amy-Eloise Markovc, Jessica Judd, Jenny Nesbitt, Verity Ockenden and Samantha Harrison. Sir Mo, who won gold over 5,000m and 10,000m at London 2012 and Rio 2016, recently said that he will quit the track after Tokyo.

The rearranged Olympic Games take place between July 23 and August 8 with the men's 10,000m on Friday, July 30.

Sophie Hahn [T38 100m] and Zak Skinner [T13 100m] both secured European titles on the second day of action at the European Para Athletics Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, adding to Maria Lyle’s [T35 200m] gold medal during the morning session. Meanwhile, there were silver medals for Shaun Burrows [T38 400m] and Danny Sidbury [T54 1500m], and three bronze medals for Polly Maton [T47 long jump], Luke Nuttall [T46 1500m] and Alexander Thomson [T38 400m].

Sophie Hahn (Leon Baptiste, Charnwood) reigned supreme in the women’s T38 100m as she won a third consecutive European gold medal over the short sprint. The world record holder looked in solid form as she won in a time of 12.58 (0.3) ahead of Luka Ekler (HUN) and Margarita Goncharova (RUS).

Olivia Breen (Aston Moore, City of Portsmouth) ran a superb race as she clocked a personal best of 13.01 to finish in fourth position, just 0.02 seconds outside the medals, while Ali Smith (Benke Blomkvist, Guildford & Godalming) was sixth in a time of 13.46.

Hahn said afterwards: “I’m very happy and really pleased with the time. It is a quick track so I could not have asked for much more today to be honest.

“It felt incredible to be competing at a major Championships again. I was a bit nervous on the line because we’ve had nothing for a year and then all of a sudden, we are at a European Championships. So, I’m really happy I could produce that performance.”

In the men’s T13 100m, Zak Skinner (Aston Moore; Loughborough Students) won a surprise gold medal after a blistering performance. The long jumper has been working on his speed work and it certainly paid dividends on the track as the Loughborough-based athlete won his first European title.

Skinner got out of the blocks well and the second half of his race was a masterclass as he moved away from his French opponent, Axel Zorzi, who was the fastest qualifier for the final over the heats earlier in the day.

An animated Skinner said post-race: “I came into these Championships hoping for a medal in the 100m, and then this happened. I felt good out there and I had to execute the race and I knew the gold was there for the taking. I didn’t think that it would actually happen! I felt so good but then I could feel someone on the inside lane, and I was thinking ‘don’t tense’, but every time I thought that there was more tensing.

“A massive thanks to the team and my family, we have worked so hard for this. Every step of the way they have been there, and I am so grateful for them. It makes all so worth it.

“I’m really excited for the long jump. I was scared on that start line, I might not look it, but I was so nervous. If I mess up once in the long jump, I get five more attempts but out in the 100m you are not getting anything back.”

Six years after last representing the British team at the World Championships in Doha, Shaun Burrows (Joe McDonnell; Charnwood) returned to the fold in the men’s T38 400m by winning silver in the men’s T38 400, while Alexander Thomson (Chris Baillie; Victoria Park City of Glasgow) secured the bronze, with Ross Paterson (John Kinder; Red Star) fourth; all three athletes securing personal bests.

Burrows sliced 0.42 seconds off his previous best in an excellent time of 53.02 while Thomson improved his previous best to 54.66 for bronze on his senior international debut. Paterson fought well and also recorded a lifetime best of 55.60.

Burrows said: “I am happy to have run a PB, 53.02. That is a very good time for me. To win the silver medal as well is good, I am happy with my performance today.”

Thomson added: “I didn’t know what to expect today, I just ran my best. The first 200m I felt pretty good, and I was just trying to keep that momentum going through 200m to 300m. The last 100m was all about holding my form but I died a bit. I am so happy to win a bronze medal.”

On his maiden appearance in a British vest, Daniel Sidbury (Christine Parsloe; Sutton & District) clinched the silver medal in the men’s T54 1500m. As multiple Paralympic champion Marcel Hug (SUI) moved away from the field on the opening lap, it was left for the rest of the field to battle for silver and bronze, and the Briton was at the heart of the fight.

Sidbury positioned himself well on the penultimate lap as he led the chasing pack with the inside line. As the metres counted down, the Sutton & District athlete maintained his position and secured a trip to the podium to collect his European silver medal.

“I am pleased to be able to contribute to the British team at these Championships,” he said post-race, adding, “The race feels like a blur. Marcel (Hug) obviously went off and I did think whether I should make a break to go and catch him, but the others didn’t seem to want to do that and work as a group, so I stuck with them. But I’m really pleased to win the silver medal.”

After an injury-disrupted couple of seasons, Polly Maton (Colin Baross; Team Devizes) returned to form in the women’s T47 Long Jump as she won the bronze medal on her final jump, which matched her personal best. In the opening round she jumped 5.27m which was just one centimetre off her personal best. That jump left her in third position after one round for the field, but she was moved down to fourth in round two.

On the final jump, the Briton sat in fourth position, however the world silver medallist is renowned for producing her best under pressure and she delivered once again as she went out to 5.28m to move into bronze by 1cm to match her achievement from 2018.

Maton said afterwards, “I’m thrilled! It equals my PB. I’ve had some nasty injuries over the last two years, one to my left foot, one to my right foot. I loved competing again today – it was an entertaining competition which is exciting for me and everyone watching.

“I seem to make a habit of leaving it to my last jump. It did that in the worlds in 2017 too. I was in fourth and had to jump big to get in the medals. I obviously like doing it that way, I enjoy the pressure of competitions!”

Luke Nuttall (Alison Wyeth; Charnwood) produced the best performance of his young career as he claimed bronze in the T46 1500m with a seven second lifetime best.

Two years ago, Nuttall won silver on his debut at the Europeans in Berlin, and the Charnwood athlete was in supreme form as he crossed the line in 3:55.27, just a few strides behind the best in Europe.

The 19-year-old said, “Coming into the Champs, I didn’t know how the race would be run. The Russian guy took it at a fair pace, and I got dragged around. I’m buzzing with that – a seven second PB, I’m well happy.

“I know I’ve been training really well but I’ve run 4:06 in my first two races of the season, so to go 11 seconds quicker that than is crazy. I’m buzzing to get the bronze medal as well which is why you come to these Championships.”

In the women’s T20 1500m Hannah Taunton (Charlotte Fisher; Taunton) put in a valiant effort as she finished fourth overall in a time of 4:47.33. She set a T20 world record at the Muller British Athletics Championships in 2020, and performed strongly at her first Europeans, positioning herself well in the field. The leading three opened up a gap on the Taunton athlete with 300 metres to go, a margin that kept extending but the British athlete earned her top four slot.

At his second European Para Athletics Championships, Javaughn Parkes (Michelle Nicholas; Birchfield) narrowly missed out on a medal and ran a season best of 12.76 (0.1) for fourth position in the T36 100m. Roman Pavlyk from Ukraine pipped the Birchfield athlete by 0.06 seconds to the bronze medal placing, but it was a solid improvement by Parkes who was fifth three years ago.

Competing in a strong field in the women’s T54 1500m, Mel Woods (Rodger Harkins; Red Star) was fifth in a time of 3:43.61. Having improved her best to 3:30.10 in Arbon, Switzerland recently, this was another high-quality field and top performance for the Scottish athlete.

During the morning session, Maria Lyle (Jamie Bowie, Team East Lothian) secured her third European T35 200m title as she won in a Championship record of 30.75 (-3.4)

British medallists (11):

Gold (4): Columba Blango [Men’s T20 400m], Sophie Hahn [Women’s T38 100m], Maria Lyle [Women’s T35 200m], Zak Skinner [Men’s T13 100m]

Silver (3): Shaun Burrows [Men’s T38 400m], Kyron Duke [Men’s F41 Shot Put], Danny Sidbury [Men’s T54 1500m]

Bronze (4): Ola Abidogun [Men’s T47 100m], Luke Nuttall [Men’s T46 1500m], Emily Stewart [Women’s F38 Discus], Alexander Thomson [Men’s T38 400m]

Red Bull Street Style, the annual freestyle football world championship is back. 2021 will once again see the most creative, technical and stylish player in each gender crowned Red Bull Street Style World Champion. Launched in 2008 the global contest aims to find the best overall freestyle football players in the world.

Red Bull Street Style is the official world championship of freestyle football, with the contest looking different every year. As freestyle football is influenced strongly by contemporary street lifestyle, art and athletics establishing constant progression and innovative trick creations keeps the world championships fresh year after year.

To celebrate the launch of the world championships 2021 freestyle footballer, Polish star athlete Aguska Mnich (2018 Red Bull Street Style winner), and London based street artist, Captain Kris, came together to create a unique mural that represents movement using the freestyle football concept.

As an imaginative illustrator and street artist heavily influenced by comics, cartoons and popular culture Captain Kris said “It was exciting working with Aguska and taking on a new direction to the art piece was refreshing. Integrating football tricks, such as ‘Around the world’ and ‘Rainbow’, into the art piece was a natural progression of the collaboration, as a lot of my work is centred around pop art themed words, so it only felt right to include these in the football centred mural. Having her kick the ball against the wall to create paint splatters for me to work around added a whole new dimension to the mural, which is something I’ve never seen before”.

The mural took five hours to create and street artist, Captain Kris, who is famed for his distinctive work around East London, often freestyles when creating artwork, allowing his self-expression to create spontaneous additions. The same is true of freestyle footballers, as their self-expression is interpreted in their movements and tricks, which can be beautiful and unique.

Aguska Mnich explains “Red Bull Street Style is all about showing your best personal skills, so working with Captain Kris and using our talents to create a unique art piece together with the inclusion of freestyle football tricks was so thrilling. It is something I’ve never done before, but I enjoyed using my freestyle skills to help create this artwork”.

Aguska is considered one of the most well-known females in freestyle football, renowned for being a solid all-rounder with insane special football skills. She has some very strong lower moves which separates her from a lot of other female freestyle footballers.

The current men’s Red Bull Street Style World Champion Erlend Fagerli added “I personally love the concept of this, and seeing two completely different creative talents come together to create a mural that portrays both art forms is really cool”.

The contest has now launched so whether you are a reigning titleholder or a hungry newcomer to enter the Red Bull Street Style World Championship for your local offline or online qualifiers. The requirements are simple: For the offline qualifiers, go to www.redbullstreetstyle.com to register and participate on location. For the online qualifier videos must be no longer than 60 seconds overall. They also must be in horizontal (landscape) format and without edits. No music is allowed. Everyone aged 16+ is welcome to take part.

This year, Red Bull Street Style has ibis budget on board as its new exclusive hospitality partner. ibis budget will actively follow the competition through the eyes of talented participating athletes on its @ibisbudget Instagram account, while sharing its passion for freestyle football, unveiling tips and sharing fun challenges with the freestyle football fan community.

Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton will host one of snooker’s biggest tournaments next year when the sport’s leading stars contest the Cazoo Players Championship.

The world ranking event will run from February 7 to 13 in 2022 when Aldersley Leisure Village stages a major snooker event for the first time.

Tickets will be on sale from this Friday, May 28th, at 10am, with all details at www.wst.tv/tickets

There is a special half price offer for selected rounds for early bookings, so fans are urged to book fast while availability lasts.

The Cazoo Players Championship will feature an elite field of the top 16 players on the 2021/22 one-year ranking list. John Higgins won the title last season, playing some of the best snooker of his career as he beat Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-3 in the final, having come through a field of cue kings including Judd Trump, Mark Selby and Neil Robertson. A strong field is expected again next year.

It’s the second of three events in the 2021/22 Cazoo Series and will receive extensive live television coverage on ITV.

A World Snooker Tour (WST) spokesman said: “We are delighted to bring one of our biggest events to Wolverhampton for the first time. We know there is tremendous support for snooker in this area and the Aldersley Leisure Village is a superb venue.

“Any fans who love the exhilaration of live sport should secure their seats quickly as many of the sessions will sell out fast.

“The key element to the Cazoo Players Championship is that the field is the best 16 players of the season so far, so everyone in the line-up is at the top of their game. Every player on the tour starts the season on zero, and battles for every ranking point to earn a place in the extremely prestigious and lucrative Cazoo Series.

“They are events of the highest quality, as John Higgins proved with his incredible performance at the Cazoo Players Championship last year.”

City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Environment & Climate Change, Councillor Steve Evans, said: “We are absolutely delighted the World Snooker Tour has chosen Wolverhampton to stage one of its prestigious televised events.

“The successful staging of the Grand Slam of Darts and big-name comedy events at WV Active’s Aldersley Leisure Village showed what a great venue it is – and now it will host some of snooker’s greats.

“This is all part of our overall five-year events strategy to bring the very best in art, music and sport to the city to boost the local economy, create new jobs and build an outstanding cultural reputation.

“2022 is set to be a huge year for events in Wolverhampton with the Cazoo Players Championship adding to British Art Show 9, Creation Day music festival, Commonwealth Games cycling time trial, and the reopening of the refurbished Civic Halls.

WST has led the sporting world in the post-lockdown return of live audiences and will continue to work closely with the UK Government on Covid-19 regulation. Fans can be assured that all necessary precautions will be taken at events to minimise the risk of virus transmission, keeping safety as the highest priority.

Team GB and Team England triple jumper Nathan Douglas is to chart progress made during the final 12 months of the Alexander Stadium’s redevelopment in a series of vlogs for Birmingham City Council.

Nathan has been appointed as the council’s official Stadium Redevelopment Correspondent – and has started the assignment with an introductory video available via the Birmingham City Council YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and Twitter channels. The eight-time British champion, who trains at the stadium and its High Performance Centre, has competed at the Perry Barr venue many times during his long career, and was keen to tell the story of the site’s redevelopment ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Nathan said: “The revamped Alexander Stadium will be an amazing facility. I wanted to find a way that I could tell the story of how things are improving to as wide an audience as possible.

“Social media is a great way to engage with people, whether they have been athletics fans for years, are interested in the upcoming Commonwealth Games, live in Birmingham or been to the stadium in the past. Over the coming months, I’ll be taking a look behind the scenes and speaking to people who have worked or performed at the venue. I hope the buzz and excitement of the stadium redevelopment and upcoming Games is something I can get across to people who see the vlogs.”

As well as his triple jumping and an enthusiasm to enter the world of vlogging, Nathan has always had a passion for performance psychology which led him to achieve a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science (Psychology) from Loughborough University. Nathan is a certified Peak Performance and Resilience Coach, NLP Practitioner and has been trained in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy at Oxford. Nathan combines his expertise alongside the team at 7Futures to help their corporate clients to build a culture of wellbeing and high performance.

Councillor Ian Ward, Leader of venue owner Birmingham City Council, said: “It’s great to have such a well-respected athlete as Nathan on board for this assignment - I know he is excited by the bold ambition we have for the Alexander Stadium as the centrepiece of leisure, health and wellbeing activity in a regenerated Perry Barr.

“These videos will help inform and excite people in a fun way about the fantastic progress that has been made over the last 12 months on the project and what is going on ahead of the Commonwealth Games.” To find out more about the Alexander Stadium redevelopment, visit the city council’s Perry Barr Regeneration webpages.

British sprints star Dina Asher-Smith will fine-tune her preparations for the Olympic Games when she races over 200 metres in the Müller British Grand Prix in Gateshead.

The world champion was clearly not put off by the wet and windy weather at the Müller Grand Prix Gateshead last Sunday when she beat a world-class line-up in the 100m. Asher-Smith, 25, is keen to come back to the same venue later this summer for a competition that will fall just before her departure to Tokyo.

Dina said: “I’m really excited to return to Gateshead on July 13 for the Müller British Grand Prix. Hopefully we will be allowed to have more fans in the stadium and the athletes will get a great send off before they go to the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

“My first 100m of 2021 last weekend was against some tough opposition and I’m expecting it to be another exciting race when I go back there in a few weeks’ time.”

The event on was originally due to be held at the London Stadium but has been moved to Gateshead International Stadium due to the repercussions of the pandemic and after an agreement was reached between UK Athletics and the London Legacy Development Corporation.

Gateshead Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Leisure, Councillor Angela Douglas, said: “We are delighted that athletics will return to Gateshead International Stadium this summer with the Müller British Grand Prix. This is fantastic news for Gateshead and a ringing endorsement of our long-established reputation for hosting major international sporting events.

“It is such a brilliant opportunity to celebrate our great passion for sport in the region and for spectators to get up close to all the action. We look forward to supporting the athletes on their journey to the Olympic Games in Tokyo.”

After successfully welcoming back 2,000 spectators at the Müller Grand Prix Gateshead last weekend (23rd May), British Athletics are hopeful more fans will be able to safely return to the stadium for the Müller British Grand Prix on July 13.

West Midlands Cycle Hire has brought its distinctive grey and green bikes to the streets of central Birmingham.

More than 300 bikes have today been distributed among 43 docking stations placed at key locations in and around the city centre – including bus, train and tram interchanges and popular destinations like Broad Street and Victoria Square.

This number will rise to 83 docking stations and more than 700 bikes later this year – covering an area including the city centre and stretching out towards the University of Birmingham. The bikes are being made by the renowned Pashley company in Stratford-upon Avon.

Today’s launch in Edgbaston follows successful roll outs of the scheme over the last two months in Coventry, Solihull, Stourbridge, Sutton Coldfield, Walsall and Wolverhampton. More than 14,000 people have given the bikes a go since March, clocking up more than 100,000km in the process.

Representatives of local cycling groups joined the West Midlands Mayor Andy Street and cabinet member for transport and the environment Cllr Waseem Zaffar for the launch at the University of Birmingham. There are eight docking stations on or around the campus.

The cycle hire scheme was launched by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), to encourage more people to become active and healthy and offer a convenient and more environmentally-friendly alternative to the car for shorter journeys.

Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street said: “It is incredibly exciting to launch our cycle hire scheme in Birmingham, and I know riders across the city have been itching to get out and try our bikes. They are already available in a number of boroughs across the West Midlands and have proven to be incredibly popular with more than 14,000 people giving them a go.

“Not only is cycling brilliant for people’s fitness and physical health, but it also helps reduce the number of cars on the road, helping us to tackle congestion, air pollution, and the climate emergency we are all facing.  I hope by making bikes more accessible for people both young and old through our cycle hire scheme, more people will make the decision to go out on two wheels and reap the benefits.”

Investment in cycling facilities is a key part of the region’s plan to encourage more alternatives to the car for shorter journeys around busy towns and cities with a view to reducing congestion, improving air quality and helping the region achieve its #WM2041 net zero-carbon target.

Cllr Zaffar said: “For many people living and working in Birmingham, cycle hire provides a more convenient alternative to buying a bike and, of course, it’s healthier and better for our environment.

“This scheme has the potential to open up cycling opportunities to more people, and I’m proud that in Birmingham we have a growing network of segregated cycle routes to facilitate this safely.”

When fully rolled-out later this year there will be 170 fixed docks and 1,500 bikes for hire across the region, of which 150 will be powered e-bikes. The pedal cycles have three gears to cope with hilly parts of the region and are fitted with high quality laser safety lights.

As an introductory offer everyone who signs up will get their first 30 minute bike ride for free. The normal cost of unlocking a bike is £1 with a 5p per minute charge after that. This means a 20minute cycle will cost £2 and an hour £4.

The five-year contract with Serco, the operator of London’s successful Santander Cycle Hire scheme, offers the opportunity for more docks and bikes to be provided as demand increases. As well as having the bikes made locally, the contract with TfWM means the docking stations and locks are also being manufactured here in the West Midlands.

Simon Bailey, managing director of Serco’s Leisure business, said: “We are delighted to be working with TfWM and University of Birmingham to launch the West Midlands Cycle Hire in Birmingham. It is the largest launch so far and follows successful roll-outs in Wolverhampton, Coventry, Solihull, Stourbridge and Walsall. The cycle scheme is already becoming part of the transport infrastructure in the West Midlands and has seen over 14,000 unique users since March.”

The bikes can be hired using the Beryl Cycle Hire app. Later this year, they will also be available via the new Swift App. This will be the first app for the West Midlands to offer ticket purchases, the Swift Collector, departure information, journey planning, car hire and more, all in one place.

Edgbaston Stadium’s hosting of the second match of the LV= Insurance Test series between England and New Zealand will be the first pilot event within the second phase of the Government’s world-leading Events Research Programme.

Taking place in Birmingham from Thursday 10 to Monday 14 June, Edgbaston will be able to accommodate around 18,000 spectators each day, 70 per cent of total stadium capacity. Each individual ticket holder must present a negative COVID-19 result from an NHS Rapid Lateral Flow Test, completed within 24 hours in advance of the day they are attending, and give consent to take part in the programme.

The pilot event will be used to analyse testing protocols for all spectators in attendance, the use of social distancing and face coverings when moving around the stadium, and gathering further evidence on the risk of transmission at mass participation events. As part of these Government protocols all ticket holders will need to be aged 16 and over.

The process was today agreed by Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden and supported by Public Health England, the England & Wales Cricket Board, Birmingham City Council and Edgbaston’s own Safety Advisory Group.

Stuart Cain, Chief Executive of Edgbaston Stadium, said: “Whilst public health is the priority, the first stage pilots have shown how people can safely start to enjoy the things they love; live sport and music. It will be great to welcome cricket fans to Edgbaston and give the England team a huge boost as nothing beats the atmosphere that crowds create here.

“Edgbaston is unique as a cricket venue in having such a large stadium footprint, but we also have a vastly experienced operational delivery team, which has hosted many major events and a spectator pilot last summer. We have always been hopeful of featuring in the pilot programme and are delighted for the thousands of ticket holders who will now be able to attend.

“The city’s authorities have worked with us to make this happen so I would like to thank Councillor Ian Ward and his team for their support and also Andy Street, Mayor, for his help along the way.”

Ticket holders will be contacted by Edgbaston with next steps regarding their tickets and the opportunity to claim a refund should they no longer wish to attend. Those with under 16s as part of their booking will be provided with options regarding their tickets.

Any remaining tickets for these first three days and the additional tickets for days four and five will be released on general sale in a limited time window between 10am on Wednesday June 2 and 5pm on Friday June 4.

Chief Executive of the ECB, Tom Harrison, said: “Having crowds back into cricket grounds is so important for the game and for our fans too. The last 15 months have shown just how big a role cricket plays in many people’s lives, and we cannot wait to welcome a growing number of fans back to our stadia over the coming months.”

A documentary in which former Rangers Aston Villa and Liverpool player Mark Walters looks back at the racism he received playing for the club is out as the former England international uncovers Black footballing pioneer Andrew Watson, who captained Scotland in 1881.

In the documentary Mark looks back at his career with the Glasgow club to assess the racism he faced while playing for them. Watching harrowing footage of his early matches, he vividly describes the visceral atmosphere as he was targeted by opposition fans. In a candid conversation with Graeme Souness, the player-manager who brought him to Ibrox, Mark reveals the inner resilience that got him through those tough games and reflects on the role unconscious bias in TV commentary has on how Black footballers are perceived today.

He also finds out about early Black footballing pioneers in Scotland, including an early multi-racial football team who played a stone's throw from Rangers’ Ibrox stadium. He unearths the incredible story of Andrew Watson, the world’s first Black international player, who captained the Scotland national team in 1881 to its greatest ever win over England.

Watson was a complex figure who was both the descendant of slaves and the beneficiary of slavery. Mark asks how Andrew overcame racism to be welcomed into the footballing elite in the 1880s.

Already broadcasted on BBC Scotland, Mark Walters In the Footsteps of Andrew Watson is available on iplayer.

Aston Villa beat Liverpool 2-1 at Villa Park to win the FA Youth Cup for the fourth time after making a strong start to the game and taking an early lead when Ben Chrisene turned home a cutback.

Brad Young converted a penalty soon after to make it 2-0, before Villa twice hit the post. A Melkamu Frauendorf volley deflected in off Seb Revan in the closing stages but Villa held firm to win the FA Youth Cup for the first time since 2002.

Six of the players in Villa's side also started against Liverpool's first team in the 4-1 FA Cup defeat in January after a Covid-19 outbreak had ruled out the club's senior players. The home side won their fourth FA Youth Cup and the first since 2002. That experience showed during the early stages as a team which had scored 26 goals in five ties ran rings around opposition who had conceded only three times – and never more than twice – on their way to the final.

On social media, one of the winning heroes, Aaron Ramsey, wrote: "It's everything we dreamed of," whilst on the club’s @AVFCOfficial twitter account it simply said: ‘The ??????’ with a picture of the winning team celebrating their victory.

Joint manager Sean Verity said: "The club has a totally different feel about it which is down to the owners. We had Christian Purslow shouting the lads on and when you've got that from the top... This club is going places."

The Sport Monitoring Advisory Panel has announced it is developing a Race Report Card. The Panel will use the Race Report Card to encourage and measure National Governing Bodies of Sport and professional sports clubs against progress for inclusion of Black communities at all levels in their organisations.

The Race Report Card will play an integral role in holding sporting organisations to account by monitoring progress, with the Panel advising organisations and showcasing good practice demonstrated throughout the sector to increase opportunities for Black communities. One of the Panel’s key goals is to keep up the momentum with a sustained commitment rather than a knee jerk response, that included many positive statements announced last year after George Floyd’s death and the public outcry on the systemic racism that disadvantages Black communities across the country.

The Race Report Card, which will be developed over the Summer of 2021, will be distributed to senior representatives from National Governing Bodies of Sport and professional sports clubs once finalised and will require statements and evidence amounting to the following:

1.    Policies, strategies, and action plans that were put into place after the Black Lives Matter protests of Summer 2020, and how these were for the benefit of Black communities in particular;

2.    The effectiveness of these policies, strategies, and action plans. Importantly, this will involve examining the workforce statistics to monitor diverse appointments of those in decision making roles (professional coaches, middle management, senior leadership, Chief Executives and Board members);

3.    Examining ethnically diverse representation of national sports teams across different levels, leagues, competitions etc.

After receiving the required information via collation of digital survey results, the Panel will analyse the data and evidence, with reports on findings expected at a later date. By collecting, analysing and reporting on this data, the Panel is looking to showcase best practice and positive impacts made within the sector but also highlight areas for improvement. A year after the inequalities faced by Black communities came to the fore in all areas of society, and across the world, the Panel is hoping to see real evidenced change and effort towards improving experiences within the sport sector.

Sporting Equals devised the Sport Monitoring Advisory Panel as a broad response to the increasing instances of racism and the Black Lives Matter protests of Summer 2020. The Sport Monitoring Advisory Panel consists of a group of esteemed individuals dedicated to all sport, passionate about race equality and determined to create more opportunities to Black communities throughout the sport sector.

On the announcement of the Race Report Card, Densign White MBE, Chair of the Sport Monitoring Advisory Panel commented: “The societal disadvantages faced by Black communities are evident, and put more into focus, a year after the tragic death of George Floyd.

“I am pleased to announce that we are developing a Race Report Card that will score the progress made by sports organisations on policy and strategy, workforce profile and national team representation. The Race Report Card will actively hold sporting organisations to account, specifically looking into what has been done to improve inclusion and representation at all levels.

“The Race Report card is a conclusive assessment of recruitment of ethnically diverse people in the sport sector and considers composition assessed by the racial makeup of players, coaches, management and leadership in sports organisations.  I am proud of the progress the Panel has made in such a short period of time and grateful to Sporting Equals for founding the Panel and aiding with the development of this Race Report Card.”

Maggie Alphonsi MBE, Panel member and a former Rugby Union England International and Captain, said: “I got involved with the Sport Monitoring Advisory Panel because I wanted to ensure that the sport sector in the UK did more to support the inclusion of Black communities at all levels, particularly after the statements of intent from sporting organisations following the tragic death of George Floyd.

“I want to see greater representation not only at the national level, but also at a local or grassroots level where there are many key decision-making roles on Boards and Committees. It is important that we see greater diversity here to ensure the opportunities are available at every level within the leadership pathway. The Race Report Card will play a key role in measuring positive change and ensure that organisations stay focussed when it comes to race equality.”

The Sport Monitoring Advisory Panel meets regularly throughout the year and will share results and analysis from the Report Card, as well as highlight good practice via Sporting Equals.

The British & Irish Lions and SA Rugby have announced Laureus Sport for Good as Global Charity Partner of the 2021 Castle Lager Lions Series.

Since it was launched by Nelson Mandela in 2000, the vision of Laureus Sport for Good has been to use sport as a powerful, accessible and cost-effective tool to help children and young people overcome violence, discrimination and disadvantage in their lives.

As the first ever Lions Series Global Charity Partner, Laureus Sport for Good will raise funds to support rugby-based community sports programmes in Britain & Ireland, South Africa and Japan which tackle social issues facing young people.

The one-year partnership, which will dovetail the existing official charities of the Lions and SA Rugby, sees both organisations support the charity’s important work by allowing Laureus to utilise its digital platforms for promotional purposes, as well as access to the Lions and Springbok squads, Lions legends and 2021 Tour memorabilia for fundraising.

Laureus Sport for Good currently supports more than 200 programmes in over 40 countries that use the power of sport to transform lives. Every programme which Laureus supports addresses at least one of the following six social issues, which are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

• Health: Enhancing mental wellbeing and encouraging healthy behaviour change
• Education: Increased access to and completion of education
• Women and Girls: Promoting equality, empowerment and safety
• Employability: Developing skills and creating pathways to employment
• Inclusive Society: Creating communities which embrace ethnic, cultural and physical difference
• Peaceful Society: Resolving conflict, promoting community peacebuilding and creating safe spaces

Ben Calveley, Managing Director for The British & Irish Lions, said: “We are thrilled to confirm our partnership with Laureus Sport for Good – one of the most effective and recognised charitable organisations in the world.

“Like Nelson Mandela, we believe that sport has the power to change the world, and we look forward to working with them to highlight the important work they do and help make a difference.”

South Africa Rugby CEO, Jurie Roux, commented: "We have a long-standing and wonderful relationship with Laureus, and we're very proud of what they have achieved over the years as their roots are firmly here in South Africa. "Locally, our focus will be on two key initiatives - the Chris Burger Petro Jackson Players Fund, the Official Charity of the Springboks who support players that have sustained disabling and life changing head, neck or spinal cord injuries while participating in rugby, as well as our Women’s Rugby Legacy programme, which aims to create a sustainable structure and action plan with how we plan to uplift women’s rugby. We are living in extraordinary times, but we are excited to take hands with Laureus and work with them to make a difference in the lives of so many of our countrymen and women - and especially younger people - who face different challenges every day."

Sean Fitzpatrick, Chair of the Laureus World Sports Academy, said: “A Lions Tour is up there at the pinnacle of rugby, both for players from Britain and Ireland, and those players from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Each Series consists of some of the toughest and most rewarding rugby matches you can take part in.

“At Laureus Sport for Good, we are proud to become the first ever Global Charity Partner of a Lions Series, and we look forward to working with The British & Irish Lions, SA Rugby and partners to support young people facing tough challenges and tackling discrimination in their own lives.

“21 years ago, today, Laureus’ First Patron President Nelson Mandela stood on stage at the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards and said ‘Sport has the power to change the world… It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination’. More than two decades on, Mandela’s words ring true and this partnership will bring them to life.”

Over the last 21 years, Laureus Sport for Good has raised more than €150m for the Sport for Development sector and, together with its partners, reached and helped change the lives of more than six million children and young people.

Laureus Sport for Good currently supports over 50 Sport for Development programmes in South Africa, Britain and Ireland, with coverage in all four Home Nations.

The news follows The Lions Charitable Trust’s recent announcement of four new charity partnerships which all have rugby at the heart of what they do: Matt Hampson Foundation, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, The Atlas Foundation and Wooden Spoon.

May 25 marked the first anniversary of the tragic murder of George Floyd in the USA.

This terrible event resulted in a global groundswell of anger, frustration and grief. Followed by contemplation, determination and then action.

On this day, one year on, UK Athletics once again reaffirms its commitment to zero tolerance of racism and all forms of discrimination.

In the weeks and months following 25 May 2020 UKA launched its Let’s Talk about Race Programme which led to 17 separate focus group sessions taking place throughout the summer, covering many aspects of UKA’s work and its impact on race.   The establishment of the RACEquality Network was a key outcome from these discussions.

The RACEquality Network monitors the outcomes decided within the “Let’s Talk about Race” programme and these are captured within the UKA Diversity Action Plan 2021-2024.  The network also supports race, religion and belief advocates with their initiatives as well as the Race at Work Charter commitment. 

However, these are not just the commitments of those individuals who are members of the RACEquality network. They are commitments that UKA has made as an organisation and will continue to deliver against.

The athletics family spoke loudly last year and UKA listened. Action was taken and we have continued with this commitment most recently by further increasing the diversity of our board, and we will continue to ensure we are representative of the sport and athletes we serve.

We would be delighted to hear from anyone else who wishes to work with and be a part of our newly formed RACEquality network.

Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

A new ‘Football Rebooted’ campaign has been launched today by the UK’s leading smart energy supplier, Utilita, and former England and Premier League goalkeeper, David James MBE. The campaign has been created to help the nation recycle at least one million pairs of ‘pre-played’ football boots and astro boots, saving families a small fortune, as well as 136,000 tonnes of carbon – the same as taking 7,000 cars off the road for a year, or turning the energy off in one million medium-sized houses for a week.

The ‘donate and claim’ campaign, enables anyone with spare football boots or astro boots to request a freepost ‘boot bag’ to donate their boots, after which their boots will appear at one of many claim stations that will pop up in parks, training grounds, and at some of the UK’s largest football clubs. Premium pairs of the ‘most wanted’ retro boots and former and current players’ boots and other items will also be in the mix, giving anyone a chance to come along and grab a pair to be proud of.  

The campaign is strategically designed to put an aspirational spin on a mechanic that will get good boots through to families struggling to afford new ones, after Utilita’s State of Play report revealed that out of the 74 percent of families who had been impacted financially by the pandemic, 18 percent won’t be able to send their kids back to grassroots football as they can’t afford boots and other items such as goalie gloves and shin pads. 

Campaign ambassador and keen environmentalist, David James, and the Utilita team held focus groups with families, which revealed the barriers to boots finding new homes – the biggest being pride. The donate and claim mechanic avoids families needing to accept charity from people they know, and makes claiming a new pair an aspirational activity, whereby people are impacting the environment, too.  

Campaign ambassador, David James MBE, comments on why the campaign is so important: “Right now, there are millions of pairs of football boots that people have grown out of or replaced, and we need to make sure they don’t end up in landfill. Getting these boots replayed through Utilita’s Football Rebooted campaign will not only save players a few quid but will also act as an important reminder about the power of upcycling and reusing items that still have a lot of life left in them.” 

Bill Bullen, founder of Utilita - the only energy company created to help households use and waste less energy - comments on why Utilita has created the Football Rebooted campaign saying: “Most consumers are becoming more thoughtful about how their choices impact the environment, but sometimes life gets in the way of making the right choice. That’s why we have created Football Rebooted, which makes recycling football boots with plenty of life left in them, really easy. 

“The campaign has been shaped by grassroots football players, coaches and parents, so uses carbon-saving examples that really resonate with this audience - home energy usage and taking cars off the road. It’s been incredibly encouraging to see football players as young as six years old talk passionately about the importance of protecting the environment.”

Premier League and EFL clubs across the UK, including Portsmouth, Southampton, Derby County and Leeds United, have already signed up to donate the football boots worn by their academy players, while first-team players have also donated their own boots in the interests of the environment. As part of the new campaign, schools can request boots be sent to them for children who they identify as needing football boots to enable them to play in or outside of school. 

English Schools' FA (ESFA) Chairman, Phil Harding, said: "The last 12 months have been very difficult for families, teams, players and schools alike and, as the National Governing Body for Schools' Football, the ESFA welcome any campaign to help ensure children have every opportunity to take part in a sport that they are passionate about, but that is also so beneficial for both their physical and mental health. The Football Rebooted campaign not only has a great environmental message but is also working towards helping children to be active, participate and enjoy school sport." 

Former England international, Eniola Aluko has been appointed Los Angeles-based Angel City FC's first sporting director. The former Chelsea and Juventus forward has left her position as Aston Villa's sporting director.

Following her appointment, she said: "This is an incredible opportunity to help write Angel City's first chapter." Angel City are set for their first season in the US National Women's Soccer League in 2022.

She continued: "I have no doubt the club will be a trailblazer, not just in the NWSL and women's soccer, but for sports clubs globally.

Angel City founder and president, Julie Uhrman, said: "As a former player, the club's determination to make an impact both on the field and in the community is something that I fully support, and I can't wait to get started.

“Appointing Eniola Aluko, a world-renowned international soccer player with extensive experience in technical positions, is a landmark moment for us." One of the club's co-founders is actor Natalie Portman, and other founding investors include tennis icons Serena Williams and Billie Jean King, and retired US soccer greats Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach.

Eni won 102 England caps and helped the Lionesses to third place at the 2015 Women's World Cup, as well as playing five times for Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics.

She is England's joint-10th most capped international, scoring 33 goals in 102 senior appearances.