Sports News

Sport Relief has today been announced as an official charity partner of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, marking an exciting new future for the brand. Through the partnership, there will be a host of public and high-profile events and activities planned in the run-up to the highly anticipated international sporting event taking place in Birmingham, this summer.

Faithful to its tradition, the Excelencias Group will be handing out the 2021 Excelencias Awards within the framework of the Madrid International Tourism Trade Fair, FITUR 2022, on Jan. 19, at 5:00 a.m.

Madrid time, Spain, on the very same day of the opening of Spain's premier tourism event. The awards ceremony will be held at the South Auditorium of the IFEMA fairgrounds.

With the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations set to kick off in Cameroon, football fans are going to miss some great names as well as discover some debutants in the competition.

Nigeria is missing Victor Osimhen and Emmanuel Dennis. Besides, Cyprus-based Abdullahi Shehu, and Scotland's Rangers' Leon Balogun, were also ruled out of the country's squad heading to the 2021 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations.

World number one Novak Djokovic will defend his Australian Open title later this month after receiving a medical exemption from having a Covid-19 vaccination. All players and staff at the tournament must be vaccinated or have an exemption granted by an expert independent panel.

Djokovic, a nine-time Australian Open winner, has not spoken publicly about his vaccination status. The tournament begins in Melbourne on 17 January.

Happy new year! 2022 is the year of the Games. Don’t miss out on your chance to secure your tickets. Everyone wants a piece of the action, and Perry can’t wait to see you there.

The University of Birmingham have launch five new major studies aimed at improving the prevention, treatment and management of type 1 diabetes – with a particular focus on children and young adults.

The new studies include:

·         The ELSA Study: Led by Professor Parth Narendran, the ELSA Study (EarLy Surveillance for Autoimmune diabetes) will see researchers interviewing families, doctors, nurses and schools, to determine if, and how, the UK should develop a testing and monitoring programme that will identify children at risk of type 1 diabetes.

Leicester Riders booked their place in January’s BBL Cup final after a thrilling contest with London Lions, whilst fellow finalists Manchester Giants secured the season sweep over local rivals Cheshire Phoenix.

After an incredible first leg that saw an inspired London comeback, there were only three points between the two sides going into Thursday’s showdown, and the Riders started the game the brighter of the two sides.

Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chair of the Dubai Sports Council, welcomed the world’s leading football personalities to the 16th session of the Dubai International Sports Conference, which took place alongside the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards.

Organised under the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives by Dubai Sports Council, the Dubai International Sports Conference has been bringing football’s top stakeholders together every year since 2006 for exploring ways to develop and enrich the sport at domestic, regional and international levels. Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed highlighted the importance of the annual event, which has brought together elite players, coaches and decision makers from the world of football.

Sheikh Mansoor said: “The Dubai International Sports Conference has become a global platform for top football players, managers and training professionals to exchange perspectives on the present and future of football.

“It is also a platform for football’s top decision-makers to network, build relationships and share ideas on enhancing excellence in the sport. The event reflects the UAE’s and Dubai’s leadership in advancing excellence in the global sporting sector.”

Sheikh Mansoor also stressed on the UAE’s contributions to shaping the future of various sporting fields. “This year, we are pleased to host a new set of elite stars, whose performances have electrified football venues around the globe and brought joy to fans in every corner of the world. It is fitting that we will be celebrating their achievements at an awards ceremony at the Burj Khalifa, which is a symbol of Emirati excellence and creativity and an iconic landmark that is known all over the world.

“On this day last year, we organised the 15th session of the Conference and the 11th Dubai Globe Soccer Award with some of the world’s biggest stars present physically and the President of FIFA delivering the opening keynote address in person.

“Our robust precautionary measures, which enabled us to win the trust of the world, gave us the confidence to organise the Conference and Awards ceremony, the first such global event to be organised after the pandemic. We continue to host this special UAE-born event, which has become a leading global platform for celebrating outstanding achievements in football.”

By: Delroy Constantine-Simms and Maureen Drackett-Fuller

Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. The 41-year-old last played for India in 2016, with his final game being for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in April 2021.

He took 417 Test wickets, 269 in one-day internationals and 25 in Twenty20 matches in 367 games for India.

Continuing their commitment to raising awareness around the benefits of moving and maintaining an active lifestyle and mental health, Decathlon is proud to partner with RED January in 2022. 

A free nationwide initiative, RED January empowers people of all abilities and backgrounds to move every day in January to improve their mental health.

Having visited 22 countries and nations in just 79 days, the Queen’s Baton Relay has now completed over a quarter of its journey, most recently finishing its tour of the 19 Commonwealth countries in Africa. While hosting the Baton, each Commonwealth Games Association organises activities to engage young people in sport, showcase their local heroes, and highlight a project that addresses at least one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Local sports clubs and physical activity providers are being encouraged to claim a grant of £1,000 towards the costs of recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Volunteer-led and not-for-profit sports clubs and physical activity providers in Wolverhampton are eligible for a Covid Compliance Grant offered by the City of Wolverhampton Council to help them deliver activities in a Covid-safe way and encourage regular rapid Covid-19 testing.

World Athletics Championships London 2017 gold medallist Danny Talbot has announced his retirement from athletics today.

The sprinter who also won two European Bronze medals over his preferred 200m distance in 2012 and 2016 as well as European Under 23 Silver and Gold in 2013, has chosen to hang up his spikes having fought his way back from injury that has prevented him from competing in recent years. Talbot, 30, spoke of how he was determined to retire on his own terms:

Qatar Airways celebrates the successful end of the pan-Arab showpiece football tournament – the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021. As Official Airline Partner of the much-anticipated sporting event, the airline congratulates Algeria on their outstanding win in the first-ever FIFA Arab Cup, and now looks ahead to the thrilling prospect of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.

Teenage US Open champion Emma Raducanu is the Sports Personality of the Year winner for 2021.

Then 18, she ended Britain's 44-year wait for a women's Grand Slam singles champion with her remarkable victory at Flushing Meadows. Her fairy-tale win followed a run to the Wimbledon fourth round in July on her Grand Slam main draw debut.

With 19-year old tennis sensation Emma Raducanu tipped to become one of the youngest ever winners of the annual Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) tomorrow, online gaming site Party Online Casino has named a host of the UK’s other female sporting prodigies.

Sporting events took more of the limelight in 2021 after a torrid 2020 during which sports were largely limited to being run minus spectators thanks to the pandemic.