Sports

(Reuters) – The distasteful taunting of France striker Kylian Mbappe by some Argentina fans amid celebrations in Buenos Aires to welcome back the World Cup winners should be investigated by soccer’s world governing body FIFA, a senior French cabinet minister said.

(Reuters) – Argentina have climbed one place to second in the latest FIFA rankings behind arch-rivals Brazil after their World Cup triumph in Qatar, while the tournament’s surprise package Morocco were big movers and are on the verge of cracking the top 10.

(Reuters) – Manchester City will travel to Southampton in the League Cup quarter-finals after knocking out holders Liverpool and Manchester United were handed a home tie against third-tier Charlton Athletic in the draw yesterday.

A new champion will be crowned in the KFC Goodwill Series Football Championship tomorrow, as holders Annai Secondary went down to St.

West Indies batting legend, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, is allegedly not expected to renew his contract with USA Cricket to serve as the women’s senior and U19 head-coach, after the conclusion of the 2023 International Cricket Council (ICC) U19 World Cup in South Africa.

(CMC) – Head coach of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Academy programme Andre Coley has been reassigned as interim coach of the men’s team for two upcoming tours but assistant coaches Roddy Estwick and Monty Desai will not have their contracts renewed, CWI announced yesterday.

Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade, San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich lead a high-profile list of first-time nominees for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023.

(Reuters) – England striker Beth Mead was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year yesterday after helping her team win the 2022 European Championship.

(Reuters) – Former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens has appointed Francis Roig as her new coach to revive her fortunes, after the veteran Spaniard left Rafa Nadal’s team last week, the world number 37 said yesterday.

(Reuters) – Jake Hughes had a surreal moment when he saw his electric Formula E car parked next to Formula One great Alain Prost’s 1980s racer at McLaren’s Woking headquarters, but the weight of history serves only as motivation.

(Reuters) – Brazilian soccer legend Pele’s cancer has advanced and he requires care related to renal and cardiac dysfunction, according to a medical report, and his family said he would remain in a Sao Paulo hospital over Christmas.

(CMC) – A half century from power hitter Andre Russell helped Melbourne Renegades take a four-wicket win over Brisbane Heat and maintain their unbeaten record in the BBL12 on Tuesday night.

(Reuters) – Banned Russian athlete and 2012 Olympic 400 metres hurdles champion Natalya Antyukh will lose her gold medal from the London Games after she did not appeal her doping ban, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said yesterday.

(Reuters) – The Tour de France will start in Italy for the first time in 2024 and the opening three stages will be held there, race organisers said yesterday.

(Reuters) – India’s stand-in skipper KL Rahul suffered a blow to his hand during practice but the touring side are optimistic the opener will play the second and final test against Bangladesh beginning today.

(Reuters) – The Melbourne Cricket Ground is under pressure to produce a pitch that delivers a fairer contest between bat and ball in the Boxing Day test between Australia and South Africa after the series-opener at the Gabba was over within two days.

(Reuters) – World Cup winner Lionel Messi has reached a deal with Paris St Germain to stay with the club for at least the 2023-24 season, French daily Le Parisien reported yesterday.

(Reuters) – Sepp Blatter, the former president of FIFA, said he had been unable to protect soccer from political and business interference in an interview with German weekly Die Zeit.

(Reuters) – Goals from Christian Eriksen and Marcus Rashford earned Manchester United a comfortable 2-0 win over Burnley in the League Cup fourth round yesterday as third-tier Charlton Athletic knocked out Brighton & Hove Albion on penalties.

(Reuters) – Manager Pep Guardiola said his spell at Manchester City “will not be complete” unless he wins the Champions League with the club.