Latest - Blues prop Ofa Tuungafasi won't face any further sanction following his yellow card in Super Rugby Aotearoa game against the Crusaders last Sunday.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Tuungafasi was yellow carded for a shoulder charge on Crusaders lock Scott Barrett at a ruck.
He was cited earlier this week with the citing commissioner believing the incident warranted a red card.
However a SANZAAR Judicial Committee Hearing has found Tuungafasi not guilty of contravening the law regarding striking with the shoulder.
In his finding, the Judicial Committee Chairman Nigel Hampton QC ruled the following:
"Having conducted a detailed review of all the available video footage in conjunction with all other evidence, including from the player, and submissions from his legal representative, Aaron Lloyd, the Judicial Committee dismissed the citing under Law 9.12"
"In not upholding the citing, the Judicial Committee found that it was not satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that the red card threshold had been met. Nor was the Committee satisfied that the Match Referee was wrong in his issuing a yellow card."
"The player is therefore free to resume playing and no further sanction will be applied."
Blatter ban extended
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been handed a further six years and eight months ban from the game and fined $1.5 million by the body's Ethics Committee after a probe into massive bonus payments.
Dollar bills rain down on FIFA president Sepp Blatter, at a media conference in Zurich. A man posing as a journalist had thrown the money at him. Photo: Photosport
Blatter's current ban from the game was due to expire in October but the latest ban, for ethics code violations, will take effect from that point.
The latest investigation looked into World Cup bonus payments made to Blatter and a number of former top FIFA officials including former general secretary Jerome Valcke, former vice-president Julio Grondona and ex-finance director Markus Kattner.
The ethics committee said in a statement that Blatter had breached the ethics code "by accepting and receiving extraordinary bonuses in the amount of $35 million, signed, approved or implemented by Messrs Grondona, Valcke and Kattner, and by concomitantly approving/offering extraordinary bonuses in the total of approximately $70 million for Messrs Valcke, Grondona and Kattner".
The payments related primarily to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The trio have denied any wrongdoing.
-Reuters
Jamieson fined for dissent
New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee for his reaction after a dismissal was overturned in the second ODI against Bangladesh in Chistchurch on Tuesday
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Jamieson thought he had nabbed the wicket of Tamin Iqbal with an impressive caught and bolwed, but replays showed his hands on top of the ball when he made contact with the ground.
The tv umpire decided Jamieson did not have full control of the ball when it touched the ground.
The ICC has decided that Jamieson breached Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to "showing dissent at an Umpire's decision during an International Match."
Jamieson admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Jeff Crowe. There was no need for a formal hearing.
In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to the disciplinary record of Jamieson, for whom it was the second offence in a 24-month period, taking his cumulative demerit points to two.
When a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they are converted into suspension points and a player is banned
France make changes for decider
France's coach Fabien Galthie has made five changes to the team who beat Wales for their Six Nations decider against Scotland this weekend.
Arthur Vincent comes in at centre with Gael Fickou sliding to the wing, sending Teddy Thomas to the bench, while Romain Ntamack replaces the injured Matthieu Jalibert at first five.
Locks Bernard Le Roux and Swan Rebbadj take the places of Romain Taofifenua and suspended Paul Willemse, and flanker Anthony Jelonch starts instead of Dylan Cretin.
France, who beat Wales 32-30 in stoppage time last weekend, must beat Scotland by 21 points and secure a bonus point to win their first title since 2010.
Mercurial first five Finn Russell returns to the Scotland team in one of four changes made by coach Gregor Townsend.
-Reuters
United freeze prices
Manchester United have frozen their season ticket prices for the 10th straight campaign in general admission areas of the stadium as they plan for a potential return to normal operations in the 2021-22 season.
Old Trafford Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Crowds of up to 10,000 could be allowed back into English football venues from mid-May under a plan outlined by the British government last month to ease COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in England.
Under the third stage of the four-stage "roadmap", stadiums can - if all conditions are met - from May 17 be allowed to hold up to 50% of their capacity, or 4,000 fans, whichever is lower.
A special provision will be made for large outdoor, seated venues, so that they can open their doors to up to 10,000 people or 25% of the capacity, whichever is lower.
Manchester United said they will offer season ticket holders either a pro-rata rebate or a refund to those affected if future games are required to be played behind closed doors or with restricted capacity.
-Reuters
Sumo grand champion forced to retire
Sumo grand champion Kakuryu has retired after missing five consecutive tournaments, leaving Hakuho as the sport's only active yokozuna.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Mongolia-born Kakuryu, 35, made his professional debut in 2001 and reached the sport's highest ranking of yokozuna in 2014, becoming the 71st wrestler to do so.
Elbow, leg and back injuries have limited his participation in tournaments recently and he was given a warning in November over his lack of activity in the ring.
Kakuryu, who has acquired Japanese citizenship, won the last of his six championships in 2019.
News Agency Kyodo reported his retirement had been approved by the Japan Sumo Association.
-Reuters
Paris-Roubaix race postponed
The Paris-Roubaix one-day cycling race will not take place on April 11 as planned due to the COVID-19 situation.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The 2020 edition of the 'Queen of the Classics' race was also postponed once before being cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Paris-Roubaix is the third 'Monument' classic of the season after Milan-Sanremo, which has already taken place, the Tour of Flanders, and before Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Giro di Lombardia.
The Tour of Flanders in Belgium is due to take place on Sunday, April 3 as planned.
Earlier this year the International Cycling Union (UCI), the sport's governing body, decided to extend the season by two weeks until Oct. 31.
It leaves the Oct. 24 and Oct 31 slots open for Paris-Roubaix, which is also due to hold its first women's edition.
-Reuters
Nissan to continue in Formula E
Nissan will stay in Formula E until at least the end of 2026, the all-electric championship's only Japanese manufacturer has announced.
Formula E is due to introduce its next generation of more powerful and faster cars for its ninth season starting in 2022-23.
Nissan has said it intends to electrify all of its new vehicle offerings by the early 2030s.
Formula E started its 2021 season with two races in Saudi Arabia at the end of February.
Renault entered the inaugural Formula E championship before the team were re-branded Nissan in 2018, with Swiss driver Sebastien Buemi finishing as runner-up that season.
Citroen's DS brand and India's Mahindra have also committed until 2026.
-Reuters
