SOCCER
Dyche doubts sin bins
Everton manager Sean Dyche said he does not think sin bins are needed nor wanted in soccer and urged rulemakers to “leave the game alone.” The International Football Association Board (IFAB) approved trials of 10-minute sin bins at “higher levels” of the sport at a meeting this week, while measures to improve player behavior and increase respect for match officials were also supported. A proposed trial whereby only the team captain may approach the referee in certain game situations was backed, and it was also agreed that temporary dismissals for dissent and specific tactical offences should be trialed. Sin bins have already been tested at grassroots levels, but Dyche saw no need for them at the top level. “I don’t know why they don’t leave the game alone at times,” he told BBC Sport. “I don’t think it is needed. I don’t think it is wanted, personally, but fans might have a different view.” He also questioned how sin bins would be managed. “If a player goes off the pitch, how are you going to manage that? The health and safety? Is he warming up, or is he allowed to sit down? Does he have to stay sitting down? Does he get two minutes out of the 10 to warm up again?” The IFAB is also considering a measure that would see referees announce the final decision of video reviews. “Leave referees alone,” Dyche said. “I say take everything away, take the screen away, the noise away and let them get on with their job.”
CRICKET
Dominica withdraws
Dominica on Thursday withdrew as one of the cohosts of next year’s ICC T20 World Cup, citing the delay in completing upgrades of match and practice venues, Cricket West Indies said. Dominica was one of seven countries in the West Indies selected to stage matches in the showpiece tournament in June along with the US. Windsor Park in Roseau was scheduled to host one group match and two Super Eight games of the 20-team tournament, but the government has conveyed its inability to get the facilities ready on time, Cricket West Indies said in a statement. “While recognizing their commitment, we note the reasons stated for the decision that has been made and understand the position,” Cricket West Indies chief executive officer Johnny Grave said. “We look forward to continuing to work with the government of Dominica and the Dominica Cricket Association to host international matches in the future.” Tournament director Fawwaz Baksh said that contingency plans were ready.
RUGBY UNION
Tackle change to be trialed
Rugby Australia yesterday said that it would trial a lowering of the legal tackle height from the shoulder line to below the sternum in a bid to reduce concussions. The new measure would take effect from February for two years at all levels of the game below Super Rugby, following six years of research by World Rugby. Phil Waugh, the governing body’s chief executive, said that research by World Rugby showed a clear opportunity to make the game safer. “Obviously it is impossible to remove all risk from the game,” he said. “However, we firmly believe that promoting safer tackle techniques and reducing the risk of head contact and concussion will lead to an even safer game.”
The qualifying round of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) is to be held at the Taipei Dome between Feb. 21 and 25, Major League Baseball (MLB) announced today. Taiwan’s group also includes Spain, Nicaragua and South Africa, with two of the four teams advancing onto the 2026 WBC. Taiwan, currently ranked second in the world in the World Baseball Softball Confederation rankings, are favorites to come out of the group, the MLB said in an article announcing the matchups. Last year, Taiwan finished in a five-way tie in their group with two wins and two losses, but finished last on tiebreakers after giving
North Korea’s FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup-winning team on Saturday received a heroes’ welcome back in the capital, Pyongyang, with hundreds of people on the streets to celebrate their success. They had defeated Spain on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the U17 World Cup final in the Dominican Republic on Nov. 3. It was the second global title in two months for secretive North Korea — largely closed off to the outside world; they also lifted the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in September. Officials and players’ families gathered at Pyongyang International Airport to wave flowers and North Korea flags as the
For King Faisal, a 20-year-old winger from Ghana, the invitation to move to Brazil to play soccer “was a dream.” “I believed when I came here, it would help me change the life of my family and many other people,” he said in Sao Paulo. For the past year and a half, he has been playing on the under-20s squad for Sao Paulo FC, one of South America’s most prominent clubs. He and a small number of other Africans are tearing across pitches in a country known as the biggest producer and exporter of soccer stars in the world, from Pele to Neymar. For
Coco Gauff of the US on Friday defeated top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 to set up a showdown with Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in the final of the WTA Finals, while in the doubles, Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching was eliminated. Gauff generated six break points to Belarusian Sabalenka’s four and built on early momentum in the opening set’s tiebreak that she carried through to the second set. She is the youngest player at 20 to make the final at the WTA Finals since Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki in 2010. Zheng earlier defeated Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-5 to book
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