Italian cricket has been plunged into turmoil following a sexual assault allegation against a senior official just days after the men’s team made their T20 World Cup debut.

Prabath Ekneligoda, the women’s cricket co-ordinator for the Federazione Cricket Italiana (FCRI), was the subject of a criminal investigation regarding the incident.

The 57-year-old is alleged to have inappropriately touched a member of the Azzurri women’s national team.

BBC Sport understands that multiple board members have resigned over the handling of the case and wider governance issues.

Allegations of abuse of power

A player, whose identity is legally protected, filed a complaint with police in Rome in March last year.

She alleged the assault occurred during a massage on a knee injury at a training session.

The accuser reportedly feared reporting the incident earlier due to concerns it would cost her a place in the squad.

A Rome prosecutor concluded an investigation in November 2025, with a decision now pending on whether to proceed to trial.

Ekneligoda’s lawyer stated his client denies the allegations, claiming there are “ulterior motives” and citing a witness who supports his version of events.

Presence at World Cup despite suspension

The FCRI confirmed to BBC Sport that it “noted proceedings are currently under way” and pledged to cooperate with authorities.

“The Italian Cricket Federation reiterates that its conduct is guided by principles of fairness, transparency and the protection of its registered members, as well as by the ethical and civic standards that underpin the sporting system.”

FCRI Statement

Despite being suspended from his role in November, the Sri Lankan-born official has remained visible within the national setup.

Ekneligoda is the partner of FCRI president Maria Lorena Haz Paz and accompanied her to India for the men’s T20 World Cup.

BBC Sport has seen evidence of him attending Italy’s matches wearing official accreditation alongside the FCRI party.

He was also present at official events, including a reception at the Italian consulate in Kolkata.

It is understood that the federation and its safeguarding officers were fully aware of the serious nature of the claims before traveling to the tournament.

England head coach Steve Borthwick has called for a sense of perspective following a 42-21 defeat by Ireland that confirmed a second consecutive Six Nations loss for his side.

The Red Rose boss insists that neither the hype nor the criticism surrounding his team currently reflects reality.

“Two weeks ago, after 12 wins on the bounce, people were saying we were the best team in the world, and now we are all sorts of things,” Borthwick told BBC Sport.

“Neither of these are true.”

However, the downturn in form for the national side has been undeniably steep and sudden.

After a year-long winning streak, England have suffered back-to-back tournament defeats.

They were swatted aside by Scotland at Murrayfield just seven days prior to their heavy trouncing by the Irish.

We analyse why the bubble has burst so emphatically for Borthwick’s men.

Re-evaluating the 2025 winning run

The plea for a middle ground between praise and criticism is not merely a defensive mechanism from the coaching staff.

Even before the Six Nations began, management attempted to temper predictions that this squad was rapidly becoming world-beaters.

Retrospective analysis suggests the 12-match winning streak may have over-inflated external expectations.

While the run included a standout victory over New Zealand last November, significant caveats remained.

The All Blacks delivered a curiously listless performance that ultimately led to the sacking of head coach Brett Robertson.

Furthermore, two Test wins in Argentina came against a Pumas side weakened by British and Irish Lions selection and resting frontline stars.

Victories over France and Scotland in the previous year’s championship were tight affairs that could easily have gone the other way.

While England did superbly to win those contests, the current campaign has demanded a higher level of performance that has been found wanting.

Aerial dominance neutralised by rivals

For much of 2025, it appeared that Borthwick had discovered a tactical edge.

Following rule changes regarding the escorting of chasing players, the aerial contest opened up significantly.

England were initially the quickest to exploit this, utilising hard chases and high jumps to claim possession deep in opposition territory.

However, in an era of intense data analysis, no tactical advantage remains unchallenged for long.

Opposition coaches have wised up to the strategy.

Both Scotland and Ireland fielded the backfield barrage effectively, with catchers outperforming England in the air.

Energised support players were consistently well-positioned to scoop up loose ball from any spills.

With their primary tactic neutralised, the team appeared to lack either a clear alternative or the nerve to switch strategies mid-match.

Scotland capitalised by moving the ball wide to stretch the defence, while Ireland punched holes through the middle with high-tempo offloads.

Borthwick’s side could not find their own style to fit the contest.

Injury woes hamper Borthwick’s plans

The case for the defence has not been helped by a growing casualty list.

As they have chased high balls, England have been forced to do so with clipped wings.

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso remains a prime example of the attacking threat currently missing from the ground game.

England must overcome their recurring fragility against spin bowling when they take on Pakistan on Tuesday to secure a place in the T20 World Cup semi-finals.

Harry Brook’s side defeated Sri Lanka by 51 runs on Sunday to keep their tournament hopes alive.

However, the victory was marred by familiar failings as four of the top five batters succumbed to slow bowling.

The issue threatens to derail their campaign against an opponent statistically inclined to exploit that very weakness.

‘We will give them a tough time’

Pakistan have bowled a higher percentage of spin than any other team in the competition.

During their earlier clash with India, the Men in Green deployed six different slow bowlers.

Batter Sahibzada Farhan confirmed that England’s difficulties have been noted by the opposition camp.

“They were struggling against the spinners,” said Farhan.

“We have one of the best spin attacks, which has Usman Tariq, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, and even Abrar Ahmed is one of the top spinners.

“I am confident we will give them a tough time.”

A alarming dip in form

The struggles in the Caribbean and USA are curious given the team’s recent proficiency against the turning ball.

In the preceding series against Sri Lanka, England lost only three wickets to spin across three matches.

Yet on the tournament stage, those numbers have nose-dived.

Overall, 21 of England’s 38 wickets have fallen to spin bowling.

While numerically similar to dismissals against pace, the timing has been destructive, including collapses against Italy and the West Indies.

“We were very good in the bilateral series here against Sri Lanka, where we played spin,” said all-rounder Liam Dawson.

“We know we can bat a lot better than what we have batted. We’ve won games and that’s the main thing.”

Brook and Buttler under pressure

The captain himself has found the conditions particularly testing.

Harry Brook has been removed by spinners four times in succession at this World Cup.

The Yorkshireman now averages just 19.1 against spin in T20 internationals, a stark contrast to his average of 46.2 against seamers.

Jacob Bethell has also struggled, falling to a slow bowler in every innings he has played.

Jos Buttler appears equally out of rhythm.

The wicketkeeper-batter has recorded three consecutive single-figure scores and was trapped lbw by Dunith Wellalage in the previous match.

Highlighting his determination to find form, Buttler was the only member of the expected XI to train on Monday evening.

With a semi-final berth at stake, England’s top order must find a solution to the turning ball immediately.

Sean Strickland has reignited his feud with UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev after stopping Anthony Hernandez to close in on a title shot.

The American delivered a dominant performance in Houston on Saturday, securing a third-round TKO victory.

This result ended Hernandez’s eight-fight winning streak and positioned the victor for a potential return to the division’s summit.

However, attention quickly turned to his former training partner and current titleholder, with whom he shares a volatile history.

Strickland disputes training rumours

Speaking at the post-fight press conference, the 34-year-old addressed previous claims that he had been submitted by the Russian during past sparring sessions.

He firmly denied tapping out, insisting they were merely engaging in positional grappling at the time.

“I made him quit training. Witnesses in the audience, where’s Eric [Nicksick, coach] at? I made him quit.”

The former champion dismissed suggestions that Chimaev had dominated him, claiming the narrative was false.

‘He is a bully’

The feud between the two escalated as the Californian accused the champion of selecting weaker sparring partners to boost his ego.

He claimed the unbeaten fighter purposefully avoids tough challenges in the gym.

“Every time Chimaev would walk in the gym, he would pick the smallest, lowest-level pro. He would pick the smallest guy. Chimaev’s a bully.”

The former belt-holder also criticised his rival’s performance against Gilbert Burns in 2022, suggesting the close decision victory exposed flaws in his game.

He argued that Chimaev’s recent talk of moving weight classes is a tactic to avoid difficult matchups in his current division.

The middleweight title picture

Chimaev is currently expected to defend his crown against Nassourdine Imavov, though no official bout has been confirmed.

The champion has also expressed interest in moving up to light-heavyweight to challenge Alex Pereira.

Yet Strickland’s emphatic return to the win column makes a strong case for a title opportunity.

He previously held the belt from September 2023 until January 2024 before losing it to Dricus du Plessis.

Ukraine has confirmed it will boycott the Winter Paralympics opening ceremony after the International Paralympic Committee ruled that Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete under their national flags.

Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), confirmed on Monday that the ruling allowing participation “cannot be overturned”.

The controversial decision permits athletes from the two nations to compete with their own anthems and colours at the upcoming Games in Milano Cortina.

Boycott threats and solidarity

In an immediate response to the announcement, Ukrainian officials stated their team would not attend the opening ceremony in Verona on 6 March.

The move comes amid ongoing tensions stemming from the invasion of Ukraine.

Solidarity has been expressed elsewhere, with the Czech Paralympic Committee declaring support for the boycott.

Several Polish officials have also confirmed they will be absent from the curtain-raiser.

Mr Parsons has urged the Ukrainian contingent to attend despite the political friction.

“We have a message to give that is one of inclusion and diversity,” the IPC chief said.

“We encourage them to participate, but if they don’t want to, we respect that.”

Allocation of slots

The governing body has allocated a total of 10 combined slots to the two nations.

Russia has received two spots each in Para Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding.

Belarus has secured four places, all of which are restricted to cross-country skiing events.

Moscow maintains that excluding disabled athletes is offensive and argues against mixing politics with sport.

Host nation disagreement

The Italian government has voiced strong disagreement with the IPC stance, urging the organisation to reverse its decision.

Mr Parsons acknowledged the host nation’s position but insisted on maintaining an optimal competitive environment.

He noted that while situations can become politicised, the committee had received no further official withdrawal communications.

The Winter Paralympics follow the recent Olympic Games, where Russian competitors were not permitted to participate under their national flag.

England will face South Africa in a three-Test series over the 2026 Christmas period after dates were confirmed for the tour, though a planned T20 leg has been postponed.

The series is set to begin on 17 December at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.

Centurion has been awarded the traditional Boxing Day Test, with play commencing at SuperSport Park on 26 December.

The red-ball leg of the tour will conclude with a New Year’s fixture at Newlands in Cape Town from 3 January 2027.

SA20 forces schedule change

Three one-day internationals will follow the Test matches, starting on 10 January at Boland Park in Paarl.

However, the originally proposed T20 series has been removed from the itinerary.

This decision was taken to avoid scheduling conflicts with the window for the SA20, South Africa’s premier domestic T20 competition.

England enjoyed success on their last red-ball visit to the country in the 2019-20 season.

The tourists recovered from a 1-0 deficit to secure a convincing 3-1 series victory.

A crowded calendar for the Proteas

The arrival of England will conclude a busy home summer for South Africa.

Australia are scheduled to visit for three Tests in October 2026, starting in Durban.

It marks the first Test series between the nations in South Africa since the controversial 2018 tour.

That series became infamous for the ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town involving then-captain Steve Smith.

Bangladesh will also tour the country in November for two Tests, three ODIs, and three T20s.

England’s 2026-27 Tour Schedule

Test Series

ODI Series

Gambling firms not licensed in the UK face being banned from sponsoring British sports teams under new government proposals to protect consumers.

Ministers have expressed concern regarding risks stemming from the unlicensed market, including companies ignoring laws designed to safeguard customers.

The government highlighted missing protections such as mandatory financial vulnerability checks and responsible advertising guidelines.

Risks of fraud and crime

officials warned that a lack of data protection measures leaves individuals open to fraud and identity theft.

Unregulated betting has also been linked to organised crime networks.

A consultation regarding the proposals is scheduled to launch this spring.

Premier League warnings

Last year, several top-flight sides were warned by the Gambling Commission regarding their relationship with TGP Europe.

Bournemouth, Fulham, Newcastle and Wolves carried branding from websites run by the firm, which had previously surrendered its British licence.

An investigation found the operator failed to carry out sufficient checks on business partners and breached anti-money laundering rules.

Clubs received letters warning they could be liable to prosecution for promoting unlicensed businesses transacting with consumers in Great Britain.

‘Not right’ to sponsor clubs

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said punters deserve to know the sites they use are properly regulated with the right protections.

She added: “It’s not right that unlicensed gambling operators can sponsor some of our biggest football clubs, raising their profile and potentially drawing fans towards sites that don’t meet our regulatory standards.”

The Betting and Gaming Council backed the plans on social media.

The industry body stated: “If an operator wants the visibility and credibility of English football, they should meet the high regulatory standards set here in the UK.”

Shirt sponsorship changes

Premier League clubs have already collectively agreed to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of matchday shirts by the end of the current campaign.

However, sleeve sponsorship is still permitted to carry betting branding, including that of unlicensed entities.

Ministers argue the visibility of such brands could drive consumers towards sites operating outside the Gambling Commission’s regulatory protections.

Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson believes she is "closer than ever" to breaking the longest-standing world record in athletics following her historic indoor performance.

The 23-year-old recently smashed the indoor global best but has now set her sights on Jarmila Kratochvilova’s 1983 mark.

That outdoor record of one minute 53.28 seconds has remained untouched for more than four decades.

Hodgkinson feels her recent form suggests the historic time is finally within reach.

"It’s not an easy feat and there’s a reason it has stood for so long," she told BBC Sport.

"I think this is the closest I’ve felt near it."

"I do really believe that we can break it, but a lot of things have got to come together."

Record-breaking form in France

The Wigan-born athlete clocked a stunning 1:54.87 in Lievin to obliterate a record that had stood since the day she was born.

Her coach, Jenny Meadows, suggested the run in France could have been even quicker.

Hodgkinson agrees that there is more speed to come.

"I’ve known for weeks I’m capable of breaking it," she explained.

"It’s just a matter of getting out on the day."

"We can push it even further in the future, as long as I stay healthy and I think this is hopefully just the beginning."

Overcoming injury heartbreak

This optimism marks a significant turnaround following a challenging period after the Paris 2024 Games.

Despite storming to Olympic gold, the middle-distance runner suffered a torn hamstring that halted her training.

The enforced break required a complete mental and physical reset.

"After winning the Olympics, it really wasn’t what I thought was going to happen," she admitted.

"It makes you stop and strip back everything and think, why is this happening? What are the problems?"

"But, we got through it, I became a stronger person, and I think this is now the reward of all of that happening."

Chasing athletics history

Lord Coe, the World Athletics president, has publicly backed the Briton to surpass Kratochvilova’s time this year.

However, the task remains immense, with the current benchmark standing over a second faster than Hodgkinson’s personal best of 1:54.61.

Kratochvilova’s 1983 performance has faced scrutiny regarding the doping regime of that era, though she has always denied wrongdoing.

For the reigning Olympic champion, the focus remains strictly on her own preparation.

"We’re on the right path and we’ve seen evidence in training that we think that it’s possible," Hodgkinson concluded.

"I think the reason this year has gone so well for me is because I’ve had my healthiest winter training I’ve had in years."