Ukrainian short track speed skater Oleh Handei has been ordered to tape over the quote “Where there is heroism, there can be no final defeat” on his helmet after officials deemed it linked to the conflict with Russia.

Handei is scheduled to compete in the 1500m event at the Milano Cortina Games this Saturday.

The disputed text is a line from celebrated Ukrainian writer Lina Kostenko, which the athlete used as a source of personal motivation.

‘Sorry, but it is propaganda’

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) enforces strict regulations barring political demonstrations or statements at Olympic venues.

Upon inspecting the kit, officials intervened and demanded the inscription be obscured.

“They saw my sentence and they said to me, ‘Sorry but it’s war propaganda’.”

Oleh Handei, speaking to Reuters

The Olympian confirmed he intends to comply with the directive to ensure his participation in the race.

Echoes of Heraskevych ejection

This incident comes in the wake of a significant controversy involving fellow Ukrainian Vladyslav Heraskevych.

The skeleton racer was removed from competition after wearing a “helmet of remembrance” depicting athletes killed since the Russian invasion.

Heraskevych slammed that decision as a victory for Russian propaganda, calling it a “terrible mistake” by the IOC.

Handei admitted he was initially hesitant to speak out but felt emboldened by his compatriot’s stance.

“It’s not propaganda, it’s not,” the speed skater insisted regarding their messages.

He argued that these gestures simply serve to remind the global community that Ukraine continues to exist as a nation seeking understanding.

Glasgow Warriors prop Nathan McBeth is set for his first Guinness Six Nations start after head coach Gregor Townsend made four changes to his pack for Saturday’s Calcutta Cup showdown against England.

Fresh legs for the Auld Enemy

The inclusion of the loosehead is the headline news ahead of the eagerly anticipated meeting at Murrayfield.

It represents a significant show of faith from the Scotland hierarchy for a fixture steeped in such intense history and rivalry.

Townsend has opted to refresh his forward line significantly as the hosts look to retain the trophy against their southern neighbours.

The coaching staff have decided that fresh energy in the scrum is vital for the physical battle expected in Edinburgh.

Townsend’s tactical gamble

McBeth steps into the breach to face the Red Rose, tasked with anchoring the set-piece on the biggest stage of all.

This selection marks a pivotal moment in the international career of the Glasgow forward.

He will be aiming to repay his manager’s trust immediately in what promises to be a ferocious contest for dominance.

England travel north knowing they face a rejigged Scottish pack determined to defend their home turf.

The unified heavyweight champion has been granted permission to take a voluntary bout next as he looks to stay active.

However, boxing authorities have made it clear that the Ukrainian southpaw cannot avoid his mandatory obligations indefinitely.

Sulaiman insists on Kabayel clash

Sulaiman insisted that while the 38-year-old can choose his immediate opponent, the path thereafter is set in stone.

Agit Kabayel, the unbeaten German heavyweight, is currently the mandatory challenger for the green and gold belt.

“Kabayel was not available, because he had a fight scheduled in January,” Sulaiman told boxing analyst Chris Mannix.

“So, [Usyk] requested a voluntary title defence, which is very customary.”

“He was given that opportunity, and he must fight the interim champion next. That’s the ruling.”

The 33-year-old challenger secured his position with a stoppage victory over Zhilei Zhang last February.

He further solidified his standing on the periphery of the world title scene by knocking out Damian Knyba last month.

Wilder showdown hopes fade

The ruling comes amidst uncertainty regarding Usyk’s opponent for the approved voluntary defence.

The two-weight undisputed king had reportedly targeted a high-profile showdown with Deontay Wilder.

Usyk’s manager, Egis Klimas, had previously identified the ‘Bronze Bomber’ as a key target, noting the fight would likely take place in the United States.

However, those plans collapsed after the American was paired with veteran Derek Chisora for a clash at London’s O2 Arena on 4 April.

“Look, Usyk came to us recently to fight,” Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel revealed.

“We didn’t know if that could happen, and we were on a trajectory to fight Chisora.”

With Wilder unavailable, the identity of the opponent for Usyk’s interim bout remains unclear.

British contender Fabio Wardley had emerged as a potential option after defeating Joseph Parker to win the WBO interim title in October.

Regardless of who stands in the opposite corner next, the WBC has ensured that Kabayel will be waiting in the wings.

The wait for a podium finish continues in excruciating fashion for Great Britain’s athletes.

Great Britain are still searching for their first medal of the Winter Olympics after suffering three agonising fourth-place finishes, piling pressure on a squad targeting a record podium haul.

For years, the nation has punched significantly above its weight on the snow and ice.

Despite a distinct lack of mountains, Britain has consistently produced world champions and X Games winners.

Yet right now, those punches are landing firmly in the opposite direction.

Many analysts expected the British contingent to be on the board by now, with forecasts predicting at least three medals at this stage.

Instead, the tally remains stubbornly at zero.

The curse of fourth place

The campaign has been defined by near misses rather than glorious failures.

Freestyle skier Kirsty Muir, snowboarder Mia Brookes, and the mixed curling duo of Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds have all finished in the dreaded fourth spot.

Adding to the frustration, figure skaters Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson saw their bronze medal hopes evaporate after a solitary error in the ice dance.

These results have highlighted just how cruel the margins can be at the pinnacle of winter sport.

Muir, for instance, missed out on a slopestyle bronze by a heartbreaking 0.41 points.

Had the Aberdeen-born skier not squatted on a final run landing, she would likely have secured a podium spot.

High risks and fine margins

The margins were equally tight for Mia Brookes.

The teenage snowboard sensation knew she needed something spectacular on her final big air run to break into the top three.

She attempted a competition-first backside 1620 trick, involving four-and-a-half rotations.

However, the 17-year-old over-rotated at the crucial moment.

A clean landing would almost certainly have guaranteed a medal.

Sometimes, however, these fractions work in Britain’s favour.

At the Sochi Games in 2014, Jenny Jones secured the nation’s first-ever Olympic medal on snow by just 0.25 points.

Jones, now a BBC Sport pundit, reflected on the psychological toll of these moments.

“I could have very much been in fourth,” Jones admitted.

“The girl who came fourth, she did a bigger trick than me, but she dragged her hand. On the day, I had done it cleaner. On any other day, she might have beaten me.”

“There’s lots more going on with the Olympics, mentally. It is that psychological element, it’s a mindset.”

Investment under scrutiny

Britain’s best return from a Winter Games stands at five medals, achieved in both Sochi and Pyeongchang.

Before this event, UK Sport set an ambitious target of up to eight medals.

While that upper limit now looks unlikely, a record-breaking tournament remains mathematically possible.

However, Dame Katherine Grainger, chair of the British Olympic Association, has warned that the team’s performance is being watched closely.

This scrutiny follows a substantial £25.5m investment ploughed into winter sports over the last four-year cycle.

“Because it’s public money, there’s a responsibility for all of us to make sure the money that goes in is paid back,” Grainger told BBC Sport.

“We want to see great performances, inspirational performances, and that there’s good value for money. I think the results will be brilliant and it will justify the investment.”

Despite the slow start, the British camp remains adamant that their medal hopes are far from lost.

Former Great Britain forward Josh Jones has opened up on the “terrifying” reality of life after being diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) at just 31 years old.

The ex-St Helens star retired from the sport in 2023, but the physical toll of his career has cast a long shadow over his life away from the pitch.

Speaking in an emotional interview with BBC sports editor Dan Roan, Jones revealed the depth of his anxiety regarding the condition.

‘Scared the life out of me’

“It’s scared the life out of me,” the former Salford Red Devils captain admitted when discussing the prognosis.

CTE is a progressive brain condition often associated with repeated blows to the head and has become a major talking point in contact sports.

Jones was joined by his wife, Olivia, to explain the daily difficulties the family has faced since the medical verdict was delivered.

A heavy price to pay

Jones enjoyed a successful career, including a Grand Final victory with Saints in 2014 and international honours on the 2019 Great Britain tour.

However, the diagnosis has forced the 31-year-old to confront a starkly different future than he imagined upon hanging up his boots.

His revelation adds another powerful voice to the growing conversation surrounding player welfare and the long-term impact of high-impact collisions in rugby league.

French biathlete Julia Simon has powered to Olympic gold at the Milano-Cortina Games, barely four months after being convicted of fraud against a national team-mate.

A controversial victory

The 29-year-old gestured for silence with a finger to her lips as she crossed the finish line in the women’s 15km individual race.

This victory marks her second gold medal of the Games, adding to her mixed relay triumph three days earlier.

In a stark contrast of fortunes, her victim and compatriot Justine Braisaz-Bouchet finished well off the pace in 80th position.

Legal troubles and suspended sentences

Simon’s participation in Italy had been in serious doubt following legal proceedings last October.

The multiple world champion was handed a three-month suspended prison sentence and fined €15,000 (£13,000) for credit card fraud and theft.

She stood accused of using bank cards belonging to Braisaz-Bouchet and a team physiotherapist to make online purchases exceeding €2,000.

Admitting to “the entirety of the facts” before an Albertville criminal court, the biathlete apologised to those she had wronged.

“I can’t explain it. I don’t remember doing it. I can’t make sense of it,” she told local media during the hearing.

The French Ski Federation subsequently imposed a six-month ban, though five months were suspended, clearing her path to compete on the world stage.

‘Speak about sport, not gossip’

Emotions ran high on Wednesday as the gold medallist wept on the podium while the French national anthem played.

However, her celebration at the finish line hinted at underlying tensions.

Simon insisted the gesture was directed at a specific critic following negative press coverage rather than the general public.

“It was for one person, I think he knows it, he is here,” she explained.

The decorated athlete remained defiant regarding the focus on her private life.

“I’m here for sports. I’m doing my best sport. So now we have to speak about sport and not about gossip. If you want to speak about gossip, you go away.”

Speaking to Eurosport, the double Olympic champion issued a plea for the media to move on from the scandal.

“What I would like now, in all honesty, is for you to leave me in peace. The page has been turned within the team – we have spoken about it.”

The 21-year-old clocked a blistering time of one minute 6.28 seconds at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium.

His performance erased the previous Olympic standard set in 2002, a benchmark established before the American prodigy was even born.

It marks the first strike in an ambitious campaign for four gold medals at these Games.

A dominant display

Dutch rival Jenning de Boo claimed silver, finishing half a second adrift of the champion.

China’s Zhongyan Ning completed the podium with bronze.

No other competitor came within a full second of the Wisconsin native’s explosive pace.

The victory ends a lengthy drought for the United States in this discipline.

Not since Shani Davis defended his title at Vancouver 2010 has an American man topped the 1,000m podium.

Davis, a mentor to the new champion, paved the way for this historic resurgence.

The wait for glory

Celebrations were briefly muted inside the temporary arena.

A rare re-skate was granted to Joep Wennermars following an obstruction incident, forcing the leader to wait 10 minutes to confirm his victory.

Stolz, who had visualized this moment since skating on frozen ponds as a five-year-old, watched calmly.

Once the final heat concluded without a threat to his time, the emotion finally poured out.

He offered an understated pump of the fist before collecting his prize.

Watching royalty

Pressure was high for the pre-race favourite, who went unbeaten in this season’s World Cup circuit.

Watching from the stands was Eric Heiden, the legendary figure who swept five golds at the 1980 Lake Placid Games.

He was joined by rapper Snoop Dogg, adding star power to a historic afternoon.

With one title secured, the focus now shifts to whether the young star can emulate Heiden’s legendary haul.

Ryan Garcia aims to capture the WBC welterweight title against Mario Barrios in Las Vegas on Saturday, potentially setting up a lucrative showdown with Conor Benn.

The 27-year-old challenger is bidding to become a fully-fledged world champion for the first time in his turbulent career.

Victory at the T-Mobile Arena would likely clear the path for a high-profile bout against “The Destroyer”, who is currently waiting in the wings.

Stuttering champions collide

“King Ryan” enters the ring looking to rebuild his reputation following a chaotic period both inside and outside the ropes.

His aspirations have previously been derailed by inconsistency, including a points defeat to Rolly Romero and a victory over Devin Haney that was overturned due to a failed drug test.

However, the defending champion is also arriving in Nevada without recent winning momentum.

Barrios has not tasted victory since May 2024, having recorded back-to-back draws in his subsequent outings.

The Texan titleholder struggled to overcome Abel Ramos last November and was held to a stalemate by a 46-year-old Manny Pacquiao the previous summer.

Start time and how to watch

The action takes place on Saturday, 21 February at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

For UK viewers, the main card is scheduled to begin at 01:00 GMT on Sunday morning.

Ring walks for the main event are expected at approximately 04:00 GMT.

The event will be broadcast exclusively on DAZN Pay-Per-View.

UK fans can purchase the event for £24.99, while the price is set at $64.99 for viewers in the United States.

Undercard details

Three other title fights feature on a stacked bill in Sin City.

• Mario Barrios (c) vs Ryan Garcia – WBC welterweight title
• Richardson Hitchins (c) vs Oscar Duarte – IBF super-lightweight title
• Gary Antuanne Russell (c) vs Andy Hiraoka – WBA super-lightweight title
• Frank Martin vs Nahir Albright – Super-lightweight
• Bektemir Melikuziev vs Sena Agbeko – Super-middleweight