The NHL has officially cleared Mike Babcock to return to coaching following an investigation into his conduct, paving the way for the Edmonton Oilers to hire him.
The league launched an inquiry requested by the NHL Players’ Association regarding his sudden resignation from the Columbus Blue Jackets in September 2023.
He departed the Ohio-based franchise before overseeing a single game after drawing severe criticism for requesting to view personal photographs on players’ mobile phones.
Recent virtual interviews with former squad members officially concluded the comprehensive probe into the 63-year-old’s brief tenure.
No basis to restrict employment
“The League has completed its review of Mike Babcock’s tenure in Columbus, and of certain alleged conduct associated therewith. Our investigation has concluded that, even in a light least favorable to Mr. Babcock, there is no current basis to restrict his employment in the League,” the NHL said in a statement.
Sources indicate that the Alberta-based team now intend to appoint the Stanley Cup-winning coach to fill their current vacancy.
The veteran tactician has reportedly received strong support from several experienced players within the current dressing room.
Edmonton originally targeted Bruce Cassidy for the role, but the Vegas Golden Knights refused to grant permission due to his active contract and strict non-compete clause.
A history of success and sudden exits
The highly experienced manager has taken charge of 700 games across previous spells with the Anaheim Ducks, Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs.
He notably guided the Red Wings to the ultimate prize in 2008, establishing himself as one of the sport’s premier strategic minds.
His last active coaching role ended in November 2019 when Toronto dismissed him following a dismal start to the campaign.
The Oilers are now searching for their sixth head coach since superstar Connor McDavid’s rookie season after parting ways with Kris Knoblauch in May.
Serena Williams has begun practising at Wimbledon alongside her daughters ahead of her anticipated return to Grand Slam tennis this month.
The 44-year-old recently received a wild card entry into the women’s doubles draw alongside her sister Venus.
The American great shared footage on Instagram of her hitting at the Aorangi Park practice courts on Thursday.
Dressed in traditional All England Club white, the 23-time major singles winner also took time to feed forehands to her eight-year-old daughter Olympia.
Reuniting a dominant partnership
The legendary sisters last claimed a Grand Slam doubles title together on the historic London grass a decade ago.
They have not competed as a professional partnership since the 2022 season.
This upcoming appearance marks a significant milestone for the former world number one.
She recently ended an absence from the match court spanning nearly four years by competing at Queen’s Club.
Recent comeback challenges
Her initial return alongside Victoria Mboko yielded a first-round victory before the Canadian sustained an unfortunate injury.
The veteran then travelled to a WTA Tour event in Berlin to continue her grass-court preparations.
However, that campaign ended abruptly with a first-round defeat while partnering Karolina Muchova.
Despite those early competitive setbacks, focus now shifts entirely to her highly anticipated appearance at SW19.
World Cup captains playing in Thursday’s fixtures will exchange special pennants to protest against discrimination as Fifa reveals it has already deleted nearly 400,000 abusive social media posts during the 2026 tournament.
The pre-match gestures mark the International Day for Countering Hate Speech across four matches, including Canada’s clash with Qatar and Mexico’s game against South Korea.
Organisers confirmed the pennants will feature the slogan “We Play Together, We Stand Against Hate” written in both English and the competing nations’ native languages.
Escalating digital toxicity
Football’s world governing body has heavily relied on an automated social media protection service to combat the rising tide of targeted harassment.
Since the current finals began on 11 June, the dedicated monitoring tool has removed 388,000 harmful comments directed at players and staff.
This staggering figure has already eclipsed the 287,000 offensive posts intercepted across the entirety of the previous global showpiece held four years ago.
In total, the digital shield has purged more than 30 million abusive interactions since its initial launch ahead of the 2022 event.
Ticketing and attendance concerns
The prominent anti-discrimination initiative arrives during a challenging week for tournament officials, who have faced mounting criticism over pricing strategies.
Noticeable swathes of empty seats have blighted several group-stage encounters, including the opening-day fixture between South Korea and the Czech Republic.
Defending the official attendance figures, administrators claimed that many supporters simply preferred watching the action from stadium concourses.
Hydration pauses spark anger
Controversy has also surrounded newly implemented hydration pauses, which provoked loud booing from fans during England’s recent clash with Croatia.
Critics argue the mandatory mid-half stoppages severely disrupt the natural rhythm and momentum of the sport.
Many supporters suspect the designated breaks are merely a cynical manoeuvre to divide matches into quarters, providing broadcasters with lucrative new advertising slots.
Arsenal have submitted an official bid to sign highly-rated 16-year-old winger Jeremy Monga from Leicester City following weeks of negotiations.
The north London club have held a long-standing interest in the teenage prospect, with initial reports of an approach surfacing last month.
Talks have steadily progressed between club executives and the player’s representatives regarding a permanent move to the Emirates Stadium.
The formalisation of this pursuit has now been confirmed by transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano.
Arsenal have lodged an official bid to sign the 16-year-old winger.
Fabrizio Romano
A rising star at Leicester
The young forward made headlines after breaking into the Foxes’ first-team setup at just 15 years of age.
His explosive playing style and clinical ability in front of goal have already drawn stylistic comparisons to France international Ousmane Dembele.
The academy product is widely expected to depart the King Power Stadium this summer following Leicester’s recent relegation.
Building for the future
Securing the sought-after youngster aligns perfectly with Arsenal’s ongoing strategy of recruiting elite domestic youth talent.
The Premier League title challengers will be eager to finalise an agreement swiftly to fend off potential competition from rival clubs.
Fifa has successfully curbed extreme stoppage time at the 2026 World Cup by introducing aggressive new measures to combat time-wasting.
The previous tournament in Qatar saw matches frequently exceed 100 minutes as officials were instructed to add on all wasted time.
However, the current finals are averaging just 96 minutes per game, excluding designated hydration breaks.
Match officials are now routinely signalling for only five or six added minutes at the end of halves.
Targeting match tempo
Referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina spearheaded this tactical shift to increase the overall pace of the sport.
“The goal we want to achieve is to increase the tempo of the match,” Collina said ahead of the finals.
The Italian official introduced strict five-second countdowns for goal-kicks and throw-ins to stop teams from deliberately breaking up play.
Players requiring medical treatment on the pitch are now forced to remain on the sidelines for a full minute before returning.
Changing player behaviour
Furthermore, substitutions must be completed within a strict 10-second window.
The fundamental philosophy behind these alterations is to return time directly to the action without extending the physical clock.
“The objective is to eliminate, as much as possible, the disruption of the tempo of the match,” Collina explained.
The threat of temporary numerical disadvantages appears to be acting as a highly effective deterrent across the tournament.
Improved flow across North America
Athletes are increasingly respecting the boundaries, resulting in fewer minor injury delays and swifter departures from the field.
Only one major infraction has occurred so far, when DR Congo conceded a corner for delaying a goal-kick during their draw with Portugal.
With controversial goalkeeper tactical timeouts also banned, fixtures across the United States, Mexico and Canada are demonstrating a notably improved flow.
The Los Angeles Lakers are targeting an elite centre this off-season to build around Luka Doncic and convince LeBron James to return to the franchise.
Rebuilding after play-off disappointment
The Californian franchise face a crucial summer after suffering a second-round sweep by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
General manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick must now maximise a roster that features up to nine unrestricted free agents.
Their off-season moves will not only dictate the team’s competitiveness but also heavily influence the future of their legendary veteran forward.
Management has significant assets available, boasting nearly $50m in potential cap space alongside three tradeable first-round draft picks.
Doncic demands physical presence
The Slovenian international is currently recovering in Europe following a Grade 2 left hamstring strain that derailed his post-season.
Having been cleared for basketball activities in late May, the 27-year-old is now fully healthy and preparing for his second full campaign in Los Angeles.
Sources indicate the prolific guard is in constant communication with the front office regarding future acquisitions.
“Luka’s first and foremost desire is an A-list center.”
An imposing rim-running big man would help the team compete against dominant Western Conference forces such as Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic.
Roster decisions loom
The 17-time NBA champions recorded 50 wins for a second consecutive year before injuries halted their momentum.
With Austin Reaves also battling an oblique issue late in the year, a lack of depth was ruthlessly exposed during the play-offs.
Choosing to bring back the same core could quickly consume their available funds, leaving little room for the marquee additions their star scorer desires.
The first round of fixtures at the expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup has concluded, highlighted by a dominant United States victory and a resounding opening win for Germany.
Fifa’s new tournament format has seen 24 matches played across a historic opening matchday.
Early indicators suggest a tournament of contrasting fortunes, with traditional powerhouses and tournament hosts delivering heavily scrutinised performances.
United States make powerful opening statement
The host nation delivered a commanding performance to sweep aside South American opposition in their first outing.
A high-pressing tactical approach allowed the Americans to dominate territory and penetrate the penalty area at will.
They breached the Paraguayan defence four times, a remarkable feat considering their opponents conceded just 10 goals across 18 rigorous qualifying matches.
The South American side had previously claimed qualification scalps against both Argentina and Brazil, underscoring the magnitude of this opening victory.
Set-piece concerns emerge for the hosts
Despite the emphatic scoreline, vulnerabilities remain for the American side, particularly from dead-ball situations.
The tournament co-hosts struggled to capitalise on their own set plays, generating a minimal 0.06 expected goals from these opportunities.
Defensively, their susceptibility was exposed when they conceded their only goal of the game from a set piece.
Tournament football traditionally heavily rewards proficiency in the six-yard box from in-swinging corners, an area requiring immediate improvement from the coaching staff.
Germany cruise as Nagelsmann catches the eye
Elsewhere, the four-time world champions demonstrated their attacking ruthlessness with a comprehensive 7-1 thrashing of Curaçao.
However, it was the touchline wardrobe of their head coach that drew significant attention during the emphatic victory.
Julian Nagelsmann remarkably cycled through four different outfits over the course of the matchday.
The German tactician sported official team apparel before and after the fixture, while alternating between a knitted polo and a casual black t-shirt during the two halves.
Manchester United are exploring a £40m deal to sign Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram as Michael Carrick looks to bolster his squad this summer.
The Red Devils are seeking further reinforcements in the middle of the park following the departure of Casemiro.
United have already secured the services of Brazilian international Ederson from Atalanta in a deal worth over £40m.
However, Old Trafford chiefs recognise that additional investment is required to mount a serious Premier League title challenge.
Juventus financial pressures
A move for the 25-year-old has become increasingly viable due to the Italian club’s current financial constraints.
Juventus reportedly need to raise up to £11m by the end of the month to ensure compliance after failing to qualify for the Champions League.
The Turin outfit are demanding a fee in the region of £35m to £40m for a player they originally acquired for €20m.
Saudi Arabian side Al’Ahli are understood to be willing to meet that asking price.
Premier League preference
Despite lucrative interest from the Middle East, the French midfielder strongly prefers to remain in Europe.
A switch to the English top flight is his primary objective, and he has already rejected an approach from Turkish giants Galatasaray.
Missing out on France’s recent World Cup squad has afforded the powerful midfielder the time to resolve his club future early in the transfer window.
Thuram is widely regarded as a dynamic box-to-box operator who excels in the physical aspects of the game.
Giovanni Martusciello, the experienced Italian coach, previously highlighted the player’s significant potential in Serie A.
“Who do I like? Thuram, I think he’s extraordinary,” Martusciello noted last season.
Carrick will hope the addition of such an energetic presence can help his side build on their impressive third-place league finish.