The Football Association has handed Mykhailo Mudryk a four-year ban from football following a positive test for a banned substance in 2024.
The Ukrainian international’s suspension represents the fourth-longest punishment ever issued in the history of the English game.
Doping offences carry severe penalties under strict liability rules, meaning players are ultimately responsible for any prohibited substances found in their system.
Lengthy suspensions in English football
Long-term exclusions from the sport remain relatively rare, historically reserved for serious breaches including gambling regulations, violence, or anti-doping violations.
Former Brentford striker Ivan Toney recently served an eight-month suspension after admitting to 232 breaches of betting rules during the 2023-24 season.
In another high-profile case, former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand missed the 2004 European Championship due to an eight-month ban.
The ex-England centre-back was severely punished for failing to attend a scheduled drug test with UK Sport doping officials in September 2003.
Historical doping and disciplinary cases
Australian goalkeeper Mark Bosnich saw his Chelsea career effectively ended by a nine-month suspension in April 2003.
The former Aston Villa shot-stopper retired shortly after testing positive for cocaine, though he consistently denied knowingly taking the substance during his playing days.
I was not taking cocaine at the time of my test, but I got talking to a girl who later admitted she slipped the drug into her drink, and I must have had a sip. Yes, I took drugs but only once my career was over, and I have no regrets as I owe football absolutely nothing.
Mark Bosnich
Other notable historical bans include Charlie Mitten’s six-month fine and suspension in 1950 after signing an unauthorised contract in Colombia while registered with Manchester United.
Lower-league midfielder Joss Labadie also received a six-month exclusion in 2014 following multiple biting incidents during his time with Torquay United and Dagenham & Redbridge.
Paris St-Germain secured a breathless 5-4 victory over Bayern Munich in their Champions League semi-final first leg following a remarkably clinical attacking display in the French capital.
The nine-goal thriller leaves the tie delicately poised ahead of next week’s return fixture at the Allianz Arena.
Vincent Kompany’s visitors dominated possession and underlying statistics but were ultimately undone by ruthless finishing.
The hosts managed just five shots on target throughout the entire contest.
Incredibly, every single one of those accurate efforts nestled in the back of the net.
Kvaratskhelia and Dembele lead the charge
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia proved to be a constant menace for the Parisian outfit.
The Georgian winger lashed in two magnificent strikes, capitalising on assists from team-mates Désiré Doué and Achraf Hakimi.
Ousmane Dembélé matched his attacking partner’s tally with a crucial brace of his own.
The French international powered a first-half penalty past Manuel Neuer before sealing his second with a breakaway finish after the interval.
Such a counter-attacking approach is a rarity for the Ligue 1 leaders.
They typically boast a 69% possession rate domestically, yet saw just 42% of the ball against the German heavyweights.
Kompany’s high-risk tactical gamble
Bayern arrived in Paris with an unapologetically aggressive game plan.
Their manager opted for an extraordinarily high defensive line, hoping Dayot Upamecano could extinguish counter-attacks in isolated duels.
Statistically, the Bavarian side were overwhelmingly dominant across the pitch.
They won 68% of ground duels and registered nearly double the expected goals of their opponents.
The six-time European champions also managed 198 touches in the attacking third compared to a mere 92 from the hosts.
Yet those impressive metrics offer little comfort as they return to Germany trailing in the tie.
Analytics experts currently give the French giants a 61% probability of reaching the final despite Bayern’s formidable attacking output.
Mirra Andreeva celebrated her 19th birthday by making history at the Madrid Open, while defending men’s champion Casper Ruud suffered a shock quarter-final defeat.
The ninth seed defeated American Hailey Baptiste 6-4 7-6 (10-8) to become the first teenager to reach three WTA 1000 finals.
Baptiste had previously stunned Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals, but found her giant-killing run abruptly halted in the Spanish capital.
The Russian teenager dominated the opening exchanges, winning every point behind her first serve to claim the first set.
A tense finish in the Spanish capital
She continued that relentless serving rhythm to build a commanding 5-3 lead in the second set, before a late resurgence from her American opponent.
Baptiste valiantly saved a match point and broke back, eventually forcing a tense tie-break where she held two set points.
However, the birthday girl held her nerve to erase the deficit and convert her third match point.
“I feel so much adrenaline inside. I feel like I’m still nervous,” Andreeva said.
“I’m so happy that I won and I was able to save all those set points. I was very happy with the way I was able to serve. I cannot find a lot of words to describe how I am feeling right now.”
Ruud title defence ends in ‘depressing’ fashion
In the men’s draw, defending champion Ruud saw his reign ended by rising 21-year-old star Alexander Blockx.
The Belgian delivered a composed display to win 6-4 6-4 and secure his first career Masters 1000 semi-final.
Prior to reaching the third round at the Monte Carlo Masters earlier this month, the world number 69 had never won an ATP Tour match on clay.
“To be honest, I’m just happy with being here. Even winning my first match here. I barely escaped in the first round, and I was happy about that already,” Blockx said.
“Semi-finals is something I wouldn’t have even dreamed of to begin with.”
As a result of the early exit, the 12th seed will now drop out of the world’s top 20 for the first time in nearly five years.
The Norwegian admitted the defeat was incredibly difficult to process.
“I found it depressing this game, because he didn’t really have any weaknesses,” he explained.
“I was impressed because I didn’t really find any big weakness or hole in his game. And when you don’t do that, it’s easier to kind of over-hit and feel like you don’t get anything out of your own shots.”
What next for the teenage sensation?
With 12 victories on clay already this season, the 19-year-old finalist is cementing her status as a formidable force on the surface.
She will face either 26th seed Marta Kostyuk or lucky loser Anastasia Potapova in the showpiece event.
England Test captain Ben Stokes has been medically cleared to return to competitive cricket following a severe facial injury sustained in February.
The 34-year-old suffered a broken right cheekbone after being struck by a ball while coaching Durham academy players.
He subsequently underwent surgery to repair the extensive damage and has now confirmed his impending comeback.
Targeting domestic return before international duties
Taking to social media, the all-rounder announced that specialists had finally approved his return to action.
“Doc gave the all clear. Eyes good. See ya soon,”
Stokes posted on Instagram.
The influential skipper is now targeting two County Championship fixtures for Durham next month to build vital match fitness.
These domestic appearances will serve as crucial preparation ahead of a demanding international summer.
A narrow escape from serious tragedy
The initial training ground incident sparked significant concern regarding the player’s long-term health and vision.
Speaking earlier this month, the World Cup winner admitted the freak accident could have been fatal.
“I copped one straight in the face,” he explained in an interview with the England and Wales Cricket Board.
“Pretty nasty but, funnily, probably the best result of a bad situation, to be honest.”
“Just a couple of inches one way or the other, I might not be here doing this interview, if I didn’t turn my head round.”
Lord’s Test match on the horizon
England’s red-ball leader is now firmly on track to captain his country in the first Test against New Zealand.
The opening match of the highly anticipated summer series is scheduled to begin at Lord’s on June 4.
His commanding presence will provide a major psychological boost to the national side as they look to assert dominance on home soil.
Streaming giant Disney+ has secured the rights to broadcast live men’s Champions League football for the first time across multiple international markets for the 2027-31 cycle.
The platform emerged as the preferred bidder in several regions following a highly competitive tender process conducted by European football’s governing body.
The Walt Disney Company’s subscription service will show Europe’s elite club competition in Brazil, Mexico, Central America and South America.
They have also secured the lucrative broadcasting rights in the European markets of Denmark and Sweden.
Shift towards streaming platforms
This agreement highlights a continuing shift away from traditional television broadcasters towards digital-first media organisations.
It follows a November announcement confirming that Paramount+ had successfully acquired the 2027-31 rights for both the United Kingdom and Germany.
UEFA noted that the evolution of their broadcasting model is being heavily driven by the global growth of these digital services.
The total value of the governing body’s television rights is expected to exceed €5bn (£4.3bn) annually once all current tender processes conclude.
Expanding sports portfolio
The entertainment conglomerate is already building a substantial portfolio of live sporting events across the continent.
It currently holds the European broadcasting rights to the Women’s Champions League until 2030.
The network also shows the Europa League, Conference League and various domestic cup competitions across Scandinavia.
Karl Holmes, general manager of Disney+ EMEA, welcomed the historic agreement.
“UEFA club football brings some of the most exciting nights in sport – the midweek games, the knockout ties, the energy around the biggest fixtures – moments that stay with you long after the final whistle.”
“We’re particularly proud to bring our customers in Sweden the UEFA Champions League men’s and women’s competitions.”
Duke University has agreed a groundbreaking broadcasting and retail partnership with Amazon that will see three marquee men’s basketball games streamed exclusively on Prime Video starting in the 2026-27 season.
The historic agreement marks the retail giant’s first foray into broadcasting live collegiate sports.
Beginning next year, the streaming service will hold exclusive rights to three neutral-site non-conference fixtures per campaign.
The initial slate of high-profile matchups features clashes against UConn in Las Vegas, reigning champions Michigan at Madison Square Garden, and Gonzaga in Detroit.
A new era for collegiate broadcasting
This innovative enterprise partnership includes extensive Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities for student-athletes.
In an era where universities face intense financial pressure to compensate players, the collaboration offers the Blue Devils a significant new revenue stream.
Players will be permitted to actively promote the televised fixtures, while a broader retail partnership is expected to be unveiled soon.
The Seattle-based corporation has steadily expanded its live sports portfolio, already holding exclusive rights to the NFL’s Thursday Night Football alongside a recently acquired NBA package.
Balancing existing television commitments
The five-time NCAA champions collaborated closely with the Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN to facilitate this unique scheduling arrangement.
In exchange for participating in these standalone streaming events, the university has committed to featuring in select ESPN-owned showcases during the 2027-28 and 2028-29 campaigns.
Nina King, the university’s athletic director, praised the initiative as a major step forward for the global reach of the programme.
“As Prime Video’s first college sports partner, this collaboration not only expands the global reach of Duke Men’s Basketball, but also creates meaningful opportunities for our student-athletes in a way that reflects innovation and excellence.”
Continuing a tradition of demanding schedules
Under head coach Jon Scheyer, the North Carolina-based programme has consistently assembled one of the most challenging non-conference fixture lists in the nation.
Last season, the team tested themselves against elite opposition including Florida, Michigan State, Arkansas, and Kansas outside of their standard conference obligations.
Only one of those premium non-conference encounters took place at their storied Cameron Indoor Stadium home.
Industry experts believe this unprecedented streaming agreement could serve as a catalyst for other tech giants to aggressively pursue collegiate broadcast rights.
Manchester United forward Matheus Cunha has returned to group training ahead of Sunday’s crucial Premier League encounter against Liverpool at Old Trafford.
The Brazilian attacker was sidelined for the recent 2-1 victory over Brentford after sustaining a minor hip flexor issue.
That setback temporarily halted an impressive run of form for the player, who netted the decisive goal during his previous appearance against Chelsea.
Head coach Michael Carrick had consistently expressed optimism that the ailment would not result in a prolonged absence.
“(Cunha) just had a bit of a sore hip flexor after the Chelsea game the other day,” Carrick explained to reporters.
“He was looking promising during the week, so we thought he might have been OK, but he just didn’t quite recover quick enough.”
Selection dilemmas for Carrick
The dynamic number 10 participated fully in Thursday’s session, raising hopes of an immediate recall to the starting lineup.
If he regains his place, attacking counterparts Bryan Mbeumo or Amad Diallo could find themselves relegated to the bench following Benjamin Sesko’s goalscoring contribution on Monday.
The manager is scheduled to announce his final team selection on Sunday afternoon shortly before the highly anticipated kick-off.
Champions League qualification beckons
A victory this weekend would see the Red Devils secure a prestigious league double over their fiercest historical rivals.
They previously triumphed 2-1 in the reverse fixture at Anfield, where a late Harry Maguire header sealed a dramatic three points after Cody Gakpo had equalised.
Depending on results elsewhere involving Brighton and Bournemouth, defeating the Merseyside outfit will mathematically confirm a top-five finish and a return to Europe’s elite competition.
Fulham manager Marco Silva has confirmed that three players, including Ryan Sessegnon, will miss Saturday’s Premier League trip to title-chasing Arsenal due to injury.
The Cottagers make the short journey across the capital hoping to bolster their European qualification ambitions.
A surprise victory at the Emirates Stadium could seriously dent the championship hopes of Mikel Arteta’s side.
Sessegnon faces spell on the sidelines
Sessegnon recently secured all three points for his team by scoring the winning goal against Aston Villa.
However, the 25-year-old winger has now been ruled out of the upcoming London derby alongside teammate Kevin and former Gunners midfielder Alex Iwobi.
The wide player is also expected to sit out the club’s penultimate home fixture of the season against Bournemouth on May 9.
“It’s not good news about him,” Silva told reporters on Thursday.
“Sessegnon is going to be out of the next game, and probably the one after will be the same story for him, and then we will have to assess him day by day.”
“Alex is out still, plus Kevin.”
European push meets title race
The west London outfit currently sit tenth in the table on 48 points, remaining firmly in the hunt for a Europa League qualification spot.
A highly competitive midfield battle currently sees just four points separating sixth-placed Brighton from Sunderland in 12th.
Despite the offensive absentees, the Portuguese head coach did deliver some positive news regarding his defensive options.
Tete edges closer to return
Dutch full-back Kenny Tete is available for selection once again after missing the last four domestic fixtures.
The defender has been sidelined since a goalless stalemate against Nottingham Forest on March 15.
While the returning right-back will not be rushed into the starting lineup in north London, he remains in contention to make the matchday squad.
“Kenny, we will have to see how he reacts from the last two sessions,” Silva explained.
“He can probably be involved in the game.”
The coaching staff will conduct late fitness tests on a few remaining squad members to determine the final travelling party.
“We have some doubts on some players, but we will assess them tomorrow to see how they react from things that happened in the week,” the manager concluded.