Usyk knocks out Dubois to become undisputed world heavyweight champion
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Arab News
11 hours ago
- Arab News
FIA and Formula E agree 10-year extension to electric world championship
LONDON: The FIA and Formula E have agreed a 10-year extension to their partnership, securing the future of the FIA Formula E World Championship until at least 2038. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Announced on Friday, the new multi-year agreement between the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile and Formula E ensures the world's premier all-electric racing series will continue to operate under the FIA's governance for another decade beyond the current deal. The extension is a pivotal moment for Formula E, which has recorded 20 percent year-on-year growth since its inaugural race in 2014. The sport now attracts more than 400 million fans worldwide and reaches a global TV audience of about half a billion. Described by the FIA as a milestone for innovation and sustainability in motorsport, the renewed deal will allow Formula E to accelerate its expansion, pursue long-range partnerships and enhance its position as a testbed for electric vehicle technologies that translate to consumer markets. 'The extension of the agreement governing the FIA Formula E World Championship is a fantastic outcome for the sport and a clear reflection of our ongoing strategy at the FIA to foster long-term stability, innovation, and growth across all areas of motorsport,' said Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president at the FIA. 'This milestone reaffirms our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and technological progress, which are all central to the championship's unique identity and purpose. It also aligns with our broader goal of increasing global participation and driving more accessible motorsport for all. We are delighted to be continuing this journey with Formula E, and I look forward to seeing it grow even further, both on and off the track, in the years to come,' he added. Formula E's cutting-edge credentials were further bolstered by the recent launch of the GEN3 Evo race car, which accelerates from 0-60mph in just 1.82 seconds, about 30 percent quicker than a current Formula 1 car. It has a top speed of 200mph and regenerates nearly half the energy used in a race. Sustainability is a core pillar, with tyres containing 35 percent recycled materials and bodywork incorporating recycled carbon fibre and natural fibres. Craig Edmondson, chief commercial officer at the FIA, added: 'Formula E has not only demonstrated impressive growth since its inception, but has also led the way on sustainable innovation in our industry. This is a landmark agreement for the FIA and Formula E, and we are excited to be working with the championship in the years to come.' The deal also provides the long-term security required to invest further in vehicle performance, fan engagement, and technological advancement. Formula E is targeting faster top speeds, enhanced aerodynamics, better tyre performance, and closer racing. 'We've believed in Formula E since Day 1, and this extension reaffirms our confidence in where it's headed. This is the motorsport of the future, a championship that combines the very latest technology, close-combat racing, and a mission that really matters,' said Mike Fries, CEO of Liberty Global, Formula E's majority owner. 'With the FIA's continued backing, we can now take the next big steps — scaling the sport, growing its global fanbase, and continuing to push the boundaries of what electric racing can achieve. 'With this new agreement in place, Formula E is now positioned better than ever to define the future of motorsport — more innovative, more inclusive, more sustainable — and to inspire the next generation of fans, drivers, and partners around the world,' he added. Formula E's roster includes major automotive manufacturers such as Porsche, Jaguar, Nissan, Maserati, Stellantis, Mahindra and Lola-Yamaha, with 11 teams and 22 drivers competing in cities including Jeddah, Monaco, Tokyo, London, Miami, and Shanghai. Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E, said: 'Formula E's growth since its inception has been nothing short of extraordinary, with hundreds of millions of fans and world-class teams and drivers deciding to choose highly competitive electric racing. 'This long-term extension of the partnership enables us to continue building the brand, investing in the product and delivering some of the most captivating racing that has made us famous. 'With this long-term extension, the opportunity that Formula E now has to impact world motorsport will be truly transformational,' Dodds added. Formula E has topped global rankings for environmental, social and governance performance in sport for the past three years and continues to reduce freight emissions while delivering positive legacies in its host cities through its Better Future Fund. With global EV sales forecast to exceed 40 percent of all vehicle sales by 2030 and battery production expected to triple, the series is positioning itself at the forefront of technological and cultural shifts in motorsport and mobility.
Arab News
12 hours ago
- Arab News
Ex-Italy skipper Pirlo appointed boss of Emirati second-tier club
The ex-AC Milan and Juventus midfielder has signed a two-year deal with the club For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport
Arab News
12 hours ago
- Arab News
Judge acquits 5 former Canadian junior hockey players in sexual assault case that rattled the nation
ONATRIO: An Ontario judge acquitted five former members of Canada's world junior hockey team on Thursday in their sexual assault case, saying the complainant's allegations lacked the credibility needed to justify the charges. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia said prosecutors could not meet the onus of proof for the charges against Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote. All five players had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault in an encounter that took place in a London, Ontario, hotel room in the early hours of June 19, 2018. Years of speculation regarding the allegations — fueled by a lawsuit settlement, parliamentary hearings and revived investigations by the police and Hockey Canada, along with an NHL investigation — all preceded a complex trial earlier this year that included a mistrial and the dismissal of the jury, leaving the verdict to Carroccia. Carroccia explained her reasoning for the acquittals in detail over the course of about five hours, highlighting the complainant's 'tendency to blame others' for inconsistencies in her allegations. She also said the woman went to 'great lengths' to point out that she was really drunk through the course of the night, but that is not supported by surveillance video from a bar and hotel that night and the testimony of others. McLeod was also acquitted — and pleaded not guilty — on a separate count of being a party to the offense, an unusual application of a charge that is more typically seen in murder cases. The players, who are now between the ages of 25 and 27, were in London at the time for a gala and golf tournament marking their championship victory. They walked out of the courthouse surrounded by family members following the verdict. Their lawyers called the result a 'resounding vindication.' Karen Bellehumeur, the woman's lawyer, told reporters outside the courthouse that her client was devastated. 'She's really never experienced not being believed like this before,' Bellehumeur said. 'She agreed to do everything asked of her by the criminal justice system. She spoke to the police whenever requested, she reviewed her evidence, she prepared her testimony, she answered every question, she spoke with intelligence and from her heart, yet it was not enough.' The NHL said the players — none of whom is currently on an NHL roster or has an active contract — remained ineligible to play in the league while it reviews the judge's findings, adding in a statement that the allegations in the case were disturbing, even if not determined to be criminal. The NHL Players Association said the five should have the opportunity to return to the ice, adding that the league's eligibility ruling was 'inconsistent' with discipline procedures in the collective bargaining agreement. Prosecutor Meaghan Cunningham thanked the complainant for coming forward, adding that her team will 'carefully review' the judge's decision while it's still within the 30-day appeal period. The woman testified in May that she was naked, drunk and scared when four of the men showed up unexpectedly in her room at the Delta Hotel London Armories and felt the only 'safe' option was to do what they wanted. Prosecutors argued the players did what they wanted without taking steps to ensure she was voluntarily consenting to sexual acts. 'I made the choice to dance with them and drink at the bar, I did not make the choice to have them do what they did back at the hotel,' she testified. Defense attorneys cross-examined her for days and suggested she actively participated in or initiated sexual activity because she wanted a 'wild night.' Two short videos of the complainant taken by McLeod the night of the encounter were played in court. In one, the woman says it was 'all consensual,' though she told the court that wasn't how she truly felt. Protesters gathered outside a packed London courthouse on Thursday morning, holding signs that signaled support for the complainant, whose identity was not disclosed throughout the trial under Canadian law. The public didn't learn of the allegations for years. Police closed their initial investigation without charges in early 2019, but the complainant sued Hockey Canada in 2022. The organization settled the lawsuit amid intense scrutiny that cost it sponsors, but police reopened their investigation. The players' identities were made public when they were charged in early 2024. At the time, four of them played in the NHL — Dube for the Calgary Flames, Hart for the Philadelphia Flyers, and McLeod and Foote for the New Jersey Devils. Formenton had previously played for the Ottawa Senators before joining a Swiss team. All went on indefinite leave. The NHL launched its own investigation in 2022. Officials pledged to release the findings, though Commissioner Gary Bettman said in February that would depend on what the league can say given legal proceedings.
