Latest news with #Mowbray
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Gary Lineker's colleague sends Match of the Day goodbye message after final show
Gary Lineker finally said goodbye to Match of the Day, but not long after the ex-Tottenham star's farewell, one of his BBC colleagues also had their own message Not long after Gary Lineker said farewell to Match of the Day, BBC commentator Guy Mowbray send his thanks to the departing star and issued his own "goodbye" message – until the summer. After the Premier League season came to an end, Lineker, while holding back the tears, bowed out of the iconic Premier League highlights programme. He did so after presenting the flagship show for more than 25 years. But barely 24 hours after the ex-Tottenham Hotspur star left the show for good, Mowbray, who has worked for the BBC since 2004, had a message for his own social media fanbase. However, the experienced commentator, who has also been narrating the BBC's Champions League highlights programme this year, will only be away from Match of the Day screens until the start of next season. Thanking Lineker on X, he wrote: "Time to say goodbye (until August) Thanks Gary. Thanks to the whole @BBCMOTD team for another incredible end of season montage that worked on every level. Nobody does it better. Wishing everyone a happy and healthy summer." Mowbray, who is a commentator rather than a pundit who worked alongside Lineker, stood by the now ex-MOTD host two years ago amid the former Leicester striker's brief suspension from BBC duties. In March 2023, Mowbray was among those who boycotted the show after Lineker was stood down by the Beeb for one episode, following his criticism of the Conservative party's asylum policy. When a similar demonstration was going to take place for Match of the Day 2 the following day – after the previous days' boycott of the main show – Mowbray acted as a spokesperson for other colleagues. He wrote: "Update: As yesterday, there will be no 'normal' MOTD(2) programme tonight. "The scheduled commentary team are in full agreement with our BBC Sport colleagues. We hope that a resolution can be found ASAP." Around 18 months later, Lineker decided to step down from his position after sharing a social media post about Zionism that included a picture of a rat, which he later deleted and apologised for. Lineker was going to continue presenting live FA Cup coverage for the BBC as well as that of the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, before stepping down. However, he chose to walk away at the end of this campaign, bringing his 26-year career with the BBC to an earlier than anticipated end. In his final Match of the Day monologue, Lineker said: "Let me take this opportunity to thank all of the other pundits that I've had the pleasure of working with over the last 25 years, you've made my job so much easier. "Also, a huge thank you to those you don't see at home: the work that goes into making this iconic show is a huge team effort. From the editors, to the analysis team, from the commentators to the floor managers, from the producers to the camera operators, from the PAs to the subs, thank you all, you're the very best. "Rather like my football career, everyone else did all the hard work and I got the plaudits. It's been an absolute privilege to host Match of the Day for a quarter of a century. It's been utterly joyous. I'd like to wish Gabby, Mark and Kelly for when they sit in this chair - the programme is in the best of hands. "And my final thank you goes to all of you. Thank you for watching. Thank you for all of your love and support over the years. It's been so special - and I'm sorry that your team was always on last. Time to say goodbye. Goodbye." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
NZ Herald
20-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Local charity urging Auckland officials to stop controversial Runit Championship League
Auckland Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson says the venues staging the events are managed independently and do not require an event permit from the council to hold the events, meaning they don't have the ability to decline them. Simpson says she is aware of concerns, and hopes participants consider the risks before taking part. Mowbray says its outrageous events like this are able to take place. 'We'd love to see Auckland Council step in - anyone who issued the permit – to realise this is unacceptable,' Mowbray told the Herald. 'Not just for participants, but for all the young people watching. We'd love to see someone with the power step in and shut it down. 'We're also calling on role models within rugby and rugby league to say this is not how you prove how tough you are. 'Go out and play a sport that has referees and clear concussion guidelines. Prove how tough you are on that field – not in this ridiculous, dangerous spectacle. 'It's outrageous that people are choosing to collide at full speed into each other. There's absolutely no way to mitigate that risk.' Professor Patria Hume, a sports scientist and injury prevention expert at Auckland University of Technology, is also hitting out at the concept, saying it's 'a step backwards' in athlete safety. Hume is calling on event organisers, sponsors and public health authorities to reconsider the promotion of similar events. 'The deliberate design of this event to maximise impact is not only irresponsible –it's scientifically indefensible,' said Hume. 'We've spent years building evidence-based strategies to reduce head and neck injuries in rugby and contact sports. This event ignores all of that.' The concept is being touted as the world's fiercest new combat sport that attempts to mirror the physical collisions seen in rugby league, union and AFL matches weekly, with an emphasis on social media clicks, amassing over 50 million views in the last four weeks. New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has previously attempted to distance itself from the concept. 'NZR does not have any association with the international Runit events or similar amateur events, which we believe carry significant risk of serious injury,' NZ Rugby told the Herald last month. Mowbray believes the large prize pool is targeting vulnerable people, which is setting a dangerous precedent. 'They know people will find it really difficult to say no to potential prizemoney. It's really upsetting to see these groups targeted,' said Mowbray. 'Yes, you could win and take away some money, but the evidence and science around the potential risks are just so huge. 'It's terrifying that people will put their lives at risk for this money.' Former NRL and English international George Burgess has been promoting the event in Australia and even took part in an exhibition, running full speed at Super Rugby powerhouse and Fijian international Nemani Nadolo. 'People want to see competition and this is definitely the purest form of that – two guys up against each other and one's going to come off the best," Burgess told the Herald. Burgess said there is risk 'in the UFC, rugby league, union, any sport. We're not different here, but we will be going to the best measures to make sure the players are protected and prepared'. 'We're not getting anyone in off the street, we're vetting the athletes ... they're athletes that know what they're doing, they know how to hit and how to protect themselves.' The Herald understands at least two of the eight competitors in the first Melbourne final were knocked unconscious. Last month, the Herald revealed a man was knocked unconscious and suffered an apparent seizure during a similar event not associated with Runit in Australia as hundreds of children looked on.
Otago Daily Times
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Brain injury group appalled by 'horrendous' new collision sport
By Adam Burns of RNZ A brain injury support group says it is appalled that the controversial collision sport Run it Straight is staging events across Auckland. The activity, which has generated tens-of-millions of views on social media, involves a ball runner and a defender running full speed into each other within a 20 metre zone. The participant who "dominates" the contact is deemed the winner. On the RUNIT Championship League homepage, it claimed to be "the future and home of collision sports". "RUNIT's the world's fiercest, new collision sport. Born to go viral, built to break limits, it has taken social media by storm with tens of millions of views. "Designed for live crowds and global broadcasts, RUNIT delivers real athletes and the biggest collisions." The first of several scheduled events in Auckland this week was held on Monday night at Trusts Arena with prize money of up to $20,000 on offer. Chief executive of the Headway charity Stacey Mowbray said the activity was undoubtedly causing brain injury. "There's some horrendous and really distressing videos. Going into seizure, having obvious brain injury, that's what we can see," she said. "We refer to concussions as the invisible injury, so you don't have to see anything initially to have had one." Mowbray said the format and promotion of the Run It Straight events appeared to exploit financially vulnerable people by offering large cash prizes. "It's so hard to say no to this $20,000 carrot hanging in front of you when people right now are finding life pretty tough," she said. Despite its burgeoning popularity, the sport has not been without other detractors in other contact codes over its safety and risk. Former league internationals Dean Lonergan and Mark Carroll have raised concerns over its safety. After representing both Australia and New South Wales during the 1990s, Carroll revealed in 2023 he had been diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Headway also took aim at the involvement of New Zealand Warriors stand-off Chanel Harris-Tavita, who was a special guest at RUNIT's Auckland trial at Trusts Arena on Monday. Other league stars, both current and former, have been involved in the promotion of Run it Straight, including Melbourne and Kiwi forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona and former South Sydney and Great Britain prop George Burgess. "We have contacted New Zealand Warriors to express our serious concern about this association and what message this is sending," Mowbray said. As reported by the NZ Herald, New Zealand Rugby (NZR) had also distanced itself from the sport, believing the sport "carried significant risk of serious injury". Earlier this month, Headway also flagged concerns with Auckland Council, the Mayor's office, elected members and WorkSafe New Zealand about how permits for Run it Straight events were issued. "This is not just a twisted ankle. A concussion, particularly when it's not managed properly, can have really significant impacts," Mowbray said. "How, under the Health and Safety Act, did this permit get approved and how did the promoters provide evidence that they were mitigating the risks?" RUNIT, Auckland Council and the New Zealand Warriors have all been approached for comment.
Scoop
19-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Headway Calls For Urgent Action To Stop 'Run It Straight'
Press Release – Headway The organisation says the format and promotion of the Run It Straight events appear to deliberately target financially vulnerable people by offering large prize pools up to $20,000. Brain injury charity says the events pose a real risk of brain injury and lifelong disability Headway is raising urgent concerns about the Run It Straight events scheduled to take place across Auckland this month, calling them 'dangerous spectacles' with a very real risk of traumatic brain injury or death. 'These events are not sport. They're commercialised violence targeting the most vulnerable in our community,' said Stacey Mowbray, CEO. 'We see the lifelong impact of brain injury every day. This is not entertainment. It's a public health and safety crisis waiting to happen.' While concussions are often dismissed as mild or temporary, Headway notes that even so-called 'minor' brain injuries can lead to long-term mental health challenges, reduced capacity to work, and serious impacts on whānau. The organisation says the format and promotion of the Run It Straight events appear to deliberately target financially vulnerable people by offering large prize pools up to $20,000. 'It's tough to say no to that kind of money when you're struggling but it's unacceptable to use financial hardship as leverage to expose people to brain injury,' said Mowbray. Headway also questions how these events were permitted. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, organisers must manage risks 'so far as is reasonably practicable.' Based on the scientific evidence on brain trauma, Headway believes these risks cannot be reasonably mitigated—especially not by the superficial measures promoted by organisers. 'The claim that onsite doctors and mouthguards are sufficient to make this safe is deeply misleading,' said the spokesperson. 'These do not prevent brain injury.' Earlier this month, Headway raised the issue with Auckland Council, the Mayor's office, Councillors, MPs, and WorkSafe New Zealand. Responses to date have been unsatisfactory, and the organisation will now be submitting an Official Information Act request to determine how permits were issued and what risk assessments, if any, were reviewed. The largest of the upcoming events is being held at Trusts Arena. Headway is particularly concerned about the involvement of Chanel Harris-Tavita as a special guest and have contacted the New Zealand Warriors to express concern about his endorsement of the event. Headway has also contacted Auckland Rugby Union and Auckland Rugby League to understand how an affiliated rugby club and rugby league club could also host smaller versions of Run it Straight. 'We urge venue operators, local authorities, and sports bodies to act now,' said the spokesperson. 'These events carry serious, lasting harm—and those enabling them share responsibility.'
Scoop
19-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Headway Calls For Urgent Action To Stop 'Run It Straight'
Press Release – Headway Brain injury charity says the events pose a real risk of brain injury and lifelong disability Headway is raising urgent concerns about the Run It Straight events scheduled to take place across Auckland this month, calling them 'dangerous spectacles' with a very real risk of traumatic brain injury or death. 'These events are not sport. They're commercialised violence targeting the most vulnerable in our community,' said Stacey Mowbray, CEO. 'We see the lifelong impact of brain injury every day. This is not entertainment. It's a public health and safety crisis waiting to happen.' While concussions are often dismissed as mild or temporary, Headway notes that even so-called 'minor' brain injuries can lead to long-term mental health challenges, reduced capacity to work, and serious impacts on whānau. The organisation says the format and promotion of the Run It Straight events appear to deliberately target financially vulnerable people by offering large prize pools up to $20,000. 'It's tough to say no to that kind of money when you're struggling but it's unacceptable to use financial hardship as leverage to expose people to brain injury,' said Mowbray. Headway also questions how these events were permitted. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, organisers must manage risks 'so far as is reasonably practicable.' Based on the scientific evidence on brain trauma, Headway believes these risks cannot be reasonably mitigated—especially not by the superficial measures promoted by organisers. 'The claim that onsite doctors and mouthguards are sufficient to make this safe is deeply misleading,' said the spokesperson. 'These do not prevent brain injury.' Earlier this month, Headway raised the issue with Auckland Council, the Mayor's office, Councillors, MPs, and WorkSafe New Zealand. Responses to date have been unsatisfactory, and the organisation will now be submitting an Official Information Act request to determine how permits were issued and what risk assessments, if any, were reviewed. The largest of the upcoming events is being held at Trusts Arena. Headway is particularly concerned about the involvement of Chanel Harris-Tavita as a special guest and have contacted the New Zealand Warriors to express concern about his endorsement of the event. Headway has also contacted Auckland Rugby Union and Auckland Rugby League to understand how an affiliated rugby club and rugby league club could also host smaller versions of Run it Straight. 'We urge venue operators, local authorities, and sports bodies to act now,' said the spokesperson. 'These events carry serious, lasting harm—and those enabling them share responsibility.'
