Latest news with #NeilMaxwell
Western Telegraph
29-04-2025
- Health
- Western Telegraph
Study aims to find out if slush drinks can prevent heatstroke in older people
Experts from the University of Brighton will explore if the 'very simple strategy' of drinking something cold – like partially frozen water – can offset the impact that heat has on a person's gut. Heatstroke happens when the body's temperature rises dangerously high, while heat exhaustion develops when the body loses too much water and salt through sweat. Both conditions can reduce blood flow to the intestines as the body prioritises cooling the skin. This process allows liquids and gases to pass through the intestinal lining more easily, meaning bacteria and toxins can enter the bloodstream. This study is testing whether a very simple strategy – drinking something cold – can actually help prevent some of the harmful effects of heat stress Dr Neil Maxwell This effect is 'more pronounced' in older people, as well as young children and those with certain health conditions, according to researchers. The trial will include groups of people aged 18 to 30 and over the age of 65, who will be given slush made of only water to drink at the university's Environmental Extremes Lab. On the first visit they will be asked to walk on a treadmill in a 40C chamber for two to three bouts of 10 minutes, with experts collecting gases exhaled from the lungs. The next phase will include 115 minutes on a treadmill, with five 15-minute bouts of walking in between 10-minute bouts of rest. Patients will receive a sugary drink and blood samples will be taken for researchers to assess markers that indicate the impact of heat on the gut. The second part of the trial will include some people being given an iced slush to drink before the five bouts of walking. Dr Neil Maxwell, who leads the Environmental Extremes Lab, said: 'We know that heat can increase gut permeability, and that this effect is more pronounced in older people. 'But we don't yet know how best to offset that risk. 'This study is testing whether a very simple strategy – drinking something cold – can actually help prevent some of the harmful effects of heat stress.' It is hoped the findings of the study, which will take place from April to June, could offer a cheap and accessible way to protect vulnerable people from extreme heat. Symptoms of heatstroke include red, flushed skin, a headache, dizziness, restlessness and a body temperature of more than 40C. People with heat exhaustion might feel tired, dizzy, have a headache, be sick and sweat excessively. Gregor Eichhorn, principal investigator and a PhD student at the university's School of Education, Sport and Health Sciences, added: 'Heat illnesses are a growing concern. 'We hope that our findings can lead to practical solutions to prevent heat-related health issues, especially for those who are most vulnerable. 'This study is not just about understanding how to manage heat exposure but also about developing strategies that could be used in everyday situations to ensure people stay safe and healthy.'
Western Telegraph
29-04-2025
- Health
- Western Telegraph
Study to explore if slush drinks can prevent heatstroke in older people
Experts from the University of Brighton will explore if the 'very simple strategy' of drinking something cold – like partially frozen water – can offset the impact that heat has on a person's gut. Heatstroke happens when the body's temperature rises dangerously high, while heat exhaustion develops when the body loses too much water and salt through sweat. Both conditions can reduce blood flow to the intestines as the body prioritises cooling the skin. This process allows liquids and gases to pass through the intestinal lining more easily, meaning bacteria and toxins can enter the bloodstream. This study is testing whether a very simple strategy – drinking something cold – can actually help prevent some of the harmful effects of heat stress Dr Neil Maxwell This effect is 'more pronounced' in older people, as well as young children and those with certain health conditions, according to researchers. The trial will include groups of people aged 16 to 30 and over the age of 65, who will be given slush made of only water to drink at the university's Environmental Extremes Lab. On the first visit they will be asked to walk on a treadmill in a 40C chamber for two to three bouts of 10 minutes, with experts collecting gases exhaled from the lungs. The next phase will include 115 minutes on a treadmill, with five 15-minute bouts of walking in between 10-minute bouts of rest. Patients will receive a sugary drink and blood samples will be taken for researchers to assess markers that indicate the impact of heat on the gut. The second part of the trial will include some people being given an iced slush to drink before the five bouts of walking. Dr Neil Maxwell, who leads the Environmental Extremes Lab, said: 'We know that heat can increase gut permeability, and that this effect is more pronounced in older people. 'But we don't yet know how best to offset that risk. 'This study is testing whether a very simple strategy – drinking something cold – can actually help prevent some of the harmful effects of heat stress.' It is hoped the findings of the study, which will take place from April to June, could offer a cheap and accessible way to protect vulnerable people from extreme heat. Symptoms of heatstroke include red, flushed skin, a headache, dizziness, restlessness and a body temperature of more than 40C. People with heat exhaustion might feel tired, dizzy, have a headache, be sick and sweat excessively. Gregor Eichhorn, principal investigator and a PhD student at the university's School of Sport and Health Sciences, added: 'Heat illnesses are a growing concern. 'We hope that our findings can lead to practical solutions to prevent heat-related health issues, especially for those who are most vulnerable. 'This study is not just about understanding how to manage heat exposure but also about developing strategies that could be used in everyday situations to ensure people stay safe and healthy.'
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
English cricket board against Saudi-Aussie T20 proposal
English cricket's governing body has come out against proposals for a Saudi Arabian-backed T20 league that have reportedly been backed by the Australian players' union. The Gulf state is said to be prepared to invest $US500m ($A800m) into a new competition that would feature eight teams competing across four different destinations at separate times of the year, modelled on the tennis grand slam circuit. According to the Sydney Morning Herald Neil Maxwell, the agent of Australia captain Pat Cummins, is centrally involved as is the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA). But the proliferation of franchise tournaments has saturated the market, squeezing players' availability and placing strain on the international landscape. As such, the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has made it clear it would not support the initiative. Chief executive Richard Gould told the Herald: "With the busy international calendar, a host of established franchise leagues around the world and existing concerns about player workloads, there is no scope or demand for such an idea. It's not something that we would support." The ECB has The Hundred, its unique 100-ball format league, to protect having raised nearly $A2bn last month after stakes in the eight teams were sold off. Other countries are also likely to object with franchise leagues running in Test nations India, Pakistan, West Indies, South Africa and Bangladesh, plus United States and United Arab Emirates, besides Australia's own Big Bash League. The Indian Premier League is, by a distance, the biggest and the attitude of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) - which does not permit its players to perform in other franchise leagues - could be as significant as that of global governing body, the ICC, now headed by Jay Shah, who formerly had a similar role at the BCCI. One suggestion is the new league would provide an alterative financing model for a game in which more than 80 per cent of revenue is generated by India. The ACA has backed the proposed league saying it was mandated to "pursue initiatives that benefit our members". "The ACA's early interest in exploring this concept is motivated by a desire to develop and normalise best-practice collective bargaining and an international gender-equity pay model for male and female cricketers," the player's union was quoted in the report. It was only a matter of time before Saudi Arabia looked at cricket given its move into other sports, usually via the $1 trillion sovereign investment fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF). A PIF subsidary, SRJ Sports Investment group, is said to be the vehicle for this initiative. Saudi billions have already upended the world of golf with the breakaway LIV circuit, controversially won hosting rights for soccer's 2034 World Cup, bankrolled major boxing bouts in the kingdom and hosts a Formula 1 grand prix. At the weekend the PIF's ownership of Newcastle United brought its first reward as the English club won the league cup against Liverpool at Wembley, their first domestic trophy since 1955. with PA
Express Tribune
17-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
KSA plans to launch Global T20 league
Saudi Arabia is preparing to launch an ambitious global Twenty20 (T20) cricket league, supported by its $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund. Led by Australian cricket figure Neil Maxwell, and backed by SRJ sports, the project is modeled after tennis's Grand Slam events, with plans for a traveling eight-team league. The league is expected to host matches in four different locations. Maxwell, a former Australian cricketer and manager of Australian captain Pat Cummins, has spent the past year developing the concept. The league's goals are to address key challenges facing the sport, such as supporting Test cricket and generating new revenue opportunities for smaller cricketing nations. The league will feature teams based in established cricketing nations, including Australia, but will also look to expand into emerging markets. Both men's and women's competitions are planned, and the final may be held in Saudi Arabia. Discussions with the International Cricket Council (ICC) are already in progress, with sources revealing that Saudi Arabia is prepared to invest $500 million in the venture. The new league is designed to complement existing T20 tournaments like the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Australia's Big Bash League, filling gaps in the international cricket calendar. However, the league faces several challenges. It still requires approval from the ICC and national cricket boards, such as Cricket Australia. Moreover, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would need to lift its ban on Indian players participating in T20 leagues outside the IPL. If the league is approved, it could reshape cricket's financial structure by offering an alternative revenue model to the current system, which is dominated by India, Australia, and England. Smaller cricket nations stand to benefit from shared funds, potentially reducing their reliance on unprofitable bilateral series and creating more sustainable opportunities for growth.
Telegraph
15-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Saudi Arabia ready to park tanks on cricket's lawns
Australia and Saudi Arabia are in talks about partnering on a new global Twenty20 league, which would see eight teams play in four different locations each year, in a format likened to tennis's Grand Slams. Talks are underway for Saudi Arabia's SRJ Sports Investments to fund the new competition. The competition would aim to enlist the world's best players and bring them together for four tournaments a year. The plans were first reported in the Sydney Morning Herald. Neil Maxwell, the prominent Australian agent who manages Test captain Pat Cummins, is believed to be driving the concept. The plans have been developed in partnership with the Australian Cricketers' Association, the players' body Down Under; the Federation of International Cricketers' Association, which represents players globally, is also thought to be involved. SRJ Sports Investments is said to be ready to invest £400 million ($US500 million) in the new league. The new tournament would add to an already saturated global cricket landscape. Over 20 short-format leagues featuring significant overseas talent – be it played over 10 overs, 20 overs or 100 balls – are taking place in men's cricket across the world this year, with the Indian Premier League the most prominent. Insiders have believed for years that Saudi Arabia is keen to be involved in cricket. So far, the country has yet to invest in the sport in the way it has in the likes of golf, Formula 1 and football, where it is hosting the 2034 men's FIFA World Cup. The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia also has an 85 per cent stake in Newcastle United. Jeddah hosted the IPL auction last November in an indication of Saudi Arabia's cricket aspirations. Cricket Australia is known to be keen for a cash injection. Australia recently pushed plans to reform the Test game, and make lucrative meetings against England and India more common. There are a series of unanswered questions about the proposed new league. Previous rumoured Saudi involvement in cricket has not come to fruition. In 2023, it was reported that Saudi Arabia and the IPL were in discussions over a new T20 tournament. But there is a growing sense that, this time, the discussions could be more serious. Insiders report hearing rumours of Saudi-backed plans in recent months. 'Something is brewing,' said one influential figure in world cricket. Key questions for any new Saudi Arabia T20 league When could the league begin? The current Future Tours Programme runs until March 2027, suggesting that the league could be launched as soon as 2027. Where would it be played? The competition is envisaged to consist of a format of four tournaments a year of around two weeks each, to be played by the same eight teams and hosted in different countries. Australia is thought to be primed to host one of the competitions. Given their financial backing, Saudi Arabia would expect to host matches too. The country does not yet have any turf wickets, raising questions about the standard of grounds that could be used. When would it be played? September – the window previously used for the Champions League – is one obvious slot for a tournament. The other three annual tournaments would need to fit into an already saturated calendar. The two months occupied by the IPL, in April and May, would not be suitable as the competition would then miss out on star talent. Which overseas cricketers could play? The reports suggest that, with £400 million of investment, the tournament would attract the very best players in the world. But there is one major obstacle. Under current International Cricket Council rules, all new T20 leagues have a limit of four overseas players from Full Member nations. Unless the Saudi Arabian league was given an exemption, then the tournament would not comprise the world's best. The IPL combines four overseas players per team with the world's best domestic talent in the world. But if the tournament featured, say, seven players who were either from Saudi Arabia or other Associate nations, then the standard would be nowhere near as high. Who would benefit? Reports suggest that the Saudi-sponsored league is trying to position itself as crucial to the game's wider health. It has been suggested that Full Member and Associate nations alike would enjoy a share of revenue raised. In theory, this could help to fund loss-making Test matches and develop the game in emerging countries. But cricket has a long history of broken promises about ideas sold as safeguarding the Test game. Who would need to approve it? The new league would need to be approved by the ICC, which is chaired by Jay Shah, the son of India's minister of home affairs. What would it mean for Test cricket? Backers suggest that the funds from the competition could be used to bankroll the Test format worldwide. In reality, the tournament would be yet another threat to the five-day game, and make it more financially attractive for players to specialise in T20. There is already profound concern about the vitality of the Test game outside Australia, England and India. For nations like England, the challenge of scheduling matches when the calendar is relatively free – and their opponents are at full strength, and more attractive to fans – could intensify.
