Latest news with #Sport
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Lisa Nandy explains how new regulator will 'end the misery of so many football fans'
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport says the new Football Governance Bill will 'put supporters back at the heart of the game' and safeguard the future of clubs up and down the pyramid As a Manchester-born Wigan Athletic fan, it is hardly surprising that Lisa Nandy is as plain-speaking a Member of Parliament as you are likely to find. But the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport is also adept at couching strong messages in political, even diplomatic, words. As the Football Governance Bill became law, Nandy spoke to Mirror Sport about the wide-ranging implications which will be felt throughout the game, including at the very top. The new independent regulator's remit is extensive but dealing with the impasse between the Premier League and the English Football League (EFL) will feature prominently. Over a year ago, a proposal that would have seen the Premier League give the EFL £900million over six years was shelved. And the two parties have not even suggested an agreement has been close since then. 'The Premier League and the EFL have not been able to reach an agreement for years now - the regulator will work with them to try to get an agreement,' says Nandy. 'The regulator is a backstop. "The bill incentivises football to come to its own agreement by creating this backstop … which we hope will never need to be used. But if an agreement cannot be reached, the regulator will be able to take a view about what the right financial distribution is and will be able to enforce that.' So, reading between the lines of the political parlance, the message to the Premier League is to get it sorted soon or the regulator - almost certain to be former sports media rights specialist David Kogan - will sort it for you. Perhaps that is why the Premier League was, at best, sceptical of the introduction of a regulator and, at worst, downright horrified by the move. But Nandy insists that while the regulator will, if needed, be able to impose a financial settlement of the Premier League-EFL stand-off, she says the Act will not mean top flight clubs being told what they can and cannot charge fans for tickets. The clubs will, though, be compelled to speak to supporters before making any decisions that significantly affect the fanbase. Nandy says: 'Some clubs are very good at consulting with fans, some are not. There is now protection in law for key club heritage aspects like shirt colours, club badges, stadium moves - a new standard for fan engagement.' While the passing of the Football Governance Bill might not have gone down well with the Premier League, it has been heartily welcomed by the EFL. And Nandy is keen to stress that the main purpose of the bill is to protect and help ALL clubs in the football pyramid. She says: 'The Premier League is the model of how you lead the world when it comes to football but, beneath that, the foundations of football are incredibly fragile. From grassroots to the National League to the Championship, we've got to make sure we protect the foundations of football. 'I was very rude to the EFL when my club's (Wigan Athletic's) ownership was transferred to somebody who then put us straight unto administration. But the truth is that the power to intervene at that stage and block it simply did not exist. "Well, it does now. Finally, the misery of so many football fans is going to end. Up and down the length and breadth of the country, fans have had to deal with the misery of poor ownership, lack of oversight, financial irregularities and football not being able to come together to get its own house in order. "The time is long overdue for this. We made a promise that we would put fans back at the heart of the game where they belong and I'm delighted we have kept that promise.'
The South African
2 days ago
- Politics
- The South African
Gayton McKenzie reveals why Joslin Smith foundation is NOT active
Gayton McKenzie has set the record straight on why a foundation he established in Joslin Smith's name is not yet up and running. The Minister of Sport, Art and Recreation has taken a personal interest in the case of the missing Saldanha Bay girl who disappeared from her home last February. In May, Joslin's mom, Kelly Smith, and two others – Jacquin 'Boeta' Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn – have convicted and sentenced for kidnapping and child trafficking. In an X post, Gayton McKenzie clarified the confusion surrounding his vow to not only establish a foundation in Joslin Smith's honour, but donate his ministerial salary towards it. He posted on X: A simple search would have shown that the foundation is registered. We will make public the amount we have donated, which exceeds my salary. Explaining the delay, he added: 'It took long because someone already registered the name and wanted business opportunities from me in exchange for the name.' Gayton's post comes after media personality Dan Corder questioned if the foundation existed. 'Where is the staff, the premises, the website, the marketing, the work?' Dan asked. In July last year, Gayton McKenzie claimed that he was 'in the final stages' of registering a foundation in Joslin Smith's name. A month earlier, Gayton revealed that he would donate '100%' of his salary to the foundation, which he would establish to raise awareness of missing children in the country. In November, Gayton posted an update on Facebook: 'The Joslin Smith Foundation does not yet exist because we want to make sure we get it right. And don't just do it to please the members of other political parties who think this matter has anything to do with them. Gayton McKenzie vowed to donate '100% of his salary' to the Joslin Smith Foundation. However, this has yet to via Facebook: Gayton McKenzie 'It is a private, personal matter relating to my own funds. And what I choose to do with my own money. 'To rush into the creation of any foundation would be a mistake.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
2 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Gayton McKenzie hails Junior Springboks' victory over New Zealand
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has extended his congratulations to the Junior Springboks following their historic triumph at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy. The young Boks clinched a nail-biting 23-15 victory over archrivals New Zealand in Rovigo on Saturday evening, earning South Africa its first U20 world title since 2012. The win saw the team return home unbeaten, with national pride running high. 'Congratulations to the World Champs! Rugby will be dominated by South Africa for decades still,' McKenzie said. The team arrived on home soil on Monday, landing at OR Tambo International Airport. South Africans showed up in their numbers to give the young champions a heroes' welcome. In a statement posted on the Springboks website on Sunday, Junior Springbok head coach Kevin Foote credited the victory to South Africa's trademark fighting spirit and the players' unwavering resolve, particularly in defence. 'Defence is all about character, and there were moments when New Zealand were right on our line, but we held firm. From a coach's perspective, you can't ask for more than that. It was a real South African defensive effort and gees (spirit) that won it for us today,' Foote said. Foote, who took the reins at the end of last year, described the squad as a 'special group of young rugby players', whose growth over the months had been 'incredibly special'. Captain Riley Norton praised his team's composure under pressure and their ability to adapt to the humid Italian conditions. 'The ball was so slippery, and your fundamentals had to be spot on in these conditions, which was tough. There were a few handling errors due to the incredible humidity, and our jerseys were absolutely drenched in sweat, but I think we handled the conditions well. This win is for everyone who supported us back home,' he said. The Junior Boks' win in Italy marks a proud moment in South African sport, echoing their 2012 title win over the same opposition at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town. After landing in Johannesburg, the players will return to their respective provincial unions, carrying with them not only gold medals but the hopes of a nation inspired by their success. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sprinklers go off during attack in Sport 🆚 Botafogo clash
The game between Sport and Botafogo fell victim to a bizarre interference this Sunday (20). During an attack by Glorioso, the irrigation system of the stadium on Ilha do Retiro was activated. The players continued the ball dispute while the pitch was being watered. The match was only halted moments later, with the situation controlled by Sport's defense. See the incident below: The irrigation system was turned off shortly after and the match was quickly restarted. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Sports Chat for 21 July 2025
An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
