Latest news with #spectator
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
A timeline of WNBA sex toy incidents — and who claims to be behind it
What first appeared to be a bizarre episode of a spectator throwing a phallic-shaped green sex toy on the court during a WNBA game has evolved, with intimate objects being thrown at six different games, the league threatening to prosecute perpetrators, and a group of cryptocurrency enthusiasts claiming responsibility for the acts in a bizarre call to ESPN.
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Washington Post
Man arrested for throwing sex toy into crowd at WNBA game in Phoenix, police say
PHOENIX — An Arizona man was arrested after police say he threw a sex toy into the crowd at a WNBA game in Phoenix, the latest in a series of similar disturbances at arenas across the league over the several days. Police say the 18-year-old pulled the sex toy from his sweater pocket at Tuesday's matchup between the Phoenix Mercury and Connecticut Sun and threw it toward seats in front of him, striking a spectator in the back.
IOL News
01-08-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
F1's fear of the rain is costing the sport its soul
The Belgium GP start behind the safety car last week Sunday was perhaps too conservative. Photo: EPA Image: EPA It's strange to look back at the 1990s and realise that, even here on the tip of Africa, everyone knew who Wayne Gretzky was. The same was true — even more profoundly — of Ayrton Senna. These were names that transcended borders and sports, legends shaped not just by talent, but by the drama and danger that defined their eras. Back then, the World Wide Web was still an undiscovered country, and the world felt both larger and more connected in unexpected ways. Brazilian Senna wasn't just a F1 driver — he was a global icon, forged in a time when the sport still had real teeth. I was still a youngster, and although I couldn't fully comprehend Senna's death, even I understood, as a 10-year-old in 1994, that the world had lost a once-in-a-generation talent. In the aftermath, F1 was forced into a period of serious self-reflection — one that still echoes today. The sport has become far safer, thanks to rule changes that prioritise both driver and spectator welfare. Trackside technology has also come a long way. Chassis that absorb impact, cockpits that cocoon the driver, HANS devices, improved barriers, and safety-focused circuit designs have all contributed to a more secure racing environment. The introduction of the Halo alone has already saved lives. Still, tragedies happen. The deaths of Jules Bianchi in 2015, Anthoine Hubert in 2019, and Dilano van 't Hoff in 2023 are sobering reminders that Formula 1 — and its feeder series — remain inherently dangerous. Nonetheless, the recent aversion to racing in wet conditions suggests the sport's caution is tipping into conservatism. Today, F1 still sells the illusion of speed and danger, but all too often pulls back when weather — that most elemental of variables — threatens the spectacle. In doing so, the sport risks sanitising the very edge that once made it so captivating. The most vivid recent memory of wet-weather brilliance was Pierre Gasly's breakthrough at Monza in 2020. I still remember him staring almost in disbelief at his winner's trophy, post-race and post-podium — as if the magnitude of what he had just achieved hadn't quite sunk in. He had survived the chaos that only a slippery track can conjure to claim an unforgettable victory. The opposite is also true. At the 2023 Russian Grand Prix in Sochi, the chequered flag beckoned for Lando Norris. But a flash storm, combined with a string of poor decisions, saw the win slip from his grasp. His reward was the cruel nickname 'No Wins Norris' — a painful reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in the wet. Rain has always been the great equaliser — a crucible for nerve and instinct. Senna's legendary charge at Donington Park in 1993 – the Lap of the Gods – remains one of the most sublime laps in F1 history. Lewis Hamilton's wet-weather heroics — particularly at Interlagos in 2011 — further prove that racing in the rain, while risky, is often the making of champions. So, it was with a snort of exasperation that one watched last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix delayed by more than an hour due to rain. Max Verstappen was among those unimpressed. He argued the conditions were manageable and the delay overly cautious. 'We barely did any wet laps in the end,' he said. 'Which in general, I think is a shame.' He added that starting behind the safety car would have allowed the track to improve naturally — as it has countless times before. Fans watch F1 to see the best drivers in the world battle not just their rivals and machines, but the track and the weather — to dance on the knife-edge between control and catastrophe at 300km/h. To completely sanitise the sport by eliminating the unpredictable drama of wet racing — and replace it with clinical, clockwork consistency — is to strip away something essential. F1 doesn't need more caution. It needs to remember what made it unforgettable in the first place. Will we ever see the like of Senna at Donington in '93 again? Right now — like Gretzky, like the fearless F1 of old — it feels consigned to the past.
Daily Mirror
28-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Jon Rahm's true character on show for all to see after wild shot strikes LIV Golf fan
Jon Rahm issued an apology after a wayward tee shot flew towards LIV Golf spectators before striking a fan in the stomach, adding the the Spaniard's woes at the JCB Golf and Country Club Jon Rahm was compelled to swiftly apologise during the second round of LIV Golf UK on Saturday, after his tee shot at the par-four 12th struck a spectator. Rahm was back at JCB Golf and Country Club with hopes of defending the title he clinched 12 months ago. However, he was ultimately unable to do so, with Joaquin Niemann taking the top spot by the end of Sunday's play with a total of 17-under-par. For context, that's three strokes clear of tournament runner-up, Bubba Watson, and seven strokes ahead of Rahm, who settled for T5 alongside Dean Burmester. One of the tournament's biggest talking points, however, came when Rahm attempted to take on the drivable par-four 12th on Saturday, before his teeshot veered astray from the target. A rare overdraw saw Rahm's tee shot lag far left of the green and towards a group of spectators, reports the Mirror US. The ball ended up hitting one fan in the stomach, who was taken by surprise despite Rahm and tournament officials shouting fore. Luckily, the affected spectator seemed fine but did display some bruising to the TV cameras afterwards. There was a silver lining for his mishap, as Rahm showed his true character by first apologising before giving the fan a signed glove. The pair laughed off the incident and shared a handshake, with the Legion XIII star thanking him for stopping his ball in its tracks. In classic Rahm style, the Spanish golfer managed to recover quickly, executing a brilliant up-and-down from the dense JCB rough. It came among six birdies for the European Ryder Cup veteran on Saturday, though he remained considerably adrift of Niemann for the duration. The Chilean's commanding performance effectively crushed Rahm's chances of retaining the crown he claimed in 2024, which came as his first LIV triumph, as he edged out his Legion XIII team-mate Tyrrell Hatton to secure the £3million jackpot. Despite crossing the finish line first, Rahm confessed the victory felt somewhat hollow when reflecting on it last week, given Hatton's final-hole blunder. He said: "In a weird way, it's always going to be a bittersweet memory because I don't know if there's been many cases where two team-mates have gone at each other to win the individual title and then go on to win the team title as well, and you never want to see a teammate and a friend make a mistake on the last to win. "In a weird way, as much as I like that I won here, it's not something that I can celebrate in that sense, just because it was such an unusual circumstance. "It's one of those things that happen in LIV, and as we get better, as the league gets better, I think it's something that's going to happen more and more often." Rahm, who holds two wins on the LIV circuit in total after doubling down at LIV Golf Chicago last year, will now turn his attention to the final two singles events of the season as he hopes to finish strong in the league standings. The breakaway circuit lands at the Bolingbrook Golf Club for LIV Golf Chicago between August 8 and 10, before LIV Golf Indianapolis plays out at The Club at Chatham Hills a week later. The LIV Golf Team Championship then takes place at The Cardinal at Saint John's, Michigan, between August 22 and 24.
Hamilton Spectator
24-07-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Toronto soccer fans could soon play on BMO Field. Here's how to hit the pitch
Torontonians who have dreamed of hitting the pitch at BMO Field could soon be in luck, Toronto FC said. Ahead of renovations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup , the soccer club is hosting a one-day event that will allow some fans to play a pick-up match on the pitch, Toronto FC said in a news release . The team will hold a first-of-its-kind open pitch event on Sunday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with fans invited to enter a lottery to play a one-hour match. Fans aged 18 and older can sign up online as teams of 15 (11 on the pitch and four substitutes) starting Monday. Teams will be chosen through a lottery, the soccer club said, and fans can expect to hear back on Thursday. Each player will also receive five spectator passes for family and friends, and 'repeat applications' will not be considered, the club added. 'Selected participants will receive an authentic player experience,' the soccer club added, including access to the visitor dressing room and team branding on the scoreboard. 'BMO Field has seen some of soccer's biggest talents from around the world take its pitch and will continue this legacy as we prepare to host six World Cup games next summer,' Toronto FC vice-president of business operations Chris Shewfelt said in the news release. 'We are thrilled to be able to add TFC fans to this list of meaningful appearances and be a part of our home stadium's story.' Children from MLSE's Launchpad soccer program — which gives underserved kids under 12 access to free soccer training, coaching and organized play — will also have the chance to take to the pitch, the soccer club added.
