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Daily Record
a few seconds ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Commonwealth Games at risk of TV blackout as no broadcast deal secured for Glasgow event
The BBC has yet to sign a deal to show the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with 12 months to go before the event kicks-off. The Commonwealth Games is at risk of a TV blackout in the UK with no broadcast deal yet secured for the event's return to Glasgow next year. The BBC has been the principal broadcaster of the sporting extravaganza since 1954 but the corporation confirmed today it was still in talks over whether this would continue in 2026. Insiders said some Beeb bosses were unconvinced of the event's continuing relevance, with fewer countries willing to host it. Glasgow was previously announced in September last year as an emergency stand-in for the next Games after several other cities pulled out over cost fears. The vast majority of the event's budget is now coming from the £100m compensation the Australian state of Victoria paid Commonwealth organisers after backing out. The UK and Scottish Governments both refused to underwrite the costs of staging the event, citing wider pressures on public finances. An agreement to broadcast the previous Games in Glasgow in 2014 was in place two years before it kicked-off. Phil Batty, chief executive of Glasgow 2026, said: "This week we have just announced Sky New Zealand as one of our broadcast partners. "We also have Channel 7 in Australia, and there will be news on a UK broadcaster later this year." A spokeswoman for the Games told the Record: "We're in positive discussions with broadcasters across the Commonwealth, including the UK, and further announcements will be made in the months ahead." First Minister John Swinney has said he is confident Glasgow is "well-organised and well-prepared" for a new-look Games that will capture the public's imagination. He said: "All of our experience tells us that, on major events, the people of Scotland - and especially in Glasgow - get engaged." Swinney also backed Glasgow's decision to save an event which has been criticised in some quarters as being an outdated link to Britain's colonial past. He told the BBC: "The Commonwealth is still a very important forum for international co-operation and partnership between countries. "And, frankly, we need more international co-operation and friendship and collective endeavour in a world that is becoming increasingly fractured." The event has been massively scaled-back as a result of cost considerations, with just 11 sports being contested across four venues. Athletics will be staged at Scotstoun stadium, not Hampden Park, while swimming events will once again be held at the existing Tollcross pool. The overall budget for the 2014 event was £543m, but this time around just £114-130m will be spent. Petria Thomas, head of the Australian Commonwealth commission, said: "We're incredibly grateful and fortunate that the Scottish have stepped up to the mark here. It was obviously highly disappointing that the Victorian government pulled out and it left the Commonwealth sport movement in a very difficult position. "It's fantastic that the Games will be on in Glasgow. Obviously a little bit of a different look to them this time with fewer sports which is a shame. But it's the reality of the position that the Commonwealth sport movement was put in, unfortunately."
Daily Record
a few seconds ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Ally McCoist would accept Rangers sacrificing one thing under Russell Martin to stop Celtic procession
The Light Blues have been starved of domestic success in recent seasons Ally McCoist has loved watching Rangers fly the flag for Scotland in Europe. But the Ibrox legend insists ending Celtic's domestic dominance must be Russell Martin's utmost priority. Gers swatted aside Panathinaikos in Tuesday night's Champions League qualifier to take a commanding 2-0 lead to Athens next week. It's the first of six hurdles the Light Blues will have to overcome if they are to secure a £40million ticket to the lucrative league phase. There's still a long road to go, but if Rangers can get the job done in Greece, they will at least be guaranteed European group stage football. The Ibrox side have boosted Scotland's coefficient in recent years with their Europa League exploits but have been starved of domestic success. And McCoist admits he'd be willing to sacrifice those famous Thursday nights under the lights if it meant derailing serial-winning Celtic's bid for five-in-a-row. He told FourFourTwo: "I would rather see them improve domestically, because we've been miles off it there. "There were good results against Celtic last term but there's an argument that there was more at stake for Rangers, because Celtic were looking like they were running away with it. "It was almost a matter of pride for us. If Rangers can mount more of a title threat, with a repeat in Europe, I'll be happy." While Rangers have spent more than a decade in the shadow of their Old Firm rivals, they've punched well above their weight against some of Europe's elite. It's an ongoing trend that's left Ibrox supporters scratching their heads and McCoist said: "That's been the case for a while now. "It has a lot to do with how they set up to play in Scotland, where they're a dominant side that have to break teams down. "In Europe, even at home, teams aren't looking to sit deep as much - that's when Rangers come to life as they have players that can hit teams on the break. "Some of Rangers' performances in Europe last season were very good - they went to Malmo and won, scored four in Nice, gave Manchester United a really good game, then pulled off an incredible result in Turkey against Fenerbahce in the knockouts. "Some really good performances. I want to be saying that about the league as well." Celtic have also started to make inroads in Europe under Brendan Rodgers, reaching the Champions League knockouts for the first time since 2012/13. McCoist tipped his hat by admitting: "There was a big improvement in their Champions League performances. The 3-1 home win against Leipzig was as good as I've seen them in a long time. "They got a great draw at Atalanta, and they were very unlucky to go out against Bayern Munich in the knockouts, only narrowly losing at home, then drawing in Germany. "They could have taken that to extra-time. It was really encouraging." Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.
The Star
a minute ago
- Politics
- The Star
Soccer-Mussolini's great-grandson hopes skills on pitch outweigh family name
(Reuters) -Defender Romano Floriani Mussolini, the great-grandson of Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, said he wants his footballing talent to mean more than his family name as he readies for a Serie A debut with promoted side Cremonese. The 22-year-old right back, on loan from Lazio, joined Cremonese earlier this month after the club earned promotion to the Italian top flight via the Serie B playoffs. "I'm here to play football. My surname? It has bothered others more than it's ever bothered me. It's a heavy name for others, but not for me," Floriani Mussolini told a press conference on Wednesday. "The less it's talked about, the better. I'm here to express myself on the pitch, nothing else... I want to gain valuable experience in Serie A, go up against more experienced players, and play as much as possible to showcase my abilities." Floriani Mussolini is the son of Mauro Floriani and Italian politician Alessandra Mussolini, a former member of the European Parliament for the Forza Italia party and the grand-daughter of Benito Mussolini, who was prime minister of Italy from 1922 to 1943 following a fascist coup. Floriani Mussolini, who can also play as a winger, made 37 appearances for Juve Stabia last season, who lost to Cremonese in the semi-finals of the playoffs. He joined the Lazio youth academy at the age of 13 from rivals AS Roma. "The match against Lazio will be special, it's the team I grew up with and support," he added. "But right now I'm focused on giving my all for Cremonese, and I want to win that one." Cremonese begin their Serie A campaign away to AC Milan on August 23. (Reporting by Shifa Jahan in BengaluruEditing by Christian Radnedge)
The Star
a minute ago
- Sport
- The Star
Aaron-Wooi Yik eye strong run after smashing start at China Open
Soh Wooi Yik and Aaron Chia celebrate after winning their quarter-final match. Credit - Ningbo Olympic Sports Centre PETALING JAYA: Men's doubles world No. 2 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik could be on track for a fifth podium finish this year at the China Open. The duo bounced back with a solid win in Changzhou after a disappointing first-round exit at the Japan Open last week. Taking on Denmark's Rasmus Kjaer-Frederik Sogaard on Wednesday (July 23), the Asian champions were in control throughout, winning 21-19, 21-15 to move into the second round. Aaron-Wooi Yik will face French brothers Christo and Toma Junior Popov next. Should they clear that hurdle, their path to the final looks promising as they are in the bottom half of the draw, avoiding top contenders such as newly crowned world No. 1 pair Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae of South Korea and home favourites Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang. Adding to their advantage, top seeds Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani have already been knocked out. Aaron-Wooi Yik could face several familiar names in the bottom half of the draw, including compatriots Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and Thailand's Kittinupong Kedren-Dechapol Puavaranukroh, among others. A strong run this week would be a fitting redemption for Aaron-Wooi Yik, who missed out on last year's edition after Aaron suffered a fractured toe during the semi-finals of the Paris 2024 Olympics. That said, Aaron-Wooi Yik will need to stay focused and not underestimate any opponents if they are to avoid another early setback like the one they endured in Tokyo last week. For the record, Aaron-Wooi Yik made it to the China Open final in 2023 but their title hopes were crushed by Weikeng-Wang Chang. So far this season, Aaron-Wooi Yik have enjoyed a strong run, adding the Thailand Open and Singapore Open titles to their Asian Championships crown, along with a runner-up finish at the Malaysian Masters.
New Straits Times
a minute ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Azriyn-Wee Kiong stun Lee twins to reach China Open second round
KUALA LUMPUR: Professional men's doubles pair Nur Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong battled their way into the second round of the China Open with an upset win over Taiwan's Lee Fang Chih-Lee Fang Jen in a tight three-game encounter on Wednesday. The world No. 25 Malaysians prevailed 21-16, 18-21, 21-14 against the world No. 22 Taiwanese twins to continue their encouraging run of form, having reached the quarter-finals at the Japan Open just last week. Azriyn-Wee Kiong, who only teamed up last year, have shown promising cohesion in recent months and will now be aiming to build further momentum as they face stiffer tests ahead in the Super 1000 tournament.
