Kieran King

Former Wales midfielder Jonny Williams says Gareth Bale deserves greater recognition and ranks him as the greatest British footballer, ahead of Wayne Rooney, because of his Champions League success, international achievements and exceptional peak at Real Madrid. Bale won 16 major trophies, including five Champions League titles, became Wales’s record goalscorer and helped the team reach the Euro 2016 semi-final. Williams also praises Bale’s humility and treatment of teammates and staff. The interview discusses Williams’s own career, his training with the Professional Footballers’ Association while seeking a new club, and his belief that he remains capable of playing at League One level.

Wimbledon spectators are subject to restrictions on what they may bring into the grounds in 2026. Prohibited or limited items include oversized or multiple bags, hard-sided containers, excess alcohol, selfie sticks and other camera attachments, professional lenses over 300mm without authorization, drones, camping chairs, tents, gazebos, large umbrellas, promotional or political signs, disruptive noise-making devices, weapons, fireworks, laser pointers, wheeled transport and animals other than certified assistance dogs. Limited exceptions apply to some items used in the overnight queue and authorized mobility aids.

Rory McIlroy was filmed in Wimbledon’s Royal Box apparently pulling a bucket of sweets away just as his wife Erica Stoll reached for one, prompting amused commentary from BBC presenters Clare Balding and Tim Henman. McIlroy attended with several other golfers, wore his Masters green jacket and stayed to watch Novak Djokovic defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas. Djokovic later thanked McIlroy and fellow guests, congratulated Team Europe on the Ryder Cup and jokingly suggested trading jackets for a tennis match.

The BBC has unveiled a new panoramic-screen World Cup studio at its Salford headquarters after Gary Lineker mocked the broadcaster for not relocating to the United States. The studio uses augmented reality, simulated wind and visual effects to create the impression that presenters are reporting from different host cities. BBC director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski defended the decision to avoid the expense of moving the operation overseas, while Gabby Logan also argued that remaining in the UK would not harm coverage. Lineker, who left the BBC after sharing a controversial social-media post, is set to host his podcast from New York under a £14 million Netflix deal.

Gerwyn Price said recent medical test results were good, although they have not explained the symptoms behind his ongoing health concerns. He withdrew from the UK Open Pool Championship shortly before a scheduled match against Kostiantyn Ivanov but remains set to face Luke Littler in the Premier League Darts play-off semi-final at London’s O2 Arena. Price qualified after reaching a final and earning further points during the regular season, finishing fourth, while Jonny Clayton faces Luke Humphries in the other semi-final.

Gerwyn Price has withdrawn from the UK Open Pool Championship 48 hours before the Premier League Darts play-offs. He had been scheduled to face Kostiantyn Ivanov and previously said he intended to compete in both events, but will now focus on his semi-final against Luke Littler at London’s O2 Arena. Price qualified fourth after reaching the final in Birmingham and losing to Luke Humphries.

Ronnie O'Sullivan condemned Mark Allen's 100-minute-and-21-second frame against Wu Yize at the World Snooker Championship, saying he would have broken up the balls rather than participate in such a lengthy stalemate. He contrasted the incident with the faster Snooker 900 format, which uses 15-minute frames and a 20-second shot clock. O'Sullivan won the inaugural £100,000 tournament in Reading by defeating Luca Brecel 10-5 and said the format could have lasting appeal for professional players.

Former BDO world champion and Sky Sports darts pundit Mark Webster says his health has improved while he undergoes chemotherapy for hairy cell leukaemia, a rare blood cancer diagnosed in January. Although his recovery has been slower than expected and his immune system remains weakened, doctors have cleared the 42-year-old Welshman to resume broadcasting at Premier League Night 15. Webster had been absent from television coverage since February and says he is eager to return while continuing treatment.

Gerwyn Price has withdrawn from Wales’ squad for the 2026 World Cup of Darts after revealing that he is dealing with an unspecified health problem. Nick Kenny will join Jonny Clayton, with Wales dropping to seventh seed and entering the first group-round qualifiers. Price, who reached the 2025 final with Clayton and has won on the floor and European Tour this season, also withdrew from the Austrian Open and recently suffered a Premier League defeat that jeopardized his hopes of reaching the play-offs.

A shifted slate beneath one of the Crucible Theatre's match tables made it unplayable during the World Seniors Snooker Championship. Matches involving Matthew Stevens and Dominic Dale were delayed, while defending champion Alfie Burden and Igor Figueiredo were moved to a practice table, where Figueiredo won 4-0. World Seniors chief Jason Francis apologized to the affected players but dismissed former competitor Lee Stephen's criticism as bitter, attributing the problem to limited setup time and saying the organizers would learn from the incident.

The World Snooker Tour has cancelled the Saudi Arabia Masters after only two editions, despite an originally announced 10-year agreement. Mark Williams warned that the decision could harm players’ rankings and finances because the £2.3 million event will not be replaced, while Barry Hawkins condemned the lack of communication and said players received only a brief email with no explanation. The WST said the cancellation was mutually agreed with the Saudi Billiard and Snooker Federation and Matchroom following discussions after the 2025 events.

BBC announcer Rob Walker drew criticism for making personal jokes about Mark Williams during his introduction at the World Snooker Championship. Williams appeared to mouth an irritated response, prompting fans to accuse Walker of being unprofessional and of making the presentation about himself. Walker also incorrectly described Matthew Stevens as a four-time semi-finalist, leading Stevens to correct him on camera. Williams nevertheless defeated Antoni Kowalski 10-6 and advanced to face Barry Hawkins.

Adam Peaty has praised Gordon Ramsay’s wedding speech at Peaty’s December marriage to Ramsay’s daughter Holly, saying it brought guests together and was difficult to surpass. The comments follow reports that Ramsay’s speech referenced Peaty’s estranged mother, though Peaty focused on the support and affection shown by Holly’s family. Peaty also described Ramsay as inspirational and said he draws lessons from his father-in-law’s sporting discipline. He is preparing for the British Championships as part of his long-term goal of competing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, acknowledging that the next two years may be among the hardest of his career.

Kobbie Mainoo missed Manchester United’s match against Leeds United after suffering a minor training injury. Interim head coach Michael Carrick said the club chose not to risk the midfielder, who had started the previous 10 matches alongside Casemiro. Manuel Ugarte replaced him in the starting lineup, while Manchester United also made changes involving Bryan Mbeumo, Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot. Lisandro Martinez returned from injury, and the result offered United a chance to strengthen their position in the race for Champions League qualification.

Tiger Woods has pleaded not guilty to charges including driving under the influence, property damage and refusing a lawful test after a Florida crash involving his Land Rover. He acknowledged looking at his phone and changing the radio before the collision, passed an alcohol breath test, but declined a urine test for drugs. Police said he appeared impaired, and investigators found hydrocodone in the vehicle. Woods, who was unhurt, has requested a jury trial and said he is stepping away from golf temporarily to seek treatment and focus on his health.

The London Marathon is reportedly in advanced talks to become a two-day event in 2027, potentially allowing 100,000 amateur runners to participate, with 50,000 racing each day. The proposal, which would separate the elite men’s and women’s races across the weekend, has the reported backing of London Mayor Sadiq Khan but has not yet received formal approval. Organizers say the expansion could increase charity fundraising to £130 million, boost London’s economy and give more runners access to an event whose 2026 ballot attracted more than 1.1 million applicants.

Irish amateur jockey Declan Queally and British jockey Nico de Boinville resolved a dispute that arose during the chaotic start of the Turners Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Queally had alleged that De Boinville made an abusive remark of a racial nature and reported the matter to British Horseracing Authority stewards. In a subsequent ITV interview, both jockeys described the incident as a heat-of-the-moment disagreement, shook hands and wished each other well, with Queally thanking Davy Russell for helping settle it.

A London insolvency judge extended Frankie Dettori’s bankruptcy until 16 March 2027 after trustees said the former jockey had failed to provide requested information about his assets. The court heard that properties in France and Italy, a Piaget watch, a wine collection valued at about £70,000 and investments worth roughly £365,000 had not been disclosed. Dettori did not attend or appoint lawyers to represent him. The bankruptcy followed unpaid tax linked to a tax avoidance scheme, while a separate tax dispute with HMRC previously resulted in rulings that removed his anonymity in proceedings.

Michael van Gerwen withdrew from the third Premier League Darts night in Glasgow because of illness. Under PDC rules, his scheduled opponent Luke Littler received a bye to the semi-final, along with two league points and a positive leg difference, while Van Gerwen received no points and a -6 leg difference. Van Gerwen had won the opening night in Newcastle and reached the Antwerp final, where Gerwyn Price defeated him. Littler will face the winner of the Jonny Clayton–Price match in the Glasgow semi-final.

Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam won Olympic gold in the women's 1000m at the Milan Winter Olympics with a world-record time of 1:12.31. Her fiancé, boxer and YouTube personality Jake Paul, watched emotionally from the stands. Leerdam, whose estimated net worth is £5 million, defeated fellow Dutchwoman Femke Kok and Japan's Miho Takagi after previously winning silver in Beijing. Paul is reported to be worth about £300 million. Leerdam and Paul began their public relationship in 2023 and became engaged in March 2025. She is due to compete in the 500m next Sunday.

Emma Raducanu defeated Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-4, 6-1 in the Australian Open first round after an umpire refused her request to retake a first serve when arena lights came on. Despite protesting that she had not begun her serving motion, Raducanu was required to play a second serve and won the point after Sawangkaew made an unforced error. The British No. 1 advanced to face Anastasia Potapova, with Aryna Sabalenka a possible third-round opponent.

Gerwyn Price was eliminated from the PDC World Darts Championship by a surprise 3–0 second-round defeat to world No. 92 Wesley Plaisier at Alexandra Palace. Price, who averaged 95.83 and hit three 180s, acknowledged that he was below his best while praising Plaisier, who advanced to face Krzysztof Ratajski. The Welshman plans to return to competition in January, while fellow Welsh player David Davies also lost 3–0 to reigning champion Luke Littler.

Andrew Tate lost his boxing debut to American heavyweight Chase DeMoor by majority decision after a six-round fight in Dubai, with judges scoring it 57-57, 58-56 and 58-56. Tate started strongly with speed, jabs and body shots, but DeMoor’s size, strength and clinching wore him down. Tate suffered a cut above his right eye and nearly faced a knockout in the closing rounds. He attributed the defeat to his age and long absence from competition, while former UFC champion Michael Bisping criticized the bout. DeMoor subsequently challenged Tommy Fury to a future fight.

Scott Donaldson was eliminated from the UK Championship by Ding Junhui in a dramatic 6-5 final-frame decider in York. After recovering from 3-0 and 5-3 down, Donaldson lost despite making an early 22 break in the deciding frame, as Ding responded with a 109 clearance. The defeat was especially emotional because it was Donaldson's first Triple Crown appearance since his father Hector died in October. Donaldson said he believed his father would have been proud, became tearful when Hector was mentioned in the post-match interview, and praised Ding's sportsmanship and play.