Russian billionaire businessman Roman Abramovich, who owns the Premier League Chelsea football club, has accepted Ukraine’s request to help negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, a spokesman said.
The news of Abramovich’s involvement in the talks following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine first came from Jewish News, which said Kyiv had contacted it through Jewish contacts to seek his help.
“I can confirm that the Ukrainian side has contacted Roman Abramovich to support a peaceful solution and that he has been trying to help ever since,” a spokesman for Abramovich said.
“Given what is at stake, we would like to know why we have not commented on the situation as such or its involvement.
There was no immediate comment from the Ukrainian government.
Abramovich, a Jew with Israeli citizenship, was one of the most influential businessmen to earn a fortune since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Forbes ranked him net at $ 13.3 billion.
A commodity trader thriving in the chaos of then-President Boris Yeltsin, Abramovich acquired stakes in oil company Sibneft, aluminum maker Rusal and airline Aeroflot, which were later sold.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is working as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine war. Clive Mason / Getty Images
Under Russian President Vladimir Putin, Abramovich was governor of the remote Arctic region of Chukotka in Russia’s Far East.
It was not immediately clear what role, if any, Abramovich would play in talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials, which began Monday on the border with Belarus.
Earlier, the Ukrainian president’s office said Ukraine’s goal in the talks was an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine. The Kremlin has not said explicitly what its purpose is in the talks.
Abramovich, 55, said on Saturday that he was giving Chelsea’s trustees control of the club.
In recent days, two other Russian billionaires, Mikhail Friedman and Oleg Deripaska, have called for an end to the war.
Putin used an early morning address to the nation on February 24 to order a “special military operation” against Ukraine just three days after recognizing two Russian-backed rebel regions in Ukraine.
Putin said he was ordering a military operation to protect people, including Russian citizens, from “genocide” – an accusation that Ukraine and the West reject as baseless propaganda.
Not only did Syracuse not cover. That is, there was never a danger of not covering up, to overtime.
Syracuse was an outsider with 8 or 8.5 points at BetMGM against North Carolina on Monday night and almost won straight. Somehow, Orange didn’t cover the spread.
There are bad beats from garden varieties like the pointless 3-pointer that goes into the buzzer, but the worst type of beat can be having a healthy outsider play well for two halves and then somehow not covering overtime. Syracuse bettors know.
The Oranges took a 9-0 lead to start the match and while UNC made a few series after that, the Syracuse bettors had to feel good until the end of the second half. North Carolina hit with 3 points, remaining 11 seconds to take the lead with 2 points. If he had missed, Orange would probably be covering (and UNC would probably be on the wrong side of the NCAA tournament bubble, but that’s a different conversation). Syracuse then rushed down and struck a nice blow to level it. The Orange bettors at this point found themselves in a strange place in the hope that Syracuse missed this shot and lost by 2, covering the spread. However, having 8 or 8.5 points in your pocket is usually good for overtime and especially after how well Syracuse plays.
On the other hand, experienced bettors probably knew exactly what was coming.
The sequels began and everything went to hell. UNC hit the first four shots at OT to take a 9-point lead. Cole Swider from Syracuse, who was great with 36 points, fouled. The Oranges did not commit a foul in the last minute to prolong the game. A late turnaround from North Carolina, when it increased by 88-79, gave life to bettors in Syracuse. It’s not like North Carolina trying so hard to defend.
Then, with 10.4 seconds left, a long orange pass was a long way off. Brutal. UNC dribbled the time and won by 9, somehow covering the spread.
The good news is that Syracuse bettors are unlikely to have as bad a hit in March. Hopefully though.
Benny Williams of Syracuse Orange is trying to defend Armando Bacot from North Carolina’s Tar Hills on Monday night. (Photo by Grant Halverson / Getty Images)
Troy Aikman spoke as an analyst who will work for a new corporation next season, but failed to receive public confirmation. So let’s approach this from another angle.
Will we see him share beef breast and potato salad with colleagues at Fox’s next picnic?
“Well,” Aikman said with a sly smile, “if I’m invited as a guest, so can you.”
It looks like Fox will have to find another lead analyst for its NFL broadcasts. After more than two decades in this position, Aikman is ready to leave the network to fulfill this role in ESPN.
“I have a pretty good idea of what will happen to me,” said the former Cowboys quarterback. “There is still a lot of dust that needs to be settled and all this is waiting to happen before final announcements are made.
“But yes, it was an interesting journey. Twenty-one years with Fox, a great 21 years.
“Whatever happens in the end, when everything is said and done, still being a leading analyst for the next five years, is something I’m really proud of because there are a lot of guys coming out of the game,” he continued. . “I think there are a lot of networks that are always looking for the latest and shiny toy. So I’m proud of the way I’ve prepared, the way I’ve worked and the way my work is perceived. “
Reports indicate that Aikman will move to ESPN for a five-year, $ 90 million contract. That’s an average of $ 18 million a year.
His best contract as a player has never averaged more than $ 9.5 million.
“When I retired, I didn’t really know what my future was,” Aikman said. “I knew I would be broadcasting for a year or two and I would know what I wanted to do with myself.
“And now, here, 21 years later, to be in this situation and the salaries to get to where they came from was quite incredible. We had people on the referee’s side, for example, who left the league’s office because they could make more money on TV than they could do with the league.
“Everything looks a little backward, but I’m not complaining about that.”
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks Roger Staubach (left) and Troy Aikman congratulate model Christopher Villarreal (center) on the launch event for the Children’s Cancer Fund’s NorthPark Center in Dallas, February 28, 2022. Executive Director of the Children’s Cancer Foundation Jennifer Arthur (right) and 2022 Gala Chair Amanda Dillard Schufeld were also available during the presentation.(Tom Fox / full-time photographer)
Aikman made his comments Monday afternoon at the NorthPark Center, where he and Cowboys legend Roger Staubach attended as honorary co-chairs of the Children’s Cancer Foundation’s 2022 Gala Concert in April. Before the press conference, Candice Crawford Romo passed by the event.
Her husband Tony’s huge contract with CBS shocked the industry and probably laid the groundwork for Aikman’s departure.
Speculation is now focused on who will be paired with Aikman on ESPN. His Fox partner, Joe Buck, has one year left on his contract. But Aikman spoke of their close friendship Monday and hinted that what they provide as a team could be underestimated.
“You know, I think something else can probably be said, and I think it might happen at the right time,” Aikman said. “It simply came to our notice then. But he was a fantastic partner.
“I think he’s the best in the business and there’s nothing I want more than to keep working with him.”
The official announcement will come soon. Just one more question.
What does ESPN serve at its corporate picnic?
“There’s been a lot of talk about what’s going to happen to me, and most of it is pretty accurate,” Aikman said. “But I still can’t make a final statement.”
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
BYU opened spring football practice on Monday, probably for the first time in February, and head coach Kalani Sitake says he liked what he saw from almost every group of positions on the team before a player threw or caught a pass, or to participate in training.
This is because it seems that the Cougars have achieved one of their main goals in the off-season – which is to get bigger and stronger everywhere.
“It’s pretty obvious that our team has gotten a lot bigger and stronger over the last few months, working,” Sitake said.
“We tested our boys in the weight class and I really like the numbers from the whole group, so overall as a team I’m really happy with the strength numbers and we’ll see how it goes on the football field.”
“I think the boys just came to the gym with a different kind of attitude, and that’s evident in the numbers, the tests showed. Each position group became stronger. And that should help us. “- BYU football coach Kalani Sitake
Shitake said defenders, who have been heavily criticized for failing to effectively stop running away from losing to UAB, have indeed stepped up.
Caden House, Earl Tuyot-Mariner, Tyler Bathy, Josh Larson, Gabe Summers and John Nelson are among the returnees who celebrated a significant time last year.
“I think the boys just came to the gym with a different kind of attitude, and that’s evident in the numbers, the tests showed,” Sitake said.
“Each position group has become stronger and that should help us.”
The coach hopes that the renewed focus on weightlifting will help the Cougars avoid injuries, which led to the exhaustion of defense at the end of last year.
“Strength training doesn’t get enough credit for preventing injuries in the program,” Sitake said.
As for the first training session, Shitake said it was “a really good day” and seemed to suggest that the attack was ahead of the defense, which was expected.
“I’m really impressed with Jaren (Hall) and the attack and the weather,” he said. “Defense, we have to go through some things. … I like a lot of the new bodies we see in defense, and a lot of the guys are back (bigger and stronger). ”
After spending the first day of spring camp for the seventh time in BYU, Shitake said it was one of the most experienced teams he had, unlike last year, when Zach Wilson and many of his guns moved forward. .
Speaking of Hall, the starting quarterback declared himself 100 percent healthy and ready to go, recovering well from the ankle / foot injury that protected him from the cup game.
The fifth teenager said he suffered three broken ribs against Arizona in the first game last year and played through the pain against Utah and Arizona State, while also suffering a chest injury.
“It was fun to see everyone come back and go again and see the wheels start to spin a little bit,” Hall said.
His fellow quarterback Jacob Connover said all defenders received representatives on Monday, including himself, Cade Fenegan, Sol-Jay Mayawa-Peters and Nick Billups.
Neither Fenegan nor Bilups participated in the team part of the training, which was watched by the media.
“The first day was great,” Conover said. “I mean, the spring ball is meant to be enjoyed, and everyone bought it today and got rid of their worries for the first day, so it was fun.”
Some other developments and / or surprises in the list:
• Offensive striker Keanu Saleapaga returns to the team after missing all but one match in 2020 with injuries and throughout 2021 for undisclosed reasons. The former starter, set at 6 feet 6, 310 pounds, started in 19 games and appeared in 22.
“Adding it to the deep O line is really good for us and we’ll see how much we can use it,” Sitake said. “He was limited in training today, which is really good for us. We need to get to autumn healthy and there are many other boys who can use more repetitions in 11-on-11 things (from Saleapaga).
• In the part of the training for watching the media, the defensive back Mika Harper took safety positions. Harper was a defender in his first year, 2020, and started in five games. He suffered a serious knee injury at spring camp last year and missed the entire 2021 season.
“All our corners will play safety, and all our safety devices will play corner,” Shitake said when asked if Harper’s move to safety was permanent.
• Several players changed the numbers of the shirts, as usually happens every year. Dalin Holker moved from No. 32 to No. 5 and midfielder Ben Baywater moved from No. 33 to No. 2.
Hours after they were told there would be no exceptions for Kyrie Irving, they lost Steve Nash to health and safety protocols. They then suffered a 133-97 loss to Toronto before 17,112 at the Barclays Center, which was doubly damaging.
The eighth Brooklyn (32-30) missed a game he had to win, losing a vital place to the Raptors and lagging even deeper behind them in the game rankings. The Nets are seventh behind Toronto with two full games in 20 upcoming games and the home and home rematch set for Tuesday at the Scotiabank Arena.
“Yes, we are two games behind seventh place. So yes, it’s huge, “said Bruce Brown. “We have to win this victory in Toronto, especially after they came here and did what they wanted in our gym. This is unacceptable, so we have to go there and take it to them. ”
The Nets received this on Monday.
Jacques Vaughan replaced Steve Nash, who is on the COVID record.
Charles Wenzelberg
Utah Watanabe scores over Kessler Edwards.
Charles Wenzelberg
After losing to Nash just moments before the warm-up before the game, they came out and looked in a terrible mess.
The Nets were ignited by Toronto’s Scotty Barnes, who scored 28 points in 12 of 14 shots and 16 rebounds, both of the highest in the game. Although they managed to keep Pascal Siakam by only eight points in 2 of 14 shots, they still blew away, such was their unfortunate game in almost every other aspect.
The Nets were just 38.4 percent overall and made 23 turnovers to give the Raptors 31 points. LaMarcus Aldridge had just 15 points, and Brown and Cam Thomas added 14 in one awful offensive night.
Brooklyn fell 39 points behind Utah Watanabe’s 3-pointer for Toronto’s 129-90 lead with 3:37 left.
The Nets are 3 ¹ / ₂ behind the inactive sixth-placed Boston Celtics and the final guaranteed place in the Eastern Conference playoffs. But at this point, the Nets – losing 14 of 17 – should be more concerned about Tuesday’s quick turnaround against the same Raptors.
Pascal Siakam blocks Blake Griffin’s shot.
NY Post: Charles Wenzelberg
“[That’s] very useful “, said the assistant Jacques Vaughan, who will act as head coach until Nash’s return. We hope our boys are ready for this and look forward to going to Toronto and dealing with the fact that we could have played better tonight and will play better. [Tuesday]”
The Nets will not have any of their new Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving or Ben Simmons for Tuesday’s rematch in this match, and facing the prospect of being eliminated three games behind with 19 games played is daunting.
“I want to say that for us at the moment every game is important. “We know how it goes,” said James Johnson. “We have to take them all, and that’s the bottom line. I feel like once we get there, I like our chances against everyone.”
The highest ranked Ukrainian tennis player in the world Elina Svitolina announced today that due to the Russian invasion in her country she will not play “a match against a Russian or Belarusian [sic] tennis players until our organizations make that necessary decision. “
That decision, she said, should be up to the ATP, WTA and ITF to treat Russian players, as the IOC does, as “neutral athletes, without displaying any national symbols, colors, flags or anthems”. Svitolina is currently ranked 15th in the world. Her opponent in the first round of the Abierto GNP Seguros WTA tournament in Monterey, Mexico today was to be Anastasia Potapova, who is Russian.
Potapova answered shortly afterwards, saying: “Even as a child, I dreamed of playing tennis without choosing a match, country or partner in the game … for me there is no opponent from any country, I am fighting for victory, my best game, my best result … Unfortunately, we, the professional athletes, are now essentially hostages to the current situation … I am against grief, tears and war. “
It wasn’t just the players who took action.
Earlier in the day, Ukraine’s 38-year-old tennis federation secretary Yevhen Zukin slapped Tennis Europe chief executive Thomas Hammerl over a dispute over what he described as a “shamefully weak” statement by Tennis Europe about the conflict.
Although the statement called for the suspension of the youth tournaments in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine and called on “the international tennis community to show solidarity with players from the respective nations”, it did not explicitly condemn the invasion.
Zukin told the Telegraph Sport about the incident at an event aboard Tennis Europe: “I read the statement, finished my dinner, got up, turned around, saw him [Hammerl] I was sitting at five tables next to me and I asked him, “How can you do this?” He said, “Get out.” I slapped him lightly and left. “
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FIFA and UEFA worked together to remove Russian teams from international football competitions on Monday as world sport closed its doors to Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.
The most powerful organizations in football have joined the International Olympic Committee in action after days of growing protests. Removal means Russia will not be able to face Poland in the semi-finals of the World Cup playoffs next month, while its women’s team will also be banned from the European Championship this summer in England and the remaining club team in the European competition Spartak Moscow is no more. to compete in the Europa League.
In a joint statement, the two organizations said: “FIFA and UEFA have today jointly decided that all Russian teams, whether national teams or club teams, be suspended from FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice.
“These decisions were adopted today by the Bureau of the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee, respectively by the highest decision-making bodies of the two institutions on such urgent matters. Football here is fully united and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine. Both presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can once again be a vector of unity and peace between people.
UEFA has also announced a second major move, confirming that it has canceled a long and lucrative sponsorship deal with Gazprom. The Russian gas company has sponsored the Champions League for a decade, and the final of this year’s competition was to be played at Gazprom Arena in St. Petersburg.
Last week, however, UEFA moved the match to Paris and has now severed ties altogether. “UEFA has decided today to end its partnership with Gazprom in all competitions,” the statement said. “The decision takes effect immediately and covers all existing agreements, including the UEFA Champions League, UEFA national teams and Euro 2024.
Daniil Medvedev became world number one in men on Monday. It is not clear what the sports sanctions will mean in out-of-team sports. Photo: Eduardo Verdugo / AP
On Sunday, FIFA said Russia could continue to compete in World Cup qualifiers if it changes its name and plays in neutral matches. The action, described by FIFA as taking “initial measures”, was fiercely repulsed by Poland, Russia’s opponents in the World Cup qualifiers. Poland’s position has been supported by a number of other European nations, including the football associations of England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland.
As pressure on FIFA increased on Monday, the change in direction was signaled by IOC intervention. Citing the Olympic Movement’s mission to “contribute to peace through sport and unite the world in peaceful competition beyond all political disputes”, the IOC issued a long resolution calling on all sports organizations to act.
“To protect the integrity of world sports competitions and the safety of all participants,” the resolution said. officials in international competitions ”.
However, the IOC has added a condition that could still mean that Russia is competing in the Winter Paralympic Games, which begin in Beijing this weekend. In situations where the short notice “for organizational or legal reasons” means that Russia and its ally in the invasion of Ukraine, Belarus, cannot be ruled out, they “should only be accepted as neutral athletes or neutral teams,” he said. IOC. This will be a sanction similar to the one applied to Russia at last year’s Tokyo Olympics, where “no national symbols, colors, flags or anthems should be displayed.”
The Ukrainian delegation for the Winter Paralympic Games is yet to arrive in Beijing for the invasion, and on Monday night the British Olympic Association called on Russian athletes to be banned from competing immediately.
“Together with the German National Olympic Committee, [we demand] the immediate exclusion of Russia and Belarus from the international sports family until further notice, “BOA said. “We call on the international sports federations to ban the competitions of athletes representing Russia and Belarus for the time being and to remove Russian and Belarusian officials from their positions.
Additional questions are likely to be asked now about the participation of Russian athletes in non-Russian teams, as well as in individual sports. One of the most striking examples is Daniil Medvedev, who took on the mantle of Novak Djokovic’s No. 1 men’s tennis player on Monday and issued a statement calling for peace over the weekend.
Seva Kevlich, a member of the Tennis Federation’s board, told Reuters that Medvedev should not be eligible to participate in Grand Slam matches. “I allow [Medvedev] “He plays in the ATP Tour, but the Grand Slam tournaments are ITF events, and if you lose the opportunity to play in the Grand Slam, he will never be number one in the world,” Kevlic said. “He should not play in the French Open, US Open and Wimbledon.
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Kevlich’s words reflect a broader, broader agenda for action against Russia, issued by Ukraine’s Ministry of Sports. Arguing that “Russian authorities use sporting achievements to propagate their own ideology” and as “a tool to promote the ideas of harassment, murder and destruction”, the ministry called not only for athletes to be excluded from the competition, but also for Russian officials to be removed from the governing bodies and Russian companies from the right to act as sponsors.
The 2022 Arnold Palmer Invitational starts Thursday at the Bay Hill Golf Course in Florida. The 2022 Arnold Palmer Invitational field includes a strong combination of proven champions and novice superstars eager to leave their mark on the PGA Tour.
Caesars Sportsbook lists John Ram as the 17-2 favorite in Arnold Palmer’s latest odds for 2022. The world’s No. 1 player is followed by Rory McIlroy (12-1), Scotty Scheffler (16-1) and Victor Howland (16-1) on board the PGA odds.
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