Former Kentucky running back Jamarion Wilcox pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual misconduct stemming from an incident that occurred Aug 20. 2025, in Lexington. Wilcox entered his plea on July 31, according to Fayette County Circuit Court records. His sentencing hearing is set for 8:30 a.m., Sept. 18.Sexual misconduct has a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a $500 fine, according to Wilcoxs plea documents.Wilcox was suspended from the program for the entire 2025 season after the event.The woman, whom The Courier Journal is not identifying as a victim of alleged sexual assault, filed for a protective order after saying Wilcox entered her room at 1 a.m. without her consent while he was visiting her roommate in their apartment. The victim told Wilcox he was in the wrong room after he walked in while she was sleeping.After she asked Wilcox where her roommate was, the petition alleges the running back proceeded "to laugh" and attempted "to start touching me again."The woman said she ran out of her room and spoke with her roommate. While the petition states the roommate tried to get Wilcox to leave the woman's bed, "he refused for a couple of minutes."The petition states the woman then called 911."The police came to my apartment to escort him out," she wrote, "in which he refused to do so for at least 20 minutes."Per court documents, after the woman filed a temporary interpersonal protective order against Wilcox, Fayette District Court ordered him to "be restrained from committing further acts of abuse or threats of abuse, stalking or sexual assault" and that he refrain "from any unauthorized contact" with the alleged victim. The court also ordered Wilcox to stay at least 500 feet away from the woman.Wilcox led Kentucky in rushing yards with 590 rushing yards and two touchdowns during the 2024 season. After being suspended for the entire 2025 season, he entered the transfer portal and signed with Marshall. Wilcox is no longer on the Thundering Herd's roster.Reach Kentucky mens basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.Reachsports trending writer Alaina Morris atamorris@gannett.comand follow her on X at @alainammorris.This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Former Kentucky RB Jamarion Wilcox pleads guilty to sexual misconduct

This past Wednesday, we saw the end of one of the most legendary careers in recent memory. Russell Westbrook announced his retirement from the NBA. He leaves the game as one of the brightest era-defining superstars of the 2010s.Westbrook played in 18 NBA seasons from 2008-26. In that span, he turned into a polarizing NBA superstar where everybody had an extreme opinion about his playing style. You either absolutely loved how intense he played on the court. He was ride-or-die for his faithful. And if you were part of it, you felt like you were in a family.Or his inefficiency and critical mental mistakes absolutely stressed you out. To the point that every ill-advised shot attempt or careless turnover had your blood pressure spike to dangerous levels.For the Oklahoma City Thunder, they happily sat in the former's camp tent up and everything.Westbrook enjoyed his best years on the Thunder. He spent his first 11 seasons in OKC. In that time, he ascended into a global celebrity lifting the small market with him. NBA fans from across the world quickly learned Oklahoma's get-to-know-you facts. Something that wasn't feasible before their 2008 relocation.Alongside Kevin Durant, Westbrook co-starred on OKC's title contender. The Thunder were a constant main character in the 2010s. They had one NBA Finals trip and four Western Conference Finals appearances. Sure, they never sat on the NBA's golden throne, but a decade-long chase of it created core memories for the first generation of OKC fans.In that time, Westbrook stacked up his resume. He was a one-time MVP winner, nine-time All-Star and nine-time All-NBA member. He grabbed two scoring titles and three assist titles along the way. Most famously, he completely redefined the value of a triple-double. What was once a mythical achievement and basketball's version of hitting for the cycle turned into an every-other-night occurrence.On his epic vengeance tour following Durant's shocking departure, Westbrook broke a 55-year drought as the follow-up act to Oscar Robertson's legacy-defining accomplishment. He averaged a video-game-esque 30-point triple-double in the 2016-17 season en route to his sole MVP award. He then rattled off the triple-double average feat four times in a five-year span.As things stand right now, Westbrook comfortably sits atop OKC's franchise record for total points and assists. He also owns the all-time triple-double record. With the combination of a high winning rate, postseason success and marvelous individual stats/accolades, should the Thunder retire his No. 0 jersey?I mean, duh. This article could've been a lot shorter with just a one-word 'yes' response. Seldom do you see the sports world have a consensus opinion. The NBA invokes your competitive juices. But this rhetorical question is a no-brainer. Westbrook is one of the greatest players in OKC history. About everybody has him in their Mt. Rushmore of franchise faces which is quite the feather in his cap, considering how stupidly rich the young franchise is with success at both the individual and team level.Westbrook helped put the Thunder on the NBA map. And when Durant left, he had every reason to do the same. Instead, he committed to being in OKC for over a decade. In that time, he steadied the ship amid rocky waters. Sure, the three solo Westbrook seasons following Durant's departure didn't yield playoff success, but he kept them competitive and relevant enough to segue them into their current golden era of hoops.Westbrook was OKC's first true NBA superstar. When he makes the Basketball Hall of Fame in three summers, most will fondly remember him for his time on the Thunder. Because of all that, his No. 0 should hang in the Paycom Center rafters sooner rather than later.This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Should OKC Thunder retire Russell Westbrook's No. 0 jersey?

Credit: 'PFT Live'For those watching PFT Live on Friday morning, the broadcast took an alarming turn when co-host Michael Holley became overheated and fainted on camera.Before losing consciousness, Holley appeared visibly unwell as Mike Florio discussed Troy Aikmans recent comments about his alleged conflict of interest in his dual role as a Monday Night Football analyst for ESPN and a consultant with the Miami Dolphins.With Florio in the middle of a diatribe, Holleys eyes widened, and his body began to sway as he blinked repeatedly before he tipped backward in slow motion and slumped out of the side of his chair, disappearing from the frame in his home studio, which immediately alerted Florio.PFT Live cut to commercial pretty shortly after.Michael was in the studio at his home, Florio told Awful Announcing in a statement. Its very warm in there. He hadnt had anything to eat or drink before the show. He became overheated during the show and passed out. I didnt notice until he slumped in his seat, because I was looking at the camera, not the monitor. We went to break right away to try to get him assistance, if he needed it. Fortunately, he recovered quickly and is fine.On Fridays @PFT_Live, Michael Holley became overheated and fainted in the studio in his home. We immediately went to a commercial break in order to get him assistance. Fortunately, Michael recovered quickly and is fine. ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 14, 2026For obvious reasons, we wont be showing that portion of the show. Clips of Florio and Holley discussing Jeremiyah Love running like prime Adrian Peterson, Mike Vrabel aggressively throwing a challenge flag, Anthony Richardson needing a change of scenery,the Jayden Daniels-LSU situation, the Steelers quarterback room, and Fernando Mendoza, among several other topics, are available on the NFL on NBCs YouTube channel, but nothing from the moment itself.Going forward, the control room will reportedly keep emergency contact numbers for hosts loved ones on hand as an added precaution.The post Michael Holley faints live on PFT Live, show says hes fine after brief scare appeared first on Awful Announcing.

PREVIEW | Racing Santander vs Villarreal CF: team news, lineups, predictions (La Liga 16/08)Racing Santander and Villarreal CF face each other this Sunday at the Campos de Sport de El Sardinero on Match Day one of the La Liga. Racing Santander mark their 45th participation in the competition, whilst Villarreal CF go into their 27th.In their last outing, Racing Santander drew 1-1 against Alavs (Pre-season 2026/27). Last time out, Villarreal CF triumphed 1-2 against Galatasaray (Pre-season 2026/27).The last meeting between the two teams ended with Racing Santander winning 2-1.UnavailableRacing SantanderVillarreal CFLast starting XIsRacing Santander ( vs Cdiz 2026-05-31): Jokin Ezkieta, Marco Sangalli, Alvaro Mantilla, Javi Castro, Mario Garca, igo Sainz-Maza, Aritz Aldasoro, Andrs Martn, Peio Canales, Iigo Vicente, Juan AranaVillarreal CF ( vs Atltico de Madrid 2026-05-24): Arnau Tenas, Santiago Mourio, Rafa Marn, Pau Navarro, Alfonso Pedraza, Nicolas Pp, Dani Parejo, Pape Gueye, Alberto Moleiro, Ayoze Prez, Georges MikautadzeDid you know...by playmaker statsHEAD TO HEADRacing Santander and Villarreal CF have already faced each other 33 times, with Villarreal CF holding the advantage: 16 wins, compared with eight victories for Racing Santander.At Campos de Sport de El Sardinero, Racing Santander have the edge in their meetings with Villarreal CF: seven wins in 17 matches. Villarreal CF have five victories.In La Liga, the two teams have met 24 times, with five wins for Racing Santander, six draws and 13 victories for Villarreal CF.

For the first time since January, the Los Angeles Rams will play a football game, which has everyone excited about Saturday's matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs. Of course, it's just the preseason, but it'll be fun to see the Rams on the field in a game setting. The young talent on their roster makes this an even more intriguing afternoon for the Rams.With the team's starters and main backups getting the preseason off, the attention turns to rookies and guys fighting to make the 53-man roster. Here are seven players to keep an eye on this Saturday when the Rams take on the Chiefs.QB Ty SimpsonStetson Bennett will get the start but all eyes will be on Simpson. After making just 15 starts in college, these next three weeks could be the only game action Simpson gets until next summer, so every rep will be important. Things to watch are his arm strength driving the ball down the field, his pocket presence when defenders are bearing down and his accuracy.There's a lot of excitement about the Rams' first-round rookie, as there should be. He's by far the franchise's highest-drafted quarterback since Jared Goff in 2016. With very little to lose, hopefully he lets it rip and plays freely without trying to protect against costly mistakes.RB Jarquez HunterThe pressure is on Hunter to perform. In addition to Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, Rivers is also likely to get the preseason off, given the experience he's accumulated in his career. That leaves Hunter as the lead back for the Rams, giving him a golden opportunity to prove he's deserving of a roster spot. He's an explosive, powerful back with breakaway speed, but he has to display better vision at the line in order to find space at the second level. If he struggles, he could be in danger of getting cut by the Rams.WR CJ DanielsMcVay already said Jordan Whittington and Konata Mumpfield won't play in the preseason, which will give Xavier Smith and Daniels increased opportunities. Daniels should make the team but in the preseason, he'll have a chance to turn some heads and make plays on offense. The Rams could use a receiver with his ability to come down with contested catches, something Mumpfield struggled with last season. Daniels excels in that department and that should be on display Saturday against the Chiefs.OL Keagen TrostRookies are expected to play a lot this preseason, and that includes third-rounder Keagen Trost. Although he's listed at right tackle on the depth chart, it'll be interesting to see how the Rams deploy him. Will he exclusively play tackle? Will he get any chance to play guard? Will he get a shot to play left tackle if David Quessenberry is held out as expected?Trost was one of the best tackles in college football last season and he'll try to prove he can hold up against NFL edge rushers on Saturday.DL Ty HamiltonHamilton didn't play much as a rookie last season and he'll need a good preseason to secure a roster spot for Year 2. The Rams added Tim Keenan III at nose tackle in the draft and while he's also on the bubble, Hamilton has higher expectations as a second-year player who the Rams traded up for in 2025.The Rams could use some depth behind their top four defensive linemen, which could turn into a top five if Aaron Donald returns. Hamilton must show improvements after a quiet rookie year.OLB Wesley BaileyBailey is an undrafted rookie who has already earned first-team reps in practice. The Rams like to rotate their edge rushers, especially in an attempt to keep Byron Young and Myles Garrett healthy, so it's not as if the team views him as one of the top outside linebackers on the team. However, he's a terrific athlete with an NFL-type frame. And he must be doing something well enough in practice to get snaps with the starters.Keir Thomas has been a preseason standout multiple times for the Rams, and now it could be Bailey's turn to stand out this summer. He could make a real push for a roster spot with a strong performance over the next three weeks.CB Cam LampkinLampkin could be a breakout star of the preseason for the Rams. After going up against Los Angeles' receivers in practice all summer, he'll have an opportunity to cover other wideouts on Saturday in Kansas City. He has the frame and skill set to be an NFL cornerback and given the question marks Los Angeles has on the outside, he could be someone who steps up behind Emmanuel Forbes Jr. as a key backup.Look for Lampkin to make at least a couple of plays on the ball Saturday and throughout the team's three preseason games.This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 7 players to watch in Rams' preseason game vs. Chiefs

Los Angeles Dodgers fans don't have to sit on the panic button. If Dodgers majority owner Mark Walter sells his stake in the team, superstar Shohei Ohtani is considered unlikely to opt out of his contract, according to The Athletic. Why is this relevant? Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in Dec. 2023, but the deal included $680 million deferred, with Ohtani's average annual value on the team's payroll being just $2 million. Another wrinkle is that Ohtani was given a "key man" clause in the deal, allowing him to opt out of the contract if Walter sold the team or Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman was no longer in his position. Speculation on Ohtani's future in Los Angeles comes after Walter sold the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers for a reported $12.5 billion earlier this week after buying a majority stake in the franchise in Oct. 2025 for roughly $10 billion. Walter is under federal investigation for potential loan fraud. Through 112 games this season (513 plate appearances), Ohtani has totaled 27 home runs, 74 RBIs, a National League-high 157 OPS+ and 3.4 wins above replacement, while boasting a .292/.391/.544 slash line. Ohtani ranks in the 97th percentile of MLB in average exit velocity (93.4 mph), the 96th percentile in barrel percentage (16.7%) and the 95th percentile in hard-hit percentage (52.4%), according to Statcast. As a starting pitcher, the two-way superstar has recorded a 1.79 ERA, an 0.95 WHIP and a 231 ERA+, while totaling 95 strikeouts and three wins above replacement across 85 innings pitched (14 starts). That said, he hasn't pitched since July 3 due to a knee injury. Ohtani has won NL MVP honors in each of his two complete seasons with the Dodgers (2024-25) and figures to be a finalist for the award again this year. Los Angeles stands atop the NL West at 73-49 and is two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in the NL.

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND , August 14, 2026 — The global olive stone coffee and beverage roasts market is projected to grow from USD 2.4 billion in 2026 to USD 4.8 billion by 2036. This represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2% and total growth of 100.0% over the forecast period, according to Fact.MR analysis covering 2026 to 2036. Get detailed market forecasts,...

TimesofIndia.com in Galle: In times when variation, mystery and darts have become the survival norm, Manav Suthar is a throwback to an era gone by. The beats and drops of techno music have captured the imagination around the world, but Suthar continues to be the classic which never gets old - come for the tone, enjoy the verse and stay for the ending. The ease with which he stands on top of the bowling mark, the grace with which he approaches the crease and the effortless magic of his wrist make him a rare breed.'Kalai mai jaadu hai, alag ball chalta hai iske haath se (He has magic in his wrists. The ball spins viciously from his hand),' has been the unanimous observation of those who have seen him climb up the ladder in the last few years. Selectors were convinced at first sight, and since then his progression has been gradual, aiming not only to prepare for life after Ravindra Jadeja but also to secure an all-weather finger spinner.As someone who made the great Bishan Singh Bedi take note of his classical left-arm spin, Maninder Singh's eyes light up when he talks about Suthar and his craft. It is as if the former India cricketer is playing his own visuals in the backdrop while explaining the nuances of left-arm spin and the attributes which set the youngster apart."The first thing I notice in a spinner is how the ball comes out of the hand, and in his case, it comes out beautifully. His seam position is excellent. As they say, the seam should point towards first or second slip, and that's exactly what I saw. I watched him in the Test match [vs Afghanistan] and even in a couple of IPL games. I don't think he completed his full quota of overs in those matches, but even then I felt he was a delight to watch. BCCI (@BCCI) "He has a beautiful future ahead. I believe he is going to play for India for a long time because I have not seen a classical left-arm spinner like him in a very long time," explains Maninder, one of the finest of his era."His run-up is simple, his action is simple, and the release of the ball from his hand is beautiful. When a spinner releases the ball like that, it tells you he has put in countless hours in the nets. That hard work builds character, and you can see it when he bowls in a match," he adds.'Revs on the ball' was a phrase which went out of currency with the advent of shorter formats and tweakers opting for darts over craft. Suthar, however, came as a breath of fresh air, reintroducing guile, deception and beating the batter in the air. Right from his domestic cricket days through the subsequent India A fixtures, close-in fielders have always been impressed by the sound the ball makes when it leaves Suthar's hand. The poetry isn't interrupted by a late jerk or twitch, and it all just flows like a smooth brush stroke on a canvas."I have heard from fielders standing at silly point and short leg that they can actually hear the sound when the ball leaves his hand. That comes from the revolutions he imparts on the ball. When I say the ball comes beautifully out of his hand, it is because of those revolutions. His run-up, action and release all come together perfectly," Maninder further explains.Not just in India, the 'revs on the ball' also made a lot of noise in England, where Suthar joined Warwickshire to get a taste of County cricket and bowl with a different cricket ball. Head coach Ian Westwood was very pleased with his signing. Even though Suthar played just two games, they can't wait to have him back for more fixtures."He has all the ingredients to succeed in a competitive set-up like India's. The ball leaves very nicely from his hand, and the revolutions he imparts make him the kind of spinner who will succeed in every condition. He is a very smart operator. We only had him for a couple of games but he was well liked within the group," says Westwood. AhmadRana056 (@AhmadRana056) Days after making his Test debut against Afghanistan, Suthar boarded the long flight and turned up for the fixture against Yorkshire. The turnaround time between the two games was just three days, but it did not affect how he operated in the middle. The game against Afghanistan ended in Mullanpur on June 8, and Suthar took the field for Warwickshire in Scarborough on June 12."I remember the turnaround time between his international assignment and County game was very short, but he arrived ready and made an impact. Apart from his bowling, Suthar made useful contributions lower down the order, which makes him an asset for any side. Bowling in England, with different conditions and a different ball helps a spinner's overall development and will hold him in good stead for his international assignments," adds Westwood.The coaches who have worked closely with Suthar at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) have been very appreciative of his work ethic ever since VVS Laxman had asked a former cricketer to groom the left-armer. After minute technical adjustments, such as shortening the delivery stride, he was ready for the 'A' challenge and responded emphatically.Preparation has always been a focus for the 24-year-old, with no compromise on volume. The coaches assert that this work ethic helps him seamlessly make the adjustments and be battle-ready whenever opportunity comes his way.Well before he left for Sri Lanka, Suthar visited the CoE to work on other finer nuances of spin bowling and returned with a pro tip. The wind in Galle can significantly affect how a spinner operates."Use the breeze to your advantage. Whatever angle you bowl from, make sure the ball finishes on the stumps. Learn to use the drift according to the wind," was the advice he received before packing for the island nation.Maninder further explains how the revs will help create drift, and if he can master that art and use the wind to his advantage, Suthar will remove the pitch from the equation and become a banker for the side in any conditions."Those revolutions create drift because the ball cuts through the air. That drift will always work to his advantage. As I said earlier, he is someone who can take wickets on any kind of surface. He doesn't need a turning pitch. Whether it is at home or overseas, he has the ability to pick up wickets. In the future, if India plays with only one spinner overseas, I believe he has the potential to become that bowler," says Maninder.Since arriving in Colombo in the first week of August, Suthar has looked very impressive in the net sessions, warm-up fixtures and the session in Galle. The magic in his wrist has even forced the think tank to consider fielding three spinners - even if all of them release from the hand.That's a rare instance in cricket, but so is Suthar. In a world of techno, he continues to make batters dance to classical tunes.

Under-fire FIFA president Gianni Infantino has taken the governing body to a whole new level which has left his critics jealous, according to Andrew Giuliani, who was executive director for the White House Task Force on the 2026 World Cup.New Zealands football federation became the latest organization to withdraw its support for the Infantinos re-election next year as he continues to lose global support over his aborted plan to sell off a stake in the World Cup to private investors.European governing body UEFA, the North and Central American confederation CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had already made it clear Infantino had lost their confidence, while a number of individual associations including England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland have also confirmed they will not back the president.The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and South American governing body CONMEBOL have, though, both endorsed Infantino to win a fourth presidential term at the FIFA Congress in March.US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has warned FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if it got rid of Infantino.Giuliani son of former New York City mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani claimed anyone who wanted Infantino removed needs to get their head examined.Its politics. Ive seen this before. Ive seen it before when theyve targeted President Trump from a political perspective. Ive seen it before when theyve targeted other people, Giuliani told The Athletic.People are jealous when people are very high achievers and what Gianni Infantino has done for FIFA is hes taken them to a whole new level that probably they didnt think was possible.Youve got to remember, this is the first World Cup that Gianni Infantino was president for landing, right? He inherited the Russia and Qatar World Cups, and did a good job with those, but this is the first one. Its his vision on this.What Ill tell you is that for any soccer confederation or football federation president who is thinking about not voting for Gianni Infantino, it would probably be one of the most foolish decisions of your professional life.This guy literally just put on the largest global sporting event ever without any incident, making over four times the revenue of the last World Cup, and youre thinking of ousting him.If Gianni Infantino doesnt get re-elected unanimously, then whoever voted against him needs to get their head examined.Infantino apologized for his proposal to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a company to run the commercial and operational aspects of FIFAs tournaments, with an idea to sell off around 20% to private investors including a company headed by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner.The proposal was scrapped and Giuliani added: Look, we are all human beings, and I think its one of those things where sport has become monetised and commercialised.I would just say that you have got to look at Giannis full body of work and to also realize that hes always trying to improve his organisation, and I think thats the thing.Just because youre always trying to improve doesnt mean that youre not going to take a misstep here or there, right? As a human being, it happens, but I would look at the body of work and say this is the guy I would want leading.

FILE PHOTO - World Athletic President Sebastian Coe reacts during a press conference. Sven Hoppe/dpaWorld Athletics president Sebastian Coe has played down fears low crowds at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham could mar Londons bid to host the 2029 World Championships.Birmingham is the first UK host in 92 years of European Championships history, but early-week crowds at the 23,000-capacity Alexander Stadium were as low as 12,844.London, who hosted the World Championships in 2017, is competing with Rome, Nairobi and Munich, and will learn their fate after the World Athletics Council meets on September 15.Asked if pictures of empty seats in Birmingham might influence panel members looking at Londons presentation, Lord Coe said: Look, its horses for courses. We had London (Olympics) in 2012, London in 2017, London will point to having sold out Diamond League five months before the event took place. So I think it was a challenge. Its always a challenge starting a championship on a Monday morning.I think back to 2017, we started on a Friday night and we had the advantage of Mo Farah being the centrepiece, so I always sensed this was going to be but local circumstances, middle of the summer, pretty hot out there, not a lot of covering in the stadium, I think there will be a whole series of things.But Im guessing, I mean, last night (when 20,082 spectators watched Amy Hunt win 200-metre gold) felt a pretty buzzing championships, and my gut instinct Im a bit distant from the ticketing strategy here, its obviously not our event, but I dont know.The British bid was boosted after an agreement was reached last week with West Ham over use of the London Stadium.Two of the prospective hosts gave presentations on Thursday, and the other half on Friday. The evaluation panel will then present their recommendation to the council, who may or may not agree.They either accept it or they dont, said Coe, who as the presiding officer does not have a vote. And if they dont, then you open up the process. You dont simply say, Well it goes to (this city), youll have the next one.Its a pretty coherent (process), and it takes the beauty parade element out of it, but it still gives the council the opportunity to properly interrogate beyond the work of the evaluation.The successful 2029 bidder will also hand out the final marathon world gold medals before the marathon world championships become standalone from 2031.London is staging a one-off two-day London Marathon in 2027, which received a record-breaking 1,338,544 entries for 100,000 places.Asked about the London double, Coe, who added marathon and running are a huge part of World Athletics marketplace, said: Again, its very much horses for courses. London can probably support that.

Carl Hester won his fourth Olympic medal in Paris two years ago [PA Media]Carl Hester hopes to set a new record by representing Team GB at an eighth Olympic Games.The dressage rider helped Great Britain win silver at the FEI World Championships earlier this week, qualifying them for Los Angeles 2028.Hester, 59, helped win team dressage gold at London 2012, before adding team silver four years later and bronze medals at the last two Olympics.He first competed at the Barcelona Games in 1992 and since then has only missed out in 1996 and 2008."To hold a record like that would be something I would be incredibly proud of," said Hester, who jointly holds the British record of seven Games appearances with show-jumper Nick Skelton."You can't imagine how all these preparations fall into place, the fact that I had a horse at each of the Olympics in the past that was capable to go, so I have to be incredibly grateful to all of the owners of these horses that have helped me keep prepared for every Olympic Games."He continued: "I have a nine-year-old which would be considered young for the Olympics, so he'll be 11 obviously in two years time, and he should be at the top of his game."Whether he will be good enough to go I can't be sure, but to go to an eighth Olympics then, you really would be able to think about a happy retirement after that, wouldn't you?"I'm not saying I'm going to because I get caught out every time I say that, but it would be a wonderful way (to end) if my career could get that far."Carl Hester won bronze at the last Olympic Games alongside Charlotte Fry (left) and Becky Moody [PA Media]Hester, from the tiny Channel Island of Sark, says he appreciates how tough selection will be for the 2028 Games as there are many obstacles ahead and much hard work to be done. "The older you get the more expectations are put on you," he told BBC Guernsey."We have actually been successful at the last four Olympic Games winning medals, so that's really important that continues because we get funding through the lottery - and the more successful we are obviously the more funds that are available for us all to use for our preparations to get better."We can't guarantee who's going to be on the team because obviously we're (each) working with a horse and your horse has to be completely sound and ready."Probably one month to five weeks before the Games, that's when they do the final selection because you have to make sure that the horse is fit, (and) you're fit."There are only three riders selected for the team to go to LA, that's a very small amount. "There's obviously a huge pool of riders in the United Kingdom that would love to be on that team, so there's a lot of combinations that you have to beat, it's not just a question of being selected because you've been to seven others."

Belgium midfielder Arne Engels is having a medical pending a transfer to West Ham United, Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has confirmed.The Scottish champions rejected a multi-million pound offer from Nottingham Forest for the 22-year-old in the winter transfer window and Engels was keen for a move to English football.O'Neill had hoped to retain Engels until after their Champions League play-off against LASK, with the first leg next Wednesday.But the Celtic manager said: "West Ham wanted him to be available for the opening day of the season.Hassan outlines Champions League ambitionHammers & Boro to go up? Championship club-by-club previewCeltic perseverance pays off as midfielder Baur signs"I would imagine that he's probably at this minute doing the medical. Naturally disappointed, really, that he's leaving the football club, he's done very well for us."And it's hard to dissuade him of that. If it hadn't come up, I think he'd have been happy. Even though the offer came in very late from Nottingham Forest in January, he never moaned about it at all."So it's an opportunity for him and it's really hard for him to turn it down."O'Neill understood why Engels was keen to complete the transfer, especially after Canada right-back Alistair Johnston suffered a leg muscle injury amid interest from Everton."Ideally, I'd love him to have stayed and maybe completed after the two games," the 74-year-old, who is fully back to work after a medical procedure last week, said."It probably wasn't going to happen. You've got a concern, I suppose, with the fact that Alistair played for us when there was an offer on the table, hurt himself, maybe things like that there may disappear."I suppose Arne was probably worried the same sort of thing might happen. From a playing viewpoint, I probably can understand that."Johnston went off at half-time in Celtic's 5-1 win at Kilmarnock on Sunday."He'll be out for a few weeks," O'Neill said. "By the time he's fit, he'll be past the transfer deadline. He's been very stoic about it, really."It's a shame for him, but it's not long-term. It's something that he'll get over and he'll be back."Celtic signed Egypt winger Haissem Hassan and Germany Under-21 midfielder Mika Baur this week and O'Neill expects further arrivals.One could be Chelsea left-back Landon Emenalo as a loan back-up to Kieran Tierney after the 18-year-old was given a tour of Celtic's Lennoxtown training centre this week."I think he's a really fine young player," O'Neill added. "Obviously we need that position covered. Kieran did exceptionally well last season, having been plagued with injuries at Arsenal. He came roaring back, which was great."And this young man has definitely got talent. He's got a bit of an injury at the moment. We're hoping that that will clear up shortly. And, if it does, and I think it will, I'd love to have him."Visit our Celtic page for all the latest news, analysis and fan viewsGet Celtic news notifications in the BBC Sport app