After FIFA president Gianni Infantino decided to scrap his plan of selling stakes in the World Cup to private investors, UEFA said it's lost confidence in the leader of the association.The European football governing body was the first to oppose the proposal, even saying it would boycott FIFA competitions until it was scrapped."We cannot keep going on like this with secret schemes on fast track timescales, cooked up by faceless individuals and of dubious benefit to the game. We must identify those responsible and hold them to account," UEFA said in a statement on Saturday, August 1. "It is right that, in the coming days and weeks, UEFA will work with its associations and in close co-operation with other confederations to reflect on how this happened and devise a plan to make sure that it cannot occur again."That review should be thorough and fundamental. No option should be off the table. The current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA's confidence but also that of many other members of the football family."Infantino is up for re-election in March. The Switzerland native was seeking approval to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a company used to run commercial and operational aspects of competitions such as the men's and women's World Cups.The major investor of the company was Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.In addition to UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC followed suit on the rejection of Infantion's proposal, causing the demise of the plan that needed a majority vote from the 211 member associations.Former U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro, who was a senior adviser for Infantino, quit on Friday due to the proposal."I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup," Cordeiro said. "Let me be clear. I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally."Football has been central to my life, and after more than 35 years in banking, I understand both the value of this asset and the consequences of giving part of it away. That is why this proposal should be rejected."Infantino's proposed plan has caused a loss of faith from members of the football community, with many seeking his removal from the head of the association.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UEFA says it's lost confidence in Infantino's leadership at FIFA

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.Fortunately for Illinois and its deep rotation, those weak links seem to be few and far between.With a bench that appears to possess as much talent as any in the Brad Underwood era, the starters will not be the only major talking point of this roster.Given the tenacious style of play the coaching staff instills in its players each season, reliable players off the bench will be extremely valuable.Despite each having their own strengths, perhaps the most impactful bench player is Zvonimir Ivisic.Ivisic is widely regarded as one of the best rim protectors in college basketball and was a key reason the Illini were able to stay so structured and efficient defensively when the lineup changed throughout the game.His 1.9 blocks-per-game led the team last season, and his gigantic 7-foot-2 frame forces attacking players to rethink and adjust their offensive strategies.ZVONIMIR IVISIC PUT HIM THROUGH THE RIM pic.twitter.com/HX4guAnZAG Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 22, 2026His presence would be welcomed on many teams across the country as a starter, and Illinois has the luxury of having him on its bench.Moreover, and most importantly, is the stability he provides at the center position.Strong center play is integral to the title aspirations the Illini have. Other players on the roster could, theoretically, be replaced in case of injury to some extent.However, Zvonimir is really the only replacement available if his brother gets hurt. The sense of security he provides for the team allows for more freedom in terms of lineup combinations.With how deep many high-end rosters are, Ivisic and every other member on the bench will have to play above and beyond their role in order to bring that elusive national championship trophy to Champaign.

TULSA, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 19: Zyhir Hope #13 of the Tulsa Drillers celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning during a game against the Arkansas Travelers at ONEOK Field on April 19, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesBlake Snell struck out nine in four scoreless innings for Class-A Ontario in his third rehab start on Wednesday this week. On Friday Snell told reporters at Dodger Stadium he will make another rehab start before returning from the injured list, this time back with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday against Salt Lake.From Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register:My shoulder pain completely went away. I really feel the chips were what was (causing it), said Snell,who pitched with shoulder discomfort for two seasons. I couldnt feel these fingers (ring and pinkie on his left hand). They were kind of numb (for about a year and a half) but I dont need them so I didnt really care.Once they (the loose bodies) came out, I was like, Wow, I can feel my fingers. I was just, Its probably nerve damage from throwing. Whatever. And this (taps shoulder) was never getting better. We were doing everything. I was, I dont get this.Player of the dayWith the trade deadline on Monday, prospect awareness is at a high point of the season. Zyhir Hope is a consensus top-100 prospect in the sport, and continued his fine season for Double-A Tulsa with two home runs in a three-hit game on Friday.Zyhir Hope is making Santas nice list with ANOTHER HOME RUN pic.twitter.com/S3ny13iCpX Tulsa Drillers (@TulsaDrillers) August 1, 2026Katie Woo and Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic on Friday morning wrote that Hope was one name Los Angeles would be open to moving, according to multiple team sources.Hope has big all-fields power and short levers. Hes going to swing over top of lots of changeups with his style of hitting, but he should still get to special power, Eric Longenhagen at FanGraphs wrote in his overview of Dodgers prospects heading into the deadline this week. Hes the hitter Im most worried about overrating here.Friday capped the best month of Hopes career, with 10 home runs and 28 RBI while hitting .372/.439/.745 with 24 runs scored and six steals in 23 games in July.Triple-A Oklahoma CityAlek Thomas hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning to lift the Comets over the Las Vegas Aviators (As).ALEK THOMAS CRUSHES THIS BALL TO GIVE THE COMETS THE LEAD pic.twitter.com/rSfrtdb9Np Oklahoma City Comets (@OKC_comets) August 1, 2026James Tibbs III tripled, doubled, and singled in the win.Ben Casparius in his third rehab game for the Comets threw only five of his 21 pitches for strikes in a wild sixth inning. He walked four batters and allowed a run. Nick Robertson relieved and stranded all three runners. Casparius thus far in his rehab assignment has walked eight of his 14 batters faced, with two strikeouts.Double-A TulsaThe Drillers scored seven runs early, then seven runs late to out-slug the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Royals) by seven runs on Friday.In addition to Hopes two homers, fellow top outfield prospects Josue De Paula home run, double, single and Mike Sirota home run, single shone on Friday, as did shortstop Elijah Hainline, who homered and doubled. Zach Roots first two innings were scoreless but walked three batters in a shaky third inning and couldnt complete the frame, letting in four runs.Myles Caba followed Root with seven outs and didnt allow a run. Kelvin Ramirez struck out five in two scoreless innings of relief.High-A Great LakesJakob Wright allowed the tying run in the seventh and three runs in the eighth in the Loons loss to the Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres). Wright allowed six hits and three walks while recording just four outs in the loss in reliefGreat Lakes didnt have a hit until the seventh inning, but actually held a led before that, albeit briefly. The Loons scored a pair of runs in the sixth inning thanks to three walks, a passed ball, and a sacrifice fly. Jaron Elkins had that first single, and also singled again with two outs in the ninth inning. Those with the only two hits for Great Lakes all night.Brady Smith had a rough High-A debut last weekend, but on Friday he pitched into the sixth inning for just the third time as a pro. Smith struck out five in his 5 1/3 innings and allowed only one run, which scored on a double in the sixth inning, the first run scored by either team in this one.Class-A OntarioFour crooked-number innings spelled doom for the Tower Buzzers in a blowout loss to the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies).Luis Carias allowed five runs without completing the first inning. He only allowed one single but walked four in an inning exacerbated by a throwing error at second base.Ching-Hsien Ko singled home a pair in the fifth inning for Ontarios only runs of the game. Fresno tacked on a dozen more runs over the final four innings, thanks in part to 13 walks by Ontarios pitching staff.Easton Marks got the final 12 outs in scoreless fashion for Fresno to earn a four-inning save.TransactionsTriple-A: Veteran left-hander Cole Irvin was called up to eat innings for the Dodgers on Friday. Right-hander Chayce McDermott was designated for assignment to make 40-man roster room.Friday scoresOklahoma City 7, Las Vegas 5Tulsa 14, Northwest Arkansas 7Fort Wayne 5, Great Lakes 2Fresno 17, Ontario 2Saturday schedule4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Sterling Patick) vs. Fort Wayne (Bryan Balzer)5 p.m.: Tulsa (Christian Zazueta) vs. Northwest Arkansas (Hunter Patteson)5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Jackson Ferris) vs. Las Vegas (Yunior Tur)6:05 p.m.: Ontario (Jack OConnor) vs. Fresno (Sandy Ozuna)

In the photo accompanying this item, CBS analyst Tony Romo is reading a green. It's fitting, given recent developments, to read the legal tea leaves regarding Romo and his employer.In a terse, one-sentence press release issued on Friday, CBS placed Romo on leave "until further notice." CBS promptly elevated J.J. Watt to the top CBS NFL broadcast team, which makes it clear that Romo's leave will trickle into the 2026 season.So what's the end game? An article from Andrew Marchand of The Athletic hints strongly at the possibility that CBS may be looking for an off-ramp from a contract that has four years and $72 million remaining. And if CBS eventually pulls the trigger on a "for cause" termination that would cut off Romo's money, the amount of money still owed would spark a massive legal fight.As Marchand notes, Romo's contract has a morals clause. It's usually a very broad and vague term, which often speaks in terms of "personal conduct with respect to what is generally considered public morals" while on or off the clock, compliance with "social conventions or public morals or decency," and behavior that brings the employee or the network "into public disrepute, contempt, scandal, or ridicule, or that shocks, insults or offends the community" or that simply "reflects unfavorably" on the employee.Depending upon the specific ingredients of the word salad CBS tossed into Romo's contract, it may decide to conclude that Romo's arrest for suspicion of operating while intoxicated, his behavior during his traffic stop and failed field sobriety test (which he knew or should have known was being recorded), and the alleged presence of an open container of alcohol in his vehicle are enough to constitute a violation of the very broad and vague morals clause.Romo would surely fight back, if CBS eventually tries to fire him with cause and without pay. Assuming his deal includes an arbitration clause (as it should, if the CBS lawyers knew what they were doing), there wouldn't be a lawsuit or a trial in open court.The challenge for Romo's lawyers would be to find other situations in which CBS broadcasters engaged in potentially similar conduct without being fired for cause, in an effort to show that the morals clause was being invoked as a pretext for escaping a contract that CBS now regrets. If, as many believe, Romo simply isn't as good at his job as he used to be, that's not enough for CBS to fire him for cause. They'd need something more, and the morals clause may give it to them.Then there's the "nothing to lose" dynamic. If CBS would be paying him $72 million to go away, why not try to pay him nothing instead? If they lose the arbitration, they'd still pay him the $72 million anyway.The most prudent outcome would be a settlement of his contract. That would come down to negotiating the amount that CBS would pay Romo to leave, and every dollar saved under $72 million would be a bonus.At this point, no one knows what CBS will do. Based on what it has done, common sense points to CBS looking for a way out of the Romo deal, while saving as much of the $72 million as it can.

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It's set to be another big year for the Ohio State Buckeyes on the gridiron this season as the team looks to reignite its annual National Championship hopes.After another big win in "The Game" against arch rival Michigan to cap off an undefeated regular season, the Buckeyes faltered in the Big Ten Championship game as they lost to Indiana before losing in the College Football Playoff to Miami.SHOP: Ohio State football ticketsDespite that, head coach Ryan Day is sure to have his team team in the mix with plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. To help ring in a new college football season, Nike just dropped college football-themed Vomero 18 running shoes, which includes Ohio State has one of the featured schools.Below, you'll learn more about the shoe and how to up your school spirit this season.Shop Ohio State Nikerunning shoesOhio State Nike Vomero 18 running shoesFeaturing a prominent scarlet red color, the Ohio State Nike Vomero 18 has white and black accents, including the white foam sole and black back design.The Buckeyes logo is featured on both sides of the shoe to give a true team spirit feel. 2026 Ohio State Buckeyes football ticketsTickets are available now for every Buckeyes game this season, from the team's home games at Ohio Stadium to road matchups.Ohio States faces plenty of marquee opponents during the season, including a rematch of last year's opener against the Texas Longhorns (starting at $553) and another chapter of "The Game" against Big Ten rival Michigan to cap off the regular season with tickets starting at $431. Ohio State 2026 football scheduleSaturday, Sept. 5 - Ohio State vs. Ball State - Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio at 12:30 p.m. ET - Tickets start at $69Saturday, Sept. 12 - Ohio State at Texas - Darrell K RoyalTexas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas at 7:30 p.m. ET - Tickets start at $553Saturday, Sept. 19 - Ohio State vs. Kent State - Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio at noon ET - Tickets start at $93Saturday, Sept. 26 - Ohio State vs. Illinois - Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio at TBD - Tickets start at $140Saturday, Oct. 3 - Ohio State at Iowa - Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa at TBD - Tickets start at $196Saturday, Oct. 10 - Ohio State vs. Maryland - Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio at TBD - Tickets start at $148Saturday, Oct. 17 - Ohio State at Indiana - Memorial Stadium Indiana in Bloomington, Ind. at TBD - Tickets start at $441Saturday, Oct. 31 - Ohio State at USC - LA Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles at TBD - Tickets start at $294Saturday, Nov. 7 - Ohio State vs. Oregon - Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio at TBD - Tickets start at $298Saturday, Nov. 14 - Ohio State vs. Northwestern - Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio at TBD - Tickets start at $119Saturday, Nov. 21 - Ohio State at Nebraska - Memorial Stadium Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb. at TBD - Tickets start at $160Saturday, Nov. 28 - Ohio State vs. Michigan - Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio at noon ET - Tickets start at $431Shop Ohio State Nike Vomero 18running shoesThis article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nike drops new Ohio State Vomero 18 running shoes ahead of college football season

Nirmal Purja became known internationally following a 2021 Netflix documentary [AFP]Renowned British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja is among 10 people killed in an avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan, his company has said.Sharing the news on social media, Elite Expeditions said it confirmed with "profound sadness and immense heartbreak" that Purja, 43, had died in Thursday's avalanche. Purja, who was born in Nepal and later served in the British army, was known for scaling the world's 14 highest peaks in just over six months in 2019.Pakistani officials had previously announced that the bodies of three climbers from his expedition - American Mallory Geis, Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy from Oman and Pur Bahadur Gurung from Nepal - had been recovered.Purja's death was also confirmed by Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah, who said that "the tragic death of six Nepalese and four other foreign climbers, including world record holder Nirmal Purja, in the Karakoram mountain range of Pakistan, has shocked us"."The history of their courage, dedication, and contributions will always remain inspiring," the prime minister added.Naila Kiani, a spokesperson for the Alpine Club of Pakistan which is involved in the rescue efforts, told BBC's Newshour programme that Purja had led many expeditions that she was on and. Praising his leadership skills, she described him as a "very experienced climber and fearless".Kiani said the Alpine Club would only announce his death once the body has been recovered - but she added that "we are fearing them all dead".She also said rescuers had seen some bodies - but were yet to reach them.Teams in Pakistan have been searching for the climbers on the world's 12th-highest summit after an avalanche on the 8,047m (26,400ft) peak in the Karakoram range.The multinational climbing group was being led by Purja. Also known as Nims, he rose to prominence in 2019 when he climbed all 14 of the world's mountains with peaks above 8,000m in 189 days - smashing the previous record by more than seven years.He became widely known following a Netflix documentary chronicling his journey, 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, released two years later.At the time, he said: "It has been a gruelling but humbling six months, and I hope to have proven that anything is possible with some determination, self-belief and positivity."Purja served in the British military for 16 years, 10 of which were spent in the special forces, and he was awarded an MBE by the late Queen in 2018 for his achievement in extreme high-altitude mountaineering.Purja, who lived with his wife and three-year-old daughter in Hampshire in southern England, said he was also the first Gurkha to climb Everest while serving in the British military.In his last post on X, published on Monday, he said he had not intended to climb Broad Peak."Initially, the plan was to climb just G2," Purja wrote, referring to Gasherbrum II, another peak in the Karakoram mountain range.But right before he set off for Pakistan, he realised that if he also managed to climb Broad Peak while he was there, he would have only one more mountain to conquer before becoming the "first person in history to climb all 14 eight-thousanders twice. Without oxygen."An eight-thousander is a mountain that rises more than 8,000m above sea level."This wasn't planned," Purja wrote. "But opportunities don't scream: they whisper to those already working in silence.""Broad Peak, I ask for nothing but safe passage up and back down. I take zero mountains for granted," he wrote.Broad Peak is regarded as one of the more challenging mountains for climbers. The first successful ascent was in 1957, when an Austrian expedition reached the summit.Since then, many more have climbed the mountain, but dozens have lost their lives.One of Broad Peak's deadliest years was 2013, when at least six fatalities were recorded.This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.

Spalletti: Suzuki prohibitively expensive, wondering why Tottenham dropped VicarioJuventus coach Luciano Spalletti admits Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki is prohibitively expensive and hes hesitant about Guglielmo Vicario. Wed have to understand why Tottenham left him out.MILAN, ITALY FEBRUARY 14: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus, looks on prior to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on February 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)The Bianconeri are finally active on the transfer market after a difficult summer, and played a 2-0 friendly victory over OGC Nice yesterday.Spalletti spoke to several different reporters in the mixed zone and new quotes emerged from La Gazzetta dello Sport and Tuttosport with regards to the search for a goalkeeper.Spalletti outlines Juventus concernsTURIN, ITALY APRIL 06: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus, looks on prior to the Serie A match between Juventus FC and Genoa CFC at Allianz Stadium on April 06, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)I like Suzuki a lot, because hes a goalkeeper with great prospects. If you look at the papers, he is linked with all the biggest clubs, but at this moment he is prohibitively expensive, because there are many complications.Weve also got to take into account our spending.TOKYO, JAPAN MAY 31: Zion Suzuki of Japan applauds fans after the international friendly match between Japan and Iceland at MUFG Stadium on May 31, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Kenta Harada/Getty Images)A cheaper option compared to the Parma and Japan international would be Italian Vicario, who has been effectively frozen out by Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham Hotspur.The fact this decision was made after shoulder surgery in March has raised some real doubts for Juventus and Spalletti.Vicario is an experienced goalkeeper who has already gone through some situations, one of them serious. We have to understand why a club like Tottenham decided to leave him out, what evaluations they made.It is widely reported that Juventus have deals in place for Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayer Leverkusen winger Kerim Alajbegovic.I can express myself on Kolo Muani, because the director reassured me on that front, but as far as I know the situation is different for Alajbegovic, added Spalletti.Does their arrival mean that Dusan Vlahovic is no longer welcome back as a free agent, seeing as he seems unconvinced by Besiktas?Enough with Vlahovic, shrugged the coach.

Union Berlin to bring former Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath to the Bundesliga?Transfermarktlends credence to a report emerging in Britains Daily Mail regarding a potential Bundesliga move for Ivorian striker Emmanuel Latte Lath. The former Middlesbrough striker is evidently displeased with his move to Atlanta United in Americas MLS. Union Berlin, meanwhile, are disappointed with the current state of their attacking corps.No Union forward scored more than six goals over the entirety of last years Bundesliga campaign. Those who did contribute on the goalscoring front, such as young German prospect Ilyas Ansah and veteran Scottish journeyman Oliver Burke, proved woefully inconsistent.Serbian striker Andrej Ilic did register five league tallies, but found his true strength as a provider. Ilics 11 assists dwarfed his Bundesliga goal total. Ilic also picked up two assists to his one goal in two cup appearances. The 26-year-old counts as more of a set-piece man than an open play forward.The FCU squad hasnt featured a double-digit goalscorer since current Mainz 05 attacker Sheraldo Becker found the back of the net 11 times during the 2022/23 Bundesliga campaign. Latte Lath possesses the profile to address that weakness.Who is Emmanuel Latte Lath?Latte Lath came through Atalantas academy and made his senior debut in an Italian cup fixture as a teenager. The Bergamo club subsequently sent him on a long sequence of loans. The striker represented Pescara, Pistoiese, Carrarese, Imolese, Pianese, Pro Patria, SPAL and St. Gallen before finally leaving Atalanta permanently.His most convincing European breakthrough arrived in Switzerland. Latte Lath scored 14 league goals and supplied four assists in 31 appearances for St. Gallen during the 2022/23 campaign. Middlesbrough then signed him for approximately 7 million in the summer of 2023.The Ivorian scored 29 goals in 67 competitive appearances for Boro, including 16 Championship goals during his first season. His finishing streak and pace attracted interest from several Premier League clubs before Atlanta United completed an MLS-record transfer in February 2025.Atlanta paid approximately $22 millionjust under 21 million at the timeand handed Latte Lath a contract valid through 2028 with an option for another season.Atlanta move fails to meet expectationsLatte Lath scored seven goals and supplied one assist in 30 MLS appearances during his debut season. Atlanta nevertheless endured a disastrous campaign, finishing near the bottom of the Eastern Conference after winning only five league matches.The strikers estimated market value initially rose to 18 million following his record transfer, but has since fallen to approximately 10 million. This year, Latte Lath has scored two goals and one assist in 14 appearances during the current campaign. He has lost his regular starting role.Atlanta have also experimented with using him on the right side of the attack rather than exclusively as a centre-forward. The player himself reportedly suggested the positional change, with Alexey Miranchuk occupying a deeper central role.Unions interest does not mean a transfer is imminent. Atlanta invested heavily in Latte Lath and retain him on a long-term contract, meaning the MLS club will presumably seek to recover a substantial portion of their original expenditure.GGFN|Peter Weis