Michael Johnson insists he has not given up on Grand Slam Track after the circuit filed for bankruptcy protection (Ricardo Makyn)Michael Johnson said he had "nights where I didn't sleep" during the collapse of his Grand Slam Track (GST) athletics circuit as he insisted a payment made to him just days before its season was cut short had been entirely legitimate.US sprint great Johnson, a four-time Olympic champion, launched Grand Slam Track earlier in 2025 with the bold goal of transforming athletics, promising a concentrated format featuring more frequent head-to-head races between the world's best athletes.But the circuit stalled amid financing issues, with Johnson forced to cancel the fourth and final leg of the circuit in Los Angeles in June last year following meets in Kingston, Miami and Philadelphia.GST filed for bankruptcy protection in December but a legal filing by GST's creditors in March accused Johnson of "secretly" paying himself $500,000 (370,598) days before the season collapsed. A GST representative said at the time the claim was "unfounded and false".Johnson, in an interview with Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper published Saturday, clarified the payment by saying: "I'm happy to clear it up, because it's the most hurtful thing and the exact opposite of what was reported."Our credit card was full at Grand Slam Track, because we were facing significant cash-flow issues. We had 96 athletes, plus companions, whom we needed to fly to Miami and Philadelphia."We had 170 people to house in hotels in both cities, and the credit card had no room left. I instructed our travel team to put it on my credit card, and I would be reimbursed for it."So, what I received was reimbursement. I also loaned the company $2 million (1.5 million) to make sure we took care of the athletes. I decided to forgo my own salary.The 58-year-old Johnson, speaking about the stress he suffered as a result of GST's collapse, added: "It was 10 (out of 10)."In Olympic sprinting, you have to deliver your best performance in seconds, and you get one opportunity every four years - there's probably nothing more stressful than that. But this was the most stress I had dealt with in a very long time."I definitely had nights where I didn't sleep, where I would be awake thinking, 'This is on me. This headline just came out do the athletes believe that?' Those things weighed on me very heavily, and on my family as well."I was asking myself, 'Are you stupid? Why did you do this? This is not what you need'."jdg/ea

Barcelona are eyeing Aymeric Laporte for their defenceFollowing Ronald Arajos all-but-certain move to Liverpool on loan with an option to buy, Barcelona are looking for another world champion.While they close in on Rodri and push for Julin lvarez, the Blaugrana board are also working on the signing of Aymeric Laporte.This was reported by 'Vctor Navarro' in the last few hours. The centre-back was offered to them, and the Culers are considering it.With the departures of Marc Casad, Ronald Arajo and Roony Bardghji, the Blaugrana have a chance to sign the Athletic centre-back.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in here.

Photo by Trevor Wilkinson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesWrexhams first competitive outing of the 2026/27 season ended in disappointment.The Red Dragons were in first-round Carabao Cup action against Middlesbrough on Friday evening at the Riverside Stadium, having previously drawn 2-2 with Boro in their final game of last campaign.As this was a cup match, it could not end in a draw, and Wrexham ultimately fell to a 1-0 defeat thanks to a goal from Will Lankshear.Now, manager Phil Parkinson has shared his verdict on the defeat, including the moment Sam Smith was booked for simulation.Photo by Stu Forster/Getty ImagesPhil Parkinson questions why referee booked Sam SmithEarly in the second half, Smith was played through and burst into the Middlesbrough box before appearing to lose his footing just before he made contact with Boros goalkeeper.There were no penalty appeals from the Wrexham players, but the referee still then decided to show the striker a yellow card for diving.On his player being booked, Parkinson said, as per Leader Live: There were a few moments in the second-half where it didnt quite fall for us. Sam was a bit unlucky when he slipped on that one when the ref bizarrely booked him. I cant quite understand that.Despite suffering defeat in their first proper game of the season, though, Parkinson still thinks there were a lot of positives to take away.He continued: In any game of football, its separated on those moments, and I felt we had enough.Neither keepers had a lot to do. Obviously the big moment was the keeper saving with his legs from Sam in the first half.We sunk a bit at times, but so did they towards the end when we got control back of the game.We just couldnt quite find the moment, but a lot of positives for us.Wrexham will now face Welsh rivals Cardiff City on Monday, August 17, in their first Championship match of the new campaign.They only just missed out on the play-offs last season, but now the format has been expanded to include six teams instead of four, the Dragons chances of making it to the knockout phase should increase.Read more:Ridiculous Soccer fans blown away as Inter Miami share Lionel Messi training footageUSMNT duo issue verdicts after playing their first game for English side Middlesbrough vs WrexhamGianni Infantino responds to wild report that UEFA made six-figure payment to his alleged mistress

RB Leipzigs Assan Oudraogo suffers yet another injury setbackLess than 24 hours after the sensational failure of the Fisnik Asllani transfer, Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig had more bad news to report. Assan Oudraogo has suffered yet another injury setback and now risks missing the beginning of the 2026/27 Bundesliga campaign. Leipzig confirmed on Saturday that the 20-year-old sustained a capsule injury in his right shoulder during the clubs summer training camp in Saalfelden, Austria.There is at least some positive news. Following detailed examinations, RB have elected to treat the injury conservatively and Oudraogo will not require surgery. The German international is nevertheless expected to remain sidelined for a few weeks. The timeframe still places his availability for the beginning of new head coach Martin Demichelis first competitive campaign in doubt.Leipzig travel to Eintracht Trier in the first round of the DFB-Pokal on August 22 before opening their Bundesliga season against Borussia Mnchengladbach one week later. For Oudraogo, the latest setback represents another frustrating interruption to a career that has repeatedly gathered spectacular momentum only for injuries to intervene.Oudraogos breakthrough repeatedly interruptedThe former Schalke academy talent endured an injury-plagued first season after joining Leipzig in 2024, missing substantial time with knee and complicated thigh problems. Even his place in Leipzigs plans appeared uncertain entering last season. Oudraogo nevertheless quickly changed the conversation. After establishing himself under then-head coach Ole Werner, the midfielder earned his first Germany U21 call-up in October. Get German Football News documented Oudraogos rapid progression from an uncertain Leipzig squad role to German youth international.The Mlheim native subsequently forced his way into Werners starting XI and developed into one of Leipzigs most exciting players. His performances eventually earned him an unexpected promotion to Julian Nagelsmanns senior German national team. Following an injury to Mainz midfielder Nadiem Amiri, Oudraogo received his first senior Germany call-up in November.The debut could hardly have gone better.Oudraogo entered Germanys World Cup qualifier against Slovakia at Leipzigs Red Bull Arena on November 17 and required only minutes to score his first senior international goal, completing a 6-0 victory. Six days later, his extraordinary rise continued against Werder Bremen. Oudraogo produced a spectacular strike to open the scoring in Leipzigs 2-0 Bundesliga victory.What initially appeared to complete a perfect week for the teenage talent instead became the beginning of another lengthy injury ordeal. The youngster sustained a tendon injury behind his left knee during the match. Leipzig initially expected him to miss several weeks. GGFN covered the heartbreaking setback only days after Oudraogos senior international breakthrough.January comeback lasted only brieflyOudraogo worked his way back into full team training during Leipzigs January camp in Portugal, with Werner reporting that the midfielder looked very good. At the time, the opportunity to resume one of German footballs most promising individual development stories seemed nigh.The optimism proved premature.After returning against Freiburg, Oudraogo immediately encountered renewed problems with the same knee. Further examinations revealed another severe tendon strain. Leipzig subsequently confirmed that the freshly-capped German international would be sidelined for at least another two months.Oudraogo ultimately returned during the closing stages of the Bundesliga campaign and performed well enough to earn a late place in Nagelsmanns World Cup squad after Lennart Karl was forced to withdraw. The Leipzig talent did not receive any minutes during Germanys disappointing tournament.Oudraogo entered the new season hoping finally to enjoy an uninterrupted run under Demichelis. Instead, another injury has intervened before competitive football has even begun.GGFN|Peter Weis

According to a new report from Intel Market Research, the global AI Wellness Platform Market was valued at USD 3.42 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 7.15 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 7.1% during the forecast period. Market growth is driven by heightened consumer awareness of preventive health, escalating investments in digital-health startups, and expanding reimbursement...

The Tush Push isnt going anywhere.Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion confirmed that the teams signature short-yardage play will remain in the offense as he installs a new system around Jalen Hurts.Its going to be a part of what we do, Mannion said. Its been an extremely effective play here. Were going to lean into that.Mannions answer ends any questions about whether a change at offensive coordinator could lead Philadelphia to move away from the play. The Eagles are adjusting their formations, terminology and overall approach, but there is little reason to remove something that has consistently worked.Philadelphias success with the Tush Push begins with Hurts lower-body strength, but the play requires timing, leverage and execution from the entire offensive line. Opponents have tried to replicate it without achieving the same results, while repeated attempts to remove it from the NFL rulebook have failed.A Green Bay Packers proposal to prohibit teammates from pushing a ballcarrier received 22 votes in 2025, falling two short of the 24 required for approval. No proposal to ban the play was submitted this offseason, allowing the Eagles to continue using it in 2026.Sean Mannion on the Tush Push: Its going to be a part of what we do. It's been an extremely effective play here. Were going to lean into that. pic.twitter.com/wvsGl9UYeg Zach Berman (@ZBerm) August 8, 2026Hurts enters the season with 63 career rushing touchdowns, including eight last year. Not every score came on the Tush Push, but the play has helped turn Philadelphia into one of the leagues most difficult teams to stop in short-yardage and goal-line situations. Mannion was hired to bring new ideas and help the Eagles become more efficient. That doesnt mean removing productive elements from the previous system.The Eagles will continue to expand their offense throughout training camp, but when Philadelphia needs one yard, everyone should expect to see Hurts line up behind center, with teammates ready to push him forward.This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Sean Mannion confirms Tush Push will remain in Eagles' offense

The Scottish Football Association is to hold a "critically important" summit around the future of the national game.An email has been sent to all Scottish Professional Football League clubs to attend the forum, which will take place in St Andrews on 4 September.The email, which has been seen by BBC Scotland, says the SFA will "discuss opportunities" around homegrown talent and hear from clubs who have "optimised their elite talent development model".The memo also states the objective is to focus on the "current reality" facing Scottish football.Part of the conversation will be around improving the prospects for homegrown Scottish talent and increasing revenue streams for clubs.This comes after Scotland's national team failed to make it out of their group at the men's World Cup, their first finals since 1998.The summit will be hosted by SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell and chief football officer Craig Mulholland.'Vast amount of change needed'Former Aberdeen and Scotland defender Willie MillerWhy do we need serious change? Is it an issue with getting young players through the academies? What is actually wrong with our game in Scotland?We've qualified for three major tournaments. The fans seem to be buying in to the league set-up. The numbers are up and the numbers seem to speak for themselves.I'm all for them getting together, I'm all for the authorities speaking to the clubs. There are issues and there are problems. There will be resistance.Dundee manager and former Scotland defender Steven PressleyWe're finally beginning to see some of our young players playing in the lower leagues [on loan via co-operation agreements]. Young players playing games in a competitive, man's environment from an early age is critical.Often, players that you don't think are the ones that'll come through are often the ones that come through just when they get opportunity and exposure. Players just surprise you with opportunity.Former Hearts, Motherwell and Rangers midfielder Andy HallidayThere's a vast amount of change needed, from the ground up. There has to be x amount of Scottish talent in a matchday squad. There has to be a clearer pathway between youth football and first-team football.From grassroots up, there's a multitude of changes that have to be made. We have to deliberately delay 11 v 11 football. Can it go back to nine-a-side football? There's more one-v-ones, more decision making, more game involvements, they'll have double the amount of touches. Technique should be paramount.

CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 01: Rhys Hoskins #8 of the Cleveland Guardians scores on a two-run homer during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Progressive Field on August 01, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesSometimes, you gotta make the tough call to put the old steer out to pasture.Rhys Hoskins has a 95 wRC+ this season. That, especially on the Guardians, is not bad. However, this includes a 79 wRC+ since June 1st, during which time he has struck out 37% of the time. Even more prominently, since June 1st of LAST season, Hoskins has a 57 wRC+ against LHP. Why has Hoskins forgotten how to hit southpaws on a team that needs him to be able to be the career 130 wRC+ against them he has traditionally been like no other? I dont know. Because the baseball gods hate us, probably. Its likely one of two options: 1. small sample size and hell eventually correct things, or 2. the canary in the coal mine that he is washed overall.Regardless, Hoskins isnt helping the Cleveland Guardians win baseball games in his current role of supposed lefty masher who plays first base when LHP are on the mound. Hes not a good defender. But, he is, from all accounts, great in the clubhouse. So great that the team is a game under .500 on August 8th. You can probably sense my skepticism that his clubhouse skills are indispensible to this teams success.I think its probably time to give Kody Huff a chance at a platoon first-base/occasional catching reps role. Huff has a .793 OPS against LHP and .914 OPS against RHP this season, but has traditionally hit LHP better than RHP as most RHHs do. Most importantly, he has a higher OPS away from the Columbus bandbox than at home (.888/.879). Zach Meisel of the Athletic has repeatedly mentioned on the Selby is Godcast that the team LOVES Huff and it was a big reason they were willing to trade Jacob Cozart and Bo Naylor at the trade deadline. Great opportunity to potentially get Huff some experience with Austin Hedges and Patrick Bailey and make use of the 235 innings he has played at first base to hopefully leverage their way to an improvement over what Hoskins has done against left-handed pitching.By September, if Huff struggles and Ralphy Velazquez continues his recent breakout, I would love to see the team give Velazquez reps in a first base/DH role and let him hit LHP. (Cooper Ingle cannot hit lefties, in case anyone is wondering about him in a full-time DH role). Ralphy has consistently hit LHP slightly better than he has RHP over the past two seasons. Hes a full-time hitter, eventually, and it would be great to give him a chance to experience big league pitching and potentially help a team trying to make the playoffs. But, for now, the team needs to take a shot at improving their roster in the Hoskins role, even at the risk to clubhouse chemistry, and Huff seems to be the best potential option.

ROCHESTER, NEW YORK - JULY 29: Skyler Bell #13 of the Buffalo Bills participates in drills during training camp at St. John Fisher University on July 29, 2026 in Rochester, New York. (Photo by Joe Hrycych/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesThe Buffalo Bills entered the 2026 offseason period in need of receiving help. Last year, they had a receiving corps that could kindly be described as poor, and it was one that was clearly not a threat for multiple top-flight defenses. When you can send any number of blitzers against a quarterback as good as Josh Allen, yet still have supreme confidence that his wideouts have next to no chance at uncovering, you know theres a problem with the group as a whole.So, general manager Brandon Beane fixed the mess that, well, he made the offseason prior. He traded for a stud veteran wideout, and the early returns on that deal seem positive. He also drafted a speedster in the fourth round, gambling that the slightly undersized pass-catchers talent would outweight that smaller stature.In todays edition of 91 players in 91 days, we discuss that rookie wideout._____________________________________________________________________________Name:Skyler BellNumber:13Position:WRHeight/Weight:511 192 lbs.Age:24 (25 on 7/5/2027)Experience/Draft:R; selected by Buffalo in the fourth round (No. 125 overall) of the 2026 NFL DraftCollege:UConnAcquired:Fourth-round draft choiceFinancial situation (per Spotrac):Bells four-year rookie deal is worth a total of $5,471,764. For the 2026 season, his cap hit is $1,157,941 if he makes the 53-man roster. If hes released, Buffalo will carry a dead cap charge equal to the total guarantees on the deal, or $1,091,764.2025 Recap:In his fifth year of eligibility, Bell had his best season, building on the solid start he had at Connecticut in 2024 and playing even better in 2025. He caught 101 passes for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns. All of those totals led Division I Independent schools (Notre Dame, Oregon State, and Washington State were the other Independent schools). Bell was a consensus All-American pick, and he was also named a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award as the nations top wide receiver. At the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Bell displayed excellent speed and burst. He ran the forty-yard dash in 4.4 seconds, and he leapt 41 in the vertical jump and 111 in the broad jump. Positional outlook:Bell is one of 14 wideouts in camp for the Bills. Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, DJ Moore, Joshua Palmer, Mecole Hardman Jr., Tyrell Shavers, Quentin Skinner, Dante Pettis, Mac Dalena, Max Tomczak, Stephen Gosnell, Trent Sherfield, and JaMori Maclin are the others. 2026 Offseason:Bell is healthy and hes been solid at training camp so far, albeit with some hiccups. The Bills have used him in a variety of roles, and hes shown great burst and route running ability to give himself space. Hes had some issues with drops, however.2026 Season outlook:When he was drafted, I envisioned Bell coming in and making an immediate impact as the third or fourth receiver. However, I think now that assessment might have been a little premature. Bell is going to make the team, and I still think hes going to be active on game days and available for specific packages. However, with veteran Joshua Palmer having a good camp and third-year man Keon Coleman doing some good things, its going to be tough for Bell to find time on the field, especially if he has trouble securing catches after beating corners off the line of scrimmage.Bell has a speed element that most of Buffalos other wideouts just dont have, but unless he offers the ability to return kickoffs or punts, hes going to have a bit of an uphill climb to playing time early in his career. Could he beat out Coleman and Palmer for time? Absolutely. Palmer showed little in his time before suffering an injury last season, and Coleman has been a disappointment for two seasons running. Coleman, for what its worth, has had his own issues with drops this summer, so Bell could make a move as August rolls onward. Buffalos top five receivers arent necessarily set in stone, but I feel fairly confident in calling Shakir, Moore, Palmer, Coleman, and Bell the five guys that will definitely be on the roster come September. Can Bell find some utility on punt return to make himself a lock for a game jersey on Sundays? OR will that role go to a veteran like Mecole Hardman Jr.? Will the Bills see enough potential in Bell that he leapfrogs Coleman or Palmer for reps on offense? Those questions are all as-yet unanswered. For now, we know that the Bills seem to have found a good mid-round player in Skyler Bell. Hes someone Im very excited to see in preseason action, and even more excited to see once the games matter in September and beyond.

The Daily Merengueis a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. Its in the name! Shoutout to the mods who do a fantastic job,Ezek, Valyrian Steel,Felipejack,Juninho,NeRObutBlancoand yours truly,Kung_Fu_ZizouMourinho continues to face the same struggles that plague every Real Madrid manager. How to find a balance with limited influence in squad construction. Mourinho has received most of what he asked for but as the opening game of the season nears, it is what he did not get that gets magnified and scrutinised. The coach seemingly wanted an entirely new back 4 and has brought in 3 defenders already. He wanted two midfielders and has been forced to settle the one who does not solve the fundamental midfield problem. In attack he has been able to balance the left-leaning dynamic with the addition of a Diamond on the Right. He also recruited a number 9 with the characteristics of a penalty-box striker to give himself more variation in attack. What lingers though, are questions about a CF who is not a natural CF, continuing as the starting CF along with a lack of cohesion in defensive application on the LW, compounded by an inability to press and have any genuine control on or off the ball in midfield. Where Mourinho cannot resolve these issues with personnel changes, he will need to rigid structure to compensate.Thiago Pitarch Is a Real OneThe La Fabrica graduate showed a lot of ability last season. He did not walk into a great team but one that was struggling on and off the ball. He ran tirelessly and constantly tried to play with composure, an admirable feature of his game. Thiagos simplicity on the ball was further highlighted by the typical haphazard play of the established midfielders who simply cannot tolerate or comprehend that a game cannot be played at a single pace or simply the pace that suits the opposition. Frat brother, real brother, that brother. We just upped the score, give me dap, brother.Kung_Fu_KennyThe youngster is seemingly on his way out with the arrival of Bernardo Silva expected to bring some control and experience to the midfield. There is a case to be made for Thiago Pitarch. His game is still developing and hes shown hes already good enough for the big stage after good performances in the Champions League and La Liga. It is true that there will be serious competition in the squad but that competition is necessary. Real Madrid have been poor for two consecutive seasons; competition for places can only serve to push the team to perform better.The Silva Bullet?Midfield options offer very little by way of variation and rhythm control. Enter Bernardo Silva. Coming from the school of Pep, he would doubtless have a greater tendency for control. It isnt entirely clear why he was signed and we are obviously going to find out soon but if he is going to solve the problems of our one-dimensional midfield, he will need to control the tempo from deep. Solving that problem elevates the ceiling of the team from scrapping for La Liga to a shot at the Champions League title.FOOD FOR THOUGHTJos Mourinho is a double-pivot manager. That is his bread and butter. It is highly unlikely that we will see a 4-3-3 which would require far more intense coaching of positioning and deliberate movements. One thing that still stands out is the difficulty of arranging an efficient midfield with the options on hand. @AranchaMOBILE: I think this is how Real Madrid START the season. pic.twitter.com/SpDKlg3TCp Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) August 8, 2026I would personally opt for a flatter midfield 3 with a focus on protecting the back 4 and allowing the front 3 more space to operate freely and stretch the opposition. In games where we can dominate the ball we simply move up the pitch and squeeze the opponent. That said, I do not envy Mourinhos position when having to construct a midfield out of this current squad.