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The former New Zealand has asthma and needed more than the usual dose of his medicine while playing in Delhi during IPL 2016, which had triggered scrutiny

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jun-2018Brendon McCullum has cleared the air about a positive drug test during his time with Gujarat Lions in IPL 2016.The former New Zealand captain has asthma and, in light of heavy pollution in Delhi at the time, he needed more than the usual dose of his medicine. As a result, McCullum’s urine sample was found to have exceeded the allowable limit for salbutamol, a drug that is part of inhalers used to treat asthma. The BCCI approached McCullum with these findings following which he secured a retroactive therapeutic use exemption from a panel of independent medical experts in Sweden to close the matter and clear his name.”There was a bit of a process to go through to make sure they had all the information and ticked off the areas they wanted to see, but we went through it all and [the BCCI] were actually pretty good to work with in the end,” McCullum told .”I certainly don’t see it as a failed drug test. It was just a case of we just need to seek clarification and apply for this. I have no ill-feeling about [the process] and I also have no guilt or remorse about it because I needed a puff of my inhaler at that time.”McCullum hit 60 off 36 at the top of the order in a one-run win for the Lions against Delhi Daredevils in the game that day. But a test after the game resulted in an “adverse analytical finding” because the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules state any dosage that is not consistent with therapeutic use will be considered a violation.McCullum’s doctors and legal team then prepared his defence, which had proven successful last January itself, but he chose to go public with the information now because he wanted to quash the rumours.”I’ve heard this sort of rumbling around in the background for a while and I actually said to my wife, ‘I don’t know why we don’t just deal with this now, I’ve got nothing to hide and it is better off just talking about stuff rather than having other people talking about it’. Otherwise it just grows and festers.”As far as I am concerned it was just a matter of making sure we got everything signed off properly, rather than it being a failed drug test.”McCullum, who has had asthma since childhood, found the going particularly tough in Delhi whose pollution levels have touched dangerous levels in recent years. In November 2016, a first-class match between Gujarat and Bengal had to be abandoned due to smog, and in December 2017, a Test between India and Sri Lanka was severely affected by pollution, with several Sri Lankan players taking ill.

Ronaldo has heaped praise on Jude Bellingham after the English midfielder's emphatic start to his Real Madrid career.

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Legendary striker compares Bellingham to Zinedine ZidaneEnglishman leads La Liga scoring charts with 16 goalsZidane "surprised" by Bellingham's startWHAT HAPPENED?

Ronaldo gave a wide-ranging interview to discussing Los Blancos' season, highlighting their improvement as a side and touching on Kylian Mbappe's potential arrival. But he admitted Bellingham has been the most apparent positive from the campaign so far.

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The former Brazil and Real Madrid man heaped praise on Bellingham: "I love the way Jude Bellingham plays. The way he is playing at Madrid, scoring goals in almost every match, I love to watch him play. He goes forward all the time. I was watching a few matches in the Bernabeu stadium and I was looking for Bellingham. He surprised me a lot with his quality. The speed at which he runs into the area, you can see he wants to score goals all the time. He reminds me a little bit of Zinedine Zidane with his quality."

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Madrid spent big on Bellingham last summer, bringing the Englishman to the Santiago Bernabeu for an initial €103m (£88m/$110m.) Thus far, he has been well worth the investment, leading the line as part of Carlo Ancelotti's unique 4-4-2 diamond setup.

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Bellingham is in the midst of a two-game suspension in the Spanish top flight. He was shown a red card at the end of Los Blancos' La Liga clash with Valencia after confronting the referee over a controversial decision that denied his side of a last-second winner. He will return to the fold for his club on March 31 – but is expected to appear for England before then.

Sunderland may be flying high in the Championship at the moment, but they are at risk of losing an influential figure in 2024, according to a new update.

Sunderland heading for Championship playoffs

The Black Cats equipped themselves impressively on their return to the Championship last season, arguably faring a lot better than many had expected. Tony Mowbray's side only just missed out on a place in the playoff final, which was a great effort after being in League One the previous year, and big things were again expected this time around.

Sunderland haven't disappointed in 2023/24 to date, sitting fourth in the table after 11 matches and picking up some superb victories, including a memorable 5-0 win at home to Southampton. It hasn't been perfect, not least a shock 4-0 defeat against local rivals Middlesbrough at the Stadium of Light earlier this month, but Mowbray's men look in a strong position to finish in the playoffs.

For that to happen, the Black Cats will need to keep all of their most influential players fit and in form for as much of the campaign as possible, and there are key figures everywhere you look, whether it be Dan Neil, Jobe Bellingham or Jack Clarke, to name just a few.

Now, a worrying exit update has emerged regarding one of the first names on Mowbray's team sheet, acting as a possible major setback for Sunderland.

Sunderland transfer news: Bellingham linked with Real Madrid

A Bellingham to Real Madrid claim has emerged in a report from Spain, with billionaire owner Florentino Perez keen on bringing Jobe to the club to play with his brother Jude, who has made a stunning start to life at the La Liga giants.

It is stated that Perez "asked Juni Calafat to send his scouts to bring a full report of Mark and Denise Bellingham's second son", who "caught the attention of those present" when watching England's Under-19s in action, not least because of his likeness to his brother in terms of style of play.

There is no doubt that this would be a massive blow for Sunderland, with Bellingham already such an important presence in the team, despite only being 18 years of age. Mowbray himself clearly loves him to won't want to read a single sentence of the rumours, once saying of him:

"He is very mature for his age. He acts like a seasoned pro, and demands standards. Even in small-sided games, he wants to win. You can see he has a very focused, driven thought pattern on where he is going and how he is going to get there.

"And that is to try to be excellent in everything you do. It's a great mentality. He is not in the team because of his name, it is football ability and his competitive edge and athleticism and technique."

The lure of joining his brother at Madrid could obviously be great for Bellingham, however, allowing him to settle in easier, not to mention play for arguably the world's biggest team, and Sunderland will just hope that he stays loyal to them for as long as possible.

Bellingham's stats this season speak for themselves when outlining his importance, with starts coming his way in all 11 Championship matches, not to mention scoring twice and averaging 1.7 clearances per game.

Jean Clair-Todibo had to be held back by his team-mates after clashing with Nice fans following his side's defeat to Montpellier.

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Nice lose 2-1 to MontpellierSupporters criticise playersTodibo reacts angrily after gameGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Nice suffered their fourth loss in five Ligue 1 matches following the 2-1 home defeat to Montpellier on Friday, who had one just one of their last eight games. Tempers then boiled over at full time as Todibo, who scored an own goal to open the scoring, took umbrage with Nice ultras inside the Allianz Arena. Some supporters reportedly said, "If you're not happy, f**k off," which sparked an angry response from Manchester United target Todibo.

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The captions on the Prime Video translates to, 'Things are heating up in Nice between players and supporters after this defeat! Todibo was very upset!'

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The result means Nice stay fifth, three points outside Ligue 1's European places. Before the match, a banner was unfurled that said 'Not another year without Europe: Get Moving'. After the contest, Todibo, who is expected to leave the club this summer, was quoted as saying, "I don't accept a lack of respect. It got a bit heated between me and a supporter. It was nothing nasty."

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WHAT NEXT?

Todibo, who has also been linked with a move to Chelsea and Liverpool, will next be in action for Nice when they travel to Paris Saint-Germain in the French Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday, before travelling to Lens in Ligue 1 next weekend.

You often feel like a broken record when writing about any of Chelsea's plethora of youth talents. Whether that be the players that developed into brilliant pros, or the duds that fizzle out and disappear – there's seemingly always something dramatic surrounding Cobham graduates.

Today's focus, a player who happily slots into the first bracket, is another example of such as he has enjoyed a meteoric rise that's taken him from Cobham to Europe's summit.

Where did Fikayo Tomori come from?

Oluwafikayomi Oluwadamilola Tomori. "Fikayo". With a name of such Nigerian brilliance, it'd be a shame to waste it, wouldn't it? Well, like his name – Tomori's story is far from simple for the often-unseasoned English comprehension. Born in Canada to Nigerian parents before moving to Kent as a child – starlet Tomori started life as a footballer in Chelsea's academy at age eight.

At this time, his ability was already noticeable as he progressed through the ranks. Often, it was questioned who he'd actually represent as the national teams monitored him closely.

While earning his plaudits at academy level (playing for the U18s at 16-years-old for one example), Tomori later turned out for Canada's U20s before England captured his attention.

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Following international speculation, as well as formative personal achievements like winning Chelsea Academy's Player of the Year in 2016 – Fikayo Tomori got his senior grounding with loans at Brighton (2017), Hull City (2017-18), and Derby County (2018-19).

It was with the last two especially, where the defender shone in the Championship. At the latter, he was coached by Chelsea legend Frank Lampard, and played alongside fellow loanee Mason Mount in a now-cult side that nearly reached the Premier League.

Of the youngster, coach Lampard gushed in 2019:

“His progression this year has been incredible. From when he came in, he was a good young player anyway, but you can see how pivotal he has been in our team. He has grown from within and I’ve enjoyed working with him day to day."

What was Fikayo Tomori's value at Chelsea?

Such were the quality of Tomori's Championship displays, he made his first team breakthrough in 2019. As the Daily Mirror's John Cross put it when the centre-back received his first England call up that same year; the youngster's rise was simply "remarkable".

In that 19/20 season, Tomori got just 15 Premier League appearances under his belt yet he was really turning heads. Such was the case that AC Milan swooped for the £23m-rated centre-back in January 2021 on loan before buying him the next season where astonishingly, his value had risen again to £30m.

Considering they brought him to the club during his youth days, this was quite the pay cheque for the Blues who undoubtedly struck gold on the defender.

How much is Fikayo Tomori worth now?

Tomori settled brilliantly in Milan. He not only received praise for his great displays but also for making the effort to absorb the culture and language.

Even better for Tomori, in his first full term with Milan, he played a part in sealing Milan's first Scudetto in 11 years. Additionally, he became the first Englishman since David Beckham to score for the Rossoneri.

To cap off a rather exponential rise, Tomori's current value, as per Football Transfers' expected transfer value model (xTV) sits at £39.5m and could easily continue to grow, as the now 25-year-old's newest 2022 contract sees him at Milan until 2027.

Bangladesh will aim to build on their Asia Cup success as they square off against Ireland in Saturday’s final

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jul-2018Billed favourites to book the final two spots for the forthcoming Women’s World T20 in the Caribbean, Bangladesh and Ireland lived up to the tag in the eight-team qualifying tournament with convincing semi-final wins over Scotland and Papua New Guinea. A victory in the final on Saturday will be as much a contest for bragging rights as it will to validate or reverse the result of the 2015 edition, where Bangladesh finished second behind Ireland.Either Bangladesh or Ireland will face West Indies (in Group A) or Australia (in Group B) in the World T20 opener on November 9 and 11 respectively, pending the result in the final.Ranked ninth and tenth on the ICC multi-format women’s team rankings, Bangladesh finished atop Group A with a 49-run victory at the VRA Ground in Amstelveen hours within Ireland topped Group B by defeating PNG by 27 runs at the venue.Ireland Women players celebrate a wicket•Getty Images/ICCBangladesh’s entry into the World T20 comes on the back of a maiden Asia-Cup title-winning campaign in June, where they stunned heavyweights India twice. Ireland, meanwhile, recovered from big-margin, limited-overs series defeats against New Zealand and a 2-1 T20I series defeat against Bangladesh – both at home – less two weeks ago.An unbeaten, three-match-winning streak heading into the semi-final meant the crucial tie against Scotland was only for Ireland’s to lose. Having being put in at the toss by PNG, a wicket off the second ball of the game inspired hopes of a potential upset, but only momentarily. A top-score of 36 from the in-form Gaby Lewis anchored a 47-run second-wicket stand for Ireland, before Lucy O’Reilly’s career-best 3 for 13 rolled over PNG for 86 in 19.2 overs.For Bangladesh, their in-form opening pair of Shamima Sultana and Ayasha Rahman – who had laid the platform for the victors in the low-scoring Asia Cup final – added 51 in 6.5 overs, before middle-order batsman Nigar Sultana’s 31 lifted them to 125 for 6.Scotland wobbled early in the chase, losing opener Rachael Scholes to Bangladesh captain Salma Khatun in the fourth over. But the Bryce sisters – Sarah and captain Kathryn – kept Scotland’s hopes alive, with Sarah collecting a dogged 31 that took Scotland past 50 – in the 13th over.It was, however, a timely strike from legspinner Fahima Khatun, who, on Tuesday became the first Bangladesh bowler – male or female to take a T20I hat-trick, that sent back Sarah and triggered a collapse. Scotland lost 7 for 14 over the following three overs, and the four combined wickets from Nahida Akter and vice-captain Rumana Ahmed strangled them to 76 for 7 snuffed out their hopes of qualification.

Aston Villa have made a fast start to the 2023/24 campaign, with their progression since Unai Emery’s arrival just over a year ago evident in their performance.

The Villans currently sit in fifth in the Premier League table, just one point outside of the top four and despite their huge leap in quality, sources are pointing to potential areas that Emery could bolster his squad in this winter.

The Spaniard orchestrated a fine summer of business at Villa Park with the help of Monchi, welcoming five new faces to the Midlands in the form of Moussa Diaby, Clement Lenglet, Youri Tielemans, Pau Torres and Nicolo Zaniolo.

Just two months into the 2023/24 calendar, one of Villa’s new additions could already be forced to be replaced, as Zaniolo awaits his fate after finding himself caught up in the Italian betting scandal.

Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali is poised to be served a ten-month ban from football for his offences, with Villa’s forward potentially facing a similar punishment.

Aston Villa transfer news

As a result of Zaniolo’s potential impending absence, Villa have been linked with some impressive attacking names ahead of the upcoming January window.

One name within the English football sphere that has been named as a potential interest point for Villa is Norwich City starlet Jonathan Rowe, with the 20-year-old impressing in the Championship so far this term with seven goals in 13 appearances.

Far away from the second-tier of England comes another potential target in the form of Athletic Club winger Nico Williams.

A report from 90min has named the Midlands club as one of the Premier League representatives said to be eyeing the forward’s contract situation in Bilbao, however there is set to be fierce competition for the Spaniard’s signature.

Moving away from Spain, reports in Portugal – as relayed by Sport Witness – provided an interesting stance on Villa’s reported interest in Sporting CP star Pedro Goncalves, who already has experience in playing in the Midlands following his inconclusive time at Wolve.

The report claims that Villa may be open to paying the staggering €80m (£70m) release clause in the 25-year-old’s contract, with speculation there that Emery’s side are watching the player.

Pedro Goncalves has been formidable for Sporting CP

£70m is a lot of money, but there’s good reason as to why Sporting believe their forward is worth that much, with his form from last season portraying why he is so highly valued in Lisbon.

In the 2022/23 campaign, Goncalves netted 20 goals and recorded 15 assists in 51 appearances for Sporting, with him most prominently deployed on the right wing.

Lauded as a "superstar" by journalist Jack Collins, the Portugal international’s versatility has been highlighted this season, with him trialled in the slightly deeper full-back position, however the forward is best suited in more advanced areas to showcase his ability in the final third.

In terms of what he could offer to Villa, the 25-year-old shares similar qualities to Zaniolo, and could potentially be the perfect candidate to replenish Emery’s front line if the Italian faces temporary expulsion from football amid the ongoing gambling investigation.

Pedro Goncalves vs Nicolo Zaniolo 2022/23

Nicolo Zaniolo

Pedro Goncalves

Apps

28

51

Goals

7

20

Assists

4

15

Progressive passes per 90

1.92

5.26

Progressive carries per 90

3.44

2.98

Key passes per 90

0.81

2.37

Shot creating actions per 90

2.73

4.55

Figures via FBref

As shown in the table above, Goncalves had a far better season than Zaniolo in the 2022/23 campaign, with his strengths outweighing those averaged by the Italian international in almost every element of his attacking play.

By signing Goncalves, who was once dubbed "phenomenal" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Emery could not only fix the potential woes of Zaniolo’s absence, but also find himself with an upgrade on the 24-year-old, who is still waiting to get out of the blocks at Villa Park.

The position has not been filled since 2017 when Giles Clarke, who held the role for two years, resigned

George Dobell29-Aug-2018The ECB is looking to improve its public image by reintroducing the role of president.The position was originally introduced in 2015 as an apparent attempt to accommodate Giles Clarke, who was in something of a power struggle for the position of chairman with Colin Graves, but is being reimagined in a far more ambassadorial fashion.The ideal candidate will, an ECB document states, have strong skills in “diplomacy” and “speaking in public” but will not be an official member of the board. Instead they will represent the ECB at selected matches and events but will have “no vote or other say within the decision-making structures of the ECB.”A document shared with the county boards also states the president “will not be permitted to talk to the media without express permission of the ECB Board” and “must avoid making any public or private comments or conducting himself/herself in a manner which would conflict with the policy of the ECB Board, would otherwise be regarded as controversial or which may bring or does bring the ECB into disrepute.”The role, described as “of ceremonial nature”, will take pressure off the ECB’s chief executive, Tom Harrison, who does not always look comfortable in the spotlight, and Graves, who has had a gaffe-laden reign as chairman. Nominations for the position have been invited from various “stakeholders” (members of the ECB board can also nominate candidates) and will be assessed by the ECB’s nominations committee who will, in turn, make a recommendation to the board. The candidate will then require the approval of at least 21 of the 41 ECB members.The term of office is a maximum of three years, though the board “may terminate the appointment at any time” and the incumbent will be expected to “liaise with the Chairman and/or CEO to agree what ambassadorial and ceremonial activity he/she undertakes.” The role is unpaid, though expenses will be reimbursed.Clarke, who remained a member of the ECB board while president, resigned in November 2017. The role has not been filled since.

Bayer Leverkusen pulled off an incredible late comeback to beat Azerbaijani side Qarabag and keep their unbeaten record this season in tact.

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Leverkusen fell 2-0 down on home soilFought back to win against QarabagUnbeaten record still going this seasonWHAT HAPPENED?

After coming from behind to rescue a 2-2 draw in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie in Azerbaijan last week, Leverkusen went one further in the return fixture in Germany on Thursday. Qarabag were 2-0 up after 67 minutes and thought they were on their way to a sensational victory, despite having a man sent off just after the hour mark. Leverkusen had other ideas, though, pulling a goal back through Jeremie Frimpong and then, just as it seemed the game was fading out, Patrik Schick popped up with two stoppage time goals to secure a 3-2 win and keep his team in the competition.

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Leverkusen have not been beaten in any competition so far this season. They are 10 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga and on their way to winning the title for the first time in their history. They are also through to the DFB-Pokal semi-finals and their wild comeback against Qarabag keeps Xabi Alonso's men in with a chance of European glory.

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The wild fight back in the Europa League adds further intrigue to what has been a stunning campaign for Leverkusen. The German club will be desperate to keep hold of coach Alonso at the end of the season but they will have to fend off interest from some top teams, with Bayern Munich and Liverpool both interested in snapping him up this summer.

The South African allrounder was roped in due to the BPL dates clashing with the BBL – where Vettori has a long-term contract with Brisbane Heat

Mohammad Isam06-Sep-2018Lance Klusener has been appointed the head coach of the Rajshahi Kings in the Bangladesh Premier League, after Daniel Vettori pulled out due to the tournament moving from November to January.Vettori, who was appointed in March this year, will be busy in January with Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League, which will run from December 19, 2018 to February 17, 2019. The BPL is rescheduled for a January 5 start, and will end sometime in mid-February.”Vettori signed the contract with Rajshahi Kings on the condition that he would not be available if the timing of the BPL coincided with Big Bash League, as his involvement with his Big Bash team was with a long-term contract,” said Kings CEO Tahmeed Huq.Klusener, who was recently appointed consultant coach of Indian domestic side Delhi, will be in his first coaching stint in Bangladesh. He has previously been Zimbabwe’s batting coach, after having started his coaching career in 2012 for the Dolphins in South Africa’s domestic competition. He also had a short stint with South Africa’s senior side in 2015, and with Mumbai Indians in the IPL in 2011.Back in 2010, Klusener turned down the job for Bangladesh’s bowling coach, which eventually went to Champaka Ramanayake.