Although the biggest story this week is not one directly related to sport, it has had a major impact on sport across the entire weekend.
Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Thursday at her beloved home in Balmoral two days after meeting new Prime Minister Liz Truss. Many have expressed their sadness over social media for a woman and leader who performed her duty to the highest level for longer than what majority of the world’s population have been alive.
It has been a somber weekend for most Britons, the Commonwealth, and to some level, the World. Even though the Royal family expressed no obligation to postpone events, many sporting bodies decided to postpone anyway. All Premier League and EFL games are off, horse racing – a sport much loved by the Queen – and the BMW Championship (European Tour golf) halted on Thursday. The BMW Championship has resumed today, and horse racing will likely to resume on Sunday.
Should Sport Have Gone Ahead
It definitely should have gone ahead.
Simply put, the entire nation screaming out the national anthem in unison (at 3pm) and all players and staff wearing black armbands in honour of the late queen would have been a much better tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The beauty of what we could have witnessed was on show at a smaller scale when West Ham fans showed their love and respect to the Queen during their Europa League match against FCSB of Romania.
Horse Racing and golf could have done something similar, too.
Save Your Money Joan
Barcelona are famous on the pitch with their passing football, and off it with their financial issues. Now they are looking to bully Atletico Madrid into paying them £35million for the signature of Antoine Griezmann. A court case they will not win, and will cost them more money…money they don’t have!
According to Griezmann’s loan contract, if he plays 45 minutes or more in 14 games this season, then Atletico would be forced to pay £35million and sign the 31-year-old.
A deal Atletico and Barcelona agreed to…
So far this season, Atletico coach Diego Simeone has brought on Griezmann after the 60-minute mark in all five matches, which has angered Barcelona. This is a new low for the Catalan club who have tried to bully Frenkie De Jong to leave, force Martin Braithwaite to terminate his contract by mutual consent and now feel it is their right to decide how another team should be playing a player they have on loan.
De Jong stayed, Braithwaite got paid, and everyone at Atletico – including Griezmann – seem pretty happy about the way the Frenchman is being used.
I for one am glad to see people standing up to Barcelona and their ways!
Well done Atletico Madrid, and Diego Simeone!
Battle of Britain
Tyson Fury has been laying on the pressure on Anthony Joshua by calling him out for a fight he has dubbed the “Battle of Britain”. The Gypsy King has provided Anthony Joshua an opportunity at a world title fight after he got outclassed by Oleksandr Usyk for the second time.
Fury and his promoter Frank Warren have said that AJ needs to decide quickly if he wants the fight. Fury will get a 60/40 split from the pay, and 50/50 if a rematch takes place. AJ has no choice but to accept as he will never get another opportunity like this, especially as he doesn’t hold any titles, nor will he while Usyk and Fury are in the division.
In the meantime, Tyson has been sending plenty of videos, and tweets to AJ about the fight.
It is clear to see who is avoiding who.
LIV and Die By The Sword
FedEx cup champion Rory McIlroy (and Shane Lowry) is losing patience with the LIV golfers who chose to leave the European and PGA tours. The Northern Irishman is frustrated that the golfers who chose to jump ship for the lucrative contracts offered by the Saudi backed tour have decided to play the European Tour event.
Many of the golfers who chose to join LIV cited that “they didn’t want to play as many events”, yet here they are playing in an event they do not need to play in.
As Rory put it, they have taken spots away from players who really needed to play this weekend as their career and livelihood depends on it. Same cannot be said about the players who get paid millions to just turn up to a LIV golf event.
In one press conference when asked if he would be more determined to beat a LIV golf player if they were the in the final two coming home. Rory didn’t hold back by saying how they “will be tired as they’re not used to playing four rounds”.
*LIV Golf events are a total of three rounds rather than the traditions four.
It seems like once this year is over, LIV golfers will finally be exactly what they chose to be…LIV golfers only.
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