by tyler | May 17, 2023 | CNN, sport
New York Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán was ejected from his team’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night after officials deemed him to have an “extremely sticky” substance on his right hand.
At the bottom of the fourth inning of the Yankees’ eventual 6-3 victory, Germán was approached by first-base umpire DJ Reyburn to inspect his hand.
“His hand was clearly shiny on the palm and his fingertips, and it was extremely sticky,” crew chief James Hoye told reporters after the game. “So [Reyburn] called me over and said: ‘Hey, take a look at this.’ And the instant I looked at his hand, it was extremely shiny and extremely sticky. It’s the stickiest hand I’ve ever felt, and same with DJ.
“And so at that point, we brought over John Libka, the second-base umpire, and [third-base umpire] Clint Vondrak, to verify all four of us had the same opinion. We all had the same opinion: shiny, extremely sticky and it’s the worst hand we’ve ever felt during a game.”
Germán denied the accusations, insisting that he had only used rosin from the bag near the mound.
“It was definitely just the rosin bag,” Germán said through an interpreter. “It was sweat and the rosin bag. I don’t need any extra help to grab the baseball.”
Rosin is the only sticky substance allowed in the MLB. It is made from the sap of fir trees and pitchers use its powder form in a white bag to help maintain grip on the ball and limit the amount of sweat on their hand.
According to the MLB website, TV coverage appeared to show a dark substance on Germán’s pants near his right hip, although Germán claimed it was chewing tobacco.
Germán now faces an automatic 10-game suspension.
“I’ve got to apologize to my teammates and my team,” Germán said. “I’m putting them in a tough position right now. Understanding how much the bullpen has been used, and what my plan was for tonight to pitch, and putting them in a tough situation where I’m not pitching out there anymore.”
It’s the second time this season Germán has run into issues with this ruling, after being told by Hoye in a game against the Minnesota Twins on April 15 to wash off any excess rosin after he was deemed to have too much on his pitching hand.
“I don’t want this to happen again,” Germán said. “I [followed] the instructions; I’m not using it enough. Now, I use it too much, and there was a problem because it was too much on my hand. So, summer is coming; we’re going to be sweating a lot out there. You need the grip, right? But you also want clear direction from [the umpires] to see what’s appropriate and what’s too much.”
MLB implemented new guidelines in recent years cracking down on the implantation of foreign substances to baseballs.
It gave umpires more power to perform regular checks on the hands of pitchers, including having the discretion to inspect any part of a player’s uniform.
Germán isn’t the only person to have been penalized under these new guidelines.
Last month, New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer was ejected against the Los Angeles Dodgers before the bottom of the fourth inning after umpires inspected his hands and gloves for use of an illegal substance, ruling that the ace’s hand was too sticky.
Scherzer, however, was insistent after April’s game that he had also just used rosin.
“I swear on my kids’ lives, I’m not using anything else,” the veteran explained. “This is sweat and rosin. Sweat and rosin. … I’d have to be an absolute idiot to use anything else. I literally go out there with sweat and rosin, I get ejected.”
by tyler | May 17, 2023 | CNN, sport
The video looks like a gun advertisement – on steroids. Shot in the style of a music video, with quick edits and a pulsating beat, three athletic looking men test fire a variety of machine guns, rocket launchers, assault rifles and handguns.
Surrounded by bearded soldiers in military gear, the three men are shown smiling and laughing, seemingly having a good time. Except, this is not your run-of-the-mill gun range outing.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighters Kamaru Usman, Justin Gaethje and Henry Cejudo are the trio in a video posted online by the notorious Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov in November last year, celebrating their visit to his compound in Russia to see “how real men and defenders of the Fatherland learn to fight.”
Kadyrov is a former warlord known for his brutality and for his allegiance to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He has routinely been criticized for alleged human rights violations including killings, torture and disappearances, his treatment of the LGBTQ community and has also expressed his support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
CNN reached out to Kadyrov for comment but has not heard back.
Ibragim Yangulbaev, leader of the anti-Kadyrov Chechen opposition movement ‘Adat,’ told CNN that Chechen people don’t understand why an international sports company like the UFC would allow fighters linked to Kadyrov to be associated with its organization.
“All the fights that happen in the United Arab Emirates are often attended by Kadyrov himself with his criminal gang. We have been saying for some time that these sports organizations need to prohibit Kadyrov’s fighters to perform,” he said.
Kadyrov last in-person attendance at a UFC event was for UFC 242 in 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The UFC denies that it has any commercial dealings with Kadyrov or his associates, or with any sanctioned entities.
Yet the appearance of the three stars – all former UFC title belt holders – alongside Kadyrov last year isn’t the only question being raised about the UFC’s oversight of the sport. There’s also its decision to allow Russian fighters in general to compete in the world’s premium mixed martial arts organization.
Some critics have suggested Russian fighters in general should be suspended, like has happened in some other sports, for the country’s involvement in the invasion of Ukraine.
But against the backdrop of $21 billion merger between the UFC and the World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE), Russian fighters appear to remain an integral part of the UFC’s business model.
Despite the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the restrictions put on Russian athletes and teams in some other sports, fighters from the country remain free to compete in UFC.
The sport, which has a global fan base of over 700 million, with events broadcast in 50 different languages to more than 170 countries, has relied on the popularity of its Russian fighters to provide appeal to certain areas of the world, according to MMA and boxing financial analyst for Bloody Elbow, John S. Nash.
Nash told CNN that he estimates Russian fighters in the UFC have helped bring in approximately $50 million in TV and sponsorship deals.
“The Southern Caucasus have such great wrestlers and it’s a predominantly Muslim area,” Nash said. “And so those Muslim fighters appeal to the Middle East, the Gulf states. And that’s the UFC’s primary focus … for the monetary reasons.
“Because a guy like [Khamzat] Chimaev, who lives in Sweden, but he’s from Chechnya and he does videos with Ramzan Kadyrov, he’s one of the best welterweights, very popular in the world. And because of him, he has a lot of support in the Gulf states. He gets a lot of sponsorship.”
There are 20 active Russian fighters currently competing in their organized events, according to the UFC website. The UFC has more than 600 athletes from over 70 countries on its roster, according to the organization.
CNN approached all 20 of those Russian fighters, only two responded initially and ultimately none of them agreed to an interview.
The UFC declined to comment to CNN about Russian fighters’ ongoing involvement in the sport.
Khamzat Chimaev, who is No. 3 in UFC’s world welterweight rankings, was born in Russia, before emigrating to Sweden at the age of 18 and he now has Swedish citizenship.
Chimaev has long had ties to Kadyrov. In an Instagram post from December last year, Chimaev is posing with Kadryov calling him a “big brother.” He regularly posts photos alongside Kadyrov’s sons.
CNN has reached out to Chimaev for comment but has not heard back.
Some of Russia’s most important fighters include Islam Makhachev, who is ranked third in the top pound-for-pound fighters and is the lightweight world champion while Magomed Ankalaev recently competed for the light heavyweight title – the fight ended in a controversial split draw.
Before them and now retired, Khabib Nurmagomedov is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time; Nurmagomedov was a key figure in the UFC’s recent marketing deals, according to Nash.
“Part of the reason they probably got [the UFC’s five-year deal to host fights] in the United Arab Emirates was because of Khabib [Nurmagomedov] being the champion. He’s extremely popular in that part of the region.”
At UFC 242 in 2019, Kadyrov was seen embracing both Nurmagomedov and Makhachev after their respective victories. Ankalaev started his MMA career at Kadyrov’s Fight Club Akhmat in Chechnya and Kadyrov voiced his displeasure after Ankalaev’s draw at UFC 282.
The UFC has recently blocked fighters from wearing flags before or after fights to avoid “politically charged” incidents during events, says Nash.
But despite reiterating a non-political stance, that seemingly hasn’t always been the case in the sport. In April’s UFC 287 event, UFC fighter Jorge Masvidal praised former US President Donald Trump who was sat at the event sat next to UFC president Dana White.
“Greatest president in the history of the world, I love that guy,” Masvidal said pointing at Trump.
Despite the “obvious” politicization of the UFC, Nash doesn’t believe that should result in fighters being suspended if they have not voiced their own opinions themselves.
“I don’t think they should ban individual fighters because individual fighters aren’t responsible for the decisions of a basically non-democratic country with Putin,” he said.
“But there is a difference being from Russia and playing in the National Hockey League, which they let Russian players play … and in being a Russian fighter and going overseas and fighting; there’s different in that and then appearing side-by-side in the promotional material of a Chechnyan warlord that’s on the State Department list of possible war crimes and human rights violations.”
Kadyrov is a prominent figure in MMA circles. It’s widely known he has a passion for combat sports and owns his own gym, Fight Club Akhmat.
The club, based in the Chechen capital of Grozny, sees prospective fighters train in a room adorned with a giant mural of Kadyrov’s face on the walls.
He has also been regularly photographed alongside UFC stars, including Chechen-born Chimaev. Kadyrov even attended Chimaev’s wedding last year.
Yet Kadyrov has been criticized for alleged human rights violations resulting in various sanctions from the US government. He’s also been outspoken in his support for Russian President Putin and the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
Kadyrov said recently that Chechen fighters in Ukraine will help Moscow “fight to the victorious end” and has publicly described himself as Putin’s “foot soldier.”
His actions as leader in Chechnya has led to his sanctioning dating back to 2017. He rose to power in 2006 after his father had formed an unlikely partnership with Putin following over a century of conflict between Russia and Chechnya.
As part of the agreement, Dr. Christopher Swift, political scientist and national security lawyer, explained to CNN that Kadyrov gained sole power in Chechnya to rule as he chose while Putin is able to use Chechen soldiers as “enforcers.”
Kadyrov leads sizeable paramilitary forces that – while formally a part of Russian security structures – have personal loyalty to him.
Those troops, known as Kadyrovtsy, or Kadyrov’s men, have a fearsome reputation. During the Second Chechen War, which began in 1999 and coincided with the rise of Putin, Kadyrov’s men helped Moscow wrest control of the Chechen Republic from separatist rebels.
They also earned a reputation for brutality, with investigative journalists and human rights researchers documenting a pattern of disappearances and extrajudicial killings by his forces.
In 2017, the US Treasury prohibited any American businesses working with Kadyrov after he was found to be “responsible for extrajudicial killing, torture, or other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.”
Three years later, the US State Department sanctioned Kadyrov for his involvement in numerous “gross violations of human rights dating back more than a decade, including torture and extrajudicial killings.”
In 2021, the US State Department said it found “continued reports of abductions and torture in the North Caucasus, including of political activists, LGBTQI+ persons, and others critical of Chechnya head Kadyrov.”
Last year, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the first links between Kadyrov’s martial arts clubs and the war against Ukraine.
“Kadyrov has recruited for Russia’s war efforts through mixed martial arts clubs, which enables him and his units to continue their activity in Ukraine,” OFAC said in a news release.
Kadyrov’s appeal and influence on some of UFC’s top athletes is clear, but the UFC as a company strongly denies it has any connection to the Chechen leader.
In a statement to CNN, the UFC said it has “no contractual relationship or any commercial dealings with Ramzan Kadyrov or any of his family, associates, or affiliated companies that have been designated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.”
“UFC enters into fight contracts directly with athletes, not with any intermediaries, including gyms and fight teams,” a UFC spokesperson said. “As independent contractors, UFC athletes have control over many aspects of their careers, including where to train.
“While a small number of UFC athletes have chosen to train independently at Akhmat MMA, UFC itself has no affiliation with Akhmat MMA. UFC conducts due diligence to remain in compliance with all appropriate laws and regulations of the countries in which it operates.”
Kadyrov isn’t the first authoritarian leader to engage in what’s known as “sportswashing,” attempting to burnish one’s reputation through sport.
Since founding the Fight Club Akhmat, Kadyrov has been pictured with some of the biggest names in combat sport; from Nurmagomedov to boxing legends Mike Tyson, Vitali Klitschko and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
He’s also been pictured with greats from other sports, such as football stars Diego Maradona and Mohamed Salah.
The arrival of Usman, Gaethje and Cejudo last year was yet another opportunity for Kadyrov to display his sway in the sport.
During their trip to Chechnya, Gaethje confirmed that he attended a birthday party for one of Kadyrov’s sons. Neither Usman and Cejudo said if they attended.
Gaethje later denied meeting Kadyrov but acknowledged his trip to Chechnya. The three MMA fighters are all represented by Ali Abdelaziz and Dominance MMA. CNN has reached out to Abdelaziz for comment on behalf of Usman, Gaethje and Cejudo.
The US State Department did not respond to CNN’s request for comment, but has said previously it “is aware of Kadyrov’s association with Chechen UFC fighters.”
Swift told CNN that “sportswashing” is a commonly used tactic in the toolbox of strongman rulers such as Kadyrov; particularly as martial arts are the national sport of Chechnya.
“Kadyrov is … co-opting the images. This is Kadyrov’s way of ‘sportswashing’ and managing his constituency inside Chechnya,” he said.
“And it also resonates with his image as a tough guy and a fixer and an enforcer. And so it’s not a surprise that he would be involved with UFC and would want to be seen as associated with the UFC.
“And the people who constitute his shock troops, his forces, and even the people who are just ordinary man on the street in Chechnya, that’s the kind of sport they’re interested in him.”
Despite the sanctions and criticism leveled at Kadyrov, the Chechen-born fighters he is connected with – including Chimaev and Zubaira Tukhugov – continue to compete in the UFC.
Chimaev fought in UFC 279 in September in Las Vegas. At UFC 280, Chimaev posted a photo of him and Kadyrov’s son at the event together.
Chimaev has posted numerous pictures of himself with Kadyrov’s three sons, including ones of the three of them sparring and training in a gym. Kadyrov referred to Chimaev as his “dear brother” in a post about his wedding.
Yangulbaev explained that in Chechen society, they call Chimaev a “nanny of Kadyrov’s kids.”
Yangulbaev says that Kadyrov has placed a specific focus on promoting athletes he has trained in order to “spread his politics throughout the world.”
Despite criticism aimed at the UFC for not taking steps to dissociate itself from Kadyrov and his associates, it has taken no action to do so.
Former UFC fighter Tim Kennedy replied to a video of Chimaev sparring with Kadyrov, saying: “Let me get this right… It’s totally fine that the UFC controls what a fighter wears on his shorts, whether or not they train with James Kraus, or what they do on their social media, but it’s totally fine for them to train with a terrorist.”
And while the UFC has not distanced itself from Russian fighters, including those with ties to Kadyrov, the organization has taken strong stances to dissuade or stop affiliations in the past.
Just days after a betting scandal came to light that rocked the sport, the UFC came out strongly and proactively to ward off fighters from training with the coach accused in the alleged scheme.
And yet, the UFC has chosen not to take any actions restricting fighters from coming into contact with Kadyrov or punishing those who fraternize with him.
by tyler | May 15, 2023 | CNN, sport
It’s an image that encapsulates the power of friendship through adversity: Kevin Sinfield, a legendary figure in the sport of rugby league, stops short of the finish line of a marathon to gather Rob Burrow, his friend and former teammate, into his arms.
The poignant moment came at the end of the inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon on Sunday and the pair received cheers from those spectating when they crossed the line together.
Burrow, who played for England and Leeds Rhinos alongside Sinfield, was diagnosed with the degenerative condition motor neuron disease (MND) in 2019.
Sunday’s 26.2-mile race was held in support of two MND charities and attracted more than 12,000 participants, starting and finishing at Leeds’ Headingley Stadium.
The 42-year-old Sinfield, now defense coach of the England rugby union team, has undertaken a series of endurance challenges to raise funds for MND since Burrow’s diagnosis – completing seven ultramarathons in seven days last year and running 101 miles in 24 hours the year before.
His latest effort saw him push Burrow in an adapted wheelchair through the city of Leeds and its suburbs, crossing the finish line in a time of four hours, 21 minutes and 54 seconds.
“Thankfully, Rob is five-foot-four and quite lightweight too – it’s not like we’re pushing a six-foot-10 guy who’s 25 stone (350 pounds),” Sinfield told BBC Breakfast ahead of the race last week.
“It will be tough, but it will be tough for everybody … I’ve been inspired by Rob throughout the time I’ve known him, especially the last couple of years. The fact that he’s going to be right under my nose this time, I won’t be short of inspiration.”
Burrow’s wife, Lindsey, also completed the marathon and was raising money to build a new MND facility in Leeds.
According to UK media reports, Sinfield has raised more than £8 million (almost $10 million) for MND charities since Burrow’s diagnosis. He ran Sunday’s marathon in a jersey bearing the number seven, which Burrow wore throughout his rugby career.
by tyler | May 15, 2023 | CNN, sport
Colorado Rockies pitcher Ryan Feltner suffered a skull fracture and a concussion on Saturday after he was hit in the head by a 92.7-mph line drive.
Feltner was struck when his pitch was hit back towards him by Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos in the second inning of the Phillies’ 7-4 win. Feltner was hit on the back of the head as he tried to duck and avoid the ball.
The 26-year-old immediately fell to the floor and but didn’t appear to lose consciousness. After spending a few minutes on the ground, he was helped to his feet before being escorted off the field by Colorado training staff.
Rockies manager Bud Black confirmed that Feltner had spent the night in hospital and that, after scans, it had been discovered he’d suffered a skull fracture and a concussion.
“But overall, he’s fine,” Black told reporters. “The feeling’s that it could have been worse, obviously. But he’s going to miss some time.
“Ryan was communicating with players via text, so he was pretty stable by the time the game ended and guys were getting home, 11 o’clock, midnight. He was texting with our medical staff, his parents, and we texted last night. He was obviously in a concussion state, but he was fairly lucid.”
Black said that doctors told Feltner that the fracture would not require surgery.
“The biggest thing is he has to let the trauma heal and let nature take its course on this one,” Black said. “He suffered a head injury. Time is the best healer. From everything that I’ve been told here this morning, things are looking up.”
Castellanos, who was safe with a single after the incident, appeared shaken up afterwards.
“It happens, and then I felt like I was running to first base because it was my job,” Castellanos told reporters afterwards. “Instantly what I thought was, like: ‘Holy sh*t, I hit him.’ There was a part of me that wanted to go to the mound, but I guess the baseball player takes over and you go to first.
“As soon as I touched first, I turned around and was just really hoping that what happened didn’t happen.”
by tyler | May 15, 2023 | CNN, sport
Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics put on a masterclass in Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals to earn a 112-88 win against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The stakes don’t get much higher in sport than a Game 7 against one of your fiercest rivals, but with legacies on the line and a spot in the Eastern Conference finals up for grabs, Tatum stepped up and delivered a record-breaking performance.
The 25-year-old has become the figurehead of this talented Celtics group, and with 51 points – a Game 7 record – he has already cemented his place in Boston folklore.
In a deafening TD Garden, Tatum torched the Sixers from start to finish. The wing had 25 points in the first half and in the game defining third quarter put up a staggering 17 points.
Tatum’s 51, along with 13 rebounds and five assists, will live long in the memory of NBA fans as an all-time great Game 7 performance.
Not only did Tatum end the 76ers’ playoff hopes, but the four-time All-Star could have put an end to Philadelphia’s ‘The Process’ era following another disappointing second-round exit.
‘The Process’ was the name given to the 76ers’ rebuilding phase throughout the last decade and has now become centered around Joel Embiid, but once again Philadelphia has fallen short in the post-season.
Embiid, the regular season MVP, and James Harden failed to match Tatum’s display with both players seeming to crack under the pressure when it mattered most.
Embiid could only muster a measly 15 points – he averaged 33.1 in the regular season – and Harden did not even manage to get into double digits.
Despite their stars not firing, the Sixers remained in the game at half-time – only trailing 55-52 at the interval. Then the Celtics took complete control, Boston outscoring Philadelphia 33-10 in the third, killing the game off with their incredible three-point shooting display.
“It’s a movie. It’s a big movie,” said point guard Marcus Smart of Tatum’s performance. “Being able to just sit back, eat your popcorn and watch. Sometimes we do get in that mode where we forget that we’re on the court playing with him.”
Jaylen Brown also enjoyed his teammate’s performance adding, “JT just got it going and get out of that man’s way. He got it rolling, and there’s nothing they could do to stop him.”
The Celtics will now face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals, a repeat of last year’s and 2020’s matchup. The series begins in Boston on Wednesday with both teams looking to get off to a flying start.
by tyler | May 15, 2023 | CNN, sport
Doyle Brunson, dubbed ‘The Godfather of Poker,’ has died at the age of 89, according to a family statement shared by his agent Brian Balsbaugh on Twitter.
“It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our father, Doyle Brunson,” the statement read.
“He was a beloved Christian man, husband, father and grandfather. We’ll have more to say over the coming days as we honor his legacy.
“Please keep Doyle and our family in your prayers. May he rest in peace.”
The World Poker Tour said Brunson, one of the most recognizable faces in poker history, died on Sunday in Las Vegas.
Brunson won 10 World Series of Poker tournaments during a legendary career before retiring in 2018.
Rarely seen without his cowboy hat, Brunson was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1988 and later become an ambassador of the game.
“His impact on poker will be felt for generations to come,” the World Poker Tour tweeted.
As well as being one of the world’s most prominent poker players, Brunson also wrote the famous book ‘Super/System,” which is still used today by players learning game strategy.
“Legend. There will never be another Doyle Brunson,” Daniel Negreanu, one of the world’s best poker players, wrote on Twitter.
Underneath the family statement, Brunson’s agent posted a photo of an anonymous quote which he says the poker great embraced.
It read: “Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming: Wow, what a ride!”
