Montenegro charged over racist chanting during England game

• Uefa opens formal disciplinary proceedings
• England lodge complaint after 5-1 win in Euro 2020 qualifier

Uefa has opened disciplinary proceedings against Montenegro after England players were subjected to racist chants during their resounding Euro 2020 qualifying win at the Podgorica City stadium on Monday.

Man who attacked Petra Kvitová gets eight-year prison term

Wimbledon champion suffered severe knife wound to her left playing hand during assault

A man who stabbed the two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitová has been sentenced to eight years in prison by a Czech regional court.

Paul Nicholls primes big guns for Aintree but Frodon earns long break

• Chance of no National runner for first time since 1995
• Warrior’s Tale could go in shorter Topham Chase

The Spin | Gambling on captain Cameron may prove light-bulb moment for Durham

Cameron Bancroft has never played for Durham but in 1998 Somerset took a punt with Jamie Cox and never looked back

David Squires on … Euro 2020 qualifiers, sticking it to bigots and Skillzy unveiled

Our resident cartoonist on the international break, typical European arrogance and a vaguely lifelike tournament mascot

Ex-football coach Bob Higgins was 'predatory paedophile', court told

Suspect accused of using ‘kingmaker’ status to abuse boys over 25-year period

A former Southampton FC youth football coach was a “predatory paedophile” who used his power as one of the sport’s “kingmakers” to carry out a 25-year campaign of sexual abuse against boys as young as 11, a jury has been told.

Bob Higgins was seen as a “godlike” figure who coached players who went on to achieve national and international success but he was also a serial abuser of young teenagers, Bournemouth crown court heard on Tuesday.

Conor McGregor: UFC star announces 'retirement from MMA'

• Irish MMA fighter wishes old colleagues well
• ‘He has been so fun to watch,’ says Dana White

UFC star Conor McGregor appears to have announced his retirement from mixed martial arts. McGregor, the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion, tweeted: “Hey guys quick announcement, I’ve decided to retire from the sport formally known as ‘Mixed Martial Art’ today.

“I wish all my old colleagues well going forward in competition. I now join my former partners on this venture, already in retirement. Proper Pina Coladas on me fellas!”

Jusuf Nurkic suffers 'devastating' compound fractures during Blazers' win

• Portland center hurt after leg bends awkwardly on rebound
• Injury comes as Trailblazers secure NBA playoff spot

They had just clinched a playoff spot, though there were no cheers or celebrations from the Portland Trail Blazers. Instead, just silence and prayers for Jusuf Nurkic. The gruesome injury suffered by their center overshadowed everything else on Monday night.

“Devastating,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said of the injury. Nurkic had 32 points and 16 rebounds before suffering his left leg injury in the second overtime, as the Blazers outlasted the Brooklyn Nets 148-144.

‘I had a huge swelling’: why my life as a female cyclist led to vulva surgery

There needs to be serious, urgent research into better saddles for female cyclists, says Hannah Dines, who has endured years of pain and swelling caused by friction as she rides

The plastic surgeon, in that particularly endearing way of surgeons, was trying to reassure me that although he had never operated on an endurance cyclist before, he had seen “presentations” like mine. “I’ve seen chronic inflammation and long-term trauma to the vulva like this. You know …” he paused, “in patients who compulsively rub up against bedposts.” Silence.

I decided against explaining that the relationship with my bike saddle did not, perhaps, deserve to be in among the psychiatric cases in his cognitive filing system. However, he had a point. While there is no love lost between me and the necessary evil that is my saddle, I have continued to train, despite huge amounts of destruction to my body, pain and trauma.

Schools’ rugby sevens heaven should be taken much more seriously | Robert Kitson

Many greats, including Gareth Edwards and Will Carling, have played in the Rosslyn Park National Sevens and skills acquired here can be priceless in top-level XVs

Everyone in Mumbai knows about the Oval Maidan where 100 games of cricket can take place simultaneously. Football’s nearest equivalent used to be Hackney Marshes where, during the 1950s and 1960s, 120 pitches would cater for 2,500 players every Sunday morning. And rugby? Look no further than the Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens taking place in south-west London this week.

Over the coming days the world’s largest schools sevens tournament will play host to no fewer than 9,624 participants aged 13 to 18 and 800 teams, including representatives from Pakistan (the splendidly named Angels International College, Faisalabad), Dubai, Kenya, Lebanon and Canada. The tournament, now in its 80th year, has spawned countless future internationals and created lasting memories for even more. Head south down the A3 past Robin Hood Gate and, stretching way into the distance, you will find boys and girls living out their dreams in real time.

'Embarrassing and strange': Boxer kisses female reporter on lips during interview

• Kubrat Pulev ends interview with Jennifer Ravalo with kiss
• Bulgarian had just beaten Bogdan Dinu in Las Vegas

Bulgarian heavyweight boxer Kubrat Pulev had distinguished himself by knocking out Bogdan Dinu in Las Vegas on Saturday night, his 27th victory in his 28th professional fight. What was to follow was less glorious.

He was interviewed by Vegas Sports Daily reporter Jennifer Ravalo after the bout. At the end of the interview Ravalo asked Pulev if he deserves a shot at Britain’s former heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury. The 37-year-old responded with a firm “Yes”, before forcibly kissing Ravalo on the lips and walking off camera. Ravalo was later asked about the incident on Twitter and said it was “embarrassing” and “strange”.

England’s Eddie Jones dismisses Lions coach post as ‘ambassador job’

• England coach has no interest in taking Lions role
• ‘The last thing I want is spend eight weeks in a blazer’

Eddie Jones has dismissed the role of Lions coach as an “ambassador job” while refusing to rule out the possibility of succeeding Michael Cheika as the coach of Australia.

Latest Mankad incident splits opinion in cricket world

• Shane Warne brands Ravi Ashwin ‘disgraceful’
• Mitchell Johnson and Dean Jones offer support

Talking Horses: long-range bets to be voided as 188Bet closes in Britain | Chris Cook

What justification can there be for voiding longer-term bets if a company is still solvent and trading in other countries?

Michael Schumacher’s son to make F1 debut in Ferrari test next week

• Mick to drive for Ferrari on 2 April – after the Bahrain GP
• 19-year-old was the European Formula 3 champion last season

Michael Schumacher’s son, Mick, will make his Formula One debut in a test for Ferrari on 2 April, after the Bahrain Grand Prix, it is understood. Ferrari have yet to confirm the test but Schumacher is expected to drive for them on one day and Alfa Romeo, with whom Ferrari have a partnership, on the next.

The team also announced that British driver Callum Ilott, currently racing in Formula 2 with the Sauber Junior Team and a member for the Ferrari driver academy, will drive the Alfa Romeo at the Barcelona test, on 14-15 May.

Newcastle forward Calum Green cited for allegedly biting opponent

• Second-row could be banned for rest of the season
• Worcester ban supporter under police investigation

Newcastle, who are at the bottom of the Premiership despite winning their past three matches, face losing Calum Green for the rest of the season after he was cited for allegedly biting the Sale hooker Rob Webber last weekend.

The incident occurred in the 22nd minute at St James’s Park when Green was held in a headlock by Webber, who has received a citing commissioner’s warning for that act, at a ruck. Sale claim that Green responded by biting Webber on the hand.

John Gosden calls Nick Rust’s foxhunting analogy ‘extremely unwise’

• Trainer says BHA chief executive’s comment ‘makes no sense’
• Gosden: ‘There’s a lot of love and care for race horses’

Comments made by Nick Rust in a discussion of racing’s equine welfare policies have been described as “extremely unwise” by the leading trainer John Gosden.

During a media event at his stable to promote the Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers’ Million, Gosden did not refer to the chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority by name but criticised a line of argument he made during last week’s appearance on Racing TV, when Rust suggested racing risked finding itself in a similar situation to foxhunting.

Robert Garrigus drug ban sums up a PGA policy that seems only to catch unknowns | Ewan Murray

The small list of golfers who have fallen foul of the US Tour’s anti-doping policy is notably short on household names

Brad Fritsch, Vijay Singh, Doug Barron, Bhavik Patel, Mark Hensby, Scott Stallings, Robert Garrigus. Spot the odd man out.

It is Singh who stands apart, the only one of those to have publicly fallen foul of the US PGA Tour’s anti-doping policy who is a widely known golfer. Even then there is a caveat. The Fijian, a former world No 1, served legal papers on the Tour after it had rescinded a three-month ban he had been given.

Callum Hudson-Odoi dazzles in the limelight on his first England start

The Chelsea teenager was unplayable at times against Montenegro – England have yet another gem on their hands

‘People get judged’ – meet Britain’s only deaf full-time football coach

Ben Lampert, who works with Brentford and England’s deaf team, wants a place for deaf players and coaches in the professional game

Ben Lampert props up an iPad on a table in a Griffin Park lounge and loads FaceTime. At the other end of the call is a British sign language (BSL) interpreter who enables me to interview Lampert, born profoundly deaf, about his work as the only deaf full-time football coach in Britain.

How baseball owners came to value profits over World Series titles

MLB rules state that players must give their best to achieve victory. If only the same could be said for those who run the game

Joshua, Fury, Wilder – big cats kept apart while accountants rule jungle | Kevin Mitchell

Heavyweight names cash in with little risk but fight fans are missing out on the spectacle they want

Romeo and Juliet had an easier time getting together than Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have experienced lately. The courting of the voluble Gypsy King as the perfect ticket-selling foil for the sweet-talking triple-belt world heavyweight champion continues behind the scenes, while each prepares for marking-time bouts against fighters with clean but thin records.

Yet again boxing fans will miss out on the spectacle they want, as Fury prepares to deliver the obscure young German, Tom Schwarz, his first defeat in 25 bouts when they meet in Las Vegas on 15 June. It will be the Mancunian’s debut for ESPN, after signing a staggering £80m, five-fight deal. Fury told MTK Global: “Vegas next, baby. We want to give the fans something to travel to for an event this summer.”

Southend sack Chris Powell in bid to stave off relegation to League Two

• Shrimpers stand one spot above relegation zone
• Powell’s side had failed to win in 11 matches

Southend United have sacked manager Chris Powell after tumbling down the League One table and into a relegation fight.

The Shrimpers have not won in 11 games dating back to 19 January and are only out of the bottom four on goal difference.

Why David Beckham is desperate to keep Inter Miami out of the suburbs

The former England captain wants his team to play in downtown Miami, as soccer in North America markets itself as an urban game

England put five past Montenegro but win marred by racial abuse from stands

By the time they had finished, it was just a pity that Gareth Southgate had more to address than the latest evidence showing why England’s followers can trust this team in a way that scarcely felt possible not too long ago.

They had played, again, with freedom and confidence and the occasion deserved better than to be scarred by the primitive “ooh-ooh” chants that told us Montenegro’s supporters had decided there was one last way to get at the victorious players. The black players, with a grim inevitability.

Football transfer rumours: Ivan Perisic to Tottenham Hotspur?

Today’s fluff is bracing for the storm

Spanish publication AS have taken it upon themselves to interpret vague comments made by Paul Pogba last week as a “come and get me” plea, although theirs is a story Manchester United fans might want to take with a pinch of salt. On international duty with France, the midfielder described Real Madrid as “a dream for anyone”, prompting excitable journalists to declare this means he is ready to leave Manchester United and his agent Mina Raiola is already “working hard” to find his client a new club. Reports elsewhere suggest Real have offered James Rodríguez as a potential makeweight but say United would only countenance sanctioning the sale of Pogba if it meant they got Gareth Bale.

Euro 2020 qualifiers: Ronaldo injured as Portugal are held at home by Serbia

• Portugal forward leaves field with apparent hamstring injury
• Kosovo earn point against Bulgaria in first ever Euro qualifier

Cristiano Ronaldo was forced off with an apparent hamstring injury during the first half of Portugal’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Serbia, which finished 1-1.

His Juventus side face Ajax in the Champions League quarter-finals on 10 April with the return leg in Turin the following week, and the forward will now undergo tests to determine the extent of the injury. “I’m not worried, I know my body,” Ronaldo said later. “I should be back in one or two weeks.”

Mick McCarthy urges angry Republic of Ireland fans not to stage protests

• Manager fears anti-FAI protests could distract team
• Ireland face tricky Euro 2020 qualifier against Georgia

Mick McCarthy has appealed to Republic of Ireland fans not to stage protests that overshadow the Euro 2020 qualifier against Georgia on Tuesday. Supporters have mooted a variety of demonstrations – ranging from hurling tennis balls at the pitch to boycotting the game – to demand change after a week of revelations about curious financial dealings at the Football Association of Ireland.

“I hope it’s not the case [that fans protest], it’s not going to help us play better, that’s for sure,” McCarthy said. “They are fabulous fans and I’d like them to support the team. They give us the best chance when they get behind us. If they have to demonstrate, then I’d like if they do it somewhere else at another time. But I can’t do anything about it, I’m not going to bring a tennis racket.”

Trouble for Scotland, joy for England and Wales hang on – Football Weekly

Cardiff to tell Fifa that Emiliano Sala’s transfer from Nantes was invalid

• City say Sala was not eligible for Premier League when he died
• Nantes want transfer money and say they complied with rules

Cardiff will tell Fifa that Emiliano Sala’s move from Nantes was invalid when they respond to a complaint over their refusal to pay the Ligue 1 club his £15m transfer fee.

The 28-year-old Argentinian striker died in a plane crash in the Channel on 21 January, two days after the Premier League club had announced him as their record signing “subject to international clearance”.

Women in Football condemns online racial abuse of Spurs' Renée Hector

• Women in Football ‘disgusted’ at ‘wholly unacceptable abuse’
• Hector reported abuse that led to Sheffield United player’s ban

Women in Football has expressed its “disgust” at the “disgraceful” racial abuse directed at Tottenham Ladies player Renée Hector on social media.

Montenegro coach 'did not hear' racist abuse that tarnished England win – video

England manager Gareth Southgate condemned the racist abuse levelled at several of his players during their 5-1 win in Montenegro. Southgate said, ‘there's no doubt in my mind that happened and we'll report it to Uefa. It's not acceptable’. But when asked for his response to the chanting, Montenegro’s head coach Ljubiša Tumbaković said he did not hear anything. ‘I don't see the reason why I should comment on that,’ he added. 

Boxer Kubrat Pulev kisses female reporter on lips during interview – video

Vegas Sports Daily reporter Jennifer Ravalo was left "embarrassed" after Bulgarian heavyweight boxer abruptly ended his interview by forcibly kissing her on the lips. Pulev had just knocked out Bogdan Dinu in a Las Vegas fight, his 27th victory in 28 professional fights

Fight erupts after bikes clash in Costa Rica motorcycle race – video

Two motorcyclists have been suspended for two years following a fight that erupted when the pair clashed during a race last month. Jorge Martínez threw the first punch at competitor Marion Calvo after blaming the rider for causing him to lose his balance during the first stage of Costa Rica's National Motorbike Championship in February.

Time-lapse footage reveals completion of Tottenham Hotspur's new stadium – video

The three-year construction of Tottenham Hotspur's new stadium is revealed in a time-lapse video released by the club. The £1bn stadium will be officially unveiled on Sunday, before Spurs play their first match at their new home on 3 April against Crystal Palace.

Striker storms off pitch in protest at racial abuse in Bolivia – video

Brazilian striker Serginho walked off the pitch after being subjected to monkey chants during a Bolivian Primera División match between Jorge Wilstermann and Blooming. “We all endure certain things, but I reached my limit,” he said of the protest. “God created just one race: the human race”

Simone Biles looks ahead to Tokyo 2020 positively after Larry Nassar abuse scandal – video

The Fiver | Adding insult to injury, Alex McLeish hasn't been sacked

Messi, Matty Taylor, Lewis Hamilton and commentators gone wild | Classic YouTube

This week’s roundup also features a wild miss in Germany, scary racing from Southwell and Rustu Recber

David Squires on … the 50th anniversary of Swindon's greatest moment in sport

Our cartoonist on Swindon’s League Cup final win over Arsenal. Yes, more Wiltshire-centric media bias

The Spin | How a pencil hitting a cigar box jazzed up early TV coverage of the Ashes

Hans Pomeranz’s thinking helped bring Test highlights to Australia and ignited his distinguished film career

Chess: England’s medallists battle jetlag but rack up six wins in 4NCL

Luke McShane, Gawain Jones and David Howell racked up a combined six wins in six games in Britain’s National League in Telford

Forty-eight hours after the world team championship closing ceremony in Astana, Kazakhstan, England’s jet-lagged trio of team silver and individual board medal winners Luke McShane (gold), Gawain Jones (silver) and David Howell (bronze) were in action again in the penultimate weekend of the 4NCL, Britain’s national league. Not conveniently near Heathrow, either – they had a further tiring journey to Telford in the West Midlands.

The Breakdown | Warren Gatland’s Wales reflect the image of its leader – stronger together

The New Zealander’s coaching success lies in Wales being able to play catch-up when losing and the ability to defend a lead

When Warren Gatland was asked last week to explain Wales’s success at a time when the regional game was suffering one of its periodic outbreaks, the Wales head coach replied: “Good coaching.” He then chuckled self-deprecatingly before adding “and a bit of luck”.

For all his success in his coaching career, Gatland is no José Mourinho peering into the mirror all the time and trading on past glories. He looks ahead rather than back, plotting the next conquest. But as a Wales team which on paper does not look as strong as England or Ireland plots a third grand slam since the New Zealander took over at the end of 2007, it reflects the image of its leader – stronger together.

Liverpool stay in Europe, handball chat and Berwick Rangers – Football Weekly Extra

Which football players have also turned their hands to art? | The Knowledge

Ellie Downie: ‘You realise that not many people can do what we can do’

British gymnastic champion prefers to focus on herself rather than watching her rivals

While Ellie Downie lives gymnastics every day, and has for as long she can remember, she resides in an often brutal house of pain to which most of us rarely devote a second thought. Every couple of years a major championships is televised, at which point we find our minds temporarily boggled by the extraordinary combination of confidence, balance, strength, courage, agility, coordination, endurance and grace required for these gifted athletes to go about their compelling craft.

As she prepares for the Gymnastics World Cup in Birmingham’s Genting Arena on Saturday, I wonder if the recently crowned British champion ever pauses to consider just how preposterously good she is at attuning mind and body to perform assorted potentially injurious disciplines that most mere mortals could not even countenance attempting?

The ballad of Joe Hart – a Da Vinci code of England angst | Barney Ronay

All good purges require a bad guy but Joe Hart deserves better than to be remembered as a punchline to the good times

Tony McCoy was wrong: Cheltenham Festival ride did need investigation

The mayhem in the National Hunt Chase advanced the cause of those who want the jumps banned

Photo of AFLW player Tayla Harris is not the problem, the vile trolls are | Kasey Symons

The image showcased all that is good about the women’s game; by deleting it, 7AFL sent out entirely the wrong message

At the 1:20-minute mark of the AFLW’s Pride Game between the Western Bulldogs and Carlton, the Blues’ star forward, Tayla Harris, booted the first goal of the game after taking a beautiful contested mark 40 metres out. Commentator Kelli Underwood was calling the play. “Tayla Harris with that very familiar approach, and that very familiar finish.”