BLUEFISHDEVELOP

Anton Walkes came up through the youth system at Tottenham Hotspur

Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Anton Walkes has died at the age of 25 in a boating accident in Florida, his current club MLS team Charlotte FC has announced.

According to a report by the Miami Herald, Walkes was found unconscious following a collision between two boats close to the Miami Marine Stadium on Wednesday, while in the area to participate in a preseason training camp.

He received CPR at the scene and was transported to hospital but passed away soon after.

The Londoner was on the books at Tottenham between 2013 and 2018 but made just one appearance for the club in 2016 before loan spells with Atlanta United and Portsmouth, whom he joined permanently in 2018.

He then returned to the United States with Atlanta after two seasons on the English south coast before signing with Charlotte FC in late 2021 where he appeared for the Major League Soccer side 23 times last season.

“Everyone at Tepper Sports & Entertainment is devastated by the tragic passing of Anton Walkes,” said David Tepper, owner of Charlotte FC.

“He was a tremendous son, father, partner and teammate whose joyous approach to life touched everyone he met.

“Anton made those around him better people in all areas of life and represented Charlotte FC to the highest standard both on and off the pitch. He will be greatly missed by many and our thoughts and prayers are with Anton’s family during this heart-breaking time.

“The club offers its full support to all those impacted during this period of mourning.”

We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our former player, Anton Walkes.

As a mark of respect, our first team will wear black armbands at this evening’s Premier League match against Manchester City, with all our Academy sides to wear black armbands this weekend.

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 19, 2023

There are no words to describe the sorrow of everyone in Major League Soccer today after learning of the tragic passing of Anton Walkes of Charlotte FC. Anton was a talented and dedicated player who was loved by his teammates and fans. pic.twitter.com/9S7hT3fMiM

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) January 19, 2023

Everyone at Portsmouth Football Club is extremely saddened to learn of the passing of Anton Walkes.

Our thoughts are with his friends and family at this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/bWZIz324z4

— Portsmouth FC (@Pompey) January 19, 2023

In a statement of its own, Major League Soccer paid tribute to Walkes, who was described as a “talented and dedicated” player.

“There are no words to describe the sorrow of everyone in Major League Soccer today after learning of the tragic passing of Anton Walkes of Charlotte FC. Anton was a talented and dedicated player who was loved by his teammates and fans,” the league wrote.

Tottenham, meanwhile, announced that the club will wear black armbands in their Thursday fixture with Manchester City as a mark of respect to their former player.

“We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former player, Anton Walkes. The thoughts of everyone at the Club are with his family and friends at this incredibly sad time,” the club added in a statement.

Usain Bolt is widely considered to have been the greatest sprinter in history

Some $12.7 million has gone missing from an investment account linked to Jamaican Olympic star Usain Bolt, according to his legal team.

Reports emerging from his home country last week say an employee of the Jamaican investment firm Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL) has been linked to “massive fraud… including the missing sums from Bolt’s accounts.”

Bolt’s manager Nugent Walker told The Gleaner that the retired athlete had been made aware of irregularities related to one of his accounts, and that police and financial regulators are investigating the matter.

“[Bolt] has been with this entity over 10 years… His entire portfolio is being reviewed,” Walker stated.

And per Linton P Gordon, a lawyer representing the ex-sprinter, his account once held a sum of $12.8 million but now shows a total of just $12,000.

“If this is correct, and we are hoping it is not, then a serious act of fraud larceny or a combination of both have been committed against our client,” Bolts lawyers said in a legal letter to Stocks and Securities Limited, in which they also demanded that the sum be returned to his account.

They added that they intend to launch civil and criminal proceedings unless the action is taken within a period of ten days.

Stocks and Securities Limited, meanwhile, say that they discovered the potential fraud earlier in January and that several other clients could be missing vast sums of money.

A message appearing on its website directs enquiries to Jamaica’s Financial Services Commission, which is overseeing an investigation into the firm.

“We understand that clients are anxious to receive more information and assure you that we are closely monitoring the matter throughout all the required steps and will alert our clients of the resolution as soon as that information is available,” the company said in a brief statement.

On Tuesday of this week, Jamaica’s financial authorities took temporary control of the investment firm, a move which will require Stocks and Securities Limited to seek government approval for any financial transactions it makes.

Bolt is generally considered to be the most dominant sprinter in history, and holds world records in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay.

Now aged 36, he retired from athletics in 2017.

Ivan Provorov declined to wear a Pride-themed jersey in a pre-game warmup

A prominent NHL analyst has called upon Philadelphia Flyers star Ivan Provorov to return to Russia if he cannot accept American ideals, after he snubbed the team’s Pride-themed celebrations this week.

Provorov, 26, declined to take part in a pre-game warmup this week in which his teammates wore rainbow colors on their jerseys, telling the media afterwards that while he “respect[s] everybody and respect[s] everybody’s choices” he chose not to do so because it clashed with his religious beliefs.

“My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion. That’s all I’m going to say,” he added after his side’s 5-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks, in which he played around 23 minutes.

Provorov’s stance was respected by his coach, John Tortorella, who said that if would be “unfair” to penalize the player due to his beliefs and added that he admired the Russian for “always [being] true to himself.”

The Flyers did not reference the player during a statement following the game, saying only that they “will continue to be strong advocates for inclusivity and the LGBTQ+ community.”

But one figure who didn’t back Provorov’s freedom of expression was NHL senior analyst E.J. Hradek, who said on a broadcast on Wednesday that he should return to Russia if he is unprepared to support Western ideologies.

NHL analyst says on the NHL Network! that if Philly Flyers Provorov doesn’t want to wear a pro-LBGTQ uniform he should leave America, go back to Russia, and fight in the war against Ukraine. The tolerant left! Holy shit: pic.twitter.com/wWLFBy2stC

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) January 19, 2023

“Ivan Provorov can get on a plane any day he wants and go back to a place where he feels more comfortable, take less money and get on with his life that way if it’s that problematic for him,” Hradek said.

“If this is that much of a problem for him, to maybe assimilate into his group of teammates, and in the community and here in this country, that’s OK. Listen, you can feel any way you want.

“But the beauty is, if it bothers you that much, there’s always a chance to leave, go back to where you feel more comfortable – I understand there’s a conflict of sorts going on over there, maybe get involved.”

However, in their own statement on the matter the NHL disavowed any criticism towards Provorov for staying true to his own beliefs.

In their own statement, the NHL said that players have the ultimate authority when it comes to which causes they choose to support.

“Clubs decide whom to celebrate, when and how – with League counsel and support. Players are free to decide which initiatives to support, and we continue to encourage their voices and perspectives on social and cultural issues,” it said.

The Serb is aiming to win his tenth title down under

Novak Djokovic demanded that a rowdy supporter be removed from the arena during his Australian Open victory against Enzo Couacaud on Thursday.

The Serb, who has now won two matches at the Grand Slam event a year on from his contentious deportation from the country, has been warmly received by the majority of fans in Melbourne, as well as throughout the warmup event at the Adelaide International.

However, Djokovic didn’t quite take so kindly to the interruptions of one supporter in particular, who he told the chair umpire was repeatedly attempting to provoke him throughout the match.

“The guy’s drunk out of his mind. From the first point he’s been provoking. He just wants to get in my head,” a clearly angry Djokovic said to umpire Fergus Murphy.

“So I’m asking you, what are you going to do about it?

“You heard him at least ten times, I heard him 50 times. What are you going to do?

“Why don’t you get security to get him out of the stadium?”

"The guy's 𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝… he's not here to watch tennis!"

A furious Novak Djokovic pleads with the umpire to remove a loud spectator from the audience 😤#AusOpen | @DjokerNole pic.twitter.com/IiASc4pyEj

— Eurosport (@eurosport) January 19, 2023

Djokovic’s complaint quickly received the backing of the partisan crowd, many of whom began to chant his name in support of his request – and it didn’t take long for security to identify the individuals involved, as a group of four men wearing ‘Where’s Waldo’ costumes were ushered out of the stadium.

The interruption only served to delay Djokovic’s four-set win (6-1, 6-7, 6-2, 6-0).

“Yeah, some really interesting circumstances that you have to deal with but I guess that’s a Grand Slam, night sessions can be electric in both a positive and negative way for a player on the court,” Djokovic said after the match.

“You just have to accept it and get the most out of it.”

Novak moves on 💪

The 9x champion beats Couacaud 6-1 6-7(5) 6-2 6-0 and will play Grigor Dimitrov in the third round.@DjokerNole • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/VMOcZklPlC

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2023

The manner of his win was overshadowed somewhat by what appeared at one point to be the worsening of a hamstring injury Djokovic has carried into the tournament.

“To be honest, it’s not good at all,” he said of the injury.

“But look, I’ll take it day to day. It was better last match than tonight, that’s all I can say.

“It’s up to God to help me and the physio and everyone. Let’s take it day by day.”

Djokovic will next play Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in his third round match on Saturday.

Andrey Rublev’s Australian Open match was interrupted by protesters

Andrey Rublev, one of Russia’s hopefuls at the ongoing Australian Open, complained to the chair umpire about taunts from spectators bearing a Ukrainian flag during his second-round win against Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori on Thursday.

At the start of the second set, Rublev was targeted by a section of the crowd who draped the Ukrainian flag over advertisement hoardings at the Kia Arena – which came days after Australian Open officials banned the display of the Russian flag throughout the course of the tournament.

The 25-year-old Rublev, who was suspended from playing at Wimbledon last year due to his nationality, informed the official that he did not object to the presence of the flag itself but rather the torrent of insults he claimed were being directed at him.

pic.twitter.com/LGx7wBlWML

— ARUpdates (media) (@RublevMedia) January 19, 2023

“It was not about the flag,” he said afterwards. “I said straightaway to the referee, it’s not about the flag, they can put any flag they want, I understand completely the situation.

“It was more that they started to tell me bad words and bad things. I said to the referee: ‘It’s not about the flag, but please can you tell them at least to not say bad words when I’m on the changeover.’”

This wasn’t Rublev’s only quarrel with the umpire during the match as he became involved in a tense confrontation with the official in the third set after he was accused of uttering obscenities in his native tongue.

Game is getting a bit spicy. Rublev dropped a swear word and the umpire gave him a code violation. Rublev was not impressed. pic.twitter.com/d8kZksyMIJ

— Mark O'Sullivan (@osullysport) January 19, 2023

Rublev, who was penalized for the outburst, reacted furiously and said the umpire couldn’t possibly have understood what he had said.

“Are you from Russia? Do you speak Russian?” Rublev asked, denying that he had used coarse language.

“You have to take this back. There are so many similar words.”

The umpire did not back down, prompting another riposte from the Russian.

“So now you are telling me this, I’m understanding ‘f**k you.’ It’s exactly the same,” Rublev responded.

“So why you don’t give me warning now when I say f**k you? That’s what I hear.”

Rublev ultimately won the match in four sets (6-2, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3) to qualify for the third round of the first Grand Slam event of the new year.

He will next play the UK’s Dan Evans on Saturday.

Former champion Petr Yan has been defeated in his past two UFC bouts

Former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan will look to re-establish his title credentials at 135lbs when he faces Georgia’s Merab Dvalishvili in a five-round fight which will headline the organization’s Las Vegas card on March 11.

Yan, previously a titleholder in Russia’s ACB promotion (now known as ACA), made significant waves upon entering the UFC in 2018, winning seven straight fights – the last of which was a TKO victory over mixed martial arts legend Jose Aldo to claim the then-vacant bantamweight crown.

His first title defense, though, did not go to plan when he was disqualified in the fourth round of a fight with Aljamain Sterling when the American fighter was unable to continue after Yan landed an illegal knee strike to Sterling’s head.

Yan rebounded with a victory against the technically outstanding Cory Sandhagen, only to lose a close decision to Sterling in their rematch in April of last year.

Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili had a little exchange with Petr Yan backstage last night following the ceremonial weigh-ins.😳

The wave from Yan at the end.🤣🤣🤣#UFC273 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/zSfbYbV0GB

— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) April 9, 2022

Yan’s most recent outing in the octagon saw him drop another razor-thin judges’ decision to the up-and-coming Sean O’Malley, despite many analysts suggesting that Yan was the rightful victor.

If Yan is to rebound back towards the summit of the UFC bantamweight division, his path has been set through Dvalishvili – the Georgian powerhouse who is in the midst of an eight-fight win streak in the cage.

The Tblisi native, who also recently defeated Octagon icon Jose Aldo, has soared up the rankings ladder in recent months owing to a series of dominant performances to stand him on the verge of title contention.

However, Dvalishvili has said that he won’t chase the championship belt while it is around the waist of Sterling, a close friend and training partner of his.

But should Yan overcome Dvalishvili, it may provide the impetus for a third fight with the champion – this time with a measure of revenge potentially on the line.

Sixth-seed Maria Sakkari avoided an embarrassing defeat to Russian teenager Diana Shnaider

Greek tennis player Maria Sakkari made clear her objections to the nature of teenage Russian opponent Diana Shnaider’s celebrations during a tense clash on Wednesday at the Australian Open.

Sakkari, ranked sixth in the world, surprisingly lost the first set against the 18-year-old qualifier Shnaider and was close to defeat in the second when she announced her objection to her opponent’s boisterous style of celebration throughout the match.

After levelling the second at 5-5, meaning that she was just two games away from winning the match, Shnaider roared and pumped her fist into the air – all while glaring at her opponent across the court.

Shnaider screams; Sakkari seethes.#AusOpenpic.twitter.com/wGO95IBgya

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 18, 2023

“If she screams one more time in my face,” a fuming Sakkari could be heard on the broadcast saying.

“No, no, no, no, one more time… she’s coming towards me. One more time and I’m going to speak to the referee.”

Chair umpire Christian Rask, though, appeared to dismiss Sakkari’s complaints and allowed the match to progress without any warning to Shnaider for her behavior.

Aggro from Sakkari…

"If she screams one more time in my face, I'm going to call the referee."#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/FIwUhHHphi

— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) January 18, 2023

Sakkari would regain her composure to claim the second set by a score of 7-5, and saw home the win with a more confident showing in the deciding third set, taking it 6-3.

Afterwards, and when cooler heads seemed to have prevailed, Sakkari paid tribute to her rival’s skills on the court – but described Shnaider’s celebrations as being “inappropriate.”

“It’s not easy to play someone that you’ve never played before or seen before on the tour,” said Sakkari.

“I was a little bit hesitant. She was swinging very hard, she was playing very aggressive.

“I think that, you know, during a match you can be very pumped or, you know, the way that some players celebrate their points, it’s not appropriate,” she added.

“I wasn’t happy with that. But, you know, she never did it again. That was very nice of her.”

Shnaider, who was playing in her first-ever Grand Slam event and who is a member of the North Carolina State Women’s tennis team, previously won the girls’ doubles at the 2021 Wimbledon event alongside her Belarusian partner Kristina Dmitruk, while also winning the Australian Open and US Open in 2022.

She is also a two-time semifinalist in junior Grand Slam singles competitions.

The International Skating Union says Russia cannot host Grand Prix events in 2023

The International Skating Union (ISU) has determined following a meeting of its council that Grand Prix of Figure Skating events cannot be held on Russian or Belarusian territory in the upcoming 2023-24 season.

It was decided by the ISU last year that, “until further notice no International Competitions shall be held in Russia and Belarus” – a decree which can only be overturned by an executive meeting of its council.

But following this week’s council meeting it was agreed that the suspension should be extended to account for the following season, due to begin this summer.

Skaters from the Russian Skating Union, the Figure Skating Federation of Russia and the Skating Union of Belarus were suspended from international competition last March following the breakout of conflict in Ukraine and following recommendations from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

“The decision of the ISU Council on the suspension of Russian and Belarusian athletes, which was approved by Congress, will be valid until a special decision of the Council or Congress,” ISU general director Fredi Schmid announced last year.

ISU Grand Prix events are considered to be among the most prestigious tournaments to take place in the sport annually, with only the Olympics and the World and European championships generally held in higher regard.

The Rostelecom Cup, formerly known as the Cup of Russia has predominantly been held in Saint Petersburg and Moscow since 1996, though it took place in Sochi for the first time in 2021.

In April of last year the event, which was due to begin in November, was canceled by the ISU following IOC recommendations.

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Cup of China was also suspended last year due to the country’s Covid-19 situation.

Daniil Medvedev has been a losing finalist at the tournament in the past two years

Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev appears well on his way to what would be a third successive Australian Open final after he eased by local hero John Millman in straight sets (7-5, 6-2, 6-2) to qualify for the third round of this year’s first Grand Slam on Wednesday.

Medvedev, 26, overcame an unusually sluggish start in an opening set which saw his serve broken three times to eventually claim the opening frame, despite failing to convert his first set point.

However, it became business as usual in the second and third set for the Moscow native – securing a double-break in the second to open a sizable lead.

And any sign of a Millman fightback in the third was dismissed by Medvedev’s impressive selection of baseline shots as he looked to extend a run which has seen him lose just twice in the previous two Australian Opens.

Another run to the final would see him become just the fourth man in the Open era to reach three consecutive finals in Melbourne, and he might be boosted by the news that the man who beat him last year, Rafael Nadal, was surprisingly eliminated by the unheralded Mackenzie McDonald.

Smooth sailing for @DaniilMedwed, who accounts for local hope John Millman 7-5 6-2 6-2 to book a place in the third round.

He's looking very, very good.@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/YhFgTrM3wN

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2023

“I think it was a great match. The score in the second and third sets doesn’t reflect what happened on the court,” Medvedev said afterwards, before paying tribute to his opponent.

“First set, he managed to break me three times, which is not that often that it happens. I’m a tad disappointed in myself, but he played amazingly. Big credit to John.

“Physically, it was tough for both of us. At one point in the first set, I was asking myself how I was going to handle it.

“I was already pretty tired; but I had to continue and on a break point for me, I made one cross-court shot which he didn’t even run for. I realized then that it was also tough for him. It wasn’t easy in the first set.

“I think I was going for it a bit too much at times, so in the second and third I started a bit slower, and I was thinking, ‘OK John, if you want to beat me, let’s play 40-shot rallies!’ I managed to be a little bit more consistent.”

Always entertaining, @DaniilMedwed 💪 😂#AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/d8zrhQv70E

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2023

Medvedev will be in third-round action on Friday, when he will face either Sebastian Korda of the United States or Japan’s Yosuke Watanuki.

Elsewhere on Wednesday, the 18th seed Karen Khachanov needed four sets to beat another Australian player, Jason Kubler, while another Russian, Anastasia Potapova, bypassed American Sloane Stephens in straight sets.

There was one notable surprise Down Under, though, as Russia’s eighth-seeded Daria Kasatkina was easily defeated by her unseeded compatriot Varvara Gracheva in two sets (6-1, 6-1).