Tag: League

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PGA Tour denies golfers’ waiver requests to play Saudi-backed LIV Golf league event in London

PGA Tour denies golfers' waiver requests to play Saudi-backed LIV Golf league event in London

In a surprising decision by the PGA Tour this week, golfers who sought permission to play in the first LIV Golf Invitational Series tournament have been denied their waiver requests. It is unknown at this time whether any PGA Tour players will risk punishment by going ahead with participation in the event at the Centurion Club in London from June 9-11.

“We have notified those who have applied that their request has been declined in accordance with the PGA TOUR Tournament Regulations. As such, TOUR members are not authorized to participate in the Saudi Golf League’s London event under our Regulations,” said PGA Tour senior vice president Tyler Dennis in a memo to players. “As a membership organization, we believe this decision is in the best interest of the PGA TOUR and its players.”

The belief was that the PGA Tour, which must grant permission to its members to play in events outside the PGA Tour itself, would approve the waivers for the first of eight LIV Golf events this year before denying them at a later date when the league moved to North American turf. Instead, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has laid down the law early, denying his membership the ability to participate in the big-money events from the jump.

This is slightly unusual. Many golfers, including Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson were granted waivers earlier this year to play in the Saudi International, which is an event on the Asian Tour. However, the PGA Tour sees this LIV Golf Invitational series differently, ostensibly because it is not a one-off event but the beginning of a rival league. The PGA Tour only allows players three waiver requests a year.

If players choose to defy those denied waivers and play the event anyway, Monahan has consistently maintained in private that players could be suspended and permanently banned from the PGA Tour.

“Our PGA Tour rules and regulations were written by the players, for the players,” said Monahan at the Players Championship earlier this year, implying that suspensions and bans would hold up in a court of law. “They’ve been in existence for over 50 years. I’m confident in our rules and regulations, my ability to administer them, and that’s my position on the matter. … We’re confident in our position, and we’re going to keep moving forward as a PGA Tour and focus on the things that we control.”

PGA Tour players who either requested waiver releases or were linked with the league include Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Jason Kokrak, Kevin Na and Robert Garrigus. Then there’s Mickelson, of course, who is by far the biggest name involved, seemingly the linchpin for the entire thing and will undoubtedly end up being the poster boy in a court of law for how this all shakes out.

LIV Golf is a Saudi Arabia-financed league that is laboring to create an alternative golf tour while luring some of the top players in the world to its events. It was reported that Phil Mickelson helped write the operating agreement for the league before he disappeared from public view following some controversial comments about the folks running the league he allegedly helped start. The 48-golfer, 12-team LIV Golf events — five of which are slated to be played in the United States later this year — will have purses of $20 million, including a $5 million payout to the top team at each event.

Greg Norman, who is currently serving as the CEO of LIV Golf, has been adamant that legally-speaking golfers — who are considered independent contractors — could not be banned from the PGA Tour. The Tour obviously sees that differently. While this waiver denial is certainly surprising for the first event — the PGA Tour grants waivers all the time to events not held on North American soil — this was always going to come to a head at some point later on when the leagues clashed with conflicting events on the same dates in the United States.

This entire saga has been one that would likely head to court since the day it began. Now, it seems that is likely to happen sooner than originally thought.

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Events: Beloved’s Garden of Oneness Celebration, Assistance League sidewalk sale, Foodies 4 Kids, Puppy Prom

Events: Beloved's Garden of Oneness Celebration, Assistance League sidewalk sale, Foodies 4 Kids, Puppy Prom
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Garden of Oneness multi-cultural event Saturday, May 14

The Beloved’s Garden of Oneness Celebration, a multi-cultural event promoting unity, peace, love and inclusivity is 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 14 at the Encinitas Community and Senior Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Dr. Highlights include an art exhibition and community collaborative art sculpture. The program includes unveiling the Community Collaborative Oneness sculpture, made of hundreds of messages received from the public on the themes of unity. Guest speakers include Encinitas Mayor Catherine Blakespear, M.T.O. School of Islamic Sufism, and other members of the scientific, artistic, interfaith, and nonprofit communities. There will be multicultural and interfaith music, dance, poetry and Sufi Art displays along with artist reception for “Oneness” Exhibition for the gallery show that is at the Encinitas Community Center through June 30. Refreshments, ethnic delicacies and appetizers. Free admission. The event is sponsored by the San Diego and Los Angeles M.T.O Shamaghsoudi Schools of Islamic Sufism.

Sidewalk sale benefits Assistance League

Assistance League of Rancho San Dieguito will hold an outside sidewalk sale of plants Friday, May 13, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday, May 14, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the thrift store, 1542 Encinitas Blvd. The sale will offer creative pots, succulents, plant cuttings, starter plants, containers, bird feeders and garden art that have been prepared by volunteer members to help the organization raise funds for the League’s philanthropic programs. ALRSD thrift shop welcomes donations of plants for this sale and also gently used household items and clothing. Visit alrsd.org.

Restaurants partner with Promises2Kids for Foodies 4 Foster Kids

Show you care by dining where it matters throughout the month of May to benefit 3,000 children in foster care. Promises2Kids has partnered with 37 local restaurants to raise funds for San Diego foster children. The campaign will run throughout the month of May, in celebration of National Foster Care Month.

Each restaurant will designate select menu items which will support the Foodies 4 Foster Kids campaign. Funds raised will benefit foster children by reuniting siblings living apart in foster care, supporting high school and college students in reaching their educational goals, providing birthday gifts, school clothes and opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities, and providing an emergency shelter where children feel safe and cared for.

Promises2Kids helps foster children overcome the difficulties of their past and grow to become healthy and successful adults. The community is invited to support Promises2Kids by dining in or ordering online at participating businesses. The community can also make an online gift at give.promises2kids.org/foodies4fosterkids2022

For more information on Foodies 4 Foster Kids, including participating restaurants, visit: promises2kids.org/foodies2022/

Helen Woodward Animal Center to hold Puppy Prom

Rancho Santa Fe-based nonprofit Helen Woodward Animal Center will hold a Puppy Prom for alumni adopters, their pets and all animal lovers 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 14 at Original 40 Brewing Company, 3117 University Ave. in San Diego. The event will feature music, food, drinks, vendors, a prom costume contest, a corsage making station, a photo station, special prizes and the crowning of a four-legged Prom King and Queen. Free to attend. Costume contest participants are asked to make a $15 donation to the Helen Woodward Animal Center. Visit animalcenter.org.

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Saudi league contacts world’s top amateurs to play in events

Saudi league contacts world’s top amateurs to play in events

After its efforts to lure the top professionals in the world backfired, the new Saudi-funded startup league is going after the world’s best amateurs.

According to a Telegraph report, the top six players in the World Amateur Golf Ranking have been extended one-year invites to compete in all eight events of this year’s inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series, which begins next month in London. It is unclear when the invitations were sent out and which players were in the top six at the time.

“We did invite several amateurs as part of our mission to develop the next generation of golf talent,” a LIV spokesperson told the Telegraph. “They can stay amateur or turn pro.”

GolfChannel.com has confirmed that at least two of the current top six amateurs have been contacted by LIV Golf, but further details could not be disclosed.

The report adds that such amateurs would have the opportunity to earn guaranteed paydays of $840,000 total for the first seven events, the equivalent of finishing last in each, and the chance to compete for $4 million winner’s checks and percentages of the $90 million team prize pool.

However, the report also mentions that amateurs cannot earn prize money in PGA Tour and DP World Tour events because of those tours’ specific policies, which is not completely accurate. Even new rules regarding name, image and likeness, as well as the USGA’s rules of amateur status, stipulate that amateurs cannot earn prize money. And currently, there are NCAA-eligibility hurdles for international players in obtaining NIL deals, which would be one way for LIV Golf to financially compensate current amateurs.


BY Ryan Lavner


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Lee Westwood confirmed he has asked the PGA and DP World tours for a conflicting-event release to play in the first LIV event next month.

Of the six players in the latest WAGR, updated Wednesday morning, four of them play college golf and only one is expected to turn professional after the NCAA Championship this June. So, it’s assumed that any acceptance of prize money at these LIV events would cause such player to forfeit his amateur status and, in some cases, his NCAA eligibility.

The report also notes that a spokesperson said the league “would allow amateurs quickly to change their status and earn unprecedented sums to kick-start their careers,” and the amateurs would also be extended Asian Tour membership.

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Gary Bettman says for NHL ‘to hold any league events here,’ Calgary Flames need new arena  – Calgary | Globalnews.ca

Gary Bettman says for NHL ‘to hold any league events here,’ Calgary Flames need new arena  - Calgary | Globalnews.ca

National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman suggested Tuesday that Calgary may not be able to host any big NHL events in the future without a new arena.

Bettman made the comments while speaking to media on Tuesday evening while in Calgary to attend the Flames’ first playoff game of the 2022 post-season. He suggested that he believes there is an urgency to build a new arena for the NHL team.

“If we’re going to hold any league events here, there needs to be a new building,” he said.

“I don’t think that comes as a surprise to anybody.

“I think it’s a priority for the City of Calgary, I think it’s a priority for the Flames, I think it’s a priority for the people that live in Calgary and want concerts and family shows in addition to NHL hockey.”

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Bettman said that while he is not planning on meeting with city officials during his short trip to Calgary, he is meeting with the Flames’ ownership group on Wednesday and is sure he will “get an update.”

“I’m always optimistic,” he said. “Obviously there’s nothing going on right this second to report that would indicate that there’s going to be a solution immediately, but my hope is that everybody can figure this out.”

Since Mayor Jyoti Gondek was elected, Bettman said he has also had conversations with her about a new building, and added he remains “hopeful” that such a project will one day come to fruition.

Read more:

Coverage of costs: Flames, city explain cause of Calgary arena deal collapse

Bettman also noted that while he believes the Flames’ arena may be due for a replacement, the one thing that isn’t in need of a tune-up is the fans.

“The fan level of enthusiasm and attachment to this team — the Flames — is always something that I marvel at,” he said. “I think the second night of our playoffs is showing that we’re off to a terrific start.”

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‘Kind of a mental thing’: spotlight on superstitions as NHL playoffs begin
‘Kind of a mental thing’: spotlight on superstitions as NHL playoffs begin

The Calgary Flames kicked off their playoff run on Tuesday evening against the Dallas Stars.

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NBA2K League Returns to In-Person LAN Events With New Studio in Indy

NBA2K League Returns to In-Person LAN Events With New Studio in Indy

The focus going forward will be on tournament play, including new 3v3 tourney

After two years of online play and remote production, the NBA2K League has a new in-person home for the 2022 season. In-person NBA 2K League competitions, which began last night with bracket play of THE TIPOFF Powered by AT&T, will take place at the new NBA 2K League Studio at The Pavilion at Pan Am in Indianapolis. And, while the league is proud of all the technology innovations and remote-production workflows it developed over the past two years, there’s nothing quite like returning to in-person LAN competitions.

“For the crew, the league, and the players, on a scale of one to 10, I would put the excitement level at about 4 million,” says Matt Arden, head of content and media, NBA 2K League. “At our live events, the energy is palpable, with all the noise and the chaos and the fun. The energy level that the players infuse into that live product is amazing, and seeing them explode and blossom on the live stage has been one of the great joys of this job. We can’t wait to have that energy back in the room and yell and scream and watch these players do what they do best.”

Although bracket play for the league’s in-season tournaments — The Tipoff, The Turn, The Ticket — and its playoffs and finals will take place in Indianapolis, NBA 2K will continue to embrace the cloud-based remote-production ecosystem it has cultivated over the past two years for qualifying and group play.

“I’m excited to finally and fully return to in-person production,” says TJ Canty, director, broadcast operations and events, NBA 2K League. “We’re still very much moving forward with our cloud-based remote-control room. There is nothing like the feel and energy of a live event. This year will be even more interesting, considering we’re doubling our overall camera counts and videoboards.”

Inside the Indy Studio: Dual Stages, Double the Cameras, Plenty of Excitement

During the pandemic, NBA 2K’s online-play broadcasts featured a fast-paced whip-around among multiple games. In an effort to recapture that high-speed excitement for LAN play, NBA 2K League experimented with the concept of dual competition stages at the 2021 Playoffs at the Mavs Gaming Hub in Dallas.

“One thing we took away from Dallas was that excitement and chaos can live in the same place,” says Arden. “Frankly, it’s very hard to cover two stages. From a live perspective, the audience is seeing what’s happening, and they can easily follow it, but to bring that through on the broadcast is a lot more challenging. Our talent has to be really on their toes, as do our camera ops, TD, and director because we are making these massive pivots midstream during the broadcast.”

NBA 2K League’s new studio features two competition stages.

The dual stages proved to be a big hit with fans and players alike and will now be a permanent feature at the new NBA 2K League Studio in Indianapolis. Two circular competition stages will host simultaneous in-person games, allowing the production team to switch between games in real time to capture the most exciting moments.

“Our main goal was to make the two stages feel like equal main stages rather than one being the side stage,” says Arden. “We tried to create a feeling of oneness between the two. Then we surrounded both with more LED [displays] than we’ve ever had before to really make it pop.”

Arden and his team worked closely with Brian Mirakian senior principal/brand activation director, Populous, and his crew to create a venue that would not only dazzle fans in attendance but also make the players themselves feel like genuine superstars. In addition to the two LED-heavy circular stages, the league has erected an LED-fueled tunnel that will be the central focus during dramatic player introductions before each competition. The casters will call the action perched atop this tunnel, creating a fresh new dynamic.

“I would describe the general vibe as part NBA arena, part Rucker Park,” says Arden. “We took a lot of inspiration from WWE as well as what the NBA did in the bubble in terms of using LED in smaller spaces to create more excitement. So we wanted big screens, lots of noise, and to make sure the players are featured prominently. We wanted to create an epic entrance for them so that, when they take their seats, they feel like superstars.”

In addition to the main competition studio, the facility features a players lounge upstairs, along with player practice rooms that double as remote game-play rooms for the 10 teams that are living in-market in Indianapolis this season.

NBA 2K League has re-teamed with its longtime production partner Defacto Entertainment and facilities provider Dome Productions for the 2022 season. Arden and his team produce each broadcast from a Dome Productions mobile unit outside the facility.

An increase in LED displays marks NBA 2K League’s new studio.

Double the stages means double the cameras, so Canty and his team have rolled out twice as many Marshall POV playercams and more handhelds (some wired, some RF) than ever to cover the action.

“We have only a few seconds to provide the viewer with full context as to why we’re making the shift [to a different stage] and what’s happening in the other game before that moment disappears,” says Arden. “It means a lot of mental gymnastics for our core talent and production staff. Being ready to pivot at any given moment for nine hours is a real challenge.”

New Season, New Structure: Going Tournament-Centric, Launching 3v3 Tourneys

The studio in Indianapolis isn’t the only big change this year. The league made significant changes to its schedule and is debuting several features for its fifth season.

First off, the NBA 2K League has pivoted from a traditional “regular season” to a format focused on tournament play (including qualifying events for tournaments), with the season spanning April through August.

“The [tournament-centric structure] has changed our narrative structure and the way we think about the telling stories during the season,” says Arden. “The new structure also means that we have a lot more this year in terms of volume. Last year, we did 52 live broadcasts; this year, we’ll do 71 between the beginning of April and the end of August — plus four days of rehearsal. We’ll be a functioning live-production unit for 75 days over the next six months.”

The ambiance is designed to spur excitement and make the players feel like superstars.

In addition to its standard 5v5 competition, the league has partnered with Coinbase to host three new 3v3 tournaments culminating with the 3v3 championship. NBA 2K League teams — comprising five players this season — will be represented by three of their players during these 3v3 tournaments. Amateur teams from around the world will also have the opportunity to participate alongside NBA 2K League teams for a share of the 3v3 tournament prize pool.

“That change from 5v5 to 3v3 has a major impact on studio ops because we have to reduce the number of chairs, which reduces the scale of our footprint depending on which tournament session we’re in,” says Arden. “We had to take that into account when building out the studio. But we were able to figure it out, and 3v3 is going to be a big addition for us. We think those amateur and pro-am [competitions] are going to serve as a conduit into our league and open windows for lots of new players and personalities.”

Even With New Studio, Remote-Production Workflow Is Here To Stay

The NBA 2K League was among the first to rebound after the pandemic arrived in March 2020, getting online competition up and running in a matter of weeks. Over the ensuing two years, the league, along with Defacto and Dome, developed a cloud-based remote workflow that will continue to be an integral part of its operations moving forward.

“Of course, we’re all excited about returning to [the studio],” says Arden, “but remote production is definitely here to stay. Remote production allows us to create one-off events, tournaments, and play-in opportunities on a much more global scale. I think this hybrid remote/live [model] will be our future. This is a great year to put rubber to road and see what we can do as this hybrid model comes to life.”

For all remote-play productions, Arden and narrative/production leadership will be based in the New York City area (either at home or at the NBA’s headquarters reopened New York office). Meanwhile, the primary production team is based in a control room at Defacto’s facility in Vancouver, and a limited crew is at Dome’s Toronto broadcast facility, which distributes the final live stream.

“We like the ratio we have this season of being 70% remote and 30% live [in-person],” says Arden. “We are in a really exciting place and where we hoped to be a couple of years ago [prior to the pandemic]. At the same time, I think the understanding of remote production has taken us to the next level and is going to make us more global this season, next season, and beyond that.”

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Saltair Slo-Pitch League given Special Events Permit after all – Chemainus Valley Courier

Saltair Slo-Pitch League given Special Events Permit after all - Chemainus Valley Courier



Saltair Slo-Pitch League given Special Events Permit after all

Regional district board votes in favour of allowing use of Saltair fields

The ball fields at Saltair’s Centennial Park will be alive again this season with Saltair Slo-Pitch League players. (Photo by Don Bodger)

The ball fields at Saltair’s Centennial Park will be alive again this season with Saltair Slo-Pitch League players. (Photo by Don Bodger)


This just in, the Saltair Slo-Pitch League has been given a reprieve and will operate this season at the Centennial Park ball fields after all.

Amanda Redpath attended the Cowichan Valley Regional District meeting Wednesday afternoon that was to determine the league’s fate after the Electoral Area Services Committee had recommended denying a Special Events Permit.

Redpath reported Area G Director Lynne Smith changed her motion to approve the league and all voted in favour of the permit for the league to use the fields.

“We will be on tight restrictions and not have much room for any error but at least we get to play,” enthused Redpath.

More information to come.

Recreation


 

The Saltair Slo-Pitch League’s Shifters team. (Photo submitted)

The Saltair Slo-Pitch League’s Shifters team. (Photo submitted)













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Dan Fumano: Play ball — Vancouver green-lights Little League parade, after all

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Opinion: No municipal politicians or bureaucrats are actively trying to snuff out community events. But if that’s what’s happening as a result of new policies, those policies probably need a second look.

Publishing date:

Mar 16, 2022  •  25 minutes ago  •  4 minute read  •  Join the conversation

Glenn Knowles, president of the Kerrisdale Business Association, and Terri Clark, executive director of the group, at 41st Avenue and East Boulevard in Vancouver on March 16.
Glenn Knowles, president of the Kerrisdale Business Association, and Terri Clark, executive director of the group, at 41st Avenue and East Boulevard in Vancouver on March 16. Photo by Arlen Redekop /PNG

Graham Collings fondly remembers walking down West 41st Avenue as an eight-year-old in uniform in the Kerrisdale Little League’s opening day parade, more than 30 years ago.

On Wednesday, Collings, who now volunteers as the league’s president, was thrilled to learn his own little sluggers, aged 10 and five, can follow in his footsteps again this year — the Little League parade, a six-decade tradition, had received the go-ahead from Vancouver City Hall, one month after getting a disheartening red light.

“For a lot of kids, the parade’s one of their highlights,” Collings said.

Earlier this month, Postmedia News reported that red tape appeared to have choked out this year’s parade. City hall’s events department told parade organizers in early February that this year’s edition couldn’t go ahead for opening day in April, because new policies had changed the timelines for event applications.

It was a bitter disappointment for Little League volunteers, parents, neighbourhood business owners who sponsor the teams, and the kids. The parade’s cancellation, while not a life-and-death matter like other things happening now, struck a chord with readers, and several contacted the newspaper to express their displeasure. One reader emailed all of city council, and then told this reporter that a councillor had replied to say they had been “flooded by emails.”

Mayor Kennedy Stewart learned of the parade’s trouble when he read the story in The Vancouver Sun on March 4, and later that day, issued a public statement saying he had spoken with the city manager who assured him “staff are aiming to shorten timelines for upcoming events where needed.”

Kerrisdale Business Association executive director Terri Clark, who has organized the Little League parade for two decades, applied for permits in January this year, as she does every year. In early February, Clark received an email from a senior city staffer saying the new city timelines meant it wasn’t possible to have a parade for the junior baseball group’s opening day this year, adding: “I do not say it lightly that we can’t make the timelines for your request.”

Then, on Tuesday, March 14, Clark received an email from the city thanking her for her patience, advising: “I’m happy to report that we will be able to proceed with the Kerrisdale Little League Parade this year, and I want to acknowledge and thank the Vancouver police for being able to help make this happen.”

Reached Wednesday, Clark called the turn of events “a wonderful win.”

“It’s just a hometown parade, but it’s more than that — these kinds of neighbourhood events knit the whole community fabric together,” she said. “The small things are the building blocks, and the small things count.”

Other community groups trying to organize events this year also reported encountering road blocks with increased red tape at city hall.

Obviously, changing public health restrictions from COVID-19 had made event planning difficult for everyone, but apart from that, the City of Vancouver had new internal policies. Organizers of the annual Cambie Village Easter event said in previous years that they had completed a three-page online application form, but this year were directed to an 82-page special event permitting handbook explaining how to complete the new 17-page application.

This week, the same day that the Little League parade organizers received the good news from city hall, the mayor unveiled a proposal to spend up to $5 million of public money to lure FIFA, a multibillion-dollar international organization, to host part of the men’s World Cup, one of the world’s largest events, here, to help the hard-hit local tourism sector.

City hall seems to like these major, international endeavours, and Vancouverites largely like them too. Before the 2010 Olympics, about two-thirds of Vancouver voters supported the idea of hosting the Games. After the Vancouver Olympics, polls showed higher rates of locals believed hosting the Games was worthwhile. Many people like the fact that living in a growing city and region means we can draw all kinds of international cultural, artistic and athletic events.

But Vancouverites also love little neighbourhood get-togethers like Little League parades and Easter egg hunts. City hall shouldn’t neglect such comparatively small things in favour of the big ones.

City hall “may be hitting the home run on the big events,” said Kerrisdale BIA president Glenn Knowles. “But they sort of struck out on the little events, because they lost them, they fell through the cracks … when everything just became overly onerous.”

Knowles, who owns Gem Chocolates, applauded city hall for this week’s “really good news story.”

Reached Wednesday, Lisa Parker, Vancouver’s director of public space and street use, said the city “heard a lot of concerns” in recent weeks, and is increasing efforts to work with not only the Kerrisdale organizers, but also other community groups.

“We’re not looking to only prioritize the largest events,” Parker said. “The little ones, we really want to lift those event organizers up to get going. And I totally understand how all the issues in the last weeks really were countering that, but we’re working quickly to right that.”

No municipal politicians or bureaucrats are actively trying to snuff out community events. But if they are hearing broadly that’s what’s happening as a result of new policies, those policies probably need a second look.

Meanwhile, it’s a good thing city hall has found a way to, regardless of what the policy fine print says, green-light the Kerrisdale parade and hopefully other events like it. Everyone could use more of that this year. Especially the kids.

dfumano@postmedia.com

twitter.com/fumano

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Greg Norman Says Rival Saudi Golf League Will Announce First Events Wednesday

Greg Norman Says Rival Saudi Golf League Will Announce First Events Wednesday

Greg Norman speaks at the 2022 Saudi International golf tournament.

Greg Norman is continuing to urge patience from players and vows that the yet-to-be-named league will launch. 

LIV Golf Enterprises and the proposed new league being fronted by Greg Norman has taken several hits in recent weeks, namely a few top PGA Tour players professing their allegiance to the PGA Tour and saying no to lucrative guaranteed overtures to compete in the new circuit.

But Norman has not given up.

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Champions League final: UEFA under pressure to move game from Saint Petersburg due to Russia-Ukraine tension

The UEFA Champions League trophy on display in the ground during a training session ahead of the UEFA Champions League final, at the Estadio do Dragao, Portugal. Picture date: Friday May 28, 2021.

UEFA is considering moving this season’s Champions League final away from St Petersburg in response to the threat of conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The move comes as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says there is “no chance” Russia will be allowed to host major football tournaments as a result of its decision to “invade a sovereign country”.

The Champions League is due to be played at the Gazprom Arena on May 28 but the location is now under review, with UEFA confident it would be able to change the venue.

The governing body has previously been able to move prestigious events at short notice, including the previous two Champions League finals.

The 2021 final – which saw Chelsea defeat Manchester City – was also set to be played in Saint Petersburg, but was eventually played in Porto due to Covid travel restrictions.

Covid also saw the 2020 final moved from Istanbul to Lisbon, where Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain.

Wembley would be a possible alternative venue if Saint Petersburg is stripped of hosting rights, although the English Football League play-offs are due to be played there on the same weekend.

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine are rising after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised the independence of two breakaway regions, while Ukraine is considering breaking off diplomatic ties with their neighbour.

Boris: ‘No chance’ Russia can hold football tournaments

Prime Minister Johnson told MPs on Tuesday: “It’s absolutely vital in this critical moment that President Putin understands that what he is doing is going to be a disaster for Russia.

Boris Johnson has commended the 'brave testimony' of Azeem Rafiq
Image:
Boris Johnson says Russia will become a ‘pariah’ as a result of its actions in Ukraine

“And it is clear from the response of the world to what he has done already in Donbas that he is going to end up with a Russia that is poorer as a result of the sanctions that the world will implement.

“A Russia that is more isolated, a Russia that has pariah status – no chance of holding football tournaments in a Russia that invades sovereign countries.

“A Russia that is engaged in a bloody and debilitating conflict with a fellow Slav country. What an appalling result for President Putin.

“I hope that he steps back from the brink and does not conduct a full invasion.”

A UK Government spokesperson said: “Russia’s actions last night are a flagrant breach of its international commitments that undermines its standing in the world.

“We have serious concerns about the hosting of international sporting events in Russia, such as the Champions League Final, and will discuss these with the relevant governing bodies.

“We will not allow President Putin to exploit sporting and cultural events on the world stage to legitimise his renewed illegal invasion of Ukraine.”

Champions League state of play: Chelsea host Lille | Man Utd at Atletico

The Champions League knockout stages continue this week as holders Chelsea host Lille on Tuesday, while Manchester United travel to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

Chelsea and United will be hoping to follow Premier League sides Manchester City and Liverpool in securing first-leg leads in the last 16, after Pep Guardiola’s men thrashed Sporting Lisbon 5-0 and Jurgen Klopp’s side beat Inter Milan 2-0.

Chelsea beat Manchester City to win the Champions League in 2020/21
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European champions Chelsea host Lille in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday

Chelsea will host a side that has endured an alarming collapse, with Lille going from French champions last season to mid-table now, 23 points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

Chelsea, by contrast, have recovered from a wobble to win back-to-back Premier League matches and maintain their hold on third place.

Meanwhile, if Ralf Rangnick is to win a trophy during his interim reign as Manchester United manager, it can only be by delivering the club’s fourth European Cup.

The German’s team has already exited the FA Cup, but he has overseen a recovery in the Premier League since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s firing, taking 25 points from 12 games to take United from sixth to fourth.

Atletico are led by the longest-serving coach remaining in this season’s Champions League. But fresh from marking a decade in charge in December, Atletico are enduring one of their most turbulent moments under Diego Simeone. The team is inconsistent – much like United – and Simeone is feeling the heat.

There was an encouraging 3-0 win at Osasuna at the weekend but Atletico had lost four of their previous six games in all competitions before Saturday, including eliminations from the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa del Rey.