Sports · Tuesday, 3 November 2026

Point of Law, sold by King Charles in August, wins the Melbourne Cup as trainer Ciaron Maher's horses take the first three places

34 stories 54 sources

Signals on this beat

The bar and the word are our reading of how hard each one is pushing, and the arrow is where it is heading.

Rules applied to the letter High→

Racing stewards fined trainer Chris Waller A$50,000 for a cream they agreed was put on in error. [3]
Ireland's Rebecca Stokell stopped playing over a medicine that does not boost performance. [45]
College player CJ Gunn was ruled out over $524 he had paid back. [34]

Baseball's lockout clock Building↑

Baseball's labour deal ends on 1 December, leaving clubs about four weeks to sign players. [6]
A finance firm now offers players up to $3m to get through a lockout. [11]

TV money behind big tournaments High↑

The World Cup lifted Fox's advertising income 47% to $2.08bn. [23]
DAZN, which lost $939.8m last year, took first claim on the 2029 Club World Cup. [22]
India against Pakistan drew 8.4m ticket applications for 34,000 seats. [24]

Owners selling up Building↑

Mark Walter is asking at least $3bn for his Cadillac Formula One team. [20]
At West Ham, a Czech billionaire became the largest owner in September with 46%. [47]

Injuries piling up High↑

The Indiana Pacers had 11 players out and played with six. [49]
England lost both their first-choice and reserve scrum-halves. [38]
A Tenerife striker is in intensive care after a collision. [44]

The stories

34 stories on this beat today.

Every story told the same way: what happened, who is involved, why it matters, how it works, the truth and the good news.

01
Point of Law, sold by King Charles in August, wins the Melbourne Cup as trainer Ciaron Maher's horses take the first three places

A$4.5m

to the winner's owners, of about A$10m in prizes

every runner was promised at least A$100,000 [4][5]

7

horses Ciaron Maher ran, a record

they finished first, second and third [1]

A$50,000

fine for a race-day cream put on in error

the horse, Asterix, was withdrawn [3]
What happened
- Point of Law won the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday, ridden by jockey Ethan Brown. [1]
- King Charles owned the three-year-old until August, when he sold him to an Australian group of owners. [1]
- The Melbourne Cup is Australia's most prestigious horse race, run since 1861 and called the race that stops a nation. [2]
- Trainer Ciaron Maher ran a record 7 horses in the race. [1] His horses finished first, second and third. [1]
- Zahrann came second and Juja Kibo third. [1] No trainer had done that in the race's 166-year history. [3]
- Another Maher horse, Royal Supremacy, was about 20 lengths clear during the race. [1] It finished fifth. [3]
- The race was worth about A$10m in prize money and trophies. [4] The winner's owners took A$4.5m. [5]
- Second place paid A$1.11m and third A$560,000. [4] Every runner was promised at least A$100,000. [4]
- Last year people bet a record $382.5 million on the race, the BBC reports. [2]
- Point of Law won the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket in July for the King. [1] An Australian group bought him in August. [1]
- The buyers include Chris Judd, a former Australian rules football player, and his wife Bec. [2]
- The horse then won the Geelong Cup in October, so he started the Melbourne Cup as favourite. [1][2]
- Ethan Brown nearly died after a fall at Flemington in 2023. [1] He grew up in Alice Springs, a town in the middle of Australia. [2]
- "Please don't wake me up," Brown said after the race. [1]
- Earlier on Tuesday, stewards pulled a horse called Asterix out of the race. [3] Chris Waller, one of Australia's top trainers, trains it. [1]
- A stablehand had rubbed a cream called Penetrene on both its front legs that morning. [3] The rules ban any treatment on race day. [2]
- Stewards accepted it was the stablehand's mistake. [3] They still fined Waller A$50,000. [3]
- "It just is an honest mistake but unfortunately has big consequences," chief steward Rob Montgomery said. [3]
- Outside the course, protesters from a group called Nup to the Cup held signs saying horse racing kills. [2]
- In a Guardian Essential poll, only 9% of Australians had high interest in the race. [2] More than 60% called it part of national identity. [2]
Who is involved
- Chris Judd former Australian rules footballer, now part-owner
- Bec Judd part-owner
- Point of Law a three-year-old horse bred by King Charles; won the Melbourne Cup
- Ciaron Maher an Australian trainer; his horses took the first three places
- Ethan Brown the winning jockey, who nearly died in a fall in 2023
- Chris Waller a leading trainer; fined after his horse got a banned race-day treatment
How it unfolded
1. July Point of Law wins the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket for the King [1]
2. August sold to Australian owners
3. Tuesday wins the Melbourne Cup
4. 2023 Ethan Brown nearly dies in a fall at Flemington [1]
5. August an Australian group buys him from the King [1][2]
6. October he wins the Geelong Cup [2]
7. 3 November he wins the Melbourne Cup [1]
Why it matters

Maher's three horses took the top three prizes: A$4.5m, A$1.11m and A$560,000. [4][5]

How it works

Maher had 7 of the 23 horses that ran. [3] In probability terms, that gave his stable 7 separate chances to finish in the first three. [3]
Owning 7 runners did not make any one horse faster. [3] It made it likelier that some would finish in the first three. [3]

Seen it before

A pupil who buys seven raffle tickets is more likely to win something than one who buys one.
The truth
- Who gains Point of Law's new owners, including Chris Judd — They bought him from the King only in August, so the Cup's top prize came within three months of the sale. [1][5]
- Who pays Asterix's owners — Some flew in from New Zealand to watch, and saw their horse withdrawn over a mistake they did not make. [3]
- Nobody knows yet
  What Point of Law's new owners paid King Charles for him.
  
  The sale price was not disclosed. [2]
Good news
- Brown spent six months out of the saddle after his fall. [1] Three years on, he won the Cup. [1]

02
Eight baseball players get a $23.15m offer
What happened
- Eight Major League Baseball players got a one-year offer of $23.15m from their clubs on Monday. [8] Free agency also opened. [6]
- Free agency is when players whose contracts have ended can sign with any club. [6] 176 players are now free agents. [6]
- The eight include Seiya Suzuki of the Chicago Cubs and Randy Arozarena of the Seattle Mariners. [7][10]
- They have until 17 November to say yes or no. [8] Only 8 players got the offer, against 13 last year. [9]
- Baseball's labour deal ends on 1 December, and the owners are expected to lock the players out. [6]
Who is involved
- Seiya Suzuki Chicago Cubs outfielder
- Randy Arozarena Seattle Mariners outfielder
How it unfolded
1. 17 Nov players answer the offer
2. 1 Dec labour deal ends
Why it matters

A lockout would stop all trades and signings, so clubs have about four weeks to sign and trade players. [6]

How it works

The offer is called a qualifying offer. [8] If a player says no and signs elsewhere, his old club gets a draft pick. [8]
His new club must give up a pick to sign him. [8] So he costs that club his wage and a pick. [8]
The truth
- What is really going on Baseball's owners are expected to lock the players out when their labour deal ends on 1 December. [6]
- From 2012 to 2025, 157 offers were made and only 18 were accepted. [9]
- Who gains Relief pitchers David Bednar and Adrian Morejon — Both are expected to draw multi-year offers from several teams, so turning down one year at $23.15m looks likely. [7]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether baseball's owners will lock the players out on 1 December, and for how long.
  
  A lockout is expected but has not been announced, and the two sides are far apart on a salary cap. [6][11]
03
A loan for players if the paychecks stop
What happened
- Sure Sports, a firm that arranges loans for athletes, now offers baseball players credit to live on during a lockout. [11]
- Players can borrow up to $3m. [11] Interest is 9%, and nothing is due until 1 April 2028. [11]
- Baseball players are paid only during the six-month season. [11] Their pay stopped when it ended on 27 September. [11]
- The players' union has a $415m fund for a stoppage. [11] That is about what the Los Angeles Dodgers paid their players this year. [11]
Why it matters

For a player near the $780,000 minimum, months without pay already mean careful budgeting. [11]

How it works

Labour economists call it holding-out power: how long one side can last without the other's money. [11] A loan stretches that time. [11]

Seen it before

A family with savings can wait out a strike at work longer than one living month to month.
The truth
- What is really going on Players get no pay until next season, so a finance firm is now arranging credit for them to hold out, and their union has a $415m fund. [11]
- Who pays Baseball players near the league minimum — With no pay until next season, a long lockout can push them to borrow against what they will earn later. [11]
04
Rookie award race could earn a draft pick
What happened
- Baseball named three finalists for each of its main awards on Monday. [13] The winners are announced from 9 to 12 November. [13]
- The votes were cast before the play-offs began, so the finalists are simply the top three. [13]
- JJ Wetherholt of the St Louis Cardinals is a finalist for the National League's rookie award. [12]
- If he wins, the Cardinals get an extra pick at the end of the draft's first round. [12]
Who is involved
- JJ Wetherholt Cardinals second baseman
How it unfolded
1. 9 Nov rookie awards
2. 12 Nov MVP awards
Why it matters

The rule, the Prospect Promotion Incentive, gives all 30 clubs a stake in the rookie award race. [12]

How it works

Economists call it an incentive: a reward that changes what people choose. [12] A club gains a pick if its rookie wins, so it has a reason to play him. [12]

Seen it before

A teacher who gives house points for handing work in early gets more work in early.
05
Dodgers hire the Padres' second-in-command
What happened
- The Los Angeles Dodgers are hiring Caroline Perry, chief operating officer of the San Diego Padres, The Athletic reports. [14]
- At the Padres she ran the ballpark, business strategy, legal and accounting departments. [14]
- She replaces Bob Wolfe, 69, who retires at the end of the year. [14]
- Perry has been the highest-ranking woman in Padres history. [14] This was her 16th season there; she joined as a lawyer. [14]
Who is involved
- Caroline Perry Padres chief operating officer
- Los Angeles Dodgers her new club
Why it matters

Wolfe was the number two to Dodgers president Stan Kasten, and followed him to the club in 2012. [14]
The truth
- The move is not yet official; the sources spoke on condition they were not named. [14]
06
Bears beat the champions in Seattle
What happened
- The Chicago Bears beat the Seattle Seahawks 34-17 on Monday night. [15] Seattle are the reigning Super Bowl champions. [17]
- Running back D'Andre Swift scored 3 touchdowns. [15] Quarterback Caleb Williams threw for 247 yards. [15]
- Jeffery Simmons, a defensive tackle new to the Bears, made a sack in his first game for them. [17]
- The win was Chicago's 6th this season. [15]
- Late on, a Bears play was stopped for a loss of yards. [16] But a delay-of-game foul had already been called before the snap. [16]
- On the next play Kalif Raymond ran 39 yards, setting up a Bears touchdown. [16]
Why it matters

The game had been billed as a possible play-off preview between two of the league's best teams. [15]

How it works

American football's rules stop play at a foul before the snap. [16] So the tackle never counted, and Seattle could not refuse the penalty. [16]

Seen it before

A false start in a running race means the race is run again, even if someone fell.
07
FIFA lets its council see sell-off papers
What happened
- FIFA will let its council read papers on a failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup. [19]
- FIFA runs world football; its president, Gianni Infantino, apologised for the plan. [19] It was called the FIFA Forward Enterprise. [18]
- Members may read the papers only in person, at FIFA's offices in Zurich, under strict secrecy rules. [18]
- They must apply by 16 November. [18] Candidates in FIFA's presidential election must declare two days later. [18]
- UEFA, which runs European football, gave FIFA until 2 November to answer its questions. [19]
Who is involved
- Gianni Infantino FIFA president
- UEFA runs European football
- FIFA runs world football
How it unfolded
1. 16 Nov deadline to ask to see papers
2. Two days later candidates declare
Why it matters

That deadline passed on Monday night without a reply. [18]
UEFA wants to know who decided the plan and why FIFA's council was not asked. [19] It has asked US courts for documents too. [18]
The truth
- FIFA says UEFA sent too many questions to answer in two weeks. [19] It calls UEFA's actions harassment and denies wrongdoing. [18]
- Who gains FIFA's leadership — The papers can be read only in person and in secret, so challengers learn little before they must decide whether to stand. [18]
- Nobody knows yet
  What FIFA's papers on the World Cup sell-off plan will actually show.
  
  Council members may read them only in person in Zurich, and it is unclear which documents will be there. [18][19]
08
Cadillac's F1 team for sale at $3bn
What happened
- Billionaire Mark Walter is shopping his Cadillac Formula One team, asking at least $3bn, Sportico reports. [20]
- At least 7 groups are interested, three people told Sportico. [20] Walter's company has not agreed a deal, Bloomberg reports. [21]
- Cadillac joined this year, run with carmaker General Motors. [20] It is F1's first season with 11 teams since 2016, and Cadillac has no points. [20]
- Its owners paid a $450m fee to join and put in at least $1bn more. [20]
- The team is expected to lose about $400m this year, mostly start-up costs. [20]
Why it matters

Walter has agreed to sell the Los Angeles Lakers and his stake in Chelsea. [20] Two US federal investigations followed his insurers' undisclosed deals. [20]
Sportico values the average F1 team at $3.42bn, up 48% in a year. [20]
The truth
- Walter's firm said last month that the team was not for sale. [20]
- Nobody knows yet
  Who will buy the Cadillac F1 team, and how much they will pay.
  
  Sportico says at least seven groups are interested, but Walter's company has not agreed a deal, Bloomberg reports. [20][21]
09
DAZN gets first claim on 2029 Club World Cup
What happened
- DAZN, a streaming service part-owned by a Saudi fund, has an exclusive option on the 2029 Club World Cup's rights. [22]
- DAZN paid $1bn for the first 32-team Club World Cup in 2025, after many others declined to bid. [22]
- That money in effect paid for the prize fund. [22] Chelsea, the winners, took about $114m. [22]
- DAZN's operating losses grew to $939.8m in its latest year, from $772.9m. [22]
Why it matters

FIFA has still not chosen where the 2029 tournament is played, or how many teams it has. [22]
The truth
- Who pays European football clubs — Their lobby group says $250m owed to them from the 2025 Club World Cup is still unpaid, more than a year on. [22]
- Nobody knows yet
  What DAZN will pay for the 2029 Club World Cup, and when it must decide.
  
  Neither the value of the option nor its deadline has been made public. [22]
10
The World Cup lifts Fox to $4.57bn
What happened
- Fox, the parent of Fox Sports, made $4.57bn in revenue from July to September. [23] That is 22% more than a year earlier. [23]
- Advertising income rose 47% to $2.08bn, driven by the men's World Cup. [23]
- The World Cup averaged 7.74 million US viewers, up 116% on 2022. [23] The final drew 42.5 million on Fox. [23]
Why it matters

Fox says it is looking at the rights for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups. [23]
Its big Thanksgiving game looks weaker: the Eagles are 2-6 and the Cowboys 3-5. [23]
The truth
- Fox's boss, Lachlan Murdoch, still called the game a "blockbuster". [23]
11
8.4m ask for India v Pakistan tickets
What happened
- There have been 8.4m applications for tickets to India against Pakistan at the 2027 Cricket World Cup. [24]
- The match is on 10 October at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, which holds just 34,000 people. [24]
- The final, at the same ground on 21 November, has had almost 8 million applications. [24]
- South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia are hosting the tournament together. [24]
Why it matters

India against Pakistan is the most lucrative match in cricket. [24] India have won the last 9 meetings. [24]

How it works

Economists call this excess demand: far more people want seats than there are seats. [24] So most who applied will get nothing. [24]

Seen it before

When a shop has one new phone and a long queue, most of the queue goes home empty-handed.
12
Glenn Maxwell retires from Australia's T20 side
What happened
- Glenn Maxwell, 38, a star of short-form cricket, has retired from playing for Australia. [25] He quit one-day internationals in 2025. [25]
- He played 130 T20 internationals, scoring 2,897 runs. [25]
- His strike rate was 154.42, meaning about 154 runs for every 100 balls he faced. [25]
- His best was 145 not out against Sri Lanka in 2016. [25] He has also stopped playing for his state, Victoria. [25]
Who is involved
- Glenn Maxwell Australian all-rounder, retiring at 38
Why it matters

He said he hopes to inspire children to play differently and be themselves. [25]
13
Michael Wilbon steps back from ESPN
What happened
- Michael Wilbon, co-host of ESPN's talk show Pardon the Interruption, is taking leave for health reasons. [26]
- Wilbon, 67, said it is not retirement. [26] He said it is not about alcohol or gambling. [27]
- The show with Tony Kornheiser had just turned 25 years old. [26]
- Guest hosts Pablo Torre and Frank Isola will fill in this week. [26]
- Wilbon said people close to him saw worrying signs for years. [26] A friend told him "the bill has come due". [26]
Who is involved
- Pablo Torre guest host
- Frank Isola guest host
Why it matters

Wilbon also works on ESPN's NBA coverage, which will use other analysts while he is away. [26]
14
FanDuel picks its stand-in as boss
What happened
- FanDuel, a US sports betting company owned by Flutter, will make Christian Genetski its chief executive on 1 January. [28]
- He has run it for now since May, when chief executive Amy Howe was pushed out. [28]
- Howe earned almost $9m in total pay for 2025. [28]
Who is involved
- Christian Genetski FanDuel's next chief executive
How it unfolded
1. May Amy Howe pushed out
2. 1 Jan Genetski made permanent
Why it matters

Flutter's results come out on Wednesday. [28] Genetski has been with FanDuel for nearly 12 years. [28]
The truth
- FanDuel has not said what Genetski will be paid. [28]
15
A top coach warns about betting
What happened
- Geno Auriemma, coach of the UConn women's basketball team, says betting could hit the women's college game. [29]
- He said people may start to think: "This is just normal behavior." [29]
- Several men's college players have lost their eligibility for betting on or fixing games. [29]
Who is involved
- Geno Auriemma UConn women's basketball coach
Why it matters

The NCAA, which runs US college sport, bans its athletes from betting on college or professional sport. [29]
He objects to young people using a phone to bet on each play while they watch. [29]

How it works

Economists call it a lower barrier: the easier a thing is, the more people do it. [29] Auriemma said a bet once needed a bookie who took only cash. [29]

Seen it before

A shop that stays open all night sells more late-night snacks than one that shuts at six.
16
Golf plays on in the Gulf despite the war
What happened
- Europe's DP World Tour is going ahead in Abu Dhabi this week, despite the war between the US and Iran. [30]
- Only the top 70 players can enter, for a $9m prize fund. [30] 11 of the 70 have chosen not to play. [30]
- Players were told a phone alert from the UAE government would stop play at once. [30]
Why it matters

The top 50 after Abu Dhabi qualify for the final event in Dubai, from 12 to 15 November. [30]
The truth
- Who gains Golfers who skipped Abu Dhabi but stay in the top 50 — They can still play the season's final event in Dubai without making this week's trip. [30]
- Who pays Si Woo Kim, Justin Rose and Ryan Gerard — By not playing in Abu Dhabi, they gave up their places in the season's final event in Dubai. [30]
17
College basketball starts amid eligibility fights
What happened
- The US college basketball season began on Monday. [31] UCLA beat Arizona, ranked fifth in the country. [32]
- Bryce James, son of LeBron James, started for Arizona in his first college game. [33] He did not score in the first half. [33]
- Illinois beat Fairleigh Dickinson 120-45, with a school-record 19 three-point shots. [32]
- The summer was dominated by who may play. [31] In June the NCAA gave players five years to play five seasons. [31]
- It left out players who started college in 2022. [31] Hundreds sued for a fifth year. [31]
Who is involved
- Bryce James Arizona guard, LeBron's son
Why it matters

Courts in different states gave different answers, so some teams did not know their rosters until late. [31]

How it works

Lawyers call this a patchwork: each state's courts decide their own cases. [31] So one NCAA rule can mean different things in different places. [31]

18
$524 makes a Missouri guard ineligible
What happened
- The SEC, the college conference Missouri plays in, has ruled that guard CJ Gunn cannot play. [34]
- Gunn was paid $524 for 3 games in a Canadian league in May. [34] He had to pay it back. [34]
- This summer the SEC barred players who sign a pro contract after starting college. [34] The ruling came less than two days before Missouri's first game. [34]
Why it matters

It came too late for the G League draft in October, the NBA's development league. [34]
How it works

The rule does not ask how much a player was paid. [34] By its letter, $524 is enough. [34]
Why a rule can punish a mistake nobody meant to make

Sports lawyers call it strict liability: the rule asks only whether a thing happened, so an honest mistake still counts as a breach.

The twist

Under strict liability, saying you did not mean it cannot undo the breach. It can only make the punishment smaller.

The picture

Cream applied in errorrace day
Asterix withdrawnstill a breach
Trainer finedA$50,000
The stewards agreed the cream was a mistake. The horse was still withdrawn, and the fine was set with the mistake in mind.
Step by step
1. A rule bans a thing outright: no treatment on race day, no pro contract
2. Officials check only whether the thing happened
3. Not meaning to do it does not undo the breach
4. Intent and a clean record can lower the penalty
5. So the breach stands even when everyone agrees it was an honest error
The same force, elsewhere today

Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.
- Rebecca Stokell's suspension
  
  The medicine did not boost her play, but she had not reported it, so the breach counts and only the penalty is open.
- CJ Gunn ruled out by the SEC
  
  The rule asks only whether he signed a pro contract after starting college, not how much he got, so $524 he paid back still counts.
Where you've seen this

Speed cameras

the camera records the speed, not the reason you were driving fast

Exam rules

a phone in your pocket in the exam hall breaks the rule even if it stays switched off

Food safety

a shop selling food past its use-by date breaks the rule even if nobody noticed the date

The catch

Strict rules can land hard on honest people, so most systems still let intent and a clean record lower the punishment, as the stewards did for Waller.

And the whole of it

The stablehand, the trainer and the owners who flew in from New Zealand all paid for one wrong cream. The rule is written for the many cases where nobody can prove what anyone meant, and every rider, trainer and player works inside it.
The truth
- Who pays CJ Gunn — He loses a season of college basketball, on a Missouri team aiming for the top 25. [34]

19
Everton beat Newcastle twice in five days
What happened
- Everton won 1-0 at Newcastle on Monday, five days after beating them 3-1 in the League Cup. [35]
- Thierno Barry scored the winner. [35] Newcastle's Jacob Ramsey was sent off late on. [35]
- Barry has 8 goals this season. [36] Among Premier League players, only Manchester City's Erling Haaland has more, with 13. [36]
- Everton paid Villarreal £27m for Barry. [36] He had 1 shot in his first 16 games for Everton. [36]
Why it matters

Newcastle fans showed their anger at the end again, after two defeats in five days for manager Matthias Jaissle. [35]
Barry was part of 15 of Everton's 24 big chances before Monday. [36]
The truth
- Jaissle said there was a clear foul on Fabian Schar in the build-up to Barry's goal. [36]
20
England lose their scrum-half for Australia
What happened
- England's first-choice scrum-half, Alex Mitchell, will miss Sunday's match against Australia with a hamstring injury. [37]
- His Northampton team-mate Archie McParland, also a scrum-half, hurt a calf in training. [38]
- Bath's Ben Spencer and Bristol's Harry Randall have been called up instead. [38]
- Mitchell has had 3 other hamstring injuries this year. [38]
- England then play Japan on 14 November and New Zealand on 21 November. [38]
Who is involved
- Alex Mitchell first-choice scrum-half, injured
- Archie McParland uncapped, injured
- Ben Spencer Bath
- Harry Randall Bristol
How it unfolded
1. Sunday Australia
2. 14 Nov Japan
3. 21 Nov New Zealand
Why it matters

The games open England's Nations Championship, with the World Cup less than a year away. [37]
The truth
- Nobody knows yet
  How long England's Alex Mitchell will be out.
  
  He was due a scan on his hamstring to find out. [37][38]
21
Lions linebacker Campbell improving in hospital
What happened
- Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell is still in hospital after a neck injury on Sunday. [39]
- He was treated on the field for 9 minutes after a tackle against the Minnesota Vikings. [39]
- He hit his head while tackling, and was taken off on a stretcher. [40]
Why it matters

Campbell, 26, is a team captain and signed a new contract in May. [39][40]
Good news
- The Lions said "Preliminary indications are positive". [39] They will not share more for now. [40]
22
Villa drop their threat against Carragher
What happened
- Aston Villa have dropped their threat to take legal action against TV pundit Jamie Carragher. [41]
- On a podcast, Carragher linked Villa's manager Unai Emery with replacing Michael Carrick at Manchester United. [41]
- He also told Villa fans to shut up. [41] On Saturday he apologised, calling his words clumsy and wrong. [41]
Who is involved
- Jamie Carragher Sky Sports pundit
- Unai Emery Aston Villa manager
Why it matters

Emery took Villa from a relegation fight to the Champions League, and won the Europa League in 2026. [41]
The truth
- Villa never actually started legal action. [41] The BBC calls the threat more symbolic than serious. [41]
23
Jake Paul to fight an MMA star
What happened
- Influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul will fight Cedric Doumbe on 24 December in Dubai. [42]
- Doumbe is a kickboxing world champion who now fights in mixed martial arts, or MMA. [42] He has had 1 pro boxing bout. [42]
- It is Paul's first fight since Anthony Joshua broke his jaw last December. [42]
Who is involved
- Jake Paul boxer and influencer
- Cedric Doumbe kickboxer and MMA fighter
Why it matters

Doumbe fights for the PFL, an MMA promoter that merged with Paul's company in July. [42]

How it works

Business scholars call this a merger: two firms become one. [42] Now one company promotes Paul and holds Doumbe's contract. [42]
24
Game abandoned with one side down to six
What happened
- A non-league game in Hampshire, England, was abandoned with Andover Town leading Paulsgrove 8-0. [43]
- Andover's manager says four Paulsgrove players did not come out after half-time, at 7-0. [43]
- Another went off injured, leaving 6 of the 11. [43] The laws say a match cannot go on if a side has fewer than 7. [43]
Why it matters

The league is investigating, as it does after every abandoned game. [43]
The truth
- Posts from Paulsgrove's account say the players were truly injured. [43]
25
Tenerife striker in intensive care
What happened
- Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel is in intensive care after a collision in a Spanish second-division match on Monday. [44]
- He was hurt in the head and chest when Andorra's goalkeeper ran into him, 7 minutes into stoppage time. [44]
- Spanish media say his heart stopped in the ambulance and paramedics revived him. [44] Tenerife says he is stable. [44]
- The referee sent off the goalkeeper and abandoned the game at 2-2. [44]
Why it matters

Andorra, the visiting club, sent its best wishes to De Miguel and his family. [44]
The truth
- Nobody knows yet
  How badly Tenerife's Jesus de Miguel is hurt.
  
  The club says only that he is stable despite the severity of his condition. [44]
26
Irish cricketer suspends herself after a test
What happened
- Ireland cricketer Rebecca Stokell has stopped playing while the International Cricket Council investigates a drug test. [45]
- She tested positive after a match at the Women's T20 World Cup in June. [45] The drug does not boost performance. [45]
- She took it on prescription but did not report it as the rules require. [45]
- "I understand that I am responsible for following the anti-doping guidelines," Stokell said. [45]
Why it matters

Stokell, 26, has played 109 times for Ireland. [45]

How it works

Anti-doping rules make each player responsible for reporting the medicines they take. [45] So an unreported medicine is a breach even if it does not help. [45]

The medicine did not boost her play, but she had not reported it, so the breach counts and only the penalty is open.
The idea, in story 18: Why a rule can punish a mistake nobody meant to make →
27
350 athletes back a sprinter with ME
What happened
- More than 350 sportspeople have written to the UK prime minister, Andy Burnham, about ME. [46] They include Dina Asher-Smith and Tom Daley. [46]
- ME is a long illness causing severe tiredness that rest does not fix. [46] It has no known cure. [46]
- Former sprinter Beth Dobbin, 32, has ME and spends more than 22 hours a day in bed. [46]
Why it matters

More than 400,000 people in the UK are thought to have ME. [46]
The truth
- Dobbin wrote to the prime minister on 21 October and got no reply. [46] The letter asks him to meet her and fund research. [46]
28
West Ham's manager under pressure
What happened
- West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo's job is under threat after a 3-1 loss to West Brom, The Guardian reports. [47]
- West Ham were relegated last season and are 8th in the Championship, England's second tier. [47]
- They are 4 points behind Swansea, who are second. [47]
Why it matters

West Ham broke the English Football League's transfer record by paying £22m for Arne Engels. [47]
Daniel Kretinsky, a Czech billionaire, became the largest owner in September with 46%. [47] David Sullivan holds 40%. [47]
The truth
- Sources say Sullivan wanted to sack Nuno after relegation, while Kretinsky argued to keep him. [47]
29
Sunderland keep their manager, bottom of the league
What happened
- Sunderland will keep manager Regis Le Bris despite sitting bottom of the Premier League, club sources told the BBC. [48]
- They have won 1 of their first 9 league games. [48] Last season they finished 7th. [48]
- That took them into Europe for the first time in 53 years. [48]
- Last season they let in six fewer goals than their opponents' chances suggested. [48]
How it unfolded
1. Thursday Dinamo Zagreb
2. Sunday Chelsea
Why it matters

Club sources say they believe Le Bris can bring about an improvement in results. [48]

How it works

Analysts measure chances with expected goals, or xG. [48] Sunderland did far better than their xG last season, and their results have now fallen back. [48]

Seen it before

A pupil who guesses well on one test usually scores nearer their real level on the next.

What comes next

Sunderland play Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League on Thursday, then host Chelsea on Sunday. [48]
30
Pacers play with six players
What happened
- The Indiana Pacers had only 6 players available against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. [49]
- 11 were out, including all five usual starters. [49] Three were rested on the second night of games on back-to-back days. [49]
- The Pacers still lost by only 108-104. [49] Every player who played scored at least 10 points. [49]
Why it matters

Braden Smith had 19 points and 10 assists in the first start of his NBA career. [49]
31
Memphis lose for the first time
What happened
- The Memphis Grizzlies lost for the first time this season, 135-134 to the New Orleans Pelicans in overtime. [50]
- Jeremiah Fears scored the winning points with 7.1 seconds left. [50]
- Memphis rookie Cameron Boozer, 19, is the first teenager in NBA history to win his first 5 starts. [51]
Why it matters

Boozer was picked in this year's draft. [51] Memphis had not lost before Monday. [50]
32
Draymond Green thrown out again
What happened
- Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was ejected against the Phoenix Suns on Monday. [52]
- He threw rookie Khaman Maluach to the floor after being knocked down, then fought with Dillon Brooks. [52]
- It was Green's 23rd regular-season ejection, second in NBA history. [52] Only Rasheed Wallace has more, with 29. [52]
Who is involved
- Draymond Green Warriors
- Dillon Brooks Suns
Why it matters

Green has won 4 NBA titles with Golden State. [52]
33
Falcons get Pearce back after a ban
What happened
- The NFL ended Atlanta Falcons player James Pearce Jr.'s 8-game ban on Monday. [53]
- He was arrested in February after a dispute with his then-girlfriend, WNBA player Rickea Jackson. [53]
- He is in a 12-month programme, and the charges will be dropped when he finishes it. [53]
Why it matters

The NFL banned him under its personal conduct policy, without a conviction. [53]

What comes next

He can play on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid. [53]
34
Zion's old agent appeals a $700,000 bill
What happened
- Gina Ford, Zion Williamson's former marketing agent, is appealing an order to pay his legal costs. [54]
- A judge ordered her to pay $685,748 after she lost her $100m case against him. [54]
- Williamson fired her in 2019 after about six weeks. [54] Their contract lacked a warning that North Carolina law requires. [54]
Who is involved
- Gina Ford former marketing agent
- Zion Williamson New Orleans Pelicans star
How it unfolded
1. 2019 signs, then fires Ford
2. March fee order
Why it matters

Ford argues a rule meant to protect student athletes should not have protected a likely number one NBA draft pick. [54]

How it works

Usually each side in a US lawsuit pays its own lawyers. [54] A judge can make the loser pay when a case had no real legal issue. [54]

Point of Law, sold by King Charles in August, wins the Melbourne Cup as trainer Ciaron Maher's horses take the first three places

34 stories on this beat today.

Why a rule can punish a mistake nobody meant to make