Sports News

Two West Mercia police officers have appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court after been charged with the assault and murder, of footballer Dalian Atkinson who died after being Tasered.

The ex-Aston Villa striker was restrained by police officers at his father's house in Telford, in Shropshire.

The Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) has not named the officers because it believes their defence will apply for them to remain anonymous.

After being informed, the family of the former Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday striker issued a statement welcoming the decision but stated that they "regret that it has been more than three years since Dalian died".

The CPS made the decision to press charges following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

An alternative charge of an unlawful act manslaughter has also been put forward by the CPS for the officer charged with murder, known as ‘Officer A’ who remanded in custody after appearing before magistrates.

The second officer, Officer B, indicated she would plead not guilty and was bailed ahead of their next appearance at Birmingham Crown Court later.

Police officers attended Atkinson’s father’s home where he (Dalian) was detained outside.

He was taken by ambulance to the Princess Royal Hospital where he later died.

Dalian was has an England B cap against the Republic of Ireland, also played for Manchester City, plus La Liga side Real Sociedad and Fenerbahçe in Turkey.

With just 100 days to go, it has been announced that Britain's leating distant runner, Laura Muir, will attempt to set a 1000m World Record at the Müller Indoor Grand Prix Glasgow on Saturday 15 February 2020.

Confirmed to compete at the event which sees her race on familiar territory in her home city of Glasgow, the reigning double European indoor champion and European outdoor 1500m champion will aim to start 2020 in electric style as she targets a historic world record -breaking performance in front of her home crowd.

Muir is already the British and European record holder over 1000m having clocked 2:31.93 back in 2017 to go second on the all-time list behind Maria Mutola, and now she will aim to take the number one spot by breaking the world record of 2:30.94 – set back in 1999 - when she races at the Emirates Arena next February.

Not only does the venue serve as Muir’s indoor training base, but the 26-year-old also won 1500m and 3000m gold there at 2019’s European Indoor Championships – so she is relishing the opportunity to compete in front of packed home crowd as part of her Olympic Games preparations.

Speaking on racing at the Müller Indoor Grand Prix Glasgow, Laura said: “I can’t think of a better way to begin 2020 and Olympic year than with a world record attempt in my home city and in front of a home crowd at the Müller Indoor Grand Prix Glasgow.

“Through the hard sessions this winter, knowing that I’ll be stepping back out onto the track in Glasgow will be absolutely huge motivation, as will the opportunity to attack what is a really tough and long-standing world record.

“With that said, I feel that going quicker that 2:30.94 is a real possibility, and I can’t think of a better place to go for the record than in Glasgow and at such a world-class event.”

On the role the Emirates Arena crowd can play in the attempt, she added: “I know all about the Glasgow crowd from the European Indoors this year and I know they will be crazy as ever, so the opportunity to achieve something as historic as a world record with them cheering me all the way is really special.”

The Müller Indoor Grand Prix Glasgow serving as the UK-leg of the IAAF World Indoor Tour, and Muir’s presence in Glasgow sees her join the in competing at the Müller Indoor Grand Prix Glasgow.

Organisers of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games are searching for volunteer community representatives to join the event’s Legacy and Benefits (LAB) Committee - a cross-partner group set up to ensure that Birmingham and the West Midlands takes full advantage of its moment in the national and international spotlight during the summer of 2022.

Successful candidates will be part of a group tasked with establishing a legacy strategy and overseeing the delivery of a comprehensive programme of benefits for the city and region, covering key topics like civic pride, culture, tourism, trade and investment, jobs and skills, education, sustainability and physical activity and wellbeing.

John Crabtree OBE, Chair of Birmingham 2022, who also chairs the LAB Committee said: “Over the next few years the work of the Legacy and Benefits Committee is going to be crucial and we’re looking for dynamic volunteers to join us to help improve the region. We need individuals who are innovative, commercially astute and can match our dedication to delivering the most sustainable, inclusive, and accessible Commonwealth Games to date.”

He added: “All of the partners that are involved with the Commonwealth Games, including Birmingham 2022, Birmingham City Council, the West Midlands Combined Authority and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, are committed to delivering a strong legacy for the region and this committee will play an important role in ensuring this comes to fruition, as we absolutely must make the most of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that hosting an event of this magnitude provides.”

The physical legacy of Birmingham 2022 is already obvious as the Games is proving to be a catalyst for transformation in the city and the region, with a brand new aquatics centre being built in Sandwell, the creation of the Athletes’ Village in Perry Barr and the redevelopment of Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium.

Hosting the Games is also accelerating the development of infrastructure and public transport improvements that will benefit the city and wider region for many years to come.

The mission for Birmingham 2022, which all Games partners are signed up to, also includes ensuring that this major multi-sport and cultural event will bring people together, improve health and wellbeing, help the region to grow and succeed and put Birmingham and the region on the global map, so the committee will play a vital role in ensuring that all elements of this mission are accomplished.

The closing date for applications is the 18 November and to apply candidates just need to send a CV and covering letter outlining why they would be a good candidate for the role, their relevant knowledge and experience, and demonstrating their genuine passion and aspiration for the region.

Successful candidates will be required to attend approximately five meetings per year and to read and comment on committee business in between meetings.

Hundreds of thousands of screaming South Africans greeted their heroes as they danced and sang at OR Tambo airport in Johannesburg to welcome the returning Springboks who arrived home with their most valued cargo - the Rugby World Cup.

With star attractions, captain Siya Kolisi, leading the victorious team off the plane, with the Webb Ellis Trophy in hand, the exuberant delight proved overwhelming as the mass crowd – a true reflection of the ‘Rainbow Nation’ that the country is perceived to be – joined in unison to hail the three-times champions.

Following their much-hipped exploits in Japan, people of all varying backgrounds - Black and white, male and female, young, middle aged and old, low-income earners and the wealthy – all stood side-by-side as one mass sea of green to salute their heroes as a carnival atmosphere enveloped the normally sedate international arrivals section of the airport with every Springbok receiving a deafening seal of appreciation.

Francois Pienaar, who captained the memorable Springbok 1995 World Cup winners, hailed the Springboks' latest World triumph as bigger than then.

“This is bigger because it is a transformed team”, he said. “58million people watching in South Africa and all races woken up wearing green - which wouldn’t have happened in my time.

“It has evolved from my time. We had an incredible moment with Mr Mandela, but just the support from the nation for this team and captain.

“Seeing Siya Kolisi as the the first Black captain of South African rugby - in his 50th game  - and with his dad flying for the first time in his life to watch his son play.

“Wow! You don’t get much bigger than that”.

A visibly tired Kolisi said: "We are hugely grateful, humbled and overawed by the support in Japan and here.

"This reception is something else - we couldn't begin to thank everyone for backing us throughout this journey.

"We did this for all South Africans”, he added. “Ordinary people who work tirelessly all day long to care for their families and friends, and ultimately make our wonderful country an even better place.

"Winning the World Cup on foreign soil was very special and arriving home to this wonderful support is the cherry on top".

Following their first dominant display in the crushing 32-12 victory over pre-match favourites England, in Yokohama, South Africa became the first side to win the Webb Ellis Cup having lost a match in the tournament - they were beaten by New Zealand in the pool stage.

But, their fans – from all backgrounds – couldn’t care a j

It was a glorious ‘6’ for Lewis Hamilton MBE HonFREng as, despite the disappointment of not taking the chequered flag in Texas, his second place, behind Mercedes-AMG Peronas Motorsport teammate Valtter Bottas, was more than enough to claim yet another Formula One World Champion standing him out as one of the sport’s greatest ever drivers and leaving him tantalizingly one short of equalling the record of Michael Schumacher.

Having surpassed the record of five F1 Championships, held by Juan Fangio, at 34, Hamilton, undoubtedly one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport, looks hungry for more – meaning 8 titles and more.

With his tally of 83 race victories - the second-most of all time – him currently holding the records for the all-time most career points of 3399, the all-time most pole positions (87) and the most grand slams in a season (3), as others would be overwhelmed with that achievement, the unequaled genius from Stevenage in Hertfordshire, is hungry for much more.

His father, Anthony, emphasized: "As I keep saying to Lewis, 'you're 34 years young rather than 34 years old. As long as you're feeling fit and emotionally you love the sport, you can keep going for as long as you can”.

“His approach has always been 'if you’re going to do this, you’re going to do this properly', and nothing has changed since then”.

The Champ himself said: “While I feel like I am mastering F1, there is still more to master, there is more to add and more pieces of the puzzle to complete.

“There are going to be ups and downs along the way but I feel like I have the best tools to deal with those. I am working on a masterpiece and I haven’t quite finished it yet.”

With this season’s calendar yet to be completed, Lewis has at least one more year to run on his Mercedes deal, and has already committed to remaining in the sport beyond next year.

For the first time in decades Iranian women have attended a World Cup qualifier in Tehran after they were allowed to enter a stadium to watch a men's match

Since just after the 1979 Islamic revolution women were banned from stadiums when men were playing.

The change, though, followed the death of a female fan who set herself alight after being arrested for trying to attend a match.

Sahar Khodayari, known as ‘Blue Girl’ because of the team she supported, set fire to herself outside court while awaiting trial for trying to attend a match disguised as a man. The 29-year-old died a week later.

However, human rights organisation, Amnesty International, described the move as a "cynical publicity stunt" and that there were only a "token number" of tickets for female fans as it called for all restrictions on female attendance to be lifted.

More than 3,500 women bought tickets to the World Cup qualifier against Cambodia - in a 78,000 capacity Azadi Stadium - where they were granted access to a special women's-only section.

Women were previously allowed into the Azadi Stadium to watch a screening of their team playing Spain in the 2018 World Cup. But this was the first time in decades that they had been allowed to watch a game on Tehran's pitch.

The tickets for women reportedly sold out within minutes.

After the game, one female fan posted on twitter: "We had fun for three hours. All of us laughed, some of us cried because we were so happy.

"We had this experience very late in our life but I am so happy for younger girls who came to the stadium today."

FIFA, football's governing body, put pressure on Tehran to meet its commitments to allowing women to attend World Cup qualifiers.

It said that it would "stand firm" in ensuring that women had access to all football matches in Iran.

Joyce Cook, FIFA's head of Education and Social Responsibility, said: "We are firm and committed that all fans have an equal right, including women, to attend matches."

Last year, Saudi Arabia allowed women to attend a football match for the first time as part of an easing of strict rules on gender separation by the ultra-conservative Muslim country.

Iran beat Cambodia 14-0.

Proposals for the redevelopment of Alexander Stadium have been submitted to Birmingham City Council’s planning department for consideration.

At the heart of the wider effort to regenerate Perry Barr, the £70million plan would see the venue become a high-quality venue for diverse sporting, leisure, community and cultural events in the decades to come.

The stadium, in Perry Barr, is set to be the focal point of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, hosting the Opening and Closing Ceremonies as well as the athletics events.

The redeveloped stadium would increase its permanent seating capacity from 12,700 to 18,000 allowing more than 30,000 during the Games through additional temporary seating.

Post-Games it will be at the centre of a regenerated Perry Barr, which is receiving more than £500million of investment in the coming years, which also includes new housing, improved transport and related upgrades to infrastructure and public space.

The revamped stadium is set to host a range of tenants including the world-famous Birchfield Harriers Athletics Club and Birmingham City University.

The stadium will provide a new home for the university’s sports and exercise students, bringing an exciting new partnership and purpose to the stadium beyond athletics – as well as becoming a focal point for a range of leisure, health, wellbeing and community activities for local residents and the wider general public.

During the summer’s pre-consultation engagement activity more than 120 interested and/or impacted stakeholders and around 2,000 neighbouring residents and businesses were consulted on the proposals.

Councillor Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “We would like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation and provided valuable feedback which has helped shape the final design.

“The application will now be considered by the planning department over the next few months and we welcome further feedback and comments from anyone with an interest in the stadium and its future. This is about creating a destination venue, shaping a legacy beyond the Commonwealth Games.”

To view the stadium plans and offer comments (deadline 7 November 2019), you can visit the Birmingham City Council Planning Portal and search for application number: 2019/07968/PA

It is anticipated a final decision will be taken on the proposals by the city council’s Planning Committee in early 2020.

Subject to planning approval, construction of the new stand will commence in spring 2020, with completion in late 2021 ahead of test events for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The design now being consulted upon will also facilitate the temporary ‘Games overlay’ elements and additional infrastructure needed to deliver the 2022 Games. Further detail regarding the Games overlay will be consulted on at a later date.

As they prepared face the Czech Republic today and Bulgaria on Monday, England's players have stated that if any of their players are targeted by racist abuse in either of their Euro 2020 qualifiers matches, they will be prepared to walk off the pitch in defiant protest, according to striker, Tammy Abraham.

There already is a UEFA order for the partial closure of Bulgaria's national stadium following racist behaviour by their fans in Euro 2020 qualifying games against the Czech Republic and Kosovo in June.

Chelsea striker, Abraham, said: "If it happens to one of us, it happens to all of us.

"Our captain (Harry Kane) said that if we're not happy, if a player is not happy, we all come off the pitch together."

Bulgaria’s club sides, PFC Levski Sofia and PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv, were punished by Uefa for racism during Europa League games.

UEFA has a three-step protocol for racial abuse which ends with the officials abandoning a match if announcements inside a stadium do not stop the problem.

Abraham said: "We’ve spoken about the protocol and Harry (Kane) did ask the question about instead of going through the three steps, if we decide that we want to stop the game - no matter what the score is - if we're not happy with it, as a team we'll decide whether or not to stay on the pitch.

"If it happens and, say, there's a warning in the stadium, then it happens again, we have to make a decision within the team and the staff".

Last month England manager, Gareth Southgate, said that he would talk to the players and Abraham says that they decided that they will take matters into their own hands if needs be.

The issue of racism is not exclusive to mainland Europe.

Last year Southgate commented that England still has work to do on home soil.

Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings says that it is "disappointing" to have to deal with racism in football in 2019 but echoed Southgate's comments from last year that England still has work to do on home soil.

Villa's recent 5-1 win at Norwich was followed by the club saying they are "disgusted and appalled" by footage of supporters singing a racist song which references two first-team players.

"It just shows that our own country isn't perfect," Mings said.

"The fact that we talk about racism in foreign countries, in other European countries that may not be as diverse is one thing, but there are issues going on here, in England too, which is far from ideal.

"Both are issues that people should never get bored of talking about. If they are happening they have to be brought to light by people who have a voice like us. We have to address it, we have to get it right somehow.

"There have been great strides to try to eradicate racism from football. It's a society issue."

Simone Biles broke the record for World Gymnastics Championships medals won by a woman with her 21st medal as the USA took their fifth straight team title.

The Americans' total of 172.33 was almost six full marks ahead of Russia in second, with Italy beating China to a surprise bronze in Stuttgart.

Biles finished with a personal total of 59.733 in winning her 15th world title.

The 22-year-old was the outstanding performer in a team that included Jade Carey, 19, and 16-year-olds Sunisa Lee, Kara Eaker and Grace McCallum.

"I never think of records - I just go out there and do what I came to do," said Biles.

"Every year it feels better and better, just because we're adding to the legacy."

Victory sees her overtake Russia's Svetlana Khorkina as the most decorated woman in the competition's history.

Biles has three silvers and three bronzes in addition to her 15 golds while Khorkina managed nine golds, eight silvers and three bronzes.

She is again competing in all six finals, having become the first women since 1987 to win a medal in all six events at the last year's Worlds in Doha.

The Texan now has the chance to become the gymnast with the most medals overall in World Championships history.

She needs three more this week to overtake Vitaly Scherbo's tally of 23, which he won for the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Belarus in the 1990s.

Great Britain finished sixth in Germany, with Olympic qualification for Tokyo 2020 already confirmed.

Jamaican sprinter, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, is officially the fastest woman in the world after her recent victory in the 100-meter final at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar.

At the age of 32, she also made history as the oldest woman to ever win the title after sprinting pass her contenders - finishing the race in 10.71 seconds, just 0.01 seconds of the personal best she set in 2012. She also became the first mom ever to win the 100-meter world championship title.

Receiving her fourth World Championships title in the 100-meter division, it brought her total to eighth world title overall. Her victory was extra special as she became the first mother in 24 years to win the World 100m title after giving birth.

She was joined on the track by her 2-year old son Zyon after her victory.

An elated Fraser-Price said: “My secret is just staying humble. It’s about knowing who you are as a person and athlete and just continue to work hard”.

She now hopes to inspire more women in achieving their dreams.

“I am even more grateful for those girls who will come after me or the women who are still holding their own and working on their greatness in their own way and never trying to be anyone but themselves!” she wrote. “I am humbled to be filling my shoes with my potential, fill yours and never stop for anyone and do it with all your heart and all your courage.”

The 2-time Olympic and a 4-time World Championships 100 meters winner officially goes down as the ‘Greatest Of All Time!’.

Whilst the USA regained top stop as world leaders, Team GB & NI will look back at the IAAF World Athletics Championship and, as a nation, in which direction it will be going within the coming season and beyond.

With the Tokyo Olympics only months away, certain aspects of the sports – specifically and generally – has some questions to answer.

As Britain ended the meet with five medals - their worst total since the three they won at Helsinki 2005 – in looking forward, the question is whether they will be in a position to really stake a claim to be one of the world’s leading lights in the sport.

Coming away from a too-often empty Khalifa International Stadium, in Doha, with only five medals – two of which include Dina Asher Smith’s individual 200m gold and 100m silver medals, her silver in the Women’s 4x100, relay to match that won by the Men’s sprint quartet and Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s gold in the heptathlon – that was the sum-lot after ten days of competition.

The USA finish these championships with four more gold medals than they won at London 2017.

Their 14 golds were nine more than second-placed Kenya and their total of 29 was almost three times more than any other country managed.

Among the highlights was Dalilah Muhammad improving her own world record in the 400m hurdles - which BBC pundit and former Olympic champion Michael Johnson said was his favourite moment of the championships - and sprinter Allyson Felix breaking Usain Bolt's record for most World Championship gold medals.

Felix won her 12th in the 4x400m mixed relay and her 13th in the women's event - although she did not actually race in Sunday's final - all 11 months after giving birth.

After picking up just one one gold medal in the men's sprinting events in London two years ago, the Americans head home with five out of a possible seven golds.

It was the largest tally since the six sprinting golds won by the US at the 2007 championships in Osaka, a year before the start of Jamaican Bolt's decade of dominance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics

As for the sparsely-filled stadium, plus the highly publicised ban for coach, Alberto Salazar, IAAF chief Lord Coe hailed as the "best we have ever had".

"Our sport is in pretty good shape," Coe said.

"It is pretty clear to us on athlete performance this is the best World Championships we have ever had."

However, four-time Olympic champion and BBC athletics pundit Michael Johnson viewed it differently.

He said: “Hosting championships in Doha a mistake.

“The decision to bring the championships [to Doha], there were far more negatives than positives. I think it was a mistake and I think the athletes would say the same thing”.

The IAAF and Team GB & NI have to make sure that the make the right decisions or the sake of the sport both at home and abroad as all eyes now a fixed towards the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020.

Following Dina Asher-Smith's 200m gold, Katarina Johnson-Thompson ended her wait for outdoor global golden glory by storming to heptathlon supremacy at the World Athletics Championships.

Claiming her first international heptathlon victory in Doha, the 26-year-old Liverpudlian was beaming as the reality of her achievement started to sink in after a trying two-days – in which she recorded 4 personal bests.

Previously without an outdoor medal at this level, the 26-year-old won with a British record 6,981 points, beating 2017 champion, Belgium’s Nafissatou Thiam, by 304 points and registering Great Britain's third medal at the Championships.

Johnson-Thompson, who recently moved to living in France, led Thiam by 137 points going into the concluding 800m and stormed to victory in two minutes 07.26 seconds - her fourth personal best of the competition.

She said: "This is the result of so many attempts of trying to perform on a world stage.

“This has been my dream”.

In the first event on day one KJT took 0.21 seconds off her previous best to win the 100m hurdles in 13.09 seconds.

Her 1.95cm in the high jump was matched by Thiam, but she scored a personal best in the shot put - one of her weaker events – with distance of 13.86m. That was 71cm further than she had ever gone before.

After the 200m, she had a 96-point overnight lead over the Belgian, nine better than her advantage at last year's European Championships where she eventually finished second.

On day-2 Johnson-Thompson extended her lead before, in the long jump, she leapt to 6.77m. Thiam could only leap a distance of 6.40m.

Johnson-Thompson effectively clinched gold as she recorded another PB by throwing the javelin to 43.93m before Thiam, who had been struggling with an elbow injury, only managed 48.04m - her best is 59.32m - and skipped her final throw.

That gave Johnson-Thompson the 137-point lead over the Belgian going into the 800m, having previously trailed her rival at this stage.

Keeping her cool throughout, the final event saw her win and accumulating a points total which surpassed the previous British best of 6,955 set by Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill at the London 2012 Olympics.

Overwhelmed with emotion, she said: "It’s been a long road, but I am happy that I'm coming into my best form in these two big years.

"I just want more."

After having to be content with silver in the 100metres, sprint queen, Dina Asher-Smith, majestically stepped from behind the shadows of that disappointment to reign supreme at the top of the world with a oh so comfortable win in the 200m final in Doha – thus becoming the first British woman ever to win a major global sprint title.

The 23-year-old was the outstanding favourite, stormed to World Championships as she outclassed the field to take gold in a British record of 21.88 seconds and become the first Briton to win a world or Olympic sprint title since Linford Christie at Stuttgart 1993.

The race, in front of yet another sparsely-filled Khalifa Stadium, was a formality for Asher-Smith as she came off the bend comfortably in front before powering away from the rest of the pack in the final straight.

Though near-empty, a large contingent of British fans and fellow-Team GB competitors did their extra-loud ‘bit’ to see her over the line in no uncertain terms.

"I woke up today thinking, 'This is it”, an overwhelmed and joyously tearful Asher-Smith said. “This is the moment you did all your work for' and the tiredness disappeared."

Inspired to glory after her mum, Julia, and father, Winston, offered her a Chanel handbag if she hit her target.

Now Dina will be looking to fill her new, shiny exclusive designer-wear with further gold medals as she prepares herself for the sprint relay, then Tokyo, for the 2020 Olympics.

American, Brittany Brown, took the silver medal whilst Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji took bronze.

UK Athletics has appointed Priory Healthcare to offer support to athletes outside the World Class Programme (WCP) and across the wider sport.

The appointment was made following a recent review of mental health services and support available to athletes who represent GB & NI as well as Athletics Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. It recognised that many athletes who compete at the highest level but are not supported on the WCP experience the same stresses and demands in relation to training, competition, as well as balancing these requirements alongside employment and financial living cost responsibilities

The renewed relationship with Priory Healthcare will provide non programme athletes with a clear self-referral signposting system to promptly access a nationwide network of expertise via the Priory’s Wellbeing Centres and Hospitals.

UKA and England Athletics’ Duty of Care Lead Jane Fylan said: “We are delighted to be able to confirm this arrangement with Priory Healthcare which will support many athletes who perform at the highest level but aren’t necessarily in receipt of WCP funding or support.

“We’ve worked closely with the performance team at British Athletics to identify the wider requirements. Athletics is a big sport and the numbers representing both GB & NI and the home nations across the year are significant. We’re pleased to now be able to offer quality mental health support in this way to a wider group of athletes.

“We do advocate strongly that individuals should seek referral via their GP in the first instance, however with the ever-growing demands on GPs and the NHS as a whole we also understand the need for those seeking to access a private referral system both promptly and confidentially.”

Priory Healthcare’s Chief Operating Officer, Gair Stott, said: “We are proud to partner with UK Athletics, which is committed to a culture that supports and empowers individuals to talk about their mental health. Our nationwide network of hospitals and Wellbeing Centres offers high-quality treatment, by top specialists in their field, and we have a long track record of supporting sportsmen and women.

“The visibility of today’s athletes can exacerbate the pressures they are under, professionally and personally. Some people assume that mental health issues in athletes are rare, as they’re perceived to be extremely physically healthy with fewer psychological issues. In truth, mental illness is likely to be as common in athletes as it is in the general population. With access to our psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists, Priory Healthcare hopes it can support the UK’s athletes’ mental health, alongside their physical health, which has true benefits all round.”

British Athletics have accepted an IAAF invite for Jazmin Sawyers to compete in the long jump at the IAAF World Championships Doha 2019 while Imani-Lara Lansiquot is now selected to compete individually in the 100m.

Sawyers – who made her World Championship debut in London in 2017 – will get the chance to pull on the British vest at the global gathering for the second time after receiving an IAAF invite in the women’s long jump.

Meanwhile Lansiquot, who reached the European 100m final on her senior individual GB & NI debut last summer and also won 4x100m relay gold, has been added to the event as a result of the British Athletics team being granted a fourth qualifying spot.

The extra selection follows as a result of Dina Asher-Smith’s (Blackheath & Bromley; John Blackie) IAAF Diamond League title victory in the 100m last week. Diamond League winners receive a wildcard entry to the World Championships in Doha, and therefore British Athletics can select a fourth athlete.

Lansiquot’s addition is significant with GB & NI never before having fielded four athletes in the women’s 100m at a World Championships while Sawyers’ invite for the women’s long jump increases the size of the British team for Doha to 73.

Having been cast aside by the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations), two-time Olympic 800m gold medallist Caster Semenya has joined JVW, a women’s football team South Africa.

With the 28-year-old unable to compete without taking testosterone-reducing drugs following a rule change by the athletics' governing body, meant that she couldn’t defend her 800m World Championship title in Doha – despite the fact that she is fighting the rule change through the courts.

Now training with the Gauteng-based women's football club, the three-time world champion, who announced in July that she would not be defending her 800m world title, cannot start playing for JVW until the 2020 season, having joined outside the country’s transfer window.

The 28-year-old Olympics legend said: “I am looking forward to this new journey and am really appreciating the love and support from my new teammates”.

Formed in 2013 by current South Africa Women's captain, Janine van Wyk, she said: "Caster is on a break at the moment which is why she has time on her hands to do something different.

"In training you can see football is there, in her, but we still need to work on her a bit because it's very different to athletics”.

van Wyk did, however, state: "She's made it really clear to me that she's not giving up running at all.

"It's amazing for the football club. The recognition women's football in South Africa will get is massive.

"To have her play in the league over here is incredible and I think young girls and her team-mates will draw a lot of inspiration from Caster."

Semenya is not the first athlete to switch to football - after retiring in 2017, Usain Bolt trained with Norwegian club Stromsgodset and Australian side Central Coast Mariners, but did not secure a contract. She is also following in the footsteps of her former coach Maria Mutola, who also turned to football after athletics.

The IAAF introduced its rule change because it argues female athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD) - such as Semenya - have "a competitive advantage".