No proof Clippers owner Steve Ballmer funneled money to Kawhi Leonard – report

ROME: Gennaro Gattuso’s highly anticipated start as Lazio coach turned into a nightmare on Sunday as the Serie A side suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat to second-tier Mantova and crashed out of the Italian Cup. Gattuso, 48, took charge of Lazio in July, hoping to revive a club that came agonisingly close to lifting the trophy last season. Instead, his first competitive match ended with an early elimination and raised immediate questions about the team’s readiness for the new campaign. Mantova, who play outside Italy’s top flight, stunned the home crowd with a disciplined performance and took full advantage of Lazio’s struggles. The result made Lazio the only one of the 12 Serie A clubs entering the last 64 to be eliminated at this stage. The defeat is particularly painful given Lazio’s recent Italian Cup history. The seven-time winners reached last season’s final but lost to Inter Milan in May, narrowly missing the chance to add another trophy to their collection. For Gattuso, the setback is another difficult chapter in a coaching career that has yet to match the success he enjoyed as a player. A World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, Gattuso spent 13 successful years at AC Milan between 1999 and 2012. During that period, he won two Serie A titles and two Champions League trophies and established himself as one of Europe’s most respected midfielders. His managerial career has included spells with Fiorentina, Valencia, Napoli and Marseille, but major silverware has remained elusive. Gattuso’s appointment at Lazio came just four months after he left his position as Italy coach following the national team’s failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup. The Italian will now have little time to dwell on Sunday’s disappointment, with Lazio’s focus turning to the Serie A campaign. For a coach seeking a fresh start, however, the defeat to Mantova was hardly the opening Gattuso had imagined.

LONDON: Pakistan’s national shooting team delivered an impressive performance at the F-Class British Open 2026, winning 13 medals, including seven gold medals. The team was led by Lieutenant General Ahsan Gulrez. Pakistan competed with a relatively small contingent compared with several other participating countries but still produced strong results. The F-Class British Open was held from August 3 to 8 in Bisley, United Kingdom. Around 185 elite shooters from 24 countries took part in the prestigious international competition. Pakistan participated with a 12-member shooting team. Despite the limited size of the contingent, Pakistani shooters produced notable results in both individual and aggregate events. The team secured a total of 13 medals. These included seven gold, two silver and four bronze medals. The performance highlighted the consistency and competitive ability of Pakistani shooters against some of the world’s experienced F-Class rifle competitors. The British Open was also considered an important preparation event for the 7th F-Class World Championship. The world championship is being held in Bisley from August 10 to 16. Following their strong showing at the British Open, Pakistani shooters are now competing at the world championship. They are facing some of the leading teams and top shooters from around the world. Officials associated with the team said the results at the British Open demonstrated Pakistan’s growing strength in long-range competitive rifle shooting. They said Pakistani shooters have shown that they can compete successfully at the highest international level. The national team, under the leadership of Lieutenant General Ahsan Gulrez, will now aim to build on its medal-winning performance at the F-Class World Championship.

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino, warning that removing the football chief would be a “terrible mistake” as opposition to Infantino grows within several major football confederations. Trump’s intervention came after UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) jointly criticised Infantino in an unusually strong open letter, accusing him of damaging trust and placing his authority above the wider football community. “If, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino,” Trump said on Truth Social, “FIFA would be making a terrible mistake.” The US president described Infantino as “fantastic” and praised his leadership of the expanded 2026 World Cup, which was hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Trump also argued that the tournament had been the most successful World Cup ever and warned that FIFA could struggle to maintain the same level of success and profitability without Infantino. The public backing is significant because Infantino is facing growing resistance over a controversial proposal to bring private investment into FIFA competitions, including the World Cup. The plan was eventually withdrawn after fierce opposition from European football authorities. UEFA had threatened to boycott future World Cups if the investment proposal went ahead, describing the arrangement as an opaque and questionable deal. The pressure ultimately played a major role in Infantino abandoning the plan. The FIFA president received renewed support from senior officials during an emergency meeting in Morocco last week. However, UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC dismissed that backing, arguing that the meeting did not address the concerns raised by the confederations. The three bodies accused Infantino of failing to uphold the principles of accountability and collective leadership. They stressed that football’s governing structure should not revolve around one individual. The dispute could have major consequences ahead of the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027. Infantino, who has led FIFA for a decade, is seeking a fourth and final term. Candidates must declare their intentions by November 18. CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is regarded as a potential challenger, although Infantino continues to enjoy support from several influential football bodies. The Confederation of African Football has backed him, while South American governing body CONMEBOL remains broadly supportive. Several individual national associations have also expressed support. However, FIFA’s voting system means individual member associations—not confederations—will ultimately decide the election. Infantino’s position had appeared secure after the successful 48-team World Cup, but the private investment controversy has dramatically changed the political landscape. The latest confrontation has therefore turned the road to the 2027 FIFA election into an increasingly intense power struggle, with Trump now openly backing Infantino while several major football authorities demand greater accountability and collective decision-making.

Pakistan’s women’s netball team produced a memorable performance in Hong Kong, defeating Thailand 55-50 in the final of the 2026 Asian Netball Championship Plate Division. The closely contested victory saw Pakistan maintain their composure throughout the match, with disciplined play and strong teamwork helping them secure the championship title. Pakistan’s players showed determination from the opening stages, matching Thailand’s intensity while making the most of their scoring opportunities. Their coordinated passing, defensive organisation and collective effort eventually gave them the edge in a five-point victory. The triumph also brings an important reward beyond the title. By winning the Plate Division, Pakistan have qualified for the Cup Division of the next Asian Netball Championship, scheduled to be held in Singapore in 2028. The achievement is a significant boost for women’s netball in Pakistan and provides the national team with a stronger platform to compete at the top level of Asian netball. Several players played key roles during the successful campaign. Saba Noor Anwar, Maya, Lia Raza Shah, Hina Chaudhry, Serena Naseem, Jasmine, Farah, Noor-ul-Ain and Samaya Safdar all contributed to Pakistan’s impressive final performance. The team’s success was built around teamwork, discipline and determination, allowing them to withstand Thailand’s challenge and finish the tournament on a high. The 55-50 victory will now give Pakistan renewed confidence ahead of the next Asian championship cycle. With qualification for the 2028 Cup Division secured, the national side has a valuable opportunity to build on this breakthrough and compete for an even bigger prize in Singapore.