This morning Seb Vettel stated he will not race in any Russian GP this season, and I expect other drivers will follow suit.

UEFA has signaled it will move the CL final from St. Petersburg. Hopefully that actually happens.

Schalke 04 removed Gazprom from their uniforms and marketing material.

What else is happening? What else should happen?

>What else should happen?

Marina Granovskaia being deported to Russia,with revocation of her Canadian citizenship.

I guess usmanov having to liquidate whatever amount of Everton he owns too, just to be consistent

Legally, I mean. They wouldn't, but wonder if it's theoretically possible.

I don't think they'd have a path to seizing the team without proof of criminal activity, but I bet it'd be pretty easy for them to freeze any financial transactions involving the British Pound and probably the Euro as well as any of their stock market-related holdings. The UK has already done it to some oligarchs:


"Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain imposed travel bans on three wealthy Russians — Gennady Timchenko and Boris and Igor Rotenberg — and said that any British assets they hold in the country would be frozen."


https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/23/world/europe/eu-sanctions-putin-russia-ukraine.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article


UEFA leadership could probably vote to expel Chelsea if they wanted to also - though they never would.


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

>
>UEFA leadership could probably vote to expel Chelsea if they
>wanted to also - though they never would.

But then thought maybe it was UEFA instead. At least I didn't say FIFA lol


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

Chelsea FC has broken no rules or laws in regards to the rules and regulations
of football.

UEFA is a governing body of Football. This is a political matter that
has nothing to do with football.

ALL HAIL THE KING of LOSING: LEBRON
Bulls | Bears | White Sox | Yankees | Notre Dame | Illinois | Chelsea | Real Madrid

when she is a legitimate Canadian citizen?

Complete nonsense.

ALL HAIL THE KING of LOSING: LEBRON
Bulls | Bears | White Sox | Yankees | Notre Dame | Illinois | Chelsea | Real Madrid

>when she is a legitimate Canadian citizen?
>
>Complete nonsense.

No less nonsensical than my abramovich suggestion to be honest

In all seriousness, I hope he never sets foot in Stamford bridge again . UK is a complete joke if they can’t sanction him and the other oligarchs somehow. But I doubt there's a way to legally force him to sell.

Roman. I don’t necessarily have a huge opinion on it, because my perception
of war is very organic.

England and America gained power via taking over territories and invading
countries. That’s what countries do, invade and conquer to expand powers,
control territories, and to protect political relations and interests.

If Roman has a financial connection to Putin or the Russian government, then
I could see why England would want to ban his ownership of Chelsea, considering
England supports Ukraine. I get it.

But your Marina take is totally illogical, and FOCK Arsenal.

ALL HAIL THE KING of LOSING: LEBRON
Bulls | Bears | White Sox | Yankees | Notre Dame | Illinois | Chelsea | Real Madrid

when she is a legitimate Canadian citizen?

ALL HAIL THE KING of LOSING: LEBRON
Bulls | Bears | White Sox | Yankees | Notre Dame | Illinois | Chelsea | Real Madrid

Andrew Benson
@andrewbensonf1
·
2h
Haas to switch to an all-white livery for the final day of the first pre-season test, removing the usual livery that reflects the Russian flag, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russian driver Nikita Mazepin will still drive in the morning session

https://twitter.com/andrewbensonf1/status/1496919383125508096

Wonder where this goes...I don't know what connections the title sponsor, Uralkali, has to Putin, if any. They make fertilizer, basically. They're also publicly traded on the Moscow exchange, which got crushed today and likely won't be rising in the face of all the sanctions. Don't know what that will mean for the Haas sponsorship. Don't know what any of it means.

https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/33363582/former-heavyweight-champion-vitali-klitschko-plans-fight-ukraine-brother

doubt it goes well for them. 1 will die (probably vitali)

And he’s been in office since 2014????

>And he’s been in office since 2014????

Right!?

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

For Undisputed** champ of the world at 135 lb


Although it’s very much disputed bc Devin Haney holds a belt from the WBO that Lomachenko himself vacated …. boxing is a mess smh

>https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/33363582/former-heavyweight-champion-vitali-klitschko-plans-fight-ukraine-brother
>
>doubt it goes well for them. 1 will die (probably vitali)

-------------------
I wanna go to where the martyrs went
the brown figures on the walls of my apart-a-ment...

consensus by the top organizations and billionaires to do punish any team that is not directly operating in Russia (ie Chelsea)

--------

https://www.espn.com/soccer/shakhtar-donetsk/story/4601688/brazilian-players-in-ukraine-appeal-for-governments-help-to-leave-country

Shakhtar Donetsk's Brazilian players have appealed for help following Russia's attack on Ukraine on Thursday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced martial law across the country Thursday, and the nation's top-tier soccer league has been postponed as Russian forces launch a military assault.

Thirteen Brazilian players from Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kyiv striker Vitinho have sought refuge with their families in a hotel in the country's capital, Kyiv.

"Here we are all gathered, Dynamo and Shakhtar players, with our families, staying here at the hotel because of the situation," Shakhtar defender Marlon Santos said in a video that shows the players with their families.

"We are here asking for your help, due to the lack of conditions in the city, closed borders, closed airspace. There's no way we can get out. We ask a lot of support from the government of Brazil, which can help us."

One of the wives of the players added, "We women are with our children and feeling a little abandoned. We don't know what to do, nothing comes to us. We make an appeal to you, even for the sake of the children. Each one left the house running to come to the hotel."

There are 35 Brazilian soccer players competing in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Shakhtar boss Roberto De Zerbi told Sportitalia: "I am staying in my room. Today is not a good day. I have been waiting for the federation to suspend the season until this happened.

"However, I didn't move. I am here to do sport and I could not turn my back on the fans. There are 13 Brazilian players here and my staff. We could have returned home, but we preferred to wait. Last night we woke up to the noise of explosions."

Former Shakhtar boss Paulo Fonseca, who is trapped in Kyiv with his wife and son, told Jornal de Noticias: "I woke up at five in the morning with five explosions in a row. I had a flight scheduled for today, but now it is impossible to leave here, not least because the airports are already destroyed and the airspace has been closed.

"This is the worst day of my life. Now it's time to wait and be lucky. And pray that a bomb doesn't fall on us."

Russian troops launched a wide-ranging attack on Ukraine on Thursday, as President Vladimir Putin cast aside international condemnation and sanctions and warned other countries that any attempt to interfere would lead to "consequences you have never seen."

World leaders decried Russia's actions, and sources have told ESPN that UEFA are set to strip Saint Petersburg of the hosting rights for the 2022 Champions League final.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cacl3wGFAsB/

(Google Translate)
All of us who were in the bunker of a hotel in Kiev managed to get out of there.

The Brazilian embassy gave us this train option. Who gave all the escort security to the train station was UEFA, together with the Ukrainian Football Federation. Thank you all. No words to thank you! 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿

Now we are all on the train on a trip to the city of Chernivtsi, a city in western Ukraine, 535 km from Kiev, close to the borders with Romania and Moldova.

Keep on praying for us.

Stay with God! 🙏🏿

https://www.espn.com/soccer/fifa-world-cup/story/4603139/poland-refuse-to-play-russia-in-2022-world-cup-playoff-game

Poland are refusing to play their World Cup qualifier against Russia in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Polish soccer federation president Cezary Kulesza said on Saturday.

Russia are set to face Poland on March 24 and the winner of that match plays whoever triumphs between Sweden and Czech Republic in a playoff on March 29 in the Path B final to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Sweden said on Saturday that they won't play Russia in a possible playoff "regardless of where the match is played."

But Kulesza made the announcement on Twitter, citing Russia's assault, and indicated Poland was in talks with other federations to present a unified position to FIFA.

"No more words, time to act!" Kulesza wrote, saying the move was prompted by the "escalation of the aggression."

Poland striker Robert Lewandowski added: "It is the right decision! I can't imagine playing a match with the Russian National Team in a situation when armed aggression in Ukraine continues. Russian footballers and fans are not responsible for this, but we can't pretend that nothing is happening."

Previously, Poland had only said they didn't want to play the qualifying playoff semifinal in Moscow on March 24.

Earlier this week, the Football Associations of Poland, Sweden and Czech Republic released a statement urging FIFA to stage any World Cup playoff against Russia outside of the country following its attack on Ukraine.

In a letter addressed to the FIFA General Secretary Fatma Samoura, the three associations wrote: "Based on the current alarming development in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, including the security situation the Football Associations of Poland (PZPN), Sweden (SvFF) and Czech Republic (FACR) express their firm position that the playoff matches to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, scheduled for March 24 and 29, 2022, should not be played in the territory of the Russian Federation.

"The signatories to this appeal do not consider travelling to Russia and playing football matches there. The military escalation that we are observing entails serious consequences and considerably lower safety for our national football teams and official delegations.

"Therefore, we expect FIFA and UEFA to react immediately and to present alternative solutions regarding places where these approaching playoff matches could be played."

On Thursday, FIFA said in a statement that the "hope for rapid cessation of hostilities and peace in Ukraine."

"Violence is never a solution and FIFA calls on all parties to restore peace through constructive dialogue. FIFA also continues to express its solidarity to the people affected by this conflict," FIFA said. "Regarding football matters in both Ukraine and Russia, FIFA will continue to monitor the situation and updates in relation to the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 202 qualifiers will be communicated in due course."

Information from AP was used in this report

https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/33388013/top-boxer-vasiliy-lomachenko-joins-terror-defense-battalion-ukraine

Vasiliy Lomachenko, ESPN's No. 8 pound-for-pound boxer, has joined a territorial defense battalion in Ukraine as the country attempts to fend off an invasion from Russia.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist is shown armed and wearing military fatigues in an image posted to his Facebook page on Sunday.

The 34-year-old was in Greece when the invasion began, and his flight home to Ukraine on Friday was delayed due to air traffic being grounded. He flew into Bucharest and traveled through Romania on Saturday to reach his home outside of Odessa to be with his family.

Lomachenko (16-2, 11 KOs), a former three-division champion, is closing in on a June 5 fight in Australia against undisputed lightweight champion George Kambosos, a title bout that would be televised on June 4 in the United States on ESPN. Lomachenko agreed to his side of the deal earlier this month.

Since suffering a decision loss to Teofimo Lopez in October 2020, Lomachenko underwent surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff and reeled off two consecutive wins. Most recently, he defeated Richard Commey via decision in December.

Hall of Fame boxer Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, announced he was taking up arms to defend against the attack. His brother, fellow Hall of Famer and former heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, enlisted in Ukraine's reserve army earlier this month in anticipation of the invasion.

"We are so proud of our boxers, our real champions in boxing and champions in this war," said Mykola Kovalchuk, president of WBC Ukraine. "We are proud to be Ukrainians."

https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/33390332/bellator-champion-yaroslav-amosov-stay-ukraine-defend-country-best-can

Bellator champion Yaroslav Amosov said Saturday he will stay in his native Ukraine and "defend this country as best I can" against Russia's invasion.

Amosov, Bellator's welterweight title-holder, said in a video posted to Instagram that he took his family to a "safe zone," but has now returned to Ukraine, where he will remain and fight. Amosov spoke Ukrainian in the video and the English translation of his comments was confirmed to ESPN by his manager Andrey Spivachuk.

"Probably, many will think that I ran away, I'm hiding or something like that, but this is not so," said Amosov, ESPN's No. 7-ranked welterweight fighter. "I took my family to the safe zone. Now I have returned and will defend this country as best I can, with what I can. I love this country, our own. Russia came to our house and started a war here, many people are dying -- innocents, women and children.

"We are in a real war. I cannot understand those people who do not believe that Russian troops entered Ukraine. I see it with my own eyes, I hear it. Terrible things are happening here."

Ukrainian boxing legends Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko said they plan to take up arms to defend against the invasion. Vitali is the mayor of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and Wladimir enlisted in Ukraine's reserve army earlier this month as the country braced for an attack.

Former three-division champion Vasiliy Lomachenko, ESPN's No. 8 pound-for-pound boxer, has also joined a territorial defense battalion in Ukraine.

Amosov, 28, is undefeated at 26-0 and considered one of the best up-and-coming MMA fighters in the world. He beat Douglas Lima to win the Bellator welterweight title last June via unanimous decision. He is a perfect 7-0 in Bellator.

Amosov remains scheduled to defend his welterweight title for the first time against Michael Page on May 13 at Bellator London.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/chelsea-engchelsea/story/4605613/chelsea-owner-roman-abramovich-to-lead-ukrainerussia-peace-talks-spokeswoman

Russian billionaire businessman Roman Abramovich, who owns Premier League football club Chelsea, has accepted a Ukrainian request to help negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, his spokesperson said.

Word of Abramovich's involvement in talks, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, first came from the Jewish News, which said Kyiv had reached out through Jewish contacts to seek his help.

"I can confirm Roman Abramovich was contacted by the Ukrainian side for support in achieving a peaceful resolution, and that he has been trying to help ever since," an Abramovich spokesperson said.

"Considering what is at stake, we would ask for understanding as to why we have not commented on either the situation as such or his involvement."

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine's government.

Abramovich, who is Jewish and has Israeli citizenship, was one of the most powerful businessmen who earned fortunes after the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union. Forbes ranks his net worth at $13.3 billion.

A commodities trader who thrived in the chaos of the 1990s under then-President Boris Yeltsin, Abramovich acquired stakes in the Sibneft oil company, Rusal aluminum producer and Aeroflot airline that were later sold.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is working as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine war. Clive Mason/Getty Images
Under Russian President Vladimir Putin, Abramovich served as governor of the remote Arctic region of Chukotka in Russia's Far East.

It was not immediately clear what role, if any, Abramovich would have in talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials that began on Monday at the Belarusian border.

Earlier, the Ukrainian president's office said Ukraine's goal for the talks was an immediate cease-fire and the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine. The Kremlin has not said explicitly what its objective is in the talks.

Abramovich, 55, said on Saturday he was giving trustees of Chelsea stewardship of the club.

In recent days, two other Russian billionaires, Mikhail Fridman and Oleg Deripaska, have called for an end to the war.

Putin used an early-morning address to the nation on Feb. 24 to order "a special military operation" against Ukraine just three days after recognising two Russian-backed rebel regions of Ukraine.

Putin said he was ordering the military operation to protect people, including Russian citizens, from "genocide" -- an accusation Ukraine and the West reject as baseless propaganda.

https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/33388878/several-wnba-players-competing-russia-make-plans-leave-following-invasion-ukraine-agents-say

Several WNBA players currently competing in Russia are making plans to leave the country as a safety precaution following the invasion of Ukraine, multiple agents told ESPN on Sunday.

The majority of the WNBA's players compete overseas in the winter months, with several league standouts in Russia. Typically, some players are there as late as April or early May. The 2022 WNBA season begins May 6.

Agents asked that their clients who are in Russia not be identified at this point for safety reasons.

Longtime agent Mike Cound explained to ESPN that he had experience himself with needing to be evacuated from overseas, which came when he was working for the United States government during the Gulf War in the early 1990s. Cound put together a document explaining the current situation for his clients, who also shared it with other players.

"For me, it's way past 'considering' leaving," Cound told ESPN on Sunday. "I've been on the phone with two players in the past few minutes working out flights. It's really urgent now in terms of there being a dwindling number of flights leaving Russia, and they are going to be hard to get real soon. They are probably fine if they stay put, but if things get worse, that may not be the case. My idea is, 'Get them out now if we can.' And if we can't, we get them to hunker down and stay safe."

Cound said some players might be moving to play for other teams in Europe.

Other agents also said Sunday they are working on plans to help clients leave Russia or are having serious discussions about it. One agent said her clients would wait until Monday to make a decision, but she expects they will leave. Most said they don't think the players are in immediate danger but that if the situation worsens, they could be or might be unable to leave at that point.

The WNBA and players' union released statements last week about being in constant communication with players and agents about the situation.

"The few WNBA players who were competing this off-season in Ukraine are no longer in the country," the WNBA said Thursday. "The league has also been in contact with WNBA players who are in Russia, either directly or through their agents. We will continue to closely monitor the situation."

When asked whether the league was advising players to leave Russia, a WNBA spokesman said the league did not want to expand further on its statement.

The union said it also has been monitoring the situation.

"We have been in constant communication with our members and their representatives for several weeks, and we'll continue to stay abreast of current events," the union said in a statement on Thursday. "We are the union for the 144 all year round, and their safety is the highest concern.

"We shared information and advisories from credible news sources and urged them to make a plan that included connecting with embassies/consulates and the U.S. State Department's SMART traveler program."

The United States embassy in Moscow sent out a security alert on Sunday that said, "An increasing number of airlines are cancelling flights into and out of Russia, and numerous countries have closed their airspace to Russian airlines. U.S. citizens should consider departing Russia immediately via commercial options still available."

That followed a Jan. 23 advisory from the state department that warned Americans against traveling to Russia because of "the potential for harassment against U.S. citizens, the embassy's limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in Russia, COVID-19 and related entry restrictions, terrorism, harassment by Russian government security officials, and the arbitrary enforcement of local law."

https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/33391803/international-olympic-committee-calls-russia-excluded-sports-amid-ukraine-invasion

GENEVA -- In a sweeping move to isolate and condemn Russia after invading Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee urged sports bodies on Monday to exclude the country's athletes and officials from international events.

The IOC said it was needed to "protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants."

The decision opened the way for FIFA, the governing body of soccer, to exclude Russia from a World Cup qualifying playoff match on March 24. Poland has refused to play the scheduled game against Russia.

The Olympic body's call also applied to athletes and official from Belarus, which has abetted Russia's invasion by allowing its territory to be used to station troops and launch military attacks.

The IOC said it acted "with a heavy heart," but the impact of war on Ukrainian sports outweighed the potential damage done to athletes from Russia and Belarus.

It was not a total blanket ban by the IOC. Where exclusion was "not possible on short notice for organizational or legal reasons," then teams from Russia and Belarus should compete as neutral athletes with no national flag, anthem or symbols, including at the upcoming Winter Paralympics in Beijing.

The IOC also withdrew the Olympic Order it gave Vladimir Putin in 2001, and other Russian officials since.

Sports bodies across Europe had already moved against Russia on Monday by refusing to host or play against teams from the country.

Finland wants the Russian hockey team to be banned from the men's world championships it will host in May. The Swiss soccer federation said its women's team will not play Russia in July at the European Championship. And German soccer club Schalke said it had decided to end its longstanding partnership with Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom.

FIFA declined to ban Russia from the World Cup over the weekend. Instead, the soccer body said that as punishment, the country's national team will have to compete as Football Union of Russia and play at neutral venues without its flag and anthem. Besides Poland, both Sweden and the Czech Republic, Russia's next potential opponents, have said they would refuse to take the field against them.

"The Swedish Football Association is disappointed with FIFA's decision but is determined to continue to work together with other federations to cancel Russia's matches in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers," the body said Monday, citing the "illegal and deeply unjust invasion of Ukraine."

The World Cup is scheduled to begin on Nov. 21 in Qatar.

In European club soccer, Russian team Spartak Moscow is still scheduled to play next week in the Europa League against German club Leipzig. European governing body UEFA allowed Spartak to take its place in the round of 16 draw on Friday, one day after Putin ordered the invasion to start.

UEFA called a meeting of its executive committee for later Monday and is expected to exclude Russian teams from its competitions based on the IOC's announcement.

There is precedent for removing Russian teams from sports. In 1992, following United Nations sanctions, FIFA and UEFA expelled Yugoslavia from its competitions when war broke out in the Balkans.

Besides Schalke's effort to drop Gazprom as a partner, UEFA is also expected to see if it can nullify its sponsorship deals with the company. Gazprom sponsors both the Champions League and the European Championship.

FIFA's compromise aligns with sanctions imposed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in December 2020 to punish Russia for state-backed doping and cover-ups of cheating, and applied at last year's Tokyo Olympics and this year's Winter Games in Beijing.

The Russian soccer team was already due to play under those conditions if they qualified for the World Cup because of the doping scandals. FIFA's decision to apply the conditions to a regional sports event -- European qualification games -- is the only element of punishment for the war.

If Russia was to play Poland as scheduled on March 24 and win, the team would then face Sweden or the Czech Republic on March 29.

Swedish soccer federation president Karl-Erik Nilsson, who is also the senior vice president at UEFA, said Sunday he expected a "sharper stance" from FIFA.

Polish soccer federation president Cezary Kulesza said Sunday it was "totally unacceptable" that FIFA had not immediately expelled Russia from World Cup qualifying and said Poland is "not interested in participating in this game of appearances."

Another of Russia's future opponents, Albania, also said Sunday it would not play against that country in any sports. Russia and Albania are scheduled to meet twice in June in the UEFA Nations League soccer tournament. The group also includes Iceland and Israel.

In hockey, the sport's governing body has come under pressure from Finland and Switzerland to ban Russia and Belarus, which are both due to play at the world championships in May in Helsinki and Tampere.

Finnish Hockey Association chairman Harri Nummela said in a statement Monday it had talks with the Zurich-based IIHF to exclude the two countries from the sport internationally.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10028205-us-soccer-says-it-wont-play-russia-in-any-format-after-invasion-of-ukraine

The United States Soccer Federation announced on Monday that it would not play Russia "no matter the level of competition or circumstance" until the ongoing military invasion of Ukraine is ceased.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CahtbVXukm1/

That followed a report from ESPN's Mark Ogden that "high-level discussions are taking place within FIFA and UEFA—the governing bodies of world and European football respectively—which are likely to result in Russia being suspended from competitions."

...been thinking about both the necessity of all these sporting bans (and other non-sport measures) and their efficiency in bringing about the most useful end result.

If that result is, which I have to believe it should be, the removal of Putin from office and the establishment of some sort of classically liberal government, then presumably that would have to happen from within Russia—a revolution of some kind, either violent or non—. Massive economic sanctions + exclusion from all international participation (such as sports) = life becoming so desperate and shitty under Putin that the citizenry finds a way to get rid of him.

But I'm not sure how much, for instance, banning the soccer team from playing anywhere furthers that goal. Does a nuclear-armed madman really care about a WC qualifier with Sweden?

That said, obviously that has to be done on moral grounds, regardless of how effective it is.

you know things are bad when fucking FIFA drops you

https://t.co/TVD3uh1oUY

------------------------------
For the record, my teams:
MLB: Mets / Soccer: PSG
NCAA BB: Arizona / NCAA FB: Michigan
NBA: Spurs / NFL: Jets

he's still keeping that medal Putin gave him tho

------------------------------
For the record, my teams:
MLB: Mets / Soccer: PSG
NCAA BB: Arizona / NCAA FB: Michigan
NBA: Spurs / NFL: Jets

like, did they take Russia's side or something? I'm not that aware.

---------------------
Obviously White

....plan on deploying their own forces, if they haven't already.

Puppet state of Putin.

Also renounced non-nuclear status today.

https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/33392740/heavyweight-champion-oleksandr-usyk-joins-territorial-defense-battalion-ukraine

Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has joined a territorial defense battalion in Ukraine as the nation seeks to defend itself against an invasion from Russia that began Thursday.

The Olympic gold medalist is the latest boxer to take up arms in Ukraine. Usyk's longtime friend, Vasiliy Lomachenko, also joined a territorial defense battalion over the weekend.

Hall of Fame boxer Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, announced he was taking up arms to defend against the invasion on Thursday. His brother, fellow Hall of Famer and former heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, enlisted in Ukraine's reserve army earlier this month in anticipation of the attack.

"If we consider ourselves as brothers, Orthodox ones, do not send your children to our country, do not fight with us," Usyk, ESPN's No. 2 heavyweight, wrote Saturday on Instagram. "Also, I'm addressing this to the President, Vladimir Putin. You can stop this war. Please just sit down and negotiate it with us without claims.

"Our kids, wives, grannies are hiding in the basements. We are here in our own country, we cannot do it any other way. We are defending. Stop this war, stop it. No war."

The former undisputed cruiserweight champion dominated Anthony Joshua via unanimous decision in September to capture three heavyweight titles. The 35-year-old is set to meet Joshua in a rematch in May or June.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/chelsea-engchelsea/story/4606808/chelsea-for-sale-as-pressure-grows-on-owner-roman-abramovich-sources

Roman Abramovich is willing to listen to offers for Chelsea as pressure grows over his ownership amid Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, sources have told ESPN.

The 55-year-old attempted to separate the club from a possible personal sanction from the U.K. government by passing "stewardship and care" of Chelsea on to its trustees on Saturday.

However, sources have told ESPN that the trustees are seeking legal advice before responding to Abramovich's instruction due to concerns that a charitable foundation is not a suitable entity to run a football club.

In the meantime, Abramovich is understood to be seriously considering selling Chelsea, with the U.K. government under mounting pressure to freeze the assets of high net-worth Russians in England with any alleged links to Vladimir Putin.

Abramovich has always strenuously denied any ties to the Putin regime, and Chelsea have repeatedly previously insisted the club is not for sale.

The club did not respond to a request to clarify this position when contacted by ESPN on Wednesday.

If the U.K. government was to act and sanction Abramovich, Chelsea would be frozen because it's one of his assets. In that scenario he could not sell the club or inject any funds into it -- which would have huge repercussions for the club.

At Wednesday's session of Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, the opposition party leader, Labour's Sir Keir Starmer, opened by calling for sanctions against the Chelsea owner.

"Roman Abramovich is the owner of Chelsea Football Club and various other high-value assets in the United Kingdom," Starmer said.

"He is a person of interest to the Home Office because of his links to the Russian state and his public association with corrupt activity and practices. Last week he said Abramovich was facing sanctions. He later corrected the record to say he isn't. Well, why on Earth isn't he?"

Johnson replied: "It is not appropriate for me to comment on individual cases at this stage."

Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 for £140 million. The club's latest accounts show he is owed £1.514 billion in loans through parent company Fordstam Limited, which he controls.

When Chelsea announced their latest accounts -- a £145.6m loss after tax for the year ending June 30, 2021, despite winning the Champions League -- the club admitted at the time they were "reliant on Fordstam Limited for its continued financial support."

Swiss business tycoon Hansjoerg Wyss has claimed Abramovich contacted interested parties on Tuesday to sound out potential interest.

"Abramovich is currently trying to sell all his villas in England. He also wants to get rid of Chelsea quickly now. I, along with three other people, received an offer on Tuesday to buy Chelsea from Abramovich," Swiss newspaper Blick quoted Wyss as saying in an interview published on Wednesday.

Sources have told ESPN that Abramovich has told potential buyers in the past that he valued the club at around £3bn.

Wyss added, "Abramovich is asking for far too much at the moment. You know: Chelsea owes him £2bn. But Chelsea has no money. Meaning: those who buy Chelsea should compensate Abramovich."

American businessman Todd Boehly was interested in buying a London Premier League club before the coronavirus pandemic, sounding out both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, only to have his interest rebuffed.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Britain's richest man, according to a Forbes study from 2021, previously held preliminary talks with Abramovich over a possible purchase.

Ratcliffe's brother Bob, who runs the football division of his company INEOS, told BBC Radio 5live last month that "we were a significant way apart on valuations."

Another complicating factor for a potential buyer is the difficulty in renovating Stamford Bridge. Complicated plans to redevelop the 41,800-seat stadium -- which involved knocking the existing structure down and rebuilding a 61,000-capacity venue -- were shelved by Abramovich in 2018 around the time his U.K. investor visa expired. The site's freehold is held by Chelsea Pitch Owners and would not therefore be included in any sale of the club.

This is WILD…

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/05/sports/basketball/russia-brittney-griner.html

Russia Says It Has American Basketball Player in Custody

A Russian news agency identified Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner as the American women’s basketball player detained in Russia after customs officials said they found hashish oil in her luggage at an airport.Credit...Paul Beaty/Associated Press
The Russian Federal Customs Service said Saturday that its officials had detained an American basketball player after finding vape cartridges that contained hashish oil in her luggage at the Sheremetyevo airport near Moscow.

The Customs Service said in a statement that the player had won two Olympic gold medals with the United States, but it did not release the player’s name. The Russian news agency TASS, citing a law enforcement source, identified the player as Brittney Griner, a seven-time W.N.B.A. All-Star center for the Phoenix Mercury. Griner, 31, won gold medals with the U.S. women’s national basketball team in 2021 and 2016.

The Customs Service released a video of a traveler at the airport who appeared to be Griner, wearing a mask and black sweatshirt, going through security. The video showed an individual removing a package from the traveler’s bag.

According to the statement, a criminal case has been opened into the large-scale transportation of drugs, which can carry a sentence of up to 10 years behind bars in Russia. The basketball player was taken into custody while the investigation was ongoing, the officials said.

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

why on earth would she try to go through customs
with cannabis on her person?

You can’t even do that in America. The substance will be confiscated, but a person
will not face charges or be detained.

In Russia, cannabis is categorized as a narcotic, and the usage for medical or recreational purposes is illegal. Depending on the amount of Cannabis that is
discovered, a person can be fined or convicted up to 15 years in prison.

And with Russia and USA relations on bad terms right now, who on earth is
going to try to negotiate her release?

This is really bad.

Hopefully, her Basketball club can save her. All teams and sports have strong
relationships with the government, so she might receive leniency because of those
relations.

ALL HAIL THE KING of LOSING: LEBRON
Bulls | Bears | White Sox | Yankees | Notre Dame | Illinois | Chelsea | Real Madrid

So I’m definitely not taking the charges against her at face value…

before the war started.

Russia doesn’t play around with their stance against narcotics.

Like I said, sports are huge in Russia, and many Americans
play sports over there, and she has been playing ball over there
for years.

Americans never really run into issues over there.

So this shit is serious. She’s been sitting in a Russian jail for weeks.

ALL HAIL THE KING of LOSING: LEBRON
Bulls | Bears | White Sox | Yankees | Notre Dame | Illinois | Chelsea | Real Madrid

Russia at their word in terms of the blame. Not saying she definitely didn’t do it, but we haven’t heard from her and Russia has absolutely not earned any benefit of the doubt in terms of trustworthiness…I’m not trying to make her out to be a prisoner of war like I’ve seen some do online, but this war should definitely add some urgency on our side towards getting her out.

>Russia has absolutely not earned any benefit of the doubt in
>terms of trustworthiness

Because I think that's the more accurate way to put it.

https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/33525694/wnba-star-brittney-griner-detention-russia-extended-19

-------------------
I wanna go to where the martyrs went
the brown figures on the walls of my apart-a-ment...

-The Knicks’ coaching search still includes a lone frontrunner, Kurt Rambis, whose qualifications for the position include a strong relationship with Jackson and a willingness to take the job.

I think if there was huge US or international outcry she might have even less chance of release because Russia might dig their heels in even more. My optimistic take is that hopefully there's some low key, behind the scenes deal making taking place.

I feel for her though. Because this really isn't about her at all. I hope they're treating her relatively well (for being in prison...) and she makes it home safe very soon.

In a generation of swine, the one-eyed pig is king.
-Hunter S. Thompson

Im guessing she had done this many times before and wasn’t too concerned with getting caught or the consequences . I know many people who fly with weed within the United States and to Europe and India (as long as there are no connecting flights in the Middle East)

Here the TSA just leaves a note saying it was confiscated , I wonder if she had no idea or just ignored it

awful either way


>I think if there was huge US or international outcry she
>might have even less chance of release because Russia might
>dig their heels in even more. My optimistic take is that
>hopefully there's some low key, behind the scenes deal making
>taking place.
>
>I feel for her though. Because this really isn't about her at
>all. I hope they're treating her relatively well (for being in
>prison...) and she makes it home safe very soon.
>
>
>

-------------------
I wanna go to where the martyrs went
the brown figures on the walls of my apart-a-ment...

until it wasn't.

In a generation of swine, the one-eyed pig is king.
-Hunter S. Thompson

Marijuana is still federally illegal, and in states like Texas you will be jailed if you
get caught trying to board a plane with a cannabis vape pen. So what happened to
Brittany In Russia, has happened in America.

Any edible or thc vape, no matter how small it is, is a felony in certain states.

ALL HAIL THE KING of LOSING: LEBRON
Bulls | Bears | White Sox | Yankees | Notre Dame | Illinois | Chelsea | Real Madrid

…you’re right . Flying with weed is incredibly dumb to begin with but especially to Texas Florida etc


>Marijuana is still federally illegal, and in states like
>Texas you will be jailed if you
>get caught trying to board a plane with a cannabis vape pen.
>So what happened to
>Brittany In Russia, has happened in America.
>
>Any edible or thc vape, no matter how small it is, is a felony
>in certain states.
>
>

-------------------
I wanna go to where the martyrs went
the brown figures on the walls of my apart-a-ment...

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

He got something to say about every other thing in sports.

------------------
One Hundred.

>He got something to say about every other thing in sports.

-------------------
I wanna go to where the martyrs went
the brown figures on the walls of my apart-a-ment...

Clearly saddening and tragic news for Brittney, her partner, and Brittney's supporters.

It's beyond frustrating that Griner is a political pawn whose only crime is bringing a cartridge of hash to an airport.

It's an abomination.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

T.J. Quinn
ESPN Staff Writer

A Moscow court rejected Brittney Griner's appeal of her nine-year sentence on drug charges Tuesday, a completely anticipated result in a trial that U.S. and international officials have called an illegitimate proceeding.

U.S. officials have said they believe Russia will eventually send the WNBA star home in a prisoner swap but have expressed frustration over what they say is Russia's failure to respond to the "significant" offer the United States made in June.

"We are aware of the news out of Russia that Brittney Griner will continue to be wrongfully detained under intolerable circumstances after having to undergo another sham judicial proceeding today," U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement.

Griner took part in the Moscow Regional Court hearing via videoconference.

In the ruling, the court stated that the time Griner will have to serve in prison will be recalculated with her time in pretrial detention taken into account, meaning Griner will serve about eight years in prison.

The result was "not what we expected," Griner's attorneys, Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov, said via a statement. "The verdict contains numerous defects and we hoped that the court of appeal would take them into consideration. We still think the punishment is excessive and contradicts to the existing court practice."

"This appeal is further verification that BG is not just wrongfully detained," the WNBA Players Association said in a statement. "She is very clearly a hostage.''

The attorneys noted that they needed to discuss any further appeal with Griner but said, "we generally think that we must use all the available legal tools."

Several officials have said in recent weeks that they believe Russia will not engage seriously in negotiations until after the U.S. midterm elections Nov. 8, not wanting to give the Biden administration a political victory.

For Griner, who has been held for more than eight months, her immediate concern is how quickly she will be transferred to one of Russia's notorious penal colonies. She was sentenced to serve out her term in one but has remained in a relatively safer Moscow jail during appeal.

Blagovolina told ESPN last week that it can take weeks or months for a prisoner to be transferred; there is no timetable prescribed by law. Legal experts say Griner is at the whim and mercy of the Russian system, as she has been all along.

Griner was arrested Feb. 17 while trying to enter Russia to join her club team in Ekaterinburg. Customs officials found vape cartridges containing hashish oil, and she pleaded guilty in July, telling the court she had packed them inadvertently.

U.S. officials declared her to be wrongfully detained in May and began seeking a prisoner swap with Russia for Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who has been held in Russia since December 2018.

Officials said the State Department offered to trade Viktor Bout, a convicted arms dealer serving a 25-year sentence in the United States. Bout has been in U.S. custody since 2008. But officials have said Russia has not made a serious counteroffer and has requested the return of a man the United States doesn't have in custody, Vadim Krasikov, who is currently in a German prison on a murder conviction.

<--- Me when my head hits the pillow

And heartwrenching.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/32-americans-are-still-planning-to-play-basketball-in-russia-after-brittney-griners-harrowing-experience

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

..I really wish more context was given about this entire case so that the public could truly understand the dynamics at play.

Griner shouldn't have to endure this, but patience is the only play available.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/08/politics/brittney-griner-released/index.html

WNBA star Brittney Griner released from Russian detention in prisoner swap for convicted arms dealer
Jennifer Hansler MJ Lee
By Jennifer Hansler and MJ Lee, CNN
Updated 8:40 AM EST, Thu December 8, 2022


Washington
CNN
—
WNBA star Brittney Griner has been released from Russian detention, President Joe Biden said Thursday.

A source familiar with the matter tells CNN that the swap involves convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

“Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner,” Biden tweeted. “She is safe. She is on a plane. She is on her way home.”


The swap did not include another American that the State Department has declared wrongfully detained, Paul Whelan.

Biden is expected to speak around 8:30 a.m. ET, the White House said. Griner’s wife Cherelle is with the president at the White House, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Biden, a White House official tells CNN, “will speak to the importance of Brittney being brought home safely” in his remarks.

He is also expected to address Whelan and will reiterate the US “commitment to ensuring Paul Whelan comes home as well.”

‘The only deal we could make right now’
Biden gave final approval for the prisoner swap freeing Griner over the past week, an official familiar with the matter said, adding that Biden was updated on the swap as it was taking place this morning.

He was briefed throughout the morning as he awaited confirmation that Griner was back in US hands, a US official says. Once that happened, Biden spoke with Griner from the Oval Office, with Griner’s wife Cherelle, Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken was also on the call, a second official said.

Biden was “personally involved and in constant touch” with his team as this deal came together in the final days and after he gave his personal green light to execute the trade. The briefings – and questions Biden asked his team – were constant, a senior administration official says.

The official added that this was the right deal to make – but that notably: “the only deal we could make right now.”

‘Merchant of Death’ included in swap
Russia said on Thursday that Bout has returned home to Russia, according to state media RIA Novosti, citing the foreign ministry. The prisoner exchange with Griner was “completed successfully at Abu Dhabi Airport” on Thursday, state media added.

Bout, nicknamed the “Merchant of Death,” is a former Soviet military officer serving a 25-year prison sentence in the United States on charges of conspiring to kill Americans, acquire and export anti-aircraft missiles, and provide material support to a terrorist organization. Moscow had slammed his sentencing in 2012 as “baseless and biased” and Bout has maintained he is innocent.

Griner – who, for years, had played in the off-season for a Russian women’s basketball team – had been detained since February, when she was arrested on drug smuggling charges at an airport in the Moscow region. Despite her testimony that she had inadvertently packed the cannabis oil that was found in her luggage, she was sentenced to nine years in prison in early August and was moved to a penal colony in the Mordovia republic in mid-November after losing her appeal.

Whelan, a US, Irish, British and Canadian citizen, was detained at a Moscow hotel in December 2018 by Russian authorities who alleged he was involved in an intelligence operation. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges he has vehemently denied. Whelan had been carrying out his sentence at a different labor camp in Mordovia, an eight-hour drive from Moscow, where he told CNN in June 2021 he spent his days working in a clothing factory that he called a “sweatshop.”

This story is breaking and will be updated.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

She should never have been stuck there and I’m glad she’s home

but also

This is a terrible precedent to set and the sides aren’t fair at all.

This guy has been responsible for thousands of deaths across the globe. She’s a basketball player.

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It didn't matter what Biden did, the goalpost was going to move.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

trump freed 5000 taliban fighters in exchange for nothing and these trade deal analysts never said shit lol.

>trump freed 5000 taliban fighters in exchange for nothing and
>these trade deal analysts never said shit lol.

-------------------
I wanna go to where the martyrs went
the brown figures on the walls of my apart-a-ment...

dude will have every five eyes intelligence agency on his ass for the rest of his life.

and russia has no idea if our govt extracted info from him or outright turned him.

you think any of his previous or prospective clients will touch him now?

how dangerous do you think he is currently?

can't both be true - it's good she's back, it's bad he's out?

You're acting like it's no big deal he's out, because...you want this trade to feel like a win I guess?

"how dangerous do you think he is currently?" - you're actually implying here that because his name is so toxic he must not be as dangerous anymore? This guy is responsible for the deaths of thousands of people in Africa and the United States.

I'm in a bizarro world.

this was the only deal russia would agree to.

what exactly is your alternative?

i will pose the same question to you that i asked guru.

>dude will have every five eyes intelligence agency on his ass
>for the rest of his life.

so?

>and russia has no idea if our govt extracted info from him or
>outright turned him.

lol , Homeland was a good show, but it is a TV show.


>you think any of his previous or prospective clients will
>touch him now?
>
>how dangerous do you think he is currently?


all irrelevant. he is a global terrorist responsible for countless deaths and enabling regimes to carry out all kinds of heinous attacks on their own domestic population, that was freed in exchange for nothing.

this makes America an even bigger laughingstock on the international stage.

-------------------
I wanna go to where the martyrs went
the brown figures on the walls of my apart-a-ment...

this was the only deal russia would agree to.

what exactly is your alternative?

…see ya in 9 years.




>this was the only deal russia would agree to.
>
>what exactly is your alternative?

-------------------
I wanna go to where the martyrs went
the brown figures on the walls of my apart-a-ment...

What this guy did in Rwanda is just disgusting, and he actually helped fuel the opiod crisis in America if you really look at it.

I'm glad I'm not bound by some outdated draconian notion of patriotism and so blinded by celebrity that I can't see when right is right, and wrong is wrong.

Viktor Bout should still be in prison (his sentence isnt long enough tbh), and if that means Russia keeps Brittney Griner, then so be it. Brittney Griner is not more important than all the people who suffered at the hands of this madmans

edit, Paul Whelan not being part of this deal is disgraceful as well.

and no I don't want her to die. but I loathe when governments commute terrorist sentences.

-------------------
I wanna go to where the martyrs went
the brown figures on the walls of my apart-a-ment...

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

Geopolitics and terrorism, especially with Afghanistan damn near being a neighbor , this shit hits a lot harder and is way more important to me than sports , even TOSU.

-------------------
I wanna go to where the martyrs went
the brown figures on the walls of my apart-a-ment...

___________________

Mar-A-Lago delenda est

the exchange.

I’m just glad she was released, and that she will be back in America soon.

This wasn’t a win for anyone. All parties look bad on this one,
propaganda will be tossed back and forth.

ALL HAIL THE KING of LOSING: LEBRON
Bulls | Bears | White Sox | Yankees | Notre Dame | Illinois | Chelsea | Real Madrid

>the exchange.
>
>I’m just glad she was released, and that she will be back in
>America soon.
>
>This wasn’t a win for anyone. All parties look bad on this
>one,
>propaganda will be tossed back and forth.

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

and in turn contributed to the killing and abuse of thousands of African and women.

Has nothing to do with "white people", this guy's helped destroy as many scores of black people too. I'm really surprised there isn't more universal outrage about this.

>and in turn contributed to the killing and abuse of thousands
>of African and women.
>
>Has nothing to do with "white people", this guy's helped
>destroy as many scores of black people too. I'm really
>surprised there isn't more universal outrage about this.


if its happening outside of the US border, we don't give a flying fuck, unless it affects white people (like in Ukraine)

-------------------
I wanna go to where the martyrs went
the brown figures on the walls of my apart-a-ment...

I simply said that a lot of white Americans are outraged about the deal, and
not because a notorious former arms dealers was released. They are incensed
over the reality that a Marine will continue be detained. That’s the perception that
is circulating on social media.

ALL HAIL THE KING of LOSING: LEBRON
Bulls | Bears | White Sox | Yankees | Notre Dame | Illinois | Chelsea | Real Madrid

>I simply said that a lot of white Americans are outraged
>about the deal, and
>not because a notorious former arms dealers was released. They
>are incensed
>over the reality that a Marine will continue be detained.
>That’s the perception that
>is circulating on social media.

its funny when people refer to Whelan as "a Marine" he was dishonorably discharged for trying to steal $10,000 among other things

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

I wanted to read about the issue besides pro-BG arguments and not read analysis based on hate and bias.

I wasn't fully aware of Bout's history as a terrorist and the horrible things he's done.

Apparently, the deal was for one of Griner or Whelan or neither of them. I'm happy and pleased BG is home. But, Putin is a brilliant strategist and he played his hand here like a pro despite not having any moral leverage.

He brought someone home although at a high cost, maybe too high. For as rightfully debated as this issue is, I don't know how it would have played out if Biden heled on to Bout and neither Whelan or BG came home.

There's obviously the principled decision to stand ground but Biden was going to be the loser here regardless. Might as well make the best out of a situation without victory.

<--- Me when my head hits the pillow

lots of ladies on new teams, some coaching changes and Britt back in Phoenix. Can’t wait! (c)Bart Scott

...I'm from the era when A.I. was the answer, now they think ai is the answer - Marlon Craft