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Irish Governing Body Overwhelmingly Backs Call for UEFA to Ban Israel

Israeli flag and UEFA logo are seen in this illustration taken September 30, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
Israeli flag and UEFA logo are seen in this illustration taken September 30, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
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Irish Governing Body Overwhelmingly Backs Call for UEFA to Ban Israel

Israeli flag and UEFA logo are seen in this illustration taken September 30, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
Israeli flag and UEFA logo are seen in this illustration taken September 30, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

Members of Irish soccer's governing body voted overwhelmingly on Saturday for its board to request that UEFA immediately suspend Israel from European competitions, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) said.

A resolution passed by the FAI members cited alleged violations by Israel's Football Association of two provisions of UEFA statutes: its failure to implement and enforce an effective anti-racism policy and the playing by Israeli clubs in occupied Palestinian territories without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association, Reuters reported.

The resolution was backed by 74 votes, with seven opposed and two abstentions, the FAI said in a statement.

A spokesperson for UEFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

UEFA considered holding a vote early last month on whether to suspend Israel from European competitions over the war in Gaza, a source told Reuters at the time. That did not happen after a US-brokered ceasefire took effect on October 10.

The Irish resolution follows calls in September from the heads of the Turkish and Norwegian soccer governing bodies for Israel to be suspended from international competition.

Those requests came after United Nations experts appealed to FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel from international football, citing a UN Commission of Inquiry report that said Israel had committed genocide during the war in Gaza.

Israel has denied committing genocide and described the report as scandalous.

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Sports

African Champions Pyramids Hit Back to Draw in Morocco

An aerial view shows Cairo's traffic with buildings and houses, through the window of a Turkish Airlines plane, in Cairo, Egypt March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
An aerial view shows Cairo's traffic with buildings and houses, through the window of a Turkish Airlines plane, in Cairo, Egypt March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
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African Champions Pyramids Hit Back to Draw in Morocco

An aerial view shows Cairo's traffic with buildings and houses, through the window of a Turkish Airlines plane, in Cairo, Egypt March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
An aerial view shows Cairo's traffic with buildings and houses, through the window of a Turkish Airlines plane, in Cairo, Egypt March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

Pyramids of Egypt preserved an unbeaten record in defense of the CAF Champions League title by coming from behind to draw 1-1 at FAR Rabat of Morocco late on Friday.

The home team were ahead after just eight minutes of the quarter-final first leg when Ahmed Hammoudan scored his first goal of the campaign.

Mahmoud Zalaka equalized in the seventh minute of the second half in a match staged behind closed doors due to crowd trouble during an earlier FAR match.

The second leg is set for March 21 in Cairo and the overall winners will face another Moroccan club, Renaissance Berkane, or Al Hilal of Sudan in the semi-finals during April.

Pyramids and FAR also clashed in the quarter-finals last season with the Cairo club winning 4-3 on aggregate.

Surprise winners of the premier African club competition last season, Pyramids have won eight matches and drawn three in pursuit of back-to-back titles.

They pocketed four million dollars (3.5 mn euros) after defeating Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in the 2024/25 final.

This week, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that first prize had been increased by 50% to six million dollars. The runners-up prize is unchanged at two million dollars.

FAR rattled Pyramids by taking an early lead amid the silence of the Olympic Stadium in the Moroccan capital, AFP reported.

A pass into space behind the Pyramids defense found Hammoudan, who raced in from the left flank and beat veteran goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy with an angled shot into the far corner.

Both sides had spells of territorial dominance in the opening half, but there were no further goals before half-time with few clearcut chances.

Pyramids pressed for an equalizer from the restart and were rewarded on 52 minutes when Zalaka claimed his second goal of the African campaign.

FAR goalkeeper Ahmed Tagnaouti parried a close-range shot from Ahmed Atef after a corner and Zalaka reacted quickest to poke the loose ball into the net.

Mahmoud Mayele, the Democratic Republic of Congo striker and leading scorer in the Champions League last season with nine goals, was substituted after 83 minutes.

After scoring three goals in qualifiers this season, the 31-year-old has gone eight matches without adding to his tally.

The quarter-final in Rabat kicked off only at 2200 local time due to the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Sports

Verstappen Says Red Bull Car ‘Completely Undrivable' after Chinese GP Qualifying

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands waits inside his car during the qualifying session of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, Pool)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands waits inside his car during the qualifying session of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, Pool)
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Verstappen Says Red Bull Car ‘Completely Undrivable' after Chinese GP Qualifying

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands waits inside his car during the qualifying session of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, Pool)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands waits inside his car during the qualifying session of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, Pool)

Red Bull's Max Verstappen said his RB22 Formula One car is "completely undrivable," after qualifying eighth for Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix and a torrid sprint race earlier in the day.

"We changed a lot on the car, and it makes zero difference," the four-time world champion told reporters after setting a fastest lap that was just over one second slower than pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli, with the two Mercedes cars securing a front row ⁠lockout.

"The whole weekend ⁠we've been off, the car is completely undrivable," Reuters quoted the Dutchman as saying. "Every lap is like survival."

The Red Bull driver sunk to as low as 14th place after having qualified eighth in Saturday's earlier 19-lap sprint race around the Shanghai International ⁠Circuit, finally finishing in 9th and behind sister team Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson.

"It's incredibly tough to drive. There's no balance, I cannot lean on the car, every lap is a fight," the 71-times race winner told Sky Sports F1, having come into the weekend hoping to make more of an impact after making his way from the back of the grid to finish sixth ⁠at ⁠the previous race in Australia.

This is the first season Red Bull have run their own engine, having partnered with Ford, which ended a very successful six-year streak with Honda.

Verstappen said the new power unit was partly to blame, but added that the poor performance was down to a multitude of factors.

"From lap one of these new regulations, I have not enjoyed this car for sure," he added. "It's not going to be a fun race."

Sports

Sabalenka, Rybakina Set Up Blockbuster Indian Wells Final

Mar 13, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Aryna Sabalenka (BEL) shakes hands with Linda Noskova (CZE) after winning her the semi final match during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Mar 13, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Aryna Sabalenka (BEL) shakes hands with Linda Noskova (CZE) after winning her the semi final match during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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Sabalenka, Rybakina Set Up Blockbuster Indian Wells Final

Mar 13, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Aryna Sabalenka (BEL) shakes hands with Linda Noskova (CZE) after winning her the semi final match during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Mar 13, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Aryna Sabalenka (BEL) shakes hands with Linda Noskova (CZE) after winning her the semi final match during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina moved into the Indian Wells final with straight-sets victories over Linda Noskova and Elina Svitolina on Friday, setting up a rematch of their Australian Open Grand Slam title clash.

World number one Sabalenka has been in formidable form this season, winning 16 of her first 17 matches, with her only defeat coming against Rybakina in the Melbourne showpiece in January.

She powered past Noskova 6-3 6-4 and will compete for the Indian Wells crown for the third time in four years, seeking her maiden title in the Californian desert.

"It feels great, I've lost a couple of finals here, so I'll make sure that I'm more than ready on Sunday. I'll bring my best tennis and this is the year," Reuters quoted Sabalenka as saying.

Twice ⁠Grand Slam champion ⁠Rybakina overcame a stiff test to see off Ukraine's Svitolina 7-5 6-4, staying on track to claim a second title in the event.

Sunday's title match will mark the third final between Rybakina and Sabalenka in the last six months. Kazakh Rybakina has won their previous two encounters, lifting the WTA Finals trophy in November and securing the Australian Open title.

"I'm going to fight as much as I can," Rybakina said.

"Hopefully ⁠it's going to be a great match."

Sabalenka seized early control, breaking for a 3-1 lead after a Noskova forehand sailed long, and then the Czech's inconsistent serving - including a double fault - handed the Belarusian another break for 5-1.

Noskova briefly halted the momentum by breaking back when Sabalenka served for the set, only the second time that the top seed had dropped her serve during the tournament.

Sabalenka quickly regrouped when she served again at 5-3, sealing the opener with an ace, while Noskova won just half of the points behind her own serve.

A break in the opening game of the second set proved enough for Sabalenka to ⁠seal the victory ⁠over the 21-year-old Noskova, who had just one chance to break back but could not convert against the Belarusian's formidable power and serving.

"Serve was the biggest thing in this match," Sabalenka added. "(Noskova) is an incredible player, I felt that if I give her a small opportunity she will take it."

It will be the 14th WTA 1000 final of Sabalenka's career.

Rybakina struggled early in her semi-final as Svitolina fired four aces in the opening set. But unforced errors from the Ukrainian opened the door for Rybakina, who seized control with her serve and dictated the remainder of the contest.

Rybakina surged ahead 4-0 in the second set, and though Svitolina attempted to claw her way back Rybakina steadied herself to protect the lead and finish the job.