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Drogheda United won the FAI Cup final in November

Drogheda United's appeal against their dismissal from the 2025-26 Uefa Conference League has been rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

The Irish Premier Division club were expelled by Uefa under a rule which states two clubs in the same competition cannot be under the same ownership, with US-based Trivela Group also owning Danish side Silkeborg.

Uefa rules mean the lower-ranked team, in this case Drogheda, are excluded from the competition.

Drogheda won the FAI Cup in November 2024 as a semi-professional side. However, Silkeborg's seventh-place finish in the Danish league outweighs Drogheda's ninth place in the League of Ireland Premier Division.

Trivela bought Silkeborg shortly after Drogheda's FAI Cup triumph.

In a statement, Drogheda expressed their "great heartbreak and disbelief" at Cas' decision.

"We strongly disagree with this decision, and had hoped and believed that the principles of fairness and common sense would prevail," the club said.

"After months of engagement, constructive dialogue, countless hours of legal preparation, and multiple proposals based on frameworks that have been accepted in the past, we have come up short.

"Despite genuine and vocal support across the football world, the ruling did not fall in our favour. We are heartbroken by the outcome."

Uefa advanced its assessment date to 1 March rather than June, but the Cas panel found that this change had been properly communicated by Uefa and that Drogheda ought to have known about it.

A majority of the panel also rejected Drogheda's submissions on alleged unequal treatment by Uefa.

Drogheda, who are currently third in the League of Ireland Premier Division and face Shamrock Rovers on Monday night, also called the decision "unjust".

"Rules should protect opportunity, not prevent it," their statement added.

"Especially for community-driven clubs like ours who fight every day to punch above their weight.

"Nevertheless, we accept responsibility. And we're sorry. But while we are saddened, we are also emboldened.

"We will not let this setback define us. Instead, we will use it as fuel. Our club has never been handed anything and we've earned every inch through grit, resilience, and unity. And we will continue to do so."

Derry City, who Drogheda beat in the FAI Cup final, are unable to join Shamrock Rovers and St Patrick's Athletic in the competition as the deadline for a Uefa licence has passed.

Drogheda's sitaution is similar to thatbeing experienced by Crystal Palace,who qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup in May.

It is the only time the Premier League club has qualified for European football in their 120-year history, but Uefa is set to decide whether they breached its rules on teams under one multi-club ownership structure competing in that competition.

Uefa's final ruling will centre on American businessman John Textor, owner of Eagle Football – which holds a 43% stake in Palace.

Eagle Football also owns a 77% stake in French side Lyon, who – like Palace – have qualified for next season's Europa League.

In recent seasons, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Manchester United have all been admitted into European competition despite initial concerns over multi-club ownership.

Eubank Jr has won 35 pro fights and lost three, but has never held a recognised world title

Harlem Eubank would prefer his cousin, Chris Eubank Jr, to chase a legacy-defining fight against Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez rather than revisit his rivalry with Conor Benn.

The unbeaten welterweight says if Eubank Jr does fight Benn again, however, the weight discrepancy between the two Britons must be addressed.

Eubank Jr outpointed Benn in a grudge match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium inApril, more than two years after their original 2022 bout was cancelled due to Benn's failed drug tests.

A two-fight deal was in place, but Harlem is unsure whether a rematch will materialise.

"There's obviously a lot of money there for it, so potentially," he told BBC Sport.

"But Chris is 35 now and I'd like to see him take the Canelo fight and sail into the sunset.

"It's hard, because all the big opportunities come near the end of a career and there's always a fishhook dangling to keep you there, but I'd rather see him take the biggest fight in the sport and bow out."

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Soap opera twists and fatherly love – but what next for Eubank and Benn?

However, any potential clash with Mexican superstar Alvarez would likely have to wait until 2026. The undisputed super-middleweight championwill defend his belts against Terence Crawfordin September.

Harlem, 31, also criticised the weight stipulations that surrounded the first fight.

Eubank Jr – naturally the bigger man – appeareddrainedduring fight week and was restricted by a rehydration clause which meant neither fighter was allowed to put on more than 10lb from the 11st 6lb limit at the weigh-in.

He was fined £375,000 after missing the mark at the first weigh-in by just 0.05lb, before successfully making weight at a second check-in on the morning of the fight.

"Weight games should never be appropriate in a sport like boxing," Harlem added.

"People can get hurt, people can be legally damaged. Trying to weaken an opponent with rehydration clauses and these types of things should be eradicated from the sport."

Benn (right) lost for the first time in 24 pro bouts when he was outpointed by Eubank Jr

Eubank Jr's victory over Benn settled a feud more than three decades in the making, sparked by their fathers' famous rivalry in the 1990s.

The bout came after Benn's two failed drug tests, which led to a lengthy investigation. Benn has always denied intentionally doping and had his suspension lifted in November 2024.

Unbeaten welterweight Harlem, who stopped Tyrone McKenna in March with his cousin and uncle, Chris Eubank Sr, watching on,will challenge Jack Catterallin Manchester on 5 July.

Having previously called out Benn himself, Harlem believes former world-title challenger Catterall is on a different level

"He [Benn] lost to Jr by a wide margin in an entertaining fight," he said.

"I gave him props for going the distance and continuing the battle, but in terms of boxing, my next fight is a whole different level.

"Jack has operated at world level for many years and is leaps and bounds ahead of Conor Benn."

Boxing schedule and results 2025

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Lewis Hamilton is sixth in the F1 drivers' standings

Lewis Hamilton says he is devastated after running over a groundhog during Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix.

The Ferrari driver hit the rodent during the 13th lap of the race in Montreal, leaving a hole in the floor of his SF-25 car.

The 40-year-old ended up finishing sixth, with his team estimating that the damage cost Hamilton about half-a-second per lap for the remainder of the race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

But the seven-time world champion, a vegan and well-known animal lover, was more concerned with the "horrible" death of the groundhog.

"It was feeling pretty decent up until then. And then, I didn't see it happen, but obviously I heard I hit a groundhog," said Hamilton.

"So that's devastating. I love animals, and I'm so sad about it. That's horrible. That's never happened to me here before.

"It's never nice to see that – I just hope it didn't suffer."

Groundhogs, a type of large ground squirrel native to North America, are commonplace around the track in Montreal, which is on an artificial island in the Saint Lawrence River.

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A 17-year-old Jakob Ingebrigtsen celebrates his second European gold in Berlin in 2018

With older brothers Henrik and Filip on either shoulder, escorting him up through the field like bouncers, Jakob Ingebrigtsen hit the front of the European 1500m final.

From there, though, the 17-year-old went where no-one could follow.

His long, loping stride ratcheted up in rhythm over the final two laps, squeezing lungs and fraying rivals' form behind him.

After covering the opening 800m in more than two minutes, Jakob stormed through the next 400m in 56.5 seconds.

He came into the home straight with a chasm of clear air between him and the rest.

As he crossed the line in Berlin's Olympic Stadium he became the youngest European track champion in history.

The following day he won 5,000m gold as well.

"I've been a professional runner since I was eight, nine, 10 years old," said Jakob back then in August 2018.

"I've been training, dedicated and following a good structure – the same as my brothers – from an early age. Winning a second title in two days is the result of having done this my whole life."

The previous year he had become the youngest person to run a sub-four-minute mile.

Gjert – Jakob's father, coach, agent and manager – had meticulously planned it all.

Gjert Ingebrigtsen masterminded his children's training schedules and was named Norwegian coach of the year in 2018

Gjert had no background in athletics, but the former logistics manager poured himself into constructing a gruelling high-mileage programme to turn his seven children into a family band of elite middle-distance contenders.

Gjert's public advice to Jakob after that 1500m gold in Berlin was to celebrate with a glass of warm milk and head straight to bed.

However, according to Jakob, the guidance wasn't always so wholesome.

In March this year, the Olympic champion stood in a courtroom in his native Norway and claimed he had been subjected to a decade of physical and mental abuse by his father.

Jakob said Gjert had threatened to drag him out of a car and beat him to death during one argument.

Jakob said he would routinely be punched around the head, on some occasions until he vomited. He said he was hit when he was late for a race. And again when he got a bad school report.

In another incident, he claimed he was kicked in the stomach after he fell off a push scooter as a nine-year-old.

He admitted he was a strict parent. "Traditional" and "patriarchal" were his own descriptions of his style.

Gjert was only four when he lost his own father, and he said he lacked any role models when he became a father in his early 20s.

He said he was sometimes angry, oftenover-protective, but never abusive.

The dispute was shocking. But perhaps not surprising.

In 2019 Gjert and Jakobspoke to BBC Sportabout their relationship.

"The boys come to me and say 'I want to be a European champion'," Gjert explained.

"I say 'I want to help you – I can help you – but you have to do everything that I tell you.'

"I stand out from other parents. I am very demanding and it is a kind of contract between me and the boys to help them be the best they can be – but they have to endure me following them every day all year."

Jakob (centre) gave evidence against Gjert in court in Norway

A 19-year-old Jakob, having moved out of the family home to escape Gjert's all-consuming influence, was already voicing reservations about the arrangement.

"There are lots of ups and downs about having a father as a coach," he said.

"For other athletes I wouldn't recommend it because it is too much hard work and you also want a father outside of running.

"For now, and basically our whole lives, he has been a coach because we have asked ourselves what is the most important – do we want to have a family or do we want to run fast?"

Ultimately the court could not discern a truth between their two different accounts.

While it found Gjert guilty of hitting Jakob's younger sister Ingrid in the face with a towel during an argument in 2022, it said the evidence was not strong enough to prove Jakob's claims beyond reasonable doubt.

Ingebrigtsen's father cleared of abuse of Olympic champion

What is beyond doubt is the decimation of a family who have been a source of fascination and speculation in their native Norway and far beyond.

Gjert, who has accused his sons of a "perfect character assassination", was always of a simple belief.

For him, the best for his children was being the best.

By that measure, Jakob's multiple gold medals at world and Olympic level show success.

In anInstagram post,externalon the day of the verdict, Jakob chose another metric.

He listed his track achievements but added that "the one goal I care most about is that Filippa [his one-year-old daughter] will love and respect me for her upbringing".

Jakob, who won a rare 1,500m-5,000m double at the World Indoor Championships in March, will return to the track once an Achilles tendon injury settles down.

His imperious frontrunning style, unwavering belief and outspoken rivalry with Britain's Josh Kerr will make him one of the sport's biggest draws.

The future for Gjert is less clear.

Since his split from his sons, he started coaching one of their domestic rivals, Narve Gilje Nordas.

Gjert guided Nordas to world 1500m bronze in 2023, even while the dispute with Jakob meant the Norwegian federation kept him from attending some events and training camps.

The court case is over, but the focus on Gjert, and his methods, is unlikely to let up.

Michael Levitt hit the winning runs for the Netherlands in the third super over

Netherlands 152-7 (20 overs):Nidamanuru 35 (37), Singh 30 (29); Lamichhane 3-18

Nepal 152-8 (20 overs):Paudel 48 (35), Bhurtel 34 (23); Doram 3-14

Match tied – Netherlands win after third super over

An historic T20 saw the Netherlands beat Nepal after an incredible three super overs in Glasgow.

It is the first time that any men's professional match – either List A or T20 – has gone to a third super over with Michael Levitt's six eventually giving the Netherlands victory.

Having posted 152-7, the Dutch looked set for victory with Nepal needing 16 from the 20th over.

However, tailender Nandan Yadav hit two boundaries, including one from the last ball, to level the scores.

Kushal Bhurtel proceeded to smash 18 from five balls to take Nepal to 19 in the first super over only for opener Max O'Dowd to hit the fifth and sixth balls of the Netherlands' reply for a six and a four respectively to force a second.

This time the Netherlands batted first and posted 17 with a maximum apiece from O'Dowd and skipper Scott Edwards.

But again it was not enough and the drama continued as Dipendra Singh Airee hit Kyle Klein's last ball over the ropes to take the match to an unprecedented third one-over shootout.

The Netherlands' off-spinning all-rounder Zach Lion-Cachet ensured it would go no further, though, as he finished Nepal's over early with two wickets in four balls, without conceding a run.

Just a single was required but Levitt finished a remarkable contest in style as he thumped the first ball of Sandeep Lamichhane's over for six.

While the Netherlands have a day to enjoy their most memorable of wins, Nepal are back in action against Scotland on Tuesday as the T20 tri-series continues.

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