Mikaela Shiffrin won her 86th World Cup race on Friday – triumphing in the giant slalom in Åre, Sweden – to match the overall record set by skiing legend Ingemar Stenmark.

Shiffrin is now on the precipice of becoming the sport’s all-time winningest athlete – man or woman – and can break the record on Saturday in the slalom.

“This is just a spectacular day,” a beaming Shiffrin said after the race. “I just wanted to push and fight for it.”

She finished her final race 00.64 seconds ahead of her nearest rival Federica Brignone despite the Italian scoring the fastest time in the second run.

It was the 27-year-old American’s 20th giant slalom victory and brought her level with Vreni Schneider for the women’s record number of wins in that discipline.

Shiffrin’s compatriot Lindsey Vonn, who reached 83 World Cup wins and was the women’s record holder before Shiffrin overtook her, tweeted, “Congrats!! Dominating.”

Friday’s victory also secured Shiffrin her 15th giant slalom crystal globe. The American had already claimed the overall and slalom titles earlier this season.

Shiffrin can claim the record for herself on Saturday when she returns to the slopes in the slalom, which starts at 04:15 a.m. ET.

If she doesn’t claim victory in her favorite race the American skier will have another shot at glory next week at the World Cup finals in Andorra where she will compete in the downhill, super-G, grand slalom and slalom.

Breaking Stenmark’s record would cap a remarkable season for Shiffrin given she did not pick up a single medal from five races at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and failed to finish in three of them.

She has taken 12 World Cup victories so far this season, five short of her own record of 17 set in 2018-19.

In February, Shiffrin overtook Vonn’s women’s record of 82 wins before she secured her seventh career Alpine world championships gold medal in the Alps which made her the most successful skier in the modern era (post World War II).

“Even if I’m training alone, I’m always thinking, ‘Can I ski this faster?’ And if I can, then I better because somebody else probably is.”

Shiffrin has now won 52 slaloms, 20 giant slaloms, five super-Gs, five parallels, three downhills and one Alpine combined.

Gary Lineker will take a step back from presenting “Match of the Day,” the iconic British football show, following controversy about a tweet he wrote earlier in the week, the BBC announced on Friday.

On Tuesday, Lineker tweeted “Good heavens, this is beyond awful” to a video posted on Twitter by the British Home Office announcing the government’s asylum seeker policy.

He then continued to write: “There is no huge influx. We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries. This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s, and I’m out of order?”

A statement from the BBC said the decision for Lineker to step back followed “extensive discussions” with the former England international and his team.

“We have said that we consider his recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines,” the statement said.

“The BBC has decided that he will step back from presenting Match of the Day until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media.

“When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none. We have never said that Gary should be an opinion free zone, or that he can’t have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies.”

No presenters or pundits on Match of the Day

No presenters or pundits will appear on this Saturday’s Match of the Day show, after a series of statements of support for Lineker.

Former football players Alan Shearer and Ian Wright both announced on Twitter that they had told the BBC they would not appear on the show.

“I have informed the BBC that I won’t be appearing on MOTD tomorrow night,” Shearer wrote on Twitter.

“Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I’ve told the BBC I won’t be doing it tomorrow. Solidarity,” Wright tweeted.

“Some of our pundits have said that they don’t wish to appear on the programme while we seek to resolve the situation with Gary. We understand their position and we have decided that the programme will focus on match action without studio presentation or punditry,” a BBC spokesperson said on Friday evening.

Dan Walker, a former BBC Breakfast and Football Focus presenter, also tweeted: “I used to sit in for Gary Lineker on MOTD… not sure I’d fancy it this weekend. What a mess!”

Meanwhile, the BECTU union who represent BBC staff, expressed their concern on Friday about the BBC’s decision.

“This is a deeply concerning decision from the BBC. It will give the appearance that they have bowed to political pressure from ministers to take someone off air for disagreeing with the policies of the current government,” the Head of BECTU, Philippa Childs said in a statement.

“Taken with the ongoing controversy over the appointment of the BBC Chairman, who has a much more important role in upholding the reputation of the BBC, and who has not stepped back while under investigation, it also risks given the impression of double standards on these issues.”

Millions of Californians already hammered by ferocious snowfall were hit Thursday by a new storm, with torrential rain threatening to cause dangerous flooding and the Weather Prediction Center increasing its excessive rainfall outlook for parts of the state to a level 4 of 4.

“And then in the higher elevations, it will wash away some of that snowfall. So, rain on snow will begin to fill up parts of the San Joaquin Valley.”

About 16.7 million people are under flood watches in California and slices of Nevada. Hourly rainfall rates will steadily increase in intensity across California from Thursday overnight through Friday morning, potentially reaching 1 inch per hour.

The level 4 excessive rainfall warning is targeted to two sections in central California – the coast from Salinas southward to San Luis Obispo and areas in the foothills of the Sierras near Fresno – Thursday overnight into Friday. The last time the Bay Area and Central Coast were in “high risk” was in 2010, the National Weather Service office in San Francisco said.

Much of the state is under some risk of excessive rainfall Thursday and Friday.

“An atmospheric river will bring anomalous moisture to California Thursday and Friday. The combination of heavy precipitation and rapid snow melt below 5,000 feet will result in flooding,” the prediction center said Wednesday, adding that “numerous” floods are likely for millions.

The atmospheric river is easily visible on satellite, extending out just south of Hawaii. Rain will increase as the main moisture plume moves south into our area. #atmosphericriver #socal #carain #satellite pic.twitter.com/6llbpU3AZB

— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) March 10, 2023

The most vulnerable areas for flooding from rain and snowmelt are creeks and streams in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, the prediction center said.

Higher elevations will see heavy, wet snow. “This will lead to difficult travel, and combined with an already deep snowpack, may lead to increasing impacts from the depth and weight of the snow,” the prediction center said.

The bleak forecast spurred officials across central and Northern California to urge residents to prepare, with residents in one area advised to stock up on essentials for two weeks. Others were asked to use sandbags to protect their properties and clear their waterways to lessen any flooding impacts.

Here’s what the storm could bring:

• Heavy rainfall: The National Weather Service in San Francisco forecasts rainfall totals through Sunday morning will be from 1.5-3 inches for most urban areas with 3-6 inches in some hilly areas. As many as 8 inches could fall on the Santa Cruz Mountains and locally up to 12 inches over some peaks and higher terrain of the Santa Lucia Mountains. The National Weather Service in Los Angeles is forecasting 2-4 inches across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, with some areas in the latter receiving as many as 10 inches through late Friday night. The Weather Prediction Center said: “The abnormally warm and wet conditions moving in are expected to cause rapid snowmelt.”

• Ferocious winds: More than 15 million people across central and Northern California, northern Nevada and southwestern Idaho are under high wind alerts. Wind gusts could reach up to 55 mph across lower elevations and up to 70 mph across peaks and mountains. Strong winds could knock down power lines and trees – exacerbating thousands of existing power outages from previous storms that dumped heavy snow, particularly in higher elevations.

• More intense snow: Parts of the Sierra Nevada above 8,000 feet could get hit with 8 feet of snow. And some higher elevations across southern Oregon and the Rocky Mountains in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming could get pounded by 2 feet of snowfall between Thursday and Friday.

Already, 34 of California’s 58 counties are under a state of emergency issued by the governor’s office due to previous storms and this week’s severe weather. The state activated its flood operations center Thursday morning.

The forecast also led some ski resorts to announce closings. Kirkwood Mountain Resort said it would not open Friday, as did the Northstar California resort and the Heavenly resort in South Lake Tahoe, on Nevada’s border with California.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center issued a backcountry avalanche warning for sections of Mono County, according to the National Weather Service in Reno, Nevada.

Many of the areas preparing for Thursday’s storm have not had a chance to recover from the multiple rounds of fierce snow that buried some neighborhoods and made roads inaccessible as residents ran low on essential supplies.

How local officials are preparing

As the storm hits central California, some urban flooding along with flooding from the smaller creeks and streams is likely. Eventually, more roads are expected to flood as the main rivers rise, said Katrina Hand, a meteorologist at the weather service’s Sacramento office.

San Francisco officials urged small businesses to clear storm drains, stock up on inventory, use sandbags and ensure equipment is properly stored. They also suggested employers consider adjusting their work schedules for workers’ safety.

In Merced, crews tried to clear storm drains and fortify creek banks ahead of the storm.

City officials said flooding from previous, deadly rounds of atmospheric rivers that battered much of the state in January has made the city’s water ways unsafe.

Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow bands of moisture in the atmosphere that carry warm air and water vapor from the tropics.

“The city urges all residents to avoid these waterways and walking paths,” Merced officials said. “Because of ground saturation and erosion from prior storms, expect to see more debris in creek flows.”

In San Luis Obispo, city officials on Wednesday said residents should be informed on flood insurance policies and be prepared to protect their homes. On Thursday, they issued an evacuation order for residents south of the Arroyo Grande Creek Levee.

Evacuation warnings were also issued for residents in low-lying areas of Santa Cruz County and for people in Tulare County.

In the Big Sur area, officials urged residents to have enough food and other essentials for at least two weeks. The Big Sur area, a roughly 90-mile stretch of California’s central coast, is one of the area’s renowned tourist attractions with rugged cliffs, mountains and hidden beaches along the Pacific Coast Highway.

In Kern County, home to Bakersfield, fire officials urged residents to create emergency kits and to be aware of escape routes and safe areas to seek shelter if needed. Officials also encouraged the use of sandbags to protect properties.

And in Sacramento, city officials said they intend to open overnight warming centers beginning Friday in preparation for the expected heavy rainfall and low temperatures.

FC Barcelona was charged on Friday by the Barcelona provincial prosecutor’s office with “continued corruption between individuals in the sports field” in addition to other charges in relation to an alleged payment scandal which has rocked Spanish soccer.

Former FCB presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu, former club CEO Oscar Grau, former club director of professional sports Albert Soler and José María Enríquez Negreira – a former leading refereeing official in Spain – have also been charged.

The charges were presented to the No. 1 magistrate’s court in Barcelona.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the accused held positions of power in the club and were aware of payments which were invoiced annually from January 2011 until June 2018 to two companies that Enríquez Negreira – who was serving as a CTA vice president from 1993 to 2018 – founded, which “acted on behalf and in direct benefit to Barcelona.”

The CTA is the governing body responsible for deciding which referees and assistants officiate league and national competitive matches in Spain.

The club is accused of – through both Rosell and Bartomeu – coming to a “strictly confidential verbal agreement” with Enríquez Negreira with the aim to “produce actions which tended to favor Barcelona in the form of refereeing decisions.”

“Subsequently, the companies of the accused, [Nisdal SCP] and [Dasnil 95 SL], produced invoices which were presented for payment to FCB without having to produce any services of real technical reports,” the report said.

The report from the Barcelona’s Prosecutor’s Office outlines that the two companies connected to Enríquez Negreira were founded by him and he held 100% and 95% of the shares in Dasnil 95 and Nisdal respectively.

According to the report, an audit was started by the tax authorities in 2019 into Enríquez Negreira’s companies in which they asked Barcelona to provide copies of invoices and method of payment. Because Barcelona was not able to satisfy the authorities’ questions, the club incurred a tax penalty and an investigation was later opened into Enríquez Negreira and his companies for the time period of 2016 to 2019.

The investigation discovered that the club paid his two companies a total of $3,175,589.21 (€2,971,673.01) between those years, mostly under the pretense of “assessment of technical videos.” After Enríquez Negreira was relieved of his vice presidency at the CTA in 2018, the payments from Barcelona stopped.

In February 2019, Enríquez Negreira sent a fax directed towards Bartomeu “recriminating him for ending the long-lasting relationship, insisting that a solution be found for both parties and warning him of the consequences of not doing so,” according to the report.

“I don’t have the will to give attention to all of the irregularities I’ve known and lived first-hand with anyone at the Club, but you are forcing me to do so if you don’t reconsider your decision and complete the agreement we had to continue using my services until the end of my presidential mandate,” Enríquez Negreira wrote.

According to the report, the total amount Barça paid Enríquez Negreira’s companies from 2001 to 2018 during his vice-presidency in the CTA surpassed $7.8 million (€7.3 million).

“This resulted in a substantial remuneration, unforeseen by the statutes of the Club nor which was approved by the General Assembly, which should have been given its nature. Definitively, said payments neither had legal or statutory support at all.”

In February, Barcelona said that a “thorough and independent investigation” was underway.

European football governing body UEFA declined to comment on whether it is investigating the club. However, in a press conference earlier in March, Spanish football federation (RFEF) secretary general Andreu Camps said the organization had sent all of its information relating to the case to UEFA’s integrity unit.

At least two people have died as the result of the ongoing storm inundating California, and nearly 10,000 residents are under evacuation orders, officials said.

Intense flooding has led to evacuation warnings in several coastal counties amid powerful storms delivering heavy rainfall across the central and northern parts of the state and prompting the Weather Prediction Center to issue a Level 4 of 4 warning of excessive rainfall in the area.

Meanwhile, the State of Emergency declaration requested by Gov. Newsom Thursday night has been approved by President Biden, clearing the way for financial help in responding to the storm’s onslaught and recovery, said Nancy Ward, Director of the state’s Office of Emergency Services.

Some 25 million people are under flood alerts issued by the National Weather Service, and more than 25,000 are without electricity, according to PowerOutage.us.

As residents in many of California’s mountain communities remain trapped by snow from back-to-back winter storms, the weather will continue to batter the area over the weekend.

The National Water Center said, “Multiple rounds of rainfall in addition to melting snow will result in the potential for significant rises along streams and rivers, with widespread flooding impacts possible through early next week.”

Two fatalities have been confirmed and approximately 9,400 residents are under evacuation orders, Ward said at a Friday news conference.

More than a dozen shelters have been opened in nine counties to house those forced from their homes, Ward added.

Flash flooding is expected to be a particular concern in California’s central coast to the Sierra Nevada foothills over the next six to eight hours, David Lawrence from the National Weather Service said.

CalTrans, the state’s transportation department, has about 4,000 crew members working 12-hour shifts during this weather event, who are already removing downed trees and clearing drainage culverts to minimize flooding, Deputy Director John McKeever said.

The California National Guard has deployed 36 high water vehicles to respond to rescues as well, added Cal Guard’s David Kauffman.

In Fresno County, three elderly women, including a 104-year-old, were rescued after being stranded in a house, Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni said. By Friday afternoon, floodwaters in the county had “risen considerably” and an evacuation order was put in place for all residents, according to the sheriff’s office.

The worst rainfall and most significant impacts expected to persist through the day Friday. Hourly rainfall rates will steadily increase in intensity across California through Friday morning, potentially reaching 1 inch per hour.

Parts of the Sierra Nevada above 8,000 feet could get hit with 8 feet of snow. Creeks and streams in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains remain the most vulnerable areas for flooding from rain and snowmelt, the Weather Prediction Center said.

A separate system is also delivering snow to a large swath of the central US with winter weather alerts in place Friday from South Dakota to Connecticut. The storm has already tallied widespread snowfall totals between 2 and 5 inches, with an area along the Illinois-Wisconsin border getting between 6 and 8 inches.

In Minneapolis, up to 2 inches of snow could fall on top of the 2.1 inches already on the ground. And in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, about 4 inches of snow has already fallen with the possibility of another 5 inches coming today.

Heavy snow overnight across Wisconsin knocked out power to nearly 110,000 customers, according to PowerOutage.us, including about 89,000 in Milwaukee County.

California residents trapped, videos show raging floodwaters

As of Friday, 34 of California’s 58 counties are under a state of emergency issued by the governor’s office due to previous storms and this week’s severe weather threat. The state also activated its flood operations center Thursday morning.

A video captured by a Springville resident in Tulare County from his car on Friday showed rushing floodwater below a bridge striking a home.

“Not looking good in Springville,” Brian Duke captioned the video he posted on Facebook. “Authorities are evacuating everyone along the river. It’s getting worse by the minute.”

“This is the one road that leads into town,” Watson said. “We are now an island.”

The residents will remain isolated until a new crossing can be prepared, which could take days, Wiesner said.

One person died and another was injured when a warehouse roof partially collapsed in Oakland Friday morning in what is likely a weather-related incident, a fire official said.

In the community of Felton also in Santa Cruz County, resident Tom Fredericks lamented the fatigue from the unrelenting series of severe storms since the start of the year.

From late December into January, many areas across the state were inundated with torrential rain from atmospheric rivers that lasted for consecutive days. The rainfall caused deadly flooding, mudslides and damaged critical infrastructure that has not been yet repaired in some places, which elevates the potential danger associated with this week’s storm.

This week’s atmospheric rivers – which are long, narrow bands of moisture in the atmosphere that carry warm air and water vapor from the tropics – could possibly be even more threatening due to their warmth, forecasters have said.

Rainfall totals through Sunday morning could range from 1.5 to 3 inches for most urban areas with between 3 and 6 inches in the coast ranges and inland hills. Up to 8 inches over the Santa Cruz Mountains and locally up to 12 inches over favored peaks and higher terrain of the Santa Lucia Mountains.

The looming forecast led some ski resorts to announce closings. Kirkwood Mountain Resort said it would not open Friday, as did the Northstar California Resort and the Heavenly Resort in South Lake Tahoe, on Nevada’s border with central California.

Japanese authorities have vowed to take action following reports that visitors to a theme park showcasing scenes from beloved animated films have been taking indecent photographs of themselves with statues of the characters.

In February, photos were posted to social media showing men “pretending to sexually assault young female characters” in Ghibli Park, Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper reported.

Ghibli Park is a theme park dedicated to the work of popular animation company Studio Ghibli, such as Academy Award-winning “Spirited Away,” and “My Neighbor Totoro.” It is located in Aichi prefecture, less than an hour from Kyoto by train.

“Frankly speaking, posting photos like that on social media is very inappropriate. From adults to children, people go to Ghibli Park to enter the Ghibli world and enjoy themselves,” Hideaki Ōmura, governor of Aichi Prefecture, told a press conference Thursday.

“Clearly this action disturbed many people,” he said, adding that his team has told park management that “they need to firmly stop such actions once spotted and confirmed.”

“For those who come to the park to do this kind of thing, I would much prefer them not to come at all,” he added.

“Of course we need to take harsher measures against this kind of behavior. This is basically destruction of property. It’s just like what people were doing at conveyor belt sushi restaurants,” he said, referring to recent instances of so-called sushi terrorism in Japan, in which people have filmed themselves licking shared soy sauce bottles in restaurants or touching plates of food coming down conveyor belts, before sharing the videos on social media.

The theme park, which opened in November after years of delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic, brings some of Studio Ghibli’s most beloved characters and scenes to life inside a forest within Aichi Earth Expo Memorial Park – the former home of Expo 2005.

As the park itself admits, “there are no big attractions or rides in Ghibli Park.” Guests are instead encouraged to “take a stroll, feel the wind, and discover the wonders.”

So far, three of the five planned areas of the park are currently open to visitors: “Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse,” a large indoor “town” filled with streets, exhibits and famous scenes from the studio’s films; “Hill of Youth,” which overlooks the park and boasts panoramic views; and “Dondoko Forest,” a children-only area featuring the house from the classic animation “My Neighbor Totoro” and a Totoro-themed playground.

A popular California resort near Lake Tahoe has changed its long-standing name and logo from one that’s offensive to many Native Americans to the Everline Resort & Spa, the resort announced in a news release this week.

Before the change, it was known as the Resort at Squaw Creek. Located in Olympic Valley, it is less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) from Lake Tahoe.

“Our resort is dedicated to fostering spaces where everyone feels welcome,” Manfred Steuerwald, general manager of Everline Resort & Spa, said in the news release.

“This name change was a top priority for the resort and community and a decision that has been made in collaboration with the Washoe Tribe, who have lived in this area for thousands of years.

“Our new name is rooted in … respect for the Washoe Tribe’s history and ancestors,” Steuerwald said.

What’s behind the new name

The resort said the name “Everline” is meant to evoke “the resort’s evergreen mountain escape . … The name further reflects the resort’s on-site experience that caters to every Lake Tahoe state of mind.”

“We have spent time with Washoe Tribe representatives to thoughtfully reimagine the resort’s name,” Steuerwald said in the release.

The resort said it’s still in the process of replacing all its old signage and other vestiges of the previous name. Its automated telephone answering service, for instance, still answered as “Resort at Squaw Creek” on Friday afternoon.

“Guests can expect to see many visual changes as we finalize the rebranding with an updated website and social media pages, replaced signage, logos, and collateral throughout the property.”

The resort said it’s “a year-round destination” with with golfing, spa services and access to Palisades Tahoe ski resort. In fact, Palisades Tahoe is a recently new name itself, also removing “Squaw” from its name in 2021.

The tribe commended that 2021 name change in a news release at the time.

“Over time, the word ‘squaw’ came to be used as a derogatory and racist term against Native American women. Native American communities across the country have been working for years to have this term removed from place names in their ancestral lands,” the release said. “The Washoe Tribal Council recognizes the significance of the name change.”

Part of a name-change movement

The change at Everline comes at a time when many resorts, agencies and other entities are examining their historical names and making changes that reflect more sensitive and current thinking on history and language.

The US Department of the Interior recently replaced a derogatory term for Indigenous women used for centuries in five areas across the country.

“Words matter, particularly in our work to ensure our nation’s public lands and waters are accessible and welcoming to people of all backgrounds,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary, said in January.

In November, a location in Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park ditched its old name of Indian Garden, a popular stop along the park’s Bright Angel Trail, to Havasupai Gardens, again reflecting the name of a tribe that had been on the land for many generations.

And it’s not just terms offensive to particularly groups of people undergoing changes.

For instance, a popular Vermont ski resort originally known as Suicide Six changed its name to Saskandena Six last year.

So dominant in French soccer, Paris Saint-Germain continues to fall short in the UEFA Champions League.

An all too familiar story was rehashed on Wednesday as the French giant endured yet another humiliating round of 16 exit following Bayern Munich’s 2-0 victory – 3-0 on aggregate.

Second-half goals at the Allianz Arena from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Serge Gnabry took the game and tie from the visitors, consigning them to a fifth elimination at this stage in the last seven seasons.

On European soccer’s biggest stage, PSG superstars Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé were easily controlled by the Bavarians.

Mbappé couldn’t get the better of Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano, while every time Messi got on the ball he was invariably crowded out by a posse of German players.

Meanwhile, Neymar Jr. was altogether absent for the match – the fourth time in his six seasons with PSG that he’s been absent from a key European match.

French sports newspaper L’Équipe, notorious for its tough player ratings, gave Mbappé and Messi a 3/10, while midfielder Marco Veratti earned a 2/10.

“At PSG, when it comes to the knockout stages of the Champions League, defeat is a culture,” wrote L’Équipe journalist Vincent Duluc in a brutal analysis of the French club’s performance.

PSG started brightly, with Mbappé going close early on and Bayern defender Matthijs de Ligt making a terrific goal line clearance late in the first half to deny Vitinha.

But Bayern dominated the second half and, when Choupo-Moting headed home in the 61st minute, the game was up for PSG, with Gnabry applying the coup de grâce.

“At the moment, I’m only talking about this season,” Mbappé told reporters as he batted away questions about his future at PSG.

“Nothing else matters to me. We are disappointed,” the 24-year-old added.

Has the superstar experiment come to a dim end at the Parc des Princes?

When Qatar Sports Investment (QSI) acquired PSG in 2011 and lavished money on bringing some of the world’s most talented players to Paris, a Champions League title seemed inevitable.

But 12 years on and well over a billion dollars spent later, the club is no closer to achieving the success that it craves.

After years of dominating Ligue 1 but failing to break past the quarterfinal stage of the Champions League, PSG went for broke, breaking the world transfer record, to bring in Neymar from FC Barcelona for $263 million.

The following season, the Brazilian international was joined by Mbappé for $214 million.

Another two seasons of round of 16 disappointment followed before the club finally smashed through the glass ceiling in 2020 to reach its first Champions League final.

However, a narrow loss to now familiar foe Bayern in Lisbon’s Estádio da Luz, where the final was staged, was then followed by a semifinal exit at the hands of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.

QSI doubled down by signing Messi and also Sergio Ramos – one of the Champions League’s most successful players of all time.

That strategy hasn’t worked as PSG were knocked out in the round of 16 last year by a Karim Benzema-inspired Real Madrid and this season by a functional, if not inspiring, Bayern.

With Messi and Ramos both soon out of contract and Neymar’s continuing injury problems, whether this trio of stars will remain at PSG remains to be seen.

Last summer, the club did appear to pivot somewhat from its galacticos policy, recruiting the likes of Fabián Ruiz, Vitinha and Nuno Mendes to provide more discipline and running in the side.

The relatively unheralded but domestically successful Christophe Galtier was also recruited as coach, but his future now looks in doubt after defeat by Bayern.

So QSI and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi find themselves at yet another crossroads.

Qatar has now accomplished what many thought the purchase of the club was all about: growing the sporting profile of the tiny Gulf state ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

With a now lessening need to bring eyeballs and star power to the club, will the club perhaps place its faith in the tremendous pool of talent that exists in Paris and its suburbs and build a more coherent team? Or will it continue to pursue the game’s biggest names?

What must be tough to take for the PSG hierarchy is that two of its former players – Kingsley Coman and Choupo-Moting – scored two of the three goals for Bayern across the the two legs this season.

“I don’t know if it’s a lesson to be learned, but there’s a lot of frustration,” said Gaultier after the match.

“The Island Green” – three words that have struck fear into the hearts of even the most talented golfers.

A short, 125-yard par-three surrounded by water, TPC Sawgrass’ iconic penultimate hole has drowned many a dream at The Players Championship for more than four decades.

On Thursday, Hayden Buckley had other ideas.

After making a steady start to his first round at the PGA Tour’s flagship event, the American — having started from the 10th hole – teed up at the 17th at one-under par, tied for eighth.

One swing later, he was level for the lead.

Using a pitching wedge, the 27-year-old had sent his ball sailing over the water and comfortably onto the green; his ball bouncing three times before settling and curling leisurely into the cup.

A rapturous crowd roared their delight as Buckley gleefully tossed his hat into the air before high-fiving his caddie, then playing partners Adam Long and Taylor Montgomery.

It marks only the 11th ace at the renowned hole in the 49-year history of The Players Championship, and the second in consecutive tournaments after Irish golfer Shane Lowry took the tally to double digits in last year’s edition.

After a run of 14 years without a hole-in-one between 2002 and 2016, there have now been five aces at the 17th hole over the last eight editions of “the fifth major.”

For Buckley, who arrived in Florida as world No. 107 and is chasing his first PGA Tour title, it marked the second hole-in-one of his PGA Tour career following his first at the Shriners Children’s Open in 2021 – coincidentally, also at the 17th hole.

The fairytale continued as Buckley birdied the subsequent par-four, making him the first player on record at The Players Championship to follow up a hole-in-one at the 17th with a birdie at the 18th, according to the PGA Tour.

A second straight birdie after the turn lifted him to five-under, though this marked the high water mark of the American’s round.

Six dropped shots – including two double bogeys at the 6th and 8th holes – saw him leave the course tied for 38th after carding a one-over 73.

British high jump coach Fayaaz “Fuzz” Caan has been handed a three-year suspension following a UK Athletics (UKA) disciplinary investigation into his conduct, the sport’s national governing body has announced.

A total of 12 misconduct charges were leveled against Caan after the investigation had concluded, with his responses included in the report published on the UKA website.

Two of the charges were removed by UKA, but Caan admitted that he had used “industrial language” (swearing) and “failed to act with dignity” and “courtesy” towards athletes and other coaches on several occasions.

He also admitted that he had mocked people with physical disabilities by “walk[ing] with a limp” and using phrases such as “gammy leg,” often used to describe a pain or injury.

UKA also alleged that Caan had threatened to kick an athlete out of his training group if she developed an eating disorder – a charge he denied.

He also denied that he created an atmosphere in his training group “where bullying was commonplace and acceptable,” but did accept that bullying occurred between athletes in his group.

Caan’s coaching license has been suspended by UKA since June 2021 while the investigation was ongoing, meaning his three-year suspension runs through June 29, 2024. He does not have the right to appeal the decision.

A former international high jumper whose career was curtailed by injury, Caan was appointed as a UKA national coach in 2009 and coached British high jumper Robbie Grabarz to a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics.

He was due to coach Morgan Lake and Emily Borthwick at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 before his suspension was announced, according to the BBC.