Bans for discriminatory abuse should at least match the sanctions imposed for betting offences, Anton Ferdinand has said.

The former QPR and West Ham defender, who was racially abused by Chelsea captain John Terry during a Premier League match in 2011, challenged the game’s authorities to act tougher on discrimination, not just talk tougher.

He also said the game’s executives should be the ones to instigate player walk-offs where there are instances of racism, rather than leave it to the players themselves.

Ferdinand, who was speaking at an event at Wembley to mark the 30th anniversary since the launch of anti-discrimination group Kick It Out, said: “Football as a whole is very good at saying ‘all forms of discrimination are top of our list to eradicate�…

Is Ronaldo entirely to blame for Portugal s poor performances? / Image via dailymail.co.uk

Ever since he stepped on the brightest football scene as an 18-year-old boy wearing a Saturday Swapshop style jumper following his £12 million Manchester United move from Sporting Lisbon, Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo has been polarizing the world football arguably like no player before.

Thirteen years down the line and at the Euro 2016 European Championship, now a Real Madrid star is stirring the pot once again with his displays and public comments in France.

He is everyone’s favourite bad guy, but do we have the right to hate – or love him for that matter – so passionately, judging his every move and scrutinising his every step of the way?

Burden of Leaders…

Inter Milan have been credited with Napoli star Piotr Zielinski, whose contract with the reigning Serie A champions is set to expire at the end of the season. Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta addressed the rumours while speaking to the press after the Nerazzurri thrashed Napoli 0-3 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday.

Marotta said Inter were aware of Zielinski s current contract situation, but he also expressed belief that Napoli are working on a new deal for the Poland international. He confirmed that Inter are looking at different players, but also that this is not the time for the club to engage in any talks about potential transfers at the end of the season.

Zielinski rose through the youth ranks at Polish club Lubin, and in 2011, he moved to Italy where he joi…

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In the first leg of the second Champions League qualifying round, PAOK will host Borac Banja Luka at Stadio Toumbas in Thessaloniki on Wednesday.

The home side finished first in Greece s top flight championship playoff group with 80 points, showcasing their dominance. Meanwhile, the visitors, Borac Banja Luka, won Bosnia and Herzegovina s Premier League, amassing an impressive 78 points from 33 games.

PAOK Thessaloniki

The hosts did not participate in the first Champions League qualifying round, making Wednesday s game their first competitive match since May 19.

PAOK last competed in the Champions League qualifying rounds in September 2020, when they were eliminated in the fourth and final stage by Krasnodar, losing 4…

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique is relishing his side s Champions League tie with Arsenal next week after brushing aside Rennes on Friday.

The Parisiens maintained their unbeaten start to the Ligue 1 season, with Bradley Barcola s brace and Lee Kang-In s header sealing a 3-1 victory.

PSG are now unbeaten in their first six matches of a league season for the third time in the last four campaigns (L1 in 2023-24), as many as in the previous six.

Luis Enrique s side have also scored at least three goals in five of their six Ligue 1 matches, two more than any other team in the top five European leagues.

But the Parisiens next assignment sees them travel to the Emirates next Tuesday to face Arsenal, having edged past Girona in their Champions Lea…

Harry Maguire was back in team training with England on Thursday ahead of their Euro 2020 opener against Croatia at the weekend.

All 26 members of Gareth Southgate s squad took part in the session at St George s Park as preparations for Sunday s game at Wembley continued.

Maguire has not played since May 9, when he damaged ankle ligaments during Manchester United s 3-1 Premier League win away to Aston Villa.

The centre-back missed United s final four league games of the season, in which they lost at home to Leicester City and Liverpool, drew with Fulham and won at Wolves.

He also sat out the Europa League final against Villarreal, which the LaLiga side won on penalties following a 0-0 draw in Gdansk.

Speaking last week, Southgate said it would be…

Jeremy Doku joined an exclusive club in Manchester City’s win over Bournemouth, with his four assists one of a host of Premier League records notched up over the weekend.

Jarrod Bowen and Brighton also made bits of history and here, the PA news agency looks at the landmarks headlined by Doku’s virtuoso display.

Four-assist club

An incredible four assists and a goal for helped us to a 6-1 win on home soil

Best bits

— Manchester City (@ManCity)

Doku inspired the 6-1 thumping of Bournemouth, scoring the first goal and then setting up Bernardo Silva, twice, and Phil Foden as well as seeing a shot deflect in off Manuel Akanji.

Doku is the eighth man – and, at 21, the youngest – to record four assists in a single Premier League ga…

A jet fuel shortfall at Africa s busiest airport will be investigated to ensure no shortages during the 2010 football World Cup, South Africa s energy minister said Thursday.

Minister Dipuo Peters announced a multi-sector team to probe the dropping of fuel stocks at OR Tambo International airport to a two-day stockpile which the airport said was due to interruptions in the country s supply network.

The minister wants to ensure that we are ready for 2010. She has asked all of them to work together and ensure that there is sufficient supply of jet fuel at the airport, said spokesman Bheki Khumalo.

It is a serious concern about the the period leading to and after 2010, we need to insist and make sure that we don t have a repeat of this.

A five-day stockp…

Joel Ward has agreed a new three-year Crystal Palace contract, committing his future to the club through to 2021.

Ward s 163 Premier League appearances for Palace is more than any player in the club s history and he will now have a chance to extend his record.

The 28-year-old defender started 19 Premier League games in the 2017-18 season and is thrilled to be staying at Palace.

I m delighted to be re-signing, Ward told Palace s official website. I ve been here for six years now and this will take me just shy of a testimonial so I m looking forward to what the future has in store.

There s been some fantastic moments; it s been a great ride, and long may that continue. I wanted to stay here and be a part of it as I feel at home here, and it s important fo…

Portugal s Cristiano Ronaldo could be the inspiration his club team-mate Karim Benzema needs to help France to the Euro 2012 quarter-finals.

The two Real Madrid team-mates failed to score in their initial two group games at the European Championships, prompting criticism Ronaldo and Benzema were failing to produce their best when their respective countries needed them.

Ronaldo and Benzema combined for 61 goals for Real Madrid last season and after Ronaldo scored both goals in Portugal s 2-1 win over the Netherlands on Sunday, France coach Laurent Blanc will hope Benzema can replicate that kind of performance against Sweden on Tuesday.

Blanc has backed Benzema to find his goal-scoring touch against the Swedes and argued the 24-year-old has been in good form so f…