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29 Oct 19:30
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29 Oct 19:30
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29 Oct 20:00
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29 Oct 21:45
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29 Oct 21:45
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FROM HOOPS TO HEADLINES — NBA FACES FBI GAMBLING INVESTIGATION HEAT
Recent FBI arrests of NBA figures like Chauncey Billups over illegal betting sparked a crisis. As the league reels, critics question if Commissioner Adam Silver's embrace of legal sports gambling has jeopardised the game's core integrity.
Can the NBA Bounce Back From Explosive FBI Gambling Probe? - COURTESY/PHOTO
Nowadays, it is impossible to watch a game on TV without being bombarded with gambling advertisements. Sports culture is evolving as a result of the growth of legal app-driven sports betting. However, recent FBI arrests of well-known NBA players raise concerns about whether the game's integrity is in danger due to this gambling.
The arrests of former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups occurred last week as a result of "wide-ranging investigations tied to illegal sports betting and rigged poker games," according to ESPN. Additionally, the arrests have hampered the league's 2025–2026 season opener. Commissioner Adam Silver stated that "nothing is more essential to the league and its fans than the integrity of the competition."
Some onlookers think Silver is to blame. According to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe, the commissioner "got the NBA in bed with sports betting." In addition to being the "league's worst nightmare," the arrests are "what many observers predicted" when Silver chose to collaborate with organisations that offer regulated sports betting. The action "may stain his legacy," but the league made a lot of money as a result.
Has the genie been released
According to Keith Reed at MSNBC, if the accusations are confirmed, it "would not be an exaggeration to label this the greatest scandal in NBA history." It will now be difficult for some fans to avoid "questioning the integrity of every game they watch" because this season will be played "under the shadow of a federal investigation." The stench of these accusations "may never be washed away" by the league.
Ian O'Connor of The Athletic stated that the arrests are "not startling." Online technology is the "needle that rapidly injects it into the vein," and sports betting is an "all-American addiction." The Supreme Court's 2018 ruling to "essentially open the floodgates" to betting is to blame, but all of the major sports leagues enthusiastically boarded that ship. There is "no chance of bringing it back" now that the genie has been out.
"This disgrace was requested by the NBA," Nancy Armour stated at USA Today. It was "only too willing" to collaborate with bookmakers, thinking it could benefit and simultaneously "inoculate itself from its sleazy underbelly" by informing players and spectators. The NBA and other professional sports leagues have "fostered an environment where there are no guardrails" as a result of this embrace. Despite the risks, the league determined it still wanted the money from the gambling business. "That is the most devastating indictment there is."
More guidelines?
More control will be needed to “reduce potential for game manipulation,” Silver stated to ESPN. According to the commissioner, the league is "learning as we go and engaging with the betting businesses."
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According to David French of The New York Times, sports betting is "terrible for sports" and the millions of Americans who "gamble past the point of wisdom and advance directly to the point of pain." Perhaps more is needed for the "sports gambling revolution" than just regulation. "It might even need to be terminated."
RED BULL STAY CALM, COOL, AND CONFIDENT DESPITE MCLAREN MOMENTUM
Red Bull's Laurent Mekies denies their 2025 car focus is due to 2026 PU concerns, calling it a strategic choice to improve development tools. As Lando Norris retakes the title lead, the F1 championship battle intensifies.
Red Bull Unfazed by McLaren Rise - COURTESY/PHOTO
In Mexico, McLaren CEO Andrea Stella implied that Red Bull's choice to continue working on its 2025 vehicle was a reflection of a lack of clarity surrounding the upcoming Red Bull-Ford power unit.
However, that notion has been rejected by team manager Laurent Mekies and Dr. Helmut Marko.
Mekies stated it has nothing to do with 2026.
"We would have too many unanswered questions going into 2026 if we did not get the most out of this car by the end of the season. We made the decision to spend more money on this vehicle in order to fix its shortcomings and increase its speed.
It greatly increases our confidence in our 2026 tools, strategies, and techniques. Yes, the new project will require less time and effort, but it was a deliberate choice. Performance has nothing to do with it.
According to the Frenchman, the team's strategy is centered on comprehension rather than risk. "We think there will be a net benefit, so we are doing this. We can apply our methods to 2026 and are now verifying them. If it led to difficulties, we would not do it.
Yes, there is a cost, but we think it is worthwhile.
Red Bull's momentum was halted by Mexico as Norris resumed his winning ways, despite Verstappen's recent race surge. Despite replacing an unproductive Oscar Piastri as the championship leader, Verstappen actually cut his overall lead to 36 points.
Norris' resounding win was a welcome change for Stella. Verstappen is still a competitor, but we have the advantage in the next races, he stated.
We have demonstrated that we have a car that can win races and, in some situations, dominate, which has boosted confidence in the championship.
This is the most crucial element that permits Lando and Oscar to compete for the Drivers' Championship, the Italian engineer continued. It has to do with competitiveness, not mathematics. Although the previous races in Austin, Baku, Singapore, and Monza were challenging, we have now once again proven our strength.
In Mexico, Piastri's decline worsened, but Stella stayed positive. Oscar claimed that despite losing some points to Verstappen, he gained a lot of knowledge this past weekend. To make sure you are competitive in every situation during the last stretch, you make that kind of investment. We are stronger and more hopeful when we leave Mexico.
Marko of Red Bull concurred that the battle is still open. "It is no longer assured that one team dominates at a circuit, and there are still 116 points available," he remarked.
We still have a shot. Since Max is the center of attention, I hope the two McLarens stick to their fair play policy.
Verstappen's pace in Mexico, according to Marko, was more powerful than it seemed. In race trim, we knew we would perform better. Max compared himself to a hunting hound, saying that once he scents anything, all else vanishes and he attacks.
But at McLaren, the focus is already shifting from gearboxes to mentalities. Now at the top of the rankings, Norris is under increased scrutiny after the Mexican fans jeered him.
"The question now is whether Norris can take use of his second chance as title leader - or if things will turn unstable again," former Formula One driver Timo Glock told Sky Deutschland. Has he comprehended why the pressure was too severe for him earlier, why he couldn't drive freely back then?
The odds are on his side if he has and has figured out how to deal with it, Glock continued. It is easier said than done, though. It is a completely different picture once the helmet is on and the pressure increases.
JANNIK SINNER BREAKS SILENCE ON POSSIBLE DAVIS CUP REVERSAL
Jannik Sinner is standing firm on his decision to skip the 2025 Davis Cup, showing frustration at repeated questions. The Italian star prioritises his off-season and 2026 Australian Open preparation over defending the title.
Jannik Sinner Addresses Buzz Around His Davis Cup Future - PHOTO: EPA
When Jannik Sinner's decision to skip the 2025 Davis Cup Finals next month was brought up again, he appeared a little miffed.
Top players commit to competing in the finals because of its scheduling, which runs from November 18 to November 23. They would only have a little more than a month off until 2026 starts if they played until late November.
During Team Italy's championship runs in 2023 and 2024, Sinner was their lucky charm. The nation's remarkable recent supremacy in the sport was established by the women's victories in the Billie Jean King Cup in 2024 and 2025.
Even if the 2025 finals will be placed in Bologna, Italy's chances of winning the Davis Cup for a third time in a row appear to be slim after Sinner declared he would not participate.
The four-time Grand Slam champion said he had previously won two Davis Cups with his Italian colleagues and that he planned to use the additional week to get ready for the Australian Open in 2026.
Nicola Pietrangeli, a fellow Italian legend and two-time French Open champion, was not pleased with Sinner's choice or his justification for it. He believes that modern players are more concerned with money than with patriotism and that it was disrespectful to their nation.
Sinner stated that while people have the right to their opinions, he did not wish to contribute anything further in reaction to the criticism. It is possible that the ATP world No. 2 assumed the topic would be abandoned at that point.
Rather, a reporter at the 2025 Paris Masters questioned Sinner about the possibility of changing his mind. It is still mathematically conceivable to finish as the year-end No. 1 because Sinner had stated that it would be impossible before Alcaraz's surprise defeat by Cameron Norrie in Paris.
Compared to his response to Pietrangeli's and others' criticism, Sinner's response was even more succinct and direct. The 24-year-old reiterated that he had nothing else to say and indicated the choice had been made.
"No, the choice has been made. However, I covered everything a few days ago.
Sinner's frustration with the inquiries surrounding his Davis Cup selection was evident. Even though it makes some sense, missing a home team event is an unavoidable consequence of being a top player.
Recently, Sinner criticised the four Grand Slams.
Sinner was irritated with the four Grand Slams in a different interview for not doing more to address concerns about prize money and other advantages, including healthcare and pensions, that were brought up by elite players earlier this year.
The Wimbledon champion this year expressed frustration that the major events wanted to address some other concerns before fully interacting with players and said that initially, encouraging conversations had not resulted in any follow-up steps.
Twenty elite athletes, 10 from the ATP and 10 from the WTA, wrote to the Grand Slams earlier this season to request a larger share of the money made to be distributed as prize money and other benefits.
It will be interesting to watch if the Grand Slams address those issues and make adjustments in 2026.
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