Sports

Storm owner suspended after interaction with fans supporting Sophie Cunningham

Published

9 hours ago

July 31, 2026

Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton was suspended and fined by the WNBA after an exchange with two teenage girls wearing shirts depicting XX and XY chromosomes, who said Keaton approached them, cursed and called them insane during Tuesday night’s game against the Indiana Fever.

The game was Indiana’s first since Sophie Cunningham, doubling down on comments she made in a recent ESPN article, said that it’s “common sense” to bar transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.

The Storm apologized Wednesday for the interaction after podcast host Brandi Kruse shared the video of the girls on Tuesday night. Kruse also shared a photo of the girls holding up a sign courtside that read, “Thank you Sophie for speaking up for girls.” Before the game, a small group of fans gathered outside Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena holding signs in support of Cunningham, according to The Associated Press.

“Everyone who attends a Storm game deserves to feel welcome, and we remain committed to creating an inclusive environment where every fan is treated with respect,” Storm majority owner Ginny Gilder said in the team’s apology.

Keaton was suspended from attending the Storm’s next five home games and fined an undisclosed amount, the league confirmed Thursday.

In response to a post about the apology, Cunningham wrote on X late Wednesday: “Truly embarrassing of the co-owner. Unfortunately shows the type of leader she is.”

She added: “I truly believe there is a safe space and love for EVERYBODY. Biological girls, biological boys, trans women, and trans men. Everyone is welcome at my table! You can disagree and still be kind.”

After Indiana won Tuesday’s game, the team did not make Cunningham or star guard Caitlin Clark available to speak with reporters.

“Neither our organization nor Sophie had any knowledge of this demonstration and no contact with its organizers,” the Indiana Fever said in a statement. “Our only goal as a team, whether at home or away, is to win basketball games and make Fever fans for life, and we are united in that mission.”

Annie Costabile and Devon Henderson contributed to this report.

Correction: A earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Sophie Cunningham’s social media post was her first public comment since the ESPN article. She spoke to reporters before a game last week.

Sports

Ben Stokes: Rob Key would not be surprised by England return

Published

3 minutes ago

July 31, 2026

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England director of men’s cricket Rob Key says he “wouldn’t be surprised” if Ben Stokes came out of international retirement at some stage, adding “anything is possible”.

Former captain Stokes, 35, announced his decision to retire from international cricket during England’s third Test defeat by New Zealand in June.

Stokes missed the second Test of that 2-1 series loss while an investigation took place into an incident at a London nightclub after he breached the team’s midnight curfew.

The all-rounder, who was subsequently found blameless for the incident, said the controversy had “added” to his thoughts about calling time on his illustrious England career.

Brendon McCullum has since been sacked as Test coach and replaced by former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, with Joe Root succeeding Stokes as skipper.

Key said the door remains open for Stokes to return for next summer’s home Ashes series against Australia – although he has received no indication that he intends to reverse his decision.

“It would be a brilliant story if he does,” Key told Sky Sports News. “Anything’s possible with Ben.”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes the appointment of Fleming and Root’s return as Test skipper might tempt Stokes to return to the England set-up.

“Root’s difficulty will be getting a structure in his team – getting a formula without an all-rounder like Ben Stokes,” Vaughan told BBC Sport.

“And I’ll keep saying it, I just wonder over the next few months if – I’m sure Ben won’t be back in 2026 – but I just wonder if this appointment has given us a little bit of a glimmer that it may happen, that the dream may happen next year, that Ben might come back.”

Sports

Tour de France Femmes 2026: Mont Ventoux awaits for first time

Published

9 minutes ago

July 31, 2026

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Riding under Niewiadoma-Phinney on the Canyon-SRAM team is Britain’s Zoe Backstedt, who is making her Tour debut.

The 21-year-old Welsh rider has an impressive roster of achievements already, with seven wins to her name this season, and a rich family history routed in the Tour.

Her father Magnus won the 19th stage of the 1998 Tour de France.

Backstedt will be aiming for the Tour’s stage-four time trial in Dijon, after winning British road race and time-trial titles this year, although her main priority will be supporting the general classification aspirations of her team-mate.

Her sister Elynor (UAE Team L’imad) will also be riding.

Five other Britons start the race.

Picnic-PostNL have three-time British national road race champion Pfeiffer Georgi on their roster giving her team options on the harder transitional stages.

Team-mate Josie Nelson is another British rider capable of turning a hard stage into a result with enough finishing speed to become dangerous when a smaller group reaches the line.

Alice Towers (EF Education-Oatly) was British road champion in 2022, and has strength in the climbs.

Millie Couzens (Fenix-Premier Tech) and Robyn Clay (Picnic-PostNL) complete the starting British riders, mainly on supportive duties.

One notable absentee is 20-year-old Cat Ferguson of Movistar, who misses out on her Tour debut after medical checks revealed two fractures in her ankle.