Sha’Carri Richardson claimed she was ‘harassed’ before being removed from the American Airlines flight
American track and field star Sha’Carri Richardson has shared footage of herself being removed from an American Airlines flight in an apparent row over her use of a cell phone. Richardson claimed she was the victim of “intimidation” from a flight attendant, although fellow passengers could be hear applauding as she was escorted off the aircraft.
Posting two videos of the incident on Instagram on Saturday, Richardson accused an attendant she identified as “John” of disrespecting her prior to takeoff when he asked her to end a cell phone call.
“Prior to the video this gentleman asked me to get off a cell phone call, I did,” wrote the 22-year-old in a caption to one of the clips shared with her 2.2 million followers.
“I stated to him I didn’t like the tone he used with me. Following that while standing in front of me doing the safety protocols he continued to lean over to look at my phone. He asked to see that my phones were in airplane mode at this point. He demanded that me show him. Which I did in front of him.”
Richardson wrote that she was traveling on vacation, although it was not immediately clear where she was heading from or to. As the incident continued, the runner recorded the flight attendant as he attempted to hide behind a curtain.
“I’m recording me but you jumped in my video, so I caught you, because you jumped in my video. You’re harassing me at this point, so I think you should stop.”
Richardson also rowed with fellow passengers as they exhorted her to stop arguing, before eventually making her way off the plane.
“Y’all have no idea who I am,” said the sprinter as she waved sarcastically to passengers as they applauded her off the flight. “I’m still a superstar, what the f**k is your problem, you’re a regular person. I can fly a private plane, dumba*s.”
Richardson asked social media followers if she should pursue a legal case against American Airlines for her supposed mistreatment.
Richardson shared her anger with her 2.2 million Instagram followers.
“Tell me if I’ll be wrong to pursue legal actions against the airline @americanair not only did the man threaten me but also an innocent bystander who simply just wanted a picture with me,” wrote the runner.
“In the beginning of the video you can hear a Caucasian male state that he doesn’t give a f as a man that male flight attendant is intimidating a woman.
“Also the captain not doing anything to help the situation and this flight attendant has the applause when I exited the plane when I’m pretty serious the disrespect I received would not have happened if I was a one of them.”
The Dallas-born Richardson shot to fame as a teenager at Louisiana State University with some blistering performances which saw her clock the fourth-fastest 100m time by an American woman in history.
She was set to represent the US team at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, but was famously banned for marijuana use ahead of the Games. Richardson said she had used the substance as a coping mechanism following the death of her biological mother. However, a one-month suspension meant she missed the showpiece in Japan.
Richardson made headlines again during the Winter Olympics in Beijing last February, when she suggested she had been the victim of racism when comparing her case to that of figure skater Kamila Valieva.
The teenage Russian star was cleared to continue to compete in Beijing despite the emergence of a positive test for a banned heart medication based on a sample taken six weeks before the Games.
“Can we get a solid answer on the difference of her situation and mines? My mother died and I can’t run and was also favored to place top 3. The only difference I see is I’m a black young lady,” claimed Richardson at the time.
Glover Teixeira has called time on his career after a punishing loss to Jamahal Hill in their light heavyweight title contest in Brazil
Brazilian legend Glover Teixeira said he was “too tough for his own good” after fighting on despite taking significant damage during his light heavyweight title bout against Jamahal Hill at UFC 283 in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday night.
Heavily cut and with a particularly nasty gash above his eye sending blood streaming across his face, Teixeira nonetheless finished the five rounds of the main event for the vacant 205lbs title against Hill before losing a unanimous decision 50-44 on all three scorecards.
As Hill broke down in tears at the realization that he was the new UFC light heavyweight champion, Teixeira lay down his gloves on the Octagon floor as the 43-year-old signaled the end of his career.
“In reality, I think I’m too tough for my own good. Too tough for my own health. I can’t keep up anymore,”said Teixeira, who was bidding to recapture the title he won in shock circumstances against Jan Blachowicz in October 2021 before losing it to Jiri Prochazka the following year.
“I’m going to focus my energy on [helping Brazilian middleweight champion] Alex Pereira. He’s going to keep his belt for a while and then go up to light heavyweight,” added Teixeira to the crowd at Jeunesse Arena.
The Brazilian retires after a two-decade professional MMA career in which he has amassed a 33-9 record, including 16 victories in 23 UFC outings.
Teixeira fought on despite shipping significant damage to his face.
Hill, 31, was emotional at claiming what many had perhaps considered to be an unlikely light heavyweight title for the Chicago fighter.
His performance at nullifying the dangerous grappling threat from Teixeira was impressive – not least as the fight was something of a short-notice affair which was called after the title contest between Russia’s Magomed Ankalaev and Blachowicz failed to produce a winner in December.
“Where I came from to get to this, it’s unreal. Anything’s possible. Hard work, dedication, accountability, don’t let nobody tell you nothing,” said Hill.
“Too many people tried to tell me I couldn’t do it. It was impossible. I needed to win in one round. I couldn’t go five [rounds] – what the f**k you got to say now?”
Hill and Teixeira embraced after their five-round war.
The UFC light heavyweight elite appears to be open, however, with Ankalaev still aggrieved at his controversial draw against Blachowicz last month and Czech former champion Prochazka – who was forced to vacate the title in November due to a serious shoulder injury – stepping up his recovery.
Also at UFC 283 in Brazil on Saturday night, the co-main event for the flyweight title saw Mexico’s Brandon Moreno dethrone local hero Deiveson Figueiredo in a fourth fight between the pair.
The contest was ended with a doctor’s stoppage after the third round, with Figueiredo’s right eye completely swollen shut. After the two rivals paid tribute to each other inside the Octagon, Moreno was forced to leave the cage shielded by security staff as he was pelted by beer and other drinks by the angry crowd.
Glover Teixeira has called time on his career after a punishing loss to Jamahal Hill in their light heavyweight title contest in Brazil
Brazilian legend Glover Teixeira said he was “too tough for his own good” after fighting on despite taking significant damage during his light heavyweight title bout against Jamahal Hill at UFC 283 in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday night.
Heavily cut and with a particularly nasty gash above his eye sending blood streaming across his face, Teixeira nonetheless finished the five rounds of the main event for the vacant 205lbs title against Hill before losing a unanimous decision 50-44 on all three scorecards.
As Hill broke down in tears at the realization that he was the new UFC light heavyweight champion, Teixeira lay down his gloves on the Octagon floor as the 43-year-old signaled the end of his career.
“In reality, I think I’m too tough for my own good. Too tough for my own health. I can’t keep up anymore,”said Teixeira, who was bidding to recapture the title he won in shock circumstances against Jan Blachowicz in October 2021 before losing it to Jiri Prochazka the following year.
“I’m going to focus my energy on [helping Brazilian middleweight champion] Alex Pereira. He’s going to keep his belt for a while and then go up to light heavyweight,” added Teixeira to the crowd at Jeunesse Arena.
The Brazilian retires after a two-decade professional MMA career in which he has amassed a 33-9 record, including 16 victories in 23 UFC outings.
Teixeira fought on despite shipping significant damage to his face.
Hill, 31, was emotional at claiming what many had perhaps considered to be an unlikely light heavyweight title for the Chicago fighter.
His performance at nullifying the dangerous grappling threat from Teixeira was impressive – not least as the fight was something of a short-notice affair which was called after the title contest between Russia’s Magomed Ankalaev and Blachowicz failed to produce a winner in December.
“Where I came from to get to this, it’s unreal. Anything’s possible. Hard work, dedication, accountability, don’t let nobody tell you nothing,” said Hill.
“Too many people tried to tell me I couldn’t do it. It was impossible. I needed to win in one round. I couldn’t go five [rounds] – what the f**k you got to say now?”
Hill and Teixeira embraced after their five-round war.
The UFC light heavyweight elite appears to be open, however, with Ankalaev still aggrieved at his controversial draw against Blachowicz last month and Czech former champion Prochazka – who was forced to vacate the title in November due to a serious shoulder injury – stepping up his recovery.
Also at UFC 283 in Brazil on Saturday night, the co-main event for the flyweight title saw Mexico’s Brandon Moreno dethrone local hero Deiveson Figueiredo in a fourth fight between the pair.
The contest was ended with a doctor’s stoppage after the third round, with Figueiredo’s right eye completely swollen shut. After the two rivals paid tribute to each other inside the Octagon, Moreno was forced to leave the cage shielded by security staff as he was pelted by beer and other drinks by the angry crowd.
Karen Khachanov routed Yoshihito Nishioka to reach the quarterfinals in Melbourne
Russia’s Karen Khachanov has booked his place in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open after a dominant victory against Japanese rival Yoshihito Nishioka on Sunday.
Khachanov hammered Nishioka 6-0 6-0 7-6 (7-4) in a one-sided match at John Cain Arena in Melbourne. Remarkably, the Russian won the first 14 games of the match before Nishioka put up some belated resistance to take the third set to a tiebreak.
The second set was particularly brutal for number 30 seed Nishioka as the big-hitting Khachanov, who is seeded 18th, conceded just two points to his opponent – a rare feat dubbed a ‘bronze set’ in tennis jargon.
Khachanov is now into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the first time in his career. The performance also means he has reached the last-eight stage at each of the four Grand Slams in his career, becoming the 50th male player in the Open Era to do so.
“[The] first two sets I didn’t know what was going on, but it’s never easy when you are going with the score too easy. You feel it,” Khachanov, 26, said after his resounding win.
“At one point Yoshi tried to turn it around, he pumped the crowd and it’s normal. I tried to stay focused all the match from the beginning until the end.
“But it’s not easy to win with this score, three sets, so the third set it was a really tough one and I’m playing well, so I’m really happy to go through.”
Khachanov had too much power for his Japanese rival.
Number 29 seed Korda, who is the son of former Australian Open winner Petr Korda, continued his fine form in Melbourne by dispatching Polish tenth seed Hubert Hurkacz in a five-set tussle in their fourth-round match on Sunday – sealing the match on a 10-point tiebreak.
For Korda, 22, it will be a first ever appearance in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, while Khachanov boasts experience of reaching the semifinals of the US Open last season and claimed an Olympic silver medal in Tokyo in 2021.
Elsewhere in the men’s singles draw, Russian fifth seed Andrey Rublev will be aiming to join Khachanov in the last eight when he takes on Danish ninth seed Holger Rune in their fourth-round match on Monday.
There was an upset in the women’s draw on Sunday when Russian-born number 22 seed Elena Rybakina dumped out Polish top seed Iga Swiatek in straight sets in their fourth-round match. Rybakina, who has represented Kazakhstan since 2018 and won the Wimbledon title last year, will play Latvian 17th seed Jelena Ostapenko in the quarterfinal on Tuesday.
Karen Khachanov routed Yoshihito Nishioka to reach the quarterfinals in Melbourne
Russia’s Karen Khachanov has booked his place in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open after a dominant victory against Japanese rival Yoshihito Nishioka on Sunday.
Khachanov hammered Nishioka 6-0 6-0 7-6 (7-4) in a one-sided match at John Cain Arena in Melbourne. Remarkably, the Russian won the first 14 games of the match before Nishioka put up some belated resistance to take the third set to a tiebreak.
The second set was particularly brutal for number 30 seed Nishioka as the big-hitting Khachanov, who is seeded 18th, conceded just two points to his opponent – a rare feat dubbed a ‘bronze set’ in tennis jargon.
Khachanov is now into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the first time in his career. The performance also means he has reached the last-eight stage at each of the four Grand Slams in his career, becoming the 50th male player in the Open Era to do so.
“[The] first two sets I didn’t know what was going on, but it’s never easy when you are going with the score too easy. You feel it,” Khachanov, 26, said after his resounding win.
“At one point Yoshi tried to turn it around, he pumped the crowd and it’s normal. I tried to stay focused all the match from the beginning until the end.
“But it’s not easy to win with this score, three sets, so the third set it was a really tough one and I’m playing well, so I’m really happy to go through.”
Khachanov had too much power for his Japanese rival.
Number 29 seed Korda, who is the son of former Australian Open winner Petr Korda, continued his fine form in Melbourne by dispatching Polish tenth seed Hubert Hurkacz in a five-set tussle in their fourth-round match on Sunday – sealing the match on a 10-point tiebreak.
For Korda, 22, it will be a first ever appearance in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, while Khachanov boasts experience of reaching the semifinals of the US Open last season and claimed an Olympic silver medal in Tokyo in 2021.
Elsewhere in the men’s singles draw, Russian fifth seed Andrey Rublev will be aiming to join Khachanov in the last eight when he takes on Danish ninth seed Holger Rune in their fourth-round match on Monday.
There was an upset in the women’s draw on Sunday when Russian-born number 22 seed Elena Rybakina dumped out Polish top seed Iga Swiatek in straight sets in their fourth-round match. Rybakina, who has represented Kazakhstan since 2018 and won the Wimbledon title last year, will play Latvian 17th seed Jelena Ostapenko in the quarterfinal on Tuesday.
Ekaterina Alexandrova’s defeat means no female Russian representatives remain in the singles in Melbourne
Russia is without a representative in the women’s singles at the Australian Open after 19th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova suffered a shock third-round defeat to Polish rival Magda Linette on Saturday.
Alexandrova lost the contest in straight sets at Rod Laver Arena, 6-3 6-4, capping a disappointing tournament for Russia’s women’s stars. None have made it into the second week of action at Melbourne Park despite Russia starting with 14 women in the main singles draw – including four of the top 20 seeds.
The highest-ranked Russian female contender, Daria Kasatkina, crashed out in the opening round as the number eight seed was beaten by compatriot Varvara Gracheva. The unseeded Gracheva progressed to the third round before her hopes were ended by Czech rival Karolina Pliskova.
Elsewhere, there were first-round losses for Anna Kalinskaya, Kamilla Rakhimova, Polina Kudermetova, Anna Blinkova, Evgeniya Rodina, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Oksana Selekhmeteva, and Liudmila Samsonova – the latter of whom was seeded 18th.
Russian teenager Diana Shnaider bowed out in the second round following a battle with Greek sixth seed Maria Sakkari, while Russian ninth seed Veronika Kudermetova exited at the same stage in a shock defeat to American qualifier Katie Volynets.
Alexandrova was unable to overcome her unseeded opponent.
The disappointing performances this year mean that Russia’s wait continues for a first female Grand Slam champion since Maria Sharapova at the French Open in 2014. Sharapova was also the last Russian females singles champion in Melbourne, winning the title in 2008.
Russia does, however, still have representatives in the women’s doubles event this year in Melbourne. Pavlyuchenkova is into the third round alongside Russian-born partner Elena Rybakina, who has represented Kazakhstan since 2018. Rybakina remains in the singles draw and will meet world number one Iga Swiatek in their fourth-round match on Sunday.
Russia’s Kalinskaya is also still in doubles contention alongside American partner Caroline Dolehide and the pair will play in the third round.
In the men’s draw, Russia has two representatives in the last 16 of the singles event. Fifth seed Andrey Rublev will take on Danish ninth seed Holger Rune in the fourth round on Monday, while Russian 18th seed Karen Khachanov plays Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka at the same stage of the tournament on Sunday.
Ekaterina Alexandrova’s defeat means no female Russian representatives remain in the singles in Melbourne
Russia is without a representative in the women’s singles at the Australian Open after 19th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova suffered a shock third-round defeat to Polish rival Magda Linette on Saturday.
Alexandrova lost the contest in straight sets at Rod Laver Arena, 6-3 6-4, capping a disappointing tournament for Russia’s women’s stars. None have made it into the second week of action at Melbourne Park despite Russia starting with 14 women in the main singles draw – including four of the top 20 seeds.
The highest-ranked Russian female contender, Daria Kasatkina, crashed out in the opening round as the number eight seed was beaten by compatriot Varvara Gracheva. The unseeded Gracheva progressed to the third round before her hopes were ended by Czech rival Karolina Pliskova.
Elsewhere, there were first-round losses for Anna Kalinskaya, Kamilla Rakhimova, Polina Kudermetova, Anna Blinkova, Evgeniya Rodina, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Oksana Selekhmeteva, and Liudmila Samsonova – the latter of whom was seeded 18th.
Russian teenager Diana Shnaider bowed out in the second round following a battle with Greek sixth seed Maria Sakkari, while Russian ninth seed Veronika Kudermetova exited at the same stage in a shock defeat to American qualifier Katie Volynets.
Alexandrova was unable to overcome her unseeded opponent.
The disappointing performances this year mean that Russia’s wait continues for a first female Grand Slam champion since Maria Sharapova at the French Open in 2014. Sharapova was also the last Russian females singles champion in Melbourne, winning the title in 2008.
Russia does, however, still have representatives in the women’s doubles event this year in Melbourne. Pavlyuchenkova is into the third round alongside Russian-born partner Elena Rybakina, who has represented Kazakhstan since 2018. Rybakina remains in the singles draw and will meet world number one Iga Swiatek in their fourth-round match on Sunday.
Russia’s Kalinskaya is also still in doubles contention alongside American partner Caroline Dolehide and the pair will play in the third round.
In the men’s draw, Russia has two representatives in the last 16 of the singles event. Fifth seed Andrey Rublev will take on Danish ninth seed Holger Rune in the fourth round on Monday, while Russian 18th seed Karen Khachanov plays Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka at the same stage of the tournament on Sunday.
Mexican team Pumas have parted ways with Dani Alves after he was detained by police in Barcelona
Dani Alves has had his contract with Mexican Liga MX team Pumas terminated after the Brazilian star was charged with sexual assault in Spain. Alves appeared in a Barcelona court on Friday following claims he assaulted a woman in a nightclub at the end of December.
“Club Universidad [Pumas] makes the decision to terminate the contract with Dani Alves with just cause,” said club president Leopoldo Silva, as reported by ESPN.
“This is an institution that promotes respect and the correct, dignified and professional behavior of its male and female players both on and off the field because they are role models in Mexico and throughout the world. We cannot permit any conduct that would damage our philosophy.”
Alves, 39, is being held without bail in Spain – a country where he spent a large part of his glittering career at Barcelona. The defender is said to have presented himself to police on Friday to answer the case against him before being taken to the Ciutat de la Justicia.
Police have not given details of the case, although a 23-year-old woman is said to have alleged that Alves groped and raped her at Barcelona nightclub ‘Sutton’ on December 30. The footballer vehemently denies the allegations against him.
Alves is recognized as among the most decorated footballers of all time, amassing more than 40 titles at senior level. That included a golden spell at Barcelona between 2008 and 2016, when he helped the Catalans to three Champions League crowns and six La Liga titles.
At international level, Alves has earned 126 caps for Brazil and last featured for his country at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Mexican team Pumas have parted ways with Dani Alves after he was detained by police in Barcelona
Dani Alves has had his contract with Mexican Liga MX team Pumas terminated after the Brazilian star was charged with sexual assault in Spain. Alves appeared in a Barcelona court on Friday following claims he assaulted a woman in a nightclub at the end of December.
“Club Universidad [Pumas] makes the decision to terminate the contract with Dani Alves with just cause,” said club president Leopoldo Silva, as reported by ESPN.
“This is an institution that promotes respect and the correct, dignified and professional behavior of its male and female players both on and off the field because they are role models in Mexico and throughout the world. We cannot permit any conduct that would damage our philosophy.”
Alves, 39, is being held without bail in Spain – a country where he spent a large part of his glittering career at Barcelona. The defender is said to have presented himself to police on Friday to answer the case against him before being taken to the Ciutat de la Justicia.
Police have not given details of the case, although a 23-year-old woman is said to have alleged that Alves groped and raped her at Barcelona nightclub ‘Sutton’ on December 30. The footballer vehemently denies the allegations against him.
Alves is recognized as among the most decorated footballers of all time, amassing more than 40 titles at senior level. That included a golden spell at Barcelona between 2008 and 2016, when he helped the Catalans to three Champions League crowns and six La Liga titles.
At international level, Alves has earned 126 caps for Brazil and last featured for his country at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The Serb again struggled with a hamstring complaint but got the job done against Grigor Dimitrov
Novak Djokovic’s pursuit of a record-extending tenth Australian Open title continues after he defeated Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in their third-round match in Melbourne on Saturday.
Despite a lingering hamstring injury which has hindered him throughout the tournament, Djokovic earned a 7-6 (9-7) 6-3 6-4 victory at Rod Laver Arena to set up a fourth-round match against Australia’s Alex de Minaur on Monday.
Djokovic, seeded fourth this year in Melbourne, was forced to take a medical timeout after a grueling first set against Dimitrov in which he saved three set points before prevailing in the tiebreak. Djokovic, whose upper left leg was heavily strapped, required treatment again in the third set but by that stage was well in control against the number 27 seed.
“It was an incredible battle. Three sets, over three hours. Let’s rest up and prepare for the next one,” Djokovic said in his post-match interview. When asked how he continues to produce relentless energy levels on court, Djokovic made light of his age, telling interviewer Jelena Dokic that “35 is the new 25.”
Remarkably, the Serb is now unbeaten in his last 24 matches at the Australian Open – a tournament he has won a record nine times. The last time Djokovic was defeated on Australian soil was back in 2018, when he lost in the fourth round in Melbourne against South Korea’s Chung Hyeon.
Djokovic has returned to the tournament this year after his infamous deportation from Australia in a row over his Covid vaccine status on the eve of the event in 2022. The Serb has been warmly welcomed by the crowds at Melbourne Park as he chases a 22nd Grand Slam title, which would draw him level with Rafael Nadal in the all-time list.
Nadal, 36, has already exited this year’s Australian Open after his injury-affected loss to America’s Mackenzie McDonald in the second round. Russia’s Daniil Medvedev – a finalist in the past two years in Melbourne – also endured an early departure after a shock loss to US rival Sebastian Korda on Friday.
The highest-seeded player remaining in the men’s draw is third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, who plays his fourth-round match against Italy’s Jannik Sinner on Sunday. Russian fifth seed Andrey Rublev is also still in contention, and faces Danish number nine seed Holger Rune in the fourth round on Monday. Karen Khachanov, the 18th seed from Russia, plays his fourth-round match with Japanese rival Yoshihito Nishioka on Sunday.
But should Djokovic manage to defy his lingering injury struggles, he will surely be fancied as the favorite for the title considering his incredible track record in the opening Grand Slam of the season.
