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Tara Davis-Woodhall announced as Ultimate Star for the first World Athletics Ultimate Championship
Olympic long jump gold medallist and world champion Tara Davis-Woodhall has been announced as an Ultimate Star for the first edition of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, due to take place in Budapest, Hungary, from 11-13 September.
In addition to competing at the new global championship, USA’s Davis-Woodhall will bring her social media savvy in serving as the lead content creator in the lead-up to and during the event. She will also have a role in supporting other content creators connected to the championship. game-sweetbonanza.com
“Tara Davis-Woodhall has mastered the balancing act of being one of the best in the world in the long jump and sharing her authentic story with audiences using her own voice,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. “She has an extraordinary ability to leverage her platforms to create fandom all while pursuing excellence in athletics. We are proud to partner with her as part of the Ultimate Championship, which at its core is designed to showcase our athletes as the multi-dimensional stars they are.”
The Ultimate Championship will mark a triumphant return to Hungary for the 27-year-old. Davis-Woodhall earned her first senior global medal, a silver, at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. She went on to become Olympic champion in 2024 in Paris and followed that up with gold at the World Championships in Tokyo in 2025. Her wins in Paris and Tokyo earned her an automatic invitation to the Ultimate Championship. Davis-Woodhall has been exploring the breadth of her own athleticism in 2026 by also competing in the 100m hurdles.
“The opportunity to not only compete but also help shape the stories told at the Ultimate Championship was something I couldn’t turn down,” said Davis-Woodhall. “I’m thrilled to see that with the Ultimate, World Athletics truly wants to celebrate all of my passions and interests, whether that is as an athlete or through content creation.”
The World Athletics Ultimate Championship is designed to settle the debate over who is the best of the best – with world champions, Olympic champions, Wanda Diamond League winners and the year’s top-ranked athletes all striving to be crowned the champion of champions.
Learn more about the Ultimate Championship here.
The post Tara Davis-Woodhall announced as Ultimate Star for the first World Athletics Ultimate Championship appeared first on SportsAfrica - Sports news | Live scores | Match highlights | Betting tips.
League of Legends is one of the most greedy gacha games out there, Brazil has demanded microtransactions be removed
Riot Games is currently learning a very expensive lesson about international gambling laws. A Brazilian court just handed down a massive ruling, ordering the League of Legends developer to pay roughly $3 million over its use of loot boxes.
The lawsuit, spearheaded by an association protecting children and adolescents, claims that Riot has been exposing underage players to unregulated gambling mechanics. Along with the hefty fine, the court ordered Riot to pull all randomized microtransactions from the Brazilian client until it can prove that minors cannot buy them.
League of Legends is Part of a Bigger Movement in Brazil, But Specifics are Needed
— Sheep Esports Brasil (@SheepEsportsBR) June 17, 2026
Veja todas as empresas que foram condenadas a pagar multas por conta da presença de loot boxes em jogos.
O valor total estimado das multas é de mais R$ 300 milhões e as empresas que tiveram os valores maiores foram Tencent, Apple, Microsoft, Google e Sony.
Via G1 pic.twitter.com/aelBE872tp
While cracking down on predatory gaming practices sounds great on paper, the wording of this ruling has left many tech lawyers and gamers scratching their heads. The court decided that any sale of a randomized digital asset to minors is subject to penalties.
That definition is wildly broad. It completely ignores the context of how these assets are actually sold, what is inside them, or how the user interface presents them.
Take Hextech chests, for instance. For years, the community has generally praised Hextech crafting as a rare example of engaging, non-predatory monetization. You can earn them entirely for free just by playing well; the drop rates are completely transparent, and they do not pressure players with hyper-aggressive casino styling.
The Real Enemy is the Gacha
Ask any esports fan what actually bothers them about modern gaming monetization, and they will tell you it is not the humble Hextech chest. The real villain here is the aggressive shift toward gacha mechanics.
Riot has been leaning heavily into luxury, low-odds gacha systems lately, like the infamous $500 Faker Ahri skin bundle or capsule milestones that require hundreds of dollars to guarantee a specific cosmetic. These systems use psychological FOMO, a fear of missing out, to get players to roll the dice repeatedly for a fraction-of-a-percentage chance of a digital outfit.
That is the exact kind of behavior that riles up the community and catches the attention of government regulators.
One Redditor said of the increased presence of gacha in League of Legends: “I haven’t been playing League for a bit due to not finding the time. I saw the Sahn Uzal skin, only to quickly realize it sadly falls under the ‘Exalted’ scam. I still don’t see how these skins warrant a, what is it, 10x price increase from Ultimate skins.”
They added that gacha shouldn’t be used for “prestigious” or “premium” skins, which should be earned through grinding the game itself.
Added another frustrated player: “I think the fact that there is no feasible way to ‘grind’ for the gacha currency is INSANE. There are like three pulls in each paid pass, which means you need to farm roughly 27 passes just to guarantee an Exalted skin.
“Also, these currency units are available when you PAY for the pass. This is probably the s****iest form of gacha I’ve ever seen in a game, and I play FGO, a gacha game that has a pit of 330 pulls…”
In most gacha games, the gacha cosmetics can be earned through currency that’s made through dailies, events, story completion, and gameplay. It’s a way to keep you grinding. But at least it’s an option. In League of Legends, however, the only way to try your luck with their gacha mechanic is to pay money. Actual money. This has made League of Legends feel very slimy.
Said one player: “Even the whales won’t pay for a $400 skin, but they will absolutely gamble $400 for it.”
When Cosmetics Overshadow the Competition
This entire legal mess highlights a deeply frustrating trend for the hardcore esports crowd. Over the last few years, it feels like the actual competitive aspect of League of Legends is taking a backseat to the digital fashion show.
Fandom hubs used to be filled with deep discussions about patch notes, map macro, and pro-player drafts. Now, the hype cycle is completely dominated by cosmetic announcements, ultimate skins, and battle passes. Likely due to developers getting desperate for the extra cash.
League of Legends isn’t alone in this. Overwatch realized long ago that the cosmetics were the real attention draw over competitive updates, especially if the skins are for popular heroes like Mercy. The skins that come with a new season have often overshadowed the game modes and competitive balance updates released alongside them.
Said one X user: “For a community that was so up in arms about not getting a PvE with a skill tree, we sure have no problem ignoring the game mode that features a skill tree… Like, what are we doing?”
Ever since @Flats_OW and @GetQuakedOn have pointed out that no one cares about the actual game and only about the cosmetic appeal I can’t help but notice it. I like skins too but I’m more interested in this new event and ban update but no one is talking about it??
— christian(@christian_t_v) June 15, 2026
Esports fans are growing increasingly upset that the game client seems more focused on becoming a high-end clothing boutique than a finely tuned competitive arena. This multi-million-dollar ruling in Brazil might be the exact wake-up call Riot needs to reassess where it is putting its energy.
But the reality is, most players are casual. Collecting skins is often a bigger draw for casual players than increasing their rank. And I think this harkens back to arguments I’ve made in the past: Esports is still a niche aspect of gaming. It’s not the majority of gamers. Most gamers don’t even know who Faker is. Well, unless you live in South Korea.
Gacha will always make more money than esports for a game title. In fact, esports may even need those gacha mechanics to get funded at all. It’s a bit of a necessary evil, but esports fans still hope Riot finds a better way to do it that doesn’t feel as greedy and damaging to the community.
The post League of Legends is one of the most greedy gacha games out there, Brazil has demanded microtransactions be removed appeared first on Esports Insider.
Bafana vs Czechia: What time is the match and where to watch
Bafana Bafana return to FIFA World Cup 2026 action on Thursday, 18 June, when they take on Czechia in a crucial Group A fixture.
Kick-off time
- Match: Czechia vs South Africa
- Date: Thursday, 18 June 2026
- Kick-off: 18:00 SAST
- Venue: Atlanta Stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), Georgia, USA
Where to watch
South African viewers can watch the match live on:
- SuperSport (Channels 201, 202, 203 and 235)
- SABC 1
- SABC 3
- SABC+
- DStv App
What happened in Bafana Bafana’s last match?
South Africa opened their World Cup campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Mexico on 11 June at the Estadio Azteca.
The match got off to the worst possible start when midfielder Sphephelo “Yaya” Sithole lost possession near his own penalty area, leading to Mexico taking an early lead in the ninth minute.
Mexico doubled their advantage in the second half through Raúl Jiménez.
The game then descended into chaos as three red cards were shown.
Bafana Bafana finished the match with nine men after Sithole and veteran forward Themba Zwane were both sent off. Mexico also received a red card during the heated encounter.
Major blow for Hugo Broos
The red cards mean both Sithole and Zwane are suspended for the clash against Czechia.
Their absence leaves coach Hugo Broos with important decisions to make as South Africa look to secure their first points of the tournament.
Broos later questioned the decision to send off Zwane, describing the red card as “a little bit soft”.
Why the Czechia match is so important
With Mexico already having three points, Bafana Bafana need a positive result against Czechia to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive.
A win would put South Africa firmly back in contention before their final group match, while defeat would leave them facing a difficult path to qualification.
The post Bafana vs Czechia: What time is the match and where to watch appeared first on InBound SA.
Bulls unchanged for URC final
Vodacom Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has backed the team that beat the Glasgow Warriors to get the job done in Friday night’s URC final at Croke Park.
The visitors are unchanged for the rematch against defending champions Leinster, with fullback Willie le Roux and tighthead prop Francois Klopper set to play their 50th URC matches.
WILLIE: It’s about the big moments
The Bulls have reached the URC decider for the fourth time in five seasons but are still chasing their first title.
“For me it’s important that we understand that it’s a privilege to be here,” said Ackermann. “It’s not your right, you’re not entitled to be here. To come to work every day and call this work – it’s a great privilege.
“We’ve got a shot, and if you ask me, do I believe we can win? Then I’m going to say yes.”
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: Five battles that will decide URC final
BULLS – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marcell Coetzee (c), 5 Ruan Nortjé, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Bench: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Jeandré Rudolph, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Stedman Gans, 23 Nizaam Carr.
TEAM: Furlong returns for Leinster, Porter ruled out
Photo: Vodacom Bulls
The post Bulls unchanged for URC final appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Official: Kaizer Chiefs finally announce new coach
Kaizer Chiefs have officially appointed Fernando Da Cruz as the club’s new head coach ahead of the 2026/27 season, bringing an end to weeks of speculation over who would lead the first team.
Amakhosi announced that the French-born tactician has signed a two-year contract with a one-year option, with his appointment taking effect from 1 July 2026.
KAIZER CHIEFS STATEMENT ON FERNANDO DA CRUZ APPOINTMENT
The confirmation follows the expiry of the contracts of co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef, who took charge after Nasreddine Nabi’s departure and guided the club to a third-place finish in the Betway Premiership.
“Kaizer Chiefs are pleased to announce the appointment of Fernando da Cruz as Head Coach. He has signed a two-year contract with a one-year option, effective 1 July 2026,” the club said.
“Born in France, Da Cruz comes highly qualified with a UEFA Pro Licence, the highest coaching certification in football.
“He worked briefly with Chiefs during pre-season two years ago before joining the Moroccan Football Federation, where he served as Technical Director until the end of June. He will officially take charge of Amakhosi at the beginning of July,” the note added.
WHO IS FERNANDO DA CRUZ?
Da Cruz has built a reputation for his tactical organisation, detailed preparation and preference for structured, possession-based football.
Before moving into coaching, he captained the French national futsal team and later began working in scouting and youth development at LOSC Lille. His career has since included coaching and technical roles in France and Belgium, including a spell in interim charge of Royal Excel Mouscron.
One of the highlights of his coaching journey came in Morocco, where he led AS FAR Rabat to the 2022/23 Botola Pro title after initially serving as the club’s academy technical director. He later remained within the club’s technical structure, working closely with Nasreddine Nabi.
With experience spanning Europe and Africa, Da Cruz arrives at Kaizer Chiefs with a strong background in player development, recruitment and elite football management.
The challenge now will be to build on last season’s progress and guide Amakhosi back into contention for major honours.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS DECISION FROM THE KAIZER CHIEFS HIERARCHY?
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