SOCCER
OTB Sport has learned that four League of Ireland footballers have applied to the FIFA Fund for Football Players which was set up for players claiming unpaid wages from clubs.
A total of 441 players worldwide have made applications with 89 per cent of those coming from Europe.
Over 2 and a half million euro has been set aside for players left out of pocket due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Dundalk, Derry City, Bohemians and Shelbourne have paid players in full while Shamrock Rovers players have taken agreed wage cuts but the remaining clubs still owe wages to players.
Meanwhile, talks between the FAI and SSE Airtricity clubs about a financial package supporting a return to play have been postponed until Wednesday.
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Sportswear manufacturers Umbro have distanced themselves from Linfield’s new away kit.
The purple and orange kit shares its colours with the loyalist paramilitary group, the UVF.
Linfield said last week the shared color scheme was purely coincidental.
But Umbro say the colours were all Linfield’s idea, and that they won’t promote the Danske Bank Premiership champions new kit.
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Newport captain Mark O'Brien has been forced to retire from football at the age of 27.
The Dubliner requires heart surgery.
O'Brien scored the winning goal against Notts County in 2017 which helped Newport avoid relegation from League Two and retain their English Football League status.
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Hearts have begun legal action against their relegation after clubs failed to back league reconstruction.
The Tynecastle side - along with Partick Thistle and Stranraer - have had their demotions confirmed after only 16 SPFL clubs said they would support an expanded Premiership.
In a statement, Hearts say they are "disappointed, yet sadly not surprised" by the news.
TENNIS
The US Tennis Association is due to confirm today that this year’s US Open is going ahead as planned.
The Grand Slam is due to get underway on August 31st.
This year’s tournament will be played behind closed doors, and with strict medical protocols in place for all players.
The traditional warm-up event in Cincinnati is likely to be moved to the National Tennis Centre at Flushing Meadows.
Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep have all expressed doubts about playing.
