Police in Texas have identified a man from overseas as the person who allegedly made death threats directed at Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and his family after his poor start against the Cincinnati Reds last month.
A spokesperson with the Houston Police Department told The Associated Press Monday a man betting on the Astros was "inebriated" when he sent the threats on social media.
"Investigators spoke with him, and he stated he had lost money betting on the Astros game and was frustrated and inebriated when he lashed out on social media," the spokesperson said. "He was apologetic and asked that investigators pass along his apology to the McCullers family."
The Astros hired 24-hour security for McCullers and his family after he reported receiving online threats to the team. The Astros also contacted MLB security and the Houston Police Department with those concerns.
McCullers said he's had to try to explain the situation to his 5-year-old daughter.
"She asked me when I came home, ‘Daddy, like, what is threats? Who wants to hurt us? Who wants to hurt me?’" McCullers told the AP recently. "So, those conversations are tough to deal with."
McCullers, who returned this year after missing two full seasons with injuries, said dealing with the threats has been the worst thing that’s happened during his career.
"People should want us to succeed," the father of two said. "We want to succeed, but it shouldn’t come at a cost to our families, the kids in our life, having to feel like they’re not safe where they live or where they sit at games."
The man at the center of those threats has not been identified because charges have not been filed, police said. ESPN reported that the case remains open.
Wake Forest head baseball coach Tom Walter apologized after TV cameras caught him appearing to use a homophobic slur during his Demon Deacons’ NCAA tournament game against Tennessee.
Walter said he didn’t see the video that went viral on social media and said he doesn’t remember the moment during the game.
But he did acknowledge that his "language doesn’t reflect my values or the standards of this program."
"I am very sorry for my outburst in frustration last night, and I recognize the hurt and disappointment it has caused," Walter’s statement issued by Wake Forest said. "I own the consequences and I apologize to the University of Tennessee, to Wake Forest University, and the SEC & ACC."
Wake Forest athletic director John Currie also issued a statement.
"I am both surprised and deeply disappointed in our head baseball coach Tom Walter for his outburst during last night’s baseball game," the statement said. "I feel badly for those most hurt by such words. I spoke with Coach Walter immediately after the game and again this morning to address this incident, which is completely out of character for him and does not meet the standards of Wake Forest Athletics, Wake Forest University or the Atlantic Coast Conference."
Walter’s outburst came during a crucial moment for the Demon Deacons Monday night with the Volunteers up 6-2 and their star first baseman Andrew Fischer at the dish. After Walter had some words with the home plate umpire, cameras panned to the Wake Forest dugout where Walter appeared to yell a homophobic slur with Fischer at the plate.
The Vols left-handed hitter proceeded to smash a two-run home on a 1-2 count to extend Tennessee’s lead to 8-2. Tennessee went on to win 11-5, eliminating Wake Forest from the NCAA Tournament.
In his 16th season leading the Demon Deacons, Walter is the program's second all-time leader in wins with 493 after this past campaign.
Wake Forest has consistently produced major league talent, including five first-round MLB Draft in 2023 and 2024.
Walter is just one of three active head coaches in the country to lead three different programs to the NCAA Tournament. He coached previously at George Washington and New Orleans.
Former professional boxer Duke Tanner remembers witnessing a murder on his first day in prison in 2004.
"I watched the guy walk out the unit, blood seeping out of his neck. He dropped on the floor and ended up dying later," Tanner told Fox News Digital, recalling his thoughts at the time.
"'It's my new environment. I got to survive. I'm not going to die in here. I'm not going to be him.'"
He wound up in jail after getting caught in a drug trafficking sting operation while trying to make additional money for his family.
"I thought it was a robbery at first. So, when I saw it was cops, I was really at peace," he said.
He wa sentenced to two life terms, ending his boxing career and separating him from his family, including his son, who was just 2 at the time, for 16 years. He dedicated his time in prison to embracing Christianity and taking up every rehabilitation program available.
And Tanner remembers the night in 2018 when he realized President Donald Trump would end his sentence early.
"I had a dream, and I woke up," Tanner said. "I started writing a letter once a week to the White House after I had that dream, and, two years later, I was let go."
After being denied clemency by former President Barack Obama in 2016, Tanner was granted clemency by Trump in 2020. In May, the former boxer was granted a presidential pardon. Tanner visited the White House to thank Trump in person.
"I got to thank him, and he remembered my case. And he said, 'Man, you had a bad road, but you got a beautiful son. I hear you’re doing great things. And continue the good work. I'm watching you,'" Tanner said.
In August, Tanner published a book, "Duke Got Life: A Boxer's Fight for Freedom and One Last Shot at Redemption," detailing his story.
Weeks after Tanner received his presidential pardon, Trump floated the idea of giving a presidential pardon to hip-hop artist Sean "Diddy" while he's on trial for sex trafficking.
Tanner, who admits he hasn't followed the "Diddy" case closely and isn't "at liberty" to discuss the rapper's charges, revealed how he would feel about the idea of Combs getting a pardon from Trump.
"This administration is going to read every piece of paperwork. They're going to get to the facts. They're going to get to the bottom of everything. And if he decides to make that move, it's a positive move, because he went through the system," Tanner said, referencing Trump's criminal trial last summer over alleged hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
"He knows what they did to him to try and make him a convicted felon, to make him get found guilty of all those counts. So, he knows the prosecution misconduct. He knows how they do it. He knows that it's a broken system."
Tanner also suggested Trump's pardons are a means of holding those involved in the criminal justice system accountable.
"And he's trying to show them, 'You guys do y'all job right, or I'm going to come and fix it for you and embarrass you,'" Tanner added.
"So, with that being said, if he decides to do it, evidently he saw something, and he got the best lawyers around him. … I'm not at liberty to even speak on [the Diddy trial]. I don't know what's going on. I'm just saying I don't care who it was. If the president said that he wanted to do it, believe me, there's a reason behind it, and that the law wasn't handled correctly."
Tanner said he knows a lot of other people who are incarcerated who he believes deserve clemency.
"I definitely know there's so many men and women that need clemency to be let out of the system," Tanner said.
Tanner has already witnessed another president give a series of controversial pardons in the last year. Former President Joe Biden granted a series of pardons before leaving office in December, including to his son Hunter Biden, who was due to be sentenced for federal gun and tax convictions.
"I heard about it. He freed his son," Tanner said. "It can never be comparable to my own because he never went to prison. He never even got charged. I did 16 years, six months and 21 days, taken away from my 2-year-old son. … He can never compare to the pain I went through. And then I came home still fighting for other people.
"What has [Hunter] done? Have we even heard from him since he got the pardon? Did he even speak about it? Did he even thank his father about it? So, we can never compare a guy like that to me."
Still, Tanner said he's not offended by Hunter Biden's pardon.
Trump’s Justice Department is reviewing the list of people granted pardons by former President Joe Biden in response to new concerns about Biden's use of an AutoPen to automatically sign documents and concerns about his state of mind in his final months in office, Fox News Digital previously reported.
Tanner declined to comment on the investigation.
The former boxer is focused on continuing to do community service and helping his 19-year-old nephew become a future boxing world champion.
Dawn Staley left Temple University in her native Philadelphia after the 2007-08 season and was named head coach of the South Carolina women's basketball team.
In more than a decade and a half since, Staley has taken the Gamecocks program to unprecedented heights, leading South Carolina to three national titles during her tenure.
In her new book, "Uncommon Favor," Staley revealed another SEC school expressed interest in her in 2005.
"Alabama came after me first in 2005," Staley wrote.
She was coaching at Temple at the time she was approached by Alabama. The Owls finished the 2004-05 season with a 28–4 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
While Staley landed in the same conference as the Crimson Tide, she believed South Carolina was the best fit for her family and career.
"I visited the campus. I liked the athletic director. But I couldn't see myself living in Alabama," she noted.
While Staley didn't care for the idea of moving to Alabama, she said the move to South Carolina meant she would still be joining a league in which several coaches had built legendary careers.
"I was drawn to the fact that USC was part of the SEC and its storied legacy in women's basketball," Staley wrote. "Pat Summitt was in this league, Andy Landers, Melanie Balcomb, all these legendary coaches. I was looking to refine my skills, rise to compete with the best. The cherry on top was that my parents were originally from South Carolina."
Staley was also eager for a reunion with her mother, Estelle, and her siblings.
By all accounts, Staley has become a beloved figure in Columbia, South Carolina's capital city and the home of the Gamecocks. The city recently unveiled an on-campus statue in honor of Staley.
Staley reflected on a state embracing her given her complicated history with her family. Estelle left South Carolina decades ago due to racism and discrimination.
Staley described the homecoming as a "full-circle moment."
"Time is a funny thing, isn't it? That I find myself thriving in the very state that drove my mother into exile is an irony I never forget," Staley wrote. "That she was able to return to her home, her place of belonging, when I came to work at South Carolina was a full-circle moment made possible by social progress, the civil rights movement, myriad changes seismic and small, but also, in large part, by faith."
Former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall, an NFL champion and a member of the famed "Purple People Eaters," has died after a "lengthy hospitalization," the team announced Tuesday on behalf of Marshall’s wife Susan.
He was 87.
Marshall, a Kentucky native and Ohio State alum, was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 1960 NFL Draft and had a successful 20-year career, primarily with the Vikings.
"The entire Minnesota Vikings organization is mourning the loss of Jim Marshall. No player in Vikings history lived the ideals of toughness, camaraderie and passion more than the all-time iron man," the Vikings ownership group said in a statement.
"A cornerstone of the franchise from the beginning, Captain Jim's unmatched durability and quiet leadership earned the respect of teammates and opponents throughout his 20-year career. Jim led by example, and there was no finer example for others to follow.
"His impact on the Vikings was felt long after he left the field. Jim will always be remembered as a tremendous player and person. Our hearts are with his wife, Susan, and all of Jim's loved ones."
Marshall set an NFL record for position players by playing 282 consecutive regular-season games, a record that stood until 2010, when Brett Favre broke it as a member of the Vikings. Marshall also set the NFL record with 29 career fumble recoveries.
Marshall played 19 of his 20 seasons with the Vikings. He was a key member of Minnesota’s four Super Bowl appearances during that period. He also won an NFL championship in 1969, a year before the merger.
U.S. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., called on the WNBA and the Indiana Fever to apologize to Fever fans after the league’s investigation failed to find evidence that corroborated allegations of racial comments directed at Angel Reese during a recent game.
The league investigated the allegations involving the Chicago Sky star last month after a May 17 game hosted by the Fever.
"Based on information gathered to date, including from relevant fans, team and arena staff, as well as audio and video review of the game, we have not substantiated [the report,]" the league said in a statement.
"The WNBA is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for everyone and will continue to be vigilant in enforcing our fan code of conduct."
The Sky and the Fever released statements after the league’s investigation, but Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Banks believes all parties involved – especially the Fever – owe fans an apology.
"(Reese) accused the Indiana Fever fan base of being racists. They investigated it. They said those accusations were false. The least that she could do is apologize to our great state and the fans that show up at these games and say, ‘I’m sorry, I was wrong.’ Obviously, she’s not going to do that," Banks said Tuesday during an appearance on OutKick’s "Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich."
"Those are awful accusations. They weren’t true. The fans weren’t shouting racial slurs towards Angel Reese or opposing players. I mean, where is Caitlin Clark? Where is the Indiana Fever? Where is the WNBA saying that that investigation – there shouldn’t have been an investigation. The allegations were false. Where’s the apology? It’s disappointing."
It is unclear whether Reese notified the WNBA to prompt the investigation. Sky head coach Tyler Marsh found out about the reports "when everyone else did." However, Reese has said in the past that Fever and Iowa fans have been racist toward her.
"It’s so demeaning to our state and to the fan base to go through something like that. The least they can do is apologize to the fans," Banks added. "That’s the kind of garbage that gets thrown around all the time."
Before the start of the 2025 season, the WNBA launched No Space for Hate, described as "a multi-dimensional platform designed to combat hate and promote respect across all WNBA spaces." The initiative includes "unified messaging" during games and through social media content and the use of AI-powered technology to monitor social media activity.
Fox News Digital’s Ryan Morik and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
While many past and present NBA players are under contract with a major athletic footwear and sports apparel conglomerate, Jonathan Isaac wears his own brand when he steps on the basketball court.
The Orlando Magic forward founded UNITUS, a faith-forward apparel brand. According to the company's official website, the brand goes beyond producing premium Christian clothing and footwear, it is "a global movement for positive change."
"We believe Jesus offers our world a better way, and we boldly stand for our faith in Him. Our mission is to inspire and empower people to live in greater unity, freedom, strength, and purpose."
"From its inception it's just been a vision of connecting people to Christ and each other… for it to be a real touchpoint for believers. To have something we are confident in (and) feel great about."
Isaac cautioned that the company always tries to avoid forcing its values and beliefs on others.
"We are not pushing that onto other people, it's more of an internal thing," he told Fox News Digital. "A big part about us is… you're wearing the Scripture on your shoes, on your clothes for you, to remind you of the bigger picture. And then to take that out (into) the world. Being able to take the word of God with me on the court when I'm wearing my basketball sneakers, it's the same thing… it's for me internally and at the same time, I get to use it as a witness in front of everybody else. It's just a medium to do that."
Isaac admitted he ended up being "forced" into launching his own sneaker line.
"I was signed to Nike back in 2020 and unfortunately, I got injured… I tore my ACL," Isaac told Fox News Digital. "Nike had made the decision not to resign me. While I'm going through my rehab process… I actually went and spoke to my pastor… and he told me ‘Why don’t you just make your own sneaker?'"
Isaac's pastor then challenged him to be at the forefront for active NBA players in the independent sneaker line space. The 27-year-old said creating his own brand gave him creative autonomy.
"With that freedom to make my own sneaker I could make it completely unique to myself. (I wanted to make) a shoe that demonstrates faith, demonstrates what's important to me. My middle name is Judah so we (call it) the Judah 1. And every shoe has a visible Bible verse on the outside, and that's how it started. And it went from that… to an entire brand set around that same sentiment of being able to take the word of God with you everywhere you go."
Isaac has not shied away from speaking out about his beliefs. However, doing so can often result in backlash. Isaac said he does his best to filter out the negativity.
"The biggest thing for me is spending as little time as I can on social media, especially on X. It gets crazy over there. But, it's tough (because) sports and a couple of other professions, nobody else in their regular life has as much feedback as we do because we're playing live, and now you've got the parlays and now you've got all that other stuff going on.
"Once you play, you've got 50 (direct messages) of people saying ‘Oh you messed up this’ or ‘You did great’ or ‘You didn't do great.' It's tough to deal with just as a regular human being. People forget that, people forget you're human, people forget you've got issues (and) you got through stuff just like everybody else."
Isaac appeared in 71 games in the 2024-25 NBA season.
While Damian Lillard is mostly known for his accomplishments on the basketball court, the nine-time NBA All-Star is also an avid fan of combat sports.
Kyle Kuzma, who was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in February, was apparently aware of his teammate Lillard's passion for boxing and decided to challenge him to a bout.
In a social media post, Kuzma initially joked that Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo would face consequences if he departed Milwaukee at some point this offseason.
Speculation has swirled that the two-time NBA MVP could explore his options this offseason in pursuit of playing with a team that's better positioned for a deep playoff run.
"Me to @giannis_an34 if you leave next year," Kuzma wrote in an Instagram Stories post over a video of him in a sparring session.
Kuzma followed up that post by suggesting Lillard could be "next" teammate to draw his wrath. "Ding ding," Kuzma captioned another video of him wearing boxing gloves.
Lillard caught wind of Kuzma's challenge and responded in kind.
"When I’m healthy… I’m stopping you in the 5th… Long torso = BHop vs. De La Hoya," Lillard wrote in an Instagram Stories post.
Lillard's response was a reference to Bernard Hopkins' famous 2004 bout against Oscar De La Hoya. Hopkins was defending his middleweight title when he knocked out De La Hoya. The fight is largely remembered for it being the first time in De La Hoya's career he lost a bout via knockout.
The Bucks list Lillard as 6' 2" and 195 lbs. Meanwhile, Kuzma is listed at 6' 9" and 221 lbs.
De La Hoya was noticeably smaller than Hopkins when they were in the ring. De La Hoya, who is often referred to as "The Golden Boy," attempted to win a belt in a weight class that was heavier than he normally competed in.
Lillard recently underwent surgery to repair his torn left Achilles tendon. He suffered the injury in April during the Bucks playoff series against the Indiana Pacers. Shortly before the ACL injury, the star point guard had worked his way back from a deep vein thrombosis issue in his right leg. Lillard was sidelined for the Bucks' final 14 games of the 2024-25 regular-season.
Coastal Carolina head baseball coach Kevin Schnall called out Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan during a news conference after Schnall's team advanced to the super regional round of the NCAA baseball tournament.
Schnall, whose squad beat East Carolina, 1-0, didn’t like what transpired in a reported altercation at the Chanticleers’ baseball complex.
O’Sullivan reportedly "ripped into" tournament staff over a schedule change, and Schnall responded by calling him a "bully" in front of reporters.
"What transpired this morning on our field, another coach disrespected our associate AD, who works as hard as anybody in our entire program. He disrespected our field crew, who are the salt of the earth," Schnall said. "These guys would do anything for our program. It’s not OK, and this needs to be brought up."
O’Sullivan was reportedly furious the Gators’ matchup against ECU was moved from noon to 1 p.m. Sunday, leading to his outburst with Coastal Carolina staff. Video of the altercation began circulating on social media.
The Gators ended up losing to the Pirates, 11-4, and O'Sullivan initially declined to comment about the confrontation with Coastal Carolina staff, saying he "handled it properly, you know, at the end of the game."
On Monday, O’Sullivan and Gators athletic director Scott Stricklin released statements on the matter.
"Prior to yesterday's NCAA Tournament game against East Carolina, I let my emotions get the best of me and channeled that energy in a way I should not have," O'Sullivan said in his statement. "I want to sincerely apologize for my actions and behavior to the entire NCAA Regional field of Coastal Carolina, East Carolina and Fairfield, the NCAA — including site representatives Rick French and Mark Scalf — as well as all of Gator Nation.
"I did not represent the University of Florida to the appropriate standard yesterday and take full responsibility for that."
Stricklin added, "This afternoon, I met with Kevin O’Sullivan and told him that his actions prior to yesterday’s NCAA Tournament game fell well short of expectations of how Gators treat people. One of our department’s core values is respect, and Coach O’Sullivan’s unacceptable actions failed to demonstrate that.
"On behalf of Florida Athletics, I want to personally apologize to everyone impacted – including NCAA representatives, Coastal Carolina and their staff, East Carolina and their team – as well as to Gator Nation."
Schnall continued by explaining his disappointment.
"This is a national champion coach who thinks he can come in here and try to bully people around," Schnall said. "Disappointed. Disappointed somebody that a lot of coaches look up to, for him to act that way."
With the victory over ECU, Coastal Carolina will be facing the fourth-seeded Auburn Tigers in the best-of-three super regional to determine who will be heading to the College World Series in Omaha.
The Yomiuri Giants, the Nippon Professional Baseball league team he played for and managed throughout his illustrious career in Japan, confirmed his death Tuesday.
While he was a Japanese legend, Nagashima was beloved globally, and that showed with the outpouring of love and support after the news of his death, including from Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani.
"The Dodgers mourn the passing of Shigeo Nagashima, Japan’s ‘Mr. Baseball,’ who died Tuesday in Tokyo at age 89," the Dodgers said. "Nagashima became a legend for the Yomiuri Giants, who have enjoyed a longstanding relationship with the Dodgers from as far back as the 1960s. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and generations of fans."
For 17 NPB seasons, Nagashima starred for the Giants, slashing .305/.379/.540 with 44 home runs and 190 stolen bases from 1958-74. He was named the Central League Most Valuable Player five times as one of the most feared hitters in the sport.
Nagashima and fellow Japanese legend Sadaharu Oh helped the Giants win nine straight Japan Series, and Nagashima won 11 overall during his playing days.
When his career was over in uniform, Nagashima and Oh took turns leading the Giants as managers. Nagashima won a couple of Japan Series titles as manager, including his 1994 season with Hideki Matsui leading the way.
Matsui went on to star for the New York Yankees in the major leagues as Japanese superstars heading to MLB became more commonplace. Matsui was instrumental in bringing the Yankees their 27th world title in 2009.
Nagashima stayed connected to the game to the very end, including his role as a torchbearer at the 2020 Summer Olympics alongside Oh and Matsui.
Mason Howell has one year left of high school, but he will be able to tell his classmates he played in the U.S. Open before he walks at graduation.
The 17-year-old Georgia high school junior qualified for the 2025 U.S. Open at Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta on Monday after shooting an impressive 18-under-par through two rounds.
He is also one of the highest-ranked junior golfers in the country, coming in at No. 8 on the American Junior Golf Association list. However, his feat was remarkable considering he was the 496th-ranked amateur going into Monday’s qualifier.
"That was one of the greatest moments of my life," Howell said after his two rounds.
"Golf’s Longest Day" is what the amateur qualifier is called, as golfers must play two full rounds to determine who will participate in the 125th edition of the major tournament, which will be held at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania this year.
It was certainly a grueling day, but Howell breezed through his 36 holes without putting a bogey on the scorecard, shooting 63 in both of his rounds to earn his spot in the U.S. Open field.
Howell finished tied for first with Jackson Buchanan, a 22-year-old University of Illinois golfer, who also qualified for the tournament.
But there weren’t just amateurs in the qualifying field. The 2007 Masters winner, Zach Johnson, was among PGA Tour veterans trying to get into the field as well. Only the top-five finishers on the leaderboard can get into Oakmont, and Howell now has tons of momentum heading into the tournament next week.
Howell hails from Thomasville, Georgia, where he stars for the Brookwood High School boy’s golf team, which won the program’s fourth state title in the last five years last month. Despite still having one more year of school left before graduation, he has already committed to remain in-state for the next chapter of his golf career and play for the Georgia Bulldogs.
Stefon Diggs, who landed a three-year contract with the New England Patriots earlier this offseason, arrived for an offseason workout with his new team this week.
While veteran players reporting for a voluntary practice is not unusual, Diggs' appearance drew considerable attention because videos recently surfaced on social media showing him passing what appeared to be a bag of pink crystals to women on a boat.
Diggs, 31, has attended multiple events this offseason with hip-hop star Cardi B, including the Met Gala and a Boston Celtics-New York Knicks playoff game.
On Sunday, the Grammy Award winner posted photos and videos to her Instagram featuring the four-time Pro Bowler, one of which was also taken on a boat.
The post has gotten more than 4.4 million likes. Cardi B's Instagram account boasts roughly 163 million followers.
The Patriots have two remaining optional workouts Tuesday and Thursday as part of the spring organized team activity window allotted to each NFL team. Reporters will not have access to those sessions. The players have a mandatory three-day minicamp beginning June 9.
Diggs recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in six consecutive seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills.
Diggs appeared in eight games during his lone season with the Houston Texans. and finished the 2204 campaign with 496 yards. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in October.
Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif celebrated Global Parents Day in an Instagram post amid the boxer's latest gender controversy.
"Today, I became a champion, but it all started long ago! When my parents believed in me, even when the dream felt too big. When they supported me, listened to me, and stood by me.
"Being a parent isn’t easy. There’s no manual. But the love, patience, and trust you give your child can change everything. On this #GlobalDayOfParents, I just want to say thank you.
"Thank you to every parent who chooses, every single day, to be there for their children. Together with @unicefalgerie, I’m celebrating these everyday heroes. Because when parents are supported, children can dream and succeed."
Khelif’s social media post came as a report from 3 Wire Sports, citing medical documents from chromosome tests given by the International Boxing Association (IBA) before the 2022 and 2023 world championships, reported that Khelif’s DNA showed "markers with male karyotypes."
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) derecognized the IBA amid concerns about the organization's governance, financial reliance on Russian state energy firm Gazprom and integrity of the bouts.
"Chromosome analysis reveals Male karyotype. No numerical or chromosomal anomalies detected at 450-550 banding resolution," a screenshot of the document on 3 Wire Sports read. The test was at an accredited lab in New Delhi, called Dr. Lal PathLabs, before the boxing championships, according to 3 Wire Sports.
Fox News Digital reached out to World Boxing, the Algerian Olympic Committee and reps for Khelif for comment.
The IOC issued a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday morning.
"The IOC has always made it clear that eligibility criteria are the responsibility of the respective International Federation," the IOC said. "The factors that matter to sports performance are unique to each sport, discipline, and/or event. We await the full details how sex testing will be implemented in a safe, fair and legally enforceable way."
Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 championships before a gold medal bout over gender eligibility issues.
The boxer was thrust into the global spotlight after qualifying for the Olympics, with the gender controversy coming to light. Khelif defeated Angela Carini in the initial fight during the Paris Olympics, and the IOC defended Khelif.
"Everyone competing in the women’s category is complying with the competition eligibility rules," said IOC spokesperson Mark Adams. "They are women in their passports, and it’s stated that this is the case, that they are female."
Then, the IBA doubled down, saying Khelif – along with Taiwan’s Lin Yu-thing – were disqualified from the world championships due to "a result of their failure to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in the women’s competition, as set and laid out in the IBA Regulations. This decision, made after a meticulous review, was extremely important and necessary to uphold the level of fairness and utmost integrity of the competition."
The IBA added that Khelif underwent two tests: one in 2022 and the other in 2023. The IBA said Khelif appealed the decision to the Court for Arbitration of Sport but withdrew during the process, making the "IBA decision legally binding."
As the controversy grew, Khelif kept on winning and eventually was awarded a gold medal.
Throughout the controversy, Khelif has maintained that their gender is female. Khelif even filed a lawsuit against detractors and critics on social media.
Before World Boxing made its decision, Khelif was planning on participating in the 2028 Olympics despite President Donald Trump's "No Men in Women’s Sports" executive order was signed.
Khelif told ITV that the policies do not apply to the boxer.
"I will give you a straightforward answer: the U.S. president issued a decision related to transgender policies in America. I am not transgender. This does not concern me, and it does not intimidate me. That is my response," Khelif told the outlet.
"For me, I see myself as a girl, just like any other girl. I was born a girl, raised as a girl, and have lived my entire life as one."
World Boxing said last week that Khelif must take a sex test before being able to compete in sanctioned fights.
"Imane Khelif may not participate in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup, 5-10 June 2025 and any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes genetic sex screening in accordance with World Boxing’s rules and testing procedures," a letter sent by World Boxing to the Algerian Boxing Federation read.
The letter also stated that World Boxing decided to adopt mandatory sex tests this month.
"These new eligibility rules were developed with the express purpose of safeguarding athletes in combat sports, particularly given the physical risks associated with Olympic-style boxing," the letter read.
World Boxing added in a statement that the new policies are "designed solely to ensure the health and safety of all participants in World Boxing competitions (including Imane Khelif) and is not deemed to in any way pre-judge the outcome of any testing that will be introduced as part of the new policy on ‘Sex, Age and Weight.’"
On Monday, World Boxing apologized to the Algerian Boxing Federation for singling Khelif out in the letter.
"I am writing to you all personally to offer a formal and sincere apology for this and acknowledge that her privacy should have been protected," World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst reportedly said in a letter.
Fox News' Jackson Thompson and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
While many past and present NBA players are under contract with a major athletic footwear and sports apparel conglomerate, Jonathan Isaac wears his own brand when he steps on the basketball court.
The Orlando Magic forward founded UNITUS, a faith-forward apparel brand. According to the company's official website, the brand goes beyond producing premium Christian clothing and footwear, it is "a global movement for positive change."
"We believe Jesus offers our world a better way, and we boldly stand for our faith in Him. Our mission is to inspire and empower people to live in greater unity, freedom, strength, and purpose."
"From its inception it's just been a vision of connecting people to Christ and each other… for it to be a real touchpoint for believers. To have something we are confident in (and) feel great about."
Isaac cautioned that the company always tries to avoid forcing its values and beliefs on others.
"We are not pushing that onto other people, it's more of an internal thing," he told Fox News Digital. "A big part about us is… you're wearing the Scripture on your shoes, on your clothes for you, to remind you of the bigger picture. And then to take that out (into) the world. Being able to take the word of God with me on the court when I'm wearing my basketball sneakers, it's the same thing… it's for me internally and at the same time, I get to use it as a witness in front of everybody else. It's just a medium to do that."
Isaac admitted he ended up being "forced" into launching his own sneaker line.
"I was signed to Nike back in 2020 and unfortunately, I got injured… I tore my ACL," Isaac told Fox News Digital. "Nike had made the decision not to resign me. While I'm going through my rehab process… I actually went and spoke to my pastor… and he told me ‘Why don’t you just make your own sneaker?'"
Isaac's pastor then challenged him to be at the forefront for active NBA players in the independent sneaker line space. The 27-year-old said creating his own brand gave him creative autonomy.
"With that freedom to make my own sneaker I could make it completely unique to myself. (I wanted to make) a shoe that demonstrates faith, demonstrates what's important to me. My middle name is Judah so we (call it) the Judah 1. And every shoe has a visible Bible verse on the outside, and that's how it started. And it went from that… to an entire brand set around that same sentiment of being able to take the word of God with you everywhere you go."
Isaac has not shied away from speaking out about his beliefs. However, doing so can often result in backlash. Isaac said he does his best to filter out the negativity.
"The biggest thing for me is spending as little time as I can on social media, especially on X. It gets crazy over there. But, it's tough (because) sports and a couple of other professions, nobody else in their regular life has as much feedback as we do because we're playing live, and now you've got the parlays and now you've got all that other stuff going on.
"Once you play, you've got 50 (direct messages) of people saying ‘Oh you messed up this’ or ‘You did great’ or ‘You didn't do great.' It's tough to deal with just as a regular human being. People forget that, people forget you're human, people forget you've got issues (and) you got through stuff just like everybody else."
Isaac appeared in 71 games in the 2024-25 NBA season.
Cameron Brink suffered a devastating injury during her rookie WNBA season. The 21-year-old recently made an appearance on "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune" where she showed off her natural on-camera skills.
At one point during her time on the long-running game show, Brink revealed a detail about her injury.
"We've done a lot of these celebrity shows, but we've never started off with an injury report," host Pat Sajak said.
"I was at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut… a casino, very lucky," Brink replied. "I tore my ACL, tore my meniscus as well. But, it's all surgically repaired now."
Brink then offered some insight into her recovery timetable.
"So, I'm good now, it's going to take a couple of months to be back."
"We always have to give credit to the women before us (because) they've been building up this league for 25 years now. It's crazy to think about. I think due in part to social media and just a really great rookie class, we've gained a lot of fans."
The Los Angeles Sparks used the second overall selection in the 2024 WNBA Draft on Brink. Sajak also asked her to recall the moment she was drafted.
"Yep. Second. Who knows how? Oh my gosh," Brink quipped.
Brink appeared in 15 games last season. She averaged 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Chase Stegall, a member of the DePaul University men’s soccer team and the son of former NFL player Milton Stegall, was found dead in his dorm on the school’s Chicago campus on Monday morning, according to reports and school officials. He was 20.
Vice president and director of athletics DeWayne Peevy and head coach Mark Plotkin released a joint statement on Monday afternoon confirming the news of Stegall’s passing.
"We are heartbroken by the unexpected loss of Chase Stegall, a cherished member of our community, dedicated teammate and kind-hearted friend," the statement began.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Chase's family, friends, teammates and all who loved him. In the coming days, we will support Chase's family and teammates through this devastating time. His loss will be deeply felt across our entire Athletics and university family and his memory will forever be a part of DePaul University."
The student-run newspaper, The DePaulia, reported Tuesday that Stegall passed "in his residence hall on the university’s Lincoln Park campus." The cause of death has not been revealed.
Chase is the son of former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Milton Stegall, who played three seasons in the NFL before going on to have a standout career in the Canadian Football League for 14 years.
Milt Stegall was a nine-time CFL All-Star and set several records, including most career touchdowns and the single-season touchdown record.
Chase Stegall was a sophomore at DePaul University. He appeared in 16 games this past season, scoring his only goal of the season against Drake. He registered nearly 400 minutes on the soccer field this year after not seeing any game action his freshman year.
The New York Knicks have fired head coach Tom Thibodeau after the team was unable to make it to the NBA Finals.
The team announced the move on Tuesday, with team president Leon Rose thanking Thibodeau for his services to the organization over the past five NBA seasons.
"Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans," Rose's statement read on social media. "This pursuit led us to the difficult decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we've decided to move in another direction."
The Knicks fell to the Indiana Pacers for the second straight year in the NBA Playoffs, this time in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games.
"We can't thank Tom enough for pouring his heart and soul into each and every day of being the New York Knicks head coach," Rose's statement continued. "He led us not only with class and professionalism for the past five seasons, but also to tremendous success on the court with four playoff berths and four playoff series victories. Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward. Tom will always be a part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best in the future."
Thibodeau has been head coach of the Knicks since the 2020-21 season, helping them build into a true championship contender. In his five seasons with the team, Thibodeau has gone 226-174 as well as 24-23 in 47 playoff games.
As Rose mentions, Thibodeau played a vital role in the team becoming a consistent playoff contender since taking over.
That reached new heights this past season after Thibodeau led the Knicks to its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000. It was also the first time the team had back-to-back 50-win seasons since the 1990s.
One may think the Knicks’ accomplishments under Thibodeau would keep him in place through the three-year extension he signed last summer that kept him on through the 2027-28 campaign.
However, the Knicks are looking to go in a different direction after their tough series loss to the Pacers, who will now play for the Larry O’Brien trophy starting this week against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Thibodeau is a longtime head coach in the NBA, leading the Chicago Bulls in his first stint in that role for five seasons, where he earned a 255-139 record. He also coached the Minnesota Timberwolves for three seasons, going 97-107.
Thibodeau has been coaching in the league since the 1989-90 season, where he was an assistant in Minnesota. He had similar posts with the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics, and the Knicks before ultimately returning to the franchise down the line.
President Donald Trump vowed to impose "large-scale fines" on the state of California for allowing a biological male trans athlete to win multiple girls' state titles.
"A Biological Male competed in California Girls State Finals, WINNING BIG, despite the fact that they were warned by me not to do so. As Governor Gavin Newscum fully understands, large scale fines will be imposed!" Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday.
The office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing the U.S. Department of Justice sending a letter warning of a June 9 deadline to amend its policies to bar trans athletes from girls' sports.
"We’re very concerned with the Trump Administration’s ongoing threats to California schools and remain committed to defending and upholding California laws and all additional laws which ensure the rights of students — including transgender students — to be free from discrimination and harassment. We are reviewing the letter and closely monitoring the Trump Administration’s actions in this space," the statement read.
Trump's post comes days after trans athlete AB Hernandez took first place in the state's girls' high jump and triple jump, and second place in the long jump. Trump sent a warning to California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state last Tuesday threatening to cut federal funding to the state if a trans athlete competed in the girls' track and field championship.
The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) responded by amending its rules to accommodate female athletes who finished behind a trans athlete in the three events Hernandez competed in, granting them qualification and podium finishes they would have earned had a biologically male athlete not competed in those events.
This resulted in Hernandez having to share podium spots with the female athletes who finished one spot behind Hernandez after the finals on Saturday.
Last Wednesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a federal probe into California over potential Title IX violations regarding its policy allowing trans athletes in girls' sports. The state had already been under a Department of Education investigation over the issue since February.
The DOJ announced its deadline for the state on Monday.
A bipartisan survey by the Public Policy Institute of California found the majority of California residents oppose biological male trans athletes competing in women's sports.
"Most Californians support requiring transgender athletes to compete on teams matching the sex they were assigned at birth," the poll stated.
"Solid majorities of adults (65%) and likely voters (64%) support requiring that transgender athletes compete on teams that match the sex they were assigned at birth, not the gender they identify with. An overwhelming majority of public school parents (71%) support such a requirement."
Meanwhile, Newsom himself said he believes trans athletes competing in girls' sports was "deeply unfair" during an episode of his podcast in March.
As a two-time U.S. Open champion who has earned north of $80 million on the golf course alone, Bryson DeChambeau has seen and done some pretty cool things. His recent trip to the White House to visit President Donald Trump was about as unique it gets.
As the undisputed golf content king these days, DeChambeau managed to do something not many people throughout history have done: He hit golf balls off the South Lawn at the White House.
White House Special Assistant Margo Martin shared a video of DeChambeau hitting a wedge onto the green of the South Lawn practice green, and he wasn't hitting short chip shots, he turned the property into a makeshift Par 3 course.
DeChambeau, who has finished T-6 or better in five of the last six major championships, didn't only hit golf balls on the South Lawn during his stop in Washington D.C.
He and President Trump made a stop at Trump National in Lowes Island, Virginia to hit some shots together as well, which is where Trump shared a quick joke about how long of a hitter he is.
"We play golf a lot together, it's not a very pleasant experience for me because I always consider myself a reasonably long hitter," President Trump said. "My wife says, 'Are you as long as Bryson?' I say, 'Yeah sorta, pretty close - it's not close.'"
DeChambeau is a long-time supporter of Trump, and he was even called on stage by the President during his victory speech back in November after he ran away with the presidential election. As the President noted, he and DeChambeau have played many rounds of golf together over the years. The President made an appearance on the LIV golfer's YouTube channel, where the duo teamed up to shoot 50.
Following his U.S. Open win at Pinehurst in 2024, DeChambeau paid a visit to Trump National Golf Club in New York, hit some long drives, and drank some red wine
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
An Illinois school district's board meeting was overtaken by opposing protesters for the second time on Monday night amid erupting tensions over trans athletes in girls' sports.
The community has been embroiled in a growing divide after a junior high trans athlete won three girls' track and field events in May.
The Naperville Community Unit District 203's board meeting saw nearly its entire three-hour duration dedicated to impassioned debates over the issue. The district's last board meeting on May 21 saw the same situation play out, prompting national attention.
During Monday's gathering, like the last meeting, the seats were packed with community members of conflicting cultures, as half the room wielded transgender pride flags, while the other half raised "Protect Girls Sports" signs.
Several speeches eventually erupted into loud boisterous lectures, while nearly every speech was met with a roaring applause from half the room.
A pro-transgender speaker named Patty Drugan asserted that the conservative activist group Awake Illinois was causing transgender youth to commit suicide in the state, while defending the trans junior high student at the center of the controversy.
"You need to take a look at Awake Illinois' website, and those are the reasons why these children are committing suicide!" Drugan said. "The shame is on all of you because for those of you who didn't disrespect that child, those of you who didn't stand up for that child, the shame is all on you!"
Another pro-transgender speaker named James Katchmeric claimed that the rhetoric to keep trans athletes out of girls' sports was "Nazi stuff."
"I learned what happened in World War II, and I found that trans people were the ones who were attacked first. So this is Nazi stuff," Katchmeric said. "
The pro-transgender protesters sitting in the front row turned their backs to the "Protect Girls Sports" speakers at the lectern during their speeches throughout the night. Multiple speakers there to oppose trans inclusion in girls' sports wore shirts from the activist sportswear brand XX-XY Athletics.
Awake Illinois founder Shannon Adcock wore an XX-XY Athletics shirt, vowed to protect girls' sports and asserted the federal government's authority takes precedence over the state's laws that protect trans inclusion.
"We are going to protect these children and Title IX will reign supreme. Federal supremacy exists, it doesn't matter how many times people wish a certain state statute can overrule federal law, it cannot," Adcock said.
Illinois law has protected the right of biological males to compete in girls' and women's sports since 2006.
After President Donald Trump signed the "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order on Feb. 5, Illinois state GOP lawmakers sent a letter to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) asking when it would comply with the order.
However, the IHSA responded saying Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Illinois Department of Human Rights have declared that state law requires that transgender athletes be allowed to participate based on gender identity. So the issue has persisted in the state, while many families and lawmakers are calling for Trump's administration to intervene, as it has in Maine and California so far.
Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., addressed a second letter on May 21 to the U.S. Department of Education and Department of Justice asking for federal intervention into the issue. Miller previously sent a letter in April asking for intervention.
Miller's latest letter asks U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Education Secretary Linda McMahon to specifically look into the Naperville incident and consider pulling federal funding from the state, as seen in a copy obtained by Fox News Digital.
School board meetings have been a platform for invoking that intervention in the state so far.
Currently, there is one federal Title IX probe in Illinois regarding transgenders impeding on female spaces, but it is only against one school.
Deerfield Public Schools District 109 is facing a probe by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights after middle school girls were allegedly forced by school administrators to change in front of a trans student in the girls' locker room.
Illinois mother Nicole Georgas brought light to the situation in March after filing a complaint to the Justice Department and then delivering a school board meeting speech that went viral on social media.
