Squad size quota increased for Euro

LONDON • National teams competing at this year's Euro 2020 will be allowed to increase the size of their squad from 23 to 26 players, European football governing body Uefa confirmed yesterday.

The rule change is being brought in to mitigate the risks of teams facing a shortage of available players in the event of Covid-19 cases and any subsequent quarantine.

REUTERS

Spotify boss kicks off Arsenal takeover

LONDON • Spotify chief executive officer and co-founder Daniel Ek has contacted Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke's family to make an offer to buy the Premier League club but a takeover may be drawn out, former France international Thierry Henry said.

The Swede said last week he had secured the funds to buy Arsenal, valued by Forbes at US$2.8 billion (S$3.7 billion), with Arsenal greats Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira acting as advisers.

REUTERS

Mertens stuns Halep in Madrid Open last 16

MADRID • Elise Mertens yesterday stunned world No. 3 Simona Halep of Romania 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 to move into the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open.

The 16th-ranked Belgian faces Belarusian world No. 7 Aryna Sabalenka, who beat American Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-2, today.

REUTERS

Ex-athletics chief to return to Senegal

PARIS • The former head of global athletics, Lamine Diack, sentenced by a French court to a four-year jail term, two of which were suspended, will be allowed to return to Senegal after posting a bond with French justice.

Diack's lawyers said a Senegalese football club had raised the money to pay the bond on top of settling the €500,000 (S$803,000) fine.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Boxer Verdejo charged with murder

SAN JUAN • Puerto Rican pro boxer and 2012 Olympian Felix Verdejo was charged on Monday with killing his mistress and their unborn child, in a case that has ignited protests over violence against women on the unincorporated US island.

Verdejo, who last fought in December, has a 27-2 record, with 17 wins coming via knockout.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE