Global Edition

June 16-22, 2020

NASCAR has long been one of the most popular sport competitions in the Southern United States. NASCAR knew there would be backlash when it still decided to go ahead and ban the display of the Confederate Flag from its races, indeed leading to ire and backlash from some fanatics.

The Confederate States of America were an organization that fought against the United States of America from 1861 to 1865 in the US American Civil War. It defended slavery and white supremacy at its core. Even though this organization was defeated, some NASCAR fans still waved the Confederate Flags at the races. NASCAR had call on fans to stop doing so, in 2015.

Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, the only African-American driver in the blue-ribband Cup Series, called for the ban of the flag in an interview and within two days NASCAR acted and banned it. That same night, Wallace sported a #BlackLivesMatter scheme at the race in Martinsville, Virginia. Some doubt the ban is enforceable, but the decision is a step forward. The flag will not be missed, as Ryan McGee writes for ESPN.

• Heavyweight unification, courtesy of Crime? Tyson Fury and Joshua have allegedly agreed to fight for an All-British World Heavyweight Unification. That is, if they beat their next opponents and the legal action by Dillian Whyte (GBR), mandatory challenger. Insider has the story of how an Irish gang lord might have brokered it.
• Federer out, Djokovic cries. Roger Federer has announced that he will not come back to play tennis this season due to a knee surgery. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic went back to play his home in Belgrade, which moved him to tears after he dropped in front of 4,000 fas in his Adria Tour. Yahoo
• Crowds are back in the stadiums. While the Premier League is devising its plans to come back to action with the fans on screens, New Zealand Super Rugby league came back to action with crowds of fans in situ and without facemasks. By CNN.
• Baseball’s fallout to its shortest season. The MLB and the Players’ Association have a dispute that will shorten the season. The MLB Players are demanding a prorated pay that was not agreed in their March Agreement. Michigan Live explains how this might be the shortest season.
• Aussie Rules. Aussie Rules football (AFL) is also back with limited spectators. The Gold Coast Suns ended a 427-day winless streak by shocking West Coast. Story by AAP/WWOS

GLOBAL PODIUM OF THE WEEK

Gold: Porsche Esports Team (Nick Tandy, Ayhancan Güven, Joshua Rogers, Tommy Østgaard

(England, Turkey, Australia, Norway, Simracing)

The Virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans were the biggest simracing event ever, with the best simrace/racecar grid that has been seen and global coverage.

Porsche claimed a solid victory in the GTE category. Nick Tandy is the fist driver to win the real race and the virtual edition.

Full race highlights

Silver: Rebellion Williams Esport (Louis Deletraz, Raffaele Marciello, Nikodem Wisniewski, Kuba Brzezinski

(Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Poland Sim racing)

The overall win at the Virtual Le Mans 24 Hours was solved until the end, and the Rebellion-Williams alliance proved to be fruitful.

These drivers have won the first edition of what could become the greatest simracing event in the years to come.

Full race highlights

Bronze: Daniel Berger

(United States of America, Golf)

Daniel Berger was playing some of the best golf when Covid-19 interrupted the PGA season.

The PGA came back this week with the Charles Schwab Challenge at Texas, and Berger took an emotional playoff win by defeating fellow US American, Morikawa.

Notwithstanding, Some players consider PGA’s resumption of World Ranking points to be unfair.

Highlights, by PGA

GLOBAL SPORTS AGENDA

Week Preview

This week’s Royal Ascot might be the biggest sport event since the Coronavirus crisis started. For the first time in 68 years, the Queen will not be present. There will be eight Grade I horse races from Tuesday to Sunday.

In the United States, the first leg of the Thoroughbred Racing Triple Crown is on with the Belmont Stakes and three other Grade I races, at Belmont Park.

Ken Roczen (GER) won the 5th race in Salt Lake City and aims to deny Eli Tomac the chance to clinch the Supercross World Championship this week and take it to the Monster Cup in October.

The Warcraft Gold Team League will be decided among three Asian teams this week.

June 16-22, 2020

Horse Racing:

Royal Ascot (GBR, 8 Grade I races)

Belmont Stakes (USA, 4 Grade I races)

Motorcycling:

Supercross World Championship, Salt Lake City (2 races)

Auto racing:

NASCAR Cup (Talladega)

Golf:

PGA RBC Heritage

eSports:

Warcraft Gold Team League

Overwatch League Matches

LCS Summer 2020

Arena of Valor Premier League 2020

Call of Duty League

Simracing:

SRO E-Sport GT Series
Formula Simracing German GP

Boxing:

Emanuel Navarrete (MEX) vs Uriel López (MEX)

Mixed Martial Arts:

UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Volkov

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Photo: Bubba Wallace, Twitter

“No one should feel uncomfortable when they come to a NASCAR race. It starts with Confederate flags…Get them out of here. They have no place for them…

There’s going to be a lot of angry people that carry those flags proudly but it’s time for change” (via CNN)

Darrell “Bubba” Wallace

Richard Petty Motorsports

NASCAR Cup Series

SPORT’S BEST VALUES

Resilience: Chase Briscoe

Chase Briscoe had a rollercoaster week after tragic news of his and his wife’s unborn child.

But Briscoe managed to get back to action and win the NASCAR Xfinity Race at Darlington, his greatest sport moment a day after his toughest life moment.

NBC interviewed him on this weekend.

Innovation: Aarón Padilla

Aarón Padilla, passed away at age 77, due to health issues complicated by Covid-19.

The star for Mexico’s Pumas team and part of the Mexican World Cup National, was famous for having invented a rudimentary version of the “bicycle” play, at times used by Cristiano Ronaldo.

In the photo he is tackled by León’s Gil Loza, who also passed away this week.