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    When are EFL playoffs 2021? Dates, kick-off times and TV channels with all matches taking place WITH fans

    THE EFL season has reached its business end with the promotion battles taking shape and the Championship playoff sides known.As is the tradition, the campaign will conclude at Wembley, with the play-off semi-finals and finals to be played in front of fans if the government roadmap stays on track.
    Fulham were 2020 Championship play-off final winnersCredit: PA
    Fulham, Wycombe and Northampton Town were the promoted sides last year, but who will be participating in the play-offs this year and when will the games take place?
    When are the EFL play-offs?
    The EFL play-off dates are as follows:
    Championship
    Semi-finals

    Monday, May 17 – Championship A 1st leg (6pm)
    Monday, May 17 – Championship B 1st leg (8.15pm)
    Saturday, May 22 – Championship A 2nd leg (12.30pm)
    Saturday, May 22 – Championship B 2nd leg (5.30pm)

    Final

    Saturday, May 29 (3pm)

    League One
    Semi-finals

    Tuesday, May 18 – League One A 1st leg (6pm)
    Wednesday, May 19 – League One B 1st leg (6pm)
    Friday, May 21 – League One A 2nd leg (7.45pm)
    Saturday, May 22 – League One B 2nd leg (7.45pm)

    Final

    Sunday, May 30 (3pm)

    League Two
    Semi-finals

    Thursday, May 20 – League Two A 1st leg (6pm)
    Thursday, May 20 – League Two B 1st leg (8.15pm)
    Sunday, May 23 – League Two A 2nd leg (12.30pm)
    Sunday, May 23 – League Two B 2nd leg (6.30pm)

    What TV channel are EFL play-off matches on and can I live stream them?

    Sky Sports hold exclusive rights to EFL coverage, including the play-off games.
    Matches will be shown live on channels such as Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event.
    Some matches may be shown on the Sky Sports Red Button if they overlap with others.
    To stream EFL play-off matches live, head to your Sky Go account.
    Non-Sky Sports subscribers can still watch all the action with a Now TV Day Pass from £9.99.

    Adebayo Akinfenwa and Wycombe Wanderers were promoted from League One at WembleyCredit: Getty
    Northampton Town were victorious in the League Two play-off finalCredit: Getty
    How many fans will be allowed to attend the EFL play-offs?
    The EFL has announced that the play-offs will be held from Monday, May 17 – the date on which the government will allow fans to return to stadiums according to the current roadmap.
    That means that ALL play-off matches will have fans attending as things stand.
    The roadmap states: “The government will also allow some larger performances and sporting events in indoor venues with a capacity of 1,000 people or half-full (whichever is a lower number), and in outdoor venues with a capacity of 4,000 people or half-full (whichever is a lower number).
    “In the largest outdoor seated venues, where crowds can be spread out, up to 10,000 people will be able to attend (or a quarter-full, whichever is lower).”
    This can be taken to mean that the play-off finals at Wembley will be played in front of 10,000 fans unless otherwise specified.
    However, it has yet to be confirmed whether participating EFL teams’ stadiums qualify as larger or smaller outdoor venues. More

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    Katie Taylor vs Natasha Jonas: Ring walk time, live stream, TV channel for lightweight world title fight

    IT is a 2012 Olympics rematch as Katie Taylor takes on Natasha Jonas on Saturday night.The fight – for Taylor’s WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO lightweight world titles – takes place on the undercard of Derek Chisora vs Joseph Parker in Manchester.
    Katie Taylor prevailed when the pair fought nine years ago in London
    Irish ace Taylor won the Olympics bout nine years ago – can she repeat the trick against the Brit?
    When is Katie Taylor vs Natasha Jonas?

    Katie Taylor vs Natasha Jonas takes place on Saturday, May 1.
    The fight is chief support to Chisora vs Parker, and the ring walks are expected from 9pm BST.
    The Manchester Arena – with no fans in attendance – plays host.

    How the fighters compare ahead of the title bout
    What TV channel and live stream is Katie Taylor vs Natasha Jonas on?
    Sky Sports Box Office will be showing the full card on Saturday night.
    Coverage begins on the channel at 6pm.
    The event costs £19.95 to purchase.
    Katie Taylor is defending her WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO world titles

    🥊 CHISORA VS PARKER: TV, live stream and start time info ahead of the big fight
    What is the full fight card?

    Derek Chisora vs Joseph Parker (heavyweight)
    Katie Taylor vs Natasha Jonas (WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO lightweight titles)
    Dmitry Bivol vs Craig Richards (WBA light-heavyweight title)
    Chris Eubank Jr vs Marcus Morrison
    James Tennyson vs Jovanni Straffon (IBO lightweight title)
    Campbell Hatton vs TBA

    Natasha Jonas has said she has nothing to lose
    What have they said?
    Jonas: “I’ve got nothing to lose and if you’re in a fight for the four belts on the biggest stage, the biggest platform and you can’t get yourself up mentally then you’re probably in the wrong sport.
    “I’ve got absolutely nothing to lose and I’ll be presenting the best version of myself mentally and physically on the night and she has to be able to deal with that.
    “I proved last time I am world level. I know I have to be that and better for Taylor. I wanted a challenge, I want to stay at this level, I want to be competing at this level and be winning at this level, more importantly.” More

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    Chris Eubank Jr vs Marcus Morrison: Ring walk time, live stream, TV channel for middleweight fight in Manchester

    CHRIS EUBANK JR returns to the ring for the first time since December 2019 on Saturday night to face Marcus Morrison.The middleweight bout is on the undercard of Derek Chisora vs Joseph Parker at the Manchester Arena.
    Chris Eubank Jr is back in action this Saturday night
    When is Eubank Jr vs Morrison?

    Chris Eubank Jr vs Marcus Morrison takes place on Saturday, May 1.
    The ring walk time is expected at 8pm BST, with the main event of Chisora vs Parker set for around 10pm.
    The Manchester Arena plays host, but unfortunately there will be no fans in attendance watching on.

    What TV channel and live stream is Eubank Jr vs Morrison?

    Sky Sports Box Office will be broadcasting the full Chisora vs Parker card.
    Their coverage begins at 6pm.
    The event will cost £19.95 to purchase.

    🥊 CHISORA VS PARKER: TV, live stream and start time info ahead of the big fight
    What is the full fight card?

    Derek Chisora vs Joseph Parker (heavyweight)
    Katie Taylor vs Natasha Jonas (WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO lightweight titles)
    Dmitry Bivol vs Craig Richards (WBA light-heavyweight title)
    Chris Eubank Jr vs Marcus Morrison
    James Tennyson vs Jovanni Straffon (IBO lightweight title)
    Campbell Hatton vs TBA

    What have they said?
    Eubank Jr, on how new coach Roy Jones Jr has changed his style: “Mentally is the biggest part. Physically? I’m 31, I won’t be a changed fighter, my style is what it is.
    “There are things he has tweaked or made me focus on, but the main change is how I mentally approach these fights.
    “The tactics, the thought process, the mind-set that I have now is different. Being with him will add years to my career.
    “It’s not about going to war every time anymore. It’s about being smart and not getting hit. Some of those things I had lost focus on.
    “I put that down to moving up to super-middleweight – knowing I was against guys who were naturally bigger, I got it into my head that I had to hurt them early so they didn’t bully me. I lost sight of the boxing.
    “At middleweight nobody will bully me, nobody is bigger than me, so I can focus on the art and craft rather than the war aspect.” More

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    Campbell Hatton next fight: Ring walk time, live stream, TV channel for bout on Derek Chisora undercard

    CAMPBELL HATTON has his second pro fight on Saturday night..and his first in his native Manchester.Ricky Hatton’s son continues is fledgling career on the undercard of Derek Chisora vs Joseph Parker at the Manchester Arena.
    Campbell Hatton impressed on his pro debut two months ago
    Lightweight prospect Hatton beat Jesus Ruiz over four impressive rounds on his pro debut in Gibraltar on the Dillian Whyte vs Alexander Povetkin undercard in March.
    When is Campbell Hatton fighting?

    Campbell Hatton’s next fight is on Saturday, May 1.
    The 20-year-old’s second opponent has yet to be named.
    The fight is expected to take place between 6-7pm, with the main event of Chisora vs Parker set for around 10pm.

    What TV channel and live stream is fight on?
    Sky Sports Box Office will be showing the full fight card in Manchester.
    Sky’s coverage begins at 6pm and the event will cost £19.95 to purchase.

    🥊 CHISORA VS PARKER: TV, live stream and start time info ahead of the big fight
    What is the full fight card?

    Derek Chisora vs Joseph Parker (heavyweight)
    Katie Taylor vs Natasha Jonas (WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO lightweight titles)
    Dmitry Bivol vs Craig Richards (WBA light-heavyweight title)
    Chris Eubank Jr vs Marcus Morrison
    James Tennyson vs Jovanni Straffon (IBO lightweight title)
    Campbell Hatton vs TBA

    What have they said?
    Hatton, after his first pro win in March: “I don’t think I boxed my best, I can do better.
    “As much as I tried not to, the nerves got to me a bit. I can only do better next time.
    “I have a lot of the strengths that my dad had and one of them is the body punches, that’s a big part of my game.” More

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    Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul date: When will fight be held, what TV channel and live stream will it be on?

    FLOYD MAYWEATHER and Logan Paul have agreed to take part in one of the most bizarre boxing matches in history.The 50-0 Money Man has defeated Conor McGregor and Tenshin Nasukawa in his last two fights, but an exhibition against YouTube sensation Paul could be the strangest yet.
    Floyd Mayweather has agreed to fight Logan PaulCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    Logan Paul fighting against KSICredit: Getty Images – Getty
    Here’s what we know about the fight so far.
    When will Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul take place?
    Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul was supposed to be held on Saturday, February 20, but the fight was postponed.
    It was rumoured that the reason for the postponement was a lack of interest, however Logan Paul denied that that was the case.
    Claiming the decision was down to “business complications”, he said: “The Mayweather fight is pushed [back] which I am completely OK with.
    “The fight’s still happening [but] we want to have a packed arena somewhere and then the business side of things, we have to iron them out.
    “He’s got a lot of people on his team, [his advisor] Al Haymon got involved, if you know boxing, you know what that means for getting an actual deal done and figuring out a venue.
    Logan Paul was there to support his brother Jake after he beat former MMA star Ben AskrenCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    “I need as much practice, training, sparring under my belt against this guy.
    “With every day that goes past I get better and he gets older.”
    The fight will reportedly take place on SUNDAY, June 6 – to avoid a clash with Triller’s Evander Holyfield and Teofimo Lopez card on June 5. Though Triller chief Ryan Kavanaugh has exclusively told SunSport he has ‘no concerns’ about going head to head.
    Despite no venue being agreed yet, Mayweather revealed that it will take place in either Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas or Atlanta.

    What TV channel and live stream will Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul be on?
    In February, Logan Paul claimed that Al Haymon had announced the fight would be on Showtime in the US.
    The network broadcast Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor stateside and look set to take this PPV event.
    Both Mayweather vs McGregor and Logan Paul vs KSI were shown on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK, so that could well be the channel for any eventual fight between Mayweather and Paul.
    However, no UK broadcaster has been announced for the potential fight yet. More

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    Real Madrid vs Chelsea FREE: Live stream, TV channel, kick-off time and team news for Champions League semi-final

    REAL MADRID are taking on Chelsea in a Champions League semi-final between two clubs from the European Super League.Like all English teams, Chelsea have pulled out of the hated competition, but Real Madrid president Florentino Perez insists it will still go ahead.
    Real Madrid made light work of Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finalCredit: EPA
    Chelsea come into this one in excellent formCredit: AP
    Real Madrid have impressed in this competition so far, as they eased past Liverpool with a 3-1 aggregate quarter-final win.
    Chelsea meanwhile made light work of Atletico before surviving a late scare to get past Porto.
    What time does Real Madrid vs Chelsea kick off?

    Real Madrid take on Chelsea on Tuesday, April 26.
    The match kicks off at 8pm UK time – 9pm in Spain.
    It will be played at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium.
    Chelsea have not met Real Madrid under Roman Abramovich’s ownership, but Gus Poyet netted the only goal when the teams last met in the 1998 Uefa Super Cup.

    What TV channel is Real Madrid vs Chelsea on and can I live stream it?

    Real Madrid vs Chelsea will be live on BT Sport 2.
    Coverage commences at 7pm – one hour before kick-off.
    To stream the game live, head to the BT Sport website or app.

    Can I watch Real Madrid vs Chelsea for free?

    EE customers can get BT Sport INCLUDED to their plan at no extra cost if they are on a plan with Smart Benefits – simply log in to EE and choose BT Sport app.
    And then get it on the big screen by texting SPORT to 150 to get a FREE three-month trial of large screen so you can cast all the action on your TV.
    At the end of the three months you will automatically roll onto the £15 per month subscription unless cancelled.

    Team news
    Toni Kroos is expected to overcome muscular discomfort to partner Luka Modric and Casemiro in Real Madrid’s first choice midfield line-up.
    Federico Valverde is still in isolation after testing positive for coronavirus while Sergio Ramos (calf), Lucas Vazquez (knee) and Ferland Mendy (calf) are all out.
    Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic will play no part against his former club, with Thomas Tuchel confirming he will miss out with a hamstring injury.
    Thiago Silva is back for the Blues after coming through their win against West Ham unscathed.
    Latest odds
    Real Madrid 13/10
    Draw 21/10
    Chelsea 9/4 More

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    Champions League final tickets: Are Chelsea fans allowed to attend and where is it being held?

    THE Champions League is down to the final four.Though because of the global covid pandemic, the competition has had a very different look to it this year.
    ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
    The Champions League final will be in Istanbul
    FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE
    When is the Champions League final, and where is it being held?

    The Champions League final will take place on Saturday, May 29.
    The Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey will host the showpiece this season.
    The kick-off time has yet to be decided, though it is expected to begin at 8pm BST.

    The Ataturk Stadium plays host this year
    Can I get tickets?
    UEFA have revealed in their latest update that details are to follow soon on how you can get tickets to the big one.
    This will depend on what travel restrictions are in place at the time.
    UEFA said: “The UEFA Champions League Final 2021 will take place in Istanbul, Turkey in the Ataturk Olympic Stadium on Saturday, 29 May 2021.
    “Information about the ticket sales for this match (availability of tickets, application deadline, ticket prices, etc.) should be communicated around end of April 2021.
    “More details will follow in due course.”

    What are the Champions League semi-finals?

    Semi-final second legs
    Tuesday, May 4
    Man City vs PSG (8pm BST)
    Wednesday, May 5
    Chelsea vs Real Madrid (8pm BST) More

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    Who is Blake Leeper and why is he being denied chance to run in Tokyo Olympics? Can he still race at Paralympics?

    BLAKE LEEPER is has been denied the chance to run at the Tokyo Olympics after his carbon fibre blades were deemed to give him a “competitive advantage.”Leeper, 31, has made a series of bids to become Nike’s latest athletes to make Team USA’s squad for the Tokyo Games.
    Blake Leeper celebrates his Paralympic silver medal in the 400m at London 2012Credit: Getty
    Leeper had been hoping to compete in the Tokyo Olympics in the 400m or 4x400m relayCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    Who is Blake Leeper?
    Blake Leeper is an American sprinter from Kingsport, Tennessee.
    Leeper was born without lower leg limbs from the knee downward and learned to walk on prosthetics since the age of nine months.
    He represented Team USA at the 2012 Paralympics in London where he clinched a silver medal in the T43 400 metres and bronze in the T43 200m.
    He did not compete at the 2016 Rio Paralympics because he was serving a year-long ban for a positive cocaine test.
    Leeper moved into full competition against Olympic athletes at the 2017 US Track & Field Championships in 2017, becoming the first double leg amputee to do so.
    It was at this event he broke Oscar Pistorious’ 400m world record of 45.25 seconds, knocking 0.14sec off the South African’s mark.
    Why has Blake Leeper been denied the chance to run at the Olympics?
    In 2020, Leeper’s legal team lost a Court of Arbitration for Sport bid to get him into the Tokyo Olympics.
    The CAS ruling said that his carbon fibre blades allowed him to run at a height “several inches taller” than if he were an able-bodied athlete.
    Leeper’s legal team said at the time that the verdict was “racially discriminatory.”
    In April 2021, World Athletics denied another final appeal for Leeper to compete in the one-lap event in Japan – should he have qualified at the US Olympic trials.
    World Athletics heard the arguments for Leeper’s inclusion in another hearing with their Mechanical Aids Review Panel.
    Chairman David Grace QC said: “World Athletics has satisfied its burden of proof on the balance of probabilities that the use of the mechanical aids by Blake Leeper in the form of passive-elastic carbon-fibre running specific prostheses (RSPs) that give him a leg length of 104 centimetres and a standing height of 184 centimetres provides Blake Leeper with an overall competitive advantage over an athlete not using such aids, with the result that the use by Blake Leeper of such RPSs in any World Athletics sanctioned events is not allowed pursuant to Rule 6.3.4 of the Technical Rules of World Athletics.”
    The statement continued: “The decision means Mr Leeper cannot compete wearing these new RSPs at World Athletics’ major international events (WAS Events) or the Olympic Games but can in other International Competitions although his results will be listed separately and not recognised.”
    Blake Leeper won a silver medal behind Oscar Pistorious at the London 2012 ParalympicsCredit: Getty
    Why is their verdict controversial?
    World Athletics uses a measurement called Maximum Allowable Standing Height (MASH) to determine whether an para-athlete’s prosthetic blades are of a fair length.
    That ‘fair length’ is based on a series of studies conducted across the world, saying it is “based on the best available evidence of body dimensions.”
    Leeper’s lawyer Jeffrey Kessler claimed that these measures are racially discriminatory.

    He said: “Data from black athletes were not even considered in these studies, as if these athletes did not exist.
    “It is ironic that Blake Leeper, who has been fighting for the rights of disabled athletes of every race, now finds himself the victim of discrimination against black disabled athletes.
    “We do not believe the courts will tolerate such discriminatory treatment and we will support Blake as he continues his fight to compete in the Olympics.” More