NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace appeared to faint after getting out of his car following the conclusion of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, then appeared to begin to faint again during a live televised interview.
The events concluded a long, humid and emotional day in Atlanta, which began with Wallace wearing an “I Can’t Breathe” t-shirt before the race and saw all 40 cars stop during the warm-up laps as NASCAR president Steve Phelps delivered a message over their headsets pledging to address racial injustice in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.
Wallace is the only black driver currently in the Cup Series, and also took part in a video in which numerous NASCAR drivers calling for social justice. Fox played the video before Sunday’s race, as well.
During the speech, pit crew members stood on the wall in front of their pit boxes and a black NASCAR official could be seen kneeling on one knee — a gesture seen throughout the world by people protesting over Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police last month and one used by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick during the playing of the national anthem in 2016 to protest police mistreatment of black people.
WATCH | NASCAR holds a moment of silence:
NASCAR’s only African American Cup Series driver, Bubba Wallace, and several crew members wore ‘I Can’t Breathe – Black Lives Matter’ t-shirts prior to the start of the race. 0:51
After the Fox TV crew interviewed race winner Kevin Harvick, the broadcast showed video of Wallace appearing to get lightheaded while talking to members of his crew following the race before collapsing in their arms. Fox then interviewed Wallace on live air as the driver sat on the wall along pit road.
“I don’t even know. Long race I guess,” Wallace said when asked by pit road interviewer Jamie Little what happened after the race. “I stood up too fast. Well I guess I was told I was going to do media, and sat down and got up too fast, and I got dizzy, got lightheaded.
“I feel fine now. Quick scare for everybody.”
WATCH | Wallace appears to faint during tv interview:
NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace appeared to faint following the conclusion of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. 0:45
He then began explaining how his race went — he finished 21st and one lap down — but then appeared to again get lightheaded, bowing his head down and closing his eyes.
As a member of his crew grabbed him, a voice could be heard saying, “where’s medical?”
“He is not OK,” Little said before cameras cut away.
Fox later showed Wallace sitting on the wall, alert and surrounded by crew members, with Fox NASCAR announcer Mike Joy saying, “Bubba Wallace is OK, being tended to by medical personnel.”
.<a href=”https://twitter.com/BubbaWallace?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@BubbaWallace</a> is okay after a long, hot day in Atlanta. <a href=”https://t.co/pLO9ywH5sd”>pic.twitter.com/pLO9ywH5sd</a>
Wallace, 26, is in his fourth season on the Cup circuit, and his third driving full time for Richard Petty Motorsports. He has yet to win in 86 career Cup starts but has two top fives and six top 10s. He finished in 10th place last weekend at Bristol, his second top 10 of the season.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
