Dikembe Mutombo, the legendary basket player, has died from brain cancer at the age of 58.

Mutombo’s death was announced by the NBA in a tweet on X page on Monday.

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life. On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others,” the post that accompanied the tweet reads.

“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador. He was a humanitarian at his core.”

Mutombo’s struggle with a brain tumour was first revealed to the public in October 2022 when he began treatment.

He was raised in the Democratic Republic of the Congo before moving to the US at the age of 21.

Mutombo grew to be seven feet and two inches tall and was selected fourth overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 1991 NBA Draft.

He moved through the Atlanta Hawks, Philadephia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets before ending his remarkable career in 2009.

He played as a centre and was known for his defensive qualities. Mutumbo led the NBA in blocked shots for five consecutive seasons and blocks per game for a record three straight seasons.

He made the NBA All-Star team eight times and was made the league’s first global ambassador shortly after his retirement.

Antoine Griezmann, one of France’s most decorated footballers, has officially announced his retirement from international football.

The 33-year-old forward leaves behind an illustrious career with the French national team, where he earned 137 caps, scored 44 goals, and provided 38 assists.

Griezmann played a crucial role in France’s triumphs on the global stage, including winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2021 UEFA Nations League. He also claimed the Golden Boot at the 2016 UEFA European Championship.

In his farewell statement accompanied by a video posted on X on Monday, Griezmann said, “It is with a heart full of memories that I close this chapter of my life. Thank you for this magnificent tricolour adventure, and see you soon.”

His retirement marks the end of an era for French football, as Griezmann’s contributions have been pivotal in shaping the team’s success over the past decade.

Argentina’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has been banned for two matches by FIFA for “offensive behaviour”, the Argentine Football Association announced on Saturday.

The 32-year-old Aston Villa star was also found guilty of “violating principles of fair play” in two separate episodes.

Martinez was found to have violated FIFA’s code of conduct when holding a replica of the Copa America trophy to his groin after the World Cup qualifier win over Chile on September 5.

It is not the first time Martinez has performed such an action, having also done it with the Golden Glove trophy for best goalkeeper after Argentina beat France on penalties in the 2022 World Cup final.

FIFA also sanctioned him for hitting a TV cameraman’s camera with his gloves after their 2-1 defeat to Colombia on September 10.

The AFA expressed their dissatisfaction with the FIFA ruling.

“It should be noted that the Argentine Football Association expresses its absolute disagreement with the decision taken by the FIFA disciplinary committee,” they said in a statement.

As a result of the decision, Martinez – also a key member of the Argentina side that won the Copa America in July, as well as the 2021 edition – will miss the World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela on October 10 and Bolivia on October 15.

Argentina are top of the South American qualifying table with 18 points after eight matches. Colombia are just two points behind.