Sports
Serena Williams debunks skin bleaching rumors amid backlash
Tennis icon Serena Williams has dismissed speculation that she bleaches her skin, following a viral video that sparked online debate.
During an Instagram Live session, the 43-year-old addressed the rumours while walking fans through her makeup routine. She attributed the perceived difference in her skin tone to lighting and stage makeup she had worn while volunteering at her daughter Olympia’s school play.
“There is a thing called sunlight, and in that sunlight, you get different colours,” Williams explained.
She emphasized her pride in her identity, saying, “I’m a dark Black woman, and I love who I am and how I look. That’s just not my thing.”
While firmly denying the allegations, she acknowledged that skin-lightening practices are a personal choice for some: “If people do it, that’s their thing, and they have every opportunity, and they should. I don’t judge. But no, I actually don’t bleach my skin. So can we just kind of clear that up?”
The video that ignited the rumors showed Williams with her husband, Alexis Ohanian, volunteering at Olympia’s school play.
Comments flooded social media, with some speculating that her lighter appearance was due to chemical peels or makeup, while others defended her, attributing the change to lighting or the absence of extended sun exposure following her retirement.
NewsSerena Williams denies skin bleaching rumors amid backlash
Published 3 hours ago on December 3, 2024By Faith Alofe
Tennis icon Serena Williams has dismissed speculation that she bleaches her skin, following a viral video that sparked online debate.
During an Instagram Live session on Monday, the 43-year-old addressed the rumors while walking fans through her makeup routine.
Responding directly to critics, Williams stated, “And no, for you haters out there, I do not bleach my skin.”
She attributed the perceived difference in her skin tone to lighting and stage makeup she had worn while volunteering at her daughter Olympia’s school play.
“There is a thing called sunlight, and in that sunlight, you get different colors,” Williams explained.
She emphasized her pride in her identity, saying, “I’m a dark Black woman, and I love who I am and how I look. That’s just not my thing.”
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While firmly denying the allegations, she acknowledged that skin-lightening practices are a personal choice for some: “If people do it, that’s their thing, and they have every opportunity, and they should. I don’t judge. But no, I actually don’t bleach my skin. So can we just kind of clear that up?”
The video that ignited the rumors showed Williams with her husband, Alexis Ohanian, volunteering at Olympia’s school play.
Comments flooded social media, with some speculating that her lighter appearance was due to chemical peels or makeup, while others defended her, attributing the change to lighting or the absence of extended sun exposure following her retirement.
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“She’s retired from playing tennis in the sun, 12 hours a day. People are so weird and stupid,” one supporter wrote.
Another added, “She ain’t bleaching; she just doesn’t know how to do her makeup.”
Williams also pointed out that her golden bathroom wallpaper and lighting can sometimes alter the way her skin tone appears in photos and videos.
Williams, who turned 43 in September, has been retired from professional tennis since her final appearance at the 2022 US Open.
Sports
Gift Orban joins Hoffenheim after one year at Olympique Lyon
Gift Orban, former Super Eagles invitee, has completed a move to Germany’s Hoffenheim from Olympique Lyon.
The German Bundesliga side announced the 22-year-old centre forward’s signature in a post on their X handle.
Orban signed a four-year deal and will wear jersey number 14 at his new club.
The move ends Orban’s torrid one-year spell at Lyon, in which he featured in 21 matches, scoring only five times.
He has only played five times this season, playing three Ligue 1 and two Europa League games, respectively.
The pacey striker has not been included in nine of the last 10 league matches for Lyon. Orban’s previous league appearance was on September 22, while he last played in a match for the former French League champions in the Europa League, coincidentally against his new club. The game ended 2-2, with Orban lasting 62 minutes before substitution.
Orban, who scored 32 goals in 52 matches for Genk before his move to Lyon, posted on his X that he handled his excitement about swapping France for Germany. He described his new home as “wonderful.”
“New year, new adventures! Excited to be part of This Wonderful Club Hoffenheim,” said Orban.
Andreas Schicker, Hoffenheim’s sporting director, was also excited about the player’s joining the club and believed his attacking skills would improve the struggling side.
“In Gift Orban, we have found exactly the fast striker with good depth that we were looking for. He has proven time and time again his goalscoring talent and his enjoyment of playing.
“We are therefore confident that he will bring our team greater offensive variability thanks to his abilities.”
Sports
AC Milan appoints Sergio Conceicao as new coach
Sergio Conceicao was named the new coach of AC Milan replacing his fellow Portuguese Paulo Fonseca who was sacked earlier on Monday, the Serie A club announced.
“AC Milan announces that Sergio Paulo Marceneiro da Conceicao has been appointed as the Head Coach of the men’s first team until June 30, 2026,” Milan said in a statement.
Conceicao takes over a Milan side that lies eighth in Serie A, eight points off the Champions League places.
Sports
Mike Tyson confirms return to ring in 2025
Boxing legend Mike Tyson has confirmed his return to the ring in 2025, but this time it’s not in the way fans might expect, Marca reports Monday.
Tyson, whose last fight ended in a loss to Jake Paul on November 15, 2023, has been teasing a major comeback, much to the curiosity of the boxing world.
The 58-year-old’s last appearance in the ring was against Paul at the AT&T Stadium, a fight that raised eyebrows due to the 29-year age gap between the two competitors.
Despite the scrutiny, Tyson expressed gratitude for the opportunity and even admitted he couldn’t remember the fight.
“This is one of those situations when you lost but still won,” Tyson said in an interview with Netflix after the final bell. “I’m grateful for last night. To have my children see me stand toe to toe and finish 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboy stadium is an experience that no man has the right to ask for. Thank you.”
The fight, which ended in an unconvincing defeat for Tyson, may have marked the end of his boxing career, but fans are still holding on to the hope of one more iconic appearance from the former undisputed heavyweight champion.
Should Tyson officially retire, he will bow out of a career that spanned over four decades, leaving behind a remarkable 50-7-0 record, 44 knockouts, and a legacy as the youngest boxing champion in history.
However, Tyson’s potential return to the ring is now being overshadowed by an unlikely new challenger: Joe Gatto of Impractical Jokers fame. Gatto, known for his comedic antics, has thrown his hat into the ring, joking that he will be facing off against Tyson in 2025.
The announcement was made with a mock poster of the two fighters promoting the “bout” as part of a marketing stunt.
“Exciting news,” Gatto wrote on Instagram on Saturday. “In 2025, I will enter the ring with the legendary @MikeTyson. Training starts 1/1/25 and you can watch it all on @hulu.”
“My new show #FightingWeight will document my transformation from fat to fit as I push myself to the limit. I appreciate the support of my team to make this happen and of course to @bellagio for hosting the event this summer. New year. New me.”
While this may seem like an outlandish idea, Gatto’s playful announcement is actually a clever marketing move for his upcoming health and fitness television show, FightingWeight.
The show will document Gatto’s transformation as he strives to lose weight and improve his physical fitness, pushing his body to the limit in a way fans have never seen before.
“My new show #FightingWeight will document my transformation from fat to fit as I push myself to the limit,” Gatto continued in his post. “I appreciate the support of all who made this happen & to @Bellagio for hosting the event this summer. New year. New me.”
As the boxing world eagerly awaits Tyson’s next move, it’s clear that while the legend himself may be stepping back from professional fighting, the excitement surrounding his potential return will continue to captivate fans for years to come.
Whether it’s a final farewell or the beginning of an unexpected chapter, the sport media noted that Tyson’s legacy remains undeniably intact—one that forever changed the world of boxing.
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