New York Red Bulls forward, Dante Vanzeir has been suspended by Major League Soccer for six regular season games for the use of racist language.

Vanzeir admitted to using racial slurs during a confrontation with the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend.

His action led to a lengthy stoppage as referees decided whether or not to red-card Vanzeir or whether or not to continue the match. Referees gave 21 minutes of stoppage time as a result of the remark.

The club announced on Tuesday that Vanzeir would be stepping away from the team 'until further notice' after speaking to his teammates.

According to a press release, Vanzeir will be prohibited from participating in U.S. Open Cup, MLS NEXT PRO and exhibition matches until the end of the suspension.

The league has also fined Vanzeir for an undisclosed sum and will require him to participate in additional League-mandated training and education sessions.

MLS says it is working with both the Red Bulls and San Jose as well as the MLS Players Association to, 'provide impacted players and staff with support and resources and is committed to continuing to review and improve its in-game protocol.'

The Red Bulls released a series of statements on Monday - including one from the club and statements on behalf of Vanzeir and manager Gerhard Struber.

'I accept full responsibility for my actions,' began Vanzeir's statement. 'While I did not intend to cause any harm or offense with my language, I know that I did and for that I am deeply sorry. I will agree to any suspension, fine and counseling that is handed down by Major League Soccer and the club.

'I will use this opportunity to better myself, reflect and dedicate my time and efforts to work with organizations that tackle racial injustice.'

The club's statement directly apologized for the incident, calling the words and the inaction 'inexcusable'.

'The New York Red bulls wholeheartedly apologize for the unacceptable events that transpired on Saturday night during the match with the San Jose Earthquakes,' it read. 'The words and inaction was inexcusable, and we believe there is never a place for it.

'We always strive for an environment that is inclusive and anti-racist. Our organization is committed to providing the resources to further educate our players and staff, as well as rebuilding trust within our community.'

Nina Hughes' ascent to the top of women's boxing has been nothing short of remarkable.

Despite being a 41-year-old mother of two who works part-time as a secretary to support her children, she became the WBA bantamweight champion in November 2022 after just five professional fights, outpointing Jamie Mitchell in Dubai.

However, Hughes' journey to this point has not been as quick as it may seem. She has been boxing for over 15 years, starting with boxercise classes at the age of 25 for fitness purposes only.

It wasn't until her coach convinced her to spar and eventually compete that she realized her potential.

After moving to a women's gym, Hughes had a successful amateur career that led her to the British squad, where she traveled the world for tournaments alongside fighters like Nicola Adams, who eventually won gold at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

While Hughes missed out on the chance to compete in London due to her lack of experience, she felt that opportunities for female boxers to turn professional were limited, so she quit boxing and had two children.

She only boxed as a hobby to lose weight, but her passion for the sport never wavered.

After the 2020 coronavirus lockdown, which saw a surge in televised female fights, Hughes decided to give professional boxing another try and joined the Newlands gym in Wickford, where she made history by becoming the WBA bantamweight champion.

Frank Lampard, the former Chelsea and England midfielder, is expected to be named interim manager of Chelsea until the end of the season, just over two years after the club sacked him.

Lampard has been without a job since being dismissed by Everton in January, less than a year after taking charge.

The 44-year-old previously managed Chelsea from July 2019 until January 2021, when he was replaced by Thomas Tuchel.

Graham Potter, Tuchel's successor, was sacked on Sunday, prompting Lampard's potential return to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea currently sit 11th in the Premier League, and despite having spent more than £550m on new players this season, they are 14 points outside the top four.

Lampard's previous tenure at the club saw him guide Chelsea to the FA Cup final in his first season, with 44 wins from 84 matches, but five defeats in his last eight league games led to his sacking.

He was subsequently appointed Everton boss in January 2022 but was sacked eight days shy of his one-year anniversary in the role after a run of nine defeats in 12 Premier League games.

Chelsea face Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday and Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on 12 April.