Today's sports news: What you need to know

Latest - Ice speed skater Peter Michael has been named to compete at his second Winter Olympic Games.

Michael has been selected for Beijing 2022 off the back of strong results at World Cups. He will compete in the 1,500m and is hoping to receive a place to compete in the 10,000m.

Michael, who hails from Palmerston North, is an inline skating World Champion who made the switch to ice after being inspired while watching countryman, and now coach, Shane Dobbin at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

The switch was a resounding success, with Michael named to the New Zealand Team for PyeongChang 2018. Competing at his first Winter Olympic Games Michael came tantalisingly close to a medal, placing fourth in the 5000m, and fourth in the team pursuit alongside Shane Dobbin and Reyon Kay.

Since then Michael has continued competing on the World Cup circuit, claiming numerous World Cup podium finishes. Michael says a huge amount of work went into his selection and he's thrilled to be back in the New Zealand Team.

"I'm aiming to make some waves over there, I know I'm capable of doing something special and I'm really excited to get racing. It's always an absolute pleasure to put on the black suit and wear the fern, I can't wait."

Michael is currently in Germany where he is training ahead of Beijing.

Chelsea drop more points

Chelsea's winless run in the Premier League stretched to four matches, as a 1-1 draw away to Brighton and Hove Albion saw their slender titles hopes suffer yet more damage.

Hakim Ziyech's opportunist strike gave Thomas Tuchel's side the lead against the run of play in the 28th minute.

But Brighton were rewarded for their endeavour when Adam Webster thundered a header past Kepa Arrizabalaga on the hour after some intense home pressure.

Chelsea began to dominate late on but could not force a winner as Brighton dug deep to preserve their point.

Having been title contenders a few weeks ago Chelsea have managed only three points from the last 12 available and remain in third place with 44 points, 12 behind leaders Manchester City having played a game more.

They are also one point behind Liverpool having played two games more and unless they start to get back on the victory trail soon, they could find their top-four place under threat.

Ninth-placed Brighton have now drawn 11 games this season.

-Reuters

Boozy night to be investigated by ECB

The England and Wales Cricket Board will investigate after police were called to break up an early-hours post-Ashes drinking session at the team hotel.

England and Australia's players and staff got together to mark the end of the Ashes at the tourists' Hobart base.

Video shows England captain Joe Root, bowler James Anderson and Australia trio Nathan Lyon, Alex Carey and Travis Head being told to disperse by police.

"The England party have apologised for any inconvenience," said the ECB.

"When asked to leave by hotel management and the Tasmanian police, the players and management in question returned to their respective hotel rooms.

The investigation will not only focus on the incident itself but also how the video of the police intervention got in the public domain.

It was shot by England assistant coach Graham Thorpe, who can be heard naming the players and saying he was "videoing this for the lawyers".

Thorpe took charge of England for the drawn fourth Test in Sydney when head coach Chris Silverwood was in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19.

England's coaching team were already under pressure following England's 4-0 series defeat.

-BBC

Ammann heading to his seventh Olympics

Four times Olympic champion ski jumper Simon Ammann will compete in his seventh Winter Games after being named in the Swiss team for Beijing.

The 40-year-old is the only jumper to have won a golden double of both individual titles - normal hill and large hill - at two Olympics, in 2002 and 2010.

He will also be the first Swiss athlete to compete in seven Games. Japanese ski jumper Noriaki Kasai competed in eight Olympics and Finland's Janne Ahonen in seven.

Four times Olympic cross-country ski champion Dario Cologna will compete in his fourth Games.

Patrizia Kummer, the 2014 parallel giant slalom snowboard champion, was also confirmed on the team.

The 34-year-old said last week that she was leaving early for Beijing to complete a mandatory three-week quarantine period for non-vaccinated visitors.

-Reuters

Magicians play-off hopes dented

The defending champion Canterbury Magicians chances of making the women's Super Smash play-offs have taken a hit after losing to the Auckland Hearts by eight runs at Hagley Oval.

Auckland were able to defend their total of 131.

Wellington and Otago are the runaway leaders in the competition with Auckland now four points, or one win in front of Canterbury in the battle for the third and final play-off spot.

There are two rounds remaining.

Meanwhile the Canterbury Kings beat the Auckland Aces by 18 runs in the men's competition.

Canterbury are now just two points behind leaders Northern and have a chance of claiming top spot.

Auckland are fourth.

Mooney in doubt for World Cup

Star Australian batter Beth Mooney is in danger of missing the women's cricket World Cup in New Zealand in March.

Cricket Australia has confirmed that Mooney will miss the Women's Ashes series against England after fracturing her jaw in training.

Mooney, the world's top ranked Twenty20 batter, has undergone surgery after being hit at, with her return date to be confirmed after the operation.

The 28-year-old is also a doubt for the ODI World Cup in New Zealand in March. Australia will fly out around Feb. 10, CA said, in order to meet the mandatory 10-day quarantine requirement ahead of the tournament.

The multi-format Ashes series begins on Thursday with the first of three T20 internationals at the Adelaide Oval.

-Reuters

Tennis Australia boss gets backing

Tennis Australia's board has backed embattled chief executive Craig Tiley amid calls for him to be sacked following world number one Novak Djokovic's deportation from Australia.

Multiple Australian news outlets called on the board to fire Tiley after world number one Djokovic was cleared to play in the Australian Open without COVID vaccination but then had his visa cancelled twice by authorities.

The saga embarrassed the tennis association and completely overshadowed the buildup to the tournament but Tiley denied TA was at fault in an interview with the Grand Slam's TV rights holder this month.

"The board and Member Associations commend the Tennis Australia CEO and the entire Tennis Australia team for their hard work and dedication to delivering a spectacular summer of tennis," Tennis Australia chairwoman Jayne Hrdlicka said in a statement.

"As the Australian tennis family, we recognise that recent events have been a significant distraction for everyone, and we deeply regret the impact this had on all players."

The TA board said it would review all aspects of its preparations for the tournament as usual.

"That process always starts once the Australian Open champions have lifted their trophies," it said.

-Reuters

Toffees confirm caretaker manager

Premier League club Everton have appointed Duncan Ferguson as caretaker manager after sacking Spaniard Rafa Benitez.

Benitez was dismissed earlier this week following a 2-1 defeat at Norwich City which left the Merseyside club six points above the Premier League relegation zone in 16th place, after 19 matches.

Former Everton striker Ferguson, who scored 72 goals in 273 appearances across two spells at the club, took charge of first-team training today ahead of a home match against Aston Villa this weekend.

This will be Ferguson's second stint as interim manager of Everton, following a spell in December 2019 when he took charge of the club after the sacking of Portuguese coach Marco Silva.

Everton are exploring options for a fulltime manager with Wayne Rooney and Frank lampard both being mentioned.

They were keen on Roberto Martinez returning but that was blocked by the Belgium FA.

-Reuters/BBC