owe i’ over wales. ever wales. quite a developing over wales. quite a temperature contrast as we start saturday. a few wintry showers, frost in the north, to the site is very well attended with increasing amounts of snow to all levels for wales, perhaps some snow for the midlands into the south—east of england, wet snow down to lower levels. drifting snow for wales as the winds will be strong. cold but bright in the north. the last of the bright in the north. the last of the bright hair will be moving away from the far south—west. the clip clears on saturday night, some ice around. a new area of low pressure will arrive into the west. a bit of a repeat performance after a dry start, rain, sleet and snow into northern ireland, wales, the midlands, southern england, mainly rain close to the coast but significant falls of snow for parts of wales, stay tuned to the

forecast. a reminder of our top story... another new vaccine has been shown to be effective, the second and 2a hours. if approved the uk has millions of doses on order. that's all from the bbc news at six, so it's goodbye from me. on bbc one, we nowjoin the bbc�*s news teams where you are.

hello and welcome to sportsday. i'm lizzie greenwood—hughes, here's what's coming—up tonight. we'll look at two of the biggest issues in football — west brom's romaine sawyers the latest to be racially abused online, we speak to the chair of kick it out. we're also talking about concussion, as the premier league takes further steps to protect players. also coming up in the programme... premiership rugby

is back after an enforced break caused by the pandemic, we'll be with northampton saints to find out how they're coping with covid. and tracey neville joins us on sportsday to tell us about her return to netball. so a busy sportsday for you tonight and we're starting with more on the distressing story this week that several footballers have allegedy been racially abused on social media. the west brom midfielder romaine sawyers is the latest, he was a sent a message during his side's 5—0 defeat to manchester city. the abuse has been widely condemned. adam wild reports.

on the field, football stance against racism cannot be clearer. online, for some, against racism cannot be clearer. online, forsome, it against racism cannot be clearer. online, for some, it seems that message still is not being heard. west brom have not contacted police over a message described as abhorrent sent to romaine sawyers. the club are calling for the toughest available legal punishment as well as a lifetime ban for the individual responsible. the rules the abide individual responsible. the rules they abide by — individual responsible. the rules they abide by may _ individual responsible. the rules they abide by may be _ individual responsible. the rules they abide by may be or- individual responsible. the rules they abide by may be or not - they abide by may be or not sufficiently hard enough to get the social media sites to act in a more responsible way. we all know how good they are and how much money they are getting to know how popular it is from old people but we have got to do our best to try and cut this element of abuse out. the messa . e this element of abuse out. the message sent _ this element of abuse out. the message sent to _ this element of abuse out. the message sent to sawyer follows tuesday's heavy defeat to manchester city. even this week, it appears not to be an isolated incident. manchester united in the interest of racism grew kick it out condemned

the racist abuse sent on social media to anthony martial y'all after their defeat to sheffield united the following day. if their defeat to sheffield united the following day-— following day. if you can create anonymous _ following day. if you can create anonymous accounts _ following day. if you can create anonymous accounts and - following day. if you can create anonymous accounts and you l following day. if you can create l anonymous accounts and you can following day. if you can create - anonymous accounts and you can abuse people, of course it is it is not right and let's hope... we will work together with everybody to stop this nonsense. , . together with everybody to stop this nonsense. ,, . . , ., nonsense. such incidents however widely condemned _ nonsense. such incidents however widely condemned represent - nonsense. such incidents however widely condemned represent an i widely condemned represent an ongoing problem. in a recent report, kick it out said the reports of racism in the professional game have risen by 53%. a poll of fans also found 71% have seen players targeted by racism on social media. earlier this month, football authorities met with twitter and facebook to discuss theissue with twitter and facebook to discuss the issue of online racism come all vowing to do more to combat it. this week suggests there is still some way to go.

here is sanjay bhandari, the chair of kick it out, thank you forjoining us here on sportsday. i will start with a really obvious question i guess come in that if you spend your entire time looking at stopping this sort of thing happening. you had a meeting on monday, there was a big meeting on monday, there was a big meeting with the government on monday come and get these stories still keep coming up. racism in football is still there. the reality is is is a complex _ football is still there. the reality is is is a complex problem. - football is still there. the reality is is is a complex problem. it. football is still there. the reality is is is a complex problem. it is| football is still there. the reality| is is is a complex problem. it is a societal problem. there are just simple solutions unfortunately. even what appeared to be simple solutions have a little bit of complexity to them. so that is the reason why we keep coming back. it feels like groundhog day and it is awful. but we keep coming back. that is what we have to work with the organisations like facebook and twitter, but we also have to work with the government and campaigning for more stringent regulations because they

are notjust going to change their own. we have to do more to regulate these organisations more strictly so that you can'tjust go on creating accounts and have no consequences for your actions and that is the real problem. do for your actions and that is the real problem.— for your actions and that is the real problem. for your actions and that is the real roblem. n, ,, ~ . ,, real problem. do you think the clubs ofthe real problem. do you think the clubs of the players _ real problem. do you think the clubs of the players should _ real problem. do you think the clubs of the players should do _ real problem. do you think the clubs of the players should do more - of the players should do more themselves and what i mean by that is legal action, because until this starts costing people money, what is the incentive for people who have these ideas to stop doing it? i suppose it depends on who you are going to sue. if you want this to the people were perpetrating it you have to find them and identify them. that is part of the big challenge, finding and identifying them. they owe it to lee make don't always have verification. you can always try suing facebook and twitter but facebook has 3 billion users globally and twitter has 230 million, facebook is one of the five biggest corporations globally. so

good luck with sewing them. they have deeper pockets than you. that is part of the challenge. they seem like simplistic answers but i will have to be a combination of working together with them, with what we currently have become a plugging the gaps in law enforcement that we currently have, but also campaigning with governments for greater regulation so that there are more obligations on social media companies to manage online hate and i really encourage by the words of this week saying this is something he is keen to do is driven by the meeting with the players this week. twitter has since put out a statement saying saying racist but baby has no place on that platform and they are working with football authorities to identify ways to tackle. —— tackle the issue. —— saying there is no place on that platform. next to another huge issue in football — head injuries —

and a significant move by the premier league. from next weekend they will trial the use of concussion substitutions. two will be allowed per game, in addition to any normal subs made. our reporter simon stone is here to give some more details. thank you forjoining us. tell me how it will work.— how it will work. english football has been awaiting _ how it will work. english football has been awaiting for— how it will work. english football has been awaiting for the - how it will work. english football has been awaiting for the greenl has been awaiting for the green light to run this trial almost since the start of the year. and what is going to happen is in the competition stage come in the premier league, and a super league, the women's championship, and also the women's championship, and also the fa cup from next saturday, each team will be allowed to concussion substitutes and basically any kind of head collision, there will the team doctor will attend to a player and there will be a tunnel doctor also and if either of them think there is a concussion involved, they have the power to take that player out of the game permanently and

offer his team or her team a substitute for that player in addition to the three they already have. that substitute will be replicated onto another team so at some point in the game at a time of their choosing they can also replicate that substitute so no team is getting a fair advantage so that all of football has wanted and has been craving for in this trial will run at least this season. —— so no team is getting an unfair advantage. this is something the english football wants to go forward but it will start next saturday when aston villa play. will start next saturday when aston villa -la . ., ~' will start next saturday when aston villa -la. ., ~ will start next saturday when aston villa la. . ~ will start next saturday when aston villa la. ., ~ , villa play. thank you. a little bit a sound issue. _ villa play. thank you. a little bit a sound issue. i'm _ villa play. thank you. a little bit a sound issue. i'm pretty- villa play. thank you. a little bit a sound issue. i'm pretty sure i villa play. thank you. a little bit l a sound issue. i'm pretty sure that the child will go on to the rest of the child will go on to the rest of the season. let's take a look at some of the other football stories around today. jesse lingard is set to move from manchester united

to west ham on loan. the hammers have signed said benrahma permanently to free up the space for lingard's arrival. scotland's lower leagues and women's football will remain suspended until iii february at the earliest. the scottish cup fixtures planned for 20 february have also been postponed. and the celtic chief executive peter lawwell will retire at the end ofjune. he's been in the role for 17 years, and will be replaced by dominic mckay who moves from scottish rugby. premiership rugby returns tonight after an enforced break caused by the pandemic. there's been no games at all since tenth january, and for some teams it's been even longer. the last time that northampton saints played was boxing day. they take on gloucester tomorrow, and james burridge has been given exclusive access as they prepare for the game. seven a:m., seven a: m., thursday seven a:m., thursday morning, and northampton players arrive for their fourth covid—i9 test this week come

ahead of their first game since boxing day. with games and competitions cancelled because of covid, measures at clubs like these have become even stricter. the incidence of— have become even stricter. tue: incidence of endgame transmission across the league has been really quite low and as everybody else learns about this virus and how we do to, what is controllable are the interactions between players of staff within the training environment that need to be addressed to reduce that risk as a whole and still be able to prepare the players physically to go out and play on the weekend. but the players physically to go out and play on the weekend.— play on the weekend. but it should bi est play on the weekend. but it should biggest worry? _ play on the weekend. but it should biggest worry? what _ play on the weekend. but it should biggest worry? what keeps - play on the weekend. but it should biggest worry? what keeps you - play on the weekend. but it should . biggest worry? what keeps you awake at night? biggest worry? what keeps you awake at niuht? _,_ biggest worry? what keeps you awake at niuht? ., _ ., biggest worry? what keeps you awake atniuht? y ., ., biggest worry? what keeps you awake atniuht? my ., ., at night? probably did not after the test basically- _ at night? probably did not after the test basically. we _ at night? probably did not after the test basically. we get _ at night? probably did not after the test basically. we get the - at night? probably did not after the test basically. we get the results . test basically. we get the results coming _ test basically. we get the results coming through at about five o'clock in the _ coming through at about five o'clock in the morning. that's probably the test basically. checking results that early. we will make decisions based _ that early. we will make decisions based on — that early. we will make decisions based on how many tests we have positive _ based on how many tests we have positive and what we need to do and how we _ positive and what we need to do and how we would need to isolate and also there's been a lot of education to the _ also there's been a lot of education to the players about what they can

and cannot — to the players about what they can and cannot do. the to the players about what they can and cannot do.— to the players about what they can and cannot do. the players have had to net use and cannot do. the players have had to get use routine _ and cannot do. the players have had to get use routine changing - and cannot do. the players have had to get use routine changing at - and cannot do. the players have had to get use routine changing at a - to get use routine changing at a moments notice. on page contact training doesn't take place into the medical team are sure of players covid—i9 status. we medical team are sure of players covid-19 status.— covid-19 status. we have got a different area _ covid-19 status. we have got a different area slithered - covid-19 status. we have got a different area slithered the - covid-19 status. we have got a - different area slithered the players change, so that they are socially distance environment, there are only allowed to walk one way into and out of the gym. the gym has been section when they get there. we go out, you go one way to the field and you come off the field and you take your clothing into the clothing ban and take a shower and walk out the inner and the building and you leave. ih and the building and you leave. in the past few weeks several sex players have had to isolate because of testing positive. —— several players have had to isolate. i of testing positive. -- several players have had to isolate. i was in bed for five _ players have had to isolate. i was in bed for five days _ players have had to isolate. i was in bed for five days with - players have had to isolate. i was in bed for five days with that. - players have had to isolate. i was in bed for five days with that. i i in bed for five days with that. i would classify it as a bad flu really. i was pretty exhausted. i was worn down. i was tired. i had headaches. shivery. that is what i would classify as a classic flu. not

knowing each week basically come our schedule is getting adjusted all the time. just trying to be mentally on point for an ever—changing day. the point for an ever-changing day. the thin that point for an ever—changing day. the thing that is really missing is the social— thing that is really missing is the social engagements. with a team, there's— social engagements. with a team, there's a _ social engagements. with a team, there's a lot of banter and a lot of pranks— there's a lot of banter and a lot of pranks and — there's a lot of banter and a lot of pranks and a lot of theyjust bury somebody's car in the snow at the back, _ somebody's car in the snow at the back, the — somebody's car in the snow at the back, the camaraderie, sitting and having _ back, the camaraderie, sitting and having a _ back, the camaraderie, sitting and having a coffee and bantering, singing — having a coffee and bantering, singing a — having a coffee and bantering, singing a song come all of that has disappeared. find singing a song come all of that has disappeared-— singing a song come all of that has disa eared. �* ., ., ~ ., , disappeared. and no one knows when that camaraderie _ disappeared. and no one knows when that camaraderie will _ disappeared. and no one knows when that camaraderie will return, - disappeared. and no one knows when that camaraderie will return, just - that camaraderie will return, just one of the sacrifices professional sport estimate if it wants to survive this pandemic. let's turn our attention to tennis, because after a long two weeks, players have emerged from their quarantine and have actually been allowed to play some tennis ahead of the australian open. serena williams was given a grand entrance onto court as she took part in an exhibition event in adelaide. she played japan's naomi osaka in front of 4000 fans.

and they were both delighted just to see some faces in the crowd. we haven't played in front of a crowd in over a year. so it's been a really long time. this is really cool really long time. this is really cool. and for having us and trusting us with your with great and we are so happy to be here. thanks for coming out. i haven't seen _ thanks for coming out. i haven't seen people and it feels like foreven _ seen people and it feels like forever. sojust a plate in front seen people and it feels like forever. so just a plate in front of you guys — forever. so just a plate in front of you guys is — forever. so just a plate in front of you guys is really amazing. —— just to play in front of you guys — exciting news for athletics fans because — it's back. tonight the world indoor tour gets under way — a series of five events across the globe starting in karlsruhe in germany. and with the olympics still set to take place this summer, all eyes will be on one of britain's best medal hopes for tokyo — dina asher—smith. the world champion over 200m is is competing

in the 60m and as the bbc�*s athletics commentator steve cram