Sports
Mikheil Kavelashvili used to play for Manchester City. Now he’s Georgia’s far-right president-elect
It was an April’s day in an era when Manchester City were still playing at Maine Road and a visit from Manchester United was a lot more daunting than it has been in recent years.
City were on the attack. The ball was swung over from the left into the penalty area. Gary Neville was never going to beat Niall Quinn, the 6ft 4in (193cm) City striker, in an aerial contest. Another player in blue was waiting for Quinn’s knockdown. And that was the moment Martin Tyler’s voice went up an octave in the Sky Sports commentary box.
“My goodness, what a story! Mikheil Kavelashvili! On his debut, in a Manchester derby. Well, it’s a long name to splash across the back of a Manchester City shirt. But it will be splashed across a few headlines if City go on from this…”
Mikhail Kavelashvili equalises against Manchester United — his high point at City (Tony Marshall/EMPICS via Getty Images)
It’s funny how it turns out sometimes. That was about as good as it got for Kavelashvili during his brief dalliance with the Premier League towards the end of the 1995-96 season. United won the league, as they often did in those days, and for the last three decades, Kavelashvili’s contribution has been largely consigned to the dustbin of history by those City fans who remember the era of tragicomedy that resulted in Alan Ball’s team slipping towards relegation.
Kavelashvili has been back in the news and you can probably understand the collective surprise among former team-mates to learn that the pale-faced wearer of City’s No 32 shirt has re-emerged as a far-right politician and president-elect of Georgia, known for his sympathetic stance towards Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
“That’s a story I didn’t think I’d ever hear,” was Quinn’s verdict when The Athletic broke the news to the striker who set up Kavelashvili for his derby goal. “He was a lovely, smiley, mannerly young lad and so happy to be in Manchester — no edges at all.”
Kavelashvili was nominated for the largely ceremonial role last month by the Georgian Dream political party, just a few weeks after its re-election sparked protests in the streets amid accusations the vote was rigged and influenced by Russia.
The 53-year-old, described by former team-mates as “quiet and unassuming”, was elected to parliament in 2016 and, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, set up a splinter group called People’s Power.
Opponents accuse Georgian Dream of being pro-Russian and say its hardline beliefs will cause irreparable damage to the nation’s chances of joining the European Union. Nonetheless, Kavaleshvili’s presidency is all but guaranteed, given the vote is made by a 300-seat electoral college dominated by his own party.
Kavelashvili is now a leading figure in the Georgian Dream party (AP)
The election takes place tomorrow, with the inauguration on December 29, ushering in a 46-cap ex-international striker who has become increasingly known for his anti-Western statements. In June, Kavelashvili used social media to accuse the United States of having “an insatiable desire to destroy our country”. His political opponents, he says, have been steered by U.S. congressmen who are planning “a direct violent revolution and the Ukrainisation of Georgia”.
All of which seems a long way from the days when City were grubbing around for points towards the bottom of the Premier League and the 24-year-old Kaveleshvili was signed for £2million ($2.5m at current rates) from Dinamo Tbilisi, with the job of scoring enough goals to keep his new team in England’s top division.
“It could be argued that Kavelashvili spent most of his time at City facing in the wrong direction, just as he now seems to be doing as the prospective Russia-apologist leader of Georgia,” says Simon Curtis, a City fan, writer and author.
“He was bought on the say-so of (fellow Georgian) Georgi Kinkladze who told the somewhat gullible Alan Ball that he was, ‘Even better than me’. It was a desperate throw of the dice, just after City had been tonked 4-2 at West Ham. There were six games left and he looked lightweight and confused (against United) but he did score our equaliser.”
Unfortunately for City, Andy Cole restored United’s lead within a minute of Kavelashvili making it 1-1 and United ended up winning 3-2. Kavelashvili’s first appearance in English football — also marked by him missing a good chance to score a second, only to shoot straight into Peter Schmeichel’s face — was equally memorable for a mutinous outburst from Uwe Rosler, the striker who had lost his place to the new signing.
Rosler, a former East Germany international who infamously wore a T-shirt bearing the message ‘Rosler’s Grandad Bombed Old Trafford’, was seriously unimpressed to be left out. Cue an angry flare-up when Rosler came off the bench to score City’s second goal and ran to the dugout, jabbing an accusatory finger at the home manager.
“It wasn’t the happiest camp at times,” says Quinn. “I was angry that I wasn’t in the team for long periods. Uwe was angry when he was left out.
“We had Kinkladze, who had very little English. Georgi did all his talking on the ball, he was a wizard. The best way to describe him was that Alan Ball didn’t call him Georgi, he called him the ‘little genius’ — ‘Give the ball to the little genius’.
“Then Mikheil came along and he was a totally different player. He didn’t have Georgi’s skill or ability but he was honest and hard-working and he had something that he fought for. I found him a lovely guy. He was proud and patriotic to be Georgian. He had a little more English than Georgi and I remember he seemed particularly happy and proud that he was playing for Manchester City.”
Kavelashvili with Niall Quinn on his City debut (Mark Leech/Offside via Getty Images)
Kavelashvili played in a 3-0 defeat at Wimbledon and a nervy 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday but was not trusted by Ball to start the final game of the season at home to Liverpool — an occasion that will always be remembered for City’s players wasting time by the corner flag when they were drawing 2-2, thinking that would be enough to save them from relegation.
They had been cruelly misinformed: another goal was needed to stay up. It never arrived and, in Curtis’ words, Kavelashvili “came on as a late sub to be part of the relegation party”.
“I remember the game against United when he scored on his debut,” says Keith Curle, the former City defender. “But I also remember he had two big chances in the Liverpool game that saw us relegated.
“If you watch it back, he had two chances inside the six-yard box in the last 10 minutes. That’s not to blame him, it’s just the plight of the centre-forward. You can have one touch and be the hero. Or you can miss a couple of chances and it’s all about the ifs and buts and what could have been.”
Quinn, who won 92 caps for the Republic of Ireland, has never forgotten that match, either. “I have a memory of our centre-half Kit Symons scoring (to make it 2-2) and almost getting another one late on. We were scrambling for a goal in the last couple of minutes. Kit got on the end of a cross. Mikheil was running out of the way but the ball hit him on its way in and rebounded out, when it might have been the goal that kept us up.”
Relegation led to Quinn leaving the club for Sunderland. Kavelashvili, meanwhile, hung around for a season in the second tier, then called Division One. He underwhelmed again and a recent post by the Monument City fan blog summed up his contribution.
“He was different at least to Quinn and Rosler and cleared the low bar of being better than (fellow striker) Gerry Creaney,” writes its author, Mark Meadowcroft. “But he was not the sort of player we needed in the second tier. It soon became clear his main role was, as we had suspected all along, to be Kinkladze’s pal.”
Kavelashvili did pop up with a goal in a 3-1 defeat at Crystal Palace and, six months later, he headed in City’s equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Grimsby Town. That, however, was it from the man whose political party has recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights.
Kavelashvili was proud to represent Georgia (Tony Marshall/EMPICS via Getty Images)
Curle remembers his former team-mate being “very quiet, very unassuming, he mixed in well without ever being the star of the show or seeking the limelight… an intelligent man who never held court in the changing room or came across as politically minded”.
Sadly for City, the man in question was never a prolific scorer either, as City finished the 1996-97 season in 14th position, below Barnsley, Port Vale and Tranmere Rovers. “By the summer of ’97 nobody had even noticed he had gone, so little impact had he made,” says Curtis, author of City in Europe and a long-time authority on Mancunian nostalgia. “Kinkladze had his mum in Manchester cooking Georgian specialities for him, so there was definitely a worry he (Kinkladze) might be homesick.”
In total, Kavelashvili scored three goals for City in 29 appearances. It was not for him that a Georgian flag fluttered in the Kippax stand. But maybe, given his new occupation, he learned a thing or two about what constitutes good and not-so-good leadership. City did, after all, have five managers in his 12 months.
His first seven appearances came in Ball’s relegation XI. There were four with caretaker manager Asa Hartford, another four during Steve Coppell’s 33-day spell in charge, seven with Phil Neal and, finally, seven under Frank Clark, who remembers the Georgian as “a good character, a nice lad, never a problem for me in the dressing room” — and, unlike Kinkladze, never sent his parking fines to the club.
Kavelashvili, pictured with ex-France international Christian Karembeu in 2018 (Vano Shlamov/AFP via Getty Images)
It was not enough to secure a renewal of Kavelashvili’s work permit and the rest of his playing career was spent at clubs in Switzerland and Russia, winning the 1998 Swiss league title with Grasshoppers.
“I don’t think I have had any other former players go into politics,” says Clark, reflecting on Kavelashvili’s imminent position as the second ex-City player after George Weah, the former president of Liberia, to become a head of state.
“I obviously didn’t have much of an influence on him. Good luck to him, though, if he is going to be dealing with Putin, although he might find Putin is easier to deal with than I was.
“I am joking of course… I hope I am a nicer person than Putin.”
Additional reporting: Paul Taylor
(Top photos: Dan Goldfarb for The Athletic, top image: Getty Images)
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Russell Wilson and Sean Payton spent just one NFL season together, but tension lingered after a rocky year.
And it appears the tension that built up from that tumultuous stretch continues to linger.
Wilson’s interview on the “Bussin’ With the Boys” podcast, recorded before last month’s Super Bowl between Seattle and New England, recently resurfaced.
In the interview, Wilson doubled down on his October comment labeling Payton “classless,” saying he felt slighted by his former coach’s remarks.
Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos talks to quarterback Russell Wilson on the sideline during an NFL preseason football game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium Aug. 11, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
“[When] you’ve been on the same side or this and that, and I got the same amount of rings as you got, meaning Sean, right?” said Wilson, who won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks as Payton did coaching for the New Orleans Saints.
“I got a lot of respect for him as a play-caller, this and that, but to take a shot, I don’t like. I don’t think it’s necessary, you know, I mean, especially when I’m not even on your own team anymore. So, for me, there’s a point in time where you have to, I’ve realized, I’ve stayed quiet for so long. There’s a there’s a time and place where I’m not.
“I know who I am as a competitor, as a warrior, as a champion, too, and, you know, I’ve beaten Sean, too. You know, like we’ve been on the same place and the same thing. And so, it’s not a matter of disrespect. Just don’t disrespect me.”
Sean Payton and Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos during an a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Empower Field at Mile High Nov. 19, 2023, in Denver, Colo. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
After a rocky one-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, Wilson joined the New York Giants last offseason. However, he was relegated to a backup role after just three games.
Rookie Jaxson Dart quickly showed promise once he had the chance to start, but his season was briefly derailed by injury. Jameis Winston — not Wilson — stepped in for Dart in a handful of games. Dart threw three touchdowns in a Week 7 matchup with the Broncos, nearly pulling off an upset in what was eventually a close loss.
After the game, Payton said Dart provided a “spark” to the Giants’ offense.
“I was talking to [Giants owner] John Mara not too long ago, and I said, ‘We were hoping that that change would have happened long after our game,’” Payton said.
The New York Giants’ Russell Wilson attempts to escape a sack by Dallas Cowboys defensive end James Houston (53) in the first half of a game Sept. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Payton also said the Broncos would have faced less of a challenge had Wilson been under center.
“Classless … but not surprised,” Wilson responded in a social media post. “Didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later though the media.”
Despite last season’s struggles and chatter about his football future, Wilson does not appear ready to call it quits in 2026.
“I wanna play a few more years for sure,” he said. “I think, for me, I’ve always had the vision of getting to 40, at least. I think the game is different. Quarterbacks, we get hit. It’s not, you know, we get hit hard, but … there’s certain rules. I mean, back in the day when I started, bro, it was you just get [clobbered].
“I mean, so I feel like the game allows you to, you know, live a little longer, I guess. I feel healthy. I feel great. But I think, more than anything else is, do you love the game? Do you love studying? Do you love the passion for it all? Do you love the process? Do you love the practice? Do you love — everybody loves the winning part of it, but it’s process. There’s a journey that you got to be obsessed with. And that part I’m obsessed with.”
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The early rounds of the BNP Paribas Open began Wednesday, with top seeds slated to start play Friday during the 12-day ATP and WTPA Master 1000 tournament.
A busy stretch of the tennis season reaches another gear at Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the second largest outdoor tennis stadium in the world.
While many consider it the “fifth Grand Slam” because of its elite player field, amenities and equal prize money for men and women, professionals acknowledge the tournament is part of a stressful stretch on the tennis calendar.
Indian Wells is followed by the Miami Open, another two-week Master 1000 tournament. The tour stops are known as the “Sunshine Double.”
Some players made the short trip from Indian Wells to Las Vegas this past weekend to participate in the MGM Grand Slam, an exhibition designed to help players ramp up for back-to-back tournaments.
American Reilly Opelka, a 6-foot–11 pro, said managing fatigue after a series of tournaments before hitting Indian Wells has altered his practice and play in exhibition matches, including a loss to 19-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca in Las Vegas.
“Normally in any kind of competition, you get excited and play with a pressure point … but you don’t feel this when you are practicing,” Opelka said.
“I was trying to feel like this a few days ago while practicing with … [Tommy Paul,] but instead we got tired and hungry. … That usually doesn’t happen. We just decided to stop and go to eat somewhere.”
Paul said despite the decision to cut practice short, he feels fresh for the upcoming events.
“I started the year pretty well and for Americans, we are excited for the Sunshine Double,” Paul said.
Casper Rudd lost to Opelka during the first round of the Las Vegas exhibition. The Norwegian also lost a week ago during the first round of the Acapulco Open, falling to Chinese qualifier Yibing Wu in straight sets.
Rudd said he felt “extremely tired” after the Australian Open in January.
Rancho Palo Verdes resident Taylor Fritz, ranked No. 7 in the world, said the best way to prepare yourself for grueling tour schedule is “putting [in] the time, work and repetition.”
“… Be there, be focused on the quality that you are doing,” said Fritz, a 28-year-old who won the Indian Wells title in 2022.
While some players are guarding against burnout, others struggled to even reach California. Some players who live in Dubai, including Russians Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, have to contend with closed airspace triggered by the U.S. and Israel bombing Iran.
The ATP announced Wednesday that, “the vast majority of players who were in Dubai have successfully departed today on selected flights.”
Sports
Law firm fighting for women’s sports in SCOTUS battle comments on ruling possibly impacting SJSU trans lawsuit
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A law firm leading the charge in the ongoing Supreme Court case over trans athletes in women’s sports has responded after a federal judge suggested the case’s ruling could impact a separate case involving a similar issue.
Colorado District Judge Kato Crews deferred ruling in motions to dismiss former San Jose State volleyball co-captain Brooke Slusser’s lawsuit against the California State University (CSU) system until after a ruling in the B.P.J. v. West Virginia Supreme Court case, which is expected to come in June.
Slusser filed the lawsuit against representatives of her school and the Mountain West Conference in fall 2024 after she allegedly was made to share bedrooms and changing spaces with trans teammate Blaire Fleming for a whole season without being informed that Fleming is a biological male.
Meanwhile, the B.P.J. case went to the Supreme Court after a trans teen sued West Virginia to block the state’s law that prevents males from competing in girls’ high school sports.
The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is the primary law firm defending West Virginia in that case at the Supreme Court, and has now responded to news that Slusser’s lawsuit could be affected by the SCOTUS ruling.
“We hope the ruling from the Supreme Court will affirm that Title IX was designed to guarantee equal opportunity for women, not to let male athletes displace women and girl in competition. It is crucial that sports be separated by sex for not only the equal opportunity of women but for safety and privacy. Title IX should protect women’s right to compete in their own sports. Allowing men to compete in the female category reverses 50 years of advancement for women,” ADF Vice President of Litigation Strategies Jonathan Scruggs said.
Slusser’s attorney, Bill Bock of the Independent Council on Women’s Sports, expects a Supreme Court ruling in favor of the legal defense representing West Virginia, thus helping his case.
(Left) Brooke Slusser (10) of the San Jose State Spartans serves the ball during the first set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Oct. 19, 2024. (Right) Blaire Fleming #3 of the San Jose State Spartans looks on during the third set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym on October 19, 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. ( Andrew Wevers/Getty Images; Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
“We’re looking forward to the case going forward,” Bock told Fox News Digital.
“I believe that the court is going to find that Title IX operates on the basis of biological sex, without regard to an assumed or professed gender, and so just like the congress and the members of congress that passed Title IX in 1972, allowed this specifically provided for in the regulations that there had to be separate men’s and women’s teams based on biological sex, I think the court is going to see that is the original meaning of the statute and apply it in that way, and I think it’s going to be a big win in women’s sports.”
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared prepared to rule in favor of West Virginia after oral arguments on Jan. 13.
Slusser spoke on the steps of the Supreme Court on Jan. 13 while oral arguments took place inside, sharing her experience with a divided crowd of opposing protesters.
With Fleming on its roster, SJSU reached the 2024 conference final by virtue of a forfeit by Boise State in the semifinal round. SJSU lost in the final to Colorado State.
Slusser went on to develop an eating disorder due to the anxiety and trauma from the scandal and dropped out of her classes the following semester. The eating disorder became so severe, that Slusser said she lost her menstrual cycle for nine months. Her decision to drop her classes resulted in the loss of her scholarship, and her parents said they had to foot the bill out of pocket for an unfinished final semester of college.
President Donald Trump’s Department of Education determined in January that SJSU violated Title IX in its handling of the situation involving Fleming, and has given the university an ultimatum to agree to a series of resolutions or face a referral to the Department of Justice.
Among the department’s findings, it determined that a female athlete discovered that the trans student allegedly conspired to have a member of an opposing team spike her in the face during a match. ED claims that “SJSU did not investigate the conspiracy, but later subjected the female athlete to a Title IX complaint for ‘misgendering’ the male athlete in online videos and interviews.”
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SJSU trans player Blaire Fleming and teammate Brooke Slusser went to a magic show and had Thanksgiving together in Las Vegas despite an ongoing lawsuit over Fleming being transgender. (Thien-An Truong/San Jose State Athletics)
SJSU Athletic Director Jeff Konya told Fox News Digital in a July interview that he was satisfied with how the university handled the situation involving Fleming.
“I think everybody acted in the best possible way they could, given the circumstances,” Konya said.
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