Browsing: security

Two well-respected WWE Hall of Famers have made wild allegations about WCW and WWE, speculating that the Ku Klux Klan members were employed in these wrestling promotions.

On his podcast, The Hall of Fame, Booker T touched upon wrestlers having had to deal with racism all the time back in the day, which fellow legend D-Von Dudley also opened up about recently.

Booker even got to D-Von’s story, but before that, he took a stroll down memory lane to his time in WCW. He noted that racism definitely existed there at the time.

Of course, there was racism,” Booker T said. “In WCW, there was a guy, he was one of the security guards. I don’t know if he was former KKK, he might have been current KKK at that time. Literally, Head of Security! Member of the Ku Klux Klan, he was the Head of Security in WCW. And I know this dude didn’t like black folks, okay? But I remember once, we weren’t Germany. Colon, Germany. I remember clear as it was yesterday, man, because I had a beer. The mug was so big, you could put like, 8-10 beers in this one mug. And I’m drinking it, and I’m sitting here with this racist guy, and I swear, man, we were having so much fun!

He’s confessing to me about him being in the Ku Klux Klan and being a racist, perhaps, his whole life! And he, you know, for a lack of a better word, missed the boat on life, waking up every morning with those feelings because we had a great time that night, man! I swear to God. My right hand to God, that’s a true story.”

You can check out Booker-T’s comments in the video below:

D-Von Dudley Says KKK Members Traded Sheets For Suits In WWE

In an interview with Video Gamer, D-Von Dudley was asked whether racism was worse when he started out in the business. Dudley was specifically asked about WWE, as there have been allegations aplenty as of late.

No, because it was hidden really. Iâ€ve said this before and Iâ€ll say it again. The Klan wore sheets on their heads. The Ku Klux Klan wore sheets over their heads. And I felt that a lot of those Klan members made their way into wrestling, traded in their sheets for suits.

It was definitely a behind the scenes thing. Iâ€ve dealt with it with certainly higher ups like MVP said. I dealt with that certain higher up that told me to my face, they donâ€t like me because of the color of my skin. And they work for other organizations now, and this person knows who he is. I have no respect for that person. I donâ€t really care for him. Now that heâ€s not in the position that he once was, I just really donâ€t care for him,” D-Von said.

With talk in the wrestling town that WWE’s legendary commentator Jim Ross was one of those names who did not like D-Von Dudley because of the latter’s skin color, Booker T came in JR’s defense.

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Oct 14, 2025, 08:41 AM ET

Snipers are on the roof of the Israel team hotel in Udine and the Italian city is on maximum alert ahead of a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

The sound of helicopters surveilling the city has filled the air since the morning, hours before Italy’s match against Israel was set to kick off at Stadio Friuli.

The match has been placed in the highest risk category despite a breakthrough ceasefire deal that has paused two years of war in Gaza.

A pro-Palestinian march is scheduled to start in the city center a few hours before kickoff and is expected to attract around 10,000 people. It will be kept away from the stadium, which is on the outskirts of the city.

Many shops and restaurants have decided not to open on Tuesday, and there are strict rules for those that do — including the removal of any outdoor furniture or other objects that could potentially be used as weapons.

The Israel team bus will be escorted to the stadium with maximum security and there will also be snipers on the roof of the arena as well as a hefty police and military presence.

Italy also played Israel a year ago in Udine, which was chosen because of the relative difficulty of reaching the city in northeast Italy, near the Slovenian border, and the ease of isolating the stadium, where road blocks have been set up all around.

The area has been declared a “red zone,” and only fans with tickets can pass through the tall metal barriers. Supporters have been strongly advised to arrive early because of rigorous checks, with everyone having to pass through metal detectors, too.

Just over 9,000 tickets have been sold for the qualifier at the 25,000-seat Stadio Friuli, and there are likely to be fewer people inside the stadium than at the demonstration.

There was also a pro-Palestine demonstration last year before the match, but that drew only around 1,000 protesters.

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AEW security takes the use of Molotov cocktails seriously.

In the closing moments of Dynamite this week, Darby Allin was tackled to the ground as he appeared intent on throwing fire at Jon Moxley. The quick reaction from security led some to believe they might not have known the moment was part of the show.

On Sunday, our own Bryan Alvarez posted an update on X for subscribers, writing:

“Security guy on Dynamite, Sam, was 100% smartened up on the Darby spot, but he wanted to make it look legit, like what would happen if some lunatic actually pulled out a bomb or something on a show. Heâ€s been working security for wrestling dating back to ECW Atlas security days.â€

Sam Hemingway is the head of security for AEW. Two days after the segment on Dynamite, he posted the following message to social media:

“My actions had nothing to do with the ‘show’ and everything to do with the safety of others. You can debate the tackle. I’m just glad we’re not dealing with the alternative headlines that read unhinged AEW talent seriously injured Jacksonville fans. Numerous lawsuits are filed.”

Up next in the Darby Allin vs. Jon Moxley feud is an I Quit match scheduled for AEW WrestleDream on October 18 in St. Louis. Moxley previously defeated Allin in a Coffin Match at AEW All Out last month in Toronto.

My actions had nothing to do with the “show” and everything to do with the safety of others. You can debate the tackle. I’m just glad we’re not dealing with the alternative headlines that read unhinged AEW talent seriously injured Jacksonville fans. Numerous lawsuits are filed. pic.twitter.com/xR0dZUnSfB

— Sam (@Security__Sam) October 11, 2025

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The Africa Cup of Nations is, as ever, likely to be a highlight of the football season, with this year’s tournament set to begin on 21 December.

Ivory Coast are the holders after they beat Nigeria in the 2023 final, and they will be aiming to add a fourth title.

The other big hitters – Egypt, Cameroon, Nigeria and Senegal amongst them – will be in contention, but this is a significant tournament for hosts Morocco especially.

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Last week the first batch of tickets for next summer’s matches went on sale, with more than 4.5 million fans entering a draw for a chance to buy them.

Immediately, Fifa’s approach to pricing drew significant backlash.

Fifa has not formally revealed a full price list, but they are being listed online by fans who were successful in the draw after spending hours in digital queues last week.

General admission tickets are being split into four categories, with those for the first match in the USA costing between $560 (£417) and $2,235 (£1,662). At the last World Cup in Qatar, the opening match was priced between $55 (£41) and $618 (£460).

The cheapest ticket for the 2026 final costs $2,030 (£1,510), and the most expensive is $6,000 (£4,462). Hospitality tickets, meanwhile, are yet to go on sale but will almost certainly be priced significantly higher.

Some tickets for matches early in the tournament – in a few of the less prestigious locations – are available for $60 (£44), but stadium map images show they are a tiny proportion of available seats.

The Athletic also reports, external that Fifa will also implement 15% charges on both the buyer and seller of tickets resold via its official platform.

Fifa did not respond to questions put forward by the BBC.

“These prices are astonishing – $2,030 for the cheapest final ticket is unacceptable,” said Thomas Concannon, who leads the Football Supporters Association’s England Fans’ Embassy.

“If fans are successful in obtaining a category four ticket from the first game to the last, that could set them back $3,180 (£2,363) at least. That is more than double what Qatar cost.

“Combined with travel and accommodation, this will be the most expensive World Cup for match-going fans we’ve ever seen by some distance.”

Fifa is also adopting a ‘dynamic’ pricing model for the tournament, meaning ticket prices for matches deemed high demand could be raised significantly during later sales periods.

The system has the potential to benefit Americans while locking out foreign fans.

“Dynamic pricing has really been a thing here for more than a decade,” said Scott Friedman, found of the Ticket Talk Network in the USA. “For Fifa, it’s supply and demand – they are trying to maximise their revenue.

“The system gives an advantage to American citizens who can maybe buy a resale ticket for a game which has less demand at much less than face value 48 hours before a match.

“People can’t really travel from overseas to do that. The system is not fair for the rest of the world and could definitely price out people from other countries.”

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The wild pull-apart brawl between Adam Page and Samoa Joe on the October 1 episode of AEW Dynamite had fans talking—but one of the security guards trying to break it up has now been identified, and heâ€s no stranger to the ring.

Independent wrestler Leeroy Shogun took to social media to confirm that he was one of the guards who stepped in when Page and Joe started throwing hands after their tag team win over the Death Riders.

Shogun, based in Florida, has built a strong reputation on the indie scene, especially in promotions like Tampa Bay Pro Wrestling and POW, where heâ€s held the POW Florida Championship.

The AEW appearance placed him directly in the middle of Dynamiteâ€s segment, as Page and Joeâ€s partnership imploded post-match. The chaos escalated to the point where Page issued a challenge for the AEW World Championship at WrestleDream, and Joe accepted—making the title match official for the upcoming October 18 pay-per-view in St. Louis.

While Shogunâ€s role was brief, being part of one of AEWâ€s hottest angles is a major spotlight for an indie talent. His presence in a segment involving two of AEWâ€s top stars could open doors for more appearances down the line.

Should AEW give more indie wrestlers like Leeroy Shogun the spotlight? Could we see him in a match next time? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

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Scores of Ryder Cup fans were denied glimpses of the opening tee shots at Bethpage Black due to stringent security measures put in place before the arrival of Donald Trump.

The US president took his place behind, and briefly on, the 1st tee as the fourball session teed off in the afternoon. By that time, organisers had breathed sighs of relief that early morning issues had resolved themselves. Tee times could not be and were not adjusted for congestion, due to tight Ryder Cup schedules. The PGA of America had warned fans, who paid $750 for standard ground tickets for the opening day, to arrive earlier than usual but many still encountered frustration.

Anticipated heavy congestion was in evidence at and around the main spectator entry point from early morning as tens of thousands gathered to see the start of this eagerly anticipated contest.

Tournament staff audibly complained at being in the same lengthy queues as the public. Airport-style security, which was deployed for a second time near to the 1st hole, led to the competition organisers opening gates at 5am local time – more than two hours before play began – but heavy congestion was still clear as the event got under way.

Traffic issues also led to spectators leaving tournament shuttle buses and walking through residential areas to Bethpage. One Ryder Cup attendee posted footage on social media of a power line exploding near the course; nobody is understood to have been injured but it served as an example of a chaotic morning.

Trump, in the company of his granddaughter Kai, landed nearby on Air Force One shortly after 11am before being driven to the Bethpage clubhouse. The secret service were visible, including on the clubhouse roof, as part of a huge security operation.

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This marks the first time a sitting president has attended the Ryder Cup. Trump was greeted by players, including Europe’s Rory McIlroy, as they walked to the 1st tee having taken advice to avoid the morning session, with organisers fearing greater disruption than that which transpired.

Ryder Cup officials announced Wednesday increased security measures with U.S. President Donald Trump scheduled to attending Friday morning’s opening session on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park.

Officials said in a release, “attendees are strongly urged to arrive as early as possible and should budget extra time as they plan their day.†There will also be additional screening at entrances, and spectators will be “subjected to TSA-style screening points†around the clubhouse, adjacent grandstand and surrounding areas.

Gates open at 5 a.m. EDT with the first foursomes match scheduled for 7:10 a.m. in Farmingdale, New York.

“Guests should expect temporary delays moving around publicly accessible areas inside and outside of the Bethpage Black Golf Course,†official said. “These areas may briefly become restricted or frozen spaces before, during or after the event.â€

Trump attended the men’s tennis U.S. Open final at Arthur Ashe Stadium earlier this month in Flushing, New York, creating congestion and lengthy waits for fans, and leading officials to delay the start of the match by 30 minutes. Even with the delay, many fans had to watch the start of the final outside the stadium on big screens.

PGA of America officials are hoping the increased notice will help alleviate some of the same pain points.

A list of prohibited items can be viewed here.

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