Olympic rowing champion Helen Glover aiming for Paris Games
March 22, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — Two-time Olympic rowing champion Helen Glover is making another comeback in a bid to qualify for a fourth Summer Games, saying she will be representing a “whole community of parents" in elite sport.
Ukrainian Olympic gymnast Verniaiev’s doping ban halved
March 14, 2023 GMTLAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The doping ban which caused Olympic gymnastics champion Oleg Verniaiev to miss the Tokyo Games was halved at the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Tuesday and freed him to compete immediately.
Biathlon great Marte Olsbu Roeiseland retires
March 14, 2023 GMTOSLO, Norway (AP) — Marte Olsbu Roeiseland, who made history with five medals in biathlon at the Winter Olympics last year, announced her retirement on Tuesday.
The Norwegian won three gold medals and two bronze in Beijing in biathlon.
Little sign of Olympics in Milan with only 3 years to go
March 1, 2023 GMTMILAN (AP) — Perched incongruously on the 44th floor of one of Milan’s modern glass skyscrapers is a ski lodge.
The “baita,” which is made of reclaimed wood from trees felled in a devastating storm that hit northern Italy in 2018, is in the headquarters of the organizing committee for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.
Jessie Diggins becomes 1st American to win XC gold at worlds
March 1, 2023 GMTPLANICA, Slovenia (AP) — Jessie Diggins became the first American to win world championship gold in an individual cross country ski race, finishing 14 seconds in front of Sweden’s Frida Karlsson on Tuesday.
Dentsu and others charged in Tokyo Olympic bid-rigging probe
February 28, 2023 GMTTOKYO (AP) — The Tokyo Olympic bid-rigging scandal widened Tuesday with Japanese advertising giant Dentsu and five other companies charged by Tokyo district prosecutors.
Executives or management-level officials at each of the accused companies, and a Tokyo Olympic organizing committee official, were charged with violating anti-monopoly laws.
Olympic ice dancers Hawayek and Baker withdraw from worlds
February 24, 2023 GMTCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Olympic ice dancers Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean Luc Baker withdrew Friday from figure skating’s world championships as they continue to prioritize “their healing and mental health.”
Russian agency also appeals in Valieva Olympic doping case
February 24, 2023 GMTLAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The Russian anti-doping agency has filed an appeal in the case of Kamila Valieva, the Court of Arbitration for sport said Friday, but it has asked for the teenage figure skater to be punished with as little as a reprimand and keep her Olympic gold medal.
Today in Sports History-Tiger Woods crashes his car in L.A.
February 22, 2023 GMTFeb. 23
1935 — George “The Iceman” Woolf makes history, riding Azucar to victory in the inaugural Santa Anita Handicap. Azucar beatS such greats as Equipoise and Twenty Grand in the first $100,000 horse race.
Russia’s sports exile persists 1 year after invading Ukraine
February 22, 2023 GMTOne year after the invasion of Ukraine began, Russia's reintegration into the world of sports threatens to create the biggest rift in the Olympic movement since the Cold War.
Russia remains excluded from many international sporting events, but that could soon change.
Skating body joins appeal for Valieva doping ban
February 22, 2023 GMTLAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The International Skating Union is following the World Anti-Doping Agency in appealing the decision not to ban Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva over the doping case which overshadowed last year's Beijing Olympics.
Russian skater Valieva’s doping case to go to sports court
February 21, 2023 GMTMONTREAL (AP) — The World Anti-Doping Agency has appealed Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva's doping case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and said Tuesday it is seeking a four-year ban.
WADA is objecting to a finding by a Russian tribunal that Valieva bore “no fault or negligence” in the case, which overshadowed last year's Beijing Olympics.
Nations: No clarity on neutrality, no Olympics for Russia
February 21, 2023 GMTThe governments of 35 nations released a statement Monday calling on the IOC to clarify the definition of “neutrality” as it seeks a way to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes back into international sports and, ultimately, next year's Paris Olympics.
Australian governments agree funding split for 2032 Olympics
February 17, 2023 GMTBRISBANE, Australia (AP) — The federal and the Queensland state government have agreed on an almost 50-50 funding split to build or remodel venues for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the Queensland state capital Friday to make the formal announcement about a deal worth an estimated 7 billion Australian dollars ($4.8 billion).
Shiffrin remembers her late father at gold-medal ceremony
February 17, 2023 GMTMERIBEL, France (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin had more than just a gold medal hanging around her neck during the awards ceremony for her latest world championship title.
Today in Sports History-Week Ahead
February 16, 2023 GMTFeb. 21
1931 — In the first major league night game, the Chicago White Sox play the New York Giants in a 10-inning exhibition in Houston.
1952 — The Boston Celtics and the Fort Wayne Pistons tip off at midnight in a “Milkman’s Special” following an Ice Follies performance at Boston Garden.
Olympics in 2018 showed glimpses of future NHL stars
February 16, 2023 GMTConnor McDavid could not team up with Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon for Canada.
Wednesday’s Sports In Brief
February 16, 2023 GMTNFL
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce promised thousands of fans celebrating the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl championship that the team will be back for more.
Sweden emerges as sudden front-runner to host 2030 Olympics
February 15, 2023 GMTGENEVA (AP) — Sweden emerging as the front-runner in a troubled search for a 2030 Olympics host is as much a surprise in Stockholm as elsewhere.
The year started with Sweden not on the radar of a Winter Games race where longtime favorite Sapporo faded during a criminal investigation of alleged bribery linked to the recent Tokyo Olympics.
American skier Shiffrin splits with longtime coach at worlds
February 15, 2023 GMTMERIBEL, France (AP) — American skiing standout Mikaela Shiffrin had an unexpected split with her longtime coach, Mike Day, during the middle of the world championships after informing him that she planned to take a new direction with her staff at the end of the season.
Norwegian skiers collect 3 of 6 medals in parallel at worlds
February 15, 2023 GMTMERIBEL, France (AP) — Norwegian skiers collected three of the six medals in the individual parallel events at the Alpine skiing world championships on Wednesday.
Maria Therese Tviberg of Norway and Alexander Schmid of Germany won gold in the women’s and men’s races, respectively.
Lack of Winter Olympic bids may lead to rotating fixed hosts
February 13, 2023 GMTMERIBEL, France (AP) — Considering the dearth of candidates to stage the Winter Olympics amid spiralling venue costs, the IOC may have to resort to lining up a list of fixed, rotating hosts.
A highly theoretical list could include Salt Lake City and Vancouver in North America, Pyeongchang in Asia and places like Switzerland, Italy and Scandinavia in Europe.
World Cup ski jumping returns to Lake Placid after a drought
February 10, 2023 GMTLake Placid, New York, hosted its second Winter Olympics in 1980 with world-class venues that slowly became outdated over the years.
Instead of allowing the investments to decay and become deserted, as happens in many Olympic cities, the New York Olympic Regional Development Authority spent $550 million to make Lake Placid relevant again on the world's stage.
Probe into US Olympic failings stunted by red tape in DC
February 8, 2023 GMTDENVER (AP) — More than 27 months since it was greenlighted by Congress, the panel established to investigate the inner workings of the U.S. Olympic structure has yet to conduct a formal interview because of bureaucratic red tape and slow action from the same lawmakers who had expressed a pressing need for better oversight.
Lue replaces Williams on USA Basketball men’s coaching staff
February 8, 2023 GMTLos Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue will replace Phoenix’s Monty Williams on the USA Basketball men’s national team coaching staff for this year’s World Cup and next year’s Paris Olympics.
Lue joins head coach Steve Kerr of Golden State and fellow assistants Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat and Mark Few of Gonzaga on the staff.
Brittney Griner absent from USA camp, but keeping in touch
February 8, 2023 GMTBrittney Griner texted her good friend Diana Taurasi on Tuesday asking how the USA Basketball training camp was going.
Griner was back in Arizona, choosing to skip the camp in Minnesota so she can be with her wife and recover from her time in a Russian jail.
IOC responds to Paris mayor on Olympic plan for Russians
February 8, 2023 GMTGENEVA (AP) — The International Olympic Committee pushed back against the mayor of Paris on Wednesday, insisting there were no plans for "a Russian or Belarusian delegation” at the 2024 Games while also acknowledging some athletes from those countries could be welcomed.
Shiffrin’s silver at ski worlds inspired by LeBron’s record
February 8, 2023 GMTMERIBEL, France (AP) — Amid a whirlwind 48 hours high in the French Alps, Mikaela Shiffrin woke up to the news that LeBron James had broken the NBA scoring record and the American skier immediately drew comparisons to her own record-breaking season.
Sweden weighs up whether to bid for 2030 Winter Olympics
February 8, 2023 GMTSweden’s Olympic leaders are weighing up whether to bid for the Winter Games in 2030.
The Nordic country’s potential entry into the race to stage the 2030 Games comes at a time when the International Olympic Committee has delayed the process and is searching around for more contenders to host the event.
Today in Sports History-Winter Games open in PyeongChang
February 8, 2023 GMTFeb. 9
1912 — The U.S. Tennis Association amends the rules for the men’s singles championship play. The defending champion is required to play through the tournament instead of waiting for the tournament to produce a challenger.
Ukrainian skier pushes to keep Russians out of the Olympics
February 7, 2023 GMTCOURCHEVEL, France (AP) — Ukrainian skier Ivan Kovbasnyuk, a two-time Olympian, can’t train at home in the Carpathian Mountains because war in the country has damaged the power grid so severely that there’s not enough energy to make the chairlifts operate.
Today in Sports History-Kasai first person in 8 Winter Games
February 7, 2023 GMTFeb. 8
1936 — Jay Berwanger, University of Chicago halfback and Heisman Trophy winner, is the first player ever selected in the NFL Draft. The Philadelphia Eagles make the pick and eventually trade his rights to the Chicago Bears.
Paris mayor: No Russian team at 2024 Games if war continues
February 7, 2023 GMTPARIS (AP) — Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo says there should be no Russian delegation allowed at the Paris Olympics next year if Moscow continues its war against Ukraine.
Hidalgo previously said Russian competitors could take part under a neutral flag but she backpedaled on Tuesday in an interview with French media France Info.
Shiffrin’s Beijing lesson helps after another big-race DNF
February 6, 2023 GMTMERIBEL, France (AP) — Practically the only person not asking Mikaela Shiffrin if this was the Beijing Olympics all over again was herself.
Putin honors skating coach in Valieva Olympic case
February 6, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded figure skating coach Eteri Tutberidze one of the country's highest honors Monday, nearly a year after a doping case involving one of her skaters overshadowed the Winter Olympics.
Brazilian tennis player hit with 12-month doping ban
February 6, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — Brazilian tennis player Gilbert Klier Junior, a bronze medalist at the 2018 Youth Olympics, has been banned for 12 months in a doping case, the International Tennis Integrity Agency said Monday.
Column: IOC talks tough on Russia — until Paris on horizon
February 3, 2023 GMTThe IOC likes to talk tough — as long as it's not heading into an Olympic year.
Not surprisingly, as we draw ever closer to the cash cow that is Paris 2024, the hypocrites running the Olympic movement are eager to get Russia back in the games.
Olympic echoes of boycott era as Ukraine vs IOC intensifies
February 3, 2023 GMTLAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — A contest that could define the 2024 Paris Olympics is playing out 18 months before medals are awarded. It's giving the International Olympic Committee a political challenge with echoes of the 1980s.
Ukraine pushes to exclude Russia from 2024 Paris Olympics
February 3, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — With next year's Paris Olympics on the horizon and Russia’s invasion looking more like a prolonged conflict, Ukraine’s sports minister on Friday renewed a threat to boycott the games if Russia and Belarus are allowed to compete and said Kyiv would lobby other nations to join.
Ghana water polo grows as sport looks for more diversity
February 3, 2023 GMTBack at the very beginning, right when the idea of water polo in Ghana started swimming into reality, Prince Asante got out a couple of balls and caps in front of a handful of curious kids.
Olympic bans and boycotts go back a century
February 3, 2023 GMTUkraine and the three Baltic countries, all former Soviet republics, moved a step closer Friday to boycotting next year’s Paris Olympics because of the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes.
Today in Sports History-Popovich is the winningest coach
February 3, 2023 GMTFeb. 4
1861 — The Philadelphia Athletics beat Charter Oak 36-27 in a baseball game played on frozen Litchfield Pond in Brooklyn, N.Y., with the players wearing ice skates.
1924 — The first Winter Olympics close in Chamonix, France.
US Figure Skating blasts delay in awarding of Beijing medals
February 2, 2023 GMTU.S. Figure Skating has largely taken the high road when it comes to allegations of Russian doping at last year's Beijing Olympics, which have left its team without any sort of medal after finishing second nearly a year ago.
Latvia threatens Olympic boycott if Russians compete
February 1, 2023 GMTRIGA, Latvia (AP) — Latvia has threatened to boycott next year's Paris Olympics if Russian athletes are allowed to take part during the war in Ukraine and is calling on other countries to form a coalition to pressure international sports bodies.
Leading Australian Olympic official Phil Coles dies aged 91
January 29, 2023 GMTSYDNEY (AP) — Phil Coles, who played key roles in getting an Australian team to the 1980 Moscow Olympics despite a U.S.-led boycott and later helped secure the 2000 Games for Sydney, has died, the Australian Olympic Committee said Sunday.
Winter X daredevils ride fine line between height, happiness
January 28, 2023 GMTASPEN, Colo. (AP) — Freestyle skier Alex Hall’s happy place this winter has been sliding down hand rails outside of offices and schools all over Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and other midwestern spots.
Russia issue looms for Paris Olympics, Zelenskyy rebukes IOC
January 28, 2023 GMTGENEVA (AP) — The question of if and how Russia competes at the Olympics hangs over the 2024 Paris Summer Games.
Just as it has now for five straight Olympics during Thomas Bach’s leadership of the IOC, whose support this week for some Russians to compete in Paris was publicly challenged Friday by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
World champs Knierim, Frazier dazzle in Day 1 at nationals
January 27, 2023 GMTSAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — They held their on-ice embrace a little longer this time, kneeling in an end pose moments after a near-flawless short program.
Overwhelming favorite and reigning world champions Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier scored a personal-best 81.96 on Thursday for a commanding lead in the first day of the U.S.
Russia’s path to 2024 Olympics takes shape, Ukraine objects
January 26, 2023 GMTLAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Russia's path to sending a team to the Paris Olympics next year became clearer on Thursday amid fierce objections from Ukraine.
The International Olympic Committee indicated on Wednesday it favors officially neutral teams from Russia and its ally Belarus at the 2024 Olympics despite a plea from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to exclude them entirely.
Bowman, Capitani to coach US swim team at worlds in Japan
January 20, 2023 GMTCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Bob Bowman, Michael Phelps' longtime coach, and Carol Capitani were announced Friday as head coaches of the U.S. swimming team for this summer's world championship in Fukuoka, Japan.
Shiffrin and Swiatek keep learning to win from each other
January 20, 2023 GMTThey both tend to shy away from the spotlight despite winning regularly. They both compete in individual sports. And they’ve both ascended to the top as their much more well-known predecessors, Lindsey Vonn and Serena Williams, headed toward retirement.
Belarus coach who removed sprinter from Olympics charged
January 19, 2023 GMTThe Belarusian track coach who tried to force a sprinter to return home from the Tokyo Olympics after she was critical of the team has been charged with breaching the sport's integrity standards.
The Athletics Integrity Unit, which oversees disciplinary actions in track and field, announced the charges against Yury Maisevich on Thursday, alleging he broke rules in the sport's integrity code of conduct involving honesty, dignity and protecting reputation.
Ice dancers Hawayek and Baker withdraw from nationals
January 17, 2023 GMTCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Olympic ice dancers Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean Luc Baker withdrew Tuesday from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships because of a series of injuries over the past 18 months that they said led to challenges with their mental health.
European state broadcasters back in business for Olympics
January 16, 2023 GMTLAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — European state broadcasters were brought back into the heart of Olympic business on Monday when the IOC announced a rights deal through 2032 with the European Broadcasting Union.
Kaillie Humphries of US wins 100th major bobsled medal
January 14, 2023 GMTALTENBERG, Germany (AP) — Kaillie Humphries of the U.S. got a milestone medal Saturday, winning a World Cup women’s monobob race for the 100th top-three finish of her career in major international competition.
Shiffrin shows her emotions after matching Vonn’s record
January 8, 2023 GMTKRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia (AP) — The emotions came pouring out of Mikaela Shiffrin when she matched Lindsey Vonn’s women’s World Cup skiing record with her 82nd win Sunday.
Braathen beats boyhood buddy McGrath to win World Cup slalom
January 8, 2023 GMTADELBODEN, Switzerland (AP) — Close friends since childhood, Lucas Braathen and Atle Lie McGrath fulfilled their shared dream Sunday by finishing 1-2 in a World Cup ski race.
Braathen, who is two days older than his fellow 22-year-old McGrath, got the win in a slalom to extend Norway’s dominating run in the discipline.
Shiffrin focusing on the process as she nears Vonn’s record
January 6, 2023 GMTIt's never been just about wins for Mikaela Shiffrin.
Not when she didn't win any of her five individual races at last year's Beijing Olympics.
IIHF would like NHL 2026 Olympics decision by spring 2024
January 5, 2023 GMTThe head of the International Ice Hockey Federation said Thursday that he would like a decision on NHL participation in the 2026 Olympics by the spring of 2024.
Olympic skiing champion Rosi Mittermaier dies at 72
January 5, 2023 GMTGARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — Rosi Mittermaier, who won downhill and slalom gold medals at the 1976 Winter Olympics and narrowly missed a sweep of all three women's Alpine skiing events at the Games, has died.
AP Photos: In 2022, sports brought every imaginable emotion
December 23, 2022 GMTEmotion.
Sport is the forum where it cannot be hidden, where the feelings that are pulsing through someone’s core at a particular moment — be it good or bad, joy or pain, exhilaration or anguish, relief or regret — can be captured in a single image.
Tour de France start in 2024 to be staged in Italy
December 21, 2022 GMTPARIS (AP) — Italy will host the start of the Tour de France for the first time in 2024.
Race organizers confirmed on Wednesday that the “grand départ” will take place on June 29 from Florence to Rimini to mark 100 years since Ottavio Bottecchia became the first Italian rider to win the Tour.
Sapporo mayor says Tokyo bid-rigging hurt its Olympic bid
December 21, 2022 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Sapporo Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto and the Japanese Olympic Committee say they will “discontinue for some time” their effort to land the 2030 Winter Games because of damage done by the Tokyo Olympic bid-rigging scandal.
Turkish Olympic runner Aras Kaya gets 3-year ban for EPO
December 16, 2022 GMTMONACO (AP) — Turkish Olympic runner Aras Kaya has been banned for three years after testing positive for EPO at a recent 10-kilometer race, the Athletics Integrity Unit said Friday.
The 28-year-old Kenya native admitted using recombinant erythropoietin at the race in Romania in September.
Goggia breaks 2 fingers in downhill but aims for fast return
December 16, 2022 GMTST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Two-time Olympic medalist Sofia Goggia broke two fingers in her left hand when she hit a gate en route to a second-place finish in a World Cup downhill on Friday.
Curtoni, Goggia finish 1-2 in downhill but Goggia injured
December 16, 2022 GMTST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — It was a bittersweet day for the Italian ski team when Elena Curtoni and Sofia Goggia finished 1-2 in a World Cup downhill held in difficult conditions Friday but Goggia came away with two broken fingers in her left hand.
Malagò: 2026 Olympics on track after difficult few years
December 14, 2022 GMTMILAN (AP) — Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malagò is confident everything is on track for the country’s first Olympics in two decades but admits that the past few years have been akin to “running a marathon with a backpack.”
Winter Olympics focus on climate change, rotating hosts
December 14, 2022 GMTTo hear the world's Olympic leaders tell it, the bidding for future Winter Games has been jumbled by internal disputes at India's Olympic committee, a newfound affinity for streamlining the bidding process and, most recently, a long-overdue nod to the impact of climate change.
Smith, Maier both get bronze 10 months after Beijing Games
December 13, 2022 GMTLAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — A second bronze medal will be awarded to end a dispute over third place in women’s skicross at the Beijing Olympics.
Under a settlement reached 10 months after the race — and following a second change in the result — both Fanny Smith of Switzerland and Daniela Maier of Germany will get a bronze medal.
50 years later, sprinter Matthews welcomed back to Olympics
December 12, 2022 GMTMore than 50 years after banning him for his low-key racial injustice protest at the Munich Olympics, the International Olympic Committee says it will allow American gold-medal sprinter Vince Matthews back at the games.
USOPC sees ‘impossible’ hurdle to Russian return to Olympics
December 12, 2022 GMTThe leader of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee conceded it would be “impossible” to monitor which athletes have supported the war in Ukraine if a plan is devised to allow some Russians to compete as neutrals in international competitions, and potentially the Olympics.
Hockey’s history shows handful of non-white pioneers
December 6, 2022 GMTTaffy Abel carried the American flag at the 1924 Olympics, where his team won silver in hockey. Henry Elmer “Buddy” Maracle played 11 games in the early-1930s NHL. Paul Jacobs may have played in the league’s second season in 1918-19.
IOC warns Afghanistan over women’s sports and Olympics
December 6, 2022 GMTLAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday warned that it could stop working with Afghanistan ahead of the next Olympics in 2024 if women are not allowed to play sports under Taliban rule.
EXPLAINER: What’s post-World Cup future for Qatar’s stadiums
December 5, 2022 GMTDOHA, Qatar (AP) — The World Cup stadium was designed to leave a minimal footprint in the Qatari sand. It's now due to be dismantled.
Stadium 974 played host to seven matches, the last of which was Brazil's 4-1 win over South Korea in the round of 16 on Monday.
Suter claims World Cup super-G, ends Goggia’s winning streak
December 4, 2022 GMTLAKE LOUISE, Alberta (AP) — Corinne Suter picked up her first Lake Louise victory by winning a World Cup super-G race on Sunday, while Sofia Goggia’s winning streak on the mountain ended with a fifth-place finish.
Shibutani siblings elected to US Figure Skating Hall of Fame
December 2, 2022 GMTCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Olympic ice dancers Maia and Alex Shibutani along with Paul E. George, who served as the director of the U.S. Olympic Committee, were elected to the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame on Thursday.
Fast & smooth Odermatt proves to be ski racer to catch again
December 1, 2022 GMTBEAVER CREEK, Colo. (AP) — They glowingly chatter about the ski racer from Switzerland whose turns are so sharp and speed almost unmatched these days.
They study video of Marco Odermatt's races and training runs to search for clues to how he's always so smooth.
2024 Tour de France to end in Nice due to Paris Olympics
December 1, 2022 GMTNICE, France (AP) — The 2024 Tour de France will end on the French Riviera instead of the French capital because of the Olympic Games.
The finish of cycling’s marquee race leaves Paris for the first time since 1905.