Lack of blockbusters turns trade deadline into dud of a day

(Reuters) - With no blockbusters deals to be had Stanley Cup contenders tweaked their rosters while others waved the flag on the season, jettisoning contracts for draft picks in a muted National Hockey League trade deadline day on Monday.


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Gatlin's coach steps down as U.S. relay boss for Rio

(Reuters) - The coach of sprinter Justin Gatlin has stepped down as the head of the United States relay squads just months out from the Rio Olympics due to a change in USA Track and Field's criteria.











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U.S. sportscaster Erin Andrews tells of shock after nude video posted

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Reuters) - Sports broadcaster Erin Andrews tearfully told a Tennessee jury on Monday of her shock and humiliation after learning that a nude video of her taken by a stalker was posted on the Internet.











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Swede Aregawi faces Olympic ax after failed test

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - World indoor 1500 meters champion Abeba Aregawi has been banned from Swedish athletics after she tested positive for an unspecified banned substance, the national federation said on Monday.











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Infantino begins search for non-European chief exec

MIAMI (Reuters) - The victory celebration over, new FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s first major decision in charge of the troubled world football organization will be to appoint a secretary general, effectively a chief executive, to run day-to-day operations.


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In Pakistan, young female boxers punch through gender barriers

KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) - In a dense and dusty neighborhood in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, eight young girls lined up against a cement wall, touching their hands to their faces in prayer before boxing practice began.











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How best to tackle the problem of slow play?

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Frustrating bottlenecks on certain holes; having to wait constantly on slow groups playing ahead; rounds of golf that can take a total of five hours or more.











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New FIFA head Infantino still says has not been told salary

ZURICH (Reuters) - New FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on his first full working day he still did not know what he would be paid as head of soccer's global governing body.


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Canada's Davis Cup hopes hit as Raonic and Nestor pull out

(Reuters) - Canada's Davis Cup hopes received a double blow on Monday when world number 13 Milos Raonic and top doubles player Daniel Nestor pulled out of next weekend's first-round tie against France in Guadeloupe.











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No easy fix to help boost Davis Cup, says Courier

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - The Davis Cup has not been carrying its weight for the time it occupies in the tennis calendar and there are no easy solutions to rejuvenating the team tournament, according to United States captain Jim Courier.


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Woods looks 'very healthy' says Nicklaus

(Reuters) - Tiger Woods seemed "very healthy" when he attended a dinner party at the home of Jack Nicklaus, the 18-times major champion said on Sunday.


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Johnson makes hot start to Heat life as Miami burn Knicks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Veteran Joe Johnson signed with the Miami Heat on Saturday and on Sunday the versatile swing man was thrown right into the fire, delivering in a victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.











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Australian Scott wins Honda Classic by one shot

(Reuters) - Adam Scott maintained ice-cool composure over the tough closing stretch at the Honda Classic to end a title drought of nearly two years on Sunday, clinching his 12th PGA Tour victory by one shot at Palm Beach Gardens in Florida.











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Rangers land veteran Staal before trade deadline

(Reuters) - The playoff-bound New York Rangers strengthened their roster with the acquisition of former Canadian Olympian Eric Staal from the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday.


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Wizards thump Cavaliers as LeBron gets day off

(The Sports Xchange) - Point guard John Wall had 21 points and 13 assists as the Washington Wizards took advantage of LeBron James resting to record a 113-99 home win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.











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Rangers sign Desmond on one-year deal: reports

(Reuters) - The Texas Rangers have agreed to a one-year contract worth $8 million with former All-Star shortstop Ian Desmond, pending a physical, according to multiple reports on Sunday.











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Vonn shrugs off injury to extend World Cup lead

(Reuters) - Lindsey Vonn, skiing with a knee brace to protect a hairline fracture, extended her World Cup lead on Sunday with 13th place in the Soldeu combined event in Andorra.











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Thompson reaches new heights after big win in Thailand

(Reuters) - Lexi Thompson overcame an early scare before easing to a six-stroke victory at the Honda LPGA Thailand event on Sunday with a win that will also lifts the American to number three in the world rankings.











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Steady Oosthuizen claims one-stroke win in Perth

(Reuters) - Louis Oosthuizen overcame a nervous start to eke out a one-stroke victory at the Perth International on Sunday, the South African securing his eighth European Tour title on his first ever visit to Australia.


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FIFA head Infantino must mend bridges, sort out finances

ZURICH (Reuters) - Gianni Infantino will mark his first working day as president of soccer's governing body on Monday by playing in a soccer match with Swiss-based FIFA employees battered for months by an unfolding corruption scandal.


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French great Cammas impressed by Ainslie in Oman

LONDON (Reuters) - French sailing great Franck Cammas is impressed with Sir Ben Ainslie's team Land Rover BAR after the British Olympic gold medalist moved up to second place after the first day's racing in the America's Cup World Series (ACWS) in Oman on Saturday.











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Curry delivers again as Warriors beat Thunder

(The Sports Xchange) - For two days, Golden State guard Stephen Curry had to listen to former NBA players critique his game. From calling him just a perimeter player to saying he wouldn't handle the tough defenses of previous eras was spouted throughout the media.











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Quarterback Manning to announce retirement, report says

(Reuters) - Quarterback great Peyton Manning is expected to announce his retirement within a week, the Denver Post reported on Saturday.


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Keflezighi sets sights for Rio marathon at age 41

(Reuters) - Meb Keflezighi has run past his humble beginnings, his marathon opponents and his advanced age as he reaches distances only he can see. When the Rio Olympics are held in August, Keflezighi, who turns 41 in May, will be the oldest United States Olympic marathon runner in history. It could be the latest chapter in a career that is finally nearing the finish line.











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Scott and Garcia share Honda Classic lead

(Reuters) - Adam Scott survived a nightmare 15th hole to move one step closer to a 12th PGA Tour victory as he ended the third round of the Honda Classic in a tie for the lead with Sergio Garcia at Palm Beach Gardens in Florida on Saturday.


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Wawrinka wins Dubai title after marathon tiebreak

DUBAI (Reuters) - Stan Wawrinka edged out Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis in a nerve-jangling, near-30 minute tiebreak to secure the Dubai Duty Free Championship with a 6-4 7-6(13) triumph on Saturday.











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New F1 qualifying faces delayed introduction

LONDON (Reuters) - The introduction of Formula One's new qualifying system will be delayed until the fifth race of the season due to technical issues, the sport's commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone said on Saturday.


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Sweden stand by Aregawi despite tax controversy

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's Ethiopian-born 1,500 meters runner Abeba Aregawi can run for Sweden at the upcoming World Indoor Championships in Portland despite a storm over her Swedish citizenship and tax affairs, officials said on Saturday.











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Infantino election gives FIFA time to start tackling problems

ZURICH (Reuters) - Gianni Infantino's election as FIFA president should give soccer's governing body the time it needs to begin tackling the corruption and other problems that have dragged it into the worst crisis in its 112-year history, current and former officials said.


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America's Cup hopefuls hone tactics in Oman

MUSCAT (Reuters) - The world’s top sailing teams are gearing up to battle for points to carry forward to next year's America’s Cup as sailing’s Formula One equivalent arrives in the Middle East for the first time with two days of racing in Oman on Saturday and Sunday.











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Raptors' Lowry scores 43 in win over Cavaliers

(The Sports Xchange) - Kyle Lowry scored 43 points and hit a jumper with 3.8 seconds left to break a tie as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 99-97 in a battle between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference on Friday.


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Ice hockey-Stanley Cup winner Bathgate dead at 83

(Reuters) - Andy Bathgate, who earned the Hart Trophy as the National Hockey League's Most Valuable Player in 1959 with the New York Rangers and won the Stanley Cup in 1964 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, has died aged 83, ice hockey's Hall of Fame announced on Friday.


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Felton leads Mavericks over Nuggets in OT

(The Sports Xchange) - Mavericks backup guard Raymond Felton took charge of a game filled with wild scoring swings to save Dallas from a near-disastrous loss, leading it to a 122-116 overtime victory against the Denver Nuggets on Friday night at American Airlines Center.











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PGA Tour player Bohn has mild heart attack at Honda Classic

(Reuters) - American golf professional Jason Bohn suffered a mild heart attack after the second round of the Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens in Florida on Friday, according to PGA Tour officials.











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U.S. authorities question Citigroup about transactions in FIFA corruption probe

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Citigroup Inc said it has received questions from U.S. federal authorities investigating the role of financial institutions in alleged corruption and money laundering involving FIFA.


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Fowler sets Honda pace, McIlroy again struggles

(Reuters) - Flawless Rickie Fowler birdied three of his last seven holes to seize an early one-shot lead while Rory McIlroy was flirting with a missed cut in the Honda Classic second round at Palm Beach Gardens in Florida on Friday.


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CDC advises pregnant women against travel to Summer Olympics in Rio

(Reuters) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday advised pregnant women to not travel to the Aug. 5-21 Olympics summer games to be held in Rio de Janeiro, citing the mosquito-borne Zika virus.











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Federer plans tour return in April

ZURICH (Reuters) - World number three Roger Federer has delayed his ATP World Tour return by a month and plans to make his comeback from knee surgery at the Monte Carlo Masters in April.


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Barcelona, Red Star keep alive Euroleague playoff hopes

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Double former champions Barcelona and high-flying underdogs Red Star Belgrade boosted their hopes of reaching the Euroleague knockout stages after impressive wins on Friday.











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Cavendish given top-three target at world championships

LONDON (Reuters) - Mark Cavendish must finish in the top three of the omnium at the next month's track world championships to be selected for the Rio Olympics, British cycling's technical director said on Friday.


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Maradona urges life imprisonment for Blatter, Platini

LONDON (Reuters) - Former Argentina captain Diego Maradona says longtime FIFA president Sepp Blatter and European soccer chief Michel Platini should have been given life imprisonment rather than six-year bans from soccer for ethics violations.


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No candidate elected outright in first round of FIFA presidential vote

ZURICH (Reuters) - No candidate was elected in the first round of FIFA's presidential election to replace Sepp Blatter on Friday, as none received the required two-thirds of the 207 votes cast.


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Tokyo Sexwale pulls out before first round of FIFA presidential vote

ZURICH (Reuters) - Tokyo Sexwale withdrew from the FIFA presidential race minutes before the vote on Friday, announcing his decision at the very end of his candidate's speech.


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FIFA set to elect new head after passing anti-corruption reforms

ZURICH (Reuters) - Soccer's world governing body FIFA took a first step toward overcoming years of corruption and scandal on Friday by overwhelmingly passing a set of reforms intended to make it more transparent, professional and accountable.











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CAS to rule in Russian anti-doping cases

(Reuters) - Eight Russian athletes accused of violating anti-doping regulations will have their cases handled by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland instead of the suspended All-Russia Athletic Federation (ARAF), CAS said on Friday.


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Blatter disappointed soccer ban upheld by FIFA appeal body: paper

ZURICH (Reuters) - Longtime FIFA President Sepp Blatter is disappointed the global soccer body's appeal committee upheld his ban from the sport, he told a Swiss newspaper in an interview published on Friday.











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Harden onslaught lifts rallying Rockets over Blazers

(The Sports Xchange) - Guard James Harden scored 46 points as the Houston Rockets rallied from a 21-point, third-quarter deficit to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers 119-105 at the Moda Center on Thursday.


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Spurs call the tune in victory over Jazz

(The Sports Xchange) - It was a showdown between two of the best defensive teams in the NBA when Utah and San Antonio met on Thursday and despite an inspired effort from the Jazz, who are in the fight for the final Western Conference playoff spot, the Spurs won 96-78.











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