Texans' Hopkins ends brief holdout

(Reuters) - Standout Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins ended a brief holdout from training camp, due to unhappiness over his rookie contract, and returned to the team on Sunday.

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IOC staunchly defends Russian presence in Rio

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Partial sanctions against Russian athletes over the country's state-run doping system are preliminary, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said on Sunday, defending the organization's position amid vocal criticism.

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Troubled Rio Games coming together, says IOC

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Rio de Janeiro will deliver a successful Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Sunday, despite delays in preparations, lack of funds and the country suffering from its biggest political and economic turmoil in decades.

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Golf: Ariya wins at Woburn to become first Thai to land a major

WOBURN, England (Reuters) - Ariya Jutanugarn banished the memories of a late collapse earlier this year as she became the first Thai golfer to win a major championship by taking the Ricoh Women's British Open title on Sunday.

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Walker leads Day by one going into final round of PGA

SPRINGFIELD, New Jersey (Reuters) - Jimmy Walker birdied the last for a one-shot lead over Jason Day after Sunday's completion of the weather-interrupted third round of the PGA Championship at Baltusrol, where the final round was already underway.

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Motor racing: Hamilton wins in Germany to extend championship lead

Lewis Hamilton cruised to an unchallenged victory in Sunday’s German Formula One Grand Prix to extend his lead over Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg at the top of the world championship standings.

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IOC panel to have final say on Russian athletes cleared for Rio

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - A three-member International Olympic Committee (IOC) panel will have the final say on which Russian athletes can compete at the Rio Games, reviewing all decisions taken by the international federations, the IOC said on Saturday.

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Djokovic continues Monfils mastery, Nishikori wins

(Reuters) - Novak Djokovic maintained his unbeaten record against Frenchman Gael Monfils with a 6-3 6-2 win in the semi-finals of the Rogers Cup in Toronto on Saturday, while Japan's Kei Nishikori also reached the final after beating Swiss second seed Stan Wawrinka.

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Bryan brothers pull out of Rio Games citing health concerns

(Reuters) - Americans Bob and Mike Bryan, the most successful doubles team in men's tennis history, have pulled out of the defense of their title at the Rio Games saying their family's health is their top priority.

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Pain and pride of refugee team shine through Misenga's tears

RIO DE JANERIO (Reuters) - With tears streaming as he spoke of one day being reunited with the brother he lost in the terrifying chaos of the Democratic Republic of Congo's civil war, Popole Misenga showed the potential power of the Olympics' Refugee Team on Saturday.

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Whistleblower Stepanova again asks IOC to review her Rio ban

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Whistleblower Yulia Stepanova, who helped expose state-backed doping in Russian sports and has fled the country, asked again on Saturday for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reassess her exclusion from the Rio Games.

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Halep upsets Kerber to reach Rogers Cup final

(Reuters) - Fifth-seeded Romanian Simona Halep overcame a crisis of confidence in the second set to reach the final of the Rogers Cup with a 6-0 3-6 6-2 upset victory over second seed Angelique Kerber of Germany on Saturday.

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Rosberg takes pole for home race ahead of Hamilton

HOCKENHEIM, Germany (Reuters) - Nico Rosberg set a scorching pace under pressure on Saturday to seize pole position, ahead of Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton, in qualifying for his home German Formula One Grand Prix.

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Hamilton kicking himself after Hockenheim mistake

HOCKENHEIM, Germany (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton was kicking himself on Saturday after failing to record a good enough lap to secure pole position on his final qualifying attempt at the German Grand Prix.

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World number one Ko will not be staying at Olympic Village

WOBURN, England (Reuters) - Lydia Ko says she is "super excited" at the prospect of competing in her first Olympics next month although the women's world number one has decided against living at the Games village in Rio de Janeiro.

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Kerber, Halep set for Wimbledon rematch in Montreal

(Reuters) - Angelique Kerber cruised past Daria Kasatkina 6-2 6-2 to reach the last four of the Rogers Cup on Friday, where she will reprise her Wimbledon quarter-final clash with Simona Halep after the Romanian beat ninth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova.

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Wawrinka, Nishikori reach last four in Toronto

(Reuters) - Swiss second seed Stan Wawrinka advanced into the semi-finals at the Rogers Cup with a comprehensive 6-1 6-3 victory over big-serving South African Kevin Anderson at the Aviva Centre in Toronto on Friday.

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Rio security screeners fired one week before Games

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazil's government on Friday fired a private security firm hired to provide screeners for Olympic venues and replaced them with federal and state police, just one week from the opening of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

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Australia team safe after Rio Olympic Village fire evacuation

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - The Australian team evacuated their building at the Olympic Village in Rio de Janeiro Friday because of a fire in the basement, according to a team spokesman.

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Russian weightlifters barred from Rio Games

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's weightlifting team has been barred from competing at the Rio Olympics in August over doping offences, the sport's governing federation said on Friday.

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Head of Rio lab: Security paramount for Olympic doping tests

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Security is the top focus for the laboratory that will conduct doping exams at the upcoming Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the lab's director said Friday, amid global scrutiny following the recent scandal surrounding Russian athletes.

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Plays resumes at PGA Championship after brief suspension

SPRINGFIELD, New Jersey (Reuters) - Early second-round play in the PGA Championship resumed after a delay of 41 minutes at Baltusrol on Friday with weather threatening to cause further interruptions in the year's final major championship.

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Teaching community through capoeira in a hardscrabble Rio slum

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Manoel Pereira Costa is a star on this sprawling mountainside in Rio de Janeiro.

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Chiller pours cold water on Russia cheats meet

(Reuters) - Australia's Olympic delegation head Kitty Chiller has questioned Russia's determination to eliminate drug cheats after it was announced that the country would host an alternative event for banned track and field athletes in Moscow.

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Baghdatis withdraws from Rio due to injury

(Reuters) - Cypriot tennis player Marcos Baghdatis has withdrawn from next month's Rio Olympics after failing to recover from an elbow injury, the world number 42 said on Friday.

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Golf: Few stars left to shine in men's field

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Sweden's Henrik Stenson and the United States' Bubba Watson will be vying for a gold medal in golf's return to the Olympics after 112 years, an event with less buzz than many in the sport had hoped for due to some high-profile no-shows.

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MLS wants to be 'guinea pig' for video reviews

(Reuters) - Major League Soccer in North America is fast-tracking plans to use video reviews to aid referee decisions, commissioner Don Garber said on Thursday.

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Brazil raises infrastructure financing for Olympics

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's National Monetary Council, known as CMN, said on Thursday it changed regulation to raise the limits of financing to infrastructure projects linked to the Olympics and Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.

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Games organizers say Rio's Village is ready after repairs

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - The Olympic Village is ready and organizers are turning in the last three buildings Thursday afternoon, the operations director of the Rio 2016 organizing committee Rodrigo Tostes said.

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IOC warned Rio on construction contracts 5 years ago: documents

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee warned organizers of the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro five years ago that construction contracts they drew up could give developers incentives to cut corners, presaging problems with athletes' housing that drew complaints from several countries this week, documents showed.

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'Best U.S. team' set for high profile in Brazil

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Looking to fill a rare gap on its medal shelf, Team USA is sending the strongest fencing squad in memory to Rio, helped along by a generation of Olympic elders that has expanded the sport's frontiers.

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Wrestling governing body clears most Russian wrestlers for Rio

MOSCOW (Reuters) - United World Wrestling, the governing body for Olympic forms of wrestling, said on Thursday a special commission it set up had recommended that 16 of the 17 Russian wrestlers who qualified for the Rio Olympics should be allowed to take part.

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Nadal's injury situation 'delicate', says Ferrer

(Reuters) - Rafa Nadal's injury situation is "delicate" ahead of the Rio Olympics, according to Spanish team mate David Ferrer.

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Team USA look to sweep golds in Rio

TORONTO (Reuters) - Team USA will be without many star players in Rio due mainly to concerns over Zika and injuries, but such is the depth of the country's basketball talent that they are expected to cruise to a third consecutive gold medal.

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Doping tsunami leaves number one sport on brink

LONDON (Reuters) - A year of unrelenting misery, of corruption, cover-ups, bans, appeals and doping, doping, doping, has ripped the heart and soul out of athletics, the sport that likes to think of itself as the heart and soul of the Olympics.

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Bolt arrives in Rio for shot at immortality

KINGSTON (Reuters) - Jamaica's Usain Bolt has landed in Rio de Janeiro more than a week before the Olympics opening ceremony to fine tune his preparations for his attempt at an unprecedented triple-triple of gold medals in the men's sprints.

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Patriots shoot down possibility of quarterback controversy

(Reuters) - New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick ended a quarterback controversy before one could even begin as he said on Wednesday that Tom Brady will be the team's starter when he returns from a suspension.

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Djokovic dumps Mueller to reach third round in Toronto

TORONTO (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic opened his North American hardcourt season with a 7-5 7-6(3) victory over Luxembourg's Gilles Mueller on Wednesday to reach the third round of the Rogers Cup.

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More than 250 Russian sportspeople cleared for Rio: Russian Olympic chief

MOSCOW (Reuters) - International federations have approved the participation of more than 250 Russian sportspeople, including wrestlers, in the Rio Olympics next month, Russian Olympic Committee chief Alexander Zhukov told Rossiya-24 TV channel on Wednesday.

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IOC's Bach confident Rio will solve problems before Games

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - The head of the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday played down problems with unfinished accommodation at the Olympics Village in Rio de Janeiro, saying he expected Brazil would host a "fantastic" games.

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Putin: Olympic ban on Russian athletes is result of political plot

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said a shadowy political plot had succeeded in unfairly stripping some Russian sportspeople of the right to compete at the Rio Olympics over doping allegations and promised to defend Russia's tarnished sporting reputation.

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Most Brazilians expect Rio Olympics to hurt Brazil: poll

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Most Brazilians are pessimistic about impact on their country of the Olympic Games, scheduled to begin Aug. 5 in Rio de Janeiro, according to a study by polling group Ibope published in the Estado de S.Paulo daily newspaper.

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IAAF to Russia: Rio athletics ban will stand - agencies

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has received a reply from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), saying the exclusion of Russian track-and-field athletes from the Rio Olympics cannot be reversed, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday.

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Wawrinka battles past Youzhny in Toronto

TORONTO (Reuters) - Stan Wawrinka survived a thriller against Mikhail Youzhny in the second round of the Rogers Cup on Tuesday, fighting back in both sets to prevail 7-6(3) 7-6(8). The Swiss second seed trailed 5-4 in the first set and had to break Youzhny's serve to force a tiebreak.

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Carroll agrees extension with Seahawks through 2019

(Reuters) - Seattle have reached an agreement with coach Pete Carroll on a contract extension that will keep him with the NFL team through 2019, the Seahawks announced on Tuesday.

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Stepanovs say drug cheats will compete in Rio

LONDON (Reuters) - Russian drug cheats will be competing at next month's Rio Olympics, the whistleblowers who helped uncover the country's doping scandal have told the BBC.

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Pentathlon: Two Russians banned from Rio

LONDON (Reuters) - Russian modern pentathletes Maksim Kutsov and Ilia Frolov have been barred from the Rio Olympics because of prior anti-doping offenses, the sport's governing body said on Tuesday.

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Exclusive: Scrutiny on global sport bodies as they decide Russians' Olympic fates

MOSCOW/BELGRADE (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee's decision to let individual sport federations decide whether to ban Russians from the Rio games over doping has put Moscow's links to the governing bodies under scrutiny.

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Federer to miss Olympics and rest of season

(Reuters) - Roger Federer has pulled out of the Rio Olympics and will miss the rest of the season, including the U.S. Open, because he needs "more extensive rehabilitation" after knee surgery earlier this year as he bids to prolong his career.

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Rowing federation: six Russian rowers meet conditions for Rio games, 17 do not

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The World Rowing Federation said on Tuesday that six Russian rowers met conditions to take part in the Rio Olympics but that 17 entered rowers and two of the cox did not.

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ICF bans five Russian athletes from Rio

(Reuters) - Five Russian canoe sprint athletes - including the 2012 Olympic champion Alexander Dyachenko - have been banned from competing at next month's Rio Olympics by the International Canoe Federation (ICF), after they were implicated by the McLaren report.

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Sale rips White Sox for 'business first' mentality

(Reuters) - Pitcher Chris Sale said on Monday it was the Chicago White Sox putting ‘business first over winning’ that caused him to boil over and led the team to discipline him.

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Cambage makes stand for diverse Australia

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia has a good chance to clinch gold in the women's basketball at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics but the nation is unlikely to win any medals for racial tolerance, according to outspoken center Liz Cambage.

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In-form Johnson-Thompson targets Rio glory

(Reuters) - Britain's Katarina Johnson-Thompson has set her sights on winning a first Olympic heptathlon gold medal in Rio next month after she confirmed her good form with some fine individual performances at the London Anniversary Games last weekend.

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Cavs coach Lue agrees new five-year deal

(Reuters) - The Cleveland Cavaliers and head coach Tyronn Lue have agreed on a new five-year deal worth $35 million, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported on Monday.

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IOC has 'no interest in clean sport': whistleblower

(Reuters) - A Russian whistleblower who helped uncover the biggest doping scandal in decades has told Reuters that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is more concerned about protecting the organization than ridding world sport of drugs cheats.

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Australian team plans to move into Rio's Olympic Village on Wednesday

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - The head of Australia's Olympics delegation in Rio de Janeiro said on Monday that organizers had made "fantastic" progress in addressing concerns over unfinished housing at the games and that the team expects to move in Wednesday.

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Kremlin hails IOC Olympic green light, but conditions grate

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Monday hailed a decision by the International Olympic Committee not to ban Russia's entire team from the Rio Olympics over doping allegations, but government officials said the strings attached to the IOC's ruling were unfair.

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Manning cleared of doping allegations in documentary: NFL

(Reuters) - There is no credible evidence that future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning used human growth hormone or performance-enhancing drugs as was alleged in an Al-Jazeera documentary, the National Football League said on Monday.

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Rejuvenated Djokovic happy to be back on hard courts

(Reuters) - World number one Novak Djokovic is looking forward to playing on his favored hardcourt surface at the Rogers Cup in Toronto, but the Serb urged caution as he returns to action for the first time since his shock Wimbledon exit.

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Long jumper Rutherford blasts 'spineless' IOC decision

(Reuters) - Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford has branded the International Olympic Committee's decision not to impose a blanket ban on Russia at next month's Rio Games as "spineless" and expressed surprise that more athletes were not speaking out.

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Griffey, Piazza inducted into baseball Hall of Fame

(Reuters) - With his distinctive style and ear-to-ear smile, Ken Griffey Jr. was inducted into the Major League Baseball (MLB) Hall of Fame on Sunday along with former slugger Mike Piazza.

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White Sox pitcher Sale suspended for 'insubordination'

(The Sports Xchange) - The Chicago White Sox suspended All-Star left-hander Chris Sale for five days due to a pregame incident on Saturday in which he reportedly cut up some of the team's uniforms, the club announced Sunday.

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Rio scrambles to be ready as athletes, soldiers arrive

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of armed troops fanned out across Rio de Janeiro and local organizers faced a rebellion by Australia about unfinished living accommodations as athletes began to move in Sunday for the first Olympics ever in South America.

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Motor racing: Hamilton wins in Hungary to take overall lead

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Triple Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday to seize the championship lead from team mate Nico Rosberg for the first time this season.

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A 555-strong U.S. Olympics team includes record 292 women

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A record contingent of 292 women will be part of a powerful 555-strong United States team at next month's Rio Olympics.

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Olympics: IOC set to decide Russia's Rio fate on Sunday

LONDON (Reuters) - Russia is expected to find out on Sunday whether it will be banned completely from the Rio Olympics, with the International Olympic Committee's executive board set to deliver one of the most momentous decisions in its history.

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American Morris soars to year's top outdoor pole vault

(Reuters) - Rio-bound U.S. Olympian Sandi Morris soared to the highest outdoor pole vault in the world this year when she cleared 4.93 meters at Houston on Saturday.

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More 'B Team' than 'Dream Team' as U.S. eye Rio basketball gold

TORONTO (Reuters) - No Stephen Curry? No LeBron James? No problem. Despite missing the game's two best players the U.S. men's basketball team are still the slam dunk favorite to return home from the Rio Olympics with the gold medal.

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FBI led Brazil to suspected militants mulling Olympic attack: prosecutor

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation gave Brazil the tip that led to arrests this week of 11 suspected militants who had discussed a possible attack on the upcoming Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, according to a Brazilian prosecutor.

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Froome poised to land third Tour title

MORZINE, France (Reuters) - Chris Froome enhanced his reputation as one of the best Tour de France riders when he virtually secured his third title, holding on to his overall lead in the last competitive stage, won by Spain's Ion Izagirre on Saturday.

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Russian athletes have only 1 percent chance of going to Rio: TASS cites minister

MOSCOW (Reuters) - There is just a one percent probability that the International Olympic Committee will allow Russian track-and-field athletes to take part in the Rio Olympics, TASS news agency quoted Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko as saying on Saturday.

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National Football League demands interviews with four players named in PED report

(Reuters) - The National Football League has rejected written statements from four players named in a report alleging use of performance-enhancing drugs as sufficient cooperation and will need to interview them, the league said on its website on Friday.

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Ledecky ready to go the distance in Rio

TORONTO (Reuters) - When Michael Phelps says he sees a bit of his young self in Katie Ledecky, you know you are dealing with a very special swimmer.

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Bolt wins but hurdler Harrison takes the glory

LONDON (Reuters) - Usain Bolt delivered on his top billing by winning the 200metres at the London Diamond League on Friday but the Jamaican was upstaged for once as American sprint hurdler Kendra Harrison broke one of the oldest world records in the book.

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Sabres' Kane charged with harassment for bar incident

(The Sports Xchange) - Buffalo Sabres forward Evander Kane surrendered to police on Friday and was charged with criminal trespass and harassment in connection with a June incident at a Buffalo bar.

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Electrical connections in Rio Olympic Park still not finished: sources

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Electrical energy connections at Rio's Olympic Park are still not finished two weeks before the summer games, creating supply risks for sports venues and athlete accommodations, according to two people familiar with the matter.

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Harrison breaks 28-year-old 100 meters hurdles world record

LONDON (Reuters) - American Kendra Harrison earned some consolation for the heartache of missing out on the Rio Olympics when she broke a 28-year-old world record by winning the 100 meters hurdles in 12.20 seconds at the London Diamond League on Friday.

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Russia facing potential Rio doping ban

LONDON (Reuters) - Russia will find out in two weeks whether it is to be banned completely from the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro after officials opened proceedings against the country on Friday following revelations of doping cover-ups.

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Golf's Rio return jars environmentalists, players stay away

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Golf's return to the Olympic Games next month for the first time in 112 years has been marred by the absence of the sport's leading players and a court battle over potential environmental damage resulting from a new course in Brazil.

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Doping scandal rocks Russian sport but Putin's ratings look safe

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Having your athletes barred from the Olympics because your government stands accused of systematically covering up doping would trigger a political firestorm in many countries, hurting the standing of the person at the top.

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Rosberg fastest in practice as Hamilton crashes out

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Nico Rosberg ended the opening day of practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix fastest after Mercedes team mate and title rival Lewis Hamilton crashed out on Friday.

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Blood, sweat and tears fuel a Belarussian gymnast's Olympic dream

MINSK (Reuters) - Belarussian rhythmic gymnast Melitina Staniouta was just three years old when a trainer spotted her potential as she walked past a local gym with her mother and invited her to enroll.

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IOC announces 45 failed tests from Beijing and London

(Reuters) - Forty-five athletes have failed dope tests after their samples from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Games were reanalyzed, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Friday.

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Nobody cares my career will be ruined, says Russia's Shubenkov

(Reuters) - Sergey Shubenkov, the 110m hurdles world champion, says nobody cares that his "career is going to be ruined" by Russia's ban from next month's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

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CAS ruling limits room for 'legal maneuvering' to defend Russian athletes: Kremlin

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Friday that Russia had limited time for "legal maneuvering" to defend the rights of its athletes after a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Thursday.

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Russia's Olympic ban will scare drug cheats, says Bolt

(Reuters) - The ban on Russia's track and field athletes from the Rio Games will scare drug cheats and help cleaning up the sport, Jamaica's six-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt has said.

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NBA MVP Curry regrets missing Rio Games

(Reuters) - Two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry said the injuries he suffered during the playoffs forced him to pull out of the Rio Olympics, a decision that still does not sit well with him.

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NBA pulls All-Star Game from Charlotte over transgender law: report

(Reuters) - The NBA has canceled plans to hold its 2017 All-Star Game in Charlotte, North Carolina, over a state law decried as discriminatory against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, according to a report on Thursday.

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Froome moves closer to third Tour de France title

MEGEVE, France (Reuters) - Britain's Chris Froome put the hammer down in his bid to retain the Tour de France title when he won the 18th stage, a 17-km mountain time trial, to extend his overall lead to almost four minutes on Thursday.

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South Africa to appeal 'shockingly lenient' Pistorius sentence

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's government will appeal Oscar Pistorius' six-year murder sentence because it was "shockingly lenient", state prosecutors said on Thursday.

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Trusted allies: why Putin won't fire sports minister over doping scandal

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin risks personal humiliation if all Russian competitors are banned from the Rio Olympics over doping, as now seems possible; yet the man on whose watch this may happen, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, is not being fired.

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Rio boycott over doping out of question: Russian Olympic chief

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The head of Russia's Olympic Committee, Alexander Zhukov, said on Wednesday Russia had no intention of boycotting the Rio Games to protest against the way a doping scandal was being handled, saying politics had no place in sport.

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Federer to open 20th pro season at Hopman Cup

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Roger Federer will kick off his 20th season as a professional at the Hopman Cup next year, returning to the international team tournament in Perth for the first time since he teamed up with his now wife Mirka in 2002.

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Bolt targets third sprint sweep to close Olympic chapter

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Usain Bolt is keenly aware of the narrative of his extraordinary career and, for the fastest man who ever lived, the only fitting way to close its Olympic chapter is with a third sprint sweep at next month's Rio Games.

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Rio drug lab to open for Olympic testing: Brazil sports ministry

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has reinstated credentials of a drug testing laboratory in Rio de Janeiro for the Olympic Games, Brazil's Sports Ministry said on Wednesday.

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Suns, Mavs, Spurs to play games in Mexico

(The Sports Xchange) - The Phoenix Suns will take on the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs in the first consecutive regular-season NBA games in Mexico on Jan. 12 and 14.

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In crowded Rio slum, residents fly kites in cemetery

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - As dusk descends on a cemetery in one of Rio de Janeiro’s northern slums, four young men stand on top of a wall vault of tombs and watch their kites flutter in the breeze.

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Zakarin wins Tour de France 17th stage, Froome retains lead

FINHAUT-EMOSSON, Switzerland (Reuters) - Russian Ilnur Zakarin of the Katusha team won the 17th stage of the Tour de France, a 184-km mountain trek from Bern on Wednesday.

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IOC 'reluctant' to ban Russian team from Olympics: Pound

(Reuters) - The IOC seems reluctant to ban the entire Russian team from next month's Olympic Games, despite mounting concern over doping violations, the co-author of the report that led to Russia's ban from track and field events said on Wednesday.

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Russia expects final IOC decision on Rio Games on July 24: TASS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Olympic Committee head Alexander Zhukov said on Wednesday he expected the International Olympic Committee to make a final decision on Russia's participation in the 2016 Rio Games on July 24, TASS news agency reported.

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Olympics may shine but plenty to lament in recession-hit Rio

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Across a busy street from the Maracanã stadium, host of two World Cup finals and next month the stage for the opening of the first-ever Olympics in South America, squats the massive concrete complex of the State University of Rio de Janeiro.

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Visa to sponsor refugee athletes in Olympics

(Reuters) - Visa Inc, operator of the world's largest payments network, said on Wednesday it had signed sponsorship deals with all ten members of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) refugee team, essentially becoming their first corporate sponsor.

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Lesnar's in-competition sample also tested positive, says UFC

(Reuters) - Brock Lesnar has tested positive for an unnamed substance in an in-competition sample taken on the night of his UFC 200 heavyweight victory over Mark Hunt on July 9, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has said.

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IOC delays decision on banning Russia from Rio Olympics

BERN (Reuters) - Russia's participation in the Rio Olympics remained in jeopardy on Tuesday after the International Olympic Committee said it would 'explore legal options' for banning the country from the Games.

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Brazil probes Olympics threats after group backs Islamic State

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's intelligence agency said on Tuesday it was investigating all threats to next month's Rio Olympics after a presumed Brazilian Islamist group pledged allegiance to Islamic State (IS) less than three weeks before the Games.

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Woods will not play for rest of season: report

(Reuters) - Former world number one Tiger Woods will not play in any professional events for the rest of the season as he continues his lengthy recovery from back surgeries, according to a report on Tuesday.

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Russia suspends senior sports officials over doping scandal

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia suspended a raft of senior sports officials on Tuesday after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said they were heavily involved in a state-backed cheating scheme at the 2014 Sochi winter Olympics.

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Half of Brazilians opposed to hosting Olympics just weeks before event: poll

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Half of Brazilians have said they are opposed to hosting the Olympics that begin in less than three weeks amid deepening concern over the high cost of the games, according to a poll published on Tuesday.

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Rio risks empty Olympic legacy as real estate stalls

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - "Pure Island: a neighborhood born ready-made," reads the glitzy brochure for the 31 tower blocks built for $880 million to house athletes for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro next month.

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German official wants Russian competitors excluded from Rio Olympics

BERLIN (Reuters) - The head of the German Olympic Sports Confederation on Tuesday said Russian competitors should be banned from the Rio Olympics if the findings of a scathing report about Moscow concealing positive doping tests at the 2014 Sochi Olympics are confirmed.

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IOC chief Bach's action on Russia cements legacy: athletes

(Reuters) - Thomas Bach's response to a report that found Russia concealed hundreds of positive doping tests ahead of the Sochi Winter Games will determine his legacy as International Olympic Committee president, athletes leaders said on Monday.

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Ex-St. Louis baseball exec gets 46-month sentence for hacking Astros

(Reuters) - A former scouting director for the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team was sentenced to 46 months in prison on Monday over a breach of the computer network of the rival Houston Astros, prosecutors said.

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Russian PM suspends sports ministry official named in doping report

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has suspended Deputy Sports Minister Yury Nagornykh, who was named in a report on the doping of Russian athletes at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the government said on Monday.

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Murray pulls out of Toronto event to focus on Rio

TORONTO (Reuters) - Wimbledon champion Andy Murray has pulled out of next week's Rogers Cup in Toronto so he can give his body time to rest before he sets out in defense of his Olympic singles title at the Rio Games.

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IOC vows 'toughest sanctions' after report confirms Moscow's broad collusion in doping

TORONTO (Reuters) - With the Rio Games less than three weeks away, the International Olympic Committee on Monday promised "the toughest sanctions available" after a report found Moscow had concealed the positive doping tests of athletes in many sports in the run-up to the Sochi Winter games.

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Russian Olympic chief says pleased WADA made no recommendations to IOC: TASS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Olympic chief Alexander Zhukov said on Monday he was pleased a World Anti-Doping Agency report into allegations of state-backed cheating at the 2014 Sochi Games had not made recommendations to the International Olympic Committee, TASS news agency reported.

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Russian gymnasts must not be banned from Rio, says governing body

LONDON (Reuters) - Russian gymnasts must be allowed to compete in the Olympic Games and not tarred with the same brush as the country's banned track and field athletes, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said on Monday.

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'Soohorang' and 'Bandabi' unveiled as Pyeongchang 2018 mascots

(Reuters) - A white tiger named 'Soohorang' and an Asian black bear called 'Bandabi' were unveiled on Monday as the two mascots for the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Pyeongchang.

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Day, Scott reject criticism of Rio boycott

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - World number one Jason Day has hit back at critics of the golfers who have elected to skip the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

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Cycling: Downhill master Pantano wins Tour stage 15, Froome leads

CULOZ, France (Reuters) - Colombian Jarlinson Pantano showed he is a master of the descent as he claimed his maiden Tour de France win in Sunday's 15th stage, while overall leader Chris Froome enjoyed a relatively quiet day in the saddle.

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McLaren report weakened by leaked letter, says WADA board member

(Reuters) - The leaking of a draft letter urging a complete ban on Russian athletes at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics has undermined a key report into doping allegations at the 2014 Sochi Games, WADA board member Nenad Lalovic said on Sunday.

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Spieth has Ryder Cup revenge on his mind after closing 68

TROON, Scotland (Reuters) - No sooner had Jordan Spieth wrapped up his British Open campaign on Sunday with his best round of the week, he was talking up the revenge mission he will be on at the Ryder Cup in September.

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Golf: Players and weather pick up where they left off at the Open

TROON, Scotland (Reuters) - The final round of the British Open began at Royal Troon on Sunday much as it had on Saturday, with Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson pulling away from the field and the weather getting worse.

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Russian sports minister surprised by draft USADA letter: TASS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko was surprised by a draft letter by the United States Anti-Doping Agency calling for a complete ban on Russia competing at the Rio Olympics, he was quoted as saying by TASS news agency on Sunday.

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Exclusive: NADOs, some athletes want total Russia ban if doping report damning

(Reuters) - Several anti-doping agencies, including those of the United States and Canada, want a complete ban on Russia competing at the Rio Olympics if next week's key report into allegations of state-backed doping at the 2014 Sochi winter Olympics is damning, they said on Saturday.

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Houston Astros sign Cuban free agent infielder Gurriel

(Reuters) - The Houston Astros have signed highly touted Cuban free ­agent infielder Yulieski Gurriel to a multi-year deal and introduced him at a news conference on Saturday.

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Nate Thurmond, a dominant NBA center over 15 seasons, dies at 74

(Reuters) - Nate Thurmond, a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee considered one of the greatest centers ever to play in the NBA, died on Saturday at age 74, his former team the Golden State Warriors said in a statement.

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Dumoulin wins 13th stage of Tour as Froome extends overall lead

VALLON PONT-D'ARC, France (Reuters) - Dutchman Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) won the 13th stage of the Tour de France, a 37.5-km individual time trial from Bourg-Saint-Andeol on Friday.

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Ex-Vanderbilt football player Batey sentenced to 15 years in rape case

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Reuters) - A former Vanderbilt University football player, Cory Batey, was sentenced on Friday to 15 years in prison for raping an unconscious female student in a dorm room three years ago in a case that drew national attention to sexual assaults on campus.

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Grotty weather no handicap to high-flying Kjeldsen

TROON, Scotland (Reuters) - Soren Kjeldsen again showed he is one of those golfers who thrives when the weather is grotty and wet as he ignored miserable conditions to power to a three-under 68 in the British Open second round on Friday.

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FIFA investigatory chamber asks for four year ban for former ExCo member Makudi

ZURICH (Reuters) - The investigatory chamber of FIFA's independent ethics committee has asked for former executive committee member Worawi Makudi to be banned from soccer for at least four years for allegedly breaching the soccer governing body's code of conduct.

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Tour stage starts with minute's silence after Nice attacks

BOURG-SAINT-ANDEOL, France (Reuters) - The Tour de France's 13th stage got underway under tightened security on Friday after riders had observed a minute's silence in tribute to the scores of victims of the Bastille Day attack in the southern French city of Nice.

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Kobe Bryant slimed after winning Kids Choice prize

(Reuters) - Retired Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was given the traditional golden sliming at the Kids Choice Sport awards on Thursday after picking up the "Legend" prize.

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Mickelson grabs Troon lead and share of major record

TROON, Scotland (Reuters) - Phil Mickelson charged up the leaderboard at the British Open on Thursday, grabbing the first-day lead and a share of the record for the best score in a major championship.

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To buy or to sell, that is the question

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The All-Star Game has come and gone and it is back to business in Major League Baseball, both on and off the diamond as teams ponder whether it is time to buy or sell talent with the Aug. 1 trade deadline looming.

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Spurs make it official, sign veteran Pau Gasol

(Reuters) - The San Antonio Spurs, looking to fill a void left by the retirement of future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan, officially added Pau Gasol on Thursday in an effort to shore up their front line.

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Froome retains Tour de France lead despite Ventoux chaos

MONT VENTOUX, France (Reuters) - Defending champion Chris Froome retained the overall leader's yellow jersey on the Tour de France after an incident involving a motorbike left him without a bike in a farcical finale to the 12th stage on Thursday.

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No way golf will be excluded in 2020: LET chief

TROON, Scotland (Reuters) - Ladies European Tour (LET) chief executive Ivan Khodabakhsh has dismissed the idea that golf will be excluded from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after a British bookmaker offered odds of 10-1 on the prospect.

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Murray to miss Britain's Davis Cup quarter-final

(Reuters) - Wimbledon champion Andy Murray will miss Britain's Davis Cup quarter-final clash against Serbia with captain Leon Smith naming Kyle Edmund and James Ward as his two singles players on Wednesday.

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NHL Las Vegas team name McPhee as first general manager

(Reuters) - The NHL's new Las Vegas franchise named George McPhee as their first ever general manager on Wednesday as the expansion teamcontinues to build towards their debut in the 2017-18 season.

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Total Russia Rio ban unlikely, suggests IOC head Bach

LONDON (Reuters) - Athletes from one sport should not be punished for the sins of those from another, the IOC president said on Wednesday, cooling speculation that Russia could be banned from the Olympics altogether for systematic doping.

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U.S. Open champion Johnson likes his chances at Troon

TROON, Scotland (Reuters) - Dustin Johnson, the number two player in the world, comes into the British Open at Royal Troon as one of the favorites and he tends to agree with that assessment.

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Dallas Cowboys top Forbes' most valuable teams list

(Reuters) - The Dallas Cowboys unseated Spanish soccer club Real Madrid for top spot on a list of the world's 50 most valuable sports teams, according to a Forbes poll released on Wednesday that was dominated by NFL franchises.

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Froome on the attack again as Sagan takes another stage

MONTPELLIER, France (Reuters) - Chris Froome showed again he will attack his rivals on every terrain as the Briton extended his overall lead in the Tour de France with a surprising move in Wednesday's 11th stage, which was won with panache by world champion Peter Sagan.

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Men golfers have let down sport by Games snub: LET chief

(Reuters) - Ladies European Tour's chief executive Ivan Khodabakhsh has hit out at the world's leading men golfers for taking a "myopic approach" and withdrawing from the Rio Olympics, adding that they have let down the rest of the sport.

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Dustin will be tough to beat, says world No 1 Day

TROON, Scotland (Reuters) - The last six British Opens held at Royal Troon have been won by Americans and Dustin Johnson, the hottest player in golf, looks like he has all the credentials to send the U.S. into seventh heaven this week.

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AL rides early homers to 4-2 win in All-Star Game

(The Sports Xchange) - Second-inning homers by Kansas City teammates Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez powered the American League to a 4-2 victory over the National League on Tuesday night in the 87th All-Star Game before 42,386 at Petco Park.

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Rule changed to curb 'Hack-a-Shaq' incidents

(Reuters) - The NBA approved rule changes on fouls away from the ball on Tuesday, which could held reduce intentional fouling.

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Rio's combative mayor slams critics of his Olympics role on Twitter

(Reuters) - Just days before Rio de Janeiro hosts the Olympics, the city's Mayor Eduardo Paes has taken to Twitter to slam critics of his role in preparing for the Games.

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McIlroy decidedly lukewarm on golf's Olympic return

TROON, Scotland (Reuters) - Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy may not watch the golf event on television when it returns to the Olympics next month and hinted on Tuesday it was not one of the sports that would matter in Rio de Janiero.

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Olympic withdrawal hardest decision of my life: Spieth

TROON, Scotland (Reuters) - Jordan Spieth's decision to miss golf's return to the Olympics next month after a 112-year hiatus was the hardest of his life, the world number three said on Tuesday.

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Murray targets top ranking after Wimbledon triumph

(Reuters) - World number two Andy Murray has set his sights on overtaking Novak Djokovic at the top of the rankings after capturing his second Wimbledon crown on Sunday.

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Red Bull would vote against 'halo' safety device

LONDON (Reuters) - Red Bull would oppose the introduction of a proposed 'halo' cockpit protection device in Formula One next season if it comes to a vote, team principal Christian Horner has said.

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Masterful Murray delivers again for grateful nation

LONDON (Reuters) - Cometh the hour, cometh the man -- Andy Murray proved himself the bastion of British tennis once again as he outclassed Canadian powerhouse Milos Raonic to claim a second Wimbledon title in masterful fashion on Sunday.

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Day a cut above others in 'big four', says Faldo

(Reuters) - Australian Jason Day is the "most-equipped" among golf's current leading quartet and world number four Rory McIlroy is falling behind him, according to three-times Masters winner Nick Faldo.

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Greatness calling Biles at Rio Olympics

SAN JOSE, California (Reuters) - In a nod to the domination of her sport, Simone Biles has already entered the debate as the greatest gymnast of all-time even though she has yet to turn a single somersault on the Olympic stage.

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Duncan calls time on career after 19 years at Spurs

(Reuters) - Five-times NBA champion Tim Duncan announced his retirement from basketball on Monday, bringing an end to the forward's glittering 19-year spell at San Antonio Spurs.

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Open champion Johnson unsure if golf belongs at Olympics

TROON, Scotland (Reuters) - Golf returns to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro next month following an absence of 112 years, but British Open champion Zach Johnson has questioned whether the sport truly belongs on the Games schedule.

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Sportsperson and celebrity manager WME-IMG to buy UFC

(Reuters) - WME-IMG, a manager of sportspersons and celebrities, said on Monday it would buy the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in a deal backed by private equity firms Silver Lake and KKR & Co LP.

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Eiffel Tower shut, France fetes end to Euros security test

PARIS (Reuters) - The Eiffel Tower was closed for safety reasons on Monday as workers cleared up the "fan zone" at its base amid official relief that the competition had ended without any serious security incidents.

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Portugal prove they can flourish without Ronaldo on the pitch

PARIS (Reuters) - Portugal proved they can flourish without their talismanic forward Cristiano Ronaldo, at least on the pitch, in beating France to win Euro 2016.

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American Reed game for Rio 'risk'

(Reuters) - Golf's return to the Olympics for the first time since 1904 has been hit by several high-profile pullouts due to fears over the Zika virus but for American world number 13 Patrick Reed, it's a risk worth taking.

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Dominant Biles wins Olympic trials, qualifies for Rio

SAN JOSE, California (Reuters) - Simone Biles recorded yet another crushing victory at the U.S. Olympic women's gymnastics trials on Sunday, sending a clear message to her rivals that Rio Games gold is her next target.

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Felix misses U.S. team as Bowie surprises in 200m

EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) - Olympic champion Allyson Felix stunningly failed to make the U.S. team for Rio in her favourite event, the 200 metres, as her dreams for a rare sprint Olympic double ended at the American trials on Sunday.

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Olympic double hopes dashed as Felix misses 200m team

(Reuters) - Olympic champion Allyson Felix failed to make the U.S. team in the 200 meters at the American trials on Sunday, ending her dream for a rare 200-400 meters double at Rio Olympics.

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Portugal win Euro 2016 thanks to Eder's extra-time goal

PARIS (Reuters) - Substitute Eder scored in extra-time to give Portugal a 1-0 win over hosts France in the Euro 2016 final on Sunday as they secured their first major international title despite losing captain and talisman Cristiano Ronaldo to injury.

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Watson, Kontinen win Wimbledon mixed doubles on debut

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Heather Watson teamed up with Henri Kontinen of Finland to win the Wimbledon mixed doubles crown and give her country its second title at the grand slam on Sunday.

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Sister of jailed Pistorius grateful for judge's sentencing decision

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The sister of South African Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius, who was sent back to jail for six years on Wednesday in what many viewed as a lenient sentence for murdering his girlfriend, said on Sunday that she was "grateful" to the judge.

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Number 22 and still counting as Serena equals Graf

LONDON (Reuters) - It was third time lucky for American Serena Williams as she finally matched Steffi Graf's professional era record of 22 grand slam singles titles by beating Angelique Kerber to claim a seventh Wimbledon crown on Saturday.

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Hamilton wins British Grand Prix from pole

SILVERSTONE, England (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton won his home British Grand Prix for the third year in a row on Sunday with Mercedes team mate and title rival Nico Rosberg finishing second but under a stewards' investigation.

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Hurdler Merritt fails to make Olympic team

EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) - World record holder and Olympic champion Aries Merritt failed to make the U.S. team for the Rio de Janeiro Games when he finished fourth in the 110 meters hurdles final at the United States trials on Saturday.

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Keane strikes again for Galaxy win in Seattle

(Reuters) - An early strike from Irish international Robbie Keane secured Los Angeles Galaxy's 1-0 away win against the Seattle Sounders in Major League Soccer on Saturday.

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Mahut and Herbert win all-French men's double final

LONDON (Reuters) - Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hughes Herbert won the Wimbledon men's doubles title after a straight sets win over fellow French duo Julien Benneteau and Edouard Roger-Vasselin on Saturday.

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Pacers officially sign center Jefferson

(The Sports Xchange) - The Indiana Pacers officially signed veteran free agent center Al Jefferson to a multi-year contract on Saturday.

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Murray ready to dodge Raonic bullets in final showdown

LONDON (Reuters) - Since Andy Murray's memory is as razor sharp as his service returns, he will not have forgotten the parting shot he received from Milos Raonic when they last played.

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Golf world no. 2 Johnson skips Rio with Zika concerns

(Reuters) - World number two Dustin Johnson has become the latest golfer to withdraw from next month's Rio Olympics due to fears over the Zika virus, the American announced on Friday.

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Merritt romps to fast 200 meters, Rollins shocks in hurdles

EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) - LaShawn Merritt ran the fastest 200 meters in the world this year and Brianna Rollins shocked American record holder Keni Harrison in a world class 100m hurdles final at the U.S. Olympic trials on Friday.

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Cespedes, Syndergaard add to Mets' injury woes

(Reuters) - The New York Mets' injury woes compounded on Friday when All Stars Yoenis Cespedes and Noah Syndergaard left with ailments during a contest against Washington.

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Reliable Murray crushes Berdych to reach Wimbledon final

With post-Brexit turmoil engulfing the nation's political landscape, sterling plummeting and England's soccer team licking its wounds after a Euro 2016 humiliation, old faithful Murray provided some cheer by reaching a third Wimbledon final on Friday.

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Raonic ends Federer's run to reach first final

LONDON (Reuters) - Milos Raonic made Roger Federer feel his age on Friday as the Canadian sharp-shooter bombarded Centre Court with a succession of 140 mph missiles to flatten the seven-times champion and reach his first grand slam final in five gripping sets.

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History calls as Serena and Kerber face off in final

LONDON (Reuters) - When Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber walk onto Wimbledon's Center Court for the women's final on Saturday, the legacy of Steffi Graf will loom large.

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Twitter seeks NBA, MLS, Turner deals to stream sports: Recode

(Reuters) - Twitter Inc is in talks with the NBA, Major League Soccer and Time Warner Inc's cable network Turner Broadcasting to buy digital streaming rights for content related to major sports and events, Recode reported.

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Fifa's ex-president Blatter's appeal against ban to be heard on August 25

(Reuters) - An appeal by former Fifa president Sepp Blatter against a six-year ban from all soccer-related activities for ethics violations will be heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on August 25, CAS said on its website on Friday.

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Lee leads the way at U.S. Open as big names struggle

(Reuters) - Lee Mi-rim birdied five of her last seven holes to surge into a three-shot lead in the first round of the U.S. Women's Open on Thursday, while the marquee group of Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson and Lexi Thompson all struggled in tougher afternoon conditions.

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Gatlin, Merritt head toward 200m showdown on rainy day

EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) - Justin Gatlin and LaShawn Merritt remained on course for a 200 meters final while top hurdlers Brianna Rollins and Keni Harrison put on an early speed show at the U.S. Olympic trials on Thursday.

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Wade makes emotional move to Chicago from Miami

(Reuters) - Following the personal path taken by his friend and former Miami Heat teammate LeBron James, 12-time NBA All-Star Dwyane Wade decided to use free agency to head back home.

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Kerber outguns Venus to set up final showdown with Serena

LONDON (Reuters) - Germany's Angelique Kerber gatecrashed the Williams sisters' Wimbledon party when she overpowered Venus 6-4 6-4 in the semi-finals on Thursday, setting up a mouth-watering final showdown with Serena.

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Santos orchestrates Portugal's tactical renaissance

LYON, France (Reuters) - Portugal head into Sunday's Euro 2016 final after another disciplined performance, proving again in their 2-0 win over Wales that they perform like a well-rehearsed orchestra rather than a solo act.

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Campbell hammers Rio qualification, men fall short

EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) - Three-time national hammer champion Amber Campbell threw a lifetime best 74.03 meters on her final attempt to put a gloss on her qualification for the Rio Olympics at the American trials on Wednesday.

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Jones out of UFC 200 over potential doping violation

(Reuters) - Interim UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has been pulled from his bout against title holder Daniel Cormier in Las Vegas on Saturday due to a potential doping violation, the Ultimate Fighting Championship said on Wednesday.

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How did Federer get out of that? Unbelievable

LONDON (Reuters) - When Roger Federer stood on the dusty baseline with the scoreboard showing he was trailing Marin Cilic 6-7 4-6 3-3 0-40, it looked like the man with the dodgy back was about to disappear into a giant Wimbledon sinkhole.

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Lampard scores winner as New York City win fourth in a row

(Reuters) - Frank Lampard scored the only goal of the game as New York City FC extended their winning streak to four matches with a 1-0 away victory over New England Revolution on Wednesday.

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Kidney transplant recipient eyes Rio despite Zika risk

EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) - Defending Olympic champion and high hurdles world record holder Aries Merritt says he will not skip the Rio Games if he makes the U.S. team even though the Zika virus poses a greater risk to the kidney transplant recipient than other competitors.

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Murray survives Tsonga comeback to reach semis

LONDON (Reuters) - Second seed Andy Murray survived a ferocious Jo-Wilfried Tsonga comeback to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals for the seventh time on Wednesday, winning the day's second Centre Court blockbuster 7-6(10) 6-1 3-6 4-6 6-1.

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Surprise as Pistorius jailed for six years over girlfriend's murder

PRETORIA (Reuters) - South African Paralympic gold medalist Oscar Pistorius was sent back to jail for six years on Wednesday for murdering Reeva Steenkamp, less than half the 15 year minimum term sought by prosecutors.

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Barcelona's Messi gets 21 months for tax fraud, unlikely to serve time

MADRID (Reuters) - Barcelona's Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi was sentenced on Wednesday to 21 months in prison and fined 2 million euros ($2.2 million) after being found guilty of three counts of tax fraud, although it is unlikely he will serve time.

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Rio logistics a major problem, U.S. Official says

Eugene, Oregon (Reuters) - The logistics of getting around in Rio de Janeiro could be a major problem for athletes at the 2016 Olympics, Max Siegel, chief executive officer of USA Track and Field, said on Tuesday.

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#thelendleffect magic rubs off on Vesnina

LONDON (Reuters) - What started as a social media joke seems to hold some special powers - #thelendleffect is working.

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Cubs monopoly in NL All-Star infield

(The Sports Xchange) - For the first time in 53 years and only the second time ever, four players from one team will comprise the starting infield for a Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

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U.S. to fund Zika virus study of U.S. Olympic team

(Reuters) - The U.S. National Institutes of Health said it will fund a study to monitor U.S. athletes, coaches and members of the Olympic Committee staff for exposure to Zika virus while in Brazil, with the hope of gaining better understanding of how it persists in the body and the potential risks it poses.

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Serena batters Pavlyuchenkova to join Venus in semis

LONDON (Reuters) - Serena Williams battered Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4 6-4 at Wimbledon on Tuesday to join sister Venus in the semi-finals and said she was surprised and delighted the pair were still competing at the top of their sport.

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Record eighth Wimbledon title for Federer no longer a pipe dream

LONDON (Reuters) - When self-styled "old guy" Roger Federer clocked that he was on a semi-final collision course with an all-conquering world number one, his vision of holding aloft the Wimbledon trophy for a record eighth time may have seemed like a pipe dream.

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Venus outguns Shvedova to reach Wimbledon semi-final

LONDON (Reuters) - Venus Williams vanquished Yaroslava Shvedova 7-6(5) 6-2 in a brutal baseline shootout at Wimbledon on Tuesday to reach her first grand slam semi-final for six years.

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Kerber outguns Halep to reach second Wimbledon semi

LONDON (Reuters) - Germany's Angelique Kerber outslugged Romania's Simona Halep in a quarter-final of the counter-punchers at Wimbledon on Tuesday, shading a compelling two-set match that featured 13 breaks of serve.

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FIFA appeal committee reduces Valcke ban from 12 to 10 years

ZURICH (Reuters) - FIFA has reduced the ban on two senior officials, including its former secretary general, who were barred from soccer-related activities following a corruption probe, the global soccer body said on Tuesday.

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Montano rails against 'corrupt' IAAF after missing Rio spot

EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) - A distraught Alysia Montano called her career "a farce" and branded the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) "a corrupt institution" after crashing out of the U.S. Olympic trials on Monday.

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Slick Murray downs Kyrgios as title expectations grow

LONDON (Reuters) - Andy Murray saw off the mercurial challenge of Australian Nick Kyrgios with little fuss on Monday, before just as smoothly playing down growing expectations that a second Wimbledon title is his for the taking.

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Serena powers into Wimbledon quarter-finals

LONDON (Reuters) - Serena Williams overpowered Russian 13th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova to reach the last eight at Wimbledon on Monday, keeping her bid to equal Steffi Graf's professional-era record of grand slam titles on track.

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Durant leaving Thunder to join Curry at Golden State

(Reuters) - Former NBA Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant, the biggest prize on the free agent market, announced on Monday that he will join the Golden State Warriors.

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Roger that! Federer stays on track at Wimbledon

LONDON (Reuters) - As the green tarpaulin covers were pulled back from Wimbledon's grass courts on Monday morning, and straw-hatted stewards prepared to police the snaking queues, a growing number of informed observers were contemplating a July 4 fairytale.

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Cavendish edges Greipel to win Tour stage three

ANGERS, France (Reuters) - Mark Cavendish joined France great Bernard Hinault in second place of the all-time list of Tour de France stage winners when he pipped Andre Greipel on Monday for his second victory in this year's race.

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Mercedes have some tough choices to take

SPIELBERG, Austria (Reuters) - Mercedes have a difficult decision to make after colliding team mates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg gave Formula One fans a day of drama in Austria on Sunday.

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CAS says to rule on 68 Russian athletes' Olympic participation

ZURICH (Reuters) - The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and 68 Russian athletes have agreed the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will settle a dispute over the athletes' participation in the upcoming Olympic Games, CAS said on Monday.

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Campbell wants gold at Rio, not records - coach

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - A month out from the Olympics, Cate Campbell's 100 metres freestyle world record is a testament to her class and determination but the Australian will not chase the time in pursuit of gold at Rio de Janeiro, according to her long-serving coach.

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CAS says to rule on Russian athletes by July 21

ZURICH (Reuters) - The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and 68 Russian athletes have agreed the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will settle a dispute over the athletes' participation in next month's Olympic Games, CAS said on Monday.

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China to weigh social stability risk for Winter Games projects

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will carry out social stability risk assessments before approving major projects for the 2022 Winter Olympics, a senior official wrote on Monday, pledging an open and transparent program of construction.

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Final pieces in place, U.S. ready for Rio plunge

OMAHA, Nebraska (Reuters) - Connor Jaeger and Abbey Weitzeil wrapped up eight days of cut-throat competition by claiming the last two wins at the U.S. Olympic trials on Sunday as the final pieces of the Rio Games swim team were put in place.

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Special Sunday for Berdych on Centre Court

LONDON (Reuters) - Czech 10th seed Tomas Berdych appreciated the history of the rare middle Sunday play at Wimbledon as much as he savored his 6-4 6-4 4-6 6-1 victory over talented teenager Alexander Zverev.

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Querrey leads feelgood factor in American tennis

LONDON (Reuters) - The United States will have six players in the men's and women's singles fourth round on Independence Day on Monday -- the nation's best showing at Wimbledon for 12 years.

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Johnson inspired by Querrey for Federer clash

LONDON (Reuters) - Steve Johnson says he will draw inspiration from doubles partner Sam Querrey as he attempts to pull off a second huge upset at this year's Wimbledon, against Roger Federer on Monday.

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Tsonga beats marathon man Isner in another Wimbledon epic

LONDON (Reuters) - A Frenchman being involved in a long -- or rather very, very long -- fifth set epic against John Isner at Wimbledon had a feeling of deja vu about it.

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Exhausted Del Potro bows out to Pouille

LONDON (Reuters) - Juan Martin del Potro's first Wimbledon campaign for three years ended in disappointing fashion as the Argentine crumbled to a 6-7(4) 7-6(6) 7-5 6-1 defeat by Frenchman Lucas Pouille on Sunday.

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Phelps makes final race on American soil a winning one

OMAHA, Nebraska (Reuters) - Michael Phelps gave the home fans one last thrill when he touched first in the 100 meters butterfly at the U.S. Olympic trials on Saturday in his final race in an American pool.

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Vandeweghe hails Middle Sunday crowd after reaching last 16

LONDON (Reuters) - American Coco Vandeweghe got the Wimbledon Middle Sunday party started on Centre Court, beating sixth seed Roberta Vinci 6-3 6-4 in front of an excitable crowed who scooped tickets online for the extra day's play after rain delays scrambled the first- week schedule.

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Cleveland 14-game winning streak ends

(The Sports Xchange) - Rajai Davis became the eighth Cleveland Indians player to hit for the cycle, but it was not enough to continue the club's record winning streak on Saturday.

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Djokovic shows rare fallibility in shock loss to Querrey

LONDON (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic is fallible after all, as American powerhouse Sam Querrey proved in stunning fashion to stop the Serb's seemingly unstoppable charge toward a calendar year grand slam at a rain-hit Wimbledon on Saturday.

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Felix makes 400m final as Reese, Bromell deliver top marks

Eugene, Oregon (Reuters) - World champion Allyson Felix stayed on course for a rare Olympic double with a solid qualifying run in the 400 meters semi-finals at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials on Saturday.

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Keys locks out Cornet from Wimbledon

LONDON (Reuters) - Madison Keys completed a hat-trick of wins over luckless Frenchwoman Alize Cornet as the American ninth seed reached the Wimbledon fourth round for the second successive year with a 6-4 5-7 6-2 victory on Saturday.

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Phelps ready to take final bow at U.S. trials

OMAHA, Nebraska (Reuters) - Michael Phelps will swim in likely his final race in an American pool while Katie Ledecky is expected to chase a world record as the two biggest attractions at the U.S. Olympic trials take their final bows on Saturday.

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Twice Wimbledon champion Kvitova bows out

LONDON (Reuters) - Twice champion Petra Kvitova bowed out of Wimbledon in the second round on Saturday, losing a two-hour slugfest 7-5 7-6(5)to unseeded Ekaterina Makarova after a far longer battle against the weather.

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Injured Bolt on course for 200m at Olympics: official

KINGSTON (Reuters) - Usain Bolt is still in contention to compete in the 200 meters at next month's Olympics in Rio despite missing his country's trials through injury, the Jamaican athletics team boss said on Saturday.

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Croatian Cilic overpowers Lacko to reach fourth round at Wimbledon

LONDON (Reuters) - Lofty Croatian Marin Cilic made short work of Slovak qualifier Lukas Lacko on Saturday, finishing their rain delayed third round match 6-3 6-3 6-4 with nine aces in the final set.

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Hamstrung Bolt hopes to prove fitness in London to secure Rio spot

KINGSTON (Reuters) - Usain Bolt confirmed suffering a grade one hamstring tear at Jamaica's Olympic trials on Friday but the star sprinter expects to secure his place at the Rio Games by proving his fitness at the London Anniversary Games later this month.

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Phelps, Lochte add chapter to rivalry, Clary closes book

OMAHA, Nebraska (Reuters) - Michael Phelps outdueled Ryan Lochte to win the 200 meters individual medley at the U.S. Olympic trials on Friday while Katie Ledecky suffered her first setback on the road to the Rio Games.

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Felix double dream still alive, Richards-Ross ends career

EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) - Allyson Felix's dream of completing a rare double at the Rio Games is still alive but a tearful Olympic 400 meters champion Sanya Richards-Ross brought the curtain down on her career at the U.S. Olympic trials on Friday.

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Serena survives three-set thriller, racket not so lucky

LONDON (Reuters) - Serena Williams composed herself after a first-set loss and a burst of anger that made her smash her racket, to beat tenacious fellow American Christina McHale in a tense second-round match at Wimbledon on Friday.

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Bolt misses 100 meters final at Jamaican Olympic trials

KINGSTON (Reuters) - World record holder Usain Bolt withdrew from Jamaica's Olympic trials only minutes before the men's 100 meters final on Friday.

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Phelps, Lochte add thrilling chapter to their rivalry

OMAHA, Nebraska (Reuters) - Michael Phelps edged old foe Ryan Lochte in a pulsating 200 meters individual medley showdown at the U.S. Olympic trials on Friday, adding another thrilling chapter to the greatest rivalry in swimming.

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Wales down Belgium to reach first ever semi-final

LILLE, France (Reuters) - Wales produced a stunning upset to reach the Euro 2016 semi-finals after Hal Robson-Kanu's superbly fashioned goal and Sam Vokes's late header secured a 3-1 victory over fancied Belgium on Friday to set up a clash with Portugal.

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Federer claims another British scalp as he sends Evans packing

LONDON (Reuters) - Elegant executioner Roger Federer dropped Dan Evans through the Wimbledon trap door on Friday as he reached the fourth round of the grasscourt major with a bloodless 6-4 6-2 6-2 victory.

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Rain-ravaged Wimbledon to hold matches on middle Sunday

LONDON (Reuters) - Wimbledon matches will be held on the middle Sunday, organizers said on Twitter, to try to clear the backlog after scheduling delays built up over the first five days of what has been a rain-ravaged tournament.

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Saved by the rain, Djokovic's hopes hanging by a thread

LONDON (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic's hopes of a calendar year grand slam were hanging by a thread as he slipped two sets down to big-serving American Sam Querrey before rain stopped their Wimbledon third- round clash on Friday.

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Tennis: Del Potro returns from wilderness to knock out Wawrinka

LONDON (Reuters) - There is a reason why Juan Martin del Potro went under the knife -- over... and over... and over again.

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Kyrgios tames Brown to reach third round

LONDON (Reuters) - The good, bad and ugly sides of Nick Kyrgios were on display as the Australian firebrand beat German showman Dustin Brown 6-7(3) 6-1 2-6 6-4 6-4 to reach the Wimbledon third round on Friday.

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NBA: Free agent Mayo dismissed from league for drug violation

(Reuters) - Free agent O.J. Mayo has been "dismissed and disqualified" from the National Basketball Association for violating the league's anti-drug program, the NBA announced on Friday.

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Minor league baseball's Sonoma Stompers start 2 women in lineup

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Kelsie Whitmore will grab her glove and head for left field on Friday while Stacy Piagno will take the pitcher's mound for minor league baseball's independent Sonoma Stompers, which will become the first co-ed professional baseball team since the 1950s with more than one female player in the starting lineup.

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Tennis: Playing catch-up, Tsonga and Berdych finally negotiate round two

LONDON (Reuters) - Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was in no mood to hang about on Friday, racing to a one-set lead in just 18 minutes against Argentina's Juan Monaco some three hours after they first warmed up on another rain-interrupted day at Wimbledon.

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Sunday play at Wimbledon being considered

LONDON (Reuters) - Play may take place at Wimbledon this Sunday, organizers said, after scheduling delays built up over the first five days of what has been a rain-ravaged tournament.

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Phelps, Lochte hog spotlight from Olympic qualifiers

OMAHA, Nebraska (Reuters) - Nathan Adrian, Cammile Adams and Josh Prenot all scored wins at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials on Thursday to book their tickets to the Rio Games but were pushed out of the spotlight by old foes Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte.

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Cycling: Suspicious bikes could be checked during Tour stages - UCI

SAINT-LO, France, July 1 (Reuters) – Bikes could be checked for hidden motors during stages as part of plans to crack down on cheats in this year’s Tour de France, International Cycling Union (UCI) president Brian Cookson said on Friday.

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Motor racing: Rosberg faster than ever in Austria

SPIELBERG, Austria (Reuters) - World champions Mercedes dominated first practice for the Austrian Grand Prix on Friday with Formula One leader Nico Rosberg lapping faster than ever around the scenic Red Bull Ring.

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Athletics: Kenya's Tanui books Olympic spot as Kamworor burns out

ELDORET, Kenya (Reuters) - Paul Tanui won a tough 10,000 meter race to book his Olympic spot as world half-marathon title-holder Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor and silver medalist Bedan Karoki joined the casualty list at the Kenyan Olympic trials on Friday.

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Stepanova eligible to compete as independent: IAAF

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian doping whistleblower Yulia Stepanova's application to compete as an individual athlete has been accepted, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said on Friday.

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