Olympics

6:17 AM ET Associated Press TOKYO — Confronted in Japan with some of the strongest medical-community opposition yet to the Tokyo Olympics, IOC president Thomas Bach offered Wednesday to have added medical personnel available to help out when the games open in just over nine weeks. Bach gave few details, speaking remotely at the opening

3:25 PM ET Associated Press WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Tuesday for a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics, citing human rights abuses by China’s government. “We cannot proceed as if nothing is wrong about the Olympics going to China,” the California Democrat said during a joint video hearing of the Tom

2:34 PM ET Associated Press The next big decision that Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry makes won’t be the one that decides his NBA future. His Olympic future will be settled first. Lowry — who will be one of the top free agents on the market this summer — said Tuesday that he is considering

10:30 AM ET Kacey Bellamy is retiring from the United States women’s hockey team, USA Hockey announced Tuesday. The news comes as a shock as Bellamy, 34, was supposed to play in the 2021 World Championships this month in Nova Scotia, and was on track to make her fourth Olympic team in February. However, when

5:51 PM ET Associated Press The U.S. government is holding on to nearly $3 million earmarked for the World Anti-Doping Agency, with plans to pay only if it sees “real progress and a path for more substantial future reforms” out of the global drug-fighting organization. The White House drug-control office delivered an updated report to

1:14 PM ET Associated Press The New York Road Runners announced Monday that the 50th running of the New York City Marathon will be held on Nov. 7. NYRR says a modified field of 33,000 runners was determined after consulting with state and city officials. Race director Ted Metellus said the return of the race

12:22 PM ET ESPN staff Nearly two weeks after a former junior national wrestling champion Sagar Rana was murdered outside the parking lot of New Delhi’s Chhatrasal stadium, the Delhi Police have announced a reward of Rs. 1 lakh for any information that leads to the arrest of two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, who is

5:59 AM ET Associated Press Groups alleging human rights abuses against minorities in China are calling for a full-blown boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, a move likely to ratchet up pressure on the International Olympic Committee, athletes, sponsors and sports federations. A coalition representing Uyghurs, Tibetans, residents of Hong Kong and others

12:25 PM ET Associated Press LONDON — The British government is still deciding whether to accept an offer from Pfizer to fast-track Olympic and Paralympic athletes for coronavirus vaccines. Jabs are only being given to Britons aged 38 or older — though this will be extended to those over 35 from next week — with

6:01 PM ET Associated Press GENEVA — American triple jumper Omar Craddock was banned for 20 months on Friday over missed doping tests and will miss the Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 world championships in Oregon. Track and field’s Athletics Integrity Unit alleged the 2019 Pan American Games champion broke anti-doping rules with three violations

8:48 AM ET Associated Press PARIS — World champion cyclist Julian Alaphilippe has decided to skip the Tokyo Olympics, where he was expected to be a medal contender in the road race. The French rider said Friday it was a personal choice reached in agreement with the national team. Alaphilippe is due to become a

5:57 AM ET Associated Press TOKYO — Japan is set to further expand a coronavirus state of emergency, currently in Tokyo and five other prefectures, to nine areas as the government is determined to hold the Olympics in just over two months. Japan has been struggling to slow the infections ahead of the Games. The

5:21 AM ET Aramide Oladipo When Dina Asher-Smith takes her place on the starting blocks at the delayed Olympic Games this summer, she is determined to be in peak condition both physically and mentally. The British sprinter has had an extra year to prepare for one of the biggest occasions of her career and she

7:18 PM ET Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS — Simone Biles is back to competing. The reigning Olympic gymnastics champion will return to competition for the first time in more than 18 months at the U.S. Classic next week in Indianapolis. The 24-year-old Biles — a heavy favorite to defend her Olympic title in Tokyo this summer

3:45 PM ET Associated Press DENVER — A boycott of next year’s Beijing Olympics will not solve any geopolitical issues with China and will only serve to place athletes training for the games under a “cloud of uncertainty,” the head of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee wrote to Congress on Thursday. CEO Sarah Hirshland

3:34 PM ET Associated Press CALGARY, Alberta — Troy Ryan has been named head coach of Canada’s women’s hockey team for the 2022 Beijing Olympics. “It is an honor and privilege to be entrusted with this leadership opportunity,” Ryan said Thursday in a statement. Ryan has Olympic experience. He was an assistant for Laura Schuler

6:07 AM ET Associated Press THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Dutch cyclist Tom Dumoulin is returning to racing next month, six months after taking a break from the sport to consider his future. The 30-year-old former time-trial world champion will begin his comeback at the Tour de Suisse on June 6, the Jumbo-Visma team said Thursday.

5:57 AM ET Associated Press SYDNEY — Two years after his controversial podium move at the world swimming championships, Australian Mack Horton still can’t seem to shake off questions about the guy he intended to snub. Horton refused to stand on the podium next to Sun Yang at Gwangju, South Korea in 2019 after the