Ukrainian Olympian auctioning medals to help war effort
November 30, 2022 GMTOne of Ukraine's most decorated Olympians is auctioning his medals — two golds and a bronze — in hopes of raising a six-figure donation to contribute to the war effort in his native land.
“My Olympic medals won’t matter if Ukraine can’t stand for this fight for freedom and independence,” two-time canoe champion Yuri Cheban told The Associated Press in an email exchange Wednesday.
Russia-Ukraine war derails World Cup of Hockey plans for ’24
November 12, 2022 GMTRussia's war in Ukraine has derailed plans to hold a World Cup of Hockey this winter.
Malinin headlines Grand Prix opener at Skate America
October 20, 2022 GMTThe new face of American figure skating began to play around with the quadruple axel, that unicorn of a jump that had never been landed in competition, when he started to see some of the sport's best give it a go about a year ago.
Boxing body won’t hold new election, damaging Olympic hopes
September 25, 2022 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — Umar Kremlev will remain the president of the International Boxing Association after the amateur sport's governing body voted against holding a new election Sunday, a decision that puts the Olympic future of boxing in serious doubt.
IOC president Bach discusses ‘challenges’ for 2026 Games
September 16, 2022 GMTROME (AP) — Costly construction delays, a leadership vacancy linked to a volatile political climate and a lack of sponsors amid a spreading financial crisis has prompted International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach to acknowledge the “challenges” facing organizers of the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Russia eyes 2024 Paris Olympics despite sports bans
July 26, 2022 GMTPARIS (AP) — With two years to go until the Paris Olympics open, Russia is making plans for its athletes to live and compete in the French capital even though many remain barred from upcoming qualification events because of the war in Ukraine.
McLaughlin’s next move among key stories on road to ’24
July 25, 2022 GMTEUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The conversation about what track sensation Sydney McLaughlin will do next involves more than the clock.
Yes, she brought the record in her 400-meter hurdles race down by nearly three-quarters of a second at the world championships, to a once-unthinkable mark of 50.68 seconds.
Column: Welcome to the Island of Misfit Sports
July 15, 2022 GMTBIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Like a fish out of water, Elisabeth Hammerstad tracks down a simple garden hose to wash off the sand and drench herself in a bit of relief from the blistering Alabama heat.
Zelenskyy praises IOC for supporting bans on Russian sport
July 4, 2022 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has thanked the IOC for supporting a ban on Russian teams and athletes competing in most Olympics sports, ahead of a court hearing Tuesday to challenge the ruling in international soccer.
Ukraine boycotts judo Olympic qualifier as Russians compete
June 24, 2022 GMTULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (AP) — Ukraine has begun a boycott of international judo events because the Russian team was allowed to compete as Olympic qualification began on Friday.
Judo is one of the few Olympic sports in which Russians can still compete, though they must do so without their flag and are officially representing the International Judo Federation.
Russian champion bashes Bach, shows sympathy for Ukrainians
June 9, 2022 GMTOlympic champion high jumper Maria Lasitskene, likely to be banned from defending her three straight world titles next month, lashed out at the leaders of the IOC and World Athletics, and expressed sympathy for her Ukrainian competitors in a heartfelt open letter distributed Thursday.
Figure skating minimum age rises to 17 before 2026 Olympics
June 7, 2022 GMTPHUKET, Thailand (AP) — No 15-year-old figure skaters will be allowed to compete at the 2026 Olympics following the controversy surrounding Russian national champion Kamila Valieva at this year's Beijing Games.
Russians out of track worlds barring unexpected end to war
June 2, 2022 GMTBarring a sudden, unexpected end to the war in Ukraine, athletes from Russia and Belarus will be banned from next month's track and field world championships, which marks the largest international sports event since the end of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
Russians star in NHL playoffs as nation wages war in Ukraine
May 30, 2022 GMTA little more than a mile from the United Nations, where Russia’s war in Ukraine is front and center, the crowd at Madison Square Garden chanted goaltender Igor Shesterkin’s name in the final moments of a playoff victory.
China’s 6-10 Han among international WNBA players to watch
May 6, 2022 GMTHan Xu feels much more comfortable in her second WNBA stint with the New York Liberty.
The 6-foot-10 center from China missed the last two WNBA seasons. She stayed in China amid COVID-19 lockdowns and training for the Olympics.
Putin backs Russian skater Valieva as she faces doping case
April 26, 2022 GMTRussian President Vladimir Putin expressed support for figure skater Kamila Valieva on Tuesday, saying she did not compete “dishonestly” after her doping case dominated this year's Winter Olympics.
Russian appeals against sports bans to be heard by CAS
April 5, 2022 GMTLAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Russian federations and athletes have filed multiple legal challenges to fight their bans from international sports events because of their country waging war on Ukraine.
How China’s TikTok, Facebook influencers push propaganda
March 30, 2022 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — To her 1.4 million followers across TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, Vica Li says she is a “life blogger” and “food lover” who wants to teach her fans about China so they can travel the country with ease.
How China’s TikTok, Facebook influencers push propaganda
March 30, 2022 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — To her 1.4 million followers on social media, Vica Li says she is a “life blogger” and “food lover” who wants to teach her fans about China so they can travel the country with ease.
Russian Olympians face backlash after Vladimir Putin rally
March 23, 2022 GMTLONDON (AP) — Russian Olympic athletes who participated in a rally supporting President Vladimir Putin and the invasion of Ukraine are facing a backlash, with one losing a sponsorship deal and facing a disciplinary investigation.
After Russia’s ban, world figure skating medals up for grabs
March 22, 2022 GMTThe top two women from the Beijing Olympics, Anna Shcherbakova and Alexandra Trusova, won't be at the world figure skating championships this week in Montpellier, France. Neither will Kamila Valieva, the fourth-place finisher whose positive doping result casted a shadow over the entire Winter Games.
Sebastian Coe says sports must fight to keep Russia banned
March 14, 2022 GMTLONDON (AP) — Sports federations have set precedents by banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from competition following the invasion of Ukraine and they must remain firm to keep them in place, Olympic great Sebastian Coe said Monday.
Monday’s Sports in Brief
March 8, 2022 GMTPRO FOOTBALL
ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley has been suspended for the 2022 season for betting on NFL games in 2021.
The suspension announced by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is for activity that took place while Ridley was away from the team addressing mental health concerns.
Gymnastics, curling add Russian athletes to sports bans
March 4, 2022 GMTRussia has been banned from international gymnastics and curling events in response to its invasion of Ukraine.
The International Gymnastics Federation on Friday said Russian and Belarusian athletes or officials, including judges, will not be allowed to participate in sanctioned competitions, indefinitely.
Ukrainian athletes join military after Russian invasion
March 2, 2022 GMTLess than two weeks ago, Dmytro Pidruchnyi was competing at the Winter Olympics in Ukraine's national colors. Now he's wearing a military uniform and ballistic helmet.
Pidruchnyi is a world champion in biathlon, which combines skiing and shooting, and a three-time Olympian.
Euro backlash as FIFA refuses to expel Russia from football
February 28, 2022 GMTLONDON (AP) — FIFA drew a swift backlash from European nations for not immediately expelling Russia from World Cup qualifying on Sunday and only ordering the country to play without its flag and anthem at neutral venues under the name of its federation — the Football Union of Russia.
Poland, Sweden refuse to play Russia in World Cup playoffs
February 26, 2022 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s refusal to play its World Cup qualifier against Russia next month in response to that nation's invasion of Ukraine gained wider support when Sweden followed with its own plans to protest to FIFA on Saturday.
AP Sportlight
February 24, 2022 GMTFeb. 25
1940 — The first telecast of an American hockey game is transmitted over station W2XBS in New York. The viewing audience watches the New York Rangers battle the Montreal Canadiens at Madison Square Garden.
AP-Sportlight-Week Ahead
February 24, 2022 GMTFeb. 25
1940 — The first telecast of an American hockey game is transmitted over station W2XBS in New York. The viewing audience watches the New York Rangers battle the Montreal Canadiens at Madison Square Garden.
Olympics Live: China pair breaks figure skating world record
February 18, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — The Latest on the Beijing Winter Olympics:
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Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China shattered their own world record for a short program at the Beijing Games on Friday night, giving them the narrowest of leads over Russian rivals Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov heading into the free skate to decide the Olympic champion.
Ukrainian and Russian celebrate with hug at Beijing Olympics
February 16, 2022 GMTZHANGJIAKOU, China (AP) — Defending champion Oleksandr Abramenko won Ukraine's first medal of the Beijing Olympics on Wednesday and celebrated by getting a hug from Russian skier Ilia Burov at a time of rising tensions between the countries.
Epic tricks lift US freestyle skiers to 1-2 Olympic finish
February 16, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Shred, white and flew.
Innovative American freestyle skiers Alex Hall and Nick Goepper landed jaw-dropping tricks on the Secret Garden slopestyle course and won the gold and silver medals at the Beijing Olympics on Wednesday.
Roundup of Olympic gold medals from Wednesday, Feb. 16
February 16, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — A roundup of gold medals from Wednesday, Feb. 16, at the Beijing Games:
China’s Qi quint-twists to gold in Olympic men’s aerials
February 16, 2022 GMTZHANGJIAKOU, China (AP) — Qi Guangpu of China finally flipped his way onto an Olympic podium in men's aerials, winning a gold medal Wednesday after near misses in Sochi and Pyeongchang.
Qi cleanly landed a quintuple-twisting triple back flip in the medal round, when five of his six competitors tried the same trick and only he did it clean.
Figure skaters sound off on Valieva’s Olympic doping scandal
February 15, 2022 GMTFigure skaters and coaches competing against 15-year-old Russian Kamila Valieva shared a range of views about the doping scandal that has caused havoc at the Beijing Olympics and overshadowed the marquee women’s contest.
Winter Olympians champion climate, peace amid muted activism
February 15, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — After a morning training session at the Winter Olympics’ Big Air Shougang venue, British snowboarder Katie Ormerod stopped by the press zone to do a quick interview. The topic wasn’t how much air time she got or the tricks she was trying to pull off.
Olympics Live: US clinches men’s hockey tournament top seed
February 13, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — The Latest on the Beijing Winter Olympics:
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The United States has clinched the top seed in the Olympic men’s hockey tournament.
No Olympic medal as Shaun White takes flight for final time
February 11, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Shaun White’s brilliant and transcendent Olympic career is over. It ended with a fall on his final run down the halfpipe, a heartfelt ovation from the crowd and then a tearful farewell to a sport he helped define.
Grotheer gives Germany another Olympic sliding gold medal
February 11, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Germany has its first Olympic skeleton champion, and the country is simply sliding away from all challengers so far at the Beijing Olympics.
That's no surprise.
This, however, was: China has its first Olympic sliding medal — ever.
6 Danish men’s hockey players test positive at Olympics
February 2, 2022 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Denmark’s men’s hockey team held its first pre-Olympic practice Wednesday without six players after a spate of positive COVID-19 test results upon arriving in China.
The Danish Olympic federation announced that forwards Matthias Asperup and Nick Olesen tested positive for the coronavirus and went into isolation.
With tensions high, Russia aims for Olympic gold in Beijing
January 28, 2022 GMTRussia is heading to the Beijing Olympics against a backdrop of international tension, and not for the first time.
A build-up of Russian forces near neighboring Ukraine is causing concern in Washington and among the United States' NATO allies in Europe.
Germany warns Russia will pay a price if it enters Ukraine
December 9, 2021 GMTPARIS (AP) — Germany's foreign minister warned Russia on Thursday that it would pay a “high political and economic price” if it makes any militaristic moves against neighboring Ukraine.
WADA says Ukraine routinely violated rules for doping tests
October 27, 2021 GMTLONDON (AP) — Ukraine's national anti-doping agency has been accused of giving athletes advance notice of test collections and deliberately mislabeling samples to avoid stricter analysis before the Tokyo Olympics.
Uchimura, 5 new Olympic champs headline gymnastics worlds
October 18, 2021 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Kohei Uchimura will be aiming for a measure of redemption when the world championships begin in his hometown this week in what could be a competition finale for one of the greatest male gymnasts of all time.
US draws Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico for World Cup qualifying
August 31, 2021 GMTUSA Basketball will face Puerto Rico, Mexico and Cuba in the first round of qualifying for the 2023 Basketball World Cup.
The Americans, who won a fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal in Tokyo but finished only seventh at the most recent Basketball World Cup two years ago, found out their qualifying opponents Tuesday when the draw was held at FIBA headquarters in Mies, Switzerland.
Roundup of Olympic gold medals from Sunday, August 8
August 8, 2021 GMTTOKYO (AP) — A roundup of gold medals from Sunday, August 8, at the Tokyo Games:
Roundup of Olympic gold medals from Saturday, August 7
August 7, 2021 GMTTOKYO (AP) — A roundup of gold medals from Saturday, August 7, at the Tokyo Games:
Olympic Latest: France earns gold for 1st volleyball medal
August 7, 2021 GMTTOKYO (AP) — The Latest on the Tokyo Olympics, which are taking place under heavy restrictions after a year’s delay because of the coronavirus pandemic:
Romashina says goodbye after her 7th Olympic gold
August 7, 2021 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Holding back tears, her freshly won seventh Olympic gold medal hanging around her neck, Svetlana Romashina announced the end of the greatest Olympic career in artistic swimming history.
Organizers apologize to Ukraine for calling them Russian
August 5, 2021 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Tokyo Olympic organizers apologized Thursday after Ukrainian athletes in artistic swimming were announced as Russians at a medal ceremony.
“It was purely an operational mistake,” organizing committee spokesman Masa Tanaka said of the error on Wednesday at the Olympic pool.
Helen Maroulis loses to Risako Kawai in 57kg semifinals
August 4, 2021 GMTCHIBA, Japan (AP) — Helen Maroulis wishes she had a do-over.
Being too careful cost her a chance to become the first American woman to win two Olympic gold medals in freestyle wrestling. She lost to Risako Kawai of Japan 2-1 in the 57-kilogram semifinals on Wednesday.
Roundup of Olympic gold medals from Wednesday, August 4
August 4, 2021 GMTTOKYO (AP) — A roundup of gold medals from Wednesday, August 4, at the Tokyo Games:
Russia’s Romashina sets record with 6th Olympic gold
August 4, 2021 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Svetlana Romashina doesn't count gold medals.
She could be excused for losing track.
The Russian star claimed her record sixth Olympic gold in artistic swimming, teaming with Svetlana Kolesnichenko to win the duet Wednesday night.
Tuesday Sports in Brief
August 4, 2021 GMTOLYMPICS
TOKYO (AP) — Simone Biles won a bronze medal in balance beam, her first of the Tokyo Olympics.
The American gymnastics star finished behind gold medalist Guan Chenchen and silver medalist Tang Xijing both of China.
Olympian Dolgopyat arrives home to hero’s welcome in Israel
August 3, 2021 GMTTEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Olympian Artem Dolgopyat arrived home to Israel on Tuesday to a hero's welcome after winning Israel's first-ever gold medal in artistic gymnastics.
On the ground at Ben Gurion International Airport, he soaked up cheers from the crowd, raising his medal and putting his other arm around his longtime partner, Maria Masha Sakovichas.
Israel’s Olympic gold victory raises Jewish identity debate
August 3, 2021 GMTJERUSALEM (AP) — Artem Dolgopyat fulfilled a lifelong dream when he won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. But back home in Israel, his hopes of trading gold wedding bands with his longtime girlfriend seem to be an impossible dream.
USA’s Gray loses 76kg final to Germany’s Rotter-Focken
August 2, 2021 GMTCHIBA, Japan (AP) — American wrestler Adeline Gray fell short of the career-defining moment she sought for so long.
Germany’s Aline Rotter-Focken beat her 7-3 Monday night in the 76-kilogram women’s freestyle wrestling final.
Olympic surprise: American Finke leaves Tokyo with two golds
August 1, 2021 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Bobby Finke will be the first to concede he had modest goals for the Tokyo Olympics.
He was thrilled merely to make the U.S. team in a couple of grueling freestyle events. He couldn't really envision winning a medal