SPORTS

Novak Djokovic’s attempt to play in the Australian Open despite being unvaccinated for COVID-19 has come to an end after a court upheld a government minister’s rejection of his visa.

Novak Djokovic’s final bid to avoid deportation and play in the Australian Open despite being unvaccinated for COVID-19 has ended when a court unanimously dismissed his challenge to cancel his visa.

Oregon knocked off a top-five team for the second time in two games, beating No. 5 Southern California 79-69 behind Will Richardson’s career-high 28 points.

Novak Djokovic faces deportation rather than playing his first-round Australian Open match on Monday.

Josh Allen set a franchise record by throwing five touchdown passes and the Buffalo Bills showed who's king of the AFC East with a 47-17 throttling of the New England Patriots in a wild-card playoff game.

Beijing has reported its first local omicron infection weeks before the Winter Olympic Games are due to start.

Russell Henley is holding on to a two-shot lead at the Sony Open.

A mostly tense game between teams with long playoff droughts was disrupted by some problematic officiating.

Kevin Durant missed the second half of Brooklyn’s game against New Orleans after spraining his left knee in a collision.

Tennessee authorities say former Alabama quarterback Jay Barker has been arrested on a felony domestic violence charge.

Joe Burrow led an efficient offense that scored on six drives, including two of his touchdown passes, and rookie Evan McPherson made four field goals as the Cincinnati Bengals finally advanced in the playoffs with a 26-19 win over Las Vegas in Saturday’s wild-card game.

New England defensive back Kyle Dugger and linebacker Dont’a Hightower returned to the lineup for the Patriots' wild-card playoff game at the Buffalo Bills after missing last week’s regular-season finale.

Tom Wilson scored early, Alex Ovechkin added an empty-net goal late, and Vitek Vanecek made 23 saves to lead the Washington Capitals to a 2-0 victory over the New York Islanders.

Mark Williams had 19 points, 11 rebounds and eight blocks to lead eighth-ranked Duke’s dominant effort inside as the Blue Devils beat North Carolina State 88-73.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart told a near-capacity crowd at Sanford Stadium the Bulldogs don’t plan to wait another 41 years for their next national championship.

Freshman TyTy Washington Jr. scored a career-high 28 points, Sahvir Wheeler returned from injury to add 21 points and No. 18 Kentucky shot a season-high 68% to blow out No. 22 Tennessee 107-79.

Ryan Young had 18 points and eight rebounds, helping Northwestern hold on to beat No. 10 Michigan State 64-62 for its first road win over a top 10 team in nearly five years.

Shaun White finished third at the Laax Open in Switzerland, marking his first podium finish since he won his third Olympic gold medal in 2018 and all but cementing his spot at next month’s games in Beijing.

Pep Guardiola's biggest challenge now might be convincing his Manchester City players the English Premier League title race is not over.

To his critics, Novak Djokovic has been cavalier and reckless in the face of a deadly pandemic.

Brandt Snedeker is ready to put last year behind him in a big way.

Former Kentucky basketball coach Joe B.

Athletes will need to be vaccinated and tested daily at the Winter Olympics in Beijing next month.

Luka Doncic had a triple-double with 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists and the Dallas Mavericks used a second-half rally to rout Memphis 112-85 on Friday night, ending the Grizzlies’ winning streak at 11 games.

Todd Graham resigned as the University of Hawaii’s football coach Friday, stepping down amid controversy after completing the second-year of a five-year contract.

Rafael Nadal has expressed thoughts shared by many others in the tennis world when it comes to Novak Djokovic’s will-he-or-won’t-he-play saga ahead of the Australian Open.

A verdict is expected later Sunday in tennis star Novak Djokovic’s appeal against a deportation order that threatens his participation in the Australian Open.

The NFL has taken several steps to improve diversity among leadership positions, yet Mike Tomlin is the only Black head coach after Brian Flores and David Culley were fired this week.

Moritz Wagner scored a season-high 26 points, younger brother Franz added 19 points and the Orlando Magic beat the Charlotte Hornets 116-109 to snap a 10-game losing streak.

Andrew Wiggins scored 21 points, Stephen Curry added 19 and the Golden State Warriors rolled to their most lopsided win of the season, dominating the Chicago Bulls 138-96.

Devin Booker scored 35 points, Deandre Ayton had 27 points and 12 rebounds and the NBA-leading Phoenix Suns beat the Indiana Pacers 112-94 on Friday night.

Novak Djokovic won his first legal round against Australian authorities who want to deport him.

Former tennis star Chris Evert says she was diagnosed with an early stage of ovarian cancer.

Russell Henley has a hard time believing it was nine years ago when he began his PGA Tour career by winning the Sony Open.

Netflix is taking a swing at tennis next.

Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio says it was his decision to fire head coach David Culley after just one season.

A South Dakota legislative committee has approved a bill championed by Gov. Kristi Noem to ban transgender women and girls from participating in school sports leagues that match their gender identity.

Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner Jim Phillips says now is not the time for College Football Playoff expansion.

Three-time Olympic ski jumping champion Kamil Stoch has an injured left leg that is knocking him out of World Cup competition this week in his native Poland.

Five players, including dynamic pass catchers Cooper Kupp and Davante Adams, are unanimous choices for The Associated Press 2021 NFL All-Pro Team.

A lot of people are angry at Novak Djokovic.

Athletes have been put at center court of arguments over COVID vaccines.

China is tightening its anti-pandemic measures in Beijing and across the country as scattered outbreaks continue ahead of the opening of the Winter Olympics in a little over two weeks.

The treatment of tennis star Novak Djokovic by Australian immigration officials might seem harsh from afar.

Novak Djokovic’s attempt to stave off deportation and be allowed to play in the Australian Open despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19 is headed for a legal hearing the day before he is scheduled to begin his title defense at a Grand Slam tournament he’s won a record nine times.

Aisha Visram became the first woman to work on the bench of an NHL regular-season game in any capacity when she served as athletic trainer for the Los Angeles Kings in their 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Instead of taking a big shot, James Harden wants to deliver one — right into Kyrie Irving’s arm.

Novak Djokovic’s effort to play in the Australian Open despite being unvaccinated for COVID-19 moved to a higher court as the No. 1-ranked tennis player appealed the second cancellation of his visa.

Drew Timme scored 30 points on 13-of-14 shooting and No. 2 Gonzaga beat rival BYU 110-84 to extend the nation’s longest home winning streak to 61 games.

Jacob Young scored a season-high 23 points and Oregon edged No. 3 UCLA 84-81 in overtime to give coach Dana Altman his 700th career victory.

It's been a tradition since 1934 but it’s started to feel a bit forced. The Sports Seriously crew debates if the NFL should remove the Detroit Lions from it’s Thanksgiving slate.

The program operates in cities including Chicago, Denver and Baltimore.

“Per Governor Pritzker, we have hope that low-risk sports may be permitted in certain regions of the state as early as this Friday. With that in mind, February seems like a realistic timeline to have sports resume statewide. We expect that the events of the next two weeks will go a long way toward informing our opinion on which scheduling option we decide to proceed with. We recognize that if no sports have resumed by February, season lengths could be impacted in certain sports and that we may need to take a longer look at the likelihood of true seasons being conducted in high-risk sports this year.”

Chase Elliott does a burnout after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway Thursday, May 28, 2020, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)CONCORD, N.C. NASCAR's grueling return to racing finally ended with a Cup victory for Chase Elliott. The event, postponed Wednesday night, was the fourth Cup race since the series resumed racing May 17. Man this is a tough week, we've had some tough losses," Elliott said from the frontstretch. Elliott reeled in Kevin Harvick with 27 laps remaining and closed out the victory. Elliott's victory was the first for a Chevrolet driver in NASCAR's return to Cup racing.

(AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File)BRUSSELS Authorities and fans on Friday marked the 35th anniversary of the Heysel Stadium tragedy where 39 people died during violence at the 1985 European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus. Flowers and wreaths were laid at a remembrance plaque at the King Baudouin Stadium, which was renovated and renamed after the tragedy. Prior to the final, hooligans from a stand holding Liverpool fans smashed their way into an adjacent section for Juventus supporters. In the ensuing chaos, the victims were either trampled or suffocated to death as they tried to flee the violence. The disaster was instrumental in improving stadium safety across the continent, and hooliganism has lost much of its violent edge.

(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The top two divisions of the Swedish league have been given the go-ahead to start their seasons on June 14. There will be no spectators at matches. The season was scheduled to start on April 4 but was suspended because of the coronavirus outbreak.

MADRID Spanish soccer matches could have the look of a video game when the competition resumes next month. The league is contemplating adding virtual crowds to the television broadcast of matches that will be played in empty stadiums because of the coronavirus pandemic. Tebas said the Bundesliga, which resumed recently in Germany, was successful using virtual sound during its matches, and the Spanish league wants to go a step further by using the virtual fans. The biggest challenge for the virtual crowd the Spanish league wants to use is to make sure it will work properly when superimposed during the live event. Tebas said the league is expected to finish on July 19, with the next season starting on Sept. 12.

Joe Burrow went from middle-of-the-pack quarterback to Heisman Trophy winner. In 2020, what teams and players have a chance to be the next Baylor or Burrow? On the latest AP Top 25 College Football Podcast, USA Todays Paul Myerberg joins APs Ralph Russo to talk about potentially surprising players and Heisman Trophy candidates not name Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields. Also, there are lots of encouraging signs college football will start on time, but the coronavirus is likely to make this a most unusual season. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and https://appodcasts.com/category/ap-top-25-college-football/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/APTop25CollegeFootballPoll and https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

NEW YORK Major League Baseballs shortened amateur draft will remain at the MLB Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey, for the first round on June 10. MLB shortened the selections to five rounds and 160 picks in response to the new coronavirus pandemic, by far the fewest since the draft started in 1965. The combined value of their signing bonus pools is $235,906,800 and the amount of signing bonus pool money eliminated is $29,578,100. The deadline for selected players to sign was pushed back from July 10 to Aug. 1. Signing bonus pools started in 2012 and limit the amount of money teams can spend.

The coronavirus pandemic could lead to a quicker expansion of sports betting and internet gambling in the U.S. as states deal with huge budget deficits and look for new tax revenue wherever they can find it. So far, 18 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia offer sports betting, and four offer internet gambling, which can include online casino games, slots and poker. Louisiana is close to approving a November referendum on sports betting, and Ohio's Legislature is moving forward this week with a bill that could authorize sports betting, including mobile betting, although a competing measure could limit it to in-person bets at casinos and race tracks. Krafcik said Illinois could approve internet gambling by the end of the year, at least in part to recoup tax revenue lost to the virus outbreak. Yaniv Sherman, head of commercial development for the online gambling company 888 Holdings, said the virus is accelerating trends that were already in motion before the virus hit, including growing acceptance of sports and online betting.

In this Wednesday, May 27, 2020 photo, Marina, a medical worker, boxes during a training session with French boxer Hassan NDam, at the Villeneuve-Saint-Georges hospital, outside Paris. A world champion French boxer is taking his skills to hospitals, coaching staff to thank the medical profession for saving his father-in-law from the virus, and giving them new confidence and relief from their stressful jobs. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)PARIS Hassan NDam, former middleweight boxing champion of the world, wanted to repay the French hospital that cared for his father-in-law through his bout with COVID-19. The hospital boxing bouts also gave NDam valuable time to see his father in law, Jean-Claude Valero, as he recovered from the virus. Light on his toes, the stocky surgeon unleashes a quick four-punch combination that seems to surprise, and perhaps even impress NDam.

FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2018, file photo, West Virginia players high-five fans after defeating Kansas 38-22 in an NCAA college football game in Morgantown, W. Va. (AP Photo/Craig Hudson, File)The NCAA released a long and detailed plan Friday to help schools bring athletes back to campus during a pandemic. The NCAA says its plan is offered as guidance, consistent with federal and local public health guidelines. Shortly before the NCAA released its guidelines, the University of North Carolina posted on social media its plan to bring athletes back to campus. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and https://appodcasts.com/category/ap-top-25-college-football/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/APTop25CollegeFootballPoll and https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Minor league players look as if they'll have no season most hitters and pitchers, many of whom seem destined to get released, will need to put together their own practice sessions. For minor league umpires, it's a double-whammy in a lost year: no income and no real way to improve their craft. Saluga lives around Youngstown, Ohio, and has heard some Division I teams nearby might start workouts. And no doubt, for some of the 236 minor league umps, a lost year will mean the end of a career. Weve discussed that, said former big league ump Dusty Dellinger, the director of umpire development for minor league baseball.

Swing" are new tournaments the European Tour will pay for out of its tournament development fund. If the quarantine is not lifted, top European Tour players would have to choose between a major and four European Tour events with minimal prize money. Hotels need to be in operation and the quarantine needs to be lifted to continue with these events, Pelley said. We wouldn't be announcing these events without having had significant dialogue with the UK government, Pelley said. The European Tour said no one will lose status for 2021 and there will not be a Q-school at the end of the year.

HARTFORD, Conn. A Connecticut policy that allows transgender athletes to compete in girls sports violates the civil rights of female athletes, the U.S. Education Department's Office for Civil Rights has ruled. The office said in a 45-page letter that it may seek to withhold federal funding over the policy, which allows transgender athletes to participate as the gender with which they identify. It said the policy is a violation of Title IX, the federal civil rights law that guarantees equal education opportunities for women, including in athletics. They were also seeking to erase all records set by the transgender athletes. Several other states have polices barring the participation of transgender athletes and Idaho recently became the first state to pass a law banning transgender women from competing in womens sports.

Remember, games cannot be played without you, Boras wrote. Players should not agree to further pay cuts to bail out the owners. Owners are asking for more salary cuts to bail them out of the investment decisions they have made, Boras said. If this was just about baseball, playing games would give the owners enough money to pay the players their full prorated salaries and run the baseball organization. They are not offering players a share of the stadiums, ballpark villages or the club itself, even though salary reductions would help owners pay for these valuable franchise assets.

The Browns remain interested in Clowney, the talented defensive end _ and former No. The Browns remain interested in Clowney, the talented defensive end and the No. During a Zoom meeting with reporters on Thursday, Woods praised Clowney but deferred any questions about the Browns' pursuit of the speedy edge rusher to general manager Andrew Berry. Obviously, he has been a really good player in this league, a great pass rusher when he was in Houston, in Seattle," Woods said. But until Clowney, who reportedly turned down an offer from the Browns already, decides what he wants to do, it's still in play.

Washington's Alex Ovechkin and Boston's David Pastrnak share the Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy the league announced Thursday, May 28, 2020. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson, File)Since the NHL is planning to go straight to the playoffs, it's handing out a handful of trophies for the regular season cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. Not long after unveiling a 24-team right to the playoffs format, the league on Thursday announced the winners of its regular-season awards. Although Ovechkin was stopped short of a ninth 50-goal season, his ninth goal-scoring title extends his NHL record. The benefit and the curse of a bye, I suppose.___For more AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

These attendance-driven leagues might not play again at all in 2020, putting some teams in danger of surviving at all and potentially changing the landscape of minor league sports in the future. The White Sox are even providing those stipends to 25 minor league players recently released. MLB suspended spring training and postponed the start of the minor league season in March due to the novel coronavirus, leaving low-paid minor league players in lurch. The league launched a policy March 19 that provided most non-40-man roster players signed to minor league deals with stipends through April 8, and it later extended the policy through May 31. MLB and the players' association are negotiating terms to start the major league season later in the summer, but it seems likely there will not be a minor league season.

Two weeks before the PGA Tour is set to resume its schedule, John Deere Classic officials decided Thursday to cancel what would have been the fifth tournament back. The John Deere would have been July 9-12 in Silvis, Illinois, the fifth PGA Tour stop under the revised schedule. This would have been the 50th anniversary of John Deere Classic. John Deere stepped in as title sponsor in 1999, and it has thrived in recent years as the final stop before the British Open. Peterson said the John Deere Co. supported the decision.

Joel Rosario, top, and Nadal cross the wire to win the second division of the Arkansas Derby horse race Saturday, May 2, 2020, at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs, Ark. (Richard Rasmussen/The Sentinel-Record via AP)LOS ANGELES Nadal, one of trainer Bob Bafferts early favorites for the Triple Crown, injured his ankle after a workout at Santa Anita on Thursday and is out of contention for the series. Baffert said Nadal could return to racing after a 90-day recovery period. Nadal is named for Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal, who has endured numerous injuries during his stellar career. In February, he won the San Vicente after winning his racing debut in January at Santa Anita.

(AP Photo/Orlin Wagner, File)SAN FRANCISCO The Kansas City Royals have moved -- not actually, but legally. Kansas City Royals Baseball Corp., a Missouri corporation, had been a defendant in the suit, which was filed in 2014. That company filed a certificate of conversion with the Missouri secretary of state on Nov. 19 to convert to Kansas City Royals Baseball Club Inc., a Delaware corporation. Then the newly named corporation converted to Kansas City Royals Baseball Club LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. The Royals have a Class A minor league team in WilmingtonCorporate laws are much more universal in Delaware, Royals spokesman Mike Swanson said.

After injuries shortened his last two seasons, Flacco is now in New York with a new role: as a backup to Sam Darnold. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)NEW YORK Joe Flacco has hoisted the Lombardi Trophy and been the Super Bowl MVP. Now with the New York Jets, Flacco is merely a 35-year-old backup coming off an injury and tasked with helping Sam Darnold achieve the kind of success he has enjoyed in his pro career. I think in the role Im in now, you can definitely have a good, positive effect on the team." Listen, I dont think there are any backups in this league that dont have aspirations to be a starting quarterback," Flacco said.

Mike McCarthy has spent most of his first offseason as coach of the Dallas Cowboys at home in Green Bay. Meantime, McCarthy sure is ready to get back to the Cowboys' facility north of Dallas, particularly because live offseason practices would be happening now under normal circumstances. I have been with my family the whole time, except for maybe the first 10 days of the pandemic, McCarthy said Wednesday in his first teleconference with reporters since the draft. After a year away from the game following his firing in Green Bay, McCarthy replaced most of the coaching staff and geared up for the draft. After winning a Super Bowl with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay nine years ago, McCarthy knows the development of his relationship with Prescott is among the highest priorities.

ATLANTA Georgia has picked up another high-profile transfer to compete for its starting quarterback job, landing former Southern California starter JT Daniels. Daniels started for the Trojans in 2018, but lost his job to Kedon Slovis after going down last season with a knee injury. He announced Thursday that hes heading to Georgia, which is seeking a replacement for three-year starter Jake Fromm. Daniels won the starting job again out of camp last summer in new offensive coordinator Graham Harrells up-tempo scheme, but the sophomore tore a ligament in his knee in the Trojans season opener against Fresno State. Slovis stepped into the starting job and excelled in Harrells offense as a freshman, passing for 3,502 yards with 30 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

A man walks through the infield as rain falls before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway Wednesday, May 27, 2020, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)CONCORD, N.C. Rain washed out the Cup Series race Wednesday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway a slight break for NASCAR teams taxed by a grueling return to racing. The race was rescheduled for Thursday night at 7 p.m., which in turn forced NASCAR to move the Xfinity Series race scheduled for Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Xfinity Series race will instead be run Monday night, a day after the Cup Series. The second consecutive Wednesday night race would have been the fourth for the elite Cup Series since May 17. The starting order for the second Cup race at Charlotte this week was set based on the finishing order of the Coca-Cola 600 but with an inversion.

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The postponed Belgian Cup final has been rescheduled for Aug. 1. That is one week before the start of the leagues next season. Belgian soccer authorities say the match between Club Brugge and Antwerp will take place in an empty King Baudouin Stadium. Club Brugge has the opportunity to secure a league-cup double after it was awarded its 16th Belgian title this month following a decision to end the current season prematurely because of the coronavirus pandemic. The new season is set to start on Aug. 7.

TOKYO Just two months after the unprecedented Olympic postponement, organizing committee CEO Toshiro Muto was asked Thursday about progress toward rescheduling next year's Tokyo Games. In the last week, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and IOC member John Coates, who oversees preparations for Tokyo, have speculated more openly on how the games might be held. Coates, speaking last week at a News Corp Australia digital forum and reported in The Australian newspaper, was very frank. He ran off the numbers: 11,000 Olympic athletes, 5,000 technical officials and coaches, 20,000 media, and 60,000 volunteers. Muto has always said the games are on, though Bach and Tokyo organizing committee President Yoshiro Mori agree they cannot be delayed again.

Dortmund's head coach Lucien Favre attends the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Bayern Munich in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, May 26, 2020. The German Bundesliga is the world's first major soccer league to resume after a two-month suspension because of the coronavirus pandemic. Its brutally hard, Dortmund coach Lucien Favre said. Asked if he was up to the task of winning trophies with Dortmund, Favre skirted around the question. All three were expensive signings for this season as Dortmund sought to finally break Bayerns hold on the title.

Staple Center is one of the possible locations the NHL has zeroed in on to host playoff games if it can return amid the coronavirus pandemic. Seven of the 10 locations the NHL has zeroed in on to hold playoff games if it resumes are American cities not restricted by Canadas 14-day mandatory quarantine upon arrival. Before the NHL commits to where games could be held, officials are planning for multiple scenarios. But that isnt stopping NHL executives from pitching the ability to host playoff games. None of us would agree to a situation where we are taking away testing from people that need it, Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said.

FC Midtjylland and AGF Aarhus have gotten creative as they look to generate some atmosphere because games have to be played in empty stadiums. Midtjylland is planning a drive-in where about 2,000 supporters can watch games from inside their cars in a parking lot outside the teams stadium. Also, more than 1,000 Cologne fans lent shirts and scarves to a lucky charm support display in the stands for their teams game with Mainz. Still, Aarhus believes its idea could be an inspiration for other leagues, with soccer gradually returning across the world. They can watch the game alongside the people they would usually sit next to in the ground.

Marcus Lemonis, the CEO of Gander RV & Outdoors, which sponsors the Truck Series, agreed to match Harvicks pledge, bringing the total to $100,000 for pandemic relief. Elliott rubbed a little salt in the wound after the race, borrowing Buschs celebratory bow after the race. That is all.It was the first Truck Series race since Feb. 21 when Busch won at Las Vegas. Elliott, John Hunter Nemechek and Brennan Poole were the three full-time Cup drivers eligible to collect the $100,000 bounty. He followed up a fourth-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday by winning the Xfinity Series race on Monday in overtime after passing Austin Cindric on the final lap.

LOS ANGELES Two horses from the barn of two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer Bob Baffert have tested positive for a banned substance, according to published reports. According to the Times, one of the horses to test positive was Charlatan, an undefeated colt considered to be a top contender for the Belmont Stakes on June 20. The Times reported Baffert's other horse to test positive is Gamine, a 3-year-old filly who won at Oaklawn on the same day. Charlatan is ranked fourth on the qualifying points leaderboard for the Kentucky Derby, a race Baffert has won five times. No one at the Arkansas Racing Commission was reachable after hours Tuesday night.

FILE - In this Jan. 24, 2015, file photo, NHL Player's Association executive director Donald Fehr, left, and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman are shown during a news conference at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. You have to prepare for what we hope is going to be a consensus that we can and should play, NHL Players Association executive director Don Fehr told The Associated Press. The NHL projects players might be allowed to begin returning for voluntary workouts next week. Bettman announced the NHL has narrowed the list to 10: Chicago, Columbus, Ohio, Dallas, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh and Minneapolis/St. The committee not only proposed the 24-team format, but also devised a list of protocols for teams to follow once players return to their facilities.

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The final Asian qualifying place for the womens soccer tournament at the Tokyo Olympics is set to be decided in February. The Asian Football Confederation says the postponed two-leg series between China and South Korea will be played Feb. 19 and 24. The games were previously postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics have been postponed for one year. The 12-team womens tournament is scheduled to start in Japan ahead of the Olympic opening ceremony on July 23, 2021.

ORLANDO, Fla. What was formally known as the Camping World Bowl will now coin a cheesier title. Officials announced Wednesday that Cheez-It will sponsor Central Florida bowl games beginning with its 2020 seasonThe original Cheez-It Bowl first premiered in 2018 with the Fiesta Bowl Organization in Phoenix. #CheezItBowl pic.twitter.com/L9cElFv6pi CHEEZ-IT (@cheezit) May 27, 2020The brands move to Orlando means Cheez-It will entitle one of just three games regularly featuring top picks from Power 5 conferences, a news release said. "Our preceding bowl game sponsorship with the Fiesta Bowl Organization helped solidify Cheez-It as a staple in the college football postseason. This years Cheez-It Bowl will be the 31st edition of the game, and its 20th in Orlando.

The French open will moving to September from the end of May because of the outbreak of the COVID-19 disease. When or if the French Open is held later in 2020, though, it is possible there could be zero or a limited number of people allowed to attend the event, which broke its attendance record last year with 520,000. Capping the number of fans allowed each day of the 15-day tournament might improve social distancing. We want there to be fans there, fans who respect precautionary measures, Vilotte said. So how do we organize ourselves in terms of managing the flow?Even with a roof, night sessions are not planned at the French Open until 2021.

FILE - In this July, 1997 file photo, Dwayne Hargo, left, Rick Chatman, right, and Quail Dobbs, in the barrel, try to divert the bull's attention away from a fallen cowboy at the Frontier Days rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyo. Cheyenne Frontier Days has been canceled for the first time in its 124-year history due to the coronavirus. Cheyenne Mayor Marian Orr said Wednesday, May 27, 2020 that organizers decided the risk of spreading the virus was too great for the more than 140,000 people who visit Cheyenne for Frontier Days in late July. Cheyenne Frontier Days, billed as the world's largest outdoor rodeo, has been canceled for the first time in its 124-year history due to the coronavirus, the city's mayor told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Bars all over Cheyenne are typically standing-room-only during Frontier Days as people try line dancing and mechanical bull-riding.

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is keeping coach Jeff Blashill despite another lackluster season. Yzerman told reporters on Wednesday his previously announced plans to keep Blashill behind the bench have not changed. Every team in the NHL had at least 23 more points than the Red Wings, and the NHL-best Boston Bruins had 61 more points. The decision to go straight to the playoffs ended the season for the Red Wings along with Buffalo, New Jersey, Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose and Ottawa. Former Red Wings general manager Ken Holland gave Blashill a two-year extension in 2019, keeping him under contract through the 2021-22 season.

Baker Mayfield went back to his roots during this strange offseason, a time he's used to reflect and forget a season that didn't go well for the Browns' brash quarterback. Mayfield knows the upcoming season is vital. If I play better, thats why quarterback is one of those positions thats the hardest in sports. If I play better, our teams going to do better. This is the first media thing I have done, just because there is no need to be talking about it.

FILE - In this Dec. 1, 2018, file photo, Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) dribbles the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets in Washington. Wizards point guard John Wall says he is "110%" healthy after missing the past 1 years with two major injuries. He is working out at home and looking forward to getting back to the NBA next season. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)WASHINGTON Washington Wizards point guard John Wall declared himself fully recovered after two operations that sidelined him for the past 1 years and said he is itching to get back on the court next season. Im healthy.He has not played in an NBA game since December 2018.

I was planning on going down there before all this stuff happened, Boykin said on a video-conference call Tuesday. But next week Ill be down there training with those guys.To this point, Boykin has been playing catch with backup quarterback Trace McSorley around Baltimore. The fact that I have Trace here to be able to work with me is huge, Boykin said. Boykin will join Jackson, second-year receiver Marquise Brown and several others in Florida. There is still no timetable for the resumption of game action or when players can return to team facilities for voluntary workouts.

Next up: Real golf, from Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas, where the PGA Tour is set to resume. The PGA Tour would be wise to take notice because an event like this can only broaden the appeal. They got tired and couldn't keep pace with soaring prize money on the PGA Tour. Woods is appealing because he's Tiger Woods. Would this have been as successful in the middle of a normal PGA Tour season?

If World TeamTennis gets its way, Grand Slam champions Sofia Kenin and Sloane Stephens could be among the first tennis players to compete in front of fans after the coronavirus pandemic prompted lockdowns around the globe. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)If World TeamTennis gets its way, Grand Slam champions Sofia Kenin and Sloane Stephens could be among the first tennis players to compete in front of fans after the coronavirus pandemic prompted lockdowns around the globe. WTT said Tuesday it is planning to allow up to 500 spectators at each of its outdoor matches during a three-week season from July 12 to Aug. 2 at a resort in West Virginia. Because of the pandemic, World TeamTennis is bringing all nine of its teams to one site The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia instead of having matches played around the United States. And unlike smaller exhibition tennis events around the world that have been staged without any fans present, WTT intends to sell tickets for one-fifth of a 2,500-seat outdoor stadium.

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, soccer star Megan Rapinoe and three-time WNBA champion Sue Bird will preside over The ESPYS two-hour broadcast airing June 21 on ESPN. Rapinoe and Bird are partners who share a household, which conveniently eases some logistics. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)LOS ANGELES Its a way different kind of year, and so The ESPYs will be, too. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, soccer star Megan Rapinoe and three-time WNBA champion Sue Bird will preside over the two-hour broadcast airing June 21 on ESPN. Comedy and music are always part of the show, and Wilson, Rapinoe and Bird will get a chance to show off a sense of humor.

(Gary Klein/Los Angeles Times via AP)LOS ANGELES Chris Dufresne, an award-winning former sports writer for the Los Angeles Times, has died. College football probably is the only thing Im attached to as a writer, Dufresne told Poynter.org. I can still fulfill my professional obligations by reporting in my living room from Panasonic Stadium, Dufresne wrote. I dont know if the NFL or college football will be back this season. ___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

We made a proposal to the union that is completely consistent with the economic realities facing our sport, MLB said in a statement. During that session, MLB gave the union a presentation claiming billions of dollars of anticipated losses and held off making a proposal for two weeks. Under MLBs proposal, the playoffs would expand from 10 teams to 14 and players would receive more money if the postseason is played. Many players and union leadership have said the March 26 agreement would stand and no additional salary should be given up. As protection to teams against a lost postseason, salaries could be deferred with interest.

The Pac-12 Conference will allow voluntary workouts on campus for all sports beginning June 15, subject to the decision of each individual school and where allowed by local and state guidelines, the conference announced Tuesday. The decision was made by the presidents and chancellors of the conference schools and followed the announcement last week by the NCAA that schools can reopen for voluntary activities beginning next Monday. The Pac-12's COVID-19 medical advisory committee created a series of guidelines and protocols for schools to follow once they decide to open for individual workouts. States with schools in the conference are reopening at difference paces and that will affect when athletes can return to campus for workouts. The guidelines created by the conferences medical advisory committee cover returning to campus; returning to an athletic facility; facility specific considerations; return to exercise and response to infection or presumed infection.

Then a caution with two laps remaining at Charlotte Motor Speedway cluttered Elliott's clear path to the win and gave Keselowski an opening. Now Keselowski returns to Charlotte Motor Speedway for a Wednesday night race and a shot at consecutive victories. That was the situation we were put in.Both Keselowski and Busch could empathize with Elliott's heartbreak at Charlotte. Keselowski spoke with Elliott as the two switched spots in front of a laptop during the post-race Zoom media availability. But Elliott's team has been the most consistent late in races and Wednesday brings another chance for the driver to finally get his first win of the season.

(AP Photo/Sang Tan, File)DSSELDORF With sports around the world shut down by the coronavirus pandemic, the World Anti-Doping Agency is looking to artificial intelligence as a new way to detect athletes who cheat. WADA is funding four projects in Canada and Germany, looking at whether AI could spot signs of drug use which might elude even experienced human investigators. WADA hopes AI can help improve that system by tracking patterns between those markers and cross-referencing them with other information. One of WADA's projects aims to make EPO detection more precise and another hopes to do the same for steroids. Three projects in Canada cost WADA about $425,000 over two years, with matching funding from the province of Quebec's research funds, and there's another $60,000 for the EPO project in Germany, WADA said.