AP National Sports

BEIJING (AP) — Bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor has been chosen to be a flagbearer for the U.S. Olympic team but will not be able to attend the Winter Games opening ceremony because she’s in isolation after a positive COVID-19 test. Speed skater Brittany Bowe will take Meyers Taylor’s place in Friday’s ceremony, and will be

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer Premier League team West Ham is heading to sixth-tier Kidderminster Harriers for a fourth-round game in the FA Cup between clubs separated by 113 places on English soccer’s pyramid. It is one of the biggest mismatches in the competition’s long and proud history. The Harriers have a score to

By TERESA M. WALKER AP Pro Football Writer Brian Flores says his lawsuit against the NFL over alleged racist hiring practices will continue even if he becomes a head coach again this offseason because the league needs change. Flores has interviewed with the Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints for their coaching vacancies. If they

By BERNIE WILSON AP Sports Writer BEIJING (AP) — John Shuster will become the first curler to carry the American flag in an Olympic opening ceremony at this year’s Beijing Games. That’s a big deal for a sport that’s becoming more popular in the United States thanks to Shuster’s Olympic exploits. The defending gold medalist

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer Washington’s NFL team is now known as the Commanders. The new name was unveiled 18 months after the once-storied franchise dropped its old moniker following decades of criticism that it was offensive to Native Americans and under fresh pressure from sponsors. The organization committed to avoiding Native American imagery

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis is paying tribute to Paralympians and refugee athletes competing in the Beijing Olympics. He’s offering his best wishes for a successful Winter Games and for sports to “make a more fraternal world.” Francis made the comments Wednesday during his weekly general audience Wednesday. He said sports can create “bridges of

BY SAMY MAGDY Associated Press CAIRO (AP) — Egypt has filed a complaint with the African soccer confederation against the appointment of a Gambian referee for the Pharaohs’ game against Cameroon in the African Cup of Nations semifinals on Thursday. The Egyptian Football Association did not give reasons for its complaint against Bakary Gassama, one

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer BEIJING (AP) — Chris Mazdzer tends to be the guy with just about all the answers for USA Luge. He always finds the quickest path to get where food is being served. He knows how to handle logistical issues. He can even advise on where to get a haircut.

BEIJING (AP) — Competition at the Beijing Olympics began with four curling stones sliding down sheets of ice in the venue where Michael Phelps won a record eight swimming gold medals at the Summer Olympics 14 years ago. The clanking of granite stones slamming into each other and the shouting and sweeping of the curlers

BEIJING (AP) — Beijing has reported three new COVID-19 cases as officials say the virus situation is under control with the Olympic Games set to open later in the week. The three new cases reported Wednesday all involved people under some sort of quarantine. Beijing government spokesman Xu Hejian said that “the current pandemic situation

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer BEIJING (AP) — More than 30 new COVID-19 cases are being detected daily ahead of the Beijing Olympics but organizers say they aren’t worried and expect numbers to drop within days. The 32 new cases confirmed Tuesday included 15 people arriving at the airport in China and 17 among

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was released by Arsenal for nothing but now has a buyout clause of 100 million euros ($113 million) after joining Barcelona. The Gabon striker’s Arsenal contract that ran through June 2023 was terminated this week after the north London club decided to cut ties with the player. It follows

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United player Mason Greenwood has been released on bail by police who questioned him on suspicion of the rape and assault of a woman. The 20-year-old forward had been in custody since being arrested on Sunday. Greater Manchester Police say he has been “released on bail pending further investigation.” United

BEIJING (AP) — Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malagò is at least the second IOC member who has tested positive for COVID-19 and been placed in isolation at the Beijing Games. Two-time Olympic hockey medalist and IOC athlete representative Emma Terho is also in an isolation hotel after testing positive on arrival. CONI says Malagò

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Hockey Writer BEIJING (AP) — China’s men’s hockey team at the Beijing Olympics features 19 players who were born, trained or both in North America. The group includes Americans Jake Chelios and Jeremy Smith and Canadians Brandon Yip and Ryan Sproul. Some have no connection to China other than playing for

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer BEIJING (AP) — Denmark’s men’s hockey team held its first pre-Olympic practice 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. Former

By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer American snowboarder Chloe Kim is eyeing a second Olympic gold medal in the halfpipe on her terms. Kim stormed to victory as a teenager in South Korea four years ago before taking an extended break. The now 21-year-old says she’s a different person than she was in Pyeongchang. Kim