AP National Sports

By The Associated Press The NFL Foundation is awarding a variety of organizations in 30 locales with a total of $6 million to build or refurbish neighborhood football fields. The awards are the most in a single year since the NFL Foundation/LISC Grassroots Field Grant Program began in 1998, and bring the program’s total commitment

By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer ASPEN, Colo. (AP) — More than 20 years after their sport was brought into the Olympics to give the Games a more vibrant feel, snowboarders still feel like second-class citizens. The Associated Press interviewed a number of gold medalists and industry executives, all of whom say they haven’t seen

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer Becky Lynch balances beatdowns and motherhood as she gets set to defend her WWE Raw women’s championship in one of the marquee matches Saturday in WWE’s Royal Rumble at The Dome in St. Louis, Missouri. Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns are on the card. So is “Jackass” star Johnny

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams will host the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game. The matchup is the resumption of an NFC West rivalry that has been tilted heavily in the 49ers’ favor for the past six meetings, all won by San Francisco. The

By KEN MAGUIRE AP Sports Writer A leading English rugby club has joined the ranks of professional sports teams rebranding themselves away from offensive Native American imagery. Exeter Chiefs are keeping their nickname — inspired by the region’s Celtic history — but are replacing their logo after critics complained that headdresses and “tomahawk chop” chants

By JOHN ZENOR AP Sports Writer College basketball blue bloods No. 12 Kentucky and No. 5 Kansas meet in the biggest matchup involving a Southeastern Conference team this weekend. Most of the weekend’s action is part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge. That includes No. 1 Auburn hosting Oklahoma and fourth-ranked Baylor visiting slumping Alabama. The

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Chip-ins from Rory McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton fueled their surge into contention at the Dubai Desert Classic. The player they’ll try to catch over the weekend is Justin Harding. The South African has a two-shot lead after holing his own spectacular shot in the second round from much further

By CIARÁN FAHEY AP Sports Writer BERLIN (AP) — Crisis-hit Borussia Mönchengladbach has been left reeling after sporting director Max Eberl quit the Bundesliga club. It ends an association of 23 years. Gladbach wanted the 48-year-old Eberl to stay but Eberl said “I don’t have the strength anymore to do this job.” Eberl took over

By JEFF BABINEAU Associated Press BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Lydia Ko keeps taking steps toward the top of women’s golf again. She ended a three-year victory drought last year. She opened the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio with a clean card and a 63 for a two-shot lead over Danielle Kang. It’s easy to

By PREDRAG MILIC Associated Press BUDVA, Montenegro (AP) — Novak Djokovic was honored at a small Adriatic Sea resort in Montenegro even as doubts re-emerged about the positive COVID-19 test he used to try to compete in the Australian Open. The BBC on Friday reported discrepancies in Djokovic’s test serial numbers that were issued by

ZERMATT, Switzerland (AP) — Skiing’s newest downhill course that crosses between Switzerland and Italy next to the Matterhorn mountain will have its debut World Cup races in October. The International Ski Federation says the course will stage back-to-back weekends of two downhills each for men and women. The available dates are Oct. 29-30 and Nov.

By JAMES ELLINGWORTH AP Sports Writer Russia is heading to the Beijing Olympics against a backdrop of international tension. A build-up of Russian forces on the border with neighboring Ukraine is causing concern in Washington and among the United States’ NATO allies in Europe. Russia is sending 212 athletes to Beijing despite still being under

By JOHN PYE AP Sports Writer MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Rafael Nadal advanced to the Australian Open final by beating Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 and is now within one victory of a men’s-record 21st Grand Slam singles title. He’ll have to beat second-seeded Daniil Medvedev to get the record. The U.S. Open champion

BEIJING (AP) — A snowboarder from Slovenia has tested positive for the coronavirus after landing in Beijing for the Olympics. The country’s national Olympic committee says Žan Košir has taken a second test to confirm the result and is now in isolation. Košir had been chosen as one of Slovenia’s flag bearers for next Friday’s

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer Liverpool could strengthen its attacking options in the final days of the January transfer window by signing Colombia international Luis Diaz from Porto. Diaz is currently with his national team and preparing for a World Cup qualifier against Peru on Friday before the Colombia squad heads to Argentina for