Female ref to make debut in Bundesliga

Bibiana Steinhaus will make history in Germany on Sunday when she becomes the first woman to referee a Bundesliga game. The 38-yearold police officer is to take charge of Hertha Berlin’s home game against Werder Bremen, confirming her place among the league’s elite group of 24 referees. “She deserves it through her great performances,” Bremen coach Alexander Nouri said. Male players have mostly treated Steinhaus with respect.

Parros leading player safety

The NHL has tabbed former enforcer George Parros to run its department of player safety. Commissioner Gary Bettman announced Parros’ appointment to senior vice-president of player safety on Thursday. Parros replaces Stephane Quintal, who is staying on this season to help with the transition. Bettman says Parros “possesses one of the brightest and most innovative young minds in our game.” Despite being a fighter with 1,092 penalty minutes, Parros was never fined or suspended during nine seasons in the NHL.

Kelowna fighter back in cage

When Canadian bantamweight Sarah (Cheesecake) Moras steps into the cage Saturday night at UFC 215, it will be 785 days since her last fight. Injuries have sidelined the 29-year-old from Kelowna. And in a sport where you don’t get paid unless you fight, Moras (4-2-0) has had to be resourceful to make ends meet. She returned to her job with Canada Post. And in advance of her matchup with No. 15 contender Ashlee (Rebel Girl) Evans-Smith (5-2-0), she started a gofundme campaign with a goal to raise $10,000 for her training camp. As of Thursday, Moras had raised almost $5,000.

New Seattle arena proposed

An investment group that wants to build a sports arena for professional basketball and possibly hockey has offered to also rebuild KeyArena, former home of Seattle’s departed NBA franchise. The move Thursday by the group led by investor Chris Hansen is the latest in the debate over building a new arena. Hansen’s group says it would rebuild KeyArena after building the other facility, preserving it as a concert venue.

American pals set for final

Sloane Stephens was two points from defeat against Venus Williams in one U.S. Open semifinal before pulling out the victory. Madison Keys faced no such test, overwhelming Coco Vandeweghe in the other semifinal. Now Stephens and Keys, a pair of pals in their early 20s, will face each other in the first all-American women’s final at Flushing Meadows since 2002.