Off the wire
OLYMPICS
Champion backs Russia Two-time defending world figure skating champion Evgenia Medvedeva will address the International Olympic Committee board today ahead of a vote on whether to ban Russia from the upcoming Pyeongchang Games. The 18-yearold Russian is unbeaten in two years and a gold medal favorite for the Olympics in February. No Russian figure skaters are among the 25 athletes who have been banned so far for doping offenses during the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Medvedeva was 14 at the time and competing at the junior level. Medvedeva will travel to Lausanne, Switzerland, for the meeting despite a fracture in her foot that caused her to pull out of this week’s Grand Prix Final in Japan. The Russian Olympic Committee said Monday that Medvedeva will address the IOC board as part of a delegation along with ROC President Alexander Zhukov and Vitaly Smirnov, the head of an anti-doping commission set up by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
BASEBALL
Rangers sign pitchers Reliever Tony Barnette signed a $1.5 million, one-year deal to stay with the Texas Rangers. Barnette, who had a 3.75 ERA over 103 relief appearances the past two seasons, had become a free agent when the Rangers last month gave him a $250,000 buyout instead of exercising their $4 million club option for the right-hander. Texas also Monday signed right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez to a minor league deal with the Rangers only days after the team didn’t tender him a major league contract for next season. Gonzalez, the Rangers’ first pick in the 2013 amateur draft, missed last season because of a ligament tear in his elbow and had Tommy John surgery July 24.
BASKETBALL
Rose back with Cavs Derrick Rose ended his self-imposed separation from the Cavaliers.
The point guard, who has been dealing with a sprained left ankle for much of his first season with Cleveland, returned to the Cavs on Monday to resume rehab and treatment. Rose had left the team Nov. 22 to contemplate his future, but he’s back and working toward a return to the floor. Rose had been in contact with Coach Tyronn Lue and General Manager Koby Altman in recent days. The conversations were described as “positive,” and the team said he will report to its Cleveland Clinic Courts training facility. There is no timetable on when he’ll play. Rose, whose career has been dogged by
serious knee injuries, initially hurt his ankle Oct. 20 in Milwaukee. He’s made seven starts and is averaging 14.3 points and 26.9 minutes with the Cavs, who signed him to a one-year, $2.1 million free-agent contract this summer.
Guard, referee suspended The NBA suspended Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston for one game and removed official Courtney Kirkland from the officiating rotation for a week because of an altercation during a game Sunday. NBA executive vice president Kiki VanDeWeghe announced the suspensions Monday. Livingston served his suspension Monday night when the Warriors visited the New Orleans Pelicans. VanDeWeghe said Kirkland’s suspension runs from Monday night through Sunday, and he’ll be eligible to officiate again Dec. 11. Livingston and Kirkland bumped heads during the second quarter of the Warriors’ victory at Miami. Livingston was assessed a technical foul and ejected for making contact with a game official. VanDeWeghe said a league review determined Kirkland moved toward Livingston and shared responsibility for the contact.
Ex-player pleads guilty Former NBA player Kermit Washington has pleaded guilty to charges accusing him of spending thousands of dollars in donations to a charity for his personal use. Washington, who played for several NBA teams in the 1970s and 1980s, was scheduled for trial Monday in federal court in Kansas City, Mo. Instead, he pleaded guilty to two counts of making a false statement in a tax return and one count of aggravated identity theft. Washington was best known for throwing a punch that seriously injured Houston Rockets player Rudy Tomjanovich during a 1977 game.
SOCCER
Valeri named MVP
Portland Timbers midfielder
Diego Valeri has been named Major League Soccer’s Most Valuable Player. The 31-year-old native of Argentina had 21 goals and 11 assists this season for Portland, which finished atop the Western Conference. He is the first midfielder in league history with 20 or more goals in a single season and just the second player with at least 20 goals and 10 assists in a single season. His 32 combined goals and assists rank fifth in MLS history. He was named the league’s Landon Donovan MVP on Monday by a vote of the league’s club managers, media members and current players. The other nominees were Atlanta’s Miguel Almiron, Toronto’s Sebastian Giovinco, NYCFC’s David Villa and Chicago’s Nemanja Nikolic.