U.S. women’s coach says her players have an equal right to VAR

MOSCOW » Female players have an equal right to have FIFA use video review for their tournament next year in France, U.S. women’s coach Jill Ellis said Wednesday.

FIFA is using Video Assistant Referees for the men’s World Cup for the first time this year, and it has led to several key call reversals and an increase in penalty kicks.

“I can’t see them not having it. I think it would be a little bit insulting if we weren’t afforded the same opportunity,” Ellis said during a round-table discussion with American reporters. “There’s too much at stake to not have it, and I think our game, our passion, our drive, our motivation is at the same level as the men.”

Ellis, who coached the Americans to the 2015 Women’s World Cup title, maintains video review could be even more significant in the women’s game than it is for the men.

“With all the men’s leagues around the world, you’ve got more referees getting more into the higher-level experience. We don’t have that many leagues, so we have to, I think, add another layer to the decision-making process,” she said.

U.S. Open, 7 other sites to use serve, warmup clocks

LONDON » A 25-second serve clock will be used in main-draw matches at the U.S. Open and about a half-dozen other hardcourt tournaments leading up to the year’s last Grand Slam tournament.

The U.S. Tennis Association, ATP and WTA announced Wednesday that those events also will enforce pre-match time limits: Players will have one minute from walking on court until the coin toss, five minutes for warming up and a minute from the end of the warmup until the start of play. Players who don’t abide by those limits will face fines.

Olympic medalist Randall announces cancer diagnosis

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA » Olympic gold medalist Kikkan Randall has been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer.

The 35-year-old cross-country skier known for pink-highlighted hair said Wednesday on social media that “the color pink has taken on a new chapter” in her life. She said the prognosis is good, but she expects life to change significantly in the months ahead.

“I am going to bring as much tenacity, strength, and energy toward this challenge as I have throughout my entire career,” she wrote.