Texans settle 30 Watson cases

Thirty women who had accused the Houston Texans of turning a blind eye to allegations that their former star quarterback Deshaun Watson was sexually assaulting and harassing women during massage sessions have settled their legal claims against the team, their attorney said Friday.

The terms of the settlements between each of the women and the Texans are confidential, said attorney Tony Buzbee.

While only one of the women had filed a lawsuit against the team, the others intended to make legal claims against the Texans before the settlements were reached, Buzbee said.

In separate lawsuits, 24 women accused Watson of exposing himself, touching them with his penis or kissing them against their will during massage appointments while he played for the Texans. One woman alleged Watson forced her to perform oral sex. Last month, Buzbee announced 20 of those 24 lawsuits have been settled.

In a statement, Texans owners Janice McNair and Hannah and Cal McNair said while the team did not have any knowledge of Watson's alleged misconduct, they were “shocked and deeply saddened” when they first learned about the accusations and chose to resolve the claims against the team “amicably.”

“This is not an admission of any wrongdoing, but instead a clear stand against any form of sexual assault and misconduct. We hope that today's resolution will provide some form of closure to the parties involved, our fans and the Houston community at large. As an organization, we will now turn our focus to the future and doing what we can to ensure respect for all,” the McNairs said in their statement.

• The Kansas City Chiefs and Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. failed to reach a long-term deal before the deadline, leaving the blindside protector for Patrick Mahomes playing on the franchise tag this season.

• Four-time Pro Bowl guard Richie Incognito, 39, retired after a turbulent 15year NFL career. Incognito announced the decision at the headquarters of the Las Vegas Raiders. He also had two stints with the Buffalo Bills and spent time with the Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams.

An outstanding lineman, Incognito pushed the boundaries of fair play and was fined numerous times for what was considered inappropriate play. He was suspended by the Dolphins for misconduct against a teammate and some opponents alleged he made racial slurs.

Pedersen wins stage at Tour de France

Former world champion Mads Pedersen attacked from the start, then delivered in style with a sprint to the finish line in Saint-Etienne to claim his first stage win at the Tour de France.

Fred Wright of Britain was second and Hugo Houle of Canada completed the stage podium.

Pedersen was world champion in 2019. He also won Gent-Wevelgem two years ago but had never tasted victory in a Grand Tour.

Overall, Jonas Vingegaard leads two-time defending champ Tadej Pogacar by 2 minutes, 22 seconds. The 2018 champ, Geraint Thomas, was third.

Kupcho, Salas lead big at LPGA team event

Jennifer Kupcho and Lizette Salas shot a 6-under 64 in alternate-shot play to take a four-stroke lead in the Great Lakes Bay Invitational in Midland, Mich.

Kupcho and Salas had a 17-under 193 total with a better-ball round left at Midland Country Club in the LPGA Tour's team event.

Kupcho has broken through this year with her first two LPGA Tour titles, taking the major Chevron Championship in early April in the California desert and the Meijer LPGA

Classic last month in Belmont, Michigan. Salas won the 2014 Kingsmill Championship for her lone tour title.

Matilda Castren and Kelly Tan were second after a 67.

Annika Sorenstam and Madelene Sagstrom, tied for the first-round lead, were tied for 18th at 7 under after a 72. Sorenstam, 51, is making her second LPGA Tour start of the year and only her third since retiring after the 2008 season.

• Chez Reavie holed a long chip shot for eagle and took a three-point lead in the Barracuda Championship at Tahoe Mountain Club, a modified Stableford scoring event.

Thorpe's 1912 gold medals reinstated

Jim Thorpe was reinstated as the sole winner of the 1912 Olympic pentathlon and decathlon in Stockholm — nearly 110 years after being stripped of those gold medals for violations of strict amateurism rules of the time.

The International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland, announced the change on the 110th anniversary of Thorpe winning the decathlon and later being proclaimed by King Gustav V of Sweden as “the greatest athlete in the world.”

Thorpe, a Native American, returned to a tickertape parade in New York, but months later it was discovered he had been paid to play minor league baseball over two summers, an infringement of the Olympic amateurism rules. He was stripped of his gold medals in what was described as the first major international sports scandal.

CAS rejects Russia's appeals on ban

Russia remains barred from international soccer competitions including the Champions League after the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne rejected appeals by the national soccer federation and four clubs.

CAS upheld decisions by UEFA and FIFA which excluded Russian national teams and clubs following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

• Manchester United signed Denmark playmaker Christian Eriksen to a three-year contract.

Eriksen, 30, played for Brentford in the second half of last season, joining the London club almost eight months after collapsing from cardiac arrest at the European Championship.

Stewart Racing shines at Mile-High Nationals

Tony Stewart Racing teammates Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan topped the opening day of qualifying in the NHRA MileHigh Nationals at Bandimere Speedway.

Pruett had a 3.788-second run at 326.79 mph in her Top Fuel dragster. Hagan ran a 3.927 at 319.07 in Funny Car in a Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat.

Aaron Stanfield led in Pro Stock and Matt Smith in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Cuban javelin thrower defects before worlds

Javelin competitor Yiselena Ballar Rojas defected from the Cuban team for the 2022 world championships, according to official media on the island.

Play Off and Swing Completo, two portals which publish information on Latin American athletes in the United States, reported this week that Ballar Rojas left the delegation in Miami, a stopover point for the Cuban delegation on the way to Oregon for worlds.

The portal Jit, official media of the National Institute of Sports, & Physical Education of Cuba (INDER), confirmed Ballar Rojas' decision when it condemned the move in a post.

Ballar Rojas won bronze at the U20 World Cup last year in Kenya. Also in 2021, she earned a silver medal at the Junior Pan American Games in Colombia.