SHIFFRIN LATEST SKIER WITH COVID-19
Two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin is the latest elite skier to test positive for COVID-19 with the Beijing Games less than six weeks away.
“I wanted to let you all know that I’m doing well, but unfortunately I had a positive COVID test,” the American wrote on her social media accounts Monday. “I’m following protocol and isolating.”
Shiffrin said she will miss World Cup giant slalom and slalom races scheduled for today and Wednesday, respectively, in Lienz, Austria, adding, “I’ll see you in the new year.”
The Beijing Olympics open Feb. 4.
Missing the races in Lienz is a big hit to Shiffrin’s chances of regaining the overall World Cup title. She leads Italy’s Sofia Goggia by 115 points in the standings but needs to maintain a high level of points in the technical disciplines of giant slalom and slalom since Goggia has been virtually unbeatable in the speed events of downhill and super-G.
Shiffrin’s positive test comes at a particularly bad time for her with six consecutive technical races scheduled.
Other top skiers who have missed races recently after testing positive for COVID-19 include former overall champion Lara Gut-Behrami, Austrian world champion Katharina Liensberger and Alice Robinson of New Zealand.
Also, chief race director Peter Gerdol is among two women’s World Cup officials with the International Ski Federation (FIS) who tested positive after the races in Courchevel. Gerdol is being replaced by FIS race director Markus Mayr for the event in Lienz, where no spectators will be allowed.
Shiffrin’s Olympic record includes two golds — in slalom at the 2014 Sochi Games and giant slalom at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games — plus a silver in combined in 2018.
Shiffrin finished first and second in the last two races she competed in — the two giant slaloms in Courchevel.
The next women’s World Cup race after Lienz is a slalom in Zagreb, Croatia, on Jan. 4.
Horse racing
Santa Anita has canceled horse racing for Thursday in anticipation of heavy rain on Wednesday that is likely to continue into the next day. It was also cause for some shifts in the stakes schedule over the remainder of the weekend.
Friday will be completely dirt racing with nine races, and all three of that day’s turf stakes races have been moved — the Robert Frankel Stakes to Saturday and the Eddie Logan Stakes and Blue Norther Stakes to Sunday.
Hockey
The San Diego Gulls vs. the Henderson Silver Knights game scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed due to COVID issues with the Gulls, according to the AHL. Information on the rescheduled game and ticketing details will be announced in the coming days.
• David Quinn is set to coach the U.S. men’s hockey team at the upcoming Winter Olympics after the NHL decided not to send players to Beijing. USA Hockey named Quinn coach and John Vanbiesbrouck general manager in the first shift to plan B for another Olympics without NHL participation.
• Ville Koivunen scored twice as Finland (2-0) routed Austria 7-1 at the world junior hockey championship in Edmonton, Alberta. Also in Edmonton, Alexander Blank scored his second goal of the game in overtime as Germany defeated the Czech Republic 2-1. At Red Deer, Alberta, Danila Yurov had a goal and an assist as Russia (1-1) beat Switzerland 4-2.
Soccer
Edinson Cavani came off the bench to salvage a point for Manchester United from a sloppy display in a 1-1 draw at Newcastle in the Premier League.
• Lyon and second-tier Paris FC were thrown out of the Coupe de France on Monday as a result of the fan violence that forced the abandonment of their match on Dec. 17. Supporters invaded the field, launched flares and fought each other in the stands.
• Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp became the latest Premier League manager to express his frustration at being allowed to make only three substitutions during a match at a busy time when many squads are being hit hard by coronavirus cases.
• The president of the Polish soccer federation accused national team manager Paulo Sousa of “extremely irresponsible behavior” for seeking to leave his post after receiving an offer from a club.
Also
Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin received a three-year contract extension that nearly doubled his salary and made him one of the highest-paid administrators in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference.
Stricklin agreed to the new deal in April and signed it in July, according to a public records request.