RUSSIA STILL BANNED FOR TRACK WORLDS
When the United States hosts the track and field world championships next month for the first time, the event will be without athletes from Russia and Belarus. World Athletics reaffirmed its March decision to ban athletes representing both countries to the Associated Press, which will keep them from participating in the largest international sports event since the end of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
The 2022 world championships, to be held July 12-25 in Eugene, Ore., were originally scheduled for last August before being postponed after the pandemic pushed last year’s Tokyo Olympics into that time frame.
World Athletics imposed the ban following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which was supported by Belarus, saying, “all athletes, support personnel and officials from Russia and Belarus will be excluded from all World Athletics Series events for the foreseeable future, with immediate effect.” That ban will remain in place barring an unexpected end to the war in Ukraine, according to the AP.
Since the February invasion, Russia’s teams and athletes have been banned from major sports and competitions across the world, while others have been allowed to compete under certain specific conditions, such as signing a document forbidding public support of the invasion.
Locally
Down two goals 24 minutes into the match, the San Diego Loyal (6-3-4) rallied for a 2-2 USL Championship tie at the N.Y. Red Bulls II. Thomas Amang scored in the 50th and 88th minutes to tie the game for the Loyal.
NCAA Division I men’s singles runner-up August Holmgren (University of San Diego) advanced to today’s men’s singles quarterfinals with a straight-sets win at the Rancho Santa Fe Open (ITF World Tennis Tour). Holmgren meets 18-year-old Rancho Santa Fe resident and wild card Hudson Rivera in today’s singles quarterfinal. Rivera ousted San Diego State No. 1 player Joe Tyler, 6-1, 7-6 (1), in Thursday’s second round.
UC San Diego baseball had three players named to the
All-Big West second team, including Marc Filia, Emiliano Gonzalez and Jalen Smith ,as announced by the conference.
Nadia Abdala, who has served as assistant coach for the last eight years under the legendary Sherri Stephens, has been elevated to head coach of the University of San Diego women’s tennis program, the school announced.
“The Jim Rome Show,” which began in San Diego more than 30 years ago but has not been on a radio station here since February, is returning to The Mightier 1090 ESPN Radio, beginning today. With “The Rich Eisen Show” airing at 9 a.m., The Mightier 1090 will carry Rome’s show on a threehour delay, from noon until 3 p.m.
NFL
Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is retiring, ending a 17year NFL career that spanned nine teams, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed. The decision was made public when former Buffalo Bills teammate Fred Jackson tweeted a screenshot of a text message from Fitzpatrick. “Forever grateful for the magical ride,” the message read.
The Buffalo Bills signed veteran receiver Tavon Austin, a person with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed to The Associated Press. Austin was an unrestricted free agent after appearing in seven games last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Deaths
The Dallas Cowboys said former running back Marion Barber III died on Wednesday. He was 38. Barber is fourth in franchise history with 47 rushing touchdowns. Police in the Dallas suburb of Frisco said they made a welfare check at an apartment “believed to be leased” to Barber and were investigating an unattended death there.
Bart Bryant, 59, a threetime winner on the PGA Tour, was killed and his wife was injured when a truck slammed into their SUV while they were stopped on a central Florida road for a construction crew on Tuesday. Bryant’s older brother, Brad, also won on the PGA Tour. They both qualified for the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.