NEW ATHLETES GROUP FORMED TO TACKLE DOPING IN SPORTS
An Olympic gold medalist and a former executive at the World AntiDoping Agency are forming an organization designed to give athletes a stronger voice in the fight against doping and the powers that police it.
The group, called Global Athlete, is being organized by British cyclist Callum Skinner. Rob Koehler, who quit his post as deputy director general at WADA last year, will be the group’s director general.
Athletes have spoken out in large numbers to protest what they perceive as lax treatment of Russia by the International Olympic Committee and WADA in the wake of the country’s doping scandal. Many have felt insulted by the response to their concerns, which were often portrayed as politically motivated by Western ideals.
Nola, Phillies agree to $45M, 4-year deal, avoid arbitration.
» Pitcher Aaron Nola C L EA R WA T E R, FL A . and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to a $45 million, four-year contract, avoiding a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for this week.
The 25-year-old right-hander set career bests last year when he was a first-time all-star, going 17-6 with a 2.37 ERA. He would have been eligible for free agency after the 2021 season.
Under the deal, Nola gets a $2 million signing bonus, $4 million this year, $8 million in 2020, $11.75 million in 2021 and $15 million in 2022. Philadelphia has a $16 million team option for 2023 with a $4.25 million buyout.
Chicago Cubs, Sinclair to launch sports network in 2020.
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The Chicago Cubs and Sinclair Broadcast Group are launching a regional sports network in 2020 that will be the team’s exclusive TV home.
The Cubs said the Marquee Sports Network will carry live game broadcasts and pregame and postgame coverage. Cubs games will be in one place, instead of split between two broadcast stations. The Cubs signed five-year contracts with WGN and WLS in 2014 ahead of plans for the network launch in 2020.
Rams’ Carvacho sets rebounding record.
COLLINS» CSU’s Nico FORT
Carvacho made history Tuesday night against San Diego State. Just over 10 minutes into the game, he pulled down his third rebound to surpass Pat Durham as the program’s all-time leading rebounder.
Despite finishing with 20 points and 12 rebounds, Carvacho’s accomplishment was soured by the Rams’ 71-60 defeat, their third in a row.
Heavyweight champ Joshua to make U.S. debut against Miller.
The Anthony Joshua roadshow is finally heading to the United States. Not to fight the only other heavyweight champion, though.
The four-title champion will make his American boxing debut when he defends his WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO belts against Jarrell Miller at Madison Square Garden on June 1.
“I plan to embrace the culture and leave with an appetite for more,” said Joshua, whose 22 professional fights have all taken place in Britain. He has won all of those bouts, 21 by knockout.
His last five fights have been in stadiums, with nearly 400,000 spectators attending in total.
Attorney didn’t tell Huskers about pending charge vs RB.
An attorney for Nebraska running back Maurice Washington said he never told anyone at the university about the nature of potential charges against the player in a pornography case that cropped up just as last season was getting started.
Washington was charged in California in December with possessing and distributing a video of a former girlfriend being sexually assaulted by two other people in 2016, when she was 15.
Washington is suspected of storing the video on his cellphone and sending it to the victim last March.