MANFRED SAYS 100% CHANCE OF BASEBALL, NEW PROPOSAL SOON

NEW YORK» Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says there is a “100%” chance of big league ball this year.

Major League Baseball will make another proposal to start the pandemic-delayed season in empty ballparks, but Manfred vowed Wednesday to unilaterally order opening day if an agreement is not reached.

“I can tell you unequivocally we are going to play Major League Baseball this year,” Manfred said during an interview with ESPN. “It will be a another significant move in the players’ direction in terms of the salary issue that has kept us apart.”

Golf passes initial test with no positive virus results.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS» Very little about the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial resembles the opening round of The Players Championship on March 12.

Players return to a new set of rules, starting with mandatory tests for the coronavirus when they first arrive and having their temperatures taken before they can get to the parking lot. On the course, players are to make every effort to practice social distancing. The tour said all 487 tests of players, caddies and essential personnel were negative.

Women sue USA Swimming over sexual abuse by coaches. Six women have filed civil lawsuits against USA Swimming, its local associations in California and three now-banned coaches claiming the national governing body failed to protect them from abuse by those coaches.

The suits allege USA Swimming was aware of predatory behavior by U.S. Olympic and national team coach Mitch Ivey, former U.S. national team director Everett Uchiyama and former coach Andrew King, but refused to address it, creating a culture of abuse that exposed dozens of underage swimmers to sexual abuse.

Rights groups, athletes ask NCAA to move tourney from Idaho.

BOISE, IDAHO» Groups that advocate for civil rights and women’s rights have joined notable athletes in asking the NCAA to move 2021 men’s basketball tournament games out of Idaho after the state passed a law banning transgender women from competing in women’s sports. A letter signed by athletes including Megan Rapinoe, Billie Jean King, Jason Collins and Sue Bird calls for the NCAA to take all championship events out of Idaho. The first and second rounds of the men’s tournament are scheduled for next March at Boise State University.

IOC to open talks about easing protest ban at Olympics. GENEVA» Amid a global wave of demonstrations against racism, the IOC said Wednesday it would open talks that could let athletes make stronger protests at the Olympic Games. Only five months ago the Olympic body strengthened its ban on political statements such as taking a knee or raising a fist.

But the IOC’s public stance eased slightly when its president Thomas Bach said the in-house athlete committee would “explore different ways” opinions could be expressed during the games — while still “respecting the Olympic spirit.”

U.S. Soccer repeals rule that banned kneeling during anthem. U.S. Soccer’s board of directors has voted to repeal a 2017 policy that required national team players to stand during the national anthem, a rule adopted after Megan Rapinoe kneeled in support of Colin Kaepernick.