Soccer ban on Russia grows
Poland’s refusal to play its World Cup qualifier against Russia next month in response to that nation’s invasion of Ukraine gained wider support when Sweden followed with its own plans to protest to FIFA on Saturday.
Polish soccer federation president Cezary Kulesza announced Poland’s decision and said it was in talks with other federations to present a unified position to FIFA, which is responsible for the March 24 game in Moscow.
Sweden, a potential opponent of Russia in next month’s playoffs, later joined Poland in declaring its national team would not play a match against the Russians regardless of where it takes place.
The Czech Republic, another team to potentially face Russia, was likely to follow suit.
Also Saturday, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich suddenly handed over the “stewardship and care” of the Premier League club to its charitable foundation trustees.
The move came after a member of the British parliament called for the Russian billionaire to hand over the club in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Abramovich, who has owned Chelsea since 2003, made no mention of the war in a statement.
In other sports, boxing’s
four governing organizations — the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO — announced in a joint statement that they won’t sanction bouts in Russia.
Norway’s ski federation said that Russian skiers were not welcome to compete in the Nordic country because of Russia’s “violations of international law and attacks on the Ukrainian people.”
In a statement, the International Gymnastics Federation, or FIG, said: “All FIGsanctioned events planned to take place in Russia and Belarus are removed from the FIG calendar and will no longer be recognized by the FIG. No other events taking place in Russia and Belarus will be sanctioned by the FIG until further notice.”
In Madrid, the Russian flag and anthem were absent before the match between the Russia women’s rugby team and Spain.
ETC. Morant scores career-high 46
Ja Morant scored a franchise-record 46 points as the Memphis Grizzlies hung on to beat the Bulls 116-110 in Chicago.
Morant surpassed his previous regular-season high of 44 points. He had 47 in a playoff loss to Utah last season.
Morant scored 16 in the first half and 20 in the third quarter. He made 15 of 28 shots, including three threepointers, and was 13 for 15 at the foul line.
Rafael Nadal defeated Cameron Norris 6-4, 6-4 to win the Mexican Open in Acapulco and extend his careerbest start for a season to 15-0 as he won his 91st ATP title.
The Spaniard earlier defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-3 in a rematch of an epic fiveset Australian Open final.
Andrey Rublev won his second singles title in less than a week — and 10th overall — when he beat Czech qualifier Jiri Vesely 6-3, 6-4 in the final of the Dubai Championships. Rublev, the seventhranked Russian, on Friday wrote “No War Please” on a TV camera moments after beating Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in their semifinal.
Fans of Brentford and Newcastle united to applaud the return to competitive soccer of Christian Eriksen, eight months after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a European Championship game.
Eriksen came on as a 52ndminute substitute for Brentford in its 2-0 loss against Newcastle, marking a return to competition many probably thought would never happen after his on-field collapse while playing for Denmark last year at Euro 2020.
Scott McLaughlin beat Team Penske teammate Will Power to win the pole for the season-opening IndyCar race through the downtown streets of St. Petersburg, Fla.
Josh Taylor scored a controversial split-decision win over Jack Catterall to retain his four junior-welterweight championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
John Landy, an Australian runner who dueled with Roger Bannister to be the first person to run a four-minute mile, has died. He was 91.