Isles add Gomez to staff

The Islanders have added Scott Gomez to their coaching staff.

Gomez retired after the 2015-16 season, ending a 16-year NHL career that saw him win the Calder Memorial Trophy in 1999-00 as the league’s top rookie, and two Stanley Cups with the Devils (2000, 2003).

LIBERTY FALLS

Nneka Ogwumike scored 22 points and Candace Parker added 20 to help the Sparks beat the Liberty, 90-75, at the Garden. The loss ruined a strong effort from Tina Charles, who had 25 points to lead the Liberty (2-3). Epiphanny Prince added 21 in her final game before she plays in the EuroBasket tournament next month.

FRENCH FAUX PAS

After losing to Martin Klizan of Slovakia, 7-6 (4), 6-3, 4-6, 0-6, 6-4, in the first round at the French Open, wild-card entry Laurent Lokoli of France skipped the usual handshake. Instead, he went to the sideline to pack up his things.

When Klizan approached, right arm extended, Lokoli dismissively waved him off with the back of a hand, motioning to stay away. Afterward, Lokoli said he wasn’t being a sore loser but rather that he didn’t want to shake because he thought Klizan was faking an injury during the match and was generally “disrespectful.”

Klizan will face Andy Murray in the second round

BLACKFACE AT RUSSIA PARADE

People in blackface wearing African clothing and carrying bananas marched in a governmentbacked weekend parade in Sochi, the Russian city that will host one of Cameroon’s matches at the Confederations Cup.

A photograph on the city government’s official website showed two people in blackface at Saturday’s parade. One was wearing an afro-style wig and bananas on a string, while the other was wearing a Cameroon jersey and a headdress while holding a drum. The photo was later removed.

Lolade Adewuyi, a Nigerian journalist studying in Russia, said the parade, which was led by Sochi’s mayor, also contained people wearing sombreros and fake moustaches to symbolize Mexico.

The costumes were the result of local Russians not understanding wider attitudes to race, rather than malice, Adewuyi suggested.