Nations want IOC to clarify stance on Russia
The governments of 34 nations released a statement Monday calling on the IOC to clarify the definition of “neutrality” as it seeks a way to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes back into international sports and, ultimately, next year's Paris Olympics.
“As long as these fundamental issues and the substantial lack of clarity and concrete detail on a workable `neutrality' model are not addressed, we do not agree that Russian and Belarusian athletes should be allowed back into competition,” read the statement.
Among those signing the statement were officials from the United States, Britain, France, Canada and Germany. Those five countries brought nearly one-fifth of all athletes to the Tokyo Games in 2021. Other countries that had suggested an Olympic boycott was possible if the war continues — such as Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Denmark — also signed onto the statement, which did not go so far as to mention a boycott.
The statement was the product of a Feb. 10 summit in London between government leaders, who heard from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy said Russia athletes had no place at the Paris Games as long as the country's invasion of Ukraine continues.
The International Olympic Committee is trying to find a way to allow Russians into the Olympics, citing the opinion of United Nations human rights experts who believe Russians and Belarusians should not face discrimination simply for the passports they hold. The IOC wants competitors from those countries who have not supported the war to be able to compete as neutral athletes, with no symbols of their countries allowed.
Women's college basketball
HEAL PICKS UP ANOTHER WCC AWARD >> Santa Clara's Tess Heal earned her record-tying 11th West Coast Conference Freshman of the Week award, grabbing the nod this time for her historic week of Feb. 13-19 against two of the conference's top-four teams.
Heal's fifth straight recognition gives her 11 for the season, tying San Francisco's Ioanna Krimili, who also won 11 times in 2020-21.
Heal scored the second-most points ever in a game by a Santa Clara player with 39 points against BYU on Thursday. She missed the program record by only one point. SOUTH CAROLINA'S NO. 1 RUN HITS 35
WEEKS >> South Carolina survived one of its stiffest tests of the season to remain No. 1 in the AP women's poll.
The Gamecocks (27-0) topped Mississippi in overtime on Sunday to win their 33rd consecutive game and secure the top spot in the poll for a 35th consecutive week. That is the third-longest run atop the poll, with UConn (51 weeks) and Louisiana Tech (36) having had longer streaks at No. 1. The Gamecocks broke a tie with UConn for third place.
South Carolina received 27 of the 28 first-place votes. It was the first time this season that the team wasn't a unanimous choice at No. 1.
Indiana got the other first-place vote and stayed second. Stanford stayed at No. 3, followed by UConn and LSU.
Men's college basketball
HOUSTON CLIMBS TO NO. 1 AGAIN >> Houston returned to No. 1 in the AP men's college basketball poll for the third time this season.
The Cougars jumped over Alabama and back into the top spot, where they spent two weeks in November and December and had another two-week stint last month. They picked up 48 first-place votes from the 62-member national media panel.
The Crimson Tide dropped only one spot after losing to Tennessee. They held onto seven first-place votes, just like No. 3 Kansas.
UCLA remained at No. 4 while Purdue slid two spots to round out of the top five.
Gonzaga moved to No. 12 and Saint Mary's was at No. 15, giving the WCC a pair of Top 15 teams that will face each other in a showdown in Spokane, Wash. on Saturday night.
Tennis
THIEM SUFFERS UPSET LOSS AT RIO OPEN >> Dominic Thiem lost in the first round of the Rio Open in Rio de Janeiro, falling to Thiago Monteiro 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (2).
The former world No. 3, who came in ranked at No. 96 after battling right wrist and abdominal injuries, fell to 1-2 on the year. After missing the Australian Open, he got his first win last week in Buenos Aires.
Defending champion and secondranked Carlos Alcaraz faces Mateus Alves in the first round today.