MORNING ROUNDUP
Potential Olympic athletes warned about protesting
The CEO of t he U. S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee sent l etters of reprimand to hammer thrower Gwen Berry and fencer Race Imboden for protesting on the medals stand last week at the Pan American Games, but the 12-month probations that came with the letters also included a none-too-subtle signal for anyone vying for next year's Olympics.
“It is also important for me to point out that, going forward, issuing a reprimand to other athletes in a similar instance is insufficient,” Sarah Hirshland wrote in the letters sent Tuesday. The Associated Press obtained copies of the documents.
Hirshland's letter was as clear a sign as possible that athletes who try the same next year in Tokyo could face a different reaction.
It's the IOC's role to discipline athletes who break rules that forbid political protest at the Olympics — much the way the IOC triggered the ouster of John Carlos and Tommie Smith after their iconic protest in 1968 — though national federations can get into the mix, too. Before going to the Olympics, athletes sign forms stating they're aware of the rules and won't break them.
Lakers looking for Cousins' replacement
The Los Angelese Lakers will host workouts with veteran big men Dwight Howard, Jo a kim Noah a nd Marreese Spei ghts this week as they explore options to fill the void left by the knee injury to DeMarcus Cousins.
Cousins suffered a torn anterior c ru ci at eli gament during an organized pickup game in Las Vegas last week and he likely will miss most of the season.
Jury acquits former Michigan State star of sexual assault
A jury acquitted former Michigan State basketball star Mateen Cleaves Tuesday on charges alleging he sexually assaulted a woman in a motel room four years ago.
The verdict announced in a Gene see County courtroom in C leaves' hometown of Flint came after a nearly- two week trial that included the testimony of the Mount Morris woman, who told jurors that she had wanted to leave the motel room but C leaves continued to force himself on her.
Evidence against Cleaves included a video that prosecutors contended showed the woman pulling away from Cleaves. Prosecutors argued she tried twice to escape from the motel room.
Cleaves did not testify. One of his attorneys, Frank Manley, said Cleaves had consensual sex with the woman who was in the motel room “of her own free will” after a charity golf tournament and visit to a bar. Cleaves' attorneys told jurors that the woman lied about what happened because she felt guilty about cheating on her boyfriend.
The 41- year-old C leaves was acquitted on all charges, including unlawful imprisonment and assault with intent to commit criminal sexual penetration.
Former OCU golfer qualifies for U.S. Mid-Amateur
Former Oklahoma City University golf er Eric Gibbs has qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur after shooting a 3- underpar 69 at the U.S. Mid- Amateur Qualifier on Monday at Squire Creek Country Club in Chourdrant, Louisiana.
The winner of the U.S. Mid-Amateur gets an invitation to the Masters and U.S. Open.
Gibbs tied for second at the qualifier, with the top three moving onto play in the U.S. Mid-Amateur on Sept. 14- 19 at t he CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora, Colorado. He will be competing in a field of 264 competitors.
Gibbs competed for OCU from 2005-09 and was part of two NAIA national championship golf teams.