More Russian athletes barred from Olympics
Several of Russia’s top medal hopes for next month’s Olympics, including six-time short-track speedskating gold medalist Viktor Ahn, have been barred from the Pyeongchang Games amid the country’s ongoing doping scandal.
Already depleted by doping bans and forced to compete under a neutral flag, Russia now faces an Olympics without some of its top skiers, figure skaters and sliders after they failed to pass IOC vetting.
Five hockey players have also been barred, including former NHL stars Sergei Plotnikov, Valeri Nichushkin and Anton Belov.
Skiing
SHIFFRIN FALLS AGAIN ON SLOPES >> Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany won her third giant slalom event of the season, as overall World Cup leader Mikaela Shiffrin fell in the first run in San Vigilio Di Marebbe, Itay. She also failed to finish the race the previous week in Cortina.
Rebensburg finished 0.03 seconds ahead of Ragnhild Mowinckel of Norway and 0.66 ahead of Italy’s Federica Brignone.
Before her recent spills, Shiffrin had been undefeated this year in the technical disciplines of GS, slalom and parallel slalom with five straight wins.
Baseball
BLUE JAYS, GRANDERSON SIGN DEAL >> Outfielder Curtis Granderson and the Toronto Blue Jays have finalized a $5 million, one-year contract that can earn an additional $1.5 million in performance bonuses.
Granderson split last season between the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers, hitting .212 with 26 home runs.
Tennis
SERENA WILLIAMS TO PLAY IN FED CUP >> The U.S. Tennis Association says Serena Williams will return to competition at the Fed Cup matches against the Netherlands next month.
Williams has not played an official match since winning the Australian Open in January 2017 for her 23rd Grand Slam singles title. She was pregnant during that tournament and gave birth to a daughter on Sept. 1.
Joining Williams on the roster will be older sister Venus, CoCo Vandeweghe and a fourth member to be announced next week.
Media
RODRIGUEZ JOINS ESPN’S SUNDAY CREW >> Alex Rodriguez is taking over for Aaron Boone as an analyst in the ESPN booth for Sunday Night Baseball.
Play-by-play broadcaster Matt Vasgersian, analyst Jessica Mendoza and reporter Buster Olney are also part of the crew that debuts on Thursday, March 29, when the Giants visit the Dodgers on opening day. The first Sunday night telecast is GiantsDodgers on April 1.