IOC wants Russians at Paris Games

The IOC made clear Wednesday it wants Russians to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics as neutral athletes, in defiance of Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy's call to exclude them entirely.

Citing a “unifying mission” during a time of war, the International Olympic Committee said no athlete should face discrimination based only on the passport they held.

“A pathway for athletes' participation in competition under strict conditions should therefore be further explored,” the IOC said in a statement published after an executive board meeting in Geneva. IOC president Thomas Bach did not hold his usual news conference after the meeting.

Russia was not directly condemned in the statement though athletes who have been “actively supporting the war in Ukraine” face being excluded from the Paris Olympics that open in 18 months' time, the IOC said.

The IOC cited the example of Yugoslavians competing at the 1992 Barcelona Games — as “independent athletes” while the nation was under United Nations sanctions during a civil war.

The willingness of Olympic leaders to involve Russia and its military ally Belarus is likely to be met with dismay and anger in Kyiv.

Zelenskyy addressed the issue Tuesday after speaking with French president Emmanuel Macron, who helped campaign for the Paris Olympics when it was a bid candidate in 2017.

“I particularly emphasized that athletes from Russia should have no place at the Olympic Games in Paris,” Zelenskyy wrote on his Telegram account of his talks with Macron.

Russian Olympic Committee president Stanislav Pozdnyakov said in a statement later Wednesday that “the voice of common sense has been heard.”

The IOC board met to formalize a position after rounds of conference calls last week with global groups of Olympic officials, sports governing bodies, IOC members and athlete representatives.

Despite some pushback in those calls, the IOC said its stated aims were backed by a “vast majority.”

Golf

MCILROY SNUBS REED AT DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC >> Another battle between Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed began to take shape.

As one of the most vocal critics of the LIV Golf breakaway league, McIlroy felt mentally drained at the end of last year and decided to put his clubs away for a few weeks.

“It's been nice,” the top-ranked McIlroy said, “to try to take a little bit of time away, and try to sort of distance myself from the game of golf.”

Now he's back and appears to be as fiery as ever.

McIlroy was on the driving range Tuesday at the Dubai Desert Classic when he was approached by Reed, one of the high-profile players to have joined the exodus to the Saudibacked series that changed the face of golf in 2022.

McIlroy said he was busy practicing and didn't feel the need to acknowledge Reed.

“Patrick came up to say hello and I didn't really want him to,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy was asked about reports the American threw a tee toward him. The four-time major winner said he didn't see or feel anything.

”But apparently that's what happened,” McIlroy said. “And if roles were reversed and I'd have thrown that tee at him, I'd be expecting him (to file) a lawsuit.”

College football

WASHINGTON STATE'S DICKERT AGREES TO DEAL >> Washington State coach Jake Dickert has agreed to a contract extension that will keep him tied to the Cougars through the 2027 season.

Dickert just completed his first full season in charge of the Cougars, leading Washington State to a 7-6 record and a second straight bowl game.

Dickert took over as interim head coach midway through the 2021 season after Nick Rolovich was fired for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Dickert went 3-2 in the regular season after taking over for Rolovich and had the interim tag removed after the Cougars beat rival Washington in the Apple Cup.

Baseball

SPRINGS, RAYS AGREE TO $31 MILLION, 4-YEAR DEAL >> Left-hander Jeffrey Springs, 30, became the first of the 33 players who exchanged proposed arbitration salaries with their teams to reach a deal, agreeing to a $31 million, four-year contract with Tampa Bay could be worth $65.75 million over five seasons.

Springs began last season in the bullpen, transitioned to the starting rotation in May and finished 9-5 with a 2.46 ERA in 33 appearances, including 25 starts.