Reuters Sports News Summary
Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
Hanyu seeks gold-medal tonic after bumpy ride
A reunion with his coach Brian Orser will provide a welcome distraction for Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu when he returns to the Shanghai Oriental Sports Centre for this week's figure skating world championships. Four months ago the Japanese left the arena battered and bruised following a sickening collision with Chinese rival Yan Han in the build-up to the Cup of China, an accident that left him requiring staples in his head and stitches in his jaw.
Nadal returning to Queen's for Wimbledon warmup
Rafa Nadal will return to his old routine in a bid to recapture the Wimbledon crown later this year, confirming he has entered the traditional warm-up event at Queen's Club. The Spaniard has played at Queen's five times and on each occasion went on to reach the Wimbledon final a few weeks later, winning the grasscourt major in 2008 and 2010.
Paris mayor gives backing to 2024 Games bid
The mayor of Paris on Monday gave her blessing to a bid for the 2024 Olympics and asked local city officials to get to work on shaping a detailed plan for the Games. Anne Hidalgo, who initially asked for more time to study the possibility after President Francois Hollande publicly backed the idea last November, said she had been convinced by a report produced by French sports officials on the advantages.
South Korea's Park handed 18-month ban by FINA
Park Tae-hwan's hopes of competing in the 2016 Rio Games were put in jeopardy as the South Korean Olympic swimming champion was handed an 18-month ban after a failed drug test, swimming's governing body said on Monday. Park, a two-time world champion and first Korean to win an Olympic swimming medal, tested positive for testosterone in an out of competition test conducted by FINA last September ahead of the Asian Games.
NFL suspends long-standing TV blackout policy for 2015
The National Football League voted on Monday to suspend its long-standing television blackout policy for at least the 2015 season. NFL teams voted for a one-year suspension of the blackout policy for both the upcoming preseason and regular season, the league said in a release.
Beijing mayor promises frugal, smog-free Winter Games
If Beijing wins the right to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics they will be both frugal and free from the city's notorious smog, the city's mayor was quoted as saying in a state-run newspaper on Tuesday. "Holding the Games in a frugal way is not a slogan, it's a reality," Mayor Wang Anshun said, according to the official China Daily. "We will make full use of our current sports facilities and strictly control construction costs."
Absence of oft-injured Davis teases NBA of unique standout
Anthony Davis has been anointed the next great superstar of the National Basketball Association but injuries keep his reign a future promise instead of a present fulfillment. Davis, 22, is a transcendent talent whose skills defy his power forward position. But the only thing growing faster than his list of credentials is his medical report.
Ex-NFL star sent money to man who sold guns, witness testifies
Former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez transferred $15,000 to a Florida man who prosecutors say sold him guns two months before he allegedly fatally shot an acquaintance, a former bank teller testified on Monday. Heidi Carrera said Hernandez in April 2013 deposited three checks totaling more than $1.8 million at the Bank of America branch where she worked near Los Angeles before transferring the $15,000 to the account of Oscar Hernandez, who is unrelated to the former tight end.
Louisville Slugger, iconic U.S. baseball brand, sold to Wilson
One of the biggest deals in U.S. baseball this spring may be the $70 million purchase on Monday by a Finnish company of the Louisville Slugger brand, a name synonymous with the sport itself. The rights to the Louisville Slugger, the market-leading wooden baseball bat in the United States after over 130 years in business, are being acquired by sporting goods company Amer Sports.
Ex-NFL star Darren Sharper pleads guilty to sexual assault: AP
Former professional football star Darren Sharper, accused of drugging and raping two women in California and under investigation on sex crime allegations elsewhere, pleaded guilty to sexual assault and attempted sexual assault charges, the Associated Press reported on Monday. Sharper, a former defensive back for the New Orleans Saints and other teams, was sentenced to nine years in prison after pleading guilty in deal with prosecutors, the AP reported.
