Reuters Sports News Summary
Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
Mutko stepping down as Russia Football Union chief
Russia Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko, banned for life from the Olympics this month, is temporarily stepping down from his role as head of the country's Football Union, he said on Monday. Mutko is to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Tuesday against the decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ban him from the Games over allegations of state-sponsored doping.
NBA-Highlights of Monday's NBA games
Highlights of Monday's National Basketball Association games: Warriors 99, Cavaliers 92
Highlights of Monday's NFL games
Highlights of National Football League games on Monday: Eagles 19, Raiders 10
Seahawks' Thomas tells Cowboys to 'come get me'
Seattle safety Earl Thomas courted controversy on Sunday when he appeared to offer his services to the Cowboys following the Seahawks' 21-12 victory in Dallas. Thomas, who attempted to enter the Cowboys locker room following the game, approached their coach Jason Garrett in the tunnel and could be heard saying, "if y'all have the chance, come get me". The Texas native, who also played collegiate football at the University of Texas, has one year left on a five-year contract in Seattle and was asked about his post-game comments that are likely to anger the passionate Seahawks fans.
Former Peru soccer official found not guilty in U.S. FIFA bribery case
Former Peru soccer federation president, Manuel Burga, was found not guilty on Tuesday of racketeering conspiracy by a U.S. jury in New York. Burga was charged along with Juan Angel Napout, the former president of the South American soccer governing body CONMEBOL and Paraguay's soccer federation, and Jose Maria Marin, former president of Brazil' soccer federation, with taking bribes in exchange for the award of valuable marketing and media rights to international soccer matches.
Concussion protocol altered after recent missteps
The NFL's concussion protocol has been altered with late-season changes following recent incidents that have triggered investigations. The changes were implemented last weekend, Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL's chief medical officer, told ESPN.
Serena Williams set to launch comeback in Abu Dhabi
Twenty-three time grand slam champion Serena Williams will play her first match since the birth of her daughter when she faces off against French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi next week. The match with be the 36-year-old Williams' first in almost a year as she prepares to try to defend her Australian Open crown in January, a title she captured earlier this year while pregnant.
Figure skating: Sochi champion Hanyu named in Japan team for Pyeongchang
Yuzuru Hanyu will defend his figure skating title at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics after being named in the Japan team but will not compete until then, the Kyodo news agency reported on Monday. The 23-year-old has been battling an ankle injury since November when he fell while attempting a quadruple Lutz jump in practice and had to withdraw from the grand prix final in Nagoya earlier this month.
Sailing: Near collision at start of Sydney-Hobart yacht race
Australian super-maxi Black Jack was first out of the Sydney Heads after two of the leading contenders for line honors almost collided at the beginning of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race on Tuesday. The Mark Bradford-helmed Black Jack, which took line honors in 2009 as Alfa Romeo, was one second ahead of LDV Comanche at the first mark and kept its slim lead as the boats rounded the Heads at the harbor entrance and headed south to Tasmania.
