Reuters Sports News Summary
Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
Motor racing-Russell plays down 'throwaway remark' on Mercedes move
George Russell has dampened speculation of an early move to Mercedes after his impressive performance as stand-in for seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton. The 22-year-old Briton fueled some chatter when he said in Bahrain last Sunday that he hoped he had given Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff a selection headache "not just for 2022, maybe sooner."
USGA drives for gender equity with 'Women Worth Watching' campaign
The USGA said it hoped to spark greater interest in women's golf with the official launch of its "Women Worth Watching" campaign on Wednesday, an initiative that has the backing of some of the top players on the men's PGA Tour. A day ahead of the U.S. Women's Open, USGA Senior Director of Communications Beth Major said the campaign drew inspiration from U.S. professional basketball.
Al Michaels wins Ford Frick Award
Former play-by-play announcer Al Michaels was named the winner of the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence on Wednesday by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Michaels, 76, will be honored at the 2021 Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, currently slated for July 24 in Cooperstown, N.Y.
NHL-COVID-19 takes toll on average NHL team value - Forbes
The average value of NHL franchises declined for the first time since 2001 as the COVID-19 pandemic robbed teams of critical revenue, according to the annual list https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2020/12/09/nhl-team-values-2020-hockeys-first-decline-in-two-decades/?sh=2cd133fd70dd published by business magazine Forbes on Wednesday. With only 85% of regular season games held with fans and the entire postseason played at neutral sites and behind closed doors, the resulting lack of revenue from things like ticket sales and concessions took a toll.
Golf-Perez takes one-shot lead at European Tour finale in Dubai
France's Victor Perez carded a five-under-par 67 to take a one-shot lead in the first round of the DP World Tour Championship, the European Tour's season finale, in Dubai on Thursday. Perez, 28, sank six birdies, offset by a bogey on the par-three fourth at the Jumeirah Golf estates' Earth Course, to lead England's Matthew Fitzpatrick, South African Erik Van Rooyen and Scotland's Robert MacIntyre who were tied for second.
Soccer-Belgium top year-end world rankings for third straight time
Belgium were crowned FIFA's team of the year for the third straight time after retaining the top spot ahead of world champions France in the latest world rankings released on Thursday, soccer's world governing body said. While a total of 1,082 international games were played in 2019, the most since the rankings system was introduced in 1993, only 352 matches were held this year -- the fewest since 1987 -- due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Soccer-Italy's World Cup hero Rossi dies aged 64
Paolo Rossi, Italy's goalscoring hero from their victorious 1982 World Cup campaign and scorer of a hat-trick against Brazil in one of the most famous matches in the competition's history, has died at the age of 64. The celebrated striker's death comes with the soccer world still in mourning for Argentina icon Diego Maradona, who passed away late last month.
World indoor championships in China postponed again until 2023
The World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China have been pushed back again to March 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sport's global governing body said on Thursday. The event was initially scheduled for March 13-15 this year but was postponed for 12 months over fears related to the spread of the novel coronavirus in China.
Barcelona skateboarder proves height is no big deal
Petar "Stewie" Stantchev has an arsenal of skateboarding tricks he likes to display on the streets of Barcelona, the sport's European hotspot. The fact that he is about half the height of most of the people he skates with does not trouble him - he slides his board on the same ledges and jumps the same high stairs.
Soccer-From ex-partners to photographers, Maradona's fortune has many claimants
Lawyers are gearing up to do battle over the estate of Diego Maradona, estimated at between $10 million and $40 million and disputed by the soccer great's children, ex-partners and many others. The legal wrangling began within days of Maradona's death from a heart attack in Buenos Aires on Nov. 25.
