Sports

A’ja Wilson wins AP Female Athlete of the Year following historic 4th WNBA MVP

A’ja Wilson stood atop the WNBA again, winning an unprecedented fourth MVP as her Las Vegas Aces earned a third championship in four seasons. For that, she earned The Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year for the first time. It’s the second consecutive year a basketball player won the award after Caitlin Clark was honored in 2024. A group of 47 sports journalists from the AP and its members voted. Wilson received 17 votes, tennis star Aryna Sabalenka was second with nine and Paige Bueckers was third with five.

Pressure is on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso ahead of Champions League match against Man City

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — The pressure is mounting on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League match with Manchester City. Madrid has won just two of its last seven in all competitions including a 2-0 loss to Celta Vigo over the weekend. Ahead of the City match Alonso had to contend with reports in the Spanish media that he had lost control of the locker room. Doubts over Kylian Mbappé’s availability added to Alonso’s concerns. The France striker trained separately to the rest of the team on Tuesday, having reportedly had issues with is left leg.

Nine Russian and Belarusian skiers get neutral status to compete in Olympics qualifying events

GENEVA (AP) — Three skiers from Russia and six from Belarus have been approved to compete in qualifying events for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games in February. They include former Olympic and world champions. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation says it cleared nine applications for neutral athlete status and return to competitions for the first time since the full military invasion of Ukraine in 2022. FIS didn’t say if some applications were rejected. Athletes must not have publicly supported the war nor have ties to military or state security agencies. The Russian ski federation won a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling last week.

NASCAR chairman Jim France stands firm on charter stance, citing parents’ advice

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR Chairman Jim France has testified in a federal antitrust lawsuit involving Michael Jordan’s racing team. France explained his refusal to grant teams permanent charters, citing advice from his late parents. He emphasized the importance of keeping promises and expressed discomfort with making permanent agreements. This aligns with testimony from NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps, who described a chaotic agreement process in September 2024. Two teams, including Jordan’s, refused to sign the agreement and sued NASCAR. The jury will decide if NASCAR violated antitrust laws, potentially leading to significant changes in the sport’s structure.

Egypt and Iran complain about planned World Cup ‘Pride’ match in Seattle

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Egypt and Iran, two Middle East nations that target gays and lesbians, have complained to FIFA over the scheduling of a World Cup soccer match in Seattle that’s expected to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride. Leaders in the nation’s soccer federations publicly rebuked the idea of playing the match June 26 at Seattle Stadium. Local organizers say it will include a “once-in-a-lifetime moment to showcase and celebrate LGBTQIA+ communities in Washington.” Iran said it planned a formal complaint at an upcoming FIFA meeting in Qatar. Seattle’s organizing committee said it was “moving forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament.”

Olympic hopeful cross-country skier tries to put India on the winter sports map

Most of Bhavani Thekkada’s competitors grew up on skis. She grew up on a coffee farm — in southern India. So as a cross-country skier, she’s a little behind. Thekkada has been hitting European tracks in recent weeks trying to keep her Olympic dream alive. She’s a longshot to qualify for the Milan Cortina Winter Games, but she’s reaching some other goals along the way. Thekkada is chronicling her journey on social media and making headlines back home. Her bronze medal in a recent race in Chile was hailed as India’s first international medal in women’s cross-country skiing.

10 months after Super Bowl, Mahomes and Hurts struggle in historic week of turnovers

Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts have had a rough week, marking a first in NFL history. Mahomes threw three interceptions and no touchdowns in the Chiefs’ 20-10 loss to Houston, ending Kansas City’s nine-year division title streak. Hurts threw four interceptions and lost a fumble in the Eagles’ 22-19 overtime loss to the Chargers. This is the first time both Super Bowl quarterbacks from the previous season threw at least three interceptions and no touchdowns in the same week. Mahomes’ performance was the worst for a Chiefs QB since 2010, and Hurts made history with two turnovers on the same play.

Oft-injured Mavericks center Dereck Lively II set for season-ending foot surgery

DALLAS (AP) — Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II is set for season-ending surgery on his ailing right foot, another setback for the promising but oft-injured player. The team says the surgery will be performed by Dr. James Calder in London. The Mavericks previously said Lively was seeking multiple medical opinions as discomfort in the foot lingered. He had a procedure on the same foot in the offseason. Lively’s final game of the season was a 118-115 victory over New Orleans on Nov. 21. He will have missed 148 of a possible 246 games by the end of his third season.

Blues sign Dillon Dube, who was acquitted in Hockey Canada sexual assault case, to AHL tryout

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Blues have signed Dillon Dube to an American Hockey League professional tryout agreement. Dube is the last remaining player acquitted of sexual assault in the high-profile case involving members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team not to sign a contract somewhere. Goaltender Carter Hart with the Vegas Golden Knights is the only one who has played in the NHL since the trial ended last summer with a not guilty verdict. Defenseman Cal Foote signed with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves last week, while forwards Alex Formenton and Michael McLeod are playing in Europe. The Blues said Dube would report to the Springfield Thunderbirds after receiving his work visa.

US prosecutors seek to abandon soccer TV rights corruption case

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. prosecutors have told the Supreme Court that they want to give up their fight to preserve the convictions of a former Fox executive and a South American sports media company in a corruption case related to the TV rights for international soccer tournaments. Tuesday’s filing follows a yearslong legal battle. Hernan Lopez is former CEO of Fox International Channels. He and the company Full Play Group SA were convicted in 2023 but subsequently granted an acquittal by a judge. An appeals court reinstated the convictions in July. But additional appeals followed, and the fate of prosecution has been uncertain. Lopez called the charges against him “baseless.”