Reuters Sports News Summary

08/23/2016 12:55

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Rainy Rio wraps up challenging Games on upbeat tropical note

A blustery storm, a touch of melancholy and a sense of pride converged at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Olympics on Sunday as Brazil breathed a collective sigh of relief at having pulled off South America's first Games. After a grueling 17 days, Rio de Janeiro cast aside early struggles with empty venues, security scares and a mysterious green diving pool to throw a huge Carnival-like party.

Brazil didn't mess up Games, nor did it make most of them

As the Olympic hoardings are taken down in Rio de Janeiro and the Carnival atmosphere subsides, there is relief that cash-strapped Brazil avoided making a mess of the Games but also a nagging suspicion it did not make the most of them either. Brazil overcame fears over the Zika virus, a painful recession that left government coffers bare, and the suspension of its president just three months before the opening ceremony of the first Games in South America.

Serena Williams and Kerber qualify for Tour finals

Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber, battling it out for the world number one ranking, are the first two women to qualify for the season-ending WTA Tour Finals in Singapore, the WTA said on Monday. World number one Williams, who leads Kerber by 190 ranking points, has won the title five times but missed last year's event through injury.

Russia loses appeal against Paralympics ban

Russia has lost its appeal against a ban from next month's Rio Paralympics because of a state-sponsored doping program, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Tuesday. The decision to exclude Russia's team, initially made on Aug. 7 by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), means at least 260 competitors from the country are now set to miss the Sept. 7-18 event.

Battle on for last automatic spots on U.S. Ryder Cup team

With the Ryder Cup just over a month away, the teams are shaping up, with this week's Barclays tournament at Bethpage determining the last three automatic spots on a United States team desperate to end Europe's recent domination. U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, PGA Championship winner Jimmy Walker and Ryder rookie Brooks Koepka are set for the trip to Hazeltine outside Minneapolis for the biennial matches starting on Sept. 30.

Ryder Cup captain Clarke salutes Europe's 'fantastic' mix

Europe's Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke has hailed his "fantastic blend of youth and experience" following the confirmation of his nine automatic qualifiers for next month's event at Hazeltine, Minnesota. On Sunday, England's Matt Fitzpatrick became the ninth and final qualifier to seal his spot in the team that is seeking a record fourth successive triumph over the United States.

Speedo USA ends Ryan Lochte sponsorship

Swimwear maker Speedo USA said on Monday it had decided to end its sponsorship of Ryan Lochte, two days after the U.S. Olympic gold medalist swimmer admitted to exaggerating his story about being robbed at gunpoint in Rio. However, Lochte in an interview to Brazil's largest broadcaster, Globo TV, on Saturday insisted he did not lie.

Sanchez making an impression with Yankees

Dominican rookie Gary Sanchez continued the blistering start to his New York Yankees career by blasting two home runs in Monday's 7-5 loss to Seattle. The 23-year-old, who was called up to the Major Leagues on Aug. 3, now has eight homers in his first 19 games, setting a Yankees record for the fastest to reach that total.

Players agree to interviews over PED report

Green Bay linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers along with Pittsburgh's James Harrison have agreed to meet with NFLinvestigators regarding allegations of doping, the league said on its website on Monday. The NFL had set an Aug. 25 deadline for four players, including free agent Mike Neal, to come forward for questioning or face possible suspension.

Rio court says no date set for hearing of former IOC official, Hickey

A court in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday said that no date has been set for a hearing for Patrick Hickey, the former top European official at the International Olympic Committee, after his arrest last week on accusations that he took part in illegal ticket sales for the Games. Hickey, a 71-year-old Irishman, is in a maximum-security Rio prison following a police raid last week at his hotel on suspicion he participated in an illegal price-gouging plot for tickets to the Olympics, which ended in Rio on Sunday.

08/23/2016 12:55