Reuters Sports News Summary

09/17/2016 12:56

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Seattle high school football team kneels for national anthem

A Seattle high school football team knelt during the playing of the national anthem before a game on Friday night, embracing a silent protest for social justice initiated last month by NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Players and coaches from Garfield High School knelt in unison before their game against West Seattle High School, and some West Seattle players also knelt, according to local news reports and social media.

Rosberg storms to pole in Singapore

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg took pole position for his 200th Formula One race after a stunning qualifying lap around Singapore's Marina Bay street circuit on Saturday. The German's best lap of one minute 42.584 seconds left him perfectly placed to retake the championship lead from British team mate Lewis Hamilton under the floodlights on Sunday.

Doping: Putin says WADA leaks raise a lot of questions

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) records leaked by hackers raised a lot of questions with healthy athletes seemingly taking banned substances, TASS news agency reported. "It raises a lot of questions," Putin said. "It seems as if healthy athletes are taking drugs legally that are prohibited for others, and people who are clearly suffering from serious illnesses, major disabilities, are suspected of taking some kind of substances and banned from the Paralympic Games."

IOC gives information to Brazil authorities in Hickey case

The International Olympic Committee has met Brazilian judicial authorities investigating a case of alleged ticket scalping during the Rio de Janeiro Olympics and provided information, an IOC official said on Saturday. The official told Reuters the IOC had not been asked to provide information but took the initiative, with its lawyers meeting officials investigating the case which has centered around suspended senior IOC member Patrick Hickey.

Doping: Australian rower Brennan 'beyond disappointed' by WADA data hack

Australian Olympic champion rower Kim Brennan has spoken of her deep disappointment that her integrity as a clean athlete has been called into question over a shot of adrenaline administered in a medical emergency. Brennan, who won gold in the single skulls at the Rio Olympics, was one of 11 athletes whose medical data was leaked on Friday by a Russian hacking group, which is known as APT28 and Fancy Bear by U.S. cyber-security researchers.

World Cup does not spell end of Olympics for NHL: Bettman

The success or failure of the World Cup of Hockey will not determine whether the National Hockey League continues its Olympic participation, said league commissioner Gary Bettman on Friday. While the World Cup, an eight team, best-on-best tournament, begins on Saturday in Toronto, Bettman said it was well-known, thorny issues with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) that could scupper the NHL's Winter Games future.

Twitter grabs average 243,000 viewers in NFL livestream debut

Twitter Inc attracted an average of 243,000 viewers to Thursday's National Football League livestream of the New York Jets triumph over the Buffalo Bills, the first time the social media platform has broadcast an NFL game. The event drew mostly praise from Twitter users and media experts have said the NFL deal helps Twitter maintain its position as a venue for live video.

Del Potro sinks Murray as Argentina take 2-0 lead

Juan Martin del Potro delivered a huge blow to Britain's hopes of retaining the Davis Cup when he beat Andy Murray 6-4 5-7 6-7(5) 6-3 6-4 in a five-hour thriller as Argentina grabbed a 2-0 lead in their world group semi-final on Friday. World number two and Wimbledon champion Murray looked poised to chalk up his 30th victory in 32 Davis Cup matches when he led by two sets to one against the man he beat in last month's Rio Olympics singles final.

Rosberg has plenty to celebrate ahead of 200th race

Nico Rosberg will start his 200th Formula One race in Singapore on Sunday with every chance of moving to the top of the championship standings after securing pole position. Rosberg trails Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton by two points with seven rounds remaining but, after winning in Belgium and Italy since Formula One returned from its annual summer break, the 31-year-old is in the form of his life.

Lizard adds to Formula One's track menagerie

Formula One acquired an exotic addition to its list of wildlife hazards on Saturday after a large monitor lizard wandered onto the Singapore Grand Prix circuit during final practice. "There's a giant lizard on the track," exclaimed Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.

09/17/2016 12:56