doping

doping

Seven Russian swimmers barred

Seven Russian swimmers have been barred from the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, including three linked to recent allegations of a major doping cover-up by Russian authorities, world swimming’s governing body FINA said Monday.

Reigning world 100-meter breaststroke champion Yulia Efimova is among four Russian swimmers withdrawn by the Russian swimming federation because they previously served doping bans, FINA said. The others are Natalya Lovtsova, Anastasia Krapivina and Mikhail Dovgalyuk.

The International Olympic Committee on Sunday said Russian athletes with previous doping bans would be banned from the Rio Games. That followed the IOC’s decision not to ban the entire Russian team over allegations of state-sponsored doping.

basketball

Anthony speaks about violence

Carmelo Anthony spent the U.S. Olympic basketball team’s precious day off running a two-hour town hall meeting at a South Los Angeles youth center because he can’t sleep anymore.

With only a few spare hours Monday before jetting off to continue the Americans’ pre-Olympic tour, Anthony gathered basketball stars, community leaders and police officers to speak with teenagers and young adults about the importance of respect, communication and safety. Roughly 200 people came together for the meeting, and Anthony believes everyone left with something to contemplate.

“We really got a lot of messages out of today,” Anthony said. “Hopefully we can continue this dialogue, and we created something today that will continue on.”

soccer

Chastain calls for fewer headers

Brandi Chastain is confident the U.S. women’s soccer team can win the gold medal again in Rio, is advocating for fewer headers in youth games and dealing with her son’s diagnosis of Crohn’s disease.

It’s been 17 years since Chastain’s winning kick in a penalty shootout against China in the Women’s World Cup at the Rose Bowl, and the celebratory photo of her overhead jersey twirl landed on magazine covers.

Chastain is keeping an eye on the current women’s national team after helping the U.S. win two golds and a silver in the Olympics during her career.

“We have a very deep roster, a nice balance of young players and veterans,” she said. “Those two components have always proved successful.”

Wire reports