Reuters Sports News Summary
Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
Doping: IOC sanctions weightlifter Binay after 2012 Games re-test
Turkish weightlifter Mete Binay was disqualified from the 2012 London Olympics after a doping sample he provided at the Games was found to be positive during re-testing, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Thursday. The IOC said in a statement that Binay's in-competition test in July 2012 did not result in an adverse analytical finding but reanalysis of his sample returned a positive test for Stanozolol, a substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Devils tab Ruff as head coach, keep Fitzgerald as GM
The New Jersey Devils hired Lindy Ruff as their head coach, the team announced Thursday. New Jersey also will keep Tom Fitzgerald in the role of general manager. He was promoted when Ray Shero was fired Jan. 12.
Nets sign veteran F Beasley
The Brooklyn Nets signed forward Michael Beasley as a substitute player for the remainder of the 2019-20 season, the team announced Thursday. Financial terms were not disclosed by the team for Beasley, who will have to serve a five-game suspension for violating the league's anti-drug policy last April.
World record? - Chaos as Lyles runs wrong distance in high-tech meet
An ambitious attempt to held a high-tech athletics meeting with runners in different stadiums ran into problems on Thursday when world champion Noah Lyles ran too short a distance in the 200 metres event. Lyles, running in Florida, completed the race at the Inspiration Games in an eye-watering 18.90 seconds -- which would have smashed Usain Bolt's world record of 19.19 seconds and his own personal best time of 19.50.
Tokyo 2020 expects to secure all venues for Games, local media says
Tokyo Olympics organizers expect to be able to use all the venues as originally planned at next year's rearranged Games, several Japanese media outlets reported on Thursday. Securing venues was a top priority for organizers after the Games were pushed back to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Kyodo and NHK, citing unnamed sources, said they were now confident they would be tied down for Olympics use again.
Hadwin grabs clubhouse lead at Muirfield, Koepka struggles
Canadian Adam Hadwin birdied his final hole to grab the early clubhouse lead at the Workday Charity Open on Thursday while Brooks Koepka, who had not competed since his caddie tested positive for COVID-19 two weeks ago, struggled. Hadwin began his round with a bogey at the par-four 10th but was flawless the rest of the way as he shot a six-under-par 66 to sit one shot clear of compatriot Nick Taylor and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama at Muirfield Village Golf Club.
WTA adds events to calendar, announces new rankings system
The WTA on Thursday confirmed the addition of events in Prague, Czech Republic and Lexington, United States, to its provisional calendar which now features 21 tournaments. The WTA Tour, suspended since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, last month announced it would resume in Palermo on Aug. 3 and the tournaments in Prague and Lexington are scheduled to begin a week later.
Golf: Woods ready to return, commits to Memorial
Tiger Woods announced on Thursday that he will compete at next week's Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, the 15-times major champion's first PGA Tour event in five months. "I'm looking forward to playing in the @MemorialGolf next week," Woods said on his Twitter account. "I've missed going out and competing with the guys and can't wait to get back out there."
Umpires union steps back from West's opinion on COVID-19
The Major League Baseball Umpires Association on Thursday distanced itself from comments made by veteran umpire Joe West in regard to the coronavirus pandemic. The MLBUA statement, which did not mention West by name, says the union "fully supports" the safety protocols agreed to by Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association. It also said that "regardless of any umpire's personal views, when we report for a resumed spring training and 2020 season, we will conduct ourselves as professionals and in accordance with the health and safety protocol."
MLB 2021 schedule: Mets, Yankees to play on 9/11 anniversary
The Mets and Yankees will meet at Citi Field on Sept. 11, 2021 -- the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that devastated New York City. The game is among the dates to circle on the 2021 schedule, released Thursday by Major League Baseball. The release came just three days after MLB announced the 2020 schedule, delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
