Sports

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — Spanish league clubs have expressed unease about the payments by Barcelona to the vice-president of the refereeing committee over several years. The league has released a statement saying the majority of the clubs showed “deep concern about this case, which they consider to be of the

SILVERSTONE, England (AP) — Formula Two champion Felipe Drugovich will drive for Aston Martin in place of the injured Lance Stroll when Formula One testing begins Thursday. Aston Martin says Drugovich will start testing in the morning session Thursday in Bahrain before Stroll’s teammate Fernando Alonso takes over for the afternoon. The team says its

LEEDS, England (AP) — Spanish coach Javi Gracia has gotten a second chance to manage in the Premier League. He has been hired by Leeds as the replacement for Jesse Marsch at the relegation-threatened team. The 52-year-old Gracia previously had a spell at Watford from 2018-19. He kept the team in England’s top flight in

By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Jacque Vaughn, who has coached the Brooklyn Nets into playoff position despite the trades of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving during another turbulent season for the franchise, has agreed to a multiyear contract extension. Vaughn replaced Steve Nash early in the season and the Nets

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Browns special teams coordinator Mike Priefer has been fired following four seasons and numerous costly mistakes by his units. The move came six weeks after coach Kevin Stefanski fired defensive coordinator Joe Woods following a 7-10 season. Priefer spent three seasons on Stefanski’s staff and

MONTREAL (AP) — The World Anti-Doping Agency says it has appealed Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva’s doping case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and is seeking a four-year ban. WADA is objecting to a finding by a Russian tribunal that Valieva bore “no fault or negligence” in the case. Her positive test overshadowed

By The Associated Press The PGA Tour begins its road to the Masters at the Honda Classic and LIV Golf begins its second season in Mexico. The Honda Classic has a weak field this year, with three of the top 20 players in the world and eight of the top 50. It comes after two

DENHAM, England (AP) — Suzann Pettersen will captain Europe at the next two Solheim Cups. The Norwegian has been selected to lead the team for the 2024 event at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Va. She had already been appointed as captain for this year’s Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesin in Spain from

LEEDS, England (AP) — Leeds appears to be close to hiring Javi Gracia as manager of the struggling Premier League team after the Spanish coach arrived at Elland Road. It would be Gracia’s second job in England’s top division. He had a spell at Watford from 2018-19. Leeds has been searching for a replacement for

CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — The Six Nations rugby match between Wales and England looks increasingly under threat of a players’ strike after the Wales team announcement is delayed amid contract talks. Wales coach Warren Gatland held off announcing his team for Saturday’s game at Principality Stadium to raise the stakes in a standoff between the

LONDON (AP) — Chelsea says captain Cesar Azpilicueta has been discharged from the hospital and is “recovering well” after being kicked in the head during an English Premier League game. Azpilicueta was taken off on a stretcher wearing a neck brace and breathing from an oxygen mask following a 10-minute stoppage at Stamford Bridge on

MADRID (AP) — Former Real Madrid and Spain midfielder Amancio Amaro has died. He was 83. Amaro helped Madrid win a European Cup and nine Spanish league titles in the 1960s and 70s. He was a midfielder who also played for Spain when it won its first European Championship in 1964. He arrived from Deportivo

By GARY B. GRAVES AP Sports Writer Friends, families and alumni who continue to make the trek to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament often say they remember more about what they did and who they saw during the event than which school won the basketball championship. The family reunion vibe and opportunities to fellowship

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Nikola Jokic might be on the cusp of entering some highly exclusive clubs. There’s the three-consecutive-MVP club, with only Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird as its current members. Then there’s the averaged-a-triple-double club, which includes only Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook. Jokic

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Basketball Writer Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s are barreling toward a showdown for the West Coast Conference title. The No. 12 Bulldogs are a game back of the No. 15 Gaels with a matchup scheduled for Saturday in Spokane, Washington. But first, Gonzaga will have to get by San Diego on Thursday

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — A Spanish court denied Dani Alves’ appeal on Tuesday to be freed on bail while the investigation of a sexual assault accusation against the Brazilian soccer player continues. The court ruled that Alves was a flight risk and must remain in prison during the investigation. A