Sports

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Ousted French soccer federation president Noël Le Graët has formally withdrawn his candidacy for re-election to the FIFA Council. European soccer body UEFA has published an updated candidate list noting Le Graët’s withdrawal. Le Graët had stayed in the April 5 election contest despite rising criticism of his leadership of French

By AARON BEARD AP Basketball Writer UCLA is surging, both toward the postseason and in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll. While Houston was No. 1 for a third straight week in Monday’s poll, the Bruins rose two spots to No. 2 for their highest ranking of the season. UCLA (27-4) has won its

By ERIC OLSON AP Sports Writer A proposed settlement for more than $4 million has been reached in the lawsuit brought by former Iowa football players who alleged racial discrimination in coach Kirk Ferentz’s program. The office of State Auditor Rob Sand disclosed the proposed settlement on Monday, and he was scheduled to speak at

By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Pro Football Writer MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings started their salary cap purge by terminating the contract of veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks to end his eight-year run with the team. The 2019 All-Pro started 113 regular-season games, plus six in the playoffs, after the Vikings drafted him in the second

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer The NFL combine is winding down and it’s clear the annual scouting event that’s evolved into a made-for-TV spectacle continues to be a required stop on the road to a pro football career amid concerns it can be a demeaning process with diminishing value. The combine, which launched

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves plan to stop the sale of season tickets to preserve the availability of single-game tickets. Braves president Derek Schiller said Monday this is the first time in team history season ticket sales have been cut off before the first game. The Braves plan to cut off the sale of

By KAWEEWIT KAEWJINDA Associated Press CHIANG SAEN, Thailand (AP) — Family members, monks and friends watched from a boat Monday as the ashes of one of the 12 boys rescued from a flooded cave in northern Thailand in 2018 were released into the Mekong River. Seventeen-year-old Duangphet Phromthep died last month while attending a sports

LEIPZIG, Germany (AP) — Two soccer fans were hurt after Leipzig supporters lit flares during a Bundesliga game against Borussia Dortmund. Leipzig says about 20 flares were lit before the start of the second half. The club says the people who were hurt were not involved in lighting the pyrotechnics. Leipzig didn’t comment on the

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Luka Modrić is back in the Croatian national team as part of a 25-man squad named for two European Championship qualifying games. The 37-year-old Modrić said after captaining Croatia to victory over Morocco in the third-place game ay last year’s World Cup that he wanted to “continue until at least the

By JAMES ROBSON AP Soccer Writer MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Liverpool’s 7-0 rout of Manchester United could have a telling impact on the remainder of the season for both teams. Liverpool’s problem this season has been an inability to produce consistent winning runs. That is why a team that competed for four trophies last season

By JEROME PUGMIRE AP Auto Racing Writer With re-branding commonplace in Formula One this Aston Martin team might consider calling itself “Awesome Martin” after a stunning start to the season at Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso showed his talent is not fading at the advanced age of 41 by finishing third to give the

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium defender Toby Alderweireld is quitting international soccer, the Belgian federation said. The 34-year-old Alderweireld made his debut with the national team in 2009. He was part of the squad that finished third at the 2018 World Cup. He also took part in the 2014 and 2022 World Cups and could not