(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Wednesday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Detroit 3, Pittsburgh 2
St. Louis 10, Kansas City 0
San Diego 5, Cleveland 4
Pittsburgh 7, Detroit 2
Cleveland 6, San Diego 5
Texas 2, Philadelphia 1
Chi White Sox 4, Chi Cubs 3
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Houston 7, Seattle 2
Tampa Bay 3, Oakland 0
Baltimore 9, Minnesota 4
Toronto 2, NY Yankees 1
LA Angels 10, Boston 5
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Arizona 8, Miami 7
Final Atlanta 9, NY Mets 2
Colorado 5, Washington 2
Milwaukee 18, Cincinnati 4
LA Dodgers 9, San Francisco 1
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Miami 119, Philadelphia 103 (Miami leads 2-0)
Phoenix 129, Dallas 109 (Phoenix leads 2-0)
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Carolina 5, Boston 2 (Carolina leads 2-0)
Tampa Bay 5, Toronto 3 (Series tied 1-1)
Minnesota 6, St. Louis 2 (Series tied 1-1)
Edmonton 6, Los Angeles 0 (Series tied 1-1)
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Tuesday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Texas 6, Philadelphia 4
Chi White Sox 3, Chicago Cubs 1
Kansas City 7, St. Louis 1
Pittsburgh at Detroit (Postponed)
San Diego at Cleveland (Postponed)
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston 4, LA Angels 0
Tampa Bay 10, Oakland 7
NY Yankees 9, Toronto 1
Minnesota 7, Baltimore 2
Houston, 4 Seattle 0
NATIONAL LEAGUE
NY Mets 5, Atlanta 4
NY Mets 3, Atlanta 0
Arizona 5, Miami 4
Milwaukee 6, Cincinnati 3
Washington 10, Colorado 2
LA Dodgers 3, San Francisco 1
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Boston 109, Milwaukee 86 (Series tied 1-1)
Memphis 106, Golden State 101 (Series tied 1-1)
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Washington 4, Florida 2 (Washington leads 1-0)
Pittsburgh 4, NY Rangers 3 (3 OT) (Pittsburgh leads 1-0)
Colorado 7, Nashville 2 (Colorado leads 1-0)
Calgary 1, Dallas 0 (Calgary leads 1-0)
(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. government now considers WNBA star Brittney Griner to be “wrongfully detained” in Russia, the State Department said.
“The welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is among the highest priorities of the U.S government. The Department of State has determined that the Russian Federation has wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Brittney Griner,” a department spokesperson told ABC News on Tuesday. “With this determination, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens will lead the interagency team for securing Brittney Griner’s release.”
With this classification, the U.S. will now be more involved in negotiating for her freedom.
Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, was visiting Russia to play basketball off-season and was arrested in February at a Moscow area airport for allegedly having vape cartridges in her luggage that contained hashish oil — an illegal substance in Russia.
She is facing drug charges with up to 10 years in prison, according to Russian media reports, and her pre-trial detention was extended in March to May 19.
Griner met with a U.S. official from the consular officer in Russia on March 24 amid a push from the U.S. to gain access to the WNBA star.
Calls to free Griner escalated last week following the release of Marine veteran Trevor Reed, who was freed from Russian prison as part of a prisoner exchange.
Former Marine Paul Whelan has also been detained in Russia since 2019. Whelan’s brother, David Whelan,told ABC News on Monday that his brother asked, “Why was I left behind?” following Reed’s release.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began one week after Griner was detained on Feb. 17. Some officials are concerned that Americans jailed in Russia could be used as leverage in the ongoing conflict.
Nneka Ogwumike, president of the WNBA Players Association, told Good Morning America last month that the league understands the importance of being “strategic” when discussing Griner’s case so her safety is not compromised.
“It’s tough — that could have been us,” Ogwumike said. “We’re really most concerned about her health and safety. Especially her mental health. We’re hearing that … she’s OK. But we want her home.”
The WNBA announced on Tuesday that the league will honor Griner with a floor decal bearing her initials and jersey number (42) on the sideline of all 12 WNBA teams as the 2022 season kicks off on Friday.
“As we begin the 2022 season, we are keeping Brittney at the forefront of what we do through the game of basketball and in the community,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement on Tuesday. “We continue to work on bringing Brittney home and are appreciative of the support the community has shown BG and her family during this extraordinarily challenging time.”
Griner is a seven-time WNBA All-Star, who has been playing for the Phoenix Mercury since 2013.
Jim Pitman, executive vice president and general manager of the Phoenix Mercury, said in a statement on Tuesday that the team will also launch various philanthropic initiatives, including BG’s Heart and Sole Shoe Drive, to recognize Griner’s contributions to the community.
“In conjunction with the league, the other 11 teams, and those closest to BG, we will work to keep her top-of-mind as we tip the 2022 season,” he said. “While we await her return, our main concern remains for her safety and well-being.”
Griner’s trip to Russia to play off-season has underscored the issue of pay inequality in professional basketball.
Many WNBA players have traveled around the world to play in the off-season because they don’t make enough money during the season — an issue that is not as prevalent for NBA players who are paid more. The top WNBA salary is $228K, whereas star NBA players can make at least $1 million a year.
Ogwumike, who also traveled overseas to play during the off-seasons, said she believes there is a gender issue at play in Griner’s case.
“When is it not? It’s disappointing that the question of it being a gender issue is top of mind now when it comes to this type of circumstance and the reality is she’s over there because of a gender issue, pay inequity,” she said.
ABC News’ Conor Finnegan, Matthew Stone and Kelly McCarthy contributed to this report.
(TEMPE, Ariz.) — Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will be absent from the first six games of the 2022 season for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy, the league announced on Monday.
Hopkins, 29, was suspended by the league after testing positive for a banned substance late last year.
“DeAndre Hopkins of the Arizona Cardinals has been suspended without pay for the first six games of the 2022 regular season for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances,” an NFL spokesperson said in an official statement. “Hopkins is eligible to participate in all preseason practices and games. He will be allowed to return to the Cardinals’ active roster following the team’s sixth regular-season game.”
Doug Sanders, Hopkins’ brand manager, told ESPN in a text message that “trace elements of a banned substance” appeared in a test Hopkins took last November. However, tests taken in October and December were negative.
On Twitter, Hopkins posted a statement saying that he was “confused and shocked.”
“In my 10-year NFL career, I have never tested positive for using performance enhancing drugs,” Hopkins tweeted Monday night. “To learn that my November test came back with trace elements of a banned substance, I was confused and shocked.”
“I am very mindful of what I put it in my body and have always taken a holistic approach, so I am working with my team to investigate how this could’ve happened. But even as careful as I have been, clearly I wasn’t careful enough,” he wrote. “For that, I apologize to Cardinals fans, my teammates, and the entire Cardinals organization. I never want to let my team down.”
“I fully intend to get to the bottom of this. As soon as I have more information I will share it,” Hopkins concluded.
(NEW YORK) — The NFL told a federal judge in New York on Monday it will try to move former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores’ race discrimination lawsuit into arbitration.
“It is the defendant’s position that all the matters raised by the plaintiffs … all are covered by the arbitration agreement,” the league’s attorney, Loretta Lynch, said during a hearing, the first since Flores filed the lawsuit.
Flores wants the case to remain in federal court and pushed for discovery so he can view relevant material held by the league. His attorney, Douglas Wigdor, said a motion to compel arbitration would be improper because the arbitrator is league commissioner Roger Goodell.
“The failure to hire is not subject to arbitration,” Wigdor said.
In his lawsuit, Flores alleged systemic race discrimination within the NFL in hiring practices, termination practices and the terms and conditions of employment.
The NFL and several teams named in the lawsuit have denied the allegations, saying they have not discriminated against Flores nor the other plaintiffs.
“This is a contract issue. Is there a valid agreement to arbitrate? Does it cover the kind of claims raised here?” Lynch said in previewing the NFL’s motion, due next month.
Judge Valerie Caproni offered the two sides a settlement conference but neither was interested.
“We’ve always been interested in talking about making the NFL a place that fairly represents blacks,” Wigdor said.
“The league is also focused on the important issues,” Lynch said. “We have invited Mr. Wigdor and his client” but Lynch said they’ve declined the invitations.
Wigdor said Flores would not meet with Goodell only to have him arbitrate a case later.
Caproni conceded neither side is ready to talk about a settlement yet.
(NEW YORK) — It’s no secret Asian American athletes are underrepresented in professional sports in the U.S. They make up just 1.4% of the WNBA, 1.3% of Major League Soccer and 0.1% of the NFL, according to data from the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports.
But Natalie Chou, Sean Davis and Younghoe Koo hope to change the landscape and are speaking out at the start of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month to inspire more young Asian Americans to embrace the sports they love.
Natalie Chou, basketball
Natalie Chou is a star on the court. The 6’1 Texas native is a guard for the UCLA Bruins and first learned how to play basketball from her mother Quanli Li, a former pro basketball player for China’s national team.
As a young girl, Chou said she faced skeptics who didn’t take her seriously.
“When we would walk by teams that we’re about to play, they’re like, ‘Oh, I got the Asian girl,’” Chou said to ABC News’ Good Morning America. “But … I let my game speak for itself.”
Chou dreams of playing professionally after she graduates.
“I think now more than ever, representation is so important,” she said.
Sean Davis, soccer
Sean Akira Davis is a midfielder in the MLS. The former team captain for the New York Red Bulls now plays for Nashville SC.
Davis’ mom is Japanese and the New Jersey native makes a point of highlighting his Asian roots.
“When I think about my Instagram handle or my Twitter handle, I think it’s really important for me to include my middle name so that different Asian kids around the world can see that there is an Asian presence in MLS,” Davis told GMA.
At games, Davis said young Asian American kids and their parents often come up to him and he welcomes the interactions.
“I just hope that after meeting me they feel inspired to touch a soccer ball or to try a team sport,” he said.
Younghoe Koo, football
Younghoe Koo was born in South Korea and only learned about football after he moved to the U.S. at the age of 12.
The 27-year-old is now a kicker in the NFL who joined the league in 2017 with the Los Angeles Chargers. Two months ago, Koo re-signed with the Atlanta Falcons for another five years.
“I really believe that like no matter what I look like, if my talent and if my skill level is good enough, the football doesn’t know who’s kicking it,” Koo told GMA.
When he was growing up, Koo said he never saw any football players that looked like him and is excited to be a role model for other young kids today.
“I think it’s really cool to be in this position to kind of share my story and be able to inspire the younger kids,” Koo said.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Sunday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Seattle 7, Miami 3
Texas 7, Atlanta 3
LA Dodgers 6, Detroit 3
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Minnesota 9, Tampa Bay 3
Baltimore 9, Boston 5
Toronto 3, Houston 2
LA Angels 6, Chi White Sox 5
NY Yankees 6, Kansas City 4
Cleveland 7, Oakland 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
San Diego 5, Pittsburgh 2
Chi Cubs 2, Milwaukee 0
St. Louis 7, Arizona 5
Colorado 10, Cincinnati 1
Washington 11, San Francisco 5
NY Mets 10, Philadelphia 6
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Milwaukee 101, Boston 89
Golden State 117, Memphis 116
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Winnipeg 4, Seattle 3
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
New York City FC 3, San Jose 0
Philadelphia 1, Nashville 1 (Tie)
Los Angeles FC 2, Minnesota 0
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Friday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Final Miami 8 Seattle 6
Final Atlanta 6 Texas 3
Final L.A. Dodgers 5 Detroit 1
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Tampa Bay 6 Minnesota 1
Final Boston 3 Baltimore 1
Final L.A. Angels 5 Chicago White Sox 1
Final Houston 11 Toronto 7
Final N.Y. Yankees 12 Kansas City 2
Final Cleveland 9 Oakland 8
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final San Diego 7 Pittsburgh 3
Final N.Y. Mets 3 Philadelphia 0
Final Milwaukee 11 Chicago Cubs 1
Final Arizona 6 St. Louis 2
Final Colorado 10 Cincinnati 4
Final Washington 14 San Francisco 4
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Final Memphis 114 Minnesota 106
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Final Detroit 5 New Jersey 3
Final OT Buffalo 3 Chicago 2
Final N-Y Rangers 3 Washington 2
Final Toronto 5 Boston 2
Final Pittsburgh 5 Columbus 3
Final Ottawa 4 Philadelphia 2
Final Montreal 10 Florida 2
Final Tampa Bay 6 N-Y Islanders 4
Final Winnipeg 3 Calgary 1
Final Vegas 7 St. Louis 4
Final Minnesota 4 Colorado 1
Final Dallas 4 Anaheim 2
Final SO Edmonton 3 Vancouver 2
Final Seattle 3 San Jose 0
