(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Wednesday’s sports events:
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Charlotte 140, Detroit 111
Philadelphia 116, Orlando 106
Houston 114, Washington 111
San Antonio 99, Boston 97
Dallas 99, Golden State 82
Brooklyn 129, Indiana 121
Minnesota 98, Oklahoma City 90
Toronto 117, Milwaukee 111
Utah 115, Denver 109
Atlanta 108, Sacramento 102
Miami 115, Portland 109
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Toronto 4, Edmonton 2
Pittsburgh 5, St. Louis 3
NY Islanders at Vancouver (Postponed)
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Michigan St. 79, Nebraska 67
Iowa St. 51, Texas Tech 47
Houston 83, South Florida 66
Alabama 83, Florida 70
Tennessee 66, Mississippi 60
Villanova 75, Creighton 41
Arizona St. at UCLA (Postponed)
(NEW YORK) — Fury, shock and widespread confusion unfolded on social media in Australia after tennis great Novak Djokovic announced Tuesday that he was granted a medical exemption to play at the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 17.
However on Thursday, the Australian Border Force confirmed Djokovic’s visa has been canceled and he will be denied entry into the country. He could be deported, officials said.
“The Australian Border Force will continue to ensure that those who arrive at our border comply with our laws and entry requirements. The ABF can confirm that Mr. Djokovic failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements to Australia, and his visa has been subsequently cancelled,” the Australian Border Force said in a statement. “Non-citizens who do not hold a valid visa on entry or who have had their visa cancelled will be detained and removed from Australia.”
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison also confirmed Djokovic will not be allowed into the country.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said on his verified Instagram page that he had spoken to Djokovic on the phone, and “the whole of Serbia is with him, and that our authorities are taking all measures to stop the harassment of the best tennis player in the world.” It was not clear if he spoke to Djokovic before or after his visa was canceled.
Djokovic’s announcement Tuesday was mostly met with heated replies. Other social media platforms, letters to the editor and talk radio in Australia were also flooded with criticism toward Djokovic, who has refused to divulge his COVID vaccination status but said last year he was opposed to it.
“We have been taken for fools,” tweeted former Australian football player Kevin Bartlett.
“Many Australians have not been able to return home for two years. There has been little free movement across borders. So regardless of your views on vaccinations, the issue is the consistent rule bending for a selected few … Grubby decision,” said Australian broadcaster Shane Anderson.
“Though we now know that Djokovic plans to play the #AusOpen, there will still be considerable speculation about the legitimacy of his exemption. What ‘acute major medical condition,’ as listed here by Australian authorities, could a healthy #1-ranked athlete have?” said journalist Ben Rothenberg.
There were some voices of support from his Australian fans — after all, Aussies are a sporting nation and he is one major away from breaking a tie with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who also have 20 grand slam singles titles. But he would do it in a city that has mixed feelings about the tennis star.
Omicron cases have exploded in Australia in recent weeks since domestic borders were opened, and Victorian residents have suffered some of the strictest COVID controls in the world over the past two years. More than 90% of Australia’s over-16 population is fully vaccinated, but some people still cannot travel internationally or interstate because of the measures.
Deputy Victorian Liberal Leader David Southwick called the exemption decision “a disgrace” and a “kick in the guts” to residents.
Prominent Australian emergency physician and former president of the Australian Medical Association Stephen Parnis said the exemption sends the wrong signal to others who have sacrificed to stop COVID.
“I don’t care how good a tennis player he is. If he’s refusing to get vaccinated, he shouldn’t be allowed in … If this exemption is true, it sends an appalling message to millions seeking to reduce COVID-19 risk to themselves and others. Vaccination shows respect, Novak,” Parnis said.
Organizers said the defending champion has not been given special status, and insist exemptions are decided by a group of independent doctors on a panel, which makes a blank medical assessment based on whether a candidate has had major surgery, an adverse reaction to a COVID vaccine or if they are in recovery from the virus. Defending the process, Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said, “no one knew who the applicant was.”
The Australian government said it’s not up to them to decide who gets granted exemptions — saying it’s a matter for the Victorian government, which hosts the tournament each year.
Speaking ahead of Djokovic’s arrival in Melbourne, Morrison said Djokovic would not be treated differently from anyone else.
“There should be no special rules for Novak Djokovic at all. None whatsoever,” Morrison said.
“If that evidence is insufficient, then he won’t be treated any different to anyone else, and he’ll be on the next plane home.”
Atilano Garcia/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
(MELBOURNE) — Fury, shock and widespread confusion unfolded on social media in Australia after tennis great Novak Djokovic announced Tuesday that he was granted a medical exemption to play at the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 17.
The announcement was mostly met with heated replies. Other social media platforms, letters-to-the-editor and talk radio in Australia were also flooded with criticism towards Djokovic, who has refused to divulge his COVID vaccination status but last year said he was opposed to it.
“We have been taken for fools,” tweeted former Australian football player Kevin Bartlett.
“Many Australians have not been able to return home for two years. There has been little free movement across borders. So regardless of your views on vaccinations, the issue is the consistent rule bending for a selected few … Grubby decision,” said Australian broadcaster Shane Anderson.
“Though we now know that Djokovic plans to play the #AusOpen, there will still be considerable speculation about the legitimacy of his exemption. What “acute major medical condition,” as listed here by Australian authorities, could a healthy #1-ranked athlete have?” said journalist Ben Rothenberg.
There were some voices of support from his Australian fans — after all, Aussies are a sporting nation and he is one major away from breaking a tie with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who also have 20 grand slam singles titles. But he would do it in a city that has mixed feelings about the tennis star.
Omicron cases have exploded in Australia in recent weeks since domestic borders were opened, and Victorian residents have suffered some of the strictest COVID controls in the world over the past two years. More than 90% of Australia’s over-16 population is fully vaccinated, but some people still cannot travel internationally or interstate because of the measures.
Deputy Victorian Liberal Leader David Southwick called the exemption decision “a disgrace” and a “kick in the guts” to residents.
Prominent Australian emergency physician and former president of the Australian Medical Association Stephen Parnis said the exemption sends the wrong signal to others who have sacrificed to stop COVID.
“I don’t care how good a tennis player he is. If he’s refusing to get vaccinated, he shouldn’t be allowed in … If this exemption is true, it sends an appalling message to millions seeking to reduce COVID-19 risk to themselves and others. Vaccination shows respect, Novak,” Parnis said.
Organizers said the defending champion has not been given special status, and insist exemptions are decided by a group of independent doctors on a panel, which makes a blank medical assessment based on whether a candidate has had major surgery, an adverse reaction to a COVID vaccine or if they are in recovery from the virus. Defending the process, Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said, “no one knew who the applicant was.”
The Australian government said it’s not up to them to decide who gets granted exemptions — saying it’s a matter for the Victorian government, which hosts the tournament each year.
Speaking ahead of Djokovic’s arrival in Melbourne, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Djokovic would not be treated differently from anyone else.
“There should be no special rules for Novak Djokovic at all. None whatsoever,” Morrison said.
“If that evidence is insufficient, then he won’t be treated any different to anyone else, and he’ll be on the next plane home.”
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Tuesday’s sports events:
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Toronto 129, San Antonio 104
Memphis 110, Cleveland 106
New York 104, Indiana 94
Phoenix 123, New Orleans 110
LA Lakers 122, Sacramento 114
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Tampa Bay 7, Columbus 2
Florida 6, Calgary 2
Boston 5, New Jersey 3
Detroit 6, San Jose 2
Colorado 4, Chicago 3 (OT)
Winnipeg 3, Arizona 1
Anaheim 4, Philadelphia 1
Nashville 3, Vegas 2
Washington at Montreal (Postponed)
NY Islanders at Seattle (Postponed)
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Baylor 84, Oklahoma 74
Duke 69, Georgia Tech 57
Kansas 74, Oklahoma St. 63
Auburn 81, South Carolina 66
Texas 70, Kansas St. 57
LSU 65, Kentucky 60
Marquette 88, Providence 56
Colorado St. 67, Air Force 59
Seton Hall 71, Butler 56
Xavier at Georgetown (Postponed)
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Monday’s sports events:
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Philadelphia 133, Houston 113
Washington 124, Charlotte 121
Memphis 118, Brooklyn 104
Detroit 115, Milwaukee 106
Chicago 102, Orlando 98
Utah 115, New Orleans 104
Dallas 103, Denver 89
Golden State 115, Miami 108
Portland 136, Atlanta 131
Minnesota 122, LA Clippers 104
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
NY Rangers 4, Edmonton 1
Carolina at Toronto (Postponed)
Minnesota at Ottawa (Postponed)
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 26, Cleveland 14
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Wisconsin 74, Purdue 69
Arizona 95, Washington 79
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Sunday’s sports events:
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Toronto 120, New York 105
Sacramento 115, Miami 113
Cleveland 108, Indiana 104
Boston 116 Orlando 111 (OT)
Dallas 95, Oklahoma City 86
Phoenix 133, Charlotte 99
LA Lakers 108, Minnesota 103
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
NY Rangers 4, Tampa Bay 0
Pittsburgh 8, San Jose 5
Boston 5, Detroit 1
Colorado 4, Anaheim 2
New Jersey 4, Washington 3 (OT)
Winnipeg 5 Vegas 4 (OT)
Calgary 5, Chicago 1
Dallas at Arizona (Postponed)
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Buffalo 29, Atlanta 15
Chicago 29, NY Giants 3
Cincinnati 34, Kansas City 31
LA Rams 20, Baltimore 19
Las Vegas 23, Indianapolis 20
New England 50, Jacksonville 10
Philadelphia 20, Washington 16
Tampa Bay 28, NY Jets 24
Tennessee 34, Miami 3
LA Chargers 34, Denver 13
San Francisco 23, Houston 7
Arizona 25, Dallas 22
New Orleans 18, Carolina 10
Seattle 51, Detroit 29
Green Bay 37, Minnesota 10
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Michigan St. 73, Northwestern 67
Houston 66, Temple 61
Ohio St. 87, Nebraska 79
Arizona at Southern Cal (Postponed)
(NEW YORK) — The NBA and National Basketball Players Association have agreed on new health and safety protocols that would further shorten the timetable for asymptomatic and vaccinated players to return to play after a positive COVID-19 test, league sources told ESPN on Friday.
Previously, such players could be cleared from protocols after seven days if testing data showed that their cycle threshold (CT) levels were above 35, but the new protocols would allow players to return after five days if their CT levels are above 30, league sources said.
CT levels can help indicate how infectious an individual might be, and a CT level of 30 is considered fainter than, say, 20.
The move should help replenish rosters that have been decimated by COVID-19 as the omicron variant rages through the league. As of Friday morning, 260 players total have entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols this season, including 247 in December alone. Nine head coaches have also entered protocols in December, and 11 games have been postponed.
(NEW YORK) — As athletes returned to the playing field and fans returned to the stands, there was some level of normalcy in the sports world in 2021.
Still, COVID-19 left its mark on athletics this year — from the empty venues at the delayed Tokyo Olympics to controversies over vaccination with players like Aaron Rodgers and Kyrie Irving.
COVID wasn’t the only way health was spotlighted in sports in 2021, though. Stars like Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles brought renewed attention to mental health as well. While not a sports moment, the health of all-time golf great Tiger Woods made worldwide headlines after he was seriously injured in a car accident in February.
When it came to winning trophies, it was a very good year to be a Tampa sports fan.
Here’s a look at the top 10 moments in sports from 2021, in reverse order:
10. Lightning win back-to-back Stanley Cups (July 7)
The first of two Tampa Bay championships on this list came from the Lightning, which won its second straight Stanley Cup and denied the Montreal Canadiens’ pursuit of the first Canadian championship since 1993. Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the series MVP with a shutout in the Stanley Cup-clinching Game 5. Pat Maroon, who played for the Stanley Cup-winning St. Louis Blues in 2019, also became the first player to win three straight titles in almost 40 years.
9. Braves win the World Series (Nov. 2)
The Braves meandered through an unremarkable 2021 season, sitting at or below .500 into August. When Ronald Acuña Jr., the team’s superstar outfielder, blew out his knee on July 10 there were no expectations Atlanta would make the playoffs, let alone win the World Series. But the Braves snuck into the postseason by winning the lowly NL East with just 88 wins — the lowest of any team in the playoffs. And then the magic happened. They first knocked off the 95-win Brewers and shocked the juggernaut Dodgers in the NLCS. MVP Jorge Solar’s magic at the plate, including a homer leading off the World Series and a game-winning blast in Game 4, carried Atlanta to its first title since 1995.
8. US dream team wins women’s 4-x-400 meter relay gold (Aug. 7)
Track aficionados will tell you the 4-x-400 meter relay is the best event of any track meet. So when the U.S. women’s team strode to the track in Tokyo at the biggest meet in five years it was hard not to get giddy. The runners were a dream team across multiple disciplines — all of whom dominated in their own individual events. Sydney McLaughlin, who had already set a world record in the 400-meter hurdles, led off the relay. She handed the baton to the legendary Allyson Felix, who passed it off to former 400-meter hurdle world record holder and 2016 gold medalist Dalilah Muhammad. Muhammad made the final pass to 19-year-old sensation Athing Mu, who had torched the competition for gold in the 800 meters in Tokyo and brought home the relay win by 4 seconds. It was a breathtaking display of American dominance. The gold was also Felix’s 11th Olympic medal — the most by any U.S. track and field athlete.
7. Emma Raducanu wins battle of the teens at US Open (Sept. 11)
Britain’s Emma Raducanu came into the U.S. Open in the qualifier bracket, but she left as women’s tennis’ new teenage sensation. The 18-year-old wasn’t even born on 9/11 — the U.S. Open women’s final was played on the 20th anniversary of the attacks — but neither was her opponent for the title: 19-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez. It was a most unexpected final in the last major of the year, but that made for edge-of-your-seat drama throughout the three weeks in Queens. Fernandez first garnered headlines for upsetting Naomi Osaka, whose breakdown during and after the match sparked new discussion of mental health and sports, before beating two top-5 opponents in the quarterfinals and semifinals. Raducanu bounced back from a mid-match panic attack at Wimbledon to not drop a set the entire tournament.
6. Bryce Young rallies Alabama to beat Auburn in four OTs (Nov. 27)
The Iron Bowl wasn’t supposed to be close this year, but the Tigers’ stifling defense gave them a 10-3 lead with 1:35 left in the game and the Crimson Tide pinned at their own 3-yard line. It was just the type of Heisman moment sophomore quarterback Bryce Young needed. He led them 97 yards, spreading the ball around to Alabama’s arsenal of offensive weapons, culminating with a beautiful 28-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Corey Brooks with 24 seconds left to play to tie the game. In the third and fourth overtimes, Young found star receiver John Metchie III for two-point conversions and a 24-22 win. We’ll have to wait until New Year’s Eve to see if Young can lead Alabama to the title game in 2022.
5. Gonzaga beats UCLA at the buzzer in the Final Four (April 3)
In one of the greatest basketball games in Final Four history, Gonzaga and UCLA traded blows for a chance to head to the national championship game. The undefeated Bulldogs were a big favorite against No. 11 seed UCLA, but the Bruins answered every score. Bruins guard Johnny Juzang had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but was called for an offensive foul. The game went to overtime tied 81-81 when All-American Drew Timme took over. He scored three quick baskets in the post for the Zags who pulled ahead to 87-83. But UCLA stuck with it. Down two with 3 seconds left, Juzang missed a floater in the lane but got his own rebound and put it back in to tie the game. Off the make, Jalen Suggs, a freshman phenom and eventual top-5 NBA draft pick, took the inbound pass for Gonzaga, crossed midcourt and threw up a prayer that he banked in for the walk-off win. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, the Baylor Bears ruined their dream season two days later with a dominant, upset title win.
4. Suni Lee steps up to win gold in all-around (July 29)
The Tokyo Olympics were supposed to be Simone Biles’ time to cement herself as the greatest gymnast of all-time. Her struggles to perform still stole the headlines, but an 18-year-old from Minnesota stole the competition. When Biles dropped out of the individual all-around, despite being the No. 1 qualifier, the hopes of the U.S. fell on Suni Lee’s shoulders. The U.S. had won the individual all-around at the last four Olympics, so there was no small amount of pressure on Lee. Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, the highest qualifier remaining, took first in her best discipline: the vault. Lee took first in her best discipline: the uneven bars. The gold medal came down to the fourth rotation: the floor. Lee performed admirably, but Andrade was the last to go. After stepping out twice on tumbling passes, Lee knew she had become the fifth straight American gold medalist.
3. Giannis goes for 50 as Bucks win the NBA title (July 20)
Giannis Antetokounmpo already had a league MVP, multiple All-Star appearances and a killer nickname (“The Greek Freak”), but he simultaneously became an NBA champion and a worldwide superstar when he dropped 50 points on the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of the Finals. Antetokounmpo became just the seventh player in NBA history to score 50 in an NBA Finals game and that was after a pair of 40-point games earlier in the series. He also became the first person to score 50 in a clinching Finals game. The same series saw the ascension to stardom for the Suns’ Devin Booker — who had 40-point performances in Games 4 and 5 — but it was Giannis’ Game 6 performance that will live in history.
2. Simone Biles overcomes obstacles to compete on beam (Aug. 3)
Simone Biles is used to winning gold, but it was a bronze medal that captured the attention of the world in Tokyo. After getting a case of “the twisties” — a term gymnasts use to explain getting lost in midair — and struggling with her mental health, it appeared as though Biles’ Olympics were slipping away with each event she dropped. She dropped out of the team all-around midway through and then removed herself from the individual all-around and event finals in the vault and floor. Heading into Tokyo, she was expected to win gold in all of them with relative ease. She dropped the uneven bars as well, not her strongest apparatus, but announced she would compete in the last event of the Olympics: the balance beam. She wasn’t at her competitive best, but she called the bronze her proudest accomplishment nonetheless.
1. Brady goes it alone, leads Bucs to Super Bowl win (Feb. 7)
Author F. Scott Fitzgerald once famously wrote “there are no second acts in American lives.” Tom Brady surely would’ve helped him change his mind. The future Hall of Famer shocked the NFL — and countless Patriots fans — by exiting New England to sign with Tampa Bay prior to the 2020-2021 season. It was a gamble to leave Bill Belichick in the dust, but one that paid off. Brady’s first season was an up-and-down affair, but the team secured a wild card berth and hit its stride in the playoffs. The Super Bowl itself, played in Tampa, turned into a one-sided affair thanks to a porous Kansas City offensive line and, of course, a commanding performance by Brady (21-for-29, 201 yards, three touchdowns) and his former Patriot running mate Rob Gronkowski (two touchdowns). Away from Belichick and the New England machine, Brady’s seventh title was one of a kind.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Sunday’s sports events:
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Boston 111, Cleveland 101
Orlando 104, Atlanta 98
Oklahoma City 108, Denver 94
Milwaukee 126, Houston 106
LA Clippers 105, Sacramento 89
Toronto at Chicago (Postponed)
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Colorado at Buffalo (Postponed)
Montreal at NY Rangers (Postponed)
Winnipeg at Dallas (Postponed)
Edmonton at Los Angeles (Postponed)
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Duke 76, Virginia Tech 65
Tennessee 77, Arizona 73
Auburn 71, Murray St. 58
Houston 80, Texas St. 47
Texas 68, Alabama St. 48
LSU 95, Lipscomb 60
Kentucky 95, W. Kentucky 60
Texas Tech 78, E. Washington 46
Cal Poly at UCLA (Canceled)
Louisville at Kentucky (Postponed)
Georgetown at Providence (Canceled)
