KHIMKI, Russia: The defense team of US basketball player Brittney Griner, detained in Russia on drug charges, argued in court on Tuesday that she had used medical cannabis to assuage pain from injuries, like many other elite international athletes.
Griner, a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star who has played in Russia during the league’s offseason, was detained at a Moscow airport on Feb. 17 with vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage. Medical marijuana is illegal in Russia.
She faces a possible jail sentence of up to 10 years in a case that has highlighted the fraught relations between Russia and the United States at a time of heightened tension over Moscow’s military intervention in Ukraine.
A narcology expert summoned by the defense argued that medical cannabis was widely used to treat athletes where it was legal, and often had fewer side effects than other painkillers.
“With the prescription in place, Brittney may have used it for medical but not recreational purposes,” said lawyer Maria Blagovolina, partner at Rybalkin, Gortsunyan, Dyakin and Partners law firm.
Wearing round-rimmed glasses and a black and grey sweatshirt with “Black Lives For Peace” on the back, Griner listened to the proceedings via a translator.
Before taking a seat in the defendant’s cage, she held up a lined sheet of paper with pictures of her two best friends, a teammate and her wife Cherelle wearing her #42 Phoenix Mercury jersey, her WNBA team.
The two-time Olympic champion, who has appealed to US President Joe Biden to secure her release, has pled guilty but denied she intended to break Russian law.
Griner — known as “BG” to basketball fans — will appear in court again on Wednesday, where she could be called upon to testify. A further hearing in the case is scheduled for Aug. 2, Griner’s defense team said.
US officials and prominent athletes argue the 31-year-old has been wrongly detained and have called for her to be released immediately. The Russian authorities dismiss the US criticism, with the Kremlin saying the case has nothing to do with politics.
US basketball star Brittney Griner treated injuries with medical cannabis, defense argues
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US basketball star Brittney Griner treated injuries with medical cannabis, defense argues
- Brittney Griner, a Women’s National Basketball Association, has played in Russia during the league’s offseason
NEOM McLaren drivers in top form at Formula E testing in Madrid
- After 6 successful seasons of racing in Diriyah, the contest will debut at Jeddah Corniche Circuit Feb. 14-15
MADRID: NEOM McLaren driver Taylor Barnard finished in the top five at the official pre-season test of the 2024-2025 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at Madrid’s Jarama Circuit last week, which is fitting preparation for next month’s Brazil E-Prix.
All 22 drivers and 11 teams — including NEOM McLaren — headed out onto the track for the first and only time before the season-opening Sao Paulo E-Prix on Dec. 7.
After six successful seasons in Diriyah, Jeddah was announced as the new host city for the race at the iconic Corniche Circuit for the first time on Feb. 14 and 15.
The shift to Jeddah reflects Formula E’s commitment to innovation and sustainability and aligns with Saudi Arabia’s vision for the future of sports in the Kingdom.
The championship’s fastest race car yet — the GEN3 Evo — is capable of 0-100 kph, which is 30 percent faster than the current F1 car.
Barnard — the 20-year-old Brit who secured his first full-time Formula E race seat with NEOM McLaren for this 2024-2025 season — finished the test in 1 minute, 27.780 seconds, just 0.319 seconds off the fastest lap set by Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans.
“We have had a great three full days testing, and I feel it was a very positive test for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team,” he said. “I’ve set some strong lap times today and Sam’s (Bird) pace has been very strong throughout the test.
“We have completed all the items we needed to test with no reliability issues, which is very positive. I’m very happy we were able to go testing this week in Madrid, following the terrible tragedy in Valencia.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to those affected by this awful disaster. Now, I’m ready to go racing. I’m happy with the settings on the car and the team environment — bring on Sao Paulo.”
His Neom McLaren teammate, Bird, finished further down the grid in P18, with a time of 1:28.529.
“I am very pleased with the work we have done in Madrid. We have finished our program with no major issues, which is a great confidence boost for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team,” said the British driver.
“My thoughts and prayers go out the people affected by the tragedy in Valencia, and I am very grateful for the work the whole Formula E paddock has put in to enable us to go testing at Jarama this week.
“Going into the first race in Sao Paulo, I feel excited and optimistic about the season ahead, and I’m looking forward to getting out there in a month’s time.”
Evans drove the quickest over the 4,731 total laps and 18,512 km completed in the six three-hour test sessions across four days — with the New Zealander setting a lap time of 1:27.461.
The Jaguar driver set the pace during the final morning’s running on Friday, with the entire field split by a little over a second on the overall timesheet.
Reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein was third in the running in the latest factory Porsche 99X Electric. He split the impressive Porsche-powered Kiro Race Co pair of Dan Ticktum and David Beckmann who sat second and fourth, respectively, using the season-10-specification powertrain.
In a strong showing, Zane Maloney, new to Formula E this season and the grid’s only full debutant, found himself mid-pack on the timing screens. The Lola Yamaha ABT driver from Barbados enters the series from FIA Formula 2.
UAE’s Commando Group sets the pace as Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship kicks off
- Competition for veterans is part of ongoing 16th Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship at Mubadala Arena
ABU DHABI: The UAE’s Commando Group have continued their successful run on the seventh day of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, which is taking place at Mubadala Arena until Nov. 16.
The Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship began on Tuesday, featuring purple and brown belts. At the end of the day, Commando Group topped the medal table, followed by MOD UAE in second, and the Kazakhstan National Academy in third.
The day also featured qualifying matches for the masters’ men’s and women’s black- and brown-belt contests, with competitors vying for Wednesday’s final-round spots.
Mohamed Salem Al-Dhaheri, vice chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said: “The masters category is a key part of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, with athletes demonstrating challenge and determination, inspiring new generations in the sport.”
One of the guests of honor, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development’s Deputy Director-General Khalifa Abdullah Al-Qubaisi, said: “We are proud to organize an event of this scale in our capital, Abu Dhabi, and to witness its growth each year into a true celebration of sport.
“We greatly appreciate the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation’s efforts in promoting and advancing the sport, especially with the achievements of our sons and daughters at both local and international levels.”
Cobra Fitness’ Jyri Heinonen, who won gold in the 94 kg Men’s GI/Brown/Master 4 category, was delighted at his performance.
“I’ve been planning to come to Abu Dhabi and compete in the championships here for a long time, and I decided to enter this year’s Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
“I’m thrilled to have secured first place. I spent a lot of time training and preparing, and even continued training in Abu Dhabi with many skilled competitors, gaining valuable experience,” he said.
“I’ve competed in many tournaments across Europe, but I’ve never seen one of this scale. The experience was incredible in every way, so I’ll be back for next year’s edition.”
Caitlin Clark steps off the court and onto the fairway to play in an LPGA pro-am
- The WNBA rookie of the year star was invited to take part in Wednesday’s pro-am at Pelican Golf Club ahead of The Annika
- This will be her second pro-am, which often attracts athletes and entertainers
BELLEAIR, Florida: Caitlin Clark has one goal when she plays in an LPGA pro-am.
“I’ve tried to practice as much as I can,” Clark said Tuesday. “I’m just the average golfer. I’m going to hit some good, I’m going to hit some bad. ... Just going to try not to hit anyone standing outside of the ropes. But it’ll be fun.”
The WNBA rookie of the year star was invited to take part in Wednesday’s pro-am at Pelican Golf Club ahead of The Annika. The presenting sponsor is Gainbridge, which has an endorsement deal with Clark.
She took part in an LPGA Women’s Leadership Summit with Sorenstam, the tournament host, and former model and business leader Kathy Ireland.
Clark will be playing the front nine with Nelly Korda, the No. 1 player in the women’s ranking who has clinched the LPGA’s player of the year award. She plays the back nine with Sorenstam, who retired in 2008 and now dabbles in senior golf.
Clark had said after the Indiana Fever were eliminated from the WNBA playoffs that she planned to play golf until it became too cold in Indiana, adding with a smile, “Become a professional golfer.”
Yes, she was kidding.
“I’ve tried to take as much time as I can to practice, but there is only so much hope. You just cross your fingers, pray,” she said Tuesday. “No, I’ve practiced a little bit and I just had the quote about becoming a professional golfer. Everybody thought I was serious. I was not serious. I love it. I love being outside and making it competitive with my friends.
“It’s challenging and getting to come here and be around the best and have a good time is what I’m looking forward to.”
This will be her second pro-am, which often attracts athletes and entertainers. Clark played in the pro-am at the John Deere Classic in July 2023 when she was still at Iowa.
Analysis: Bernhard Langer and his 18 straight years of winning is among golf’s untouchable records
- Langer finished his year with a feat as impressive as any, if not more
- Langer’s Charles Schwab Cup Championship victory makes it 18 consecutive years with at least one win on the 50-and-older circuit, where time is the greatest adversary
Winning doesn’t get old. Neither, apparently, does Bernhard Langer.
In a year when Scottie Scheffler delivered a level of dominance not seen since Tiger Woods and Xander Schauffele won two majors, when Nelly Korda tied an LPGA record by winning five straight times and Lydia Ko got into the LPGA Hall of Fame by winning Olympic gold, Langer finished his year with a feat as impressive as any, if not more.
Winless for the first time since the 67-year-old Langer became eligible for the PGA Tour Champions in 2007, he was down to the final tournament on a Phoenix Country Club course where he had never finished within five shots of the winner.
“One more putt,” caddie Terry Holt told him on the 18th green, and Langer holed a 30-foot birdie putt for a 66 — his third straight day shooting his age or lower — for a one-shot victory in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.
That makes it 18 consecutive years with at least one win on the 50-and-older circuit, where time is the greatest adversary. No other league has a shorter shelf life for success. For every year that skills deteriorate, a new batch of younger players (relatively speaking) arrive.
Consider this: The year Langer joined the PGA Tour Champions in 2007, Padraig Harrington won the first of his three major championships. Langer finished 10 shots ahead of the Irishman on Sunday.
The record for consecutive years winning on the PGA Tour is 17, held by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. They were in their 40s when the streak ended, not pushing 70.
“The commitment, the dedication and desire to compete at a high level blows my mind,” said Mark O’Meara, a runner-up to Langer in the German’s first Champions win in 2007. “A lot of things happen in sport. I understand what Tiger did, what Nicklaus did, Palmer, all the greats that come before us. But what this man has done for 18 years is amazing. Forget the money. Just to have the desire and will.
“I don’t see it happening again. I truly don’t.”
O’Meara, who now lives in Las Vegas, wouldn’t get very good odds of this record being broken.
It belongs among the untouchable record in golf, just shy of Byron Nelson winning 11 tournaments in a row on the PGA Tour in 1945, probably greater than Woods making 142 consecutive cuts over seven years.
Langer set the record for oldest winner on the PGA Tour Champions in 2021 when he was 64. He has broken his record five times since then, most recently on Sunday. He defied more than age this year.
Remember, Langer began the year by tearing his left Achilles tendon while playing pickleball and missed three months. That he missed only three months was remarkable in itself. And then there’s the motivation of coming back from such an injury at this stage in life.
He already had broken the one PGA Tour Champions record thought to be out of reach, 45 career wins by the fiercely competitive Hale Irwin. Langer won his record-breaking 46th last year at no less than the US Senior Open against Steve Stricker (who is 10 years younger).
Langer knew what was at stake in Phoenix. He knew it was his last chance. Langer wasn’t about to let it go that easily. He forged a 54-hole tie, birdied five of his six opening holes on Sunday to build a big lead and then watched it disappear until he came to the last hole tied with Steven Alker.
Langer was in the trees, punched out and hit wedge to 30 feet. The putt was stuff of legend, perfect pace and a perfect line that slid gently to the right at the last minute into the cup. Langer dropped his putter and slung his visor to the ground, emotion rarely seen in either of his two Masters wins.
“It did just perfectly what it needed to do and disappeared,” he said. “Then all hell broke loose kind of emotionally. So it was pretty wild, yeah.”
How does he do it? It’s a question Langer has been asked for the better part of the last decade, because most great players graduating to the PGA Tour Champions make their hay in the first eight years at the most, not 18.
It’s actually the second time Langer has strung together 18 consecutive years of winning. His first was in 1980 on the European tour in the British Masters when he was a 22-year-old with wavy blond hair from a country with next to no history in golf. He won the German Masters for the third time at age 50 in 1997, and then the streak ended in 1998.
It’s even more impressive to do it at his age. Langer spent 30 years working, grinding, winning. He turned 50 and worked just as hard with a body that doesn’t cooperate like it once did.
“You can still work, but are you living it like you used to?” Curtis Strange said. “Physically, we can play pretty well. We can all beat balls. But can you be into it 25 times a year? I marvel at Bernhard. It’s incredible stuff.”
Even more amazing? There’s always next year.
“People say why am I still playing? Well, this is why,” Langer said after collecting his 47th trophy on the PGA Tour Champions, to go along with two Masters green jackets, another PGA Tour win, 40 wins on the European tour, victories on every continent where golf is played.
“I enjoy the adrenaline. I enjoy being in the hunt. And I still feel like I can win and be there on the leaderboard,” he said. “I’ve just proven that again, becoming the oldest winner again and again out here. It’s been great to compete against these guys.
“It never gets old.”
Canadian women’s coach, two aides out after drone scandal
OTTAWA: Canadian women’s national team football coach Bev Priestman and two assistants suspended by FIFA over a drone scandal at the Paris Olympics will not be returning, Canada Soccer announced Tuesday.
A report released Tuesday by Canada Soccer detailed findings of an investigation into the using of drones to illegally film New Zealand practices at the Paris Olympics.
The report found Priestman and assistant coach Jasmine Mander “directed, approved and condoned the actions taken by” assistant coach Joey Lombardi to fly a drone over closed New Zealand practices ahead of Canada’s first match, a 2-1 victory over New Zealand.
The three Canadian coaches were sent home and banned for a year by FIFA, and a Canada Soccer statement Tuesday said the trio had effectively been fired.
“The three individuals currently suspended by FIFA will not be returning,” Canada Soccer said. “The search for a new head coach for the women’s national team will commence shortly.”
Drone footage was not viewed by players on the Canadian women’s squad, according to the report on the independent external investigation conducted by Sonia Regenbogen, a Toronto attorney.
The probe also found no evidence any surveillance was undertaken at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where the Canadian women captured a gold medal.
Potential violations of Canada Soccer’s ethics and conduct code by former Canadian men’s head coach John Herdman were identified and are being examined to see if a greater investigation is warranted.
The report found no substantiation of alleged drone use by the men’s team to film a rival’s practice at Copa America.
Canada Soccer chief executive officer Kevin Blue and president Peter Augruso were unaware of drone surveillance and did not condone such actions, according to the report.
The report said some staff and assistant coaches were uncomfortable with spying on opponents but did not feel they could challenge a head coach.
Canada Soccer’s board of directors is contractually mandating reporting unethical behavior and ethics training for coaches and staff members and creating an independent audit and compliance committee as a result of the report.
“The findings of the independent investigator reveal that the drone incident in Paris was a symptom of a past pattern of an unacceptable culture and insufficient oversight within the national teams,” Blue said.
“This is no longer part of our operations. In fact, the investigation findings strengthen our resolve to continue implementing changes that are needed to improve Canada Soccer, in all respects, and to do so with urgency.
“We are working to change Canada Soccer into a federation that Canadians trust and are proud of, and one that is not defined by unfortunate actions of the past.”
In a joint statement, Blue and Augruso said they are taking disciplinary steps that will be private but reinforce expected conduct with consideration for “specific facts and power dynamics of each situation” — calling it a time of reflection and a turning point.
