Page 27 - Florida Sentinel 7-9-21

Sports
Sha’Carri Richardson, Not Chosen For U. S. Relay, Will Miss Tokyo Olympics
Paul Carries Suns Past Giannis, Bucks In NBA Finals Opener
Runner Sha'Carri Richardson was not named to the U. S. relay team and will not compete in the Tokyo Olympics following her posi- tive test result for marijuana, the governing body said Tues- day.
She will not be offered a shortened suspension to com- pete on the international stage later this month, USA Track & Field said in a statement.
“While USATF fully agrees that the merit of the World Anti-Doping Agency rules re- lated to THC should be reeval- uated, it would be detrimental to the integrity of the U. S. Olympic Team Trials for Track & Field if USATF amended its policies following competition, only weeks before the Olympic Games,” the organization said.
The governing body ap- plauded Richardson’s ac- countability following the announcement of her suspen- sion last week but said it would not grant her an exception de- spite “extenuating circum- stances” and fans outcry saying they let Olympic Gold medalist
SHA'CARRI RICHARDSON swimmer Michael Phelps
swim after testing for mari- juana.
The athlete learned her bio-
logical mother had died a week before her Olympic-qualifying 100-meter race victory. She told "TODAY" last week that it was a reporter who informed her of her mother's death, adding that the news was "trig- gering" and "shocking."
"I would like to say to my fans and my family and my sponsorship, to the haters, too, I apologize," she said Friday. "As much as I’m disappointed, I know that when I step on that track, I don’t represent myself, I represent a community that has shown me great support, great love."
Richardson thanked those who supported her following the news of her sanction last week, and on Friday, she apol- ogized for not being able to compete for at least some of the Olympics. At the time, it was unclear whether she might participate in the relay event, which was later in the Olympic schedule. "I’m sorry, I can’t be y’all Olympic Champ this year but I promise I’ll be your World Champ next year," she wrote on Twitter.
PHOENIX - Chris Paul waited 16 years to get to the NBA Finals, bringing with him a team starving for its first championship.
The setting was entirely new. The performance was same ol' Chris Paul.
''Just knew he's ready,'' Phoenix forward Mikal Bridges said. ''He's prepared his whole life for this moment and it shows out there on the court.''
Paul had 32 points and nine assists in an NBA Finals debut that was well worth the wait, Devin Booker scored 27 points and the Suns beat the re- turning Giannis Antetok- ounmpo and his Milwaukee Bucks 118-105 on Tuesday night in Game 1.
Paul scored 16 points during a sensational third quarter that had Phoenix fans who waited 28 years to see the NBA Finals again screaming in delight.
Deandre Ayton added 22 points and 19 rebounds to con- tinue his breakout stretch of play in his first postseason. Antetokounmpo had 20
CHRIS PAUL AND DEVIN BOOKER
points and 17 rebounds after missing two games with a hy- perextended left knee. Khris Middleton scored 29 points, but the Bucks will have to play from behind again after drop- ping Game 1 for the third straight series.
• Game 1: Suns 118, Bucks 105 • Game 2: Thursday, July 8 | Milwaukee at Phoenix, 9 ET,
ABC
• Game 3: Sunday, July 11 |
Phoenix at Milwaukee, 8 ET, ABC
• Game 4: Wednesday, July 14 | Phoenix at Milwaukee, 9 ET, ABC
ESPN Pulls Rachel Nichols Off NBA Finals Sideline After Bombshell Video
MALIKA ANDREWS AND RACHEL NICHOLS
ESPN removed Rachel Nichols from the sidelines for the NBA Finals, the network announced on Tuesday.
The move was made in the wake of a New York Times re- port about demeaning com- ments that Nichols made around a year ago about net- work host Maria Taylor dur- ing a private conversation. Nichols did not realize that the video was being recorded. The video was then dissemi- nated by an ESPN employee.
In her place, the network will have Malika Andrews on the sidelines for the Finals. ESPN said Nichols will con- tinue to host “The Jump,” but
then canceled the program for Tuesday. The plan, at least at the moment, was for it to re- turn on Wednesday.
In the taped conversation from last July, Nichols said that ESPN might have her re- linquish her contractually agreed upon NBA Finals host- ing job to Taylor because the network was feeling pressure to be more diverse.
“I wish Maria Taylor all the success in the world — she covers football, she covers bas- ketball,” Nichols said in Dis- ney hotel room, unaware her camera was being recorded back at ESPN’s Bristol head- quarters.
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