Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Thursday 6 February 2020
Welcome back: Berry returns to Browns as NFL's youngest GM

By TOM WITHERS drew," Stefanski quipped,
AP Sports Writer adding he missed his own
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — As An- kids after seeing Berry's.
drew Berry waited to be Berry joked he didn't re-
welcomed back as Cleve- ceive an upgraded park-
land's new general man- ing space upon his return to
ager, his baby son, Kairo, Cleveland, where he was
let out a couple of cranky vice president of player
cries before settling down personnel from 2016-18 un-
for a nap. der GM Sashi Brown. During
Later, his 2-year-old son, that span, the Browns went
Zion, asked Berry if he could 1-15, 0-16 and only made
wear a helmet. minimal improvement be-
The Browns have turned to cause of some poor drafts.
youth in their front office. The team was often ac-
Maybe this will work. cused of "tanking" to get
At just 32, Berry is believed high draft picks and they
to be the youngest GM used the No. 1 overall se-
in NFL history and he's re- lections in 2017 and 2018
turned to Cleveland after on star defensive end Myles
one season in Philadelphia Garrett and quarterback
to encounter some familiar Baker Mayfield, respec- Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry, right, poses for a photo with head coach Kevin
problems with the Browns, tively. Stefanski after speaking during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility,
who remain unstable, un- Berry isn't hiding from his role Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020, in Berea, Ohio.
derachieving despite a tal- in not making the Browns Associated Press
ented roster and without a much better, but he's de-
playoff appearance since termined to get things right is at a much different state ning is at the forefront of nity he's been given by the
2002. this time around. than it was heading into everyone's minds in the or- Browns.
Berry said he returned "That stretch is a very pain- that 2016 season, whether ganization." "Part of this is exposure,"
to the team in part for a ful period for our fans, for it was the foundation of the Berry is just the second cur- said Berry, who was joined
chance to work with new the city and for everybody roster or the overall strat- rent African-American GM at the news conference by
coach Kevin Stefanski, who internally in the organiza- egy. in the NFL, joining Miami's his wife, Brittan, his parents
was hired last month after tion," he said. "I can assure "There is no secret that the Chris Grier. He's proud to and brother. "There are
13 seasons in Minnesota. you that all of us that were strategy at the time was to follow in the footsteps of tons of talented executives
Stefanski's only 37, giving there during that time pe- accumulate assets, wheth- black executives like Ozzie across the NFL that fit differ-
Cleveland a fresh, young riod were equally disap- er it was cap space, picks Newsome. Berry's sensitive ent demographic profiles,
duo of decision-makers the pointed with the results dur- and players, that would to the league's poor track whether it is age or race
Browns hope can grow and ing that time. Now, the one lead to a foundation of record with minority hiring, or quite honestly even for
thrive together for years. thing I can say is that the long-term success, but I and remains hopeful others gender at this point in time.
"I am much older than An- team and the organization can assure you that win- will get the same opportu- q

Continued from page 17 publican and the commit- said drug-free athletes are
The bill would allow U.S. tee chairman, said, "I think owed an explanation on
prosecutors to go after so." why the Russia case has
doping schemes at inter- Tygart said the bill is consis- taken years to resolve and
national events in which tent with WADA's anti-dop- why WADA is using taxpay-
Americans are involved ing regulations and that er money to lobby against
as athletes, sponsors or WADA's opposition shows reforms.
broadcasters. WADA has the organization's conflicts "I would urge you to have
concerns about the "ex- of interest. another hearing and bring
traterritorial" jurisdiction the "It's clear that the (Inter- in the president of the IOC,
bill proposes. Many U.S. national Olympic Com- bring in the president of
corruption laws, including mittee) runs WADA and WADA and ask the tough
those used to prosecute they've turned into a questions about why this is
FIFA executives in the soc- shameless political orga- taking so long," Tygart said.
cer-bidding scandal, also nization, using misinforma- WADA said in a statement
allow charges for crimes tion and scare tactics," U.S. Anti-Doping Agency Chief Executive Officer Travis Tygart, that Tygart's claims about
committed overseas. Tygart said. "The IOC is right, sitting with U.S. Center for SafeSport Chief Executive Officer its failure to respond quick-
"Currently, there are ele- scared because of the lev- U'Riese Colón, left, and National Athletic Trainers' Association ly to the Russian doping
President Tory Lindley, center, listen during a Senate Commerce,
ments of the Act that could el of corruption that's been Science, and Transportation Committee hearing on Capitol Hill scandal were "simply un-
backfire and be counter- exposed." in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020. true," and the agency not-
productive for the protec- Tygart and USADA, along Associated Press ed it had not been invited
tion of clean sport around with anti-doping agen- to participate in Wednes-
the world," WADA director cies from dozens of other long-running Russia case. vocates who called for a day's hearing.
general Olivier Niggli said countries, have argued for Russian athletes were al- blanket ban on all Russian "Since WADA's first inves-
Tuesday. a fully independent WADA lowed to compete at the competitors. tigation into the matter,
Asked after the hearing that does not include offi- 2018 Pyeongchang Olym- Russia has appealed the and at every point since,
whether he felt greater ur- cials who benefit financial- pics under a neutral flag, new sanctions to the Court the agency moved de-
gency to pass the bill be- ly from the sports they are and WADA has issued the of Arbitration for Sport. The cisively to bring the guilty
fore the Olympics, which supposed to be policing. same sanction on Russia U.S. government provides parties to justice in accor-
begin in July, Sen. Roger Tygart also criticized for Tokyo — disappoint- about $2.5 million annu- dance with due process,"
Wicker, a Mississippi Re- WADA for its actions in the ing some anti-doping ad- ally to WADA, and Tygart the statement said.q