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SPORTS Diabierna 18 Februari 2022
MLB labor talks resume on 2nd day of no spring training

(AP) — On what was sup- next week.
posed to be the second day
of spring training, nego- Baseball’s first stoppage since
tiations aimed at ending 1995 was in its 78th day.
Major League Baseball’s There is little chance exhibi-
lockout resumed Thurs- tion games will start as sched-
day at the office of the uled on Feb. 26, and opening
players’ association. day on March 31 will soon be
threatened. Given the need
The meeting lasted about 15 for 21-28 days of training
minutes. and additional time to report
and go through COVID-19
A three-man MLB delegation protocols, an agreement by
led by Deputy Commission- the end of February or early
er Dan Halem arrived short- March is needed for an on-
ly before 1 p.m. for just the time start.
sixth negotiating session on
core economics since base- Players and owners remain
ball’s ninth work stoppage far apart on luxury tax thresh-
began Dec. 2. eligible — from 22% to 80%. proposed eligibility for the Dan Halem and head union olds and rate. They have ma-
As part of the proposal, the bonus pool from 30 players negotiator Bruce Meyer held jor differences on revenue-
The union dropped its re- union increased the proposed to 150. a 20-minute side conversa- sharing and how to address
quest to have all players with bonus pool for pre-arbitra- tion after the negotiating ses- players’ allegations of service
two years of major league tion players from $100 mil- Players made proposals in sion, a one-on-one meeting time manipulation.
service become eligible for lion to $115 million. six non-economic areas that that was described as unusu-
salary arbitration and instead included the Joint Drug Pro- ally candid. MLB said it remains opposed
proposed expanding “super Clubs are at $15 million. gram, international play, and to any increase in salary ar-
two” eligibility — the play- health and safety. The union told MLB it was bitration eligibility or reduc-
ers with two to three years of The union also expanded MLB Deputy Commissioner prepared to meet every day tion in revenue sharing.
major league service who are

Shcherbakova wins figure skating gold as Valieva collapses

(AP) — A Russian woman controversial coach Eteri even better.
was standing atop the fig- Tutberidze’s“Quad Squad,”
ure skating podium at the the 17-year-old Russian in- Moments after Valieva de-
Beijing Games on Thurs- stead relied on back-to-back parted the arena, workers
day night. clean programs with peer- began setting up for a flower
less artistry and unmatched ceremony that the Interna-
It just wasn’t the one anyone skill. It culminated in her free tional Olympic Committee
expected. skate Thursday night, when said wouldn’t take place if she
Shcherbakova landed her was in the top three. Medals
Even the fact that there was a opening quad flip-triple toe will be handed out Friday in
podium was a surprise. loop combination and never a ceremony that also would
looked back. not have occurred in Beijing
Anna Shcherbakova, the had Valieva reached the po-
overlooked world cham- She followed Adelina Sot- dium.
pion, delivered a clean per- nikova and Alina Zagitova
formance in her free skate at in giving her nation three Valieva had tested positive for
historic Capital Indoor Sta- straight women’s figure skat- a banned heart medication at system by accident. But the aren’t able to get our med-
dium to win a stunning gold ing gold medals. the Russian championships World Anti-Doping Agency als,” said Karen Chen, who
medal, while teammate Ka- in December, but the result filed a brief stating that two competed in the team event
mila Valieva — at the center Meanwhile, Valieva was in- was not revealed until last other substances she ac- for the U.S. and finished
of the latest Russian doping consolable in the kiss-and- week, shortly after she helped knowledged taking, L-carni- 16th in the women’s pro-
controversy — tumbled out cry area. The 15-year-old to win a team gold medal that tine and Hypoxen — though gram Thursday night. “I have
of the medals altogether with phenom was heavily favored is now also in doubt. both legal — undercut the yet to see the torch, but once
a mistake-filled end to her to win gold but is headed argument that a banned sub- that is like given to us, I think
Olympic dream. home with nothing from She was cleared to compete stance could have been in- it will be such a special mo-
the women’s program and a earlier this week by the Court gested in error. ment that we will cherish
Shcherbakova landed both looming investigation into of Arbitration for Sport, forever.”
of her quads to finish with her positive drug test. which ruled that she had “You use all of that to in-
255.95 points, edging out protected status as a minor crease performance,” U.S. As the doping case unfolded
another teammate, Alexan- Valieva was shaky on an and would suffer “irreparable Anti-Doping Agency CEO around her, Valieva tried to
dra Trusova, who landed five opening quad salchow, then harm” if she was not allowed Travis Tygart said. go about her business as usu-
somewhat shaky quads of her stepped out on a triple axel to perform. The court did al, taking part in every prac-
own. Trusova finished four and fell altogether on a quad not rule on the full scope of In the meantime, IOC Presi- tice on her schedule. And
points back in second place toe loop-triple toe loop com- the case, though, leaving that dent Thomas Bach tried though she looked calm and
but wasn’t pleased with the bination. Valieva fell again to anti-doping investigators to appease angry American cool during a run-through
judges, especially given the on her other quad toe loop, in the future. skaters by offering Olympic for her short program, the
difficulty of her program. keeping her from completing torches to those who helped first cracks began to appear
that combination, and spun The court’s decision cast a win their team silver medals, when she skated off the ice
Kaori Sakamoto of Japan was out on another jump late in polarizing shadow over one The Associated Press learned and broke down in tears —
happy. She took bronze to the program — though by of the marquee events of the late Wednesday. The torches even though she was leading
break up an expected Rus- that point, her fate was sealed. Winter Games. are meant to serve as hold- the event.
sian sweep of the Olympic over gifts while the world
podium. She did not speak to report- Valieva has claimed the awaits the resolution of Va- The complete collapse came
ers after a performance that drug triggering her positive, lieva’s doping case. with the eyes of the world
With the fewest quads among made Shcherbakova’s look trimetazidine, entered her “It’s unfortunate that we watching Thursday night.