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Diahuebs 8 aPRiL 2021

China warns Washington not to boycott Winter Olympics

(AP) — China’s govern- international community
ment warned Washing- including the U.S. Olympic
ton on Wednesday not to Committee will not accept
boycott next year’s Winter it.”
Olympics in Beijing after
the Biden administration Human rights groups are
said it was talking with protesting China’s hosting
allies about a joint ap- of the games, due to start in
proach to complaints of February 2022. They have
human rights abuses. urged a boycott or other
measures to call attention to
A Foreign Ministry spokes- accusations of Chinese abus-
person rejected accusations of es against Uyghurs, Tibetans
abuses against ethnic minori- and residents of Hong Kong.
ties in the Xinjiang region. The U.S. State Department
He warned of an unspecified suggested an Olympic boy-
“robust Chinese response” to cott was among the possibili-
a potential Olympics boycott. ties but a senior official said
“The politicization of sports later a boycott has not been
will damage the spirit of the discussed. The International
Olympic Charter and the Olympic Committee and the
interests of athletes from all U.S. Olympic and Paralym-
countries,” said the spokes- pic Committee have said in
person, Zhao Lijian. “The the past they oppose boycotts.

South Africa wins toss, sends Pakistan in to

bat in 3rd ODI

(AP) — South Africa won the toss and The home side is missing Kagiso Rabada, An-
sent Pakistan in to bat in the third and rich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi and David Miller,
deciding one-day international cricket who are in India for the India Premier League.
match on Wednesday. Legspinner Usman Qadir, son of the late Ab-
dul Qadir, will make his ODI debut for Paki-
“We looked at overhead conditions and we stan. He is among four changes for Pakistan.
think in the morning their might be a bit On Sunday, South Africa leveled the series
of swing to exploit. Defending here on the with a 17-run win. Last Friday, captain Babar
Highveld is a challenge,” South Africa captain Azam’s century set up Pakistan’s three-wicket
Temba Bavuma said. victory in the first match.

Mariners’ Paxton leaves after 24 pitches due to elbow injury

(AP) — Left-hander James ners in February on a one-
Paxton exited the first year deal worth $8.5 million.
start of his second stint Paxton can earn an additional
with Seattle due to a fore- $1.5 million in performance
arm strain in his pitching bonuses for games started:
arm after throwing just 24 $150,000 each for six to 10
pitches against the White and $750,000 more over
Sox on Tuesday night. starts 11-22. He had surgery
in February 2020 to repair a
The Mariners initially said herniated disk and remove a
Paxton had elbow discom- cyst from his back. He went
fort but after the 10-4 loss to 2-3 with a 6.64 ERA in five
Chicago both manager Scott starts for New York last year
Servais and Paxton described before being shut down with
it as a forearm injury. a left forearm flexor strain.
Paxton, who remained in the Paxton said this issue with his
dugout to watch after he left forearm feels different than
the mound, will undergo an what he dealt with last year.
MRI on Wednesday. He said there was more pain
“It’s just frustrating. I feel a year ago, which has him op-
like for me it’s kind of been timistic this could be less se-
one thing after another,” Pax- rious than initially feared.
ton said. “I work really hard Paxton said the offseason was
a progression of building up
strength in the forearm in the
and doing everything I can Scott Servais and a trainer im- came up it just got worse and hope of putting the problem
to be out there and I’ll con- mediately came to the mound worse and just kind of felt behind him.
tinue to do so. And hopefully while Paxton bent over with it,” Paxton said. “It got to the “I came into tonight I was
I can catch a break and stay his hands on his knees. Af- point where I couldn’t throw pretty confident that I was
healthy.” Paxton grimaced af- ter some discussion, Paxton pitches.” Paxton, who spent going to be good, but it
ter throwing a 92 mph fastball walked off and was replaced the last two seasons with turned out that it just was a
to Chicago’s Andrew Vaughn by Nick Margevicius.“I kind the New York Yankees after little too much for what my
with one out in the second of felt it coming on and then playing his first six years for flexor was ready for, I guess,”
inning. Mariners manager by the time that third hitter Seattle, returned to the Mari- Paxton said.