Russian figure skater Valieva competes 4 years on from doping case during Olympics

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva returned to competition on Saturday following her doping ban, making a statement with a quadruple jump nearly four years after disputes over her positive testovershadowedthe Beijing Olympics.

The 19-year-old Valieva was skating in the quarterfinals of the Russian jumping championships in Moscow.

She started with a quadruple toeloop jump to cheers from the crowd and qualified for Sunday's semifinals, as well as placing sixth in a "duets" jump event. The nationally televised event wasn't a typical skating competition, with points only for jumps.

Valieva cannot qualify for the Milan Cortina Olympics, where another Russian skater,Adeliia Petrosian, is a contender for the women's gold medal as an Individual Neutral Athlete.

Then aged 15, Valieva was at the center of a legal battle during the 2022 Beijing Games when a sample she gave two months earlier tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine.

The revelation came after Valieva won team gold with other Russian skaters. She was later disqualified from that event, whichupgraded the United States to gold. Valieva was a contender for the women's gold medal but placed fourth and was criticized rink-side by her coach, Eteri Tutberidze.

Valieva eventually served a ban which expired in December, despitelong-running legal effortsto have it overturned, including at the Swiss supreme court last year.

Since the 2022 Olympics, rules have been changed toraise the minimum agefor skaters to 17 in time for the Milan Cortina Olympics.

Also returning to action on Saturday was Alexandra Ignatova, who won the silver medal at the 2022 Olympics under her maiden name of Alexandra Trusova. She was competing for the first time since giving birth last year and didn't reach the semifinals.

AP Winter Olympics athttps://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

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in Celebrities, Lifestyle, SHOWBIZ, Spoprts

January 31, 2026

Russian figure skater Valieva competes 4 years on from doping case during Olympics

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva returned to competition on Saturday following her doping ban, making a statement wit...

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No. 1 Arizona beats Arizona State for best start in school history

Koa Peat scored 15 of his 21 points after halftime as top-ranked Arizona pulled away in the second half and maintained its perfect start with an 87-74 victory over host Arizona State on Saturday afternoon in Tempe.

Arizona (22-0, 9-0 Big 12) surpassed the 2013-14 team featuring All-American Nick Johnson, Aaron Gordon and T.J. McConnell for the best start in school history. The Wildcats also matched the program record for the longest winning streak, equaling the mark set during the 1914-17 seasons.

Arizona also tied the Big 12 record for the longest winning streak to start a season, equaling Kansas in 1996-97.

Peat shot 9-of-16 and finished with at least 20 for the fourth time this season and second time against Arizona State.

Brayden Burries added 17 and seven rebounds as the Wildcats outscored the Sun Devils (11-11, 2-7) 49-36 after halftime. Motiejus Krivas contributed 11 of his 15 points during the evenly-played first half and Ivan Kharchenkov contributed 12 for Arizona.

Jaden Bradley chipped in 10 and Tobe Awaka pulled down 13 rebounds to help Arizona finish with a 47-32 rebounding edge.

Arizona shot 60% in the final 20 minutes and 50.8% overall. The Wildcats also converted 20 layups and dunks as part of a 50-point showing in the paint.

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Reserve Noah Meeusen paced Arizona State with 16 points and leading scorer Maurice Odum was held to 15 on 6-of-16 shooting while getting into foul trouble when Arizona surged ahead.

The Sun Devils shot 41.5% and lost for the fifth time in six games.

Arizona scored eight straight points in a little over two minutes for a 25-18 lead on Peat's dunk with 7:05 left in the first half. The Sun Devils countered by outscoring the Wildcats 20-13 the rest of the half and Meeusen's 3 with two seconds left forged a 38-38 deadlock by halftime.

Arizona scored six straight after halftime for a 44-38 lead on a jumper by Krivas a little over two minutes and a 56-47 edge when Burries connected with Peat for a dunk with 13:10 remaining.

Anthony Johnson hit a corner 3 to get the Sun Devils within 56-53 with 11:41 left but the Wildcats scored the next seven for a 63-53 lead on a sweeping layup by Awaka a little over a minute later.

Arizona finished things off by making five of six shots for a 77-64 lead on a drive by Kharchenkov with 3:26 left.

--Field Level Media

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January 31, 2026

No. 1 Arizona beats Arizona State for best start in school history

Koa Peat scored 15 of his 21 points after halftime as top-ranked Arizona pulled away in the second half and maintained...

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Shohei Ohtani will not pitch in WBC, says Dodgers manager Dave Roberts

Shohei Ohtani will not pitch for Japan in March's World Baseball Classic, according to Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

However, when speaking to reporters atSaturday's DodgerFestshortly before Roberts, Ohtani didn't rule out the possibility. He said the decision on whether to pitch would depend on "how my body feels." But he intended to be ready to pitch for the Dodgers when the 2026 season begins and said he'd already thrown three or four bullpen sessions during the offseason.

Shohei Ohtani said he will be ready to pitch from the outset during the regular season. As far as the WBC is concerned, said it's up to "how my body feels" and that no matter what he will be fully ready to DH for Japan.

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya)January 31, 2026

[Get more Dodgers news: Los Angeles team feed]

Roughly an hour later, Roberts announcedOhtani would not pitchin the WBC, saying that it was the two-way star's decision.

"He's not going to pitch in the WBC, but he will be ramping up his arm to get ready for the season," Roberts said,via the California Post's Dylan Hernandez.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Shohei Ohtani will not pitch in the WBC, adding that it was Ohtani's decision.

— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez)January 31, 2026

Something apparently changed with the message of Ohtani's intentions in the span of an hour. Yet it may have literally been a matter of translation. It was Ohtani's translator, Will Ireton, who conveyed to reporters the superstar wasn't sure about pitching in the WBC, as pointed out bythe California Post's Michael Duarte.

However, Roberts said the Dodgers "absolutely" would have allowed Ohtani to pitch in the WBC.

Ohtani's pitching workload will certainly be a matter of concern for the Dodgers, especially early in the season when starters are building up stamina and stretching out their capacity to throw multiple innings. Several Dodgers starterswill be monitored closelydue to their injury histories and postseason workload.

Due to playing in the everyday lineup as the designated hitter, Ohtani will likely take six to seven days between starts, according to Roberts. Last season, Ohtani wonhis third consecutive MVP award, his second straight in the National League, batting .282/.392/.622 with 55 home runs and 102 RBI.

In 2025, Ohtani didn't make his pitching debut for the Dodgers until June 16. But he was still working his way back to being capable of facing major-league hitters after not pitching during the 2024 MLB season whilerecovering from internal brace surgeryon his right elbow.

Even then, Ohtani threw one inning in each of his first two appearances last season. He slowly increased his workload to two innings, then three and four. Ohtani didn't reach five innings in a start until his 11th start. During the postseason, he made three six-inning starts.

Altogether, Ohtani finished the 2025 campaign with 14 regular-season starts, compiling a 2.87 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 41 innings. In four postseason appearances, he pitched 20 1/3 innings with 28 strikeouts, allowing 10 runs and 16 hits.

MUST SEE!Relive Shohei Ohtani vs Mike Trout in its entiretypic.twitter.com/8ln13dH3fC

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX)March 22, 2023

Ohtani not pitching in the WBC has to be considered a disappointment since he provided one of the tournament's most memorable moments in 2023. Facing Team USA's Mike Trout, Ohtani struck out his then-Los Angeles Angels teammate to clinch the championship for Team Japan. Overall, he went 2-0 in three appearances with a 1.86 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings.

However, Ohtani's impactful bat will still be a part of Japan's lineup for the WBC. He batted .435/.608/.739 with 4 doubles, 1 home run and 8 RBI in 23 at-bats in 2023.

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in Celebrities, Lifestyle, SHOWBIZ, Spoprts

January 31, 2026

Shohei Ohtani will not pitch in WBC, says Dodgers manager Dave Roberts

Shohei Ohtani will not pitch for Japan in March's World Baseball Classic, according to Los Angeles Dodgers manager Da...

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Warriors star Stephen Curry exits with sore right knee that has bothered him for about a week

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry has been bothered by a sore right knee over the past week and the injury limited him to three quarters in the Golden State Warriors' 131-124 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday night.

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Coach Steve Kerr didn't consider it serious.

Curry, who will turn 38 on March 14, scored 23 points on 7-for-16 shooting with four 3-pointers over 25 minutes in his fourth straight 20-point performance before exiting with with the knee soreness.

"He's OK, I don't think it's anything major but we'll have an update tomorrow," coach Kerr said postgame. "It was the knee that kept him out of the game in Minneapolis so it's been nagging him the last week or so."

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Kerr wasn't sure what testing such as an MRI that Curry might need in the coming days. The team doesn't play again until Tuesday at home against Philadelphia, so there is an opportunity for the 17-year veteran to get off his feet and rest.

Teammate Gui Santos saw Curry limping early after scoring and being fouled.

Curry has missed 11 games this season, with the Warriors going 4-7 — three with an illness, five with a left quadriceps contusion, one with a sore right ankle, one with a sprained left ankle and another with inflammation in his right knee.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/NBA

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January 31, 2026

Warriors star Stephen Curry exits with sore right knee that has bothered him for about a week

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry has been bothered by a sore right knee over the past week and the injury limited him t...

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Stephen Curry leaves early as Warriors fall to Pistons

Stephen Curryleft theGolden State Warriors'131-124loss to theDetroit Pistonswith an injury on Friday, Jan. 30.

Curry experienced right knee soreness and left the game late in the third quarter. It is the same knee that's been nagging the star guard for the past week.

Curry was seen grimacing after an and-1 layup and limped down the tunnel and to the locker room.

Warriorscoach Steve Kerr was optimistic about Curry's status in the moments following the game.

"I think he's OK. I don't think it's anything major," Kerr told reporters during his postgame media availability.

Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets' Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents

Kerr indicated that there will be an update on Curry's knee on Saturday.

Pat Spencer took over at point guard in place of Curry.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Steph Curry injury update: Warriors star leaves loss to Pistons

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January 31, 2026

Stephen Curry leaves early as Warriors fall to Pistons

Stephen Curryleft theGolden State Warriors'131-124loss to theDetroit Pistonswith an injury on Friday, Jan. 30. ...

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Lindsey Vonn: 'Olympic dream is not over' after hurting knee in crash

Lindsey Vonn said her "Olympic dream is not over" after she injured her left knee while crashing on Friday during the final downhill race before the Milan Cortina Olympics.

The opening ceremony for the Olympics is one week away, with the women's downhill event two days later.

Vonn, 41, lost her balance coming off of a jump in a downhill World Cup event in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, couldn't recover and slid into the safety netting. She received medical attention for several minutes before using her poles to slowly ski toward the finish line, clutching her knee on a couple of occasions.

Vonn was airlifted via helicopter from the race area, with the U.S. Ski Team stating on social media that she was being "evaluated."

Hours later, Vonn took to social media to provide an update on her physical and mental condition.

"I crashed today in the Downhill race in Switzerland and injured my left knee. I am discussing the situation with my doctors and team and will continue to undergo further exams," Vonn wrote on Instagram.

"This is a very difficult outcome one week before the Olympics... but if there's one thing I know how to do, it's a comeback. My Olympic dream is not over. Thank you for all of the love and support. I will give more information when I have it."

Friday's race was canceled shortly after Vonn — the sixth skier — safely got to the bottom of the hill. Austria's Nina Ortlieb and Norway's Marte Monsen also crashed on Friday.

Vonn earned one gold (downhill) and one bronze (Super-G) at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and a bronze medal in the downhill at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

She retired after the 2019 world championships due to injuries. She subsequently received a partial replacement of her right knee and launched a comeback late in 2024.

Vonn has won the downhill twice this winter and leads the World Cup standings in the discipline. She had been considered a favorite to win the gold medal in the downhill in Italy, and it was expected she also would compete in the super-G and team combined event.

—Field Level Media

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January 31, 2026

Lindsey Vonn: 'Olympic dream is not over' after hurting knee in crash

Lindsey Vonn said her "Olympic dream is not over" after she injured her left knee while crashing on Friday duri...

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Patriots QB Drake Maye misses practice with illness, the latest hiccup to Super Bowl preparations

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is dealing with an illness and did not practice on Friday, the latest wrinkle in the quarterback's preparations forthe Super Bowlmatchup with the Seattle Seahawks.

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Coach Mike Vrabel confirmed Maye sat out after he was not spotted during the limited period at the beginning of workouts that is open to reporters. It came a day after Maye was alimited participant in practicewith a shoulder injury. Vrabel said both issues kept of him off the field Friday.

Maye was at the team facility, however, and able to participate in team meetings. The coach said Maye responded "favorable" after Thursday's practice in which he did some throwing and would have practiced Friday if not for the illness.

Vrabel reiterated that he isn't concerned about Maye's availability going forward.

"Nope. We've had a lot of guys over the last month or six weeks with illness," Vrabel said. "Again, trying to do what's best for the player and the team. And try to take care of guys (and) don't spread things. But we've worked with this here for the past six weeks."

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Friday was the team's final practice in Massachusetts before heading toSanta Clara, California,for the start of Super Bowl week.

Maye said Thursday that his focus was on being ready to go in time forthe Super Bowl.

"I'm feeling good and looking forward to being ready to go," Maye said. "This is the game you dream of playing, so looking forward to getting out there and playing in the Super Bowl."

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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in Celebrities, Lifestyle, SHOWBIZ, Spoprts

January 30, 2026

Patriots QB Drake Maye misses practice with illness, the latest hiccup to Super Bowl preparations

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is dealing with an illness and did not practice on F...

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