Sports

News brief: U.S.-Russia meeting, diplomatic boycott of Olympics, DOJ sues Texas

6:55am December 07, 2021

President Biden and Russian President Putin hold a video summit. The U.S. won't send any government officials to the Olympics in Beijing. The DOJ is suing Texas over the state's redistricting plans.

Queue Listen Now

President Biden announces a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics

6:15am December 07, 2021

NPR's Debbie Elliott talks to Mike Mazza of the American Enterprise Institute about whether the U.S. diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing will have a tangible effect.

Queue Listen Now

Activists rally in front of the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles last month, calling for a boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics due to concerns over China's human rights record.

Uyghur organizations applaud the U.S. diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics

10:04pm December 06, 2021

by Jonathan Franklin

U.S. athletes are still expected to compete in the 2022 Winter Olympics, despite the diplomatic boycott from the Biden administration.

Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness entrant Medina Spirit is bathed ahead of the Preakness Stakes on May 12, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Sports

Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit collapsed and died after a workout in California

3:43pm December 06, 2021

by Tien Le

The 3-year-old colt, whose Derby win is under dispute, died suddenly from what appears to have been a cardiac event, said an on-site veterinary team at Southern California's Santa Anita racetrack.

Women practice a dance routine on Oct. 27 in front of a large countdown screen showing 100 days before the opening of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

Citing humanitarian abuses, U.S. will stage a diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics

3:13pm December 06, 2021

by Alana Wise

The White House cited the "ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity" in the Xinjiang region of China. U.S. athletes will compete in the Olympics.

Sports

What's at stake in the MLB lockout

5:16pm December 05, 2021

NPR's David Folkenflik discusses the offseason lockout negotiations with baseball analyst and former player Doug Glanville.

Sports

Formula 1 race in Saudi Arabia draws accusations of 'sportswashing'

5:14pm December 04, 2021

NPR's David Folkenflik speaks with scholar Helen Lenskyj about this weekend's Formula 1 Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia and the role of "sportswashing" in countries with human rights abuses.

Queue Listen Now

Sports

Saturday sports: Wrapping up the NFL season; Grizzlies set margin of victory record

9:12am December 04, 2021

Scott Simon speaks with Howard Bryant of Meadowlark Media about the NFL season's homestretch, plus basketball highs and lows.

Queue Listen Now

Men's tennis is under fire for not pulling business from China over Peng Shuai

5:18pm December 03, 2021

by Tom Goldman

After a Chinese tennis star accused a former Chinese official of assault and temporarily vanished from view, the Women's Tennis Association halted tournaments there. Now the men's group is under fire.

Queue Listen Now

The Portland Trail Blazers fired Neil Olshey on Friday, after workers reportedly accused him of creating a hostile work environment. He's seen here sitting near Damian Lillard in 2019.

Portland Trail Blazers fire their general manager after reports of a toxic workplace

3:10pm December 03, 2021

by Bill Chappell

Last month, the NBA team announced that it had hired a law firm to look into workplace complaints at a Blazers practice facility. Olshey just started his tenth season as the team's general manager.