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Page 2B SPORTS East Oregonian Friday, July 22, 2016 Russia loses appeal against Olympic track and ield ban Associated Press LONDON — Russia lost its appeal Thursday against the Olympic ban on its track and ield athletes, a decision which could add pressure on the IOC to exclude the country entirely from next month’s games in Rio de Janeiro. The Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected the appeal of 68 Russian athletes seeking to over- turn the ban imposed by the IAAF following allegations of state-spon- sored doping and cover-ups. The court, based in Lausanne, Switzerland, upheld the “validity” of the IAAF ban, saying a country whose national federation is suspended is ineligible from entering international competitions, including the Olympics. The three-person panel ruled that the Russian Olympic Committee “is not entitled to nominate Russian track and ield athletes to compete at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games considering that they are not AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Russian athletes rest before competing at the Russian Athletics Cup outside Moscow, Russia, on Thursday. eligible to participate under the IAAF competition rules.” CAS, however, said it had no jurisdiction on whether the Inter- national Olympic Committee can accept or refuse the entry of Russian track and ield athletes, either those representing their country or as “neutral athletes.” The Russians argued against a collective ban of its track athletes, saying it punishes those who have not been accused of wrongdoing. “Today’s judgment has created a level playing ield for athletes,” the IAAF said in a statement. “The CAS award upholds the rights of the IAAF to use its rules for the protection of the sport, to protect clean athletes and support the credi- bility and integrity of competition.” IAAF President Sebastian Coe said it was “not a day for triumphant statements.” “I didn’t come into this sport to stop athletes from competing,” he said. “It is our federation’s instinc- tive desire to include, not exclude.” Thursday’s ruling is likely to weigh heavily on whether the IOC could bar the entire Russian team — across all sports, not just track — following new allegations of a vast government-organized doping program. The IOC executive board said Tuesday it would “explore the legal options” for a possible total ban on Russia but would wait until after the CAS ruling before making a inal decision. The IOC has scheduled another executive board meeting on Sunday to consider the issue. Had the IAAF ban been thrown out by CAS and the Russian track athletes let back in, that would seemingly have ruled out the IOC imposing a blanket ban. As it stands, the IAAF has approved just two Russians to compete, as “neutral athletes,” after they showed they had been training and living abroad under a robust drug testing regime. One is doping whistleblower Yulia Stepanova, the other is Florida-based long jumper Darya Klishina. In extending the ban, the IAAF said Russia’s entire drug-testing system had been corrupted and tainted and there was no way to prove which athletes were clean. Letting Russian athletes compete in the games would undermine the credibility of the competition, according to the IAAF. ALL-STAR: New Orleans reportedly the favorite for the game Continued from 1B if there is a resolution to the matter. “We understand the NBA’s decision and the challenges around holding the NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte this season. There was an exhaustive effort from all parties to keep the event in Charlotte, and we are disappointed we were unable to do so,” Hornets chairman and Hall of Famer Michael Jordan said. “With that said, we are pleased that the NBA opened the door for Charlotte to host All-Star weekend again as soon as an opportunity was available in 2019.” During its yearly work session that ended on July 1, the General Assembly restored the ability of workers to use state law to sue over employment discrimination on the basis of race, religion and other factors — but left gender identity and sexual orientation unprotected. There was no appe- tite among Republican lawmakers to change the provision requiring transgender people to use restrooms corresponding to the sex on their birth certiicates in many public buildings — a measure at the heart of two legal challenges in federal court. The law passed in a March special session also excludes sexual orientation and gender identity from antidiscrimina- tion protections related to the workplace, hotels and restaurants; and overrules local antidiscrimination ordi- nances. Republican leaders have said the law was passed in response to a Charlotte ordinance that would have allowed transgender people to use restrooms consistent with their gender identity. The fate of the state law is likely to be decided in federal courts where dueling lawsuits are being heard, with a judge saying he wants to start trial in four of the ive cases by early November. He’s also set an August 1 hearing on a motion for a preliminary injunction to block the law’s bathroom access provision. Charlotte oficials have said they expected the event to have an economic impact of around $100 million, based on data from recent All-Star games in the compa- rable New Orleans and Orlando markets. The game could rival the $164 million economic impact of the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, the largest inancial bump of any event for the city. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said having Jordan, one of the NBA’s most recognized igures, in Charlotte was one of the draws for the league to have the All-Star Game in Charlotte. “I give him an ‘A’ for all of the things that he is doing in the community,” Silver said. “We wouldn’t be bringing an All-Star Game to Charlotte if we didn’t think he was an A-level performer in terms of management of a franchise.” When the Hornets submitted their All-Star bid the city had agreed to pay about $30 million in reno- vations to the arena. Silver had said he was pleased with the Hornets plans that had been made for renovations, which included upgrading the infrastructure, suites and scoreboard — all of which have been completed or are close to being completed. On Thursday, Jordan thanked city leaders for their support. “We want to thank the City of Charlotte and the business community for their backing throughout this entire process, starting with the initial bid,” Jordan said. “We are conident that they will be just as supportive and enthusiastic for the 2019 NBA All-Star Game.” SEAHAWKS: Graham ahead of schedule on rehab from knee injury Continued from 1B Seattle Seahawks at a glance “Once you have kind of been here for a while you kind of know. We know how we want to approach prac- tice. We know how we want to take advantage of every opportunity that we have had,” Seattle QB Russell Wilson said. “We also know what it takes to win a lot of games.” Here’s what to watch as the Seahawks open camp: HARD TO IMAGINE: Once again the offensive line is forefront among Seattle’s biggest questions entering camp. Last year, the Seahawks made signiicant changes two weeks into camp and the fallout from those changes never settled until the midpoint of the season when Drew Nowak was replaced at center by Patrick Lewis. The Seahawks spent the offseason again tinkering with their offensive line, but this time it was by necessity after losing Russell Okung •OPEN CAMP: July 30, Renton, Washington •LAST YEAR: Thanks to again having top defense and continued maturation of quarterback Russell Wilson, Seahawks endured rocky irst half of regular season before late charge ensured fourth straight playoff appearance. Seattle somehow won in frigid temperatures of Minnesota in wild-card round before falling to eventual NFC champion Carolina. •IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: G Germain Ifedi, T J’Marcus Webb, DT Jarran Reed, DE Chris Clemons, rookie RBs Alex Collins and C.J. Prosise, CB Brandon Browner. •IMPORTANT LOSSES: RB Marshawn Lynch, T Russell Okung, LB Bruce Irvin, G J.R. Sweezy, DT Brandon Mebane. •CAMP NEEDS: Develop some stability in the offensive line as Wilson has become strong pocket passer. Find a backup QB. •EXPECTATIONS: Seattle’s depth appears closest it’s been to Super Bowl-winning season in 2013. But there’s one glaring weakness: offensive line. Lack of OL continuity was signiicant part of Seattle’s prob- lems through irst half of last season, and getting that group solidiied is priority for training camp. There are also unknown answers when TE Jimmy Graham and RB Thomas Rawls will return from major injuries suffered in 2015. Even with those questions there’s every reason to believe Seahawks will remain among elite of NFC. and J.R. Sweezy in free agency. First-round pick Germain Ifedi and newly acquired J’Marcus Webb are slated to be the right side of the line with Garry Gilliam and Mark Glowinski on the left side. The question is whether Justin Britt can make the move from guard to center and play his third position in three years or if the Seahawks will be scraping their plans again just weeks before the start of the regular season. ON THE MEND: Running back Thomas Rawls and tight end Jimmy Graham are both trying to work back from signiicant injuries that ended their 2015 seasons early. It was expected that Graham’s recovery from a torn patellar tendon would take longer than Rawls’ broken ankle, but Carroll surprised many at the end of minicamp by saying Graham was ahead of Rawls in the rehab process. The importance for Seattle is getting both back healthy as each is expected to play signiicant roles in the Seahawks’ offensive success. Rawls was a breakout star last year illing in for Marshawn Lynch while Graham’s role in the offense inally started clicking just before his injury. BETTER MAN: The one position battle of signiicance for Seattle is at strongside linebacker after losing Bruce Irvin in free agency. Irvin was known mostly as a pass rusher, but became a critical part of Seattle’s success at stopping the run because of his ability to hold the edge playing on the line of scrim- mage. Veteran Mike Morgan has the most experience at the position. Cassius Marsh might have the best physical traits to be used the same way as Irvin was. Kevin Pierre-Louis is also an option because of his athleticism. The wild card in the scenario could be Frank Clark if Seattle decides they want him on the ield more. Clark played just on the defensive line last season, but slimmed down in the offseason. SOMETHING IN RESERVE: Is Seattle ready to move forward with an inexperienced backup to Russell Wilson? That’s a major question to be solved in training camp as undrafted rookie Trevone Boykin would be the presumptive backup to Wilson at this point. Expect them to bring in a veteran to compete for the backup job. MIND YOUR MANNERS: Last year, the Seahawks were blindsided by safety Kam Chancellor’s decision to hold out for a new contract. The move backired and may have tempered thoughts of any other Seahawks under contract of following a similar path. Defensive end Michael Bennett has been the most vocal — and most deserving — of getting a new deal, but he still has two years remaining and the Seahawks have remained averse to setting that precedent. ELLIS: HILLCLIMB: Organizers hoping for big a big crowd Continued from 1B Continued from 1B Spokane Community College. Ellis compiled a 39-68 overall record and a 16-40 in the NWAC East division during his tenure, with the best result a 13-13 inish in 2012-13. The Timberwolves narrowly missed out on the NWAC tournament twice in Ellis’ tenure, including this past season where the team inished 14-15 overall — just two games and one spot behind Columbia Basin for the inal spot in the East division. “I was disappointed we weren’t able to make it to the (NWAC Tour- nament) which was my goal coming in,” Ellis said. “I told myself I will not measure my time there on wins and losses when I got the job and only on whether I worked as hard as I could with integrity. “The victories in my book are the relationships I made, the athletes that stayed two years and graduated, and those who were lead to Christ while we were there.” Former assistant coach Gavin Burt has been named as the interim coach of the Timberwolves as the school looks for Ellis’ replacement. Blue Mountain athletic director Brett Bryan said on Thursday that the school hopes to announce the replacement “shortly.” As for Ellis, he says his time in Pendleton is a feeling that will stick with him for a long time. “People at the school, my athletes, and people of Pendleton were unbe- lievable,” he said. “I will miss a lot about Pendleton. It was my irst college job so it will be a big part of my life.” days worth of competition. Event organizers have been constantly watering down the hill with an estimated 50-60 gallons of water per minute over the past several days, which helps to prevent any spark of a possible ire, keeps the dust down for spectators, and helps hold the hill together as a whole. There has also been measures taken on the dirt road of Taylor Lane where the property sits, such as putting down chemicals on the road to help control the dust for the locals, as well as to protect many of the bikers and spectator vehicles traveling the road daily as well. With it being the inaugural competition, Dillon said there is no real estimate on the number of spectators they could draw for the weekend. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there was only a few hundred, but I wouldn’t be surprised with 4,500 either,” he said. “When we started the Big Nasty Hillclimb (in Idaho), we had 2,000 the irst year and are now up to 13,000. So we’ll just wait and see.” ——— Contact Eric Singer at esinger@eastoregonian.com or (541) 966-0839. Follow him on Twitter @ByEricSinger. SCOREBOARD Baseball MLB AMERICAN LEAGUE East Division W L Pct GB Boston 54 39 .581 — Baltimore 54 40 .574 ½ Toronto 54 42 .563 1½ New York 48 47 .505 7 Tampa Bay 38 57 .400 17 Central Division W L Pct GB Cleveland 56 38 .596 — Detroit 49 46 .516 7½ Kansas City 47 47 .500 9 Chicago 46 48 .489 10 Minnesota 35 60 .368 21½ West Division W L Pct GB Texas 55 41 .573 — Houston 51 44 .537 3½ Seattle 48 47 .505 6½ Los Angeles 43 52 .453 11½ Oakland 42 54 .438 13 ——— Thursday’s Games Baltimore 4, N.Y. Yankees 1 Boston 13, Minnesota 2 Detroit 2, Chicago White Sox 1, 7 innings Tampa Bay 7, Oakland 3 Friday’s Games Cleveland (Bauer 7-3) at Baltimore (Bundy 2-2), 7:05 p.m. San Francisco (Bumgarner 10-5) at N.Y. Yankees (Tanaka 7-2), 7:05 p.m. Seattle (Paxton 2-4) at Toronto (Estrada 5-3), 7:07 p.m. Minnesota (Gibson 2-6) at Boston (Rodriguez 2-3), 7:10 p.m. Detroit (Fulmer 9-2) at Chicago White Sox (Turner 0-1), 8:10 p.m. L.A. Angels (Shoemaker 5-9) at Houston (McCull- ers 4-4), 8:10 p.m. Texas (Darvish 2-1) at Kansas City (Duffy 5-1), 8:15 p.m. Tampa Bay (Odorizzi 4-5) at Oakland (Manaea 3-5), 10:05 p.m. NATIONAL LEAGUE East Division W L Pct GB Washington 57 39 .594 — Miami 52 43 .547 4½ New York 50 44 .532 6 Philadelphia 44 53 .454 13½ Atlanta 33 63 .344 24 Central Division W L Pct GB Chicago 57 37 .606 — St. Louis 51 44 .537 6½ Pittsburgh 49 46 .516 8½ Milwaukee 40 53 .430 16½ Cincinnati 36 59 .379 21½ West Division W L Pct GB San Francisco 57 38 .600 — Los Angeles 54 43 .557 4 Colorado 44 51 .463 13 San Diego 41 55 .427 16½ Arizona 40 55 .421 17 ——— Thursday’s Games L.A. Dodgers 6, Washington 3 Miami 9, Philadelphia 3 Pittsburgh 5, Milwaukee 3 St. Louis 6, San Diego 5 Colorado 7, Atlanta 3 Friday’s Games Philadelphia (Elin 2-3) at Pittsburgh (Cole 5-5), 7:05 p.m. San Diego (Perdomo 3-4) at Washington (Roark 9-5), 7:05 p.m. San Francisco (Bumgarner 10-5) at N.Y. Yankees (Tanaka 7-2), 7:05 p.m. Arizona (Bradley 3-5) at Cincinnati (Straily 4-6), 7:10 p.m. N.Y. Mets (Verrett 3-6) at Miami (Conley 6-5), 7:10 p.m. Chicago Cubs (Hammel 8-5) at Milwaukee (Nel- son 6-7), 8:10 p.m. L.A. Dodgers (McCarthy 2-0) at St. Louis (Wacha 5-7), 8:15 p.m. Atlanta (Teheran 3-8) at Colorado (Gray 5-4), 8:40 p.m. MiLB NORTHWEST LEAGUE Thursday’s Games Spokane 11, Boise 2 Salem-Keizer 12, Everett 5 Eugene 8, Vancouver 6 Hillsboro at Tri-City, late Friday’s Games Eugene at Vancouver, 1:05 p.m. Spokane at Boise, 6:15 p.m. Everett at Salem-Keizer, 6:35 p.m. Hillsboro at Tri-City, 7:15 p.m. Cycling Tour de France Thursday At Megeve, France 18th Stage A 10.6-mile uphill individual time trial from Sallanches to Megeve, with a climb to Cote des Chozeaux. 1. Chris Froome, Britain, Sky, 30 minutes, 43 seconds. 2. Tom Dumoulin, Netherlands, Giant-Alpecin, 21 seconds behind. 3. Fabio Aru, Spain, Astana, :33. 4. Richie Porte, Australia, BMC Racing, same time. 5. Romain Bardet, France, AG2R La Mondiale, :42. 6. Thomas De Gendt, Belgium, Lotto Soudal, 1:02. 7. Jon Izaguirre, Spain, Movistar, 1:03. 8. Joaquim Rodriguez, Spain, Katusha, 1:05. 9. Louis Meintjes, South Africa, Lampre-Merida, 1:08. 10. Nairo Quintana, Colombia, Movistar, 1:10. Overall Standings (After 18 stages) 1. Chris Froome, Britain, Sky, 77:55:53. 2. Bauke Mollema, Netherlands, Trek-Segafredo, 3:52. 3. Adam Yates, Britain, Orica-BikeExchange, 4:16. 4. Nairo Quintana, Colombia, Movistar, 4:37. 5. Romain Bardet, France, AG2R La Mondiale, 4:57. 6. Richie Porte, Australia, BMC Racing, 5:00. 7. Fabio Aru, Italy, Astana, 6:08. 8. Alejandro Valverde, Spain, Movistar, 6:37. 9. Louis Meintjes, South Africa, Lampre-Merida, 7:15. 10. Daniel Martin, Ireland, Etixx-QuickStep, 7:18. Basketball WNBA Thursday’s Games Indiana 82, New York 70 Today’s Games Los Angeles at Washington, 4 p.m. Dallas at Atlanta, 4:30 p.m. Seattle at Minnesota, 5 p.m. Connecticut at Chicago, 5:30 p.m. Soccer MLS EASTERN CONFERENCE W L T Pts GF GA NYC FC 9 6 6 33 34 35 Philadelphia 8 6 6 30 34 28 New York 8 9 4 28 32 27 Montreal 6 5 8 26 30 29 Toronto FC 6 7 6 24 21 22 New England 5 7 8 23 26 33 D.C. United 5 7 7 22 18 21 Orlando City 4 5 10 22 30 33 Columbus 3 7 9 18 24 30 Chicago 4 9 5 17 17 24 WESTERN CONFERENCE W L T Pts GF GA FC Dallas 12 6 4 40 34 30 Colorado 10 2 7 37 22 13 Los Angeles 8 3 8 32 32 18 Real Salt Lake 8 6 6 30 29 30 Vancouver 8 8 5 29 33 35 Portland 7 6 8 29 32 31 Sporting KC 8 10 4 28 24 25 San Jose 6 6 7 25 21 22 Seattle 6 11 2 20 20 24 Houston 4 9 6 18 23 26 NOTE: Three points for victory, one point for tie. ——— Friday’s Game San Jose at Real Salt Lake, 8 p.m.
