Digest

NFL

Kaepernick in mix for Chargers spot

Colin Kaepernick is on the Los Angeles Chargers' workout list, but that doesn't mean he will be coming in anytime soon or at all.

Anthony Lynn said Kaepernick fits the style of quarterback Los Angeles is looking for, but the third-year head coach hasn't spoken to him. Lynn was also quick to point out that he first wants to see how the three quarterbacks he has on the roster perform－something he hasn't been able to do during the offseason due to the coronavirus pandemic.

LA will have a new QB for its scheduled Sept 13 opener at Cincinnati after not re-signing Philip Rivers. The 17-year veteran signed with Indianapolis after making 235 consecutive regular-season and playoff starts in powder blue.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said on Monday that he is encouraging teams to sign Kaepernick, who has been out of the league the past three seasons. The 32-year old last played in 2016, when he was with the San Francisco 49ers and began to kneel during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality

SOCCER

Turkey applauds UEFA decision on 2021 final

Turkey on Wednesday said it was happy to be hosting the Champions League final in 2021 after the final was moved from Istanbul this season because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The 2019-2020 Champions League, suspended since March because of the health crisis, will be completed in a 'Final Eight' format that will be held in Lisbon in August, UEFA said this week.

European soccer's governing body said Istanbul will now host the final next year instead.

Nihat Ozdemir, head of the Turkish Football Federation, said it had negotiated with UEFA to host the 2021 final with spectators present in the stadium as the coronavirus crisis pushed them to reconsider plans for this year.

"I want to say that we made a very right decision considering the interests of our country," he said.

"We know that Istanbul, the city of finals, will host this spectacular organization in the summer of 2021 which will also spark a tourism boom."

BASKETBALL

Love to be honored for mental-health fight

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love will receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award during Sunday's ESPY Awards show.

The five-time All-Star began revealing his battles with mental health in 2018 and has been working to remove the stigma from mental-health issues through the Kevin Love Foundation.

"It is an absolute honor to receive this award and I am incredibly humbled by it," Love said in a statement."In telling my story, if I can help just one child that is suffering to make sense of what they are experiencing, I know my efforts have been worth it.

"And I hope one day we are able to erase the stigma around mental illness, starting with public conversations around mental health and encouraging people to seek help when they need it, followed by research, action, and change."

TENNIS

Halep out as Serena confirms US entry

Two-time major champion and former No 1 Simona Halep says she does not "currently plan to play" at the 2020 US Open.

Halep added in a statement sent by her representative to Associated Press on Wednesday that her stance "is not set in stone".

The US Open will be held in New York from Aug 31 to Sept 13 and would be the first tennis major played since the sport was suspended in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Given the conditions outlined in the US Open announcement this morning, as of today I do not currently plan to play in NYC," Halep said."However, as we know, this situation is fluid and the conditions may change and improve before the entry deadline in mid-July. I would like to underline that my decision is not set in stone."

Serena Williams, though, says she will play at the tournament.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion said in a taped video message: "I feel like the USTA(United States Tennis Association) is going to do a really good job of ensuring everything is amazing and everything is perfect and everyone is safe."

Wheelchair player slams 'discrimination'

Australian Paralympic tennis champion Dylan Alcott has slammed the omission of the wheelchair tournament from the US Open, calling it "disgusting discrimination".

Alcott, a 10-time Grand Slam wheelchair singles champion, said players were not consulted and posed no greater health threat than able-bodied entrants.

With the coronavirus still rife in the United States, the Aug 31-Sept 13 US Open is going ahead without fans or a qualifying tournament for able-bodied players.

"I thought I did enough to qualify－2x champion, number 1 in the world," Alcott tweeted. "But unfortunately I missed the only thing that mattered, being able to walk. Disgusting discrimination."

The organizers have also eliminated the mixed doubles and juniors competitions while reducing the number of teams in men's and women's doubles events by half.

Xinhua - Agencies