Ukraine Olympic Team
FILE - Ukraine's Yuri Cheban celebrates his gold medal in the men's canoe single 200m final during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 18, 2016. Cheban, one of Ukraine's most decorated Olympians, told The Associated Press in an email exchange Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, that he is auctioning his medals — two golds and a bronze — in hopes of raising a six-figure donation to contribute to the war effort in his native land. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)
Ukrainian Olympian auctioning medals to help war effort

By Eddie Pells Nov. 30, 2022 04:39 PM EST

FILE- Canada's Sidney Crosby hoists the trophy following his team's victory over Europe in the finals of the World Cup of Hockey finals on Sept. 29, 2016, in Toronto. he NHL and NHL Players’ Association have abandoned plans to hold a World Cup of Hockey in 2024, according to a a joint statement Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, calling it not feasible to hold the tournament as they had hoped in February of 2024. The league and union say they hope to stage it in February 2025 and will continue to plan for that. (Bruce Bennett/Pool Photo via AP, File)
Russia-Ukraine war derails World Cup of Hockey plans for '24

By Stephen Whyno Nov. 11, 2022 03:27 PM EST

FILE - Ilia Malinin competes in the men's short program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. All eyes will be on 17-year-old Ilia Malinin when he makes his senior Grand Prix debut at Skate America this weekend. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski, File)
Malinin headlines Grand Prix opener at Skate America

By Dave Skretta Oct. 20, 2022 01:38 PM EDT

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and General Secretary of the Russian Boxing Federation, member of the Executive Committee of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Umar Kremlev attend an opening of the new International Sambo and Boxing centre at the Luzhniki Sports Complex in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Boxing body won't hold new election, damaging Olympic hopes

By Greg Beacham Sep. 25, 2022 04:47 PM EDT

FILE - The bobsled track in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, is shown on Feb. 17, 2021. Costly construction delays, a leadership vacancy linked to a volatile political climate and a lack of sponsors amid a spreading financial crisis has prompted International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach to acknowledge the "challenges" facing organizers for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti, File)
IOC president Bach discusses 'challenges' for 2026 Games

By Andrew Dampf Sep. 16, 2022 11:00 AM EDT

Russia eyes 2024 Paris Olympics despite sports bans

Jul. 26, 2022 07:18 AM EDT
PARIS (AP) — With two years to go until the Paris Olympics open, Russia is making plans for its athletes to live and compete in the French capital even though many...

Sydney Mclaughlin, of the United States, wins the women's 4x400-meter relay final at the World Athletics Championships on Sunday, July 24, 2022, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
McLaughlin's next move among key stories on road to '24

By Eddie Pells And Pat Graham Jul. 25, 2022 01:27 PM EDT

Yaroslava Mahuchikh, of Ukraine, competes during qualifying for the women's high jump at the World Athletics Championships on Saturday, July 16, 2022, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Ukraine on her mind as high jumper goes for gold at worlds

By Eddie Pells Jul. 16, 2022 01:32 PM EDT

Members of the Romanian aerobic gymnastics team compete during The World Games in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday, July 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves)
Column: Welcome to the Island of Misfit Sports

By Paul Newberry Jul. 15, 2022 01:30 PM EDT

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaks during a press conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, July 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)
Zelenskyy praises IOC for supporting bans on Russian sport

Jul. 04, 2022 08:49 AM EDT

Ukraine boycotts judo Olympic qualifier as Russians compete

Jun. 24, 2022 12:16 PM EDT
ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (AP) — Ukraine has begun a boycott of international judo events because the Russian team was allowed to compete as Olympic qualification began...

FILE- In this Aug. 12, 2017 file photo, Russia's Maria Lasitskene celebrates without a flag after winning the gold medal in the women's high jump final during the World Athletics Championships in London. Lasitskene, likely to be banned from defending her three straight world titles next month, lashed out at the leaders of the IOC and World Athletics, and expressed sympathy for her Ukrainian competitors in a heartfelt open letter distributed Thursday, June 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)
Russian champion bashes Bach, shows sympathy for Ukrainians

By Eddie Pells Jun. 09, 2022 04:19 PM EDT

FILE - Kamila Valieva, of the Russian Olympic Committee, falls in the women's free skate program during the figure skating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Beijing. No 15-year-old figure skaters will be allowed to compete at the 2026 Olympics following the controversy surrounding Russian competitor Kamila Valieva at this year's Beijing Games. A new age limit for figure skaters at senior international events was passed Tuesday, June 7, 2022 by the International Skating Union in a 110-16 vote that will raise the minimum age to 17 before the next Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)
Figure skating minimum age rises to 17 before 2026 Olympics

Jun. 07, 2022 04:45 AM EDT

FILE - Flags are shown on the south side of Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., Thursday, June 18, 2020. Barring a sudden, unexpected end to the war in Ukraine, athletes from Russia and Belarus will be banned from next month's track and field world championships, which marks the largest international sports event since the end of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics. (Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard via AP, File)
Russians out of track worlds barring unexpected end to war

By Eddie Pells Jun. 02, 2022 09:55 AM EDT

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) sprays water on his face during a timeout against the Florida Panthers during the third period in Game 4 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Russians star in NHL playoffs as nation wages war in Ukraine

By Stephen Whyno May. 30, 2022 02:23 AM EDT

FILE - China's Han Xu (15) shoots over Serbia's Tina Krajisnik during a women's basketball quarterfinal at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Aug. 4, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. After missing the last two seasons while she stayed at home in China, dealing with the COVID lockdowns and training for the Olympics, Han is back in New York. The 22-year-old has grown an inch, standing at 6-foot-10 now and feels more ready to play in the WNBA. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
China's 6-10 Han among international WNBA players to watch

By Doug Feinberg May. 06, 2022 02:20 AM EDT

Putin backs Russian skater Valieva as she faces doping case

Apr. 26, 2022 12:20 PM EDT
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed support for figure skater Kamila Valieva on Tuesday, saying she did not compete “dishonestly” after her doping case...

Russia delegate Alexey Sorokin, right, gestures as speaks to journalists end of the FIFA congress at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, March 31, 2022. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Russian appeals against sports bans to be heard by CAS

Apr. 05, 2022 12:12 PM EDT

Kaori Sakamoto, of Japan, performs in the women short program at the Figure Skating World Championships in Montpellier, south of France, Wednesday, March 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Knierim-Frazier top pairs short program at skating worlds

By Dave Skretta Mar. 23, 2022 12:42 PM EDT

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives to deliver his speech at the concert marking the eighth anniversary of the referendum on the state status of Crimea and Sevastopol and its reunification with Russia, in Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 18, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian Olympians face backlash after Vladimir Putin rally

Mar. 23, 2022 07:26 AM EDT