Tonga
FILE - New Zealand's Valerie Adams takes a throw in the women's shot put final during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London on Aug. 6, 2012. Two-time Olympic women's shot put champion Adams has announced, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, her retirement at the age of 37. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)
Olympic shot put champ Valerie Adams retires

Feb. 28, 2022 07:38 PM EST

Dancers perform during the pre-show ahead of the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
The Latest: Dutch VJ manhandled during Olympic live shot

Feb. 03, 2022 09:51 PM EST

FILE - New Zealand All Blacks winger Charles Piutau runs down field during a rugby test match against Argentina in Christchurch, New Zealand, on July 17, 2015. World Rugby has relaxed its eligibility rules to allow players to switch countries as of January. The governing body made the announcement Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2021, in what it described as a “landmark" change. International players such as England's Billy and Mako Vunipola could represent Tonga, as could New Zealand's Charles Piutau, who won the last of his 17 caps in 2015, making him eligible to switch country allegiance next year. (AP Photo/SNPA, Ross Setford)
World Rugby to allow players to switch national teams

Nov. 24, 2021 02:44 PM EST

FILE - In this Aug. 11, 2016, file photo, Viliame Mata of Fiji evades a tackle during the gold medal mens rugby sevens match against Britain at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was rugby in fast forward and it generated millions of new fans across the world. Rugby sevens made its Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 bringing all the usual hard-hitting tackles, collisions and swerving runs but leaving out the slow-mo elements of the traditional 15-a-side game. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)
Olympic travel a big challenge for some Pacific Island teams

By Steve Mcmorran Jul. 07, 2021 03:01 AM EDT

FILE - In this Nov. 1, 2019, file photo, New Zealand players perform the haka before the Rugby World Cup bronze final game at Tokyo Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. New Zealand Rugby will face a momentous decision on the future of the All Blacks at its annual meeting Thursday, April 29, 2021, when it debates whether to sell a stake in the commercial value of the national team to American investors. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)
New Zealand to play Fiji, Tonga in July internationals

May. 16, 2021 08:16 PM EDT

FILE - In this April 7, 2019, file photo, locals prepare to leave their house in Nuku'alofa, Tonga. The largest cluster of places without the coronavirus can be found in the scattered islands of the South Pacific. Tonga, Kiribati, Samoa, Micronesia and Tuvalu are among those small nations yet to report a single case. But that doesn't mean they have been spared from the pandemic's effects. (AP Photo/Mark Baker, File)
Pacific isles, secretive states among last virus-free places

By Nick Perry Nov. 11, 2020 11:39 PM EST

List 3/4 of sports events affected by coronavirus pandemic

By The Associated Press Nov. 09, 2020 04:31 PM EST
GYMNASTICS Artistic World Cup in Melbourne, Australia, from Feb. 20-23: China team withdrew. All-Around World Cup in...

List 3/4 of sports events affected by coronavirus pandemic

By The Associated Press Oct. 12, 2020 05:22 PM EDT
GYMNASTICS Artistic World Cup in Melbourne, Australia, from Feb. 20-23: China team withdrew. All-Around World Cup in...