Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

MLB roundup: Braves, Astros clinch division titles

The Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros kept alive their division dominance with clinching victories Thursday. The Braves got six strong innings from starter Ian Anderson and home runs from Jorge Soler and Austin Riley to beat the visiting Philadelphia Phillies 5-3, clinching their fourth consecutive National League East championship.

For rookie QBs, struggle is real

No wobbly pass, stare-down interception, busted assignment or coughed-up fumble underscores the sad state of the NFL’s underwhelming rookie quarterback class more than these ugly statistics. Between towering Jacksonville Jaguars starter Trevor Lawrence, New York Jets signal caller Zach Wilson and New England Patriots quarterback and Cam Newton replacement Mac Jones, they’ve combined for a 1-8 record, 17 interceptions and only nine touchdown passes.

Boxing-Britain’s Joyce wants 2016 Olympic gold if fight manipulation is proven

British heavyweight Joe Joyce said on Friday that he should be handed the 2016 Olympic gold medal if his Rio de Janeiro final with Frenchman Tony Yoka was found to have been manipulated by corrupt boxing officials. The fight was one of 11 called into question by an independent report, commissioned by the sport’s governing body, the AIBA, and published on Thursday, that found evidence of corruption and manipulation.

NBA-Warriors’ Green says not his place to tell team mate to get vaccinated

Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green said it is not his place to convince team mate Andrew Wiggins to take a COVID-19 shot and described the debate surrounding vaccinated and unvaccinated players as a “political war”. Reports in the U.S. media said 95% of players in the league have had at least one shot. Unvaccinated players must comply with a lengthy list of restrictions to play this season.

Soccer-Former England defender Butcher wants heading phased out of the game

Former England defender Terry Butcher wants heading to be gradually phased out of the sport to reduce the risk of brain trauma and neurodegenerative diseases. Butcher, 62, was a no-nonsense centre back who was strong in the air and famously suffered a head wound playing for England in a World Cup qualifier in 1989, but stayed on the pitch and ended the game covered in blood.

Czech foreign minister summons British ambassador over Rangers game accusations

Czech Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek summoned Britain’s ambassador over accusations that sections of a soccer crowd consisting mainly of schoolchildren attending a game in Prague on Thursday abused Rangers player Glen Kamara. “Enough! Intentionally spread, disgusting insults against Czech children in the media and on the internet do not belong to football and even less so to good relations between two countries,” Kulhanek said on Twitter on Friday.

Soccer-NWSL commissioner ousted after accusations against fired coach – report

The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) board of directors has fired commissioner Lisa Baird and general counsel Lisa Levine in the wake of a report detailing allegations of misconduct against former North Carolina Courage head coach Paul Riley, the Athletic reported on Friday. NWSL did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ice hockey-Targeted with racist behaviour, Smereck says change is overdue

Ukrainian Hockey League (UHL) player Jalen Smereck told Reuters on Friday he would return to the ice despite an opponent targeting him with racist behavior, but the American said reform was long overdue for the sport. A video showing HC Kremenchuk forward Andriy Deniskin peeling and eating a banana in a gesture directed toward the HC Donbass defenceman, who is Black, during a game shocked the global hockey community this week and prompted outcry over racism in the sport.

Soccer-‘Stop attacking our children’: Sparta Prague condemn reports of Kamara abuse

Sparta Prague have hit out at media reports that Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara was targeted by sections of a crowd comprising mainly schoolchildren during Thursday’s 1-0 Europa League home win. In March, Finland’s Kamara had complained of being racially abused by Slavia Prague’s Ondrej Kudela during a Europa League tie and the continent’s soccer governing body UEFA banned the Czech defender for 10 games.

Golf-Hatton maintains slim lead at Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

Twice winner Tyrrell Hatton overcame three bogeys on a frustrating back nine to card a two-under 70 and take a one-shot lead in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship second round on Friday. The Englishman started the day at eight-under and looked in control with two early birdies before tough windy conditions saw him bogey the 10th, 13th and 16th holes at Kingsbarns, ending the day on 10-under for the tournament.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)