Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Athletics-‘A great talent’- fellow athletes pay tribute to Kenyan Tirop

Kenyan athletes Eunice Sum and Julius Yego led the tributes to compatriot Agnes Tirop who was found stabbed to death at her home in the town of Iten on Wednesday. Local police said they were treating Tirop’s husband as a suspect and have asked him to come forward.

Soccer-UEFA investigating alleged racist abuse directed at Sweden’s Elanga

UEFA will investigate an incident of alleged racist abuse aimed at Sweden’s Anthony Elanga in an Under-21 European Championship qualifier against Italy on Tuesday. Elanga, who was taken off in the 72nd minute, was involved in an incident with opposition players after the final whistle, with the Swedish Football Association saying that the Manchester United winger was racially abused by an Italian player.

Tennis-Ivanovic, Moya headline Hall of Fame nominees

Serbian Ana Ivanovic, Italy’s Flavia Pennetta and Spaniards Carlos Moya and Juan Carlos Ferrero headlined the list of six nominees up for induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The quartet were announced as nominees for the Class of 2022 along with former doubles players Cara Black of Zimbabwe and Lisa Raymond of the United States, the Newport, Rhode Island-based Hall of Fame said on Thursday.

Olympics-Beijing Games ready for Olympia flame but wary of protests

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will come into sharp focus with the ceremonial torch-lighting ceremony in Greece’s ancient Olympia on Monday but opposition to the Games continues to grow more vocal. The Chinese capital will become the first city to host both the Winter and Summer Games when it stages the Feb. 4-20 event but, as was the case with the 2008 Beijing Olympics, protests and calls for boycotts over the country’s human rights record have marred the run-up.

Soccer-MLS wants leagues to have greater voice in biennial World Cup talks

Major domestic leagues deserve to have a greater say in whether or not FIFA’s proposal to shift to a biennial World Cup becomes reality, Major League Soccer (MLS) Commissioner Don Garber said on Thursday. Soccer’s world governing body is conducting a feasibility study into the practicalities of staging a World Cup every two years, a move that has been met with criticism from confederations, clubs, players and fan groups.

Tennis-Canada’s Fernandez to skip Billie Jean King Cup Finals

U.S. Open finalist Leylah Fernandez has decided not to represent Canada at next month’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Prague, Tennis Canada said on Thursday. The 19-year-old Fernandez, who went out in the last 16 at Indian Wells this week in her first tournament since losing to fellow teenager Emma Raducanu of Britain in the U.S. Open final, will be replaced by Carol Zhao.

Tennis-Raducanu withdraws from Kremlin Cup – reports

U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu has pulled out of next week’s Kremlin Cup in Moscow following her second-round loss at the Indian Wells tournament, British media reported on Thursday.

No immediate reason was given for the withdrawal.

NBA-Irving ‘being true’ to himself by not getting vaccinated

Kyrie Irving said he was “being true to what feels good” by choosing not to get vaccinated after the Brooklyn Nets decided he will not be allowed to practice or play with them until he complies with New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

A New York mandate requires proof of at least one shot of the vaccine to enter large indoor spaces. The NBA has said players who are unable to compete due to local mandates will miss out on pay.

Athletics-Kenyan police arrest husband of dead Tirop

Kenyan police said on Thursday they had arrested the husband of distance runner Agnes Tirop, a two-times World Championship bronze medallist who was found dead at her home. Police said on Wednesday that Tirop appeared to have been stabbed in the neck with a knife.

Boxing-Wilder to undergo hand surgery after Fury loss – ESPN

Deontay Wilder will have surgery on his right hand after his defeat in last weekend’s fight against Briton Tyson Fury, his co-manager told ESPN on Thursday. Briton Fury retained his WBC heavyweight title on Saturday when he sent American Wilder to the canvas in the 11th round of the Las Vegas bout to close out their trilogy of fights.

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