SOCCER

FIFA is in talks with Qatari authorities about scrapping the mandatory vaccination requirements for next year’s World Cup.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani announced in June that it would require any fans wanting entry into next year’s tournament to be fully inoculated against the coronavirus, but has said nothing about the policy for players yet.

FIFA and Qatari officials are discussing the possibility that fans, players and officials will be able to provide proof of having recovered from COVID-19 or produce negative tests, a person familiar with the talks told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing discussions.

• Defender John Brooks will miss the United States’ three World Cup qualifiers this month because of a back injury.

Wolfsburg coach Mark van Bommel said that the 28-year-old Brooks will not travel from Germany to Texas, where the Americans play Jamaica on Thursday night. The U.S. team then confirmed Brooks had been dropped.

Brooks started the Americans’ first three qualifiers in September and is among the few veterans of the team that failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

PREMIER LEAGUE: Claudio Ranieri is back in the English Premier League after being hired as Watford manager.

The 69-year-old Italian replaced Xisco Munoz, who was fired on Sunday, and has signed a two-year deal at a club which has a recent history of getting rid of managers after only brief spells in charge.

• Former Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-sung appealed to the club’s fans to stop singing a song that contains a racial stereotype about his native South Korea.

United fans chanted a song about Park during his time at the club, from 2005-12, which included a disparaging line about Koreans eating dog meat.

The song is still heard at Old Trafford and the now-retired Park said he wants to educate supporters about why the words are hurtful to him and people from South Korea.

SPORTS BETTING

WNBA: The Mohegan Sun casino announced Monday that it has suspended wagering on the WNBA after questions were raised over a potential conflict in taking bets on the Connecticut Sun, a team also owned by the Mohegan Tribe.

The issue came up after Gov. Ned Lamont opened the sportsbook last Thursday, the first day of legalized sports betting in Connecticut, by placing a $50 bet on the Sun to win its playoff game with the Chicago Sky.

The wager captured the attention of some experts and state lawmakers concerned about a potential conflict of interest with the Mohegan Sun accepting bets on the Sun, which plays in the arena located at the casino complex.

Casino officials said Monday they decided over the weekend to suspend betting on the WNBA playoffs at the sportsbook.

COLLEGES 

FOOTBALL: Minnesota running back Trey Potts remained in a hospital two days after an undisclosed ailment that arose late in the team’s game at Purdue.

The university’s athletic department said Potts’ condition was “improving” and that he was “doing well,” in a statement distributed on Monday.

The university said further updates on Potts, who is second in the Big Ten with 552 rushing yards, would be provided when available with his and his family’s permission.

Potts left the field late in the fourth quarter on Saturday in West Lafayette, Indiana. After immediate observation and treatment by the team’s medical staff, Potts was transported to a nearby hospital for further attention.

• The Southeastern Conference has fined Kentucky $250,000 for violating its access to competition area policy after fans rushed the field at the end of the Wildcats’ 20-13 victory over then-No. 10 Florida last Saturday.

• Quarterback JT Daniels was held out of throwing drills for No. 2 Georgia , leaving the junior’s status uncertain for Saturday’s Southeastern Conference game at No. 18 Auburn.

The Bulldogs leaned on their running game and defense to overwhelm No. 8 Arkansas 37-0 last week. Daniels was in uniform but did not play after testing his right lat injury in pregame warmups.

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