Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Athletics-AIU to probe Belarus officials removed from Olympics in Tsimanouskaya case

The two Belarus team officials who cut short sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya’s Tokyo Olympics will be investigated by the sport’s Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after World Athletics said Thursday it had opened formal proceedings against the pair.

Tsimanouskaya was ordered to fly home after criticising coaches for entering her in the 4×400 metres relay without her knowledge and was taken to the airport in Tokyo before she could run in her chosen 200m event.

U.S. lawmakers take time out from politics to play ball; Republicans win

As partisan standoffs in the U.S. Congress risk a government shutdown and debt default, lawmakers took a timeout on Wednesday for one of Washington’s few remaining bipartisan traditions: their annual baseball game. The 2021 contest between the Democrats and Republicans, an event that typically raises over $1 million for charity, was played at Nationals Park, normally used by Major League Baseball’s Washington Nationals.

Cycling-Cobbles and rain await historic women’s Paris Roubaix

The world’s leading female cyclists will be unleashed for the first time ever on the notorious Paris-Roubaix cobbles on Saturday as they get their chance to race the so-called Hell of the North. In another sign that women’s professional cycling is finally gaining the iconic stages it deserves, the first ever Paris-Roubaix Femmes will roll off from Denain, close to the border with Belgium.

Soccer-Bellingham left out of England squad, Tomori and Watkins recalled

Borussia Dortmund’s teenaged midfielder Jude Bellingham was left out but striker Ollie Watkins recalled on Thursday as England manager Gareth Southgate named his squad for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers away to Andorra and home to Hungary. Manchester City’s Phil Foden returns after missing the qualifiers in September because of injury while AC Milan’s former Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori was also named in the squad in the absence of injured Harry Maguire.

Boxing-Joshua says he has identified mistakes and learnt his lesson

Anthony Joshua said on Thursday he knew where he went wrong in losing his world heavyweight boxing titles to Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, and had learnt his lesson. Usyk took the Briton’s WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts on a unanimous points decision at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last Saturday.

Tennis-Djokovic pulls out of Indian Wells

World number one Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from next month’s Indian Wells tournament, organisers said on Wednesday. “I am sorry I won’t get to see my fans in Indian Wells and play in the desert, my favourite place to go. I hope to see you next year!,” Djokovic said in a statement.

Olympics-Beijing Games to allow spectators only from mainland China

Tickets for the Beijing 2022 winter Olympics will be sold to spectators from mainland China only, while unvaccinated athletes must spend 21 days in quarantine ahead of the Games, the International Olympic Committee said on Wednesday. Organisers of the Beijing Games have informed the IOC’s Executive Board 2022 of the principles to deliver “safe and successful Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as scheduled,” the committee said.

Boxing-Bout manipulation existed at Rio 2016 Olympics says independent report

A bout manipulation system existed in boxing at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Richard McLaren, the head of the independent investigation commissioned by the sport’s world governing AIBA, said in his report on Thursday. McLaren said the first of three stages of the investigation looked into the refereeing and judging at Rio where controversial decisions in certain bouts made the headlines.

Speed skating-Team GB’s Christie says she was drugged and raped aged 19

Three-time world gold medallist and Olympic speed skater Elise Christie has said she was raped at the age of 19 in 2010 in Nottingham but did not report the incident to the police. Christie, now 31, said she was on a night out after returning from the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games when her drink was spiked with a date rape drug before her attacker took her back to his house.

MLB roundup: Brewers end Cards’ win streak at 17

Daniel Vogelbach hit a two-run homer as the visiting Milwaukee Brewers snapped the St. Louis Cardinals’ 17-game winning streak with a 4-0 victory Wednesday. Adrian Houser (10-6) and relievers Brent Suter, Brad Boxberger and Aaron Ashby combined on a three-hitter for the Brewers, who have won four of their last five games.

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