Updated: September 29, 2022
DENVER (AP) — The U.S. Olympic Committee has fired chief of sport performance Alan Ashley in the wake of an independent report that said neither he nor former CEO Scott Blackmun elevated concerns about the Larry Nassar sexual abuse allegations when they were first reported to them.
The 233-page independent report was released Monday. It detailed an overall lack of response when the USOC leaders first heard about the Nassar allegations from the then-president of USA Gymnastics, Steve Penny.
Blackmun resigned in February because of health concerns.
The report says the USOC took no action between first hearing of the allegations in July 2015 and September 2016, when the Indianapolis Star published an account of Nassar’s sex abuse.
DENVER (AP) — Olympic taekwondo champion Steven Lopez won arbitration Monday in a sexual-misconduct case and had his name removed from the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s banned list.
Lopez was permanently banned in September for sexual misconduct involving a minor. He has denied the allegations.
This marks the first case to be overturned by arbitration in the 21-month history of the center. SafeSport spokesman Dan Hill said arbitration is part of the center’s “code that is built on fairness and has a process for both parties.”
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Raiders fired general manager Reggie McKenzie on Monday, less than two years after he was named the NFL’s executive of the year.
McKenzie was let go from the position he had held for almost seven seasons a day after Oakland beat Pittsburgh 24-21 for its third win of the season. The Raiders announced the move in a brief statement thanking McKenzie for his time in Oakland and wishing him well.
McKenzie’s status was in doubt ever since coach Jon Gruden was given a 10-year contract last January to take charge of the football operation for the Raiders. McKenzie’s influence had waned since then, with the Raiders cutting ties with several of the players he had acquired, most notably edge rusher Khalil Mack and receiver Amari Cooper.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
NEW YORK (AP) — The College Football Playoff semifinalists combined to place 10 players on The Associated Press All-America first team, including a high of four from No. 1 Alabama.
The Crimson Tide had six players chosen to the three All-America teams, more than any other school. No. 2 Clemson has three first-teamers, No. 4 Oklahoma has two All-Americans — including quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray — and No. 3 Notre Dame had one.
The Tide and Sooners meet in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 29 and the Tigers play the Fighting Irish at the Cotton Bowl that day. The winners meet in the College Football Playoff national championship game Jan. 7 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas State has hired Chris Klieman of North Dakota State to lead its football program, passing the reins from retired Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder to someone with three Football Championship Subdivision titles but little Big 12 experience.
Klieman was hired Monday to lead the Bison by Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor, and was seen as one of the front-runners for the job ever since Snyder announced his retirement.
Klieman agreed to a six-year contract with a base salary of $2.3 million next season, increasing by $200,000 each subsequent season. The deal includes a number of other incentives.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Rick Fox has resigned after five seasons as football coach at Drake.
Fox compiled a 33-22 record with the FCS Bulldogs, including a 7-4 mark this past season, which ended with a 27-24 road loss to then-No. 24 Iowa State. He was 28-12 in Pioneer Football League play.
Defensive coordinator Todd Stepsis was named interim coach. Athletic director Brian Hardin said he would conduct a national search for Fox’s replacement.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Receiver Antoine Wesley is skipping his final season at Texas Tech to enter the NFL draft, marking the third straight year an offensive star of the Red Raiders left early to turn pro.
Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, an MVP candidate this year, did it two seasons ago and was drafted 10th overall by the Chiefs. Receiver Keke Coutee made the move after the 2017 season and was taken in the fourth round by the Houston Texans.
VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) — Francesco Molinari has been voted as the European Tour golfer of the year for 2018, capping a year in which he won his first major title and produced a historic performance at the Ryder Cup.
Molinari became the first Italian to win the British Open after his triumph at Carnoustie, and finished the season as the Race to Dubai champion for the first time.
At the Ryder Cup outside Paris, he became the first European to win all five points from his five matches against the United States.
A panel comprising of members of the golfing media voted for the 36-year-old Molinari.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada fight regulators have postponed hearings on the suspensions of Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov for a brawl after UFC 229 in Las Vegas.
State Athletic Commission Chairman Anthony Marnell III cited continuing negotiations with Nurmagomedov’s attorneys toward a settlement that could avoid a public hearing Jan. 29.
Commission executive Bob Bennett says McGregor’s attorneys also received a continuance.
The former head of sailing’s governing body has joined other sailing officials in questioning the results of a vote to add a mixed-gender offshore class to the 2024 Olympics.
Paul Henderson of Toronto, who also is a former member of the International Olympic Committee, said in a letter to World Sailing President Kim Andersen of Denmark that some votes were recorded incorrectly during the recent annual conference in Sarasota, Florida, and the governing body must re-open the issue.