Sports News Roundup: Froome confirmed in Ineos-Grenadiers's Vuelta roster; Pro Football Hall of Fame DE Dean dies and more

The Pro Bowl game brings together top players to compete in January, after the playoffs conclude and in the days leading up to the Super Bowl, but this year will be replaced by "a variety of engaging activities", the National Football League said.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Cycling: Froome confirmed in Ineos-Grenadiers's Vuelta roster, Roglic on for Jumbo-Visma

The Vuelta a Espana looks set to turn into a Jumbo-Visma v Ineos-Grenadiers battle as Chris Froome was confirmed in the squad for his last race with the British outfit on Thursday. The four-time Tour de France champion, who has been struggling to hit top form since returning from a career-threatening crash last year, will lead Ineos-Grenadiers alongside 2019 Giro d'Italia winner Richard Carapaz.

Pro Football Hall of Fame DE Dean dies

Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end Fred Dean died late Wednesday night. He was 68. "The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Fred Dean," Hall of Fame president and CEO David Baker said in a statement. "He exemplified many of the values learned from this great game -- commitment, integrity, courage -- over the course of his life. Our thoughts and prayers are with Fred's wife, Pam, and their entire family. We will forever keep his legacy alive to serve as inspiration for future generations."

IOC 'very worried' by reported ousting of IWF interim head

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Wednesday it was "very worried" by the reported ousting of the interim president of weightlifting's troubled governing body. The sport, rocked by revelations of doping cover-ups and decades of corruption, was warned by the IOC in June that it risks losing its place at the Paris 2024 Olympics and future Games.

Pro Bowl game will not take place, league says

The 2021 NFL Pro Bowl game will not take place in its standard format, the league said on Wednesday, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that has forced numerous safety precautions and adjustments during the season. The Pro Bowl game brings together top players to compete in January, after the playoffs conclude and in the days leading up to the Super Bowl, but this year will be replaced by "a variety of engaging activities", the National Football League said.

Loaded field in Las Vegas for CJ Cup as Masters looms

Defending champion Justin Thomas returns to action at this week's CJ Cup in Las Vegas where four of the world's top six players head an elite field warming up for next month's Masters. The tournament is usually part of the PGA Tour's Asian swing but was moved this year to Shadow Creek Golf Course from Nine Bridges in South Korea because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ecuador's Narvaez solos to win on Giro's 12th stage

Ecuador's Jhonatan Narvaez soloed his way to victory on a rain-drenched 12th stage of the Giro d'Italia on Thursday to give Ineos Grenadiers their third win in this year's race. On a day in which the weather conditions dampened the hoped-for fireworks in the GC battle over five categorised climbs, Narvaez and Ukraine's Mark Padun (Bahrain McLaren) battled it out after escaping from a 14-man lead group.

Falcons close facility after positive COVID-19 test

The Atlanta Falcons have shut down their practice facility after another player tested positive for COVID-19, the National Football League team said on Thursday. The Falcons, who are scheduled to play the Vikings in Minnesota on Sunday, did not identify whether the positive test came from a player or staff member.

Japan’s Dentsu lobbied for and funded campaign for Tokyo games, documents show, despite Olympics contract

Dentsu Inc donated more than $6 million to Tokyo's successful campaign to host the 2020 Olympics, according to bank records seen by Reuters, and it lobbied members of the International Olympic Committee on behalf of the city, according to three people involved in the lobbying. The activities created a potential conflict of interest for the Japanese advertising company, which had a separate contract with the IOC to market the games. To assist in its effort, Dentsu endorsed the hiring of a Singaporean consultant by the Tokyo Olympic campaign. The company’s role is laid out in transcripts of interviews company executives gave to investigators appointed by the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) to examine whether there had been any wrongdoing in the course of Tokyo’s campaign. French prosecutors investigating corruption in global sports suspect that consultant, Tan Tong Han, played a role in bribing Olympic voters for Tokyo in 2013, according to two people familiar with the French probe. Tan did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters.

It's a marathon not a sprint, but it feels like one for Ultra achiever Evans

Briton Tom Evans has conquered hills, mountains and trails in events up to 100 miles long, but with racing wiped out by COVID-19, he has turned his attention to the road and what is, for him, the relative sprint of the Tokyo Olympic marathon. The 28-year-old established his long distance credentials in 2018, winning the prestigious 101km CCC race, part of the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc series. He also took a bronze medal in the trail world championships, only a year after stunning the ultramarathon world by finishing third in Marathon des Sables having entered on a whim after a pub bet with friends.

No. 8 Cincinnati's positive tests postpone Tulsa game

The No. 8-ranked Bearcats' road game against Tulsa on Saturday has been postponed because of positive COVID-19 cases at Cincinnati, the American Athletic Conference announced Thursday. The game between the Bearcats (3-0, 1-0) and Golden Hurricane (1-1, 1-0) has been rescheduled for Saturday, Dec. 5 at Tulsa.

(With inputs from agencies.)