Sports News Roundup: Golf-Kim in no hurry to leave Houston after US Women's Open triumph; Goodell: NFL won't jump ahead in COVID-19 vaccine line and more

The Athletics Integrity Unit had provisionally suspended Al Kamali from any athletics-related activities last October, preventing him from standing in election for the vice president's role at World Athletics, formerly known as the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). Goodell: NFL won't jump ahead in COVID-19 vaccine line With the COVID-19 vaccine starting to make its way across the United States this week, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday said that the league will not use its influence jump ahead in line with the Super Bowl less than two months away.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Lakers emerge victorious in turbulent season

LeBron James and the Lakers overcame the death of Kobe Bryant, widespread social unrest and the isolation of the Orlando bubble to emerge victorious in an NBA season marked by tragedy and triumph. The loss of Bryant, who perished alongside his daughter Gianna and seven others when their helicopter crashed into a hillside near Los Angeles on a gray January morning, led to an outpouring of emotion that stretched beyond the basketball world.

Athletes bring fight for equality into sporting arena in 2020

A big part of sport's appeal is that when you buy a ticket or turn on the television for a few hours it provides a respite from the turmoil engulfing the outside world. But in 2020, from the soccer pitches of the English Premier League to the U.S. Open tennis hardcourts, there was no ignoring the fight for racial equality as athletes rushed to the front lines of what became a global movement.

Thiem breaks 'Big Three' hold on Grand Slams in virus-hit 2020

Tennis welcomed a first men's Grand Slam champion from outside the 'Big Three' since 2016 in Dominic Thiem during a 2020 campaign with compelling storylines despite the COVID-19 pandemic wiping out almost half the season, including Wimbledon. The women's tour also found new young champions in American Sofia Kenin and Iga Swiatek of Poland, while world No. 1 Ash Barty's season came to an abrupt halt in February as she opted not to travel out of Australia for the rest of the year because of the pandemic.

MLB owners, players at odds about season start

A disagreement between Major League Baseball owners and players over COVID-19 protocols is brewing and could put the start of spring training in question, USA Today reported Tuesday. On one side are team officials, who want players and team staff to be vaccinated against the virus before reporting to Arizona and Florida training sites -- even if that means a delay to the start of the season and fewer games.

'You're scared to fight me', rants

YouTuber Paul in bizarre McGregor call-out YouTuber-turned-amateur boxer Jake Paul pulled no punches on Tuesday as he called out Ireland's former UFC champion and king of trash talk Conor McGregor in a foul-mouthed tirade that sent social media into a frenzy. Paul, fresh off a brutal knockout of former NBA point guard Nate Robinson, offered McGregor $50 million to step into the ring.

World Athletics partially upholds corruption charges against UAE

Federation chief President of the UAE Athletics Federation Ahmad Al Kamali has been suspended for six months and fined 5,000 euros ($6,080) for gifting watches to delegates in an attempt to win votes, the World Athletics ethics board said on Tuesday. The Athletics Integrity Unit had provisionally suspended Al Kamali from any athletics-related activities last October, preventing him from standing in election for the vice president's role at World Athletics, formerly known as the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

Goodell: NFL won't jump ahead in COVID-19 vaccine line

With the COVID-19 vaccine starting to make its way across the United States this week, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday said that the league will not use its influence jump ahead in line with the Super Bowl less than two months away. "We are not planning on any of our personnel being vaccinated in advance of the Super Bowl," ESPN quoted Goodell as saying. "That's obviously being done at higher levels and given priority to obviously health care workers, first responders and those that are in the riskiest state. We don't fall into those categories, so we don't anticipate that and we're not planning for that."

Olympic flame will still visit every corner of Japan - organizers

The Olympic flame will still visit all of Japan's 47 prefectures during the torch relay starting on March 25, organisers said on Tuesday, sticking to the original plan before the Games were postponed until next year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Days before the torch relay was due to begin in March this year, the International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government took the unprecedented decision to postpone the Games.

European Tour unveils 2021 calendar, boosts prize money for Rolex Series events

The European Tour on Tuesday announced its global schedule for the 2021 season featuring 42 tournaments in 24 countries, with each of the four Rolex Series events offering an increase in prize money. The 2021 schedule will also see the return of 18 tournaments which were either cancelled or postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Golf-Kim in no hurry to leave Houston after US Women's Open triumph

U.S. Women's Open champion Kim A Lim likes the Champions Golf Club venue so much she said she wants to put up a tent and stay a few more days. With two weeks quarantine awaiting her back in South Korea it is no surprise she is reluctant to leave Houston. Kim, making her U.S Women's Open debut, rallied from a five-stroke deficit in the final round to seal her first major title with a one-shot victory, tying the record for the biggest comeback in the tournament's history.