Sports News Roundup: Soccer-Fulham name Silva as new head coach on the three-year deal; Olympics-True heroes in Tokyo will be medical workers, says pilot from 1964 Games and more

Silva, 43, guided Everton to an eighth-placed finish in the Premier League in his first season in 2018 but was sacked by the Merseyside club in December the following year after a 5-2 defeat by city rivals Liverpool. Olympics-True heroes in Tokyo will be medical workers, says pilot from 1964 Games A national hero in Japan who drew the Olympic rings with precision in the sky to mark the start of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics said today's heroes are medical workers battling the coronavirus pandemic.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Soccer-Fulham name Silva as new head coach on a three-year deal

Fulham has appointed former Everton manager Marco Silva as their new head coach on a three-year contract to replace Scott Parker, the English Championship (second-tier) club said. Silva, 43, guided Everton to an eighth-place finish in the Premier League in his first season in 2018 but was sacked by the Merseyside club in December the following year after a 5-2 defeat by city rivals Liverpool.

Olympics-True heroes in Tokyo will be medical workers, says pilot from 1964 Games

A national hero in Japan who drew the Olympic rings with precision in the sky to mark the start of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics said today's heroes are medical workers battling the coronavirus pandemic. As a member of the Japanese air force's aerobatic demonstration squadron, Blue Impulse, Katsushige Nishimura and four others drew the Games' symbol in a clear, autumn sky nearly six decades ago.

Raptors' Jalen Harris banned one year for drug violation

Toronto Raptors guard Jalen Harris has been dismissed and disqualified from the NBA for violating terms of the anti-drug program, the league announced Thursday. Harris can apply for reinstatement in one year.

Tokyo governor says Olympics spectator ban an option if COVID situation worsens

Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike reiterated on Friday that a ban on spectators for the upcoming Olympics would be an option to consider if the coronavirus situation worsened. Returning to work after her recent hospitalization from exhaustion, she apologized for being absent as the time for the Games approached.

Soccer-Kane the best player I've played with: Grealish

England midfielder Jack Grealish said captain Harry Kane is the best player he has ever played with and tipped the Tottenham Hotspur forward to break the Premier League scoring record. Kane drew a blank in each of England's three group games at Euro 2020 but scored the second goal in Tuesday's 2-0 win over Germany which put them into a quarter-final clash with Ukraine in Rome on Saturday.

Tennis-No escape from the spotlight for Osaka at Tokyo Games

As one of Japan's best gold medal prospects, Naomi Osaka can expect the spotlight to shine brightly on her for the duration of her stay at the Tokyo Olympics. There is, however, one big problem with that scenario. The soft-spoken and confessed introvert does not particularly like being in the spotlight - hence how she copes with the intense pressure and all the fanfare that will no doubt surround her while she competes at a home Olympics remains to be seen.

Athletics-U.S. sprinter Richardson tests positive for cannabis could miss Olympics - sources

American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson has tested positive for cannabis, sources have told Reuters, and she is unlikely to get the chance to challenge for the Olympic 100 meters title in Tokyo later this month. According to one source familiar with the matter, the positive test came at the U.S. Olympic trials last month where Richardson established herself as a gold medal contender by winning the 100m in 10.86 seconds.

Tennis-Australia's Kyrgios undecided on Tokyo Games, two days after named in the team

Two days after being named in Australia's Olympic tennis team, Nick Kyrgios said he was "tossing up options" and may opt-out of the Tokyo Games due to COVID-19 restrictions. Kyrgios, who snubbed the 2016 Rio Games amid a feud with Australia's chef de mission, has entered the Atlanta Open, which clashes with the Olympic tennis tournament.

Tennis-Shapovalov seeks a taste of Centre Court against battle-scarred idol Murray

Denis Shapovalov lifted the Wimbledon boys' trophy when Andy Murray reclaimed the men's crown in 2016 and the Canadian will realize his childhood dream on Friday when he makes his Centre Court debut against the home favorite in the third round. While grass has always been his favorite surface, Shapovalov has so far struggled to make any lasting impression on turf. His job has also been made difficult by a pesky pollen allergy, which flares up on the lush green courts.

Olympics-Tokyo organizers lean toward banning spectators from night events -newspaper

Tokyo Olympics organizers are leaning towards banning spectators from night-time events and large-scale venues, Japan's Yomiuri newspaper reported on Friday, amid persistent worries about the spread of COVID-19 just three weeks before the Games begin. Polls show a majority of Japanese oppose holding the Olympics given warnings from health experts that it could unleash another wave of infections. The Games are scheduled to start on July 23, after a year's delay due to the pandemic.