Sports News Roundup: Jays win 7th straight, skidding Yanks fall from top AL wild card; Motor racing-Imafidon puts Hamilton's diversity push into practice and more

The Blue Jays moved within 1 1/2 games of New York, which is now a half-game behind the Boston Red Sox. The defeat was the Yankees' fifth in a row. Soccer-Poland say no racism in Glik's bust-up with England's Walker Poland said their players did not racially abuse England defender Kyle Walker during a heated mass scuffle in Wednesday's 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw in Warsaw.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Motor racing-Imafidon puts Hamilton's diversity push into practice

George Imafidon has gone from a boyhood passion for fixing bicycles in his mum's back garden to working with Lewis Hamilton and Sebastien Loeb, two of motorsport's greatest world champions. His journey has taken him from Peckham, one of South London's most racially diverse areas, to the Saudi Arabian deserts, the Atlantic shores of Senegal and glaciers of Greenland.

MLB roundup: Jays win 7th straight, skidding Yanks fall from top AL wild card

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered in the ninth inning after Teoscar Hernandez hit a tiebreaking single with two outs in the seventh as the Toronto Blue Jays ran their winning streak to seven games Wednesday night with a 6-3 victory over the host New York Yankees. With the loss, the Yankees fell from the top spot in the American League wild-card race. The Blue Jays moved within 1 1/2 games of New York, which is now a half-game behind the Boston Red Sox. The defeat was the Yankees' fifth in a row.

Soccer-Poland say no racism in Glik's bust-up with England's Walker

Poland said their players did not racially abuse England defender Kyle Walker during a heated mass scuffle in Wednesday's 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw in Warsaw. World governing body FIFA said that it was investigating the row that broke out on the halftime whistle after Poland's Kamil Glik clashed with fellow defender Walker.

Teenagers Raducanu, Fernandez gunning for first Grand Slam final

An Olympic champion and two former Grand Slam winners have been no match for teenagers Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez, who are both one win away from reaching the U.S. Open final. Briton Raducanu, 18, became the first qualifier to reach the final four at Flushing Meadows after outplaying Tokyo Games gold medallist Belinda Bencic on Wednesday.

Soccer-Biennial World Cup would affect quality says Leicester's Rodgers

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers said on Thursday that a biennial World Cup could increase player fatigue, which in turn would affect the quality of matches and increase injury risks. Soccer's world governing body FIFA is pushing proposals to hold the event every two years, a plan that has been opposed by several stakeholders, including the European Leagues.

NFL - New season kicks off amid rift over COVID-19 vaccines, testing

The National Football League (NFL) kicks off another season on Thursday with profound differences of opinion lingering between the league and the union over COVID-19 vaccines and testing, as both parties work to manage the risks of playing in a pandemic. Last month the NFL pushed back on claims from the players' union that it did not discuss making COVID-19 vaccines a requirement to play this season, despite mandating inoculations for staff and coaches.

Tennis-Djokovic says focus only on next match, not calendar Grand Slam

World number one Novak Djokovic saw off Matteo Berrettini in the quarter-finals of the U.S. Open on Wednesday then swatted away questions about his bid to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to sweep all four majors in the same calendar year. Djokovic overcame a slow start against the Italian sixth seed before wrapping up a 5-7 6-2 6-2 6-3 victory and moving a step closer to his 21st Grand Slam title.

Soccer-Pepi impresses on debut as U.S. beat Honduras 4-1 in World Cup qualifier

Ricardo Pepi scored a goal and had a hand in two others on his international debut as the United States crushed Honduras 4-1 in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying on Wednesday. The United States fell behind to Brayan Moya's diving header in the 27th minute in San Pedro Sula and struggled to get going in the first half.

Soccer-Japan withdraws from hosting Club World Cup due to pandemic

The Japan Football Association (JFA) has withdrawn from hosting the 2021 Club World Cup due to the COVID-19 situation in the country, world soccer's governing body (FIFA) said on Thursday. The annual tournament, which brings together champions from the six global confederations, was due to be held in December.

Motor racing-Schumacher's wife says F1 great 'different, but here'

Michael Schumacher's wife, Corinna, said the Formula One great is "different, but he's here" as the 52-year-old continues his rehabilitation from a brain injury suffered in a skiing accident in December 2013. The family have kept updates to a minimum since the accident and in an upcoming Netflix documentary, set to premiere on Sept. 15, Corinna said privacy was very important to them.