Sports News Roundup: Irving 'being true' to himself by not getting vaccinated; Fan who caused Tour de France crash faces suspended sentence and more

The 20-times major winner, who struggled with back issues at the start of this year before pulling out of Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics, last played in August at the Citi Open in Washington. Athletics-Kenyan police plead with husband of dead Tirop to surrender Kenyan police said on Thursday they were asking the husband of distance runner Agnes Tirop, a two-times World Championship bronze medallist who was found dead at her home, to come forward.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Athletics-'A great talent'- fellow athletes pay tribute to Kenyan Tirop

Kenyan athletes Eunice Sum and Julius Yego led the tributes to compatriot Agnes Tirop who was found stabbed to death at her home in the town of Iten on Wednesday. Local police said they were treating Tirop's husband as a suspect and have asked him to come forward.

Soccer-UEFA investigating alleged racist abuse directed at Sweden's Elanga

UEFA will investigate an incident of alleged racist abuse aimed at Sweden's Anthony Elanga in an Under-21 European Championship qualifier against Italy on Tuesday. Elanga, who was taken off in the 72nd minute, was involved in an incident with opposition players after the final whistle, with the Swedish Football Association saying that the Manchester United winger was racially abused by an Italian player.

Tennis-Ivanovic, Moya headline Hall of Fame nominees

Serbian Ana Ivanovic, Italy's Flavia Pennetta and Spaniards Carlos Moya and Juan Carlos Ferrero headlined the list of six nominees up for induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The quartet were announced as nominees for the Class of 2022 along with former doubles players Cara Black of Zimbabwe and Lisa Raymond of the United States, the Newport, Rhode Island-based Hall of Fame said on Thursday.

Olympics-Beijing Games ready for Olympia flame but wary of protests

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will come into sharp focus with the ceremonial torch-lighting ceremony in Greece's ancient Olympia on Monday but opposition to the Games continues to grow more vocal. The Chinese capital will become the first city to host both the Winter and Summer Games when it stages the Feb. 4-20 event but, as was the case with the 2008 Beijing Olympics, protests and calls for boycotts over the country's human rights record have marred the run-up.

Tennis-Canada's Fernandez to skip Billie Jean King Cup Finals

U.S. Open finalist Leylah Fernandez has decided not to represent Canada at next month's Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Prague, Tennis Canada said on Thursday. The 19-year-old Fernandez, who went out in the last 16 at Indian Wells this week in her first tournament since losing to fellow teenager Emma Raducanu of Britain in the U.S. Open final, will be replaced by Carol Zhao.

NBA-Irving 'being true' to himself by not getting vaccinated

Kyrie Irving said he was "being true to what feels good" by choosing not to get vaccinated after the Brooklyn Nets decided he will not be allowed to practice or play with them until he complies with New York City's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

A New York mandate requires proof of at least one shot of the vaccine to enter large indoor spaces. The NBA has said players who are unable to compete due to local mandates will miss out on pay.

Fan who caused Tour de France crash faces suspended sentence

Prosecutors in the trial of a roadside spectator who caused a huge crash on the first stage of the Tour de France in June called on Thursday for a four-month suspended jail sentence, a lawyer for the riders' union said. The French woman, who has not been named, sent one cyclist tumbling to the ground, with dozens more falling as they rode into him, in a scene that grabbed global headlines.

Tennis-Injury-hit Nadal still unclear when he'll play again

Rafa Nadal said he still does not know when he will play tennis again as he works to complete his recovery from a recurring foot injury that cut short his 2021 season. The 20-times major winner, who struggled with back issues at the start of this year before pulling out of Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics, last played in August at the Citi Open in Washington.

Athletics-Kenyan police plead with husband of dead Tirop to surrender

Kenyan police said on Thursday they were asking the husband of distance runner Agnes Tirop, a two-times World Championship bronze medallist who was found dead at her home, to come forward. Police said on Wednesday that Tirop appeared to have been stabbed in the neck with a knife.

Gymnastics-US Olympic Committee defends handling of Nassar case

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee has defended its handling of the Larry Nassar case after several top gymnasts who suffered sexual abuse under the former team doctor's care sent a letter to Congress calling for the USOPC board to be dissolved. Olympic gold medallists Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman, along with World Championships gold medallist Maggie Nichols, sent the letter on Wednesday saying the "Board's past actions demonstrate an unwillingness to confront endemic problems with abuse," according to media reports.

(With inputs from agencies.)