Sports News Roundup: Figure skating-Chen says he has grown since disappointing Pyeongchang Games; Tennis-No special deals to allow unvaccinated players at Australian Open: official and more

Irving said last week 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. Olympics-USOPC says government, not athletes, should lead Beijing debate The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) on Monday refused to be drawn into the row about China's human rights record that has sparked protests in the run-up to next year's Beijing Winter Games.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Figure skating-Chen says he has grown since disappointing Pyeongchang Games

U.S. figure skater Nathan Chen on Monday said his disappointing performance at the Pyeongchang Games in 2018 gave him a fresh perspective on the sport. Chen was forced to settle for fifth place in the individual competition in South Korea and left with just a bronze medal in the team event despite sky-high expectations.

Tennis-No special deals to allow unvaccinated players at Australian Open: official

Australia's Victoria state will not do special deals with unvaccinated athletes to allow them to compete at major events, an official said on Tuesday, putting Novak Djokovic's Australian Open title defense and bid for the Grand Slam record in doubt. World number one Djokovic, level on 20 Grand Slam titles with Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, declined to reveal his vaccination status again this week and said he was unsure if he would defend his Australian Open crown as authorities work out COVID-19 restrictions for the tournament.

NBA-League commissioner hopes Irving changes his mind over COVID-19 vaccine

National Basketball Association (NBA) Commissioner Adam Silver hopes Kyrie Irving will eventually get vaccinated and said he respects New York City's COVID-19 regulations that have put the Brooklyn Nets guard's season under doubt. Irving said last week 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.

Olympics-USOPC says government, not athletes, should lead Beijing debate

The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) on Monday refused to be drawn into the row about China's human rights record that has sparked protests in the run-up to next year's Beijing Winter Games. USOPC Chief Executive Sarah Hirshland, speaking at the virtual Team USA media summit, drove home a message that Olympic boycotts essentially harm athletes and do very little to impact problems in host countries.

Olympics-Team USA to have plenty of mental health support in Beijing

The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) said on Monday it will have a number of mental health resources in place at the 2022 Beijing Olympics to help protect the well-being of its entire delegation. Mental health has long been a taboo subject within sport but U.S. gymnast Simone Biles brought the topic to the forefront at the Tokyo Olympics, leading others to become more comfortable speaking about their struggles as elite athletes.

NHL-League suspends Evander Kane for 21 games for COVID-19 violations

The National Hockey League (NHL) on Monday suspended the San Jose Sharks' Evander Kane for 21 regular-season games without pay for violating its COVID-19 protocols. The Canadian forward will be ineligible to play before Nov. 30, effectively keeping him off the ice for more than a quarter of the regular season.

NBA-Knicks extend reign as NBA's most valuable team - Forbes

The New York Knicks are the NBA's most valuable team for a seventh consecutive year, according to the annual list published by Forbes on Monday. The Knicks, who have just one playoff series victory since 2000 and last won an NBA title in 1973, are worth $5.8 billion, up 16% from a year ago, according to Forbes https://www.forbes.com.

Olympics-Small minority of U.S. Olympians oppose COVID-19 vaccine mandate, say officials

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) said on Monday its decision to make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for those competing at next year's Beijing Olympics has been met with some resistance. In a bid to create a safe environment and restore some level of consistency in planning, the USOPC announced last month that Team USA athletes hoping to compete in the Beijing Olympics will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Olympics-Brisbane 2032 Games spend likely to exceed A$5bn - Minister

The cost of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics is likely to exceed the A$5 billion ($3.72 billion) estimate in the pitch document but the Australian government would ensure it was spent wisely, sports minister Richard Colbeck said on Tuesday. The federal government has promised to contribute 50% of the costs of Australia's third Summer Olympics and Colbeck admitted it had been blindsided by a Queensland government announcement of a A$1 billion rebuild of Brisbane's Gabba cricket ground.

NBA-Playing low minutes isn't good for me, says Lakers' James

Fit-again Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James suggested limiting his game time would not bring the best out of him in what will be his 19th NBA season, as his coach said he had yet to work out how to manage the veteran's workload. The 36-year-old four-time NBA champion missed 26 games last season due to a right ankle injury, playing a career-low 33.4 minutes per game.

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