Sports News Roundup: WTA's stance over China's Peng paves way for multi-year Hologic deal; Bucks stage big rally, overtake Heat and more

Ukraine has been under siege following an invasion by Russia, which prompted the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) on Thursday to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from the Games after earlier allowing them to compete as neutrals. Soccer-'Ted Lasso hasn't helped' - American Marsch out to prove a point with Leeds Leeds United's newly appointed manager Jesse Marsch said the sports comedy-drama series 'Ted Lasso' has not helped shed the stigma around American coaches working in England but the 48-year-old is determined to succeed with his new club.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Soccer-"No substance" to reports of Ratcliffe bidding for Chelsea, says spokesman

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, linked with a possible purchase of Chelsea Football Club, is not interested in buying the team from Russian owner Roman Abramovich, a spokesman for his company INEOS told Reuters on Thursday. British media reports had said that Ratcliffe was considering a bid for Chelsea but the spokesman told Reuters: "There is no substance to the stories."

Tennis-WTA's stance over China's Peng paves way for multi-year Hologic deal

The Women's Tennis Association's (WTA) stance in the case of Chinese player Peng Shuai has helped the organisation secure a multi-year title sponsorship deal with American medical device maker Hologic, the governing body announced on Thursday. Peng's well-being became a matter of concern after she posted a message on social media in November accusing China's former Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli of forcing her into sex. The post was promptly removed and she was absent from public view for nearly three weeks.

NBA roundup: Bucks stage big rally, overtake Heat

Jrue Holiday made a game-winning floater with 1.9 seconds remaining as the Milwaukee Bucks erased a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take down the visiting Miami Heat 120-119 on Wednesday. Miami led 113-99 with 7:12 left to play, but the Bucks closed the game on a 21-6 run to finish the season series with their Eastern Conference rival at two victories each.

Paralympics-'It's a miracle we're here': Ukraine team arrive in Beijing

Having braved bombs and gunfire, Ukraine's athletes have made it safely to Beijing ahead of the Winter Paralympics that begin on Friday, in what Ukrainian paralympic committee president Valeriy Sushkevych described as a miracle. Ukraine has been under siege following an invasion by Russia, which prompted the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) on Thursday to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from the Games after earlier allowing them to compete as neutrals.

Soccer-'Ted Lasso hasn't helped' - American Marsch out to prove a point with Leeds

Leeds United's newly appointed manager Jesse Marsch said the sports comedy-drama series 'Ted Lasso' has not helped shed the stigma around American coaches working in England but the 48-year-old is determined to succeed with his new club. The highly popular 'Ted Lasso', which won multiple Emmys in 2021, chronicles an enthusiastic American coach trying to rally a struggling English team.

Stop this mad war - we won't surrender - Klitschko brothers tell Russia from Kyiv

Ukrainians have nowhere to retreat and will defend their homeland from Russian invaders, Kyiv mayor and former heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko told Reuters from the capital city on Thursday. Flanked by his heavyweight boxing star brother Wladimir, Klitschko spoke via Skype as Russia's invasion of Ukraine entered its second week. Moscow was shelling several Ukrainian cities as its main assault force remained at a halt north of Kyiv.

Baseball-MLB, players association to meet for informal talks-source

Representatives for Major League Baseball (MLB) and its players association will meet in New York "informally" on Thursday, a source said, after the two sides failed to reach a labor agreement. Commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday canceled the first two series of the regular season after the two sides were unable to resolve the dispute, which led the league to lock out the players in December.

Golf-Flawless Tavatanakit grabs opening round lead at Singapore LPGA

Patty Tavatanakit grabbed the opening round lead at the HSBC Women's World Championship after the 2021 ANA Inspiration winner fired a flawless five-under 67 at the Sentosa Golf Club on Thursday. The 22-year-old Thai sank in five birdies to be one stroke ahead of a trio that included two-time winner Park In-bee, fellow South Korean Kim A-lim and American Danielle Kang.

NHL roundup: Kraken beat struggling Preds, end 7-game skid

Colin Blackwell and Calle Jarnkrok scored against their former team as the Seattle Kraken snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory against the visiting Nashville Predators on Wednesday. Alex Wennberg and Yanni Gourde also scored for Seattle, which rallied from a two-goal deficit, and Chris Driedger made 19 saves. Blackwell and Gourde added one assist apiece.

Paralympics-Russian, Belarusian athletes barred from Beijing Paralympics - IPC

Russian and Belarusian athletes were barred from the Winter Paralympics in Beijing on the eve of the Games following threats of boycotts by other teams over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said. Belarus has been a key staging area for the full-scale invasion Russia launched on Ukraine a week ago.