Sports News Roundup: Olympics-USA Nordic slams IOC decision not to add women's combined to 2026 Games; Swimming-Ledecky dominates to take 800m freestyle gold, Milak completes butterfly double and more

The IOC said women's Nordic combined, where athletes compete in cross-country skiing and ski jumping, lacks universality and that the men's Olympic spot was also at risk. Swimming-Ledecky dominates to take 800m freestyle gold, Milak completes butterfly double Olympic champion Katie Ledecky stormed to a fifth straight 800m freestyle title at the swimming world championships in Budapest on Friday while home favourite Kristof Milak added to his 200m butterfly crown with victory in the 100m butterfly.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Olympics-USA Nordic slams IOC decision not to add women's combined to 2026 Games

USA Nordic Sport said on Friday it was highly disappointed with the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision not to include the women's Nordic combined in the 2026 Games programme at Milan and Cortina. The IOC said women's Nordic combined, where athletes compete in cross-country skiing and ski jumping, lacks universality and that the men's Olympic spot was also at risk.

Swimming-Ledecky dominates to take 800m freestyle gold, Milak completes butterfly double

Olympic champion Katie Ledecky stormed to a fifth straight 800m freestyle title at the swimming world championships in Budapest on Friday while home favourite Kristof Milak added to his 200m butterfly crown with victory in the 100m butterfly. Ledecky won in emphatic style, finishing more than 10 seconds faster than Australia's Kiah Melverton to seal her 19th gold medal at this level and go past Ryan Lochte. The American is now within seven of Michael Phelps' all-time record.

Olympics-IBA will not be in charge of the Paris 2024 boxing competition, qualifiers-IOC

The International Boxing Association will not be in charge of the boxing competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics or qualifiers for those games, the IOC said on Friday. The IOC had stripped the IBA in 2019 of its involvement in last year's Tokyo Olympics due to governance, finance, refereeing and ethical issues. The sport was also not included in the initial programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Soccer-Scotland close in on Women's World Cup playoff spot with 4-0 Ukraine win

Scotland beat Ukraine 4-0 in their 2023 Women's World Cup qualifier on Friday, taking a big step towards sealing a playoff spot in what was the first match the Ukrainian national team has played since the Russian invasion. Ukraine could feel home in Poland's southeastern city of Rzeszow which - located about 100km from the Ukrainian border - has been a focal point for people fleeing the war-torn country and many of the refugees gathered to cheer on their team.

Reports: Steve Clifford to be the coach of Hornets for the second time

Steve Clifford agreed to a multi-year deal on Friday for a second tour of duty as coach of the Charlotte Hornets, according to multiple reports. The 60-year-old Clifford went 196-214 with two playoff appearances in five seasons with the club from 2013-18. He was fired after going 36-46 in the 2017-18 campaign.

Fire, Dynamo looking for summer sparks

The Houston Dynamo will look to snap a two-match losing run on Saturday night when they host a Chicago Fire side that just escaped its own extended slide. Houston (5-7-3, 18 points) lost 3-0 at Real Salt Lake at the end of May just before the international break began, then followed with a 2-1 defeat at Orlando City when both teams returned from a three-week hiatus.

Aaron Judge, Yankees settle on 1-year, $19M contract

Field Level Media EditorsNote: Adjusts lede to make official, adds Boone quote in new Graph 4 Slugger Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees on Friday agreed to a one-year, $19 million deal, plus incentives, avoiding arbitration.

Olympics women's Nordic combined not part of 2026 Olympics-IOC

Women's Nordic combined will not feature in the programme of the 2026 Milan and Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy because it lacks universality and the men's Olympic spot is also at risk due to low interest, the International Olympic Committee said on Friday. The decision means Nordic combined, where athletes compete in cross-country skiing and ski jumping, remains the only Winter Olympic discipline where women are not allowed to compete, despite them now having a world championship and World Cup circuit.

Optimism abounds when Toronto FC, and Atlanta United meet

Two teams in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference standings will meet Saturday night when Toronto FC plays host to Atlanta United FC. Atlanta United (5-5-4, 19 points) is coming off a 2-0 win over Inter Miami CF on Sunday, thanks to goals from Luiz Araujo and Josef Martinez. Now Martinez faces Toronto FC, a club he has scored four goals against.

Olympics-Each sport must set transgender rules says IOC despite criticism

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has defended its position that it is up to each international sports body to set its own rules for transgender athletes' inclusion, despite criticism from tennis great Martina Navratilova. Navratilova, a gay rights trailblazer, had slammed the IOC earlier this week for what she said was a lack of leadership on the issue of the inclusion of transgender athletes in the sport.

(With inputs from agencies.)