Sports News Roundup: Athletics-Tokyo to host 2025 World Championships; Russian basketball boss defends Brittney Griner in a drugs trial and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Athletics-Tokyo to host 2025 World Championships

Tokyo has been selected as the host city for the 2025 World Athletics Championships, the sport's governing body announced on Thursday a day before this year's event begins in Eugene, Oregon a year later than planned due to COVID-19. The event will return to the site of last year's Olympic Games in the year that the Japanese Association of Athletics Federations (JAAF) celebrates its centenary.

Russian basketball boss defends Brittney Griner in a drugs trial

A Russian basketball club director gave evidence in support of U.S. Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) star Brittney Griner on Thursday in her third appearance in a Russian court on drugs charges carrying a possible jail sentence of up to 10 years. Griner, the two-time Olympic gold medalist who has played in Russia during offseasons since 2014, was arrested at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport on Feb. 17 after vape cartridges containing hashish oil were allegedly found in her baggage.

Figure skating-Finland replaces Russia as host of the Grand Prix event

Finland will stage a round of the Grand Prix of Figure Skating series after Russia was removed as a host following its invasion of Ukraine, the International Skating Union (ISU) said.

The Nov. 25-27 event will be held in the Finnish city of Espoo, the ISU said on Thursday, as the last of the six regular Grand Prix events in the 2022-23 program.

Griner's lawyers tell the Russian court she was prescribed medical cannabis

Lawyers defending U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner told a Russian court on Friday she was prescribed medical cannabis in the United States for a chronic injury, a Reuters journalist at the courtroom reported. Griner pled guilty to drug charges which carry a prison sentence of up to ten years after she was detained at a Moscow airport in February carrying vape cartridges with hashish oil.

ATP roundup: Maxime Cressy, John Isner reach Newport semis

Maxime Cressy and John Isner earned victories Thursday to set up a meeting in the semifinals of the Infosys Hall of Fame Open at Newport, R.I. Isner, the No. 2 seed, pushed through with a 7-6 (2), 6-7 (6), 7-6 (5) victory over No. 5 seed Benjamin Bonzi of France. Isner had 29 aces and put 65 percent of his first serves in play during a match that lasted just shy of three hours.

Athletics-World Championship organizers scrambling to fix visa issues

Organizers of the World Athletics Championships were desperately trying to help clear a visa issuing logjam that is threatening to prevent around 100 athletes, coaches and officials from entering the United States for the event that starts on Friday. Dozens of athletes from around the world have been flagging their problems, with Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala among the most high-profile. Omanyala finally got his visa approved but now faces a race to arrive in Eugene in time for Friday's 100 meters heats.

Golf-Woods struggles badly on St Andrews return

Tiger Woods made a dismal start to his British Open bid as he carded two early double-bogeys on the way to a six-over-par 78 that left him 14 shots behind the leader on Thursday. The American 15-times major champion, who has won the Open twice at St Andrew's, looked out of sorts from the moment he found the water on the par-four first hole and started with a six on his card.

MLB roundup: Leaving 10 players at home, Royals win in Toronto

Bobby Witt Jr. and Nate Eaton homered and Edward Olivares had three hits and an RBI as the depleted Kansas City Royals defeated the host Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Thursday night. The Royals won despite having to leave 10 players home because they did not meet Canada's COVID-19 vaccine requirements. Eaton was one of eight players added to replace the regulars. His homer was the first hit of his major league career and came in his debut.

Athletics-Brace for more tumbling records on Eugene's latest 'fastest track'

When the world's fastest runners marvel about "Tracktown magic" at the World Athletics Championships over the next two weeks it won't be something in the Oregon air that is propelling them to new levels of performance but what is beneath their feet

Eugene's Hayward Field has always been the center of U.S. athletics and now, completely rebuilt, it boasts a track that has seen records tumbling since it was installed in 2021.

Athletics-Queen of the track Felix soaking in 'full circle' moment before retiring

Veteran American sprinter Allyson Felix's 10th and final world championships will serve as a "full circle" moment for the most decorated woman in track, as she brings the curtain down on one of the most dazzling careers in athletics. The 11-time Olympic medalist announced plans to retire a year ago and leaves the sport as the undisputed queen of American athletics, with 18 world medals already to her name.

(With inputs from agencies.)