Sports News Roundup: Soccer-French federation to review image rights agreement; NFL-Bills cornerback Jackson being evaluated for neck injury and more

Barcelona rank second on Forbes' list of soccer team valuations with a current value of $5 billion, behind rivals Real Madrid, who are valued at $5.1 billion. Cricket-New batter on strike even if players cross during catch - ICC New batters will come in at the striker's end after a catching dismissal even if those in the middle had crossed, the International Cricket Council said on Tuesday as it detailed several changes to playing conditions.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Soccer-French federation to review image rights agreement

The French Football Federation said it will review its agreement on players' image rights following media reports that striker Kylian Mbappe had refused to take part in sponsor activities. ESPN reported Mbappe refused to participate in a team photo and sponsor activities scheduled for Tuesday because he does not want to endorse some brands, including fast food chains and betting companies, that are under contract with the national team.

NFL-Bills cornerback Jackson being evaluated for neck injury

Buffalo cornerback Dane Jackson is being evaluated for a neck injury but has full movement in his extremities, the Bills said, after he left the field in an ambulance following a hit in Monday's game against Tennessee Titans. Jackson was making a tackle on a Titans player just before halftime when team mate Tremaine Edmunds dove in, inadvertently causing a helmet-to-helmet collision that pushed Jackson's head back.

MLB roundup: Mets seal playoff bid behind Max Scherzer

Max Scherzer earned his 200th career win by tossing six perfect innings on Monday as the visiting New York Mets clinched a playoff spot by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 7-2. Pete Alonso hit a monstrous three-run homer in the fourth inning to spark the fifth straight win for the Mets, who remained a game ahead of the second-place Atlanta Braves in the National League East. The Brewers fell 2 1/2 games behind the idle Philadelphia Phillies in the race for the third and final NL wild-card spot.

Cricket-Black Caps tweak 2021 squad for T20 World Cup

New Zealand has named a largely settled 15-man party for the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia with Finn Allen and Michael Bracewell the only players who did not feature in the squad that made the final in 2021. Martin Guptill will play in his seventh T20 World Cup and Devon Conway will keep wickets in addition to his batting duties at the tournament, which starts for the Black Caps with a re-run of last year's final against Australia in Sydney on Oct. 22.

Golf-No LIV players but rebel circuit set to dominate Presidents Cup

Saudi Arabia has never been part of the Presidents Cup, which every two years pits the best golfers from the United States against the best from the rest of the world -- except Europe.

But this week at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit will be in the middle of the action, as the feud between it and the PGA Tour continues to escalate, impacting both teams.

Doping-WADA still monitoring Russia ahead of the expiration of ban - Banka

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) are still monitoring testing operations in Russia ahead of the decision on whether to reinstate the country, despite complications caused by the Ukraine war, president Witold Banka said on Tuesday. The existing two-year ban from international sport imposed by WADA on Russia for widespread, state-sponsored infringements of doping regulations expires at the end of the year.

Cricket-Australia's Finch wants to carry on an 'exciting' T20 journey

Australia's Aaron Finch finds Twenty20 cricket "exciting" and has no immediate plans to quit the format, the 35-year-old said ahead of their three-match series against India on Monday. Australia's white-ball captain Finch quit one-day cricket after the home series against New Zealand earlier this month following a prolonged run drought in that format.

Motor racing-Alonso will challenge Aston Martin - Krack

Fernando Alonso has the "speed, hunger, motivation and experience" to help Aston Martin take the next step but things could get difficult if they do not deliver a fast enough car for the former world champion, team boss Mike Krack said. Alonso is set to make the move from Renault-owned Alpine to Aston Martin in 2023 as a replacement for four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, who is retiring at the end of the current season.

Soccer-Barcelona forecast 274 million euros profit this season

Barcelona said it recorded a profit of 98 million euros ($98.27 million) for the 2021-22 financial year and forecast a 274 million euros profit for this season. Barcelona ranks second on Forbes' list of soccer team valuations with a current value of $5 billion, behind rivals Real Madrid, who are valued at $5.1 billion.

The cricket-New batter on strike even if players cross during catch - ICC

New batters will come in at the striker's end after a catching dismissal even if those in the middle had crossed, the International Cricket Council said on Tuesday as it detailed several changes to playing conditions. Crossing allows an incoming player a little more time to get up to speed and could prove crucial in tight contests in limited-overs cricket.