Sports News Roundup: Injury forces Olympic champion Danson-Benett to quit; League owners approve terms of potential deal and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Freak head injury forces Olympic champion Danson-Bennett to quit

Britain's Olympic gold medal-winning former women's hockey captain Alex Danson-Bennett has been forced to retire because of a head injury sustained while laughing at a joke in 2018. The 34-year-old Danson-Bennett, part of the British team that won hockey gold in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, had hoped to feature at this year's Tokyo Games.

League owners approve terms of potential new labor deal

NFL owners voted on Thursday to accept the negotiated terms of a proposed new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the league said, leaving the players to decide whether to approve the deal. The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) now needs to vote in favor of the terms for there to be a new agreement, the league added in a statement after the owners' meeting.

Rybakina downs Pliskova to reach Dubai semis, Muguruza out

Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina produced another upset by beating second seed Karolina Pliskova 7-6(1) 6-3 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Thursday to move into the semi-finals. Having knocked out Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the first round, the 20-year-old Rybakina struck 33 winners and 11 aces to oust Pliskova for the first top-five win of her career.

Nevada bans Wilder, Fury faceoff after weigh-in

Heavyweights Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, who will clash in a highly-anticipated rematch on Saturday, won't be able to faceoff after Friday's weigh-in, a Top Rank Boxing official said. The Nevada State Athletic Commission will not allow the fighters to stand toe-to-toe as is customary after a weigh-in, Top Rank media relations director Evan Korn said on Thursday.

In brains of dead athletes, researchers seek clues to head trauma

Dr. Ann McKee of Boston University studies the brains of deceased football players at the world's largest brain bank, hoping to learn about the long-term impact of repeated head traumas for people ranging from professional athletes to victims of domestic abuse. "For the last 12 years, we've really focused on the long-term effects of head trauma, including what we call repetitive head trauma," where the impact doesn't cause a concussion, said McKee, chief of neuropathology at VA Boston University and director of the CTE Center of Boston University.

NHL roundup: Bruins top Oilers on Pastrnak's overtime goal

David Pastrnak scored on a breakaway at 1:14 of overtime as the Boston Bruins defeated the host Edmonton Oilers 2-1 Wednesday night in a matchup of division leaders. Pastrnak took a long lead pass from David Krejci and beat Edmonton goaltender Mike Smith. It was Pastrnak's 43rd goal of the season, tying him for the NHL lead with Toronto's Auston Matthews.

You're out! Pennsylvania Little League bars Astros nickname

A Pennsylvania Little League district has asked its teams to stop using the "Astros" nickname after revelations last month that Houston's Major League Baseball club cheated on the way to winning their 2017 World Series title. Traditionally, youth baseball teams claim the nickname of an MLB club but District 16/31, which covers all of Luzerne County and consists of 23 different leagues, has recommended its teams refrain from using the Astros moniker.

Budapest's oldest bridge given green light for Giro

Budapest's oldest bridge will be crossed by riders on stage one of this year's Giro d'Italia after its use was originally ruled out because of planned renovation works. A statement said race organizers had reached agreement with the Municipality of Budapest to include the iconic Szechenyi chain bridge for stage one, an 8.6km individual time trial.

Brazil unveils Pele statue to mark 50th anniversary of 1970 triumph

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) unveiled a statue of Pele at its headquarters on Thursday, the first of a series of events to commemorate June’s 50th anniversary of the team's third World Cup triumph. Pele, who will be 80 in October and finds it difficult to walk, was not present at the ceremony in the CBF’s museum but had been given a preview of the statue which he declared “perfect”.

London can host 2020 Games if moved over coronavirus 

London would be ready to host the 2020 Olympics if the outbreak of the coronavirus forced the Games to be moved from Tokyo, Shaun Bailey, the Conservative candidate for mayor of the British capital, has said. London hosted the Olympics in 2012, but British officials played down the prospect of taking away the Games from Tokyo, which has been planning the event for seven years since its bid won in 2013.

(With inputs from agencies.)