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Fri/Sat/Sun November 24~26, 2017

THE International Olympic Committee (IOC) sanctioned four Russian skeleton athletes for doping during the Sochi Olympics, including gold med-alist Alexander Tretyakov and bronze medalist Elena Nikitina.The IOC announced the sanc-tions, which include a ban from competing in future Olympics, Wednesday.

The IOC also disqualifi ed Olga Potylitsina and Maria Orlova — who fi nished fi fth and sixth, respectively — and banned them.

The decision could lead to two Americans getting medal upgrades. Matt Antoine won bronze in Sochi and could get silver if the IOC re-awards the medals following potential appeals from the Russians.

On the women’s side, Katie Uhlaender fi nished fourth and could move up to bronze follow-ing Nikitina’s disqualifi cation.

The IOC sanctions come as part of work by a commission chaired by Denis Oswald, which has been tasked with looking at individual cases of doping that

occurred as part of Russia’s state-run system. Ten Russian athletes, including six skiers, have now been sanctioned for doping as a result of the com-mission’s work.

Oswald has previously com-mitted to completing hearings for active athletes who could compete in the Pyeongchang Olympics, which open Feb. 9, by the end of this month.

The decision comes as the IOC faces pressure to ban Russia entirely from the 2018 Games.

Two investigations com-

missioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency revealed in 2015 and 2016 widespread and state-sponsored doping in Russia that included sample tampering during the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

A fi nal report from Cana-dian lawyer Richard McLaren revealed urine swapping through a hole in the wall in Sochi and included 28 Russian athletes who competed there and had evidence that showed their samples had been tam-pered with. (SD-Agencies)

LEBRON JAMES scored 23 of his 33 points in the fourth quar-ter — including 18 straight for Cleveland — and the Cavaliers won their sixth straight, 119-109 over the Nets on Wednesday night.

After he was accidentally “head-butted” by Brooklyn’s Tyler Zeller in the third quarter, James went to the locker room, where Cleveland’s medical staff closed the gash above his lip.

James punched back in the fourth.

“Just trying to make plays, be assertive, help my team win,” he said when asked what got into

him. “Blessed to be able to make a couple down the stretch.”

He hardly missed, going 7 of 8 from the fi eld in the fi nal 12 minutes.

Kevin Love broke a 99-all tie on a free throw with 4:50 left and James took over, delivering a one-man show with an assort-ment of shots, power moves and clutch jumpers.

James began the dominating run with a pair of free throws and followed with a couple left-handed shots and then drained two 3-pointers — the last a step-back with 55 seconds left to give Cleveland a 118-107 lead.

James said it wasn’t his intent to take over. It just happened.

“You can’t force it,” said James, who missed a wide-open dunk in the fi rst half. “You’ve got to let it come to you. It’s times when you wish you can do it and sometimes the ball just doesn’t go in. But I put a lot of work into my craft and I believe that every shot I take is going to go in.”

The sublime solo performance enabled the Cavs to avenge a 112-107 loss in Brooklyn last month, an upset that began a four-game slide for Cleveland and led to questions about whether the Eastern Confer-

CHELSEA advanced to the knockout stage of the European Champions League (UCL) with a game to spare after beating 10-man Qarabag 4-0 Wednes-day, securing manager Antonio Conte’s 50th victory in all com-petitions with the Blues.

Barcelona needed only a point to reach the Round of 16 and the Spanish superpower got exactly that against Juventus. A 0-0 draw at last year’s runner-up was enough to ensure top spot in Group D.

Paris Saint-Germain con-ceded the fi rst goal of its European campaign in the fi rst minute — before then unleash-ing its unstoppable fi repower to thrash Celtic 7-1 in Paris.

A goalless draw at Basel would have been enough for Manches-ter United to top Group A, but the Premier League club slipped to its fi rst group stage loss, going down 1-0 to a goal conceded just a minute from time.

Lionel Messi was rested for the fi rst half before coming on for Gerard Deulofeu in the 56th minute. He went close with a couple of free kicks but Barce-lona barely troubled Gianluigi Buffon.

The point was enough for Barcelona to secure top spot in Group D. Juventus remained second in the group but is only a point above Sporting Lisbon, which beat Olympiakos 3-1.

In Group A, Manchester United was deservedly beaten 1-0 by a spirited Basel, leaving all the qualifi cation places open

A FORMER USA Gymnastics and Michigan State doctor pleaded guilty Wednesday to using his position of authority to sexually assault girls and young women who came to see him for medical care.

Larry Nassar, 54, repeated his plea of “guilty” for seven counts of fi rst-degree criminal sexual conduct in a crowded district courtroom Wednesday morn-ing. Each offense will come with a minimum of 25 to 40 years of prison time and a maximum of a life sentence.

“For all those involved, I’m so horribly sorry,” Nassar said. “This is a match that turned into a forest fi re, out of control. I pray the rosary every day for forgive-ness. I want them to heal. ... I just want healing. It’s time.”

Judge Rosemarie Aquilina told Nassar that he used his power as a doctor in “the most vile way pos-sible, to abuse children” and said he has a “lifetime behind bars” to consider his actions.

One of Nassar’s victims, Lar-issa Boyce, who was part of a youth gymnastics program held at Michigan State University (MSU), called Nassar’s “heal-ing” comment “a manipulation tactic.”

Rachael Denhollander, the fi rst woman to accuse Nassar publicly in September 2016, said she would like to see MSU and USA Gymnastics held crimi-nally accountable for ignoring the warning signs that Nassar was a sexual predator. She and several others asked the attorney general’s offi ce to further inves-tigate the university and the FBI to further investigate USA Gym-nastics. (SD-Agencies)

Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James (R) shoots over the defense of Brooklyn Nets’ Jarrett Allen during their game in Cleveland on Wednesday. SD-Agencies

Barca, Chelsea advance to UCL last 16

with one game remaining. Basel defender Michael Lang struck in the 89th minute to earn a win for the Swiss champion.

Still, United leads the stand-ings with 12 points, three clear of both Basel and CSKA Moscow, which earlier won 2-0 at home to last-place Benfi ca.

In the fi nal round Dec. 5, Basel plays at last-place Benfi ca, and United hosts CSKA.

Georgy Shchennikov gave CSKA an early lead, despite an apparent offside. Then an own

goal from Jardel ensured that Benfi ca — which is eliminated — suffered its fi fth defeat in fi ve Champions League games.

In Group B, Neymar scored twice and set up another goal as Paris Saint-Germain produced its biggest Champions League win to extend its perfect record in the group stage this season.

PSG leads Group B with 15 points, three more than Bayern Munich, which won 2-1 at Ander-lecht. Both PSG and Bayern are guaranteed a spot in the knock-

out phase and will battle for group supremacy Dec. 5.

Celtic forward Moussa Dem-bele surprised the hosts with his fi rst minute goal, but PSG responded with four goals in the fi rst half — two from Neymar, one from Edinson Cavani and the other from Kylian Mbappe.

The one-way traffi c continued after the break with Cavani scor-ing again to take his career total with PSG to 151, while Marco Ver-ratti and Dani Alves also found the net. (SD-Agencies)

Nassar pleads guilty to sexual assault charges

IOC sanctions four Russians for doping at Sochi Olympics

LeBron, Cavaliers win sixth straight

ence champions were fi nished.Love and Dwyane Wade added

18 points apiece for Cleveland, which moved four games over .500.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson scored 20 and Joe Harris 18 for the Nets, who could do nothing in the fi nal 12 minutes to stop James. (SD-Agencies)

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (R) in action against Juventus during their match in Turin, Italy, on Wednesday. SD-Agencies

Larry Nassar