From tennis to T-ball, the White House’s South Lawn is no stranger to sports. But not like the UFC
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House’s South Lawn has hosted many sports over the decades but never a UFC fight like the one President Donald Trump is organizing for his 80th birthday. The lawn is known for low-contact sports like T-ball and putting and joyful events geared toward children or bipartisanship. Now the lawn features an octagon cage and arena seating for upward of 5,000 people. This marks a shift from past presidential sports traditions. Teddy Roosevelt introduced sports to the White House with a tennis court in the early 1900s. Other presidents added their own sports facilities. Trump’s love for UFC reflects his cage match approach to politics and his connection with UFC chief Dana White.
World Cup ref from Somalia who was denied entry to the US was about to make history for his country
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — The World Cup referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the United States after arriving in Miami and subsequently dropped from the tournament by FIFA had been set to make history for his country. Omar Artan was due to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate at the World Cup. He is one of Africa’s top referees. U.S. Customs and Border Protection say in a statement he was denied entry at Miami International Airport on Saturday over “vetting concerns.” It didn’t give details of those concerns. Somalia was one of the countries subjected to new travel restrictions last year under the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.
Judge clears QB Brendan Sorsby to play for Texas Tech despite NCAA ban for gambling
Brendan Sorsby has been granted a temporary injunction against the NCAA. The ruling could clear the way for him to play for Texas Tech this fall, even after the transfer quarterback was declared ineligible for wagering on college sports. Some of those bets were made on his own team while at Indiana. The ruling prevents the NCAA from being able to block Sorsby’s eligibility for what will be his final college season. The NCAA late Monday filed its notice of an accelerated appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Seventh District of Texas in Amarillo.
Caitlin Clark answers critics with some ‘noise’ of her own: a last-second 3-pointer for the win
WASHINGTON (AP) — Caitlin Clark’s 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining gave the Indiana Fever a 78-76 victory over the Washington Mystics. And it gave the 24-year-old star a signature moment following a rocky stretch at the start of her third season. Indiana was just 5-5 entering the game. Clark was filling up the stat sheet but had not been shooting the ball well. As always, she’s been under a microscope, having to answer for a feisty sideline exchange with White and receiving criticism by national columnists for her occasional histrionics on the court. On Monday night, she made up for some late missed free throws with perhaps the biggest shot of her WNBA career.
US team settles into World Cup training base with optimism and gratitude for fan support
IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — The U.S. national team already knew it was in for a once-in-a-lifetime experience this month as the home team in a World Cup. But when the 26 players took the field at Orange County’s Great Park to the cheers of several thousand fans who had turned out just to watch a mere practice, they were given another reminder of just how special this opportunity will be if they seize it. The Americans projected cool and excitement as they settled into their training base for at least the next three weeks in Southern California.
Some host cities are aiming to house, not arrest, homeless people ahead of the World Cup
ATLANTA (AP) — The World Cup is offering the 16 host cities a chance to take action against one of the biggest problems they face — homelessness. Some, like Atlanta and Dallas, have embarked on ambitious plans to house people living on their downtown streets. But a survey by The Associated Press found most host cities are relying on existing services — without any fresh funding — to address homelessness. Advocates worry some cities will rely on a strategy of temporarily removing the homeless from areas where fans gather and games are played, rather than providing them with long-term housing. Such tactics have been seen in the past at large sports and political events worldwide.