INDIAN WELLS, USA – World number one Serena Williams ripped "offensive" remarks by Indian Wells tournament director Raymond Moore, who claimed women's tennis was riding on the coattails of the men's game.

"If I was a lady player, I'd go down every night on my knees and thank God that Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were born, because they have carried this sport," Moore, a 69-year-old former player from South Africa, told reporters as his annual state of the tournament press conference on Sunday morning, March 20 (Monday, March 21 in Manila).

Not surprisingly, 21-time Grand Slam champion Williams was scathing in her response.

"Obviously, I don't think any woman should be down on their knees thanking anybody like that," Williams said.

"If I could tell you every day how many people say they don't watch tennis unless they're watching myself or my sister, I couldn't even bring up that number," Williams said. 

Williams said she quickly became aware of Moore's remarks via social media, even though she was busy Sunday morning preparing to meet Victoria Azarenka in the women's final, which the Belarusian won in straight sets.

A swift backlash to Moore's comments, which also included remarks on the physical attractiveness of some of the WTA's rising stars, had him issuing an apology even before the men's Masters final between Novak Djokovic and Milos Raonic was completed.

"At my morning breakfast with the media, I made comments about the WTA that were in extremely poor taste and erroneous," Moore said in a statement. 

"I am truly sorry for those remarks, and apologize to all the players and WTA as a whole.

"We had a women's final today that reflects the strength of the players, especiallySerena and Victoria, and the entire WTA. Again, I am truly sorry for my remarks."

But Williams said there was no mistaking their meaning.

"You know, there's only one way to interpret that," she said. "Get on your knees, which is offensive enough, and thank a man ... we, as women, have come a long way. We shouldn't have to drop to our knees at any point."

Disservice to women

Williams acknowledged that she was surprised to find gender-related controversy continuing to crop up in a sport that has pioneered equal compensation for women competitors – sometimes over the objections of their male counterparts.

"Last year the women's final at the US Open sold out well before the men. I'm sorry, did Roger play in that final or Rafa or any man play in that final that was sold out before the men's final? I think not."

Williams invoked US great Billie Jean King, a tireless promoter of equal opportunity for women in sport and beyond.

"I feel like that is such a disservice to her and every female, not only a female athlete but every woman on this planet, that has ever tried to stand up for what they believed in and being proud to be a woman."

Novak Djokovic, fresh from claiming a fifth Indian Wells title on Sunday afternoon, acknowledged that Moore's comments were "not politically correct" but added the matter "was maybe exaggerated a little bit."

Djokovic said he has "tremendous respect" for women in tennis, especially as they have to "go through a lot of different things that we (men) don't have to go through. You know, the hormones and different stuff."

Azarenka said men rarely find themselves the subject of insulting remarks – whether they were intended as such or not.

"I think it's something that we have to work through as women," she said. "Men don't get those comments.

"I think it's still a problem in the world," Azarenka added. "It's not just in sports. It's in business. We try to talk about the equality. Sometimes it just gets unrecognized."

Azarenka, too, referred to King, who responded herself on Twitter saying she was "disappointed" in Moore's comments.

"He is wrong on so many levels," King wrote.

WTA Tour chief executive Steve Simon released a statement saying, "As the tournament director of one of the most preeminent events in professional tennis the comments made today by Raymond Moore were extremely disappointing and alarming.

"The WTA stands on its own and was founded on the principles of equality and empowerment. I am proud of all those strong athletes on the WTA who put in hard work and sacrifice every single day. 

"Tennis as a whole is enriched by the contributions and accomplishments of every single player both female and male." – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The mother of San Miguel Beer's Arwind Santos has passed away, team manager Gee Abanilla confirmed Monday, March 21.

"Yes, it's true," Abanilla told Rappler in a text message.

Abanilla has yet to respond as of posting time when asked about the date and time of passing.

Santos' mother, Arceli, once collapsed during a game a year ago after her nose started to bleed and she hyperventilated. Santos' wife, Ivette, confirmed then that Arceli was dealing with asthmathic problems.

Santos also previously dedicated his winning shot against Barako Bull (now Phoenix) in November. His mother was at the time confined at St. Luke’s Medical Center "after having difficulty breathing," according to a story on the PBA website.

Asi Taulava of the NLEX Road Warriors tweeted his condolences Monday morning.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sending our prayers to <a href="https://twitter.com/arwindsotnas">@arwindsotnas</a> n his family . RIP to ur mom. She is in a better place. </p>&mdash; Asi Taulava (@agelessasi88) <a href="https://twitter.com/agelessasi88/status/711739293727723520">March 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Kelly Williams of TNT and Joe Devance of Barangay Ginebra also sent their prayers to Santos' family.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ah man. Prayers up for u and the family <a href="https://twitter.com/arwindsotnas">@arwindsotnas</a> <a href="https://t.co/6RX3bkCJWb">https://t.co/6RX3bkCJWb</a></p>&mdash; Kelly Williams (@KelWilliams21) <a href="https://twitter.com/KelWilliams21/status/711743389142687745">March 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/arwindsotnas">@arwindsotnas</a> prayers for you and your family my brotha! Blessings your way.</p>&mdash; joe devance (@jdv_38) <a href="https://twitter.com/jdv_38/status/711727158159286272">March 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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– Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – De La Salle Zobel shooter Marco Sario confirms he’s been practicing with the UP Fighting Maroons and is scheduled to also practice with the DLSU Green Archers.

Speaking to the media during the press conference for the SLAM Rising Stars Classic over the weekend, the 5-foot-8 shooting guard said that, “As of now I’m practicing with UP. I practiced with them, try-out lang (it was just a try-out).”

{source} <blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">La Salle Zobel&#39;s Marco Sario says he will play college ball for either UP or DLSU (if they offer) <a href="https://t.co/Qx1Iwm3gYW">pic.twitter.com/Qx1Iwm3gYW</a></p>&mdash; Naveen Ganglani (@naveenganglani) <a href="https://twitter.com/naveenganglani/status/711055579100282881">March 19, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> {/source}

“But on Tuesday,” continued the graduating high school standout, “[DLSU Assistant] Coach Paolo (Sauler) told me to go to [La Salle] to practice with them. I’m undecided right now. We’ll see what fits me.”

There was also some noise in the recruitment sector that Sario may have been interested in joining UST, but he confirmed that the Growling Tigers’ absence of a head coach makes it a shaky proposition.

After two years at the helm, Bong Dela Cruz is currently not coaching the school’s basketball team following allegations of verbal and physical abuse of his players.

“Wala pa coach daw, so magulo pa. UAAP is in September so I have to be prepared na talaga kung anong school.”

(They still don’t have a coach, so it’s kind of messy. The UAAP starts in September, so I have to already be prepared with which school I’ll go to.)

Sario averaged 11.3 points a game in the UAAP Season 78 juniors division with the Junior Archers, who made it to the finals and fell to the NU Bullpups in 3 games. Sario was also respectable from 3-point range, averaging 33%.

When asked if he has a preference where to play college ball, Sario admitted he prefers to stay in green.

“For me kasi I would like to go to Taft kasi I’m from Zobel, so La Salle is my home na talaga. I’m hoping to get in po.

(For me, I would like to go to Taft because I’m from Zobel, so La Salle is really my home. I hope I get in.)

“For me as a basketball player, siguro (I guess) the basketball program that’s going to help me improve from,” he said about his decision-making on where to commit. “In [La Salle], they have a nice basketball program so I really want to go there.”

Sario faces stiff competition for playing time if he commits to the Green Archers. His high school teammate, Aljun Melecio, has already committed to DLSU, which is also bringing back Thomas Torres, Kib Montalbo, Andrei Caracut, Jolo Go, Enzo Navarro, and Andrew Langston.

At 5-foot-8, Sario will surely need to re-model his game for a better crack at minutes in the college division. 

“I played off guard in high school, so I have to play point guard and be mature [in college],” he said.

He also mentioned that beyond basketball, academics will play a major role in where he eventually ends up enrolling.

“For college, I want a business-related course [because] in college [it’s] academics first then basketball next.” – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – DLSU Green Archers recruit Ricci Rivero didn’t have the most effective performance during the 2016 SLAM Rising Stars Classic on Sunday, March 20, but he did have another one of those breakaway slam dunks that the superbly athletic youngster has become famous for.

The former La Salle Greenhills standout was left wide open during a fastbreak play in the high school all-star game, and what came next was predictable:

{source} <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KlgFSvq0vg0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> {/source}

Rivero finished with 10 points on 3-of-10 shooting as his club - Team Punks - defeated Team Hype, 103-98 at the Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong City. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Rain or Shine will have to make do against defending champions Tropang TNT without its head coach Yeng Guiao, who is suspended for one game and was fined P40,000 by the PBA.

The league, according to its website's transactions page, suspended and fined Guiao "for yelling invectives at the referees and technical group" during Rain or Shine's game against Mahindra on Wednesday, March 16 in the 2016 PBA Commissioner's Cup.

The highly expressive Guiao was tossed from that contest with 1:33 left in the first half after incurring back-to-back technical fouls – the first for resentment to a call and the second for profane language.

Guiao reacted after the first technical and cursed at the referee, resulting to his second T. He then raised both his middle fingers in the air before heading to the dugout.

The Painters managed to escape with a 103-98 victory and extend their winning run to 3 games.

Rain or Shine will put that streak on the line against TNT on Monday, March 21 at 7 pm in the PBA's last game date before the Holy Week break.

The Tropa are looking to gain some momentum nearing the end of the elimination round and climb to .500 in the standings.

Rain or Shine is currently holding a 4-3 record while TNT is at 3-4.

It's still uncertain whether TNT guard Jayson Castro will see action after missing the game versus NLEX. (READ: Jayson Castro in need of rest due to nagging Achilles injury)

The day's first game will feature Alaska taking on Mahindra at 4:15 pm. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines - The Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) is confident that a larger contingent of Philippine boxers to the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualifying tournament in Qian' An, China that begins Wednesday, March 23, will increase the country’s chances of booking slots to the 2016 Summer Olympics Qualifiers. 

“More than quantity, I think we have a lot of quality in our boxers in this qualification tournament,” said Edgar E. Picson, ABAP Executive Director. “It is easy to say our boxers are trained and fit but I think this particular group is well motivated.” 

The national boxers who will vie for one of 3 male slots and one of two female slots in their respective weight categories are: Rogen Ladon (light flyweight, 49 kg.), Roldan Boncales Jr (flyweight, 52 kg.), Mario Fernandez (bantamweight, 56 kg.), Charly Suarez (60 kg.), Eumir Felix Marcial (welterweight, 69 kg.) and Nesthy Petecio (women's flyweight, 51 kg.). All 6 were part of a group of 14 boxers who went on a whirlwind 18-day training camp in 4 cities in the West Coast of the United States: Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

“Rogen is a silver medalist from the recent Asian Confederation Boxing Championships as well as a silver medalist in the SEA Games in Singapore,” described Picson. “He is really hungry to prove himself." 

“Now Boncales is coming off a long lay-off after he suffered a hairline fracture after a fight in Indonesia in 2014. He was mostly inactive last year but towards the end, he came back with a vengeance,” divulged Picson about the General Santos native. “He showed a lot of energy and determination when he edged Ian Clark Bautista, who is better known as our ‘Heartbreak Kid’ after he knocked down a Korean in the 2014 Asian Games but went on to lose the fight." 

According to the ABAP Executive Director, Bautista has been complaining about pain in his shoulder. “We had him checked and the results showed there was no serious injury. However, Bautista kept saying his shoulder was bothering him so we had no choice but to replace him with Boncales."

“Our other boxers like Fernandez, Marcial, and Suarez are all SEA and Asian Games veterans who are also winners. Our lone female bet, Nesthy Petecio is a silver medalist in the SEA and Asian Games.” 

“The line-up was arrived at upon consultation with the coaches who traveled with the boxers for their American trip,” bared Picson. “And that is quite a competent bunch who knows a thing or two about qualifying for the Olympics. The coach include deputy head coach Nolito Velasco, women's head coach Roel Velasco, 3-star AIBA coach and 3-time Olympian Romeo Brin, and the only female coach in ABAP, Mitchel Martinez.

ABAP Secretary-General Patrick Gregorio agreed that he thinks that the current contingent holds a lot of promise. “We have winners in our boxers but they have also been denied glory in some of their competitions. They are well motivated to advance and represent our country in the Olympics in Rio.” 

The China tournament has a total of 242 male boxers and 55 female pugilists from Asian countries and Oceania which is composed, among others, of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and other Pacific islands.

Picson clarified that those who were not named to the China tourney are not out of the running yet: "There are 3 more qualifiers the other boxers may be entered in: the Women's World Championships (Kazakhstan) and APB/WSB qualifiers (Bulgaria) in May and the Final AOB qualifiers (Azerbaijan) in June. We will send participants there", he said.

Should more than one Filipino boxer qualify in a particular weight category, ABAP will have to choose only one entry to the Summer Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro in August as mandated by the International Boxing Association (AIBA). – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines - What could be the most degrading spectacle a great boxer could go through? How about fighting a fan and offering him USD $100,000 if he beats you.

That's what Roy Jones Jr did on Monday, March 21, when he stretched out Vyron Phillips in the second round at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. Jones, once the greatest fighter in the world during the 1990s and early 2000s, has become almost a parody of himself, continuing to fight on at age 47 despite the mounting defeats and his frightening knockout loss to Enzo Maccarinelli last year.

Phillips, 33, had never fought as a professional boxer but met the Arizona commission's minimum standard of having some combat experience, possessing a 5-3 pro mixed martial arts record and a 6-1 amateur boxing record. He earned the privilege to step through the ropes by winning a Facebook poll.

Phillips says he grew up idolizing the living legend in a pre-fight interview: "I'm still a Roy Jones fan. I just can fight."

He entered the contest on a "what if?," and was quoted by RingTV.com as saying he'd like to see Jones hang up the gloves. “I don’t want to see him get hurt," says Phillips. To Phillips' credit, he came into the fight in shape and spared all parties involved additional embarrassment.

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Jones (62-9, 45 KOs) has won world titles at middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight but ceased to be a relevant player in the sport after a string of 3 losses which ended in 2005. He has been a pro boxer since 1989. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The SLAM Rising Stars Classic held its third game on Sunday, March 20, at the Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong. As was the case in the first two seasons of the event, the recent contest featured the top high school basketball players in the Philippines today, giving a glimpse into the future of the sport both in the college and professional ranks.

While each “Rising Star” obviously has the talent to be a household name down the line, there were 5 guys who stood out the most in front of fans, media, and even national television. The 2016 edition was arguably the most exciting since the event’s inception in 2014, and the show put on by these guys played a major reason why:

1. Tyler Tio, Xavier: 16 points, 2 rebounds, 7/14 FG

Tio has “future UAAP star” written all over him. The Ateneo Blue Eagles recruit is the type of player new head coach Tab Baldwin is going to love to have. He can do a little bit of everything, and has the type of mindset that will make him a fan-favorite off the bat in Katipunan.

Shooting? He’s got a superb form (even if he did struggle from downtown during the game, going 1-of-7.) He can run the point, knowing where and when to attack during pick-and-roll plays to either get buckets or find open teammates. He can also finish with either hand, which is complemented by his herky-jerky moves to get open. 

(READ: Education the main reason why Tyler Tio committed to Ateneo)

He’s vocal on the court, but not to the point of arrogance. At just 17-years-old, leadership is already something you can see in his game.

From the many new Blue Eagles recruits, Tio may be the most ready for college basketball because he’s just so versatile and knowledgeable about the game. Ateneo may have found its new Chris Tiu.

2. Justine Baltazar, NU: 9 points, 4 rebounds, 4/5 FG

Baltazar is the walking picture of an instant double-double. To take it even further: at 6-foot-8, he’s the kind of dream prospect college teams crave for. He’s very mobile for his height, meaning his movement isn’t awkward or uncoordinated at all - a common issue for guys with his size at his age. He’s already effective when it comes to using the board while trying to score from the paint, plus he can hit free throws thanks to a soft touch and runs hard on the break as well. 

La Salle, which has reportedly secured his commitment, is going to be benefiting from his abilities for years to come. And it’s not just the offense. On defense, he’s the kind of deterrent you want protecting the rim, with those long arms and good instincts blocking shots left and right. The most impressive part? He’s got a mean streak to him, the kind of intimidating factor that makes the opposition think twice before deciding to attack him in the paint.

{source} <blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A glimpse into the future? <a href="https://twitter.com/AljunJayMelecio">@AljunJayMelecio</a> connects on the alley oop to Justine Baltazar. <a href="https://t.co/o5KNjro0jQ">pic.twitter.com/o5KNjro0jQ</a></p>&mdash; Naveen Ganglani (@naveenganglani) <a href="https://twitter.com/naveenganglani/status/711801113742184449">March 21, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> {/source}

The Green Archers may have just landed the next Raymond Almazan.

3. Aljun Melecio, De La Salle Zobel: 12 points, 5/12 FG, game MVP

If there’s one incoming college recruit best suited to do D’Angelo Russell’s now famous “I got ice in my veins” celebration, it’s Aljun Melecio.

{source} <iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fFi1H9eU6FU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> {/source}

Melecio, the UAAP juniors’ reigning MVP, is a scorer at heart, with the clutch prowess of a prospect years ahead of his age. Does he take a lot of shots to get his high-scoring games? Absolutely, but how many perimeter college players in the UAAP or NCAA will you find averaging 50% or above from the field? 

(READ: Aljun Melecio leaves Zobel with no regrets)

His footwork is tremendous. It’s the reason why he can get any shot he wants off at any time, whether it’s a cold-hearted step-back 3-pointer or a drive to the rim for a fancy layup or floater. Is his 5-foot-7 height going to be an issue? Sure, but he has the speed and acceleration to blow past anyone, which is going to be a problem for opponents once he hits the later years in his college tenure. 

The most important part? He’s absolutely fearless. He’s been taking - and making - clutch jumpers throughout his UAAP career, and he displayed it once again on Sunday when he hit the dagger 3-pointer to put Team Punks up 101-95 with 44 seconds to go.

We saw what Aldin Ayo did with Mark Cruz in Letran. Now Ayo has someone with the potential to be a more athletic version of Cruz in La Salle.

{source} <blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Clip of <a href="https://twitter.com/AljunJayMelecio">@AljunJayMelecio</a>&#39;s game-sealing 3 pointer last night during the SLAM Classic <a href="https://t.co/15HZFY7Rg3">pic.twitter.com/15HZFY7Rg3</a></p>&mdash; Naveen Ganglani (@naveenganglani) <a href="https://twitter.com/naveenganglani/status/711799398980661248">March 21, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> {/source}

4. John Lloyd Clemente, NU: 23 points, 2 rebounds, 7/17 FG, 8/8 FT

No SLAM Rising Star on Sunday night looked more ready for college hoops than John Lloyd Clemente. The most impressive part? He has one more year of high school hoops left. That’s right.

{source} <blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here&#39;s Clemente hitting a corner 3 yesterday btw, off a nice dish by <a href="https://twitter.com/Tyler_Tio">@Tyler_Tio</a> <a href="https://t.co/rB2UFg0a1Z">pic.twitter.com/rB2UFg0a1Z</a></p>&mdash; Naveen Ganglani (@naveenganglani) <a href="https://twitter.com/naveenganglani/status/711839530479788032">March 21, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> {/source}

He scored higher than everyone else and did it with an arsenal of moves and tricks: his jump shot? It’s almost automatic. An ability to get to the rim and draw fouls? He took 8 free throws, and made each one. His defense? Those long arms and quick laterals make getting past him very difficult. And he does all of the little things as well: scrambling for loose balls, tapping out offensive rebounds for extra possessions, knowing when to poke the ball for steals. He’s all over the place. 

While he destroys your defense, you won’t hear a single word from him. It’s almost Kawhi Leonard-ish. To think he has a year to get even better and more well-rounded is very scary.

5. Juan Gomez De Liano, UPIS: 16 points, 5 rebounds, 6/9 FG

The only more impressive thing than Juan Gomez De Liano’s game on Sunday was his after-shot dab celebrations, with his older brother Javi being on the receiving end for each one. 

But in terms of hoops, the younger of the De Liano brothers was outstanding. He needs to bulk up a bit during his final year of high school play, but he already has the speed and shooting ability that will make his stock sell like hotcakes once he gets closer to college ball.

Another noteworthy part of his game is that he’s such an all-around threat. During the recent UAAP juniors season, he averaged 15.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists a game, and he’s still getting better. At 6-foot-2, he has the ideal size to be a shooting guard in college. He can also play a lot of the point, and if he masters his playmaking a little more with his size and length, the potential will be limitless - something on display during the Rising Stars Classic. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Aldrech Ramos posted 25 points including key shots down the stretch, and Niño Canaleta added 17 as the Mahindra Enforcers stopped a 3-game skid with a 102-94 victory over the Alaska Aces in the 2016 PBA Commissioner's Cup on Monday, March 21 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Ramos, who also added 7 rebounds off the bench, hit the dagger 3-pointer with over a minute remaining to squash Alaska's hopes of a comeback from a double-digit deficit.

Mahindra reached the .500 mark with a 4-4 record while Alaska lost back-to-back and dropped to 5-3. 

Scores:

Quarter scores: 16-16, 43-39, 76-65, 102-94.

– Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Jayson Castro returned from an Achilles injury in top form, sizzling for 26 points to lift Tropang TNT over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 114-103, in the 2016 PBA Commissioner's Cup on Monday, March 21 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Castro came back after a one-game absence and caught fire from beyond the arc with 4-of-7 triples, on top of 4 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and a block off the bench.

The Tropa have now won two games in a row for the first time this conference as they hike their record to 4-4.

"At least we're still there. We have to take care of the next 3 games," said head coach Jong Uichico. "Hopefully we can keep up the energy, the way we're playing right now. I think that's what we lacked in our previous conferences."

David Simon tallied 20 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, two steals and two blocks. Jai Reyes chipped in 12 points, including back-to-back 3-pointers early in the fourth that gave TNT its biggest lead at 101-79.

Ryan Reyes hustled his way to 12 points to go with 7 rebounds, two assists and 3 steals while Dylan Ababou and Troy Rosario had 11 markers each. Rosario also tracked down 6 boards.

TNT maintained its strong start for much of the game, allowing Rain or Shine to come only to within 6 with 3:25 left in the third frame. The Tropa swiftly turned back the Painters with a momentum-crushing 13-2 run to end that period and re-establish a 92-75 edge entering the last quarter.

Rain or Shine sliced a 22-point deficit to just 11 with under two minutes to go but did not have enough left in the tank to go farther.

JR Quiñahan's career-high 25 points along with 12 rebounds and two steals off the bench went to waste in the defeat. Mo Charlo added 22 points on 11-of-16 free throws to go with 8 rebounds.

Jericho Cruz finished with 21 markers making 7 of his 13 field goals while Maverick Ahanmisi tallied 11 points and 5 assists as Rain or Shine's 3-game win streak came to an end and they settled for a similar 4-4 slate. 

The Painters played without head coach Yeng Guiao, who served his one-game suspension for his words and actions last week in a game against Mahindra. Assistant coach Caloy Garcia took over for this game.

Paul Lee, who is still feeling his way back after missing the Painters' first 5 games due to a knee injury, had another stroke of bad luck midway in the second period.

Lee challenged a Ryan Reyes triple attempt and ended up with his left knee colliding with Reyes' right as both crumpled to the floor. He managed to stand up and was seen shaking it off along the sidelines as he was subbed out but he never returned to the game.

Lee played just 3 minutes and missed his lone field goal attempt.

Scores:





Quarter scores: 31-23, 59-44, 92-75, 114-103.

– Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA – LeBron James notched the 41st triple double of his career as the Cleveland Cavaliers wrapped up the NBA Central Division title Monday, March 21 (Tuesday, March 22 in Manila) with a 124-91 blowout of the Denver Nuggets.

James finished with 33 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists as Cleveland improved to 50-20 for the season to ensure they finish on top of the Eastern Conference's Central Division.

Forward Channing Frye added 14 points after taking the place of Kevin Love, who was ruled out with an illness. J.R. Smith chipped in with 15 points and Matthew Dellavedova 10 points for a comfortable victory.

"I think a 50-win season in this league, it's not every year you can do that," Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said. 

"It just shows the hard work the guys have put in to get to this point." 

The Cavs romped into a 19-point lead in the first quarter before Denver fought their way back into the contest in the second with 17 unanswered points when Cleveland's bench came on. 

However the Cavs soon took a stranglehold on the game, racing away to a 33-point lead by the end of the fourth quarter. 

It was a convincing return to form by Cleveland after the embarrassment of Saturday's 122-101 defeat at Miami. 

Lue said he hoped Monday's win heralded the start of greater consistency from the Cavaliers, last year's runners-up in the NBA Finals.

"All is not bad," Lue said. "We're still growing, we're still getting better on a night-to-night basis and we can celebrate this, but we've got to keep moving forward." – Rappler.com 

ST. PETERSBURG, USA – Jurors on Monday awarded wrestling star Hulk Hogan a total of $140 million – $25 million more than he was granted last week over a sex tape posted by entertainment website Gawker.

The 62-year-old Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, successfully argued that the posting of the secretly recorded video featuring him and a friend's wife – which is less than two minutes long – invaded his privacy and humiliated him.

Hogan burst into tears Friday after the 6-member jury announced its decision of the mammoth award in a court in St. Petersburg, Florida, after just 6 hours of deliberation. It was more than the $100 million Hogan had requested.

Yet Florida laws allow up to 3 times the compensatory amount in a case like this – meaning another $345 million more could have been awarded as punitive damages.

Instead, jurors added $25 million in punitive damages to the $115 million original award for violating Hogan's privacy.

Hogan's lawyer has said the video – published in October 2012 – was viewed around seven million times.

Gawker, which could face bankruptcy, intends to appeal.

The trial was closely watched by legal experts and celebrities as defense attorneys argued the publication of the sex tape was protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

One of America's most famous entertainment wrestlers, the now-retired Hogan is known for wearing a bandana and a handlebar mustache.

During the trial, Hogan – dressed in a dark suit and black bandana – testified that a friend of his, radio personality Bubba "The Love Sponge" Clem, had an "open marriage" and wanted his wife to have sex with Hogan.

After several entreaties, Hogan said he finally agreed, not realizing that the encounter was secretly recorded. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Los Angeles Lakers are investigating claims of harassment against two of its players, Filipino-American Jordan Clarkson and Nick Young, ESPN reported Tuesday, March 22 (Monday, March 21 in the US).

According to the report, a woman named Alexis Jones, who is an activist campaigning against sexual harassment, sexual abuse, and domestic violence on women by athletes, claimed she and her 68-year-old mother were harassed by players riding a jeep Sunday in Hollywood.

Jones, who is a co-founder of I AM THAT GIRL– described on its website as "a movement inspiring girls to love, express, and be exactly who they are" – posted a photo collage on her Instagram account of the 3 men. Commenters then identified two of them as Clarkson and Young.

Jones relayed the encounter in the post saying, "at the intersection of Melrose and La Bre here in LA, a jeep of four boys pulled up at a red light and started yelling and making the most disgustingly vulgar gestures at my mom and me."

"They were laughing hysterically until they realized I was filming them and immediately they panicked like the cowards they are," she wrote.

ESPN reports that according to Lakers spokesman John Black, the team is taking the incident "very seriously" and is investigating "but does not have any further comment at this time."

According to the report, Black already phoned Jones and apologized to her on behalf of the Lakers and suggested she talk to the team about her campaign.

Lakers coach Byron Scott is "aware of the situation and has addressed it with the two players." The team reportedly offered to have Jones speak with Clarkson and Young but was unable to do so. A request for a phone call with the players has been denied.

"I rarely "rant" about things but this is the f%+#ing problem and the reason I've now dedicated my life to educating young men about respect, not just for women but for everyone. I'm angry. I'm insulted. I'm hurt," Jones also said on her Instagram post.

"I'd LOVE to have a candid conversation with them about sexual harassment not simply to shame them, but to understand their mentality so we can better educate young men to be respectful in the future."

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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="6" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BDMtdzmKTB5/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">I pray these pics go viral because THIS is the problem with little boys. Five minutes ago, at the intersection of Melrose and La Bre here in LA, a jeep of four boys pulled up at a red light and started yelling and making the most disgustingly vulgar gestures at my mom and me. I rarely &#34;rant&#34; about things but this is the f%+#ing problem and the reason I&#39;ve now dedicated my life to educating young men about respect, not just for women but for everyone. I&#39;m angry. I&#39;m insulted. I&#39;m hurt. They were laughing hysterically until they realized I was filming them and immediately they panicked like the cowards they are. Thank you to all the real men out there who would never treat a mother and daughter that way... Speaking of, I&#39;d love for this to make it back to their mothers!!! Help me find who these guys are!!! Let&#39;s see the power of social media and hold them accountable. I&#39;d LOVE to have a candid conversation with them about sexual harassment not simply to shame them, but to understand their mentality so we can better educate young men to be respectful in the future. #littleboys #cowards #realmenrespectwomen #messedwiththewrongchick #wewillfindyou @iamthatgirl</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Alexis Jones (@missalexisjones) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-03-21T02:38:36+00:00">Mar 20, 2016 at 7:38pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
<script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>

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– Rappler.com

MIAMI, USA – Top tennis bosses defended prize money equality for men and women Monday, March 21 (Tuesday, March 22 in Manila) while the spectre of an Indian Wells boycott was raised ahead of the ATP and WTA Miami Open.

World number one Serena Williams, a loser in back-to-back finals for the first time since 2004, seeks a fourth consecutive Miami crown and ninth overall while top-ranked Novak Djokovic seeks his sixth Miami title and a record 28th ATP Masters crown.

But turmoil continued across the sport in the wake of disparaging comments about women's tennis by Indian Wells tournament director Raymond Moore. Men's world number one Novak Djokovic subsequently fanned the flames of controversy by suggesting that the disparity in pay was justified.

"What a mess," tweeted women's tennis legend Martina Navratilova. "Moore totally blew it and Novak – really?"

In comments to the BBC, Navratilova raised the notion of a women's boycott of Indian Wells if Moore kept his job.

"It was really disheartening to see Ray Moore offer the extremely prejudiced and very old-fashioned statements regarding women tennis players," she said. "We have made it this far on our own, without help from male players, and will continue to do so in the future.

"It would be hard to imagine any women to want to go and play at Indian Wells if Moore stays as the tournament director."

WTA Tour chief executive Steve Simon on Sunday called Moore's comments "extremely disappointing and alarming" and added, "The WTA stands on its own and was founded on the principles of equality and empowerment."

Kermode, Adams back equity

ATP president Chris Kermode supported his fellow tour chief on Monday, backing the principle of prize money equality for men and women while admitting those decisions were in the hands of tournament directors.

"Ray Moore's comments towards women's tennis were disparaging and made in poor taste, as Ray has subsequently acknowledged," Kermode said.

"The ATP fully supports equality across society while at the same time acknowledging that we operate in the sports and entertainment business. The ATP seeks to achieve fair compensation for its players by setting minimum prize money levels for ATP events in accordance with the revenues that are generated from men's professional tennis.

"The ATP also respects the right of tournaments to make their own decisions relating to prize money for women's tennis, which is run as a separate tour."

Katrina Adams, the US Tennis Association president and chief executive, made it clear the organizers of the US Open back gender equality for tournament paychecks.

"The USTA and the US Open hold player equality as one of our bedrock principles," she said. "As the first Grand Slam to award equal prize money, we have endeavored to lead the way for gender equality in sports.

"There is no place in this sport for antiquated, sexist or uninformed ideologies and the comments made yesterday in no way reflect the beliefs of the vast majority of those in the tennis world."

Back on the court

Top seeds Williams and Djokovic and stars Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray were among those whose first match dates were unveiled Monday by Miami Open organizers. Seeds have first-round byes.

Williams will open Thursday afternoon against Japan's Misaki Doi or American Christina McHale while Djokovic opens Friday night against either Britain's Kyle Edmund or Czech Jiri Vesely.

Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro, the 2009 US Open winner, faces countryman Guido Pella on Wednesday with third-seeded Federer to face the winner Friday afternoon.

Two-time Miami champion Andy Murray, the second seed from Britain, opens Saturday afternoon against either Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan or Borna Coric of Croatia, while Spanish fifth seed Nadal meets either Bosnian Damir Dzumhur or Argentina's Leonardo Mayer.

Play opens Tuesday with 12 first-round WTA matches while Murray, the 2009 and 2013 winner who lost to Djokovic in last year's final, will enjoy another day of practice and family time at his US "home" event. Wife Kim and newborn daughter Sophia are at their nearby home.

"I spend a few months a year in Miami for my training blocks and my place is only half an hour from Key Biscayne, so this tournament is as close as it gets to home when I’m stateside," Murray said on his website. – Jim Slater, AFP/Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA (2nd UPDATE) – Indian Wells tournament director Raymond Moore quit under heavy fire on Monday, March 21 (Tuesday, March 22 in Manila) after he said women players owe their success to men, sparking a furious gender row that has divided the sport.

Moore stepped down as a backlash led by Serena Williams and Martina Navratilova gathered pace, following his comments that women in tennis "ride on the coat-tails of the men."

"Ray let me know that he has decided to step down from his roles as CEO and tournament director effective immediately," the event's owner, software billionaire Larry Ellison, said on the tournament website.

Moore, a 69-year-old former player from South Africa, had earlier apologised for his "extremely poor taste and erroneous" remarks about the Women's Tennis Association (WTA).

But despite his resignation, the controversy looks set to rumble on after Novak Djokovic, the men's world number one, said male players deserved more prize money than the women. (READ: Boycott possible, purse equity defended in tennis controversy) 

Djokovic added that he has "tremendous respect" for women in tennis "especially as they have to "go through a lot of different things that we (men) don't have to go through. You know, the hormones and different stuff."

"What a mess," tweeted women's tennis legend Navratilova. "Moore totally blew it and Novak – really?"

Navratilova also raised the notion of a boycott of Indian Wells, which has only just welcomed back both Williams sisters for the first time in 15 years after a racially charged crowd incident in 2001.

"It would be hard to imagine any women to want to go and play at Indian Wells if Moore stays as the tournament director," she said, according to the BBC.

'Very attractive players'

Moore had told reporters in Indian Wells: "You know, in my next life, when I come back, I want to be someone in the WTA because they ride on the coat-tails of the men. 

"They don't make any decisions, and they are lucky. They are very, very lucky.

"If I was a lady player, I'd go down every night on my knees and thank God that Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were born, because they have carried this sport."

He poured fuel on the fire by saying the WTA has some "very attractive" players. When asked if he meant physically attractive or competitively attractive, he replied: "Both.

"They're physically attractive and competitively attractive... they have quite a few very, very attractive players."

The heads of the WTA and the men's tour, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) lined up to criticise Moore, and world number one Serena Williams called his remarks "offensive."

"You know, there's only one way to interpret that," she said. "Get on your knees, which is offensive enough, and thank a man... we, as women, have come a long way. We shouldn't have to drop to our knees at any point."

The row is just the latest to hit tennis in what has been a troubled year for the sport, which has also been rocked by revelations over doping and corruption.

This month Russia's Maria Sharapova, rated as the world's richest athlete, revealed a positive test for a banned substance which looks likely to result in a ban from the sport.

Tennis was also engulfed in a match-fixing controversy during the Australian Open in January after bombshell reports alleged the problem was widespread.

Women receive equal prize money at top events including Indian Wells and the four Grand Slams, although they often earn less at other tournaments than comparative men's competitions.

While top-ranked Williams and Djokovic both won three Grand Slams and had similar winning percentages last year, Williams was awarded $10.6 million in prize money while Djokovic pocketed $21.6 million. – Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA – Jeremy Lin inspired a stunning fightback as the Charlotte Hornets rallied from a 23-point deficit to upset the San Antonio Spurs 91-88 on Monday, March 21 (Tuesday, March 22 in Manila).

Lin drained 29 points including 4 3-pointers as the Hornets shocked the in-form Spurs, who were brought crashing back down to earth two days after beating the all-conquering Golden State Warriors.

Lin's points haul included a superb fallaway jump shot with 48.4 seconds left which gave the Hornets the lead at 89-88 before adding two free throws with 18.3 seconds on the clock to complete the scoring. 

"He's a very committed player," Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. "He comes in and he works so hard. You're going to get his best effort every night.

"He obviously came in and picked our energy up tonight, in both halves. He was the catalyst." 

The victory saw the Hornets improve to 40-30, easing the sting of a disappointing home defeat to the Denver Nuggets at the weekend.

"We just turned it up," Lin said. "I can't even think, man. We just played hard. I'm just thankful to God. I've been struggling so much and we lost one the other night that we felt we shouldn't have lost, so to come out here and get this win is a huge boost for us."

'Please try harder'

The Spurs looked to be racing away to a blowout win after leading 28-7 after the first quarter. 

But Lin added 12 points in the second to chip away at the Spurs' lead. Charlotte then took the lead for the first time at 75-74 with 9:10 remaining after a Lin three-pointer.

Clifford joked that he had given his team candid advice as he attempted to rally them after their disastrous first quarter. 

"I told them, 'Please try harder, please,'" Clifford said. "'I'm begging you, please. I know you make more money than me, I know most of you could get me fired. I'm just saying please, so I can sleep on the plane tonight, please just try a little bit harder.'" 

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich blamed the defeat for a sloppy second quarter when the bench failed to ram home the advantage built up in the first quarter. 

"In the second quarter, I thought our second team was basically out to lunch," Popovich said. "It was one-on-one, turnovers, gave up 29 points in the quarter. That sealed the fate right there."

Dubs bounce back

While the Spurs slumped, Golden State recovered from their weekend defeat with a 109-104 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

Stephen Curry had a modest night by his standards, but still contributed 19 points as the Warriors moved to 63-7 – just 10 wins away from setting a new record for the best regular season in NBA history. 

Draymond Green was the star for the Warriors, scoring 24 points as the visitors overturned a 3-point deficit with 6 minutes remaining to avoid suffering their first back-to-back losses of the season. 

Elsewhere Monday, LeBron James notched the 41st triple double of his career as the Cleveland Cavaliers wrapped up the NBA Central Division title with a 124-91 blowout over Denver. 

James finished with 33 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists as Cleveland improved to 50-20 for the season to ensure they finish on top of the Eastern Conference's Central Division.

"I think a 50-win season in this league, it's not every year you can do that," Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said. 

"It just shows the hard work the guys have put in to get to this point." 

It was a convincing return to form after the embarrassment of Saturday's 122-101 defeat at Miami. 

Lue said he hoped Monday's win heralded the start of greater consistency. 

"All is not bad," Lue said. "We're still growing, we're still getting better on a night-to-night basis and we can celebrate this, but we gotta keep moving forward." – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao was joined by a famous face from the mixed martial arts world during his run at Griffith Park in Los Angeles on Monday, March 21.

Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino, who once held the women's featherweight title in Strikeforce and is now the champion of that division in Invicta, hit the pavement with Pacquiao, who is training for his April 9 fight against Timothy Bradley Jr in Las Vegas.

"8miles Up hill! You are [an] amazing athlete and person! God bless you for your next fight!," Cyborg wrote on her Instagram account. 

{source}<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="6" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:55.9722222222% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BDOJNCEhUG0/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Today I Had great opportunity to ran with @mannypacquiao and his team Pacquiao! 8miles Up hill ! You are amazing athlete and person! God bless you for your next fight! Thank you my sponsor @mitsubishisuperstores @southcoastmitsubishi Thanks @seuuadaaomuaythai &amp; @rayelbe ! Hoje tive a grande oportunidade de correr com o @mannypacquiao e seu time , guerra 8miles subindo a montanha!!!! #TeamJesus #running #5am #GodtoGlory #mannypacquiao</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by CRISTIANE V JUSTINO  (@criscyborg) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-03-21T16:00:13+00:00">Mar 21, 2016 at 9:00am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
<script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>{/source}

The Brazilian fighter, who has frequently called out former UFC champion Ronda Rousey, who is a friend of Pacquiao's, was decked out in Team Pacquiao gear as she made the rounds during roadwork.

{source}<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="6" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:38.5185185185% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BDOcqA9BUPd/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. James 1:12 Bem-aventurado o homem que suporta a provação; pela primeira vez ele tenha sido aprovado, receberá a coroa da vida que o Senhor prometeu aos que o amam. Tiago 1:12 #Repost @seuuadaaomuaythai with @repostapp. ・・・ With the CHAAMPS! #CyborgnoufcBrasil #cyborgtoUFCBrazil</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by CRISTIANE V JUSTINO  (@criscyborg) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-03-21T18:50:12+00:00">Mar 21, 2016 at 11:50am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
<script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>{/source}

– Rappler.com

MOSCOW, Russia – Russia on Monday, March 21 announced 4 doping failures for meldonium in athletics as the country battles to be reinstated in time for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

These are the first known cases of the banned drug in Russian athletics in a potential blow to efforts to overturn an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) suspension from international competition because of doping scandals.

The athletics federation did not name the 4 athletes who tested positive. It was unclear whether sprinter Nadezhda Kotlyarova, who admitted to taking the banned drug on Sunday, was among them.  

An unnamed source told TASS news agency however that the four athletes are Kotlyarova, long-distance runners Andrei Minzhulin and Gulshat Fazletdinova, and steeplechaser Olga Vovk. All are said to have tested positive for the drug at the Russian indoor championships last month.

The federation said in a statement it was conducting a "thorough investigation" into the cases and reiterated it had repeatedly warned athletes and trainers that the World Anti-Doping Agency was banning meldonium from January 1.

(EXPLAINER: How the World Anti-Doping Agency prepares yearly banned list)

The drug is widely used for heart conditions and diabetes. But it also helps recovery from physical exertion so could help athletes.

A number of high-profile Russian athletes, including tennis star Maria Sharapova, short-track speed skater Semyon Yelistratov and swimmer Yulia Yefimova, have tested positive for meldonium. 

Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said Monday the meldonium scandal was not affecting Russian athletes' preparations for the Rio Olympics which start August 5.

Russia was suspended by the IAAF for other doping failures said to be "state sponsored." The IAAF will only decide in May whether Russian authorities have made enough efforts to return to international competition.

"All those who are training for the Olympics are being monitored," Mutko told TASS. "The issue of meldonium is a separate issue."

President Vladimir Putin last week blamed Russia's sports officials for failing to warn athletes that meldonium was being banned by WADA.

WADA says that more than 100 suspected positive tests have been recorded since January 1.

The agency moved meldonium from its "monitored" to "prohibited" list "because of evidence of its use by athletes with the intention of enhancing performance." – Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA – The National Football League is studying the possibility of expanding its international series to a new frontier by staging a regular season game in China, reports said Monday, March 21.

A report on the NFL's official website said the league was looking at the possibility of taking the sport to the world's most populous nation with a game held in 2018. 

A possible game in Germany was also being considered. 

China has been on the NFL's radar before, with tentative plans to host a game in 2007 and 2009. Those proposals never came to fruition, however. 

"It's fascinating to think about," New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch told ESPN on Monday at the NFL team owners meeting in Florida. "It's very exciting, very exotic to think about. But if we do get to a point where the NFL plays a game in China, the logistics are going to be interesting."

The prospect of a game in China comes as American football chiefs seek to broaden the international fan base of the sport.

Regular season matches have been held in London for several years, with games taking place at Wembley Stadium. 

Three games in London will be held this season, including one at the home of English rugby, Twickenham. 

Last month, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed that Mexico City would host a regular season game between the Oakland Raiders and the Houston Texans at the iconic Azteca Stadium on November 21.

The NFL staged a game in Mexico City in 2005, when a crowd of 103,467 saw the Arizona Cardinals beat the San Francisco 49ers.

"We're going back to Mexico, and London has been very successful, and we're trying to introduce the NFL to more of the world, and of course that's the largest population of any country, in China," Houston Texans owner Bob McNair was quoted as saying by ESPN.

"They've expressed interest, so I suspect, yeah, we'll have a game over there." – Rappler.com

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Usain Bolt has confirmed this year's Olympics will be his last, snuffing out the possibility of extending his career to the 2020 games in Tokyo.

The Jamaican sprint king had raised the prospect of prolonging his Olympic career in January after revealing that his coach Glen Mills had suggested his fitness would carry him through to Japan. 

However Bolt told AFP subsidiary SID in an interview that the curtain would come down on his Olympic career in this year's games in Rio de Janeiro, where he is targeting 3 more gold medals. 

"It'll definitely be my last Olympics," Bolt said. "It's going to be hard to go four more years for me, to keep the motivation that I want, especially if I accomplish what I want to in Rio. 

"It's going to be hard to keep the motivation to go on for four more years so it'll definitely be my last one." 

Bolt, who already has 6 gold medals from his stunning performances in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, has repeatedly said he plans to hang up his spikes for good after the 2017 World Championships in London. 

He hopes to have taken his tally to 9 golds by the time competition in Rio has concluded in August. 

"My biggest dream at the Olympics is to win three gold medals again. That's my focus, that's what I want. And that's what I'm aiming for because that's my goal and that's my dream," Bolt said. 

Bolt meanwhile reiterated his desire to make more record-breaking history before he retires, saying that he is determined to become the first man to go below 19 seconds for the 200 meters. 

"I've said the only big thing, big time I want to run is the 200 metres," said Bolt, who holds the world record of 19.19sec for the 200m, set in Berlin in 2009. 

"I'd love to try to go sub-19. That's the only thing I would really, really want because that's one of my goals. 

"I've always talked about and always wanted it so for me, that's something I look forward to." – Rappler.com