The Latest on Russias appeal against the Olympic ban on its track and field athletes (all times local to Rio de Janeiro):2:55 p.m.The World Anti-Doping Agency says it is satisfied with the court ruling that upholds the ban on Russian track and field athletes from the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.WADA had already supported the IAAF decision last month to uphold the suspension, which was first imposed in November following allegations of systematic doping in Russia.The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Thursday rejected Russias appeal of the ban.WADA President Craig Reedie says this is not about punishing some athletes for the actions of others.He says its about the Russian federation failing to live up to the world anti-doping code.Reedie says this is vital to ensure that all athletes are competing on a level playing-field.WADA says it is now up to other international federations to consider their responsibilities and up to the International Olympic Committee to consider its responsibilities under the Olympic Charter.On Monday, Reedie urged the IOC to consider banning the entire Russian team from the Rio Games.---2:40 p.m.The president of the international judo federation has condemned calls for all Russians to be banned from next months Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, calling for friendship instead of examples of Cold War.Marius Vizer said in a statement that Russian judo (is) playing a great role in the history of our sport.Vizer didnt address the findings of World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren, who said positive tests of Russian judokas were made to disappear as part of a state-sponsored doping program.Instead Vizer said we would like to express our support for all the Russian athletes who were not involved in doping activities.Russian President Vladimir Putin has frequently displayed his athletic prowess through judo.The International Olympic Committee is mulling whether to exclude the entire Russia team from the Rio games, with only track and field athletes currently banned.---12:30 p.m.German Sports Minister Thomas de Maiziere says that now is the time for hard decisions and not for generosity after a ban on Russias track and field team from competing at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics was upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.De Maiziere, who is also Germanys interior minister, says the ball is now in the IOCs court after the CAS ruling on an appeal against the ban by 68 Russian track and field athletes.Germanys Olympic committee president Alfons Hoermann says the CAS verdict is a clear signal to the IOC.Hoermann expects the International Olympic Committee to ban the entire Russian team, saying where we have systematic cheating, we also must have systematic punishment.---12.20 p.m.Leaders from 14 anti-doping agencies across the globe are urging the International Olympic Committee to ban the entire Russian team from the games in Rio de Janeiro.In a letter sent to IOC President Thomas Bach, leaders of the agencies applauded the IOC for the measures it has already taken, but said they fall well short of the toughest sanctions available that Bach spoke of following the report into Russian doping by WADA investigator Richard McLaren.The toughest sanctions, according to the agencies, would be for the IOC to use its authority to ban the entire team.Among the countries represented in the letter were the United States, Canada, Germany, New Zealand and Austria.---11:35 a.m.Russian athletes and officials are supporting long jumper Darya Klishina, who could be their countrys only track and field competitor in next months Rio de Janeiro Olympics.Klishina was exempted from Russias track and field ban by the IAAF because she lives in the United States and is drug-tested there.Some Russian fans have rounded on Klishina, calling her a traitor and demanding that she refuse her place at the games.But world high jump champion Maria Kuchina says she will obviously support Klishina, while hurdler Vera Rudakova says I dont think shes a traitor...Well cheer her on.Yuri Borzakovsky, the head coach of Russias track and field team, says he is in contact with Klishina and backs her to succeed.The IAAF has also allowed doping whistleblower Yulia Stepanova to race, but the 800-meter runner is struggling with injury and has not set a competitive time this year.---10:28 a.m.Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko says that a committee will be formed to consider the report produced by World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren, who accused Mutkos ministry of overseeing doping of the countrys Olympic athletes.As for what is mentioned in this report, the government will shortly set up an ad-hoc commission which will examine this, Mutko told reporters.McLarens report was released Monday.---10:10 a.m.Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko says the countrys athletes who are banned from competing in next months Olympics in Rio de Janeiro could go to a civil court to try and overturn the ban.The announcement comes after the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld an earlier ruling to ban the Russian track and field team from competing in Rio.Mutko says in a televised briefing in Moscow that I think its maybe the time to go to a civil court.Mutko adds that Russias athletes will continue to defend their honor and dignity even though any legal proceedings may not be held before the games begin on Aug. 5.Russia has the right to appeal to the Swiss federal tribunal within 30 days.---9:50 a.m.The head of Russias track and field federation says he will continue to work on anti-doping reforms in the hope of returning to international competition after the Olympics.Russia was banned by the IAAF in November following allegations of widespread, state-sponsored doping, a ruling upheld for the Olympics on Thursday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.Dmitry Shlyakhtin says his federation will continue to do everything to get back the trust of the IAAF and the IOC and does not plan further legal action against the ban.After the Rio Olympics, there will be communication, certain meetings and dialogues and anyway we have to get back there ... and keep moving, he says.Shlyakhtin this year replaced longtime federation head Valentin Balakhnichev, who has been banned by the IAAF for his role in extorting money from a Russian athlete facing a doping ban.---8:45 a.m.Pole vault world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva says Russias Olympic track and field ban means the games will be devalued with only pseudo-gold medals available.The two-time Olympic champion had been aiming for her fifth games and was a leading voice in calling for its ban to be overturned, even speaking at Tuesdays Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing.In comments on her Instagram page, Isinbayeva suggests some of her foreign rivals could be doping and wanted Russia banned to make the competition easier.Isinbayeva says let all these pseudo-clean foreign athletes breathe a sigh of relief and win their pseudo-gold medals without us ... Theyve always been frightened of strength.---8:20 a.m.A Crimean athlete who switched allegiance to Russia two years ago says she doesnt know whether to laugh or cry after her new team was ruled out of next months Olympics.Vera Rebrik won gold in the javelin at the European Championships for Ukraine before switching allegiance to Russia following the annexation of Crimea in 2014.She won a long legal battle to have her nationality switch recognized earlier this year, and was one of 68 athletes on the Russian Olympic track and field team.Rebrik tells Russian state broadcaster Match TV that I dont know whether to laugh or cry ... I cant find the words.Rebrik adds that she considers a blanket ban on the Russian team to be an unfair ruling against clean athletes.---8:15 a.m.Russia has canceled a ceremonial send-off for its Olympic athletes heading to Rio, as the prospect of a ban for Russias whole team looms.The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Thursday upheld a ban on Russias track and field team imposed due to widespread doping.That ruling could encourage some international sports officials calling for a ban on Russias entire delegation across all sports, following allegations the government organized a mass doping cover-up.The Russian Olympic teams chef de mission for Rio, Igor Kazikov, tells the R-Sport news agency that a send-off ceremony planned for Friday has been canceled and we need to see whats what before rescheduling it.On Wednesday, the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin would not take part in a previously scheduled meeting with Russias Olympians.---8:05 a.m.The three lawyers who unanimously rejected the appeal by Russias track and field federation and 68 athletes against their Olympic exclusion by the IAAF come from Italy, Britain and the United States.They are three of the most experienced judges on the courts list of around 400 approved arbitrators.Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, whose department is deeply implicated in the allegations of state-backed doping, dismissed the ruling as political and one with no legal basis.The panel chairman was Milan-based Luigi Fumagalli. Among previous cases, he sat on the panel which upheld FIFAs four-month ban on Luis Suarez for biting an opponent at the 2014 World Cup.James Robert Reid is a retired judge from England who has chaired the Premier League disciplinary committee. He sat in judgment of Pakistan cricket player Salman Butts failed appeal to CAS against a ban for fixing.Jeffrey Benz from Los Angeles is a former legal adviser to the United States Olympic Committee.The panels legal advice is not binding on the IOC, whose executive board will discuss the issue again on Sunday.---7:56 a.m.Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt says Russian athletes being banned from the Rio de Janeiro Olympics will scare a lot of people thinking about doping.A Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling earlier Thursday confirmed an IAAF ban on Russian track and field athletes from competing at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.Bolt, the winner of six Olympic gold medals, says this will scare a lot of people, send a strong message.The IOC is also mulling whether to follow the IAAFs decision and ban the entire Russia team from Rio over allegations of state-sponsored doping.Bolt says recent actions by authorities show that if you cheat or if you go against the rules then serious action will be taken.The worlds fastest man was speaking in London ahead of a Diamond League meet where he will compete in the 200 meters on Friday.---7:35 a.m.An IAAF rule to create Olympic exceptions for a select few Russian athletes caused unease for the appeal judges.The three-member Court of Arbitration for Sport judging panel was concerned about the immediate application with retroactive effect of a rule that track and fields governing body created last month.It allows for Russian athletes who have been subjected to regular anti-doping tests outside the Russian system in recent months to apply for exemptions to compete at the Rio de Janeiro Games.Two athletes -- Yulia Stepanova, an 800-meter runner and key whistleblower in exposing a Russian state doping program, and Florida-based long jumper Darya Klishina -- have been passed eligible by the IAAF.The CAS panel says this rule based on prior activity ... left no possibility in practice, and as applied, for the Claimant Athletes to be able to try to comply with them.---7:30 a.m.Two-time Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva says banning Russias track and field team from next months Rio de Janeiro Games represents the funeral of her sport.In comments to Russian state news agency Tass, Isinbayeva says ironically: Thank you everyone for the funeral of athletics. Its a pure political decision.Isinbayeva, who represented Russian athletes at Tuesdays hearing in Switzerland, says there is nothing concrete behind the ruling to uphold the ban.Isinbayeva appealed to International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach to overturn the ban.--7:20 a.m.The IOC says it will study and analyze the court ruling that upholds the ban on Russian track and field athletes from competing in the Rio Olympics.The IOC says it takes note of the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to reject Russias appeal against the ban imposed by the IAAF over allegations of state-sponsored doping.The International Olympic Committee says: We will now have to study and analyze the full decision.The IOC adds that a decision on the participation of the Russian athletes will be taken in the coming days.The IOC has scheduled an executive board meeting on Sunday to consider its options---7:10 a.m.The IAAF says the Court of Arbitration for Sports ruling to confirm a ban on Russia has created a level playing field for athletes.The verdict upholds the rights of the IAAF to use its rules for the protection of the sport, to protect clean athletes and support the credibility and integrity of competition, the Monaco-based body says in a statement.The IAAF first banned the Russian track and field federation, and its athletes, from international competition in November following allegations in a World Anti-Doping Agency inquiry report of state-organized doping and cover-ups.The ban was confirmed in June, when the IAAF also said the culture of obstructing anti-doping tests in Russia had not changed.---7:00 a.m.Hammer thrower Sergei Litvinov, who was on Russias track and field team for next months Olympics, tells The Associated Press he is very sad to miss the games but hopes the teams ban will mean more serious reforms.Litvinov, who was fifth at last years world championships, says hell try not to lose motivation for next year. He says Russian athletics officials failed to act on doping in time and hopes that this situation can encourage the management to continue reforms.Litvinov, who has been an outspoken campaigner against drug use in Russian sport, calls on international sports authorities to investigate more cases of doping in other countries, claiming in some throwing events no one knows who really finished in which place at major competitions.He adds: I want all (doping) systems to be shut down. Not just ours, but all of them.---6:45 a.m.Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko says the decision to ban Russian track and field athletes from competing in the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro was political.Under Thursdays ruling in Lausanne, 68 Russian track and field athletes who were applying to compete in Rio will not be going to the Olympics.Mutko told the Tass news agency that Russia will consider its further actions and lashed out at the verdict as unfair.In my view, its a subjective decision, somewhat political and one with no legal basis, he was quoted as saying.A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow regrets the courts decision.Dmitry Peskov expressed regret over the ruling, adding that applying collective responsibility (to all athletes) can hardly be acceptable.---6:30 a.m.IAAF President Sebastian Coe says he is thankful that our rules and our power to uphold our rules and the anti-doping code have been supported. That response comes after a three-member Court of Arbitration for Sport judging panel upheld the IAAFs right to ban the Russian track and field federation and its athletes from international competition, including the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.The International Association of Athletics Federations president adds this is not a day for triumphant statements. I didnt come into this sport to stop athletes from competing. It is our federations instinctive desire to include, not exclude.The CAS panel issued an urgent verdict, two days after Tuesdays appeal hearing, without giving detailed reasons.The court says those reasons should be issued as soon as possible.That is likely before the IOC executive board discusses Sunday whether to impose a blanket ban on all Russian teams from the Olympics next month.CAS secretary general Matthieu Reeb says: our decision is not binding on the IOC.---6:15 a.m.Russia has lost its appeal against the ban on its track and field athletes from competing in the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.The Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected the appeal by 68 Russian track and field athletes seeking to overturn the ban imposed by the IAAF following allegations of state-sponsored doping and cover-ups.The ruling could influence whether the entire Russian Olympic team is banned from the games. Jameer Nelson Jersey . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. 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FANTASY SPORTSBOSTON -- Daily fantasy sports rivals DraftKings and FanDuel have agreed to merge after months of speculation and increasing regulatory scrutiny.The two companies made the announcement, saying the combined organization would be able to reduce costs as they work to become profitable and battle with regulators across the country to remain legal.In a matter of a few short years, the two have raised millions of dollars through investors and sponsorship deals, drawing the attention of policymakers across the country.Some view the online games -- in which players pick teams of real life athletes and vie for cash and other prizes based on how those athletes do in actual games -as amounting to illegal sports betting.NFLCHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly has been placed in the NFLs concussion protocol and his status for the teams Nov. 27 game against Oakland is uncertain.Coach Ron Rivera updated Kuechlys status and said that the linebacker has no other known injuries.The 2013 NFL Defensive Player of the Year was carted off the field in an emotional moment during the fourth quarter of Carolinas 23-20 win over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night. Kuechly appeared to be gasping for breath as he was helped to the cart, and tears rolled down his face. Players from both sides came over to offer their well wishes to Kuechly.AUTO RACINGHOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski crashed the championship and swept the front row in qualifying for the NASCAR finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.Carl Edwards, Joey Logano, 2015 Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch and six-time champ Jimmie Johnson are racing for the championship in Sundays race. The championship four all failed to start in the top five. Busch starts ninth, Edwards 10th, Logano 13th and Johnson 14th.Busch started third last season, won the race and the title.Tony Stewart starts 11th in the final race of his NASCAR career. Stewart is trying to race to his 50th career Cup victory.HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Johnny Sauter won his first NASCAR championship by edging three other contenders in the inaugural Chase for the Camping World Truck Series.Sauter finished third at Homestead-Miami Speedway to win the championship.William Byron won the race -- his seventh victory of the season -- to wrap up the owner championship for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Byron was headed toward the win last weekend at Phoenix that would have put him in the final four, but his engine blew in the closing laps.BASEBALLARLINGTON, Texas -- Right-hander Andrew Cashner is going home for a spot in the Texas Rangeers rotation.dddddddddddd person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press that the free agent pitcher and the team had reached an agreement on a $10 million, one-year deal. That person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical and wasnt finalized, and the AL West champions had not made an official announcement.Cashner, a Texas native who was a first-round draft pick out of TCU in 2008, finished last season with the Miami Marlins after the San Diego Padres traded him July 29. He was 5-11 with a 5.25 ERA in 28 games last season.TENNISLONDON -- Andy Murray kept hold of the No. 1 ranking for at least another day.The Wimbledon champion qualified for the semifinals of the ATP finals by beating Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 6-2.Murray, who needs to do better than Novak Djokovic this weekend to finish the season as the top-ranked player, broke Wawrinka late in the first set and twice at the start of the second.Murray took over the No. 1 ranking at the Paris Masters this month, but Djokovic can grab it back if the second-ranked Serb does better at the season-ending tournament. Djokovic has already qualified for the semifinals.GOLFST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Five tournaments into his rookie season on the PGA Tour, Mackenzie Hughes has the 36-hole lead at Sea Island and expects a few nerves.That weekend he spent with Phil Mickelson should at least help.Hughes had another bogey-free round and took care of the par 5s on the Plantation Course for a 5-under 67, giving him a two-shot lead over C.T. Pan going into the weekend of the RSM Classic, the final PGA Tour event of the year. Hughes at was at 14-under 128.NAPLES, Fla. -- Lydia Ko shot a tournament-record 10-under 62 to take a three-stroke lead in the CME Group Tour Championship, putting the top-ranked New Zealander in position to win the player of the year award with a victory Sunday.The 2014 winner at Tiburon Golf Club, Ko birdied four of the first six holes and had seven birdies and a bogey on the back nine to get to 12-under 132 in the season finale. Ryann OToole (67) and So Yeon Ryu (68) were tied for second, and Sei Young Kim (68) and Beatriz Recari (68) followed at 8 under.Ko needs a victory to top Ariya Jutanugarn in the player of the year race, and also would take the season points title and $1 million bonus with a win. The points in the CME Globe standings were reset for the finale, so Ko, Jutanugarn and Brooke Henderson all control their destinies. ' ' '