Canada & World

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman speaks during a news conference prior to an NHL hockey game between the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins in Montreal, Tuesday, January 24, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Bettman: 2018 Canada junior team investigation ‘really close to the end’

‘We’re trying to work it through when we get to the end and we want to get it right’

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman speaks during a news conference prior to an NHL hockey game between the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins in Montreal, Tuesday, January 24, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
FILE — Mike Tyson watches the first half of an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans, Feb. 27, 2022, in Los Angeles. A woman has accused former heavyweight boxing champion Tyson of raping her sometime in the early 1990s in a lawsuit filed in January 2023, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

Woman files suit accusing Mike Tyson of rape in early ’90s

Boxer previously was convicted and sent to prison for a rape that occurred around the same time

FILE — Mike Tyson watches the first half of an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans, Feb. 27, 2022, in Los Angeles. A woman has accused former heavyweight boxing champion Tyson of raping her sometime in the early 1990s in a lawsuit filed in January 2023, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
Rachael Karker of Canada competes during the women’s World Cup freestyle ski halfpipe event in Calgary, Alta., Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Gu golden again in World Cup halfpipe, Canada’s Karker, Bowman finish on podium

Eileen Gu’s halfpipe is ready for the Winter X Games. The 19-year-old…

Rachael Karker of Canada competes during the women’s World Cup freestyle ski halfpipe event in Calgary, Alta., Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Canada’s Brock Webster runs with the ball during a rugby union international match between Portugal and Canada in Oeiras, outside Lisbon, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Armando Franca

Canadian rugby women finish 11th while men place 14th at New Zealand Sevens

Women finished with huge win against Papua New Guinea, beating them 44-5

Canada’s Brock Webster runs with the ball during a rugby union international match between Portugal and Canada in Oeiras, outside Lisbon, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Armando Franca
Former Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller accepts a saber from Terry Pegula, owner of Pegula Sports and Entertainment, as Miller was honored before the Sabres’ NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)

All-time great Hasek assists Sabres in honouring goalie Ryan Miller

Miller, who broke some of Hasek’s records, joins him with his number in the rafters

Former Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller accepts a saber from Terry Pegula, owner of Pegula Sports and Entertainment, as Miller was honored before the Sabres’ NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)
FILE - Philadelphia Flyers' Ivan Provorov plays during an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, in Philadelphia. Flyers coach John Tortorella continues to defend defenseman Ivan Provorov following his boycott of the team’s Pride night festivities. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)

Flyers coach Tortorella defends Provorov’s Pride boycott

Russian defenseman did not participate in warmup featuring Pride-themed jerseys

FILE - Philadelphia Flyers' Ivan Provorov plays during an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, in Philadelphia. Flyers coach John Tortorella continues to defend defenseman Ivan Provorov following his boycott of the team’s Pride night festivities. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
Director and narrator Jason Priestley, right, interviews former Toronto Maple Leafs player Jim McKenny about former Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard for a new documentary in this undated handout photo. Priestley, the narrator and director of “Offside: the Harold Ballard Story, wants Canadians to draw their own conclusions on the irascible sports magnate who also owned the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Lone Eagle Entertainment, Sam Lim

Priestley’s ‘Offside’ paints a complex portrait of former Leafs owner Harold Ballard

Known for his attention-grabbing outbursts, the irascible Ballard inspired many different takes

Director and narrator Jason Priestley, right, interviews former Toronto Maple Leafs player Jim McKenny about former Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard for a new documentary in this undated handout photo. Priestley, the narrator and director of “Offside: the Harold Ballard Story, wants Canadians to draw their own conclusions on the irascible sports magnate who also owned the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Lone Eagle Entertainment, Sam Lim
Tampa Bay Lightning’s Steven Stamkos, left, scores against Vancouver Canucks goalie Spencer Martin, to record his 500th career goal during first period NHL hockey action in Vancouver on Wednesday, January 18, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Tampa Bay Lightning’s Steven Stamkos, left, scores against Vancouver Canucks goalie Spencer Martin, to record his 500th career goal during first period NHL hockey action in Vancouver on Wednesday, January 18, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Canada’s Ashley Stephenson reacts after scoring during fifth inning women’s baseball action against Venezuela at the Pan American Games in Toronto on Saturday July 25, 2015. Stephenson, a long-time player and coach with Canada’s women’s baseball team, is joining the Toronto Blue Jays’ organization as a coach with the Vancouver Canadians. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Thornhill

Blue Jays add national women’s team veteran Stephenson to coaching staff in Vancouver

Stephenson spent 15 years as a player with Canada’s national team

Canada’s Ashley Stephenson reacts after scoring during fifth inning women’s baseball action against Venezuela at the Pan American Games in Toronto on Saturday July 25, 2015. Stephenson, a long-time player and coach with Canada’s women’s baseball team, is joining the Toronto Blue Jays’ organization as a coach with the Vancouver Canadians. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Thornhill
New Vancouver Canucks President of Hockey Operations and Interim General Manager Jim Rutherford listens during his first news conference since being hired by the NHL hockey team, in Vancouver, on Monday, December 13, 2021. The Vancouver Canucks’ president of hockey operations says the team needs “major surgery” but stopped short of calling for a rebuild. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Vancouver Canucks need ‘major surgery’ but not rebuild: Rutherford

GM says team has to make changes before the start of next year and not all of them will be popular

New Vancouver Canucks President of Hockey Operations and Interim General Manager Jim Rutherford listens during his first news conference since being hired by the NHL hockey team, in Vancouver, on Monday, December 13, 2021. The Vancouver Canucks’ president of hockey operations says the team needs “major surgery” but stopped short of calling for a rebuild. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Bianca Andreescu of Canada plays a backhand return to Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Canada’s Andreescu, Shapovalov and Auger-Aliassime win Aussie Open openers

Auger-Aliassime bounced Vernon, B.C., native Vasek Pospisil, Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino also lost

Bianca Andreescu of Canada plays a backhand return to Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Former Vancouver Canucks’ enforcer Gino Odjick gets up out of a wheelchair and waves to hundreds of fans that gathered to support him outside Vancouver General Hospital in Vancouver, B.C., on June 29, 2014. Odjick announced on the NHL hockey team’s website that he was diagnosed with AL (Primary) Amyloidosis, a condition that causes abnormal protein to be produced leading to the hardening of the heart. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Canucks’ fan favourite, Gino Odjick, dies at 52

Odjick was diagnosed with Amyloidosis, an organ-attacking disease, in 2014

Former Vancouver Canucks’ enforcer Gino Odjick gets up out of a wheelchair and waves to hundreds of fans that gathered to support him outside Vancouver General Hospital in Vancouver, B.C., on June 29, 2014. Odjick announced on the NHL hockey team’s website that he was diagnosed with AL (Primary) Amyloidosis, a condition that causes abnormal protein to be produced leading to the hardening of the heart. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Madeline Schizas of Ontario performs during the senior women free program at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships in Oshawa, Ont., on Saturday, January 14, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Madeline Schizas holds off 16-year-old Ruiter to win Canadian figure skating title

‘The end of that program wasn’t easy but I pushed right to the end and I’m happy with that.’

Madeline Schizas of Ontario performs during the senior women free program at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships in Oshawa, Ont., on Saturday, January 14, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
A Hockey Canada logo is seen in Calgary, Alta., Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
A Hockey Canada logo is seen in Calgary, Alta., Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Colorado Mammoth forward Brett McIntyre, front left, scores a goal against Buffalo Bandits goalie Matt Vinc, back, on June 11, 2022, in Denver. Injured players working in the US are typically eligible for workers’ compensation, but not in Canada. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Pro athletes chasing workers’ compensation for their injuries

Canadian athletes not eligible if they’re injured in a game or practice, B.C. asked to change that

Colorado Mammoth forward Brett McIntyre, front left, scores a goal against Buffalo Bandits goalie Matt Vinc, back, on June 11, 2022, in Denver. Injured players working in the US are typically eligible for workers’ compensation, but not in Canada. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Canada’s Connor Bedard carries the Championship Cup after the team’s overtime win against Czechia in the title game of the IIHF world junior hockey championships Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press via AP)

After banner world juniors, Connor Bedard not focusing on NHL draft

Phenom showed how wide the gulf is between himself and the rest of his contemporaries

Canada’s Connor Bedard carries the Championship Cup after the team’s overtime win against Czechia in the title game of the IIHF world junior hockey championships Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press via AP)
FILE - Naomi Osaka of Japan smiles during her first round match against Camila Osorio of Colombia at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 17, 2022. Naomi Osaka is pregnant and plans to return to competition in 2024, the tennis star announced Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023. The former world No. 1 posted a life update Wednesday on social media, including a picture of an ultrasound. (AP Photo/Simon Baker, File)

Naomi Osaka says she’s pregnant, plans tennis return in 2024

Osaka hasn’t played a competitive match since September

FILE - Naomi Osaka of Japan smiles during her first round match against Camila Osorio of Colombia at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 17, 2022. Naomi Osaka is pregnant and plans to return to competition in 2024, the tennis star announced Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023. The former world No. 1 posted a life update Wednesday on social media, including a picture of an ultrasound. (AP Photo/Simon Baker, File)
The Kansas City Chiefs confirmed they hosted 24-year-old, Victoria native CFL star quarterback Nathan Rourke for a workout Monday. Rourke passes during the first half of a pre-season CFL football game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Vancouver, on June 3, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Kansas City Chiefs latest NFL team to take a look at B.C. Lions quarterback Rourke

CFL’s top Canadian has worked out with 10 teams south of the border

The Kansas City Chiefs confirmed they hosted 24-year-old, Victoria native CFL star quarterback Nathan Rourke for a workout Monday. Rourke passes during the first half of a pre-season CFL football game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Vancouver, on June 3, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
FILE - Gov. Jim Justice, center, speaks to Merl Wooten, owner of Wooten Machine Co., left, and Dr. Matthew Rohrbach while visiting community members on May 9, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. . (Ryan Fischer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP, File)

West Virginia can keep transgender sports ban, judge says

‘This is not only about simple biology, but fairness for women’s sports’

FILE - Gov. Jim Justice, center, speaks to Merl Wooten, owner of Wooten Machine Co., left, and Dr. Matthew Rohrbach while visiting community members on May 9, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. . (Ryan Fischer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP, File)
Buffalo Bills players and staff pray for Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Football fans grapple with violent side of a beloved sport

‘People sometimes look at players like they’re in a video game’

Buffalo Bills players and staff pray for Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
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