OLYMPICS

Despite court ruling, IOC bans Russians

The International Olympic Committee rejected a request Monday to invite 15 Russians to the Winter Games, just days after the athletes’ doping bans were overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The 13 active athletes and two retired athletes working in support roles were among 28 athletes whose bans were overturned Thursday. The ban on 11 other Russians was upheld.

Russia Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev denounced the IOC move as “shameful.”

NORTH KOREANS ARRIVE: An advance team of 23 North Koreans arrived in South Korea to prepare for the North’s participation in the Olympics, South Korean officials said.

SOCCER

PREMIER LEAGUE: Antonio Conte’s future as Chelsea manager was cast into further doubt as his team was thrashed on the road by Watford, 4-1.

Conte called on Chelsea’s hierarchy to “prepare a statement … to say they trust me in my work” ahead of the game, but it was another dismal night for the defending champion, which is in fourth place, 19 points adrift of leader Manchester City.

ITALY MEN: Luigi Di Biagio, the nation’s under-21 coach, was promoted to take over the senior national team on a caretaker basis for friendlies against Argentina and England next month.

SAILING

OCEAN RACE: Vestas 11th Hour Racing said it won’t compete in Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race and its 65-foot sloop is being shipped from Hong Kong to Auckland, New Zealand, to repair damage sustained in a collision with a Chinese fishing boat two weeks ago.

The team said its “seriously damaged” boat couldn’t be repaired in Hong Kong and a new bow section is being built by Persico Marine in Italy and will be installed in Auckland.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

UNION FORMED: Nearly 100 professional beach volleyball players from around the world formed a union they hope will give them a greater voice in how the sport is run.

The roster includes many of the sport’s top names and gold medalists from each of the last four Olympics.

basketball

WNBA: Australian center Liz Cambage signed a multiyear contract with the Dallas Wings, returning to the organization that drafted her second overall seven years ago.

Cambage was 19 when the Tulsa Shock drafted her No. 2 overall in 2011. She averaged 13.3 points with 6.1 rebounds over the 2011 and 2013 seasons, before heading to China and Australia. The Shock moved to Texas three years ago and became the Wings.

HORSE RACING

BREEDERS’ CUP: The event is adding the Juvenile Turf Sprint to the two-day world championships lineup, which will feature 14 races to be run Nov. 2-3 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

The 5-furlong Juvenile Turf Sprint will carry a $1 million purse and be open to 2-year-olds. Previously the race was part of the event’s undercard.

TENNIS

NADAL PROGRESSING: Rafael Nadal said he’s on track to return to the ATP Tour in Acapulco, Mexico, this month.

The top-ranked Nadal said he’s recovering well from the left leg muscle injury that forced him to retire in the Australian Open quarterfinals last month.

– From news report