HOCKEY
Montreal Canadiens forward Max Domi was suspended for the remainder of the NHL preseason after sucker-punching Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad during an exhibition game.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety made the announcement Thursday following an afternoon hearing with Domi.
The punch came at the start of the third period of Wednesday’s preseason game. Domi began tugging on Ekblad’s shirt, asking him to fight. With Ekblad showing no interest to drop the gloves, Domi punched him in the face twice, but still Ekblad didn’t respond.
Domi then dropped his right glove and sucker-punched him right on the nose, and the bloodied Ekblad dropped to the ice. Domi was given a minor, major and match penalty on the play.
Ekblad was taken off the ice and underwent the NHL’s concussion protocol, which he passed.
Domi was making his first appearance as a Canadien after coming to Montreal in an offseason trade that sent Alex Galchenyuk to Arizona.
DOPING
RUSSIA: The World Anti-Doping Agency declared Russia’s scandal-ridden drug-fighting operation back in business, a decision designed to bring a close to one of sports’ most notorious doping scandals but one bitterly disputed by hundreds of athletes and described as “treachery” by the lawyer for the man who exposed the corruption.
On a 9-2 vote, the executive committee took the advice of the agency’s compliance review panel and declared RUSADA as having satisfied conditions of reinstatement that were gradually softened over the summer.
BOXING: Manuel Charr’s WBA heavyweight bout against American fighter Fres Oquendo next week has been called off after he failed a doping test.
Charr’s management says the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) found “two suspect substances” in a voluntary test while the German-based Syrian was training. Charr needs to address the charges and can demand his B sample is also tested.
AUTO RACING
NASCAR: NASCAR promoted Steve Phelps to president in the latest leadership change for the slumping motorsports series.
Phelps will replace Brent Dewar on Oct. 1. Dewar is stepping down and transitioning to an advisory role next year.
Phelps will oversee all competition and business operations and report to Chairman and CEO Jim France, who replaced his nephew in August following Brian France’s arrest for driving under the influence. The France family owns both NASCAR and International Speedway Corp., which owns many of the tracks used by NASCAR.
SOCCER
WOMEN’S WORLD CUP: In a concession to women’s soccer, FIFA will start funding business-class flights for some of the Women’s World Cup teams traveling to France for next year’s tournament.
Total prize money will also “significantly increase” from the $15 million shared among 24 teams at the 2015 tournament, FIFA official Emily Shaw said.
TENNIS
PAN PACIFIC OPEN: Unseeded Camila Giorgi rallied from a break point down in the final set to beat two-time defending champion Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 and advance to the quarterfinals in Tokyo.
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