The head of Major League Baseball’s players union plans to step down from his position while federal investigators examine the organization’s business dealings, according to sources close to the situation.
Tony Clark will leave his role as executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, a person with knowledge of the union’s internal discussions told the Associated Press. The individual requested anonymity since Clark’s departure, which ESPN first reported, hasn’t been officially announced. His exit comes as federal prosecutors in Brooklyn investigate OneTeam Partners, a licensing business created jointly by baseball and football player unions.
In golf news, Tiger Woods continues to focus on boardroom responsibilities rather than tournament play, though he hasn’t completely dismissed the possibility of competing in the Masters this spring. Woods spent 2024 without playing in any professional tournaments for the first time in his career and underwent spinal disk replacement surgery last October. He’s currently serving as chairman of a PGA Tour committee working to restructure the competitive schedule. His potential role as future Ryder Cup captain also remains undecided.
At the Winter Olympics in Milan, Japan dominated the women’s figure skating short program as American competitors faced difficulties. Ami Nakai led the field with a personal-best score of 78.71 points after executing a triple axel, while teammate Kaori Sakamoto placed second with 77.23 points. American skater Alysa Liu managed third place, but her teammates struggled significantly – Isabeau Levito finished eighth and U.S. national champion Amber Glenn dropped to 13th place.
Champions League soccer action was marred by allegations of racial abuse during Real Madrid’s victory over Benfica. Brazilian star Vinicius Junior claimed an opponent used racial slurs against him after he scored the winning goal in Madrid’s 1-0 triumph. The match was stopped for several minutes when Vinicius accused Benfica’s Argentine player Gianluca Prestianni of calling him a “monkey.” French referee François Letexier halted play in the 52nd minute to address the situation. In other Champions League action, Paris Saint-Germain rallied for a 3-2 victory over Monaco, with substitute Desire Doue sparking the comeback.
The basketball world mourns the loss of Doug Moe, the unconventional coach who led Denver’s high-scoring teams in the 1980s. Moe passed away at age 87 following a lengthy battle with cancer, according to his son David and confirmed by longtime Denver sports broadcaster Ron Zappolo. The former North Carolina All-American player turned coach was known for his fast-paced offensive system and colorful personality. He earned NBA Coach of the Year honors in 1988 and also coached San Antonio and Philadelphia during his career.
The Detroit Pistons have emerged as the NBA’s surprise leaders heading into post-All-Star break play, sporting a remarkable 40-13 record. The franchise has transformed from years of poor performance to hold a slim lead over Oklahoma City Thunder. Detroit’s success stems from avoiding extended losing streaks and consistently defeating top-tier opponents. Star player Cade Cunningham credits the team’s sustained focus and continuous improvement for their dramatic turnaround.
Olympic hockey has found an unexpected connection to popular culture through “Heated Rivalry,” a television series featuring a romantic relationship between two male players from competing teams. The show, which follows Canadian Shane Hollander and Russian Ilya Rozanov’s secret romance, has drawn new fans to the sport. The series’ stars, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, even participated in Olympic torch ceremonies, and both athletes and spectators from North America have embraced the show’s influence on the Games.
In other Olympic results, Germany claimed all three medals in two-man bobsled competition, while Italy’s speedskating team defeated American world record holders in men’s team pursuit to capture gold. The Italian trio of Davide Ghiotto, Andrea Giovannini and Michele Malfatti outpaced Casey Dawson, Emery Lehman and Ethan Cepuran from the United States.
