Sports briefs
World champion suspended in case
The winner of one of the most shocking races in memory has been provisionally suspended for failing to make herself available for doping tests.
Salwa Eid Naser, who beat the defending Olympic gold medalist while running the best time in the women’s 400 since 1985 at last year’s world championships, was charged with whereabouts violations by the Athletics Integrity Unit.
Last October at worlds in Qatar, Naser won in 48.14 seconds, snapping Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo’s 25-month winning streak. Naser, who was born in Nigeria and now runs for Bahrain, beat Miller-Uibo by .23 seconds on an evening in which Miller-Uibo shattered her own personal best by more than a half-second.
Naser said she’s been targeting the world record of 47.60 held by Marita Koch of East Germany. It’s one of the longest-standing marks in track. Koch and Jarmila Kratochvílová are the only women to break 48 seconds at 400 meters, and both did it in the 1980s, an era sullied by stories of steroid use among Eastern European athletes.
Athletes are required to provide updates on their whereabouts to make it possible for anti-doping authorities to carry out surprise testing outside of competition. A violation means an athlete either did not fill out forms telling authorities where he or she could be found, or that athletes weren’t where they said they would be when testers arrived.
Former MLB player Crawford arrested
Former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Carl Crawford has been arrested after his former girlfriend accused him of assaulting her.
An arrest affidavit filed by Houston police states that the ballplayer-turned-record producer went to the home of Gabriele Washington on May 8, produced a handgun from which he unloaded the ammunition in her presence, then demanded information on her latest dating relationship.
Washington told investigators Crawford pushed her to the floor, slammed her head against a wall and choked her. Crawford is free on $50,000 bond.
When her year-old daughter walked up, she distracted Crawford, who is her father, and Washington ran to call police. Crawford then fled but followed up with threatening cellphone texts to Washington, according to the affidavit.
The incident happened a week before a 5-year-old boy and a woman drowned in the backyard pool at Crawford’s Houston home.
75 PSU football players to return
Penn State will begin bringing some students back to campus Monday, including 75 football players.
Voluntary workouts for football players who have been medically cleared can begin June 15.
The school said players have been prescribed quarantines in preparation for their return. All players will be tested for COVID-19. Players will be limited to groups of 20 for their workouts.
Memorial to have fans
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine approved a plan for Muirfield Village Golf Club to have at least some fans for the Memorial in July, which would make it the first PGA Tour event with a crowd since the tour was shut down March 13 by the coronavirus.
DeWine said on Twitter that casinos, racinos, amusement parks and water parks will be able to open June 19.
“In addition, we received safety plans for the Memorial Golf Tournament to be held July 13-19,” he wrote. “We are approving that plan.”