National Sports

MONTREAL — Lawyers for ex-national ski coach Bertrand Charest told Quebec's top court Thursday their client should be released from prison pending an appeal of his conviction on sex crimes involving teenage girls.

VANCOUVER — Kyle Turris's pre-game routine is a little different these days. As a member of the Ottawa Senators, he used to meet up with a close-knit group of neighbours every afternoon to chat and get their dogs some exercise.

Toronto's virtual entry in the NBA 2K League next season will be known as the Raptors Uprising Gaming Club (GC). The first year of the basketball video game circuit will feature 17 teams, each with their roster of gamers.

WINNIPEG — It was a song request Mathieu Perreault had no problem accommodating in the Winnipeg Jets' locker-room. The Drummondville, Que.

TORONTO — MLS champion Toronto FC started work on next season's roster Thursday, declining contract options on eight players.

MINNEAPOLIS — Pink is joining the list of stars performing in Minneapolis during Super Bowl week. The singer will perform Friday, Feb. 2, at Nomadic Live! in the refurbished Minneapolis Armory building.

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. — Fans fell silent and teammates stopped what they were doing as Dillon Dube, wearing a yellow no-contact jersey, slid on his back and crashed into the endboards with a loud bang.

NEW YORK — A lawyer for the former president of Brazil's soccer federation has told a U.S. jury that his client was clueless about a bribery scheme that's scandalized the sport.

WASHINGTON — Leaders from the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball players associations helped unveil a universal declaration of player rights that is designed to establish a new approach to governing sports and protecting athletes.

TORONTO — The Canadian Football League season will be spread over an additional week next year in an effort to promote player safety. The league announced its schedule on Thursday, two months earlier than last year.