National Sports

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump urged three suspended UCLA basketball players on Thursday to thank China's president for their freedom after they shoplifted in China.

TORONTO — Derek Drouin was back home in Toronto nursing an Achilles injury when the high jump event played out at the world championships last summer in London.

MONTREAL — The National Hockey League's general managers are set to meet at the site where the league was founded 100 years ago and commissioner Gary Bettman will also be in town as the league celebrates its centennial this weekend.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Major League Baseball will change rules to speed games next year with or without an agreement with the players' association.

Captain Laura Russell leads a green starting 15, featuring nine players making their test debut or first start, when Canada takes on second-ranked England on Friday in the first of a three-match women's rugby series.

TORONTO — Injured Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews will miss a fourth straight game tonight when Toronto hosts the New Jersey Devils.

MONTREAL — Only five days after winning the International Boxing Federation light heavyweight title, Artur Beterbiev was back at work. It seems that the Russian, who has been based in Montreal since 2013, is not big on partying.

ASUNCION, Paraguay — A judge in Paraguay approved the extradition of Nicolas Leoz, the former president of South America's soccer confederation, on Thursday. The 89-year-old Leoz is charged in a corruption scandal being investigated by the U.S.

PARIS — Former French minister for health and sport Roselyne Bachelot was ordered to pay 10,000 euros ($11,800) in damages to Rafael Nadal on Thursday after accusing him of doping.

Canada coach Kingsley Jones remembers making short work of Spain during his days with Gloucester. Then captain of the English club side, Jones enjoyed 42-19 and 47-7 wins over the Spaniards in European Shield play during the 1999-2000 season.