The Angel Reese-Caitlin Clark rivalry has another chapter closed after the WNBA found that claims of hateful speech toward Reese by Indiana Fever fans were "not substantiated."

The two young phenoms have been tied at the hip since they faced off in the 2023 national championship game, where Reese's LSU Tigers defeated Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes, and in the closing moments, Reese hit Clark with a "you can't see me" taunt.

It was a move that Clark took in good fun, saying Reese should not have been "criticized at all" and pointing at the nature of competitiveness.

But after a flagrant foul by Clark against Reese on Saturday, all the prior talk from each athlete about a lack of a rivalry seemed to falter.

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However, former ESPN host Jemele Hill said fans are looking too deep into Reese and Clark, even if they do actually "hate each other."

"This is ultimately a conversation about cultural competency. Angel Reese’s very existence rubs a lot of people the wrong way. No one knows for sure how she feels about Caitlin Clark, but what we do know from Angel Reese’s own public comments is that she feels a way that she isn’t given more credit for how she also has added to the popularity of women’s basketball in this moment," Hill said in a YouTube video on her channel in a segment called "Spolotics."

Hill also said Black athletes are more often "portrayed negatively by the media" than White athletes.

"If Black athletes are confident, they're considered cocky and arrogant. If they speak their mind, they're considered troublemakers or ungrateful – same tropes, different day," Hill added.

But Hill said the Reese-Clark "rivalry" should be treated like every other sports rivalry.

ANGEL REESE 'OWES' FEVER FANS 'AN APOLOGY' AFTER WNBA FINDS NO EVIDENCE OF HATEFUL REMARKS, SENATOR SAYS

"In sports, we love drama. We love the idea of athletes having to go through something. … We also love fiery competitors and athletes who talk their s--t and back it up. But when it comes to women, or more specifically these two women, we are struggling to see them as just two highly competitive athletes who often are in a position of having to compete for the same things," Hill said. "For some reason, when it comes to Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, we simply refuse to view their competitiveness through that same lens. Maybe they hate each other, maybe they don’t. But I want us to graduate to a point where whether or not they like each other is utterly irrelevant."

"Angel Reese is not the villain in Caitlin Clark’s story, no more than Caitlin Clark is the savior in hers. Every interaction between them is not a think piece. If there are hard fouls, rough language and things get spicy, so be it. If you have no problem when male athletes compete hard against one another or expose their pettiness, do us all a favor and apply that same energy so we can actually enjoy this WNBA season."

Reese once claimed that increased viewership in women's basketball was "because of me, too" and "not just one person." She also recently reposted a TikTok that claimed she was "unsafe" while playing in Indiana, and she once also said Fever and Iowa fans had been racist toward her.

Clark and Reese were teammates in the WNBA All-Star Game last year.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi and the U.S. Department of Justice have turned their eye west in President Donald Trump's battle to counter a wave of trans athletes competing in girls' high school sports. 

The DOJ announced an investigation into California's high school sports league, the CIF, and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, to determine whether the state has violated Title IX by enabling trans athletes to compete in girls' sports since 2014. 

"Title IX exists to protect women and girls in education. It is perverse to allow males to compete against girls, invade their private spaces, and take their trophies," Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet K. Dhillon said in a statement. "This Division will aggressively defend women’s hard-fought rights to equal educational opportunities."

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The office of United States Attorney Bill Essayli, who previously served as a California state lawmaker and fought on the ground to support families opposing trans athletes in girls' sports, is also involved in the investigation. 

"The law is clear: Discrimination on the basis of sex is illegal and immoral," said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. "My office and the rest of the Department of Justice will work tirelessly to protect girls’ sports and stop anyone – public officials included – from violating women’s civil rights." 

The announcement cites a current lawsuit filed by the families of two girls' high school athletes at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, California. The announcement did not identify the plaintiffs by name. 

The lawsuit, which was filed by the families of Taylor Starling and Kaitlyn Slavin, alleged the school's cross-country team dropped Starling from her varsity spot in favor of a trans athlete, and that school administrators compared their "Save Girls Sports" t-shirts to swastikas, Fox News Digital has previously reported. 

TEEN GIRLS OPEN UP ON TRANS ATHLETE SCANDAL THAT TURNED THEIR HIGH SCHOOL INTO A CULTURE WAR BATTLEGROUND 

Starling even testified before the house legislature supporting a pair of bills that would have reversed California's girls' sports eligibility policy on April 1. Both bills failed to pass due to opposition from the Democrat Majority. But now, the lawsuit is being cited in a federal investigation. 

Trump's Department of Justice has already shown itself willing to sue a state for allowing trans athletes to compete in girls' sports. Bondi announced a lawsuit against Maine on April 16 after weeks of warnings and tension, that included multiple federal funding pauses, which have been restored, and a public spat between Trump and Governor Janet Mills. 

Starling's father, Ryan Starling, previously told Fox News Digital that he supported Trump's funding cuts to Maine, and would support similar sanctions against his state for allowing trans athletes in girls' sports.

"Good," Ryan Starling said in response to seeing the situation in Maine, knowing the same could soon play out in his state. "That's the only thing they answer to, is when their funding is cut and when it actually affects their pocketbooks, that's the only thing that will get it to change. 

MAINE GIRL INVOLVED IN TRANS ATHLETE BATTLE REVEALS HOW STATE'S POLICIES HURT HER CHILDHOOD AND SPORTS CAREER

The situation in Maine was prompted heavily by news of a trans athlete who won a girls' pole vault competition after previously competing in the boys' category.

Now, California faces a potential similar outcome in its state track and field championship. 

The upcoming girls' state title meet will feature a trans athlete competing in girls' long jump and triple jump. The athlete, AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School, has dominated the girls' postseason so far, taking first place in both events in the sectional final on May 17. 

Trump's Department of Education previously sent a warning to California and Jurupa Valley High School via an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital on May 15. 

The high school has defended letting Hernandez compete in the girls' category, as to follow current state law. 

"JUSD continues to follow both California law and CIF policy regarding school athletics. Both state law and CIF policy currently require that students be permitted to participate in athletic teams and competitions consistent with their gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil's records. JUSD remains committed to protecting the rights and safety of the students we serve, in accordance with applicable state and federal laws," the district said in a previous statement provided to Fox News Digital.

Trump himself got in on the debate when he sent a Truth Social post on Tuesday morning, warning the state and Governor Gavin Newsom of potential funding cuts, and orders to local authorities to prevent the trans athlete from competing on Saturday. 

Just hours later, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) announced it would make a slight rule change for this weekend's championship. The change allows biologically female athletes who fell just shy of qualifying for the championship behind a trans athlete a chance to compete for the title this weekend.

Newsom's office provided a statement to Fox News Digital supporting the CIF's decision. 

This change will result in at least two competitors qualifying to compete for the state title after falling just shy of the typical qualification threshold on Saturday. 

"CIF's proposed pilot is a reasonable, respectful way to navigate a complex issue without compromising competitive fairness — a model worth pursuing. The Governor is encouraged by this thoughtful approach," the statement read. 

Newsom previously admitted he thought biological males competing in girls' sports was "deeply unfair," during an episode of his podcast in March. 

Jurupa Unified School District (JUSD) where Jurupa Valley High School is based, was included in the DOJ's list of recipients of a letter informing of the incoming investigation, in the department's official announcement on Tuesday. However, the school district claims it has not received any letter of complaint, a spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

The DOJ has confirmed to Fox News Digital that the JUSD is named in the letter.  

Fox News Digital has reached out to the CIF, Bonta's office and Riverside Unified School District for a response. 

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Chicago Sky star Angel Reese set a new WNBA mark on Tuesday, hours after the league said it could not substantiate claims of racist remarks against her during the first game of the season against the Indiana Fever.

Reese had 13 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in the 94-89 loss to the Phoenix Mercury.

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She became the fastest player to reach at least 500 points and 500 rebounds in a career, doing it in 38 games. Houston Comets great Tina Thompson previously held the mark, as she did it in the first 44 games of her career between the 1997 and 1998 seasons.

Reese has 502 points and 502 rebounds.

The milestone came as the WNBA closed its investigation into alleged hateful comments toward Sky players. The Associated Press reported the league was specifically investigating allegations of racial slurs toward Reese.

Reese was not asked about the investigation after the game.

ANGEL REESE 'OWES' FEVER FANS 'AN APOLOGY' AFTER WNBA FINDS NO EVIDENCE OF HATEFUL REMARKS, SENATOR SAYS

"We have investigated the report of racist fan behavior in the vicinity of the court during the May 17, 2025 Chicago Sky at Indiana Fever game," the league said.

"Based on information gathered to date, including from relevant fans, team and arena staff, as well as audio and video review of the game, we have not substantiated it. The WNBA is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for everyone and will continue to be vigilant in enforcing our fan code of conduct."

Sky President and CEO Adam Fox expressed his gratitude to the Fever and the league for the investigation.

"This process demonstrates the league’s strong stance on stopping hate at all WNBA games and events, and we will continue to support those efforts," Fox said.

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Miami Marlins rookie Ronny Simon left the field in tears on Tuesday night after committing three errors in just three innings, leading the way for the San Diego Padres to rally from a six-run deficit and win the game 8-6. 

The second baseman was replaced in the bottom of the fifth after the Padres managed to tie the game 6-6 off of Simon’s mounting mistakes. He made his way to the dugout, tears filling his eyes, before eventually making his way to the clubhouse. 

He did not return for the remainder of the game. 

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"Things just started to snowball a little bit and, you know, compound effect," ​​Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said after the game, via Yahoo Sports. "It was tough. And just thought, for us and him, just in that moment, that making the change there was prudent just with how things had transpired."

The errors began to pile up in the second inning when he dove for Tyler Wade’s grounder. The ball deflected off his glove for an RBI single. When he chased down the ball, which had rolled into foul territory, he put catcher Agustin Ramirez off home plate, allowing another runner to score. 

PIRATES GM SHUTS DOWN PAUL SKENES TRADE RUMORS DESPITE DISAPPOINTING START

Simon followed that with a fielding error and then a throwing error on back-to-back plays in the fourth inning. He had another hiccup in the third when he missed a ground ball, but the official scorer changed that call to a single by Xander Bogaerts.

"It happens, it’s baseball," an empathetic Fernando Tatis Jr. said after the game. "Everybody that has won a Gold Glove or a Platinum Glove has had one of those nights. I definitely know he’s a great player – he’s won MVP from the Winter League over there in the Dominican, and I've seen him play really good baseball and I have no doubt that he’s going to be a great baseball player." 

Tuesday’s comeback victory marked just the second time the Padres ever rallied to win after trailing 6-0. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Alex Palou is on top of the open-wheel racing world as he won Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 for the first time in his career and notched his fifth win in six IndyCar races this season.

Palou appeared to be cemented in his IndyCar seat for the foreseeable future as he made clear that joining Formula 1 wasn’t in the cards.

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"(F1) is not calling me anymore. I still follow it. It’s a huge series. It’s amazing. I’m a big fan, but I don’t think they’re having as much fun as I’m having here," Palou told the Indy Star. 

"I don’t see people celebrating with their wives and their kids as much as we do. I don’t see them hanging in the bus lot or having dinner with their mechanics. I only enjoy driving and having fun and being with my people, so I think (F1) is the total opposite."

Palou dipped his toe in the F1 waters in 2022 when he signed with McLaren’s Testing of Previous Cars program. He was then named a reserve driver for the 2023 season but never raced in an official event. 

CONOR DALY ADMITS TO PERFORMING GROSS ACT WHILE WAITING FOR INDY 500 TO BEGIN

He participated in four races in Formula 2 in 2017 and drove full time in Formula 3 in 2018, finishing in seventh in the drivers’ championship.

Palou joined IndyCar in 2020 with Dale Coyne Racing. He moved to Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021. He’s won the IndyCar championship three times and is in line for a fourth.

After the Indy 500 win, Ganassi called him the "best driver."

"I think he’s one of the greats. It’s that simple," Ganassi said. "Certainly we’ve had some great drivers on our team, and he’s right there, at worst, shoulder-to-shoulder with all the rest of them."

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ESPN basketball analyst Chiney Ogwumike apologized for remarks she made at the start of the WNBA’s investigation into alleged hateful remarks toward Chicago Sky players during a game against the Indiana Fever.

Ogwumike said on "Get Up" two days after the alleged incident that "if you’re truly a basketball fan, you would understand and agree that we have no space for those types of comments."

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While The Associated Press reported that the WNBA was investigating alleged racial slurs toward Angel Reese, the league said Tuesday it was unable to substantiate those claims.

Ogwumike addressed her previous comments about the situation.

"I want to address this with the same energy I did the first time because if you really know me, I always try my absolute best to uplift the WNBA, to celebrate the amazing players, coaches and, of course, the fans," she said. "That is something at the core of everything that I do. But if you know me, you know I’m not afraid to say I can do better.

ANGEL REESE 'OWES' FEVER FANS 'AN APOLOGY' AFTER WNBA FINDS NO EVIDENCE OF HATEFUL REMARKS, SENATOR SAYS

"I’m sorry my message was in the heat of the moment because when I initially spoke on the topic, it really came from a place of care. It was based on firsthand conversations with people very close to the situation who raised real concerns and told me what they had experienced. I felt like it was important and was necessary to acknowledge those allegations and also voice those experiences.

"Now in the process, however, I totally recognize it may have impacted fans in a way that I did not intend. I’m sorry."

Ogwumike added that she was happy the league took the investigation seriously. She said as the league continues to grow, she will "grow with it."

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West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey vowed to keep up the fight to protect women’s and girls’ sports as a transgender athlete competing against girls in the state championship.

Becky Pepper-Jackson, a 13-year-old freshman at Bridgeport Senior High School who has been the subject of a Supreme Court case about their participation in girls’ sports, finished in third place in the discus event and eighth in the shot put competition.

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As Pepper-Jackson took part in the meet, Morrisey urged officials to keep separate scores.

"A boy is currently competing in girls’ sports at the high school state track meet in West Virginia," Morrisey wrote on Facebook. "It’s wrong and unfair. I’m again urging officials to keep separate scores so that the true winners can be awarded once we win in court. 

"We will not stop fighting to protect girls’ sports."

A federal appeals court blocked a West Virginia law that would have kept biological males from competing against girls and women in sports last year. The court said the law cannot lawfully be applied to a middle school-aged trans girl who has been taking puberty-blocking medication and has publicly identified as a girl since the third grade.

West Virginia has since made an appeal to the Supreme Court regarding the appeals court’s ruling.

CALIFORNIA TRACK STAR'S FAMILY REACTS TO TRUMP SHAKING UP GIRLS' CHAMPIONSHIP MEET AMID TRANS ATHLETE DRAMA

In 2023, Supreme Court justices refused to disturb an appeals court order that made it possible for the girl to continue playing on her middle school’s track and cross-country teams.

As the West Virginia high school track and field moved into the postseason, Morrisey called on coaches to let athletes "take a stand" against transgender participating in girls’ sports.

"I believe what is going on right now in West Virginia – with boys playing sports against girls – to be abhorrent and contrary to law," he wrote on Facebook. "While we wait for the Supreme Court to issue their ruling in this case, I’m calling on all coaches involved to let these brave athletes take a stand for what is right without unfair punishment.

"As we all work toward removing the wrongly-decided injunction in upcoming months, I ask for all tournament officials to keep a full set of results so that true winners of each event may be recognized when the Supreme Court rules in our favor."

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The WNBA found in an investigation that alleged "hateful comments" directed toward Angel Reese during her game against the Indiana Fever were "not substantiated."

Reese and her Chicago Sky faced the Fever and Caitlin Clark, and at one point, the two had to be separated after a flagrant foul by Clark against Reese. The association announced the next day that it would launch an investigation into the alleged comments. 

On Tuesday, the investigation closed.

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Following the news that the investigation was over, Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., fired at Reese.

"Angel Reese owes Indiana fans an apology," he posted on X.

It is unclear whether Reese herself notified the WNBA to prompt the investigation. Sky head coach Tyler Marsh found out about the reports "when everyone else did." However, Reese has said in the past that Fever and Iowa fans have been racist toward her. 

Last week, she even reposted a TikTok that said she was "unsafe" while playing against the Fever in Indiana. The video also called out the WNBA for allowing Reese to play in such an environment.

When speaking about the investigation last week, Reese said there was "no place" for such language. Clark herself said she "appreciate[d]" the league for conducting an investigation.

 FEVER COACH SEES SILVER LINING AS CAITLIN CLARK SIDELINED WITH QUAD INJURY

The WNBA announced on Tuesday the investigation had concluded.

"Based on information gathered to date, including from relevant fans, team and arena staff, as well as audio and video review of the game, we have not substantiated [the report]. The WNBA is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for everyone and will continue to be vigilant in enforcing our fan code of conduct," the association said.

Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines released a statement as well.

"We appreciate the swift and thorough process undertaken by the WNBA to investigate these allegations, which were not substantiated," Raines said. "At Gainbridge Fieldhouse, we are committed to providing the best possible basketball experience for players and fans where hate speech has absolutely no place. Indiana is home to the world's greatest fans, and we look forward to an exciting season of Fever basketball."

The Sky said in a statement of their own, "We appreciate the quick action by the league and the Indiana Fever to take this matter seriously and to investigate. This process demonstrates the league's strong stance on stopping hate at all WNBA games and events, and we will continue to support those efforts."

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American tennis star Danielle Collins on Tuesday defended her outburst toward a cameraman during a tournament last week.

Collins’ incident occurred at the Internationaux de Strasbourg against Emma Raducanu. During a changeover, she told the cameraman to keep their distance as she refilled her water bottle. She said the cameraman was acting "wildly inappropriate."

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She spoke at length about it after the victory over Jodie Anna Burrage in the first round of the French Open.

"I think what happened in Strasbourg is just me asking for personal space at my work place. I don’t know why that is even a topic of discussion," she said, via The Tennis Letter. "It should be something that we can get to have during, like, our work. The fact that I’ve had to ask so many different times in my career and during different matches to just have an adequate level of personal space is kind of strange.

"I think often times it seems like my response is treated like the offense itself. I’m learning that as a female, asking for personal space seems to be an issue for a lot of people. I think it’s really pathetic honestly, that it’s even a topic of discussion. It’s something that over time ... there’s been no one that’s been able to make the adjustment."

Collins said that in the video that went viral across social media there was "so much people don’t see." She said fans "don’t see the person go and stand right on top of Emma to get a good shot of me in about a 2-3 foot space."

FRENCH OPEN CONTENDER COCO GAUFF POWERS THROUGH FIRST-ROUND VICTORY DESPITE RACKET MISTAKE

She added that she needed to be able to focus on the match itself without having a camera in her face. 

"I’m doing a performance job. I’m trying to focus on my work. I’m trying to maintain my focus and concentration," Collins said. "My job requires channeling physical, emotional, and then logical things going on. It’s my job to kind of put that all together. The last thing I should be focusing on is someone that’s right on top of my opponent and right in my face. It’s just really unnecessary."

Collins wondered where the line was for those working behind the camera.

"I don’t necessarily think it was creepy," she said. "But I think we should all be able to say, like, ‘Hey. I would like some physical space.’ You go to different tournaments, and you ask nicely most of the time. You ask politely. That doesn’t get reported on. But the time I get upset about at it, that response is treated as the offense itself. And that’s what I find most interesting about it."

The Florida native has never made it past the quarterfinals of the French Open.

She is set to take on Serbia’s Olga Danilovic in the second round.

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Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy was at the Indiana Fever’s first game of the WNBA season earlier this month against the Chicago Sky, which came under scrutiny.

The WNBA launched an investigation into reports of hateful comments made toward the Sky. The Associated Press reported that the league was specifically investigating racial remarks toward Angel Reese.

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Nearly two weeks after the incident took place, the WNBA said Tuesday that the league could not substantiate the claims made against fans in attendance at the game despite the uproar the investigation caused on social media.

Portnoy needled the Fever’s response to the WNBA’s conclusion.

"It’s OK to have a spine Indiana Fever," he wrote. "The ‘investigation’ was bulls---. Both you and WNBA gave (credibility) to a very obvious troll. ESPN ran with it. Caitlin Clark had to defend her fans for no reason. You made something outta nothing. Indiana Fever fans deserve better."

Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines released a statement on the conclusion of the league’s investigation.

ANGEL REESE NOT ASKED ABOUT WNBA FINDING NO EVIDENCE OF ALLEGED HATEFUL COMMENTS TOWARD HER

"We appreciate the swift and thorough process undertaken by the WNBA to investigate these allegations, which were not substantiated," Raines said. "At Gainbridge Fieldhouse, we are committed to providing the best possible basketball experience for players and fans where hate speech has absolutely no place. Indiana is home to the world's greatest fans, and we look forward to an exciting season of Fever basketball."

Portnoy also reacted to the WNBA’s statement.

"No s--- you f---ing morons," he wrote. "Maybe wait next time before creating a racial war based on angry tik toks from Chicago Sky/Angel trolls who weren’t even at the game. Honestly one of the worst mismanagements of Pr I’ve ever seen."

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Pro Football Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw made it clear in a radio interview in Arkansas this week that he is no fan of the idea of Aaron Rodgers joining the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Rodgers teased the possibility of him joining the Steelers during a podcast interview over the Memorial Day weekend. He said he had some personal life issues he wanted to clear up before making a decision on whether to sign with any team. 

Now, it is just down to the Steelers, and it appears to be only a matter of time before pen is put to paper.

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Bradshaw appeared on 103.7 The Buzz and sounded off on Rodgers.

"That’s a joke," Bradshaw said. "That is just to me is a joke. What are you gonna do? Bring him in for one year? Are you kidding me? ... That guy needs to stay in California. Go somewhere and chew on bark and whisper to the gods out there."

Bradshaw said he went up to introduce himself to Rodgers, and "you get into his presence, and you feel like it’s gonna start snowing."

He added that he was a fan of Kenny Pickett when the Steelers selected him in the first round of the 2022 draft. Whether he received a fair shake in Pittsburgh is up for debate, but he only lasted two seasons before he found himself backing up Jalen Hurts on the Philadelphia Eagles last season. He is now on the Cleveland Browns.

BROWNS' SHEDEUR SANDERS CALLS OUT 'ANOTHER LIE' ON SOCIAL MEDIA

"I liked Kenny Pickett. I liked him at Pitt. I know him, I know what he’s like. And when they got him to Pittsburgh, here’s what they didn’t do," Bradshaw said. "They didn’t protect him ... they didn’t get him an offensive line. They wanted to run the football, but they didn’t have an offensive line that could protect, and they didn’t have weapons. He had no wide receivers to speak of.

"And then they throw a kid in there for two years, and you’ve got an offense that doesn’t fit and doesn’t work, and they can’t run because their offensive line’s not even good enough for a run-blocking team. And therefore they say Pickett was a failure. He wasn’t a failure, the Steelers were a failure."

Rodgers was asked over the weekend whether he would consider playing for the Chicago Bears but teased signing with one of their opponents instead.

"No, but I believe there's a team that might play in Chicago this year on a road trip," he said on the "YNK Podcast." "I don't know, not sure. Got to check it out. I love Chicago, though. Way more than they love me. It's been a great relationship. All one-way."

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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed on Tuesday that Russian teams will remain banned from the 2026 Winter Olympics, officially closing the door on NHL star Alex Ovechkin. 

The IOC released a statement following comments from International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) President Luc Tardif. 

"The IOC Executive Board recommendation from March 2023 with regard to teams of athletes with a Russian passport remains in place," the statement read, via Reuters. 

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"It is based on the fact that, by definition, a group of Individual Neutral Athletes cannot be considered a team. We take note that the IIHF has confirmed that it will follow this recommendation."

Speaking on the final day of the IIHF World Championship over the weekend, Tardif was asked about the possibility of Russian athletes competing in the upcoming Winter Games. He said that while a final decision had not been made, the belief was that the IOC would continue to uphold its ban. 

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"Recently they asked us to send them a schedule without Russia, so that’s where we are," Tardif said, via TheHockeyNews.com. "The official statement is pending, but the IOC has told us that they are informing the Russian Olympic Committee that they are not participating in the Olympics."

The ban was put into place following the full military invasion of Ukraine which started in February 2022, four days after the Beijing Winter Games closed. A select few athletes were able to compete in the Paris Olympics as neutral athletes following a vetting process. 

The NHL announced last year that players would be able to compete in the 2026 and 2030 Games for the first time since 2014, but Tuesday’s announcement shut the door to any Russian players hoping to compete – including Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin. 

Earlier this month, four Russian figure skaters were approved for qualification by the International Skating Union to compete as neutral athletes. No Russian skaters were approved to compete in the pairs and ice dance disciplines.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Team Israel Olympic bobsledder Adam Edelman is looking to lead his team back to the Winter Games for the first time since Pyeongchang in 2018. 

If they qualify for Cortina-Milan next year, it would mark his and his teammates' return to the Olympics after failing to qualify for Beijing in 2022. It would also mark their first trip back to the Winter Games since their country was attacked by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. 

"We were blessed to have a team ready to go on October 7 and when October 7 came, when it was perpetrated on Israel, every one of them had to be called to war. So it really changed the dynamic of the team over the last couple years," Edelman told Fox News Digital.

"The goal of the team after October 7 was to exist." 

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Edelman recalled his team adjusting to a new starter in every competition it participated in, for a time. 

All the while, he has had to live below the poverty line in order to maintain his commitment to leading the team for the last 12 years. He even says he had to sell all of his bitcoin, which he says would have been worth millions today if he held onto it. 

"It was all spent on bobsledding," he said. "I'd be a mega-millionaire if I still had it." 

Edelman admits could have made things much easier for himself if he, a Massachusetts native and MIT grad, competed for Team USA instead of Israel. 

In a sport that is so resource-dependent like bobsledding, nicknamed F1 on ice due to its hefty costs to be competitive, Edelman knows he would have had access to more resources for coaching, training, equipment and marketing.

However, for him, that would have defeated the point of competing as an Olympian at all. 

"I don't add anything to the United States. If I were to join the United States, the only value that would have been added is to my own journey, but it makes my journey non-additive to other people's journeys," Edelman said. 

"My value to the world, and why God put me on this Earth, I genuinely feel is to use the skills that he gave me to impact others positively… so I'm solely motivated to represent Israel. I've thought about this a lot." 

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Still, Edelman is a proud American and believes that the U.S. is "the greatest country to ever exist in the history of mankind." 

Additionally, as a Jewish American, Edelman has also taken pride in seeing President Donald Trump crack down on the wave of antisemitism that has erupted in the aftermath of Oct. 7. Edelman said he saw the antisemitism up-close when he went to Columbia during its pro-Palestinian protests in 2024. 

Trump's administration has frozen billions of dollars to Ivy League universities Columbia and Harvard, declaring the schools violated Jewish students' civil rights by enabling antisemitic campus protests amid the Israel-Gaza conflict over the last year and a half. 

HARVARD WON'T COMPLY WITH TRUMP ADMIN'S DEMANDS AMID THREATS OF CUTTING FEDERAL FUNDING

The president has even launched a specialized Justice Department task force fronted by Leo Terrell to tackle the issue. 

"The appropriateness of what the Trump administration has asked for is just enforcing the law. It's just saying ‘hey, these people are protected under the civil rights act' and you’re blatantly not enforcing the civil rights act. If people take over, trespass, assault security guards on your campus, harass Jews on the way to class, set up Jew-free zones, you wouldn't tolerate that for another group," Edelman said. 

The Trump administration also announced earlier in April that it would halt more than $1 billion in funding for Cornell University and approximately $790 million for Northwestern University amid investigations into alleged civil rights violations. 

Roughly $510 million in funds for Brown University could also be on the chopping block, a White House official told The Associated Press April 3, due to allegations of antisemitism at the school. 

"I think the way that the Trump administration has approached many issues since he came to office is exactly the right way," Edelman said. 

"Some policies are good, some policies are bad, and this is an inexplicably good policy. Make sure that American institutions of higher education do not continue this pathway to being so inaccessible to Americans, but also indoctrination centers of anti-American values." 

As Edelman looks to push his team back to the Winter Olympics in Cortina Milan in 2026, he aspires to be a voice for Americans and Jews in a complicated time in history. 

He hopes the rest of the story can appreciate the underdog story that he and his teammates are sledding through.

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During the Chicago Sky's postgame press conference on Tuesday night after a 94-89 loss to the Phoenix Mercury, Sky star Angel Reese was not questioned about the WNBA investigation that could not substantiate claims of hateful comments reportedly toward her. 

A live feed of the postgame press conference posted to the team's X account did not show Reese addressing the league's Tuesday announcement of not substantiating the claims. 

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The WNBA was investigating the alleged "hateful fan comments" that were alleged to have occurred after Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark fouled Reese in the third quarter of the teams' season opener on May 17. The Associated Press reported the remarks were directed toward Reese.

However, after investigating over the last week, the league did not find sufficient evidence to validate the allegations. 

"We have investigated the report of racist fan behavior in the vicinity of the court during the May 17, 2025, Chicago Sky at Indiana Fever game," the league said in a Tuesday statement. "Based on information gathered to date, including from relevant fans, team and arena staff, as well as audio and video review of the game, we have not substantiated it.

"The WNBA is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for everyone and will continue to be vigilant in enforcing our fan code of conduct."

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Reese was asked earlier this month if she was able to provide the WNBA with details about the incident. She did not offer specifics on whether she had done so, saying "that's not a me question." She also did not reveal what type of comments were made or any other specifics about what prompted the investigation.

However, moments earlier, in that same availability with reporters, Reese said she was receiving widespread support from across the league because of the alleged incident.

"Obviously, there's no place in this league for that," Reese said at that time. "I think the WNBA and our team and our organization has done a great job supporting me. ... Going through this whole process, if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone."

Reese has previously accused Clark's fans of racism and even alleged they created AI-generated explicit images of the Sky star and sent them to her family members. 

"I think it's really just the fans, her fans, the Iowa fans, now the Indiana fans, that are really just, they ride for her, and I respect that, respectfully. But sometimes it's very disrespectful. I think there's a lot of racism when it comes to it," Reese said in the first episode of her podcast in early September. 

"Multiple occasions, people have made AI-images of me naked. They have sent it to my family members. My family members are like uncles, sending it to me like, ‘Are you naked on Instagram?’

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The Indiana Pacers are one win away from heading to the NBA Finals.

The Pacers took Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, 130-131, over the New York Knicks to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.

The Knicks trailed by as many as 10 in the second quarter, as the Pacers could not miss throughout the first half. New York was able to come back, though, and lead, 64-63 with just over a minute to go, but Indiana ended the first half on a 6-0 run.

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That run continued into the second half, as the Pacers went up a dozen points less than three minutes into the third quarter. But the Knicks kept within striking distance – after all, they did come back from 20 points down for a third time in these playoffs just two days ago.

But just like they did in the first and second quarters, the Pacers ended the third on a 12-5 run (the first was a 9-4 stretch). And this, too, extended into the fourth. With a 9-5 run to start the final frame, Indiana got out to a 15-point lead, their largest of the night.

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But the Knicks, again, weren't dead - they went on a 10-2 run to cut their deficit to six with just under five minutes to go. But they could not find the magic this time around, and former Knick Obi Toppin hit the dagger with a three-pointer to put Indiana up 10 with just over 45 seconds to go.

Tyrese Haliburton went off for a triple-double, scoring 32 points, handing out 15 assists, and grabbing a dozen rebounds – all without committing a single turnover. Pascal Siakam added 30 points, while Benedict Mathurin had 20 off the bench.

Jalen Brunson (31), Karl-Anthony Towns (24), and OG Anunoby (22) combined for 77 of the Knicks' 121 points. The Knicks also lost the turnover battle, 17-11.

The bad news is the Knicks will now have to win three games in a row in order to keep their season alive. The good news, though, is that quest will begin on their own home court on Thursday night. However, it was two losses at Madison Square Garden to open up this series that have put them in this position in the first place.

Game 5 is in New York on Thursday night.

The Abbotsford Canucks' victory in a decisive Game 5 of the second-round American Hockey League's Calder Cup playoff series against the Colorado Eagles was marred by a chair-throwing incident.

Before the Canucks celebrated a 5-0 win and a spot in the Western Conference Finals, a rowdy fan got into a heated exchange with the team's Brandon Astle during the live broadcast of the matchup.

The Canucks are the Vancouver Canucks' minor league affiliate, while the Eagles serve as the developmental affiliate of the NHL's Colorado Avalanche.

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Abbotsford held a 2-0 lead in the semifinal series when a noticeable noise appeared to briefly distract Astle. The broadcaster revealed that the noise was the result of a fan throwing a chair, which ultimately struck him in the leg.

"Got some yahoo chirping at me from behind. Get out of here! What was he doing? Security! Try that again," Astle said.

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"I’m fired up. He threw my chair at me, hit me right in the back of the leg. Like, what was he doing here? Unreal. Have another beer," the broadcaster added.

After the game, Astle took to his social media platform to offer an apology for his handling of the situation.

"I could have handled this better, but was in shock & fired up as you can tell, as that has never happened to me before…I know that one yahoo does not reflect the Eagles organization or their fans & apparently was found and kicked out," he wrote on X.

The Canucks will meet the Texas Stars in the conference finals. The winner will advance to the Calder Cup Finals. Game 1 of the series begins on May 29.

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The Texas Longhorns have advanced to the College Football Playoff in each of the past two seasons. 

The Longhorns are once again projected to make a run in this upcoming season's playoff, but head coach Steve Sarkisian is doing what he can to temper some of those lofty expectations. Sarkisian also threw cold water on the notion that whatever team is crowned as national champions will finish the season with a perfect 16-0 record. 

"I don't think we'll see an undefeated champion," during SEC Spring Meetings. 

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Sarkisian pointed to the difficulty of maintaining a fully healthy roster throughout the extended college football season. "It's so difficult to stay healthy for so long. This idea that someone is going to go 16-0 in college football? If so, put a statue up."

The 12-team playoff format debuted last season. After a team plays its full 12-game regular-season slate, they could qualify for their conference championship. Under last year's format, conference champions from the Power 4 earned a bye. The 13-0 team would then need to win a quarterfinal, semifinal, and championship game to finish at 16-0.

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Sarkisian then recalled the vast differences in the current sport's landscape and his time on the Southern California coaching staff in 2003. 

"Then we grew into a two-team playoff, and we grew into a four-team playoff, and now we’ve grown into where we’re at today," he continued. "I think at the end of the day, we all just want the best teams to have an opportunity to compete for a championship. The length of the season, last year, we played 16 games and that was just to get to the semifinals. It would have been 17 to win a championship."

Sarkisian also addressed the raised expectations Texas and quarterback Arch Manning will face for the 2025 season. Manning saw action at times last season, but Quinn Ewers' jump to the NFL opened the door for him to become a full-time starter.

"Arch is a great player, but I hope for everybody here that we don’t get too far ahead of ourselves," Sarkisian said. "Let’s let this guy go play this year. Let’s let him have fun in finally getting his opportunity as the starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns. It’s been a lifelong dream for this guy to do this."

The Longhorns suffered a 37-31 loss to Washington in the 2023–24 playoff semifinal. After defeating Clemson in the first round, Texas survived a double-overtime thriller against Arizona State in the quarterfinals. But, the Longhorns could not get past the eventual champions — Ohio State — in the semifinals.

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EXCLUSIVE: The women's activist sportswear brand XX-XY Athletics is suing the state of Colorado over a recent state law that the company claims would interfere with its ability to market its message. 

The lawsuit takes aim at the state for passing a law called HB25-1312 and amending the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, which defines "gender expression" to include "chosen name" and "how an individual chooses to be addressed." The laws state Coloradans have a right to access "public accommodations and advertising" that are free of discrimination on that basis. 

The company's lawsuit claims that the state's new legislation would make it illegal for the brand to carry out certain viral marketing campaign techniques it has used since launching last year.

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"XX-XY Athletics, in their advertising, customer interactions, and elsewhere, to refer to transgender-identifying individuals with their given names or with biologically accurate language. XX-XY Athletics can no longer speak the truth in pursuit of its mission. XX-XY Athletics can no longer call men, men," the lawsuit states. 

"Even worse, the Act coerces the company to speak against its principles and alter the meaning of its core message. If XX-XY Athletics refuses, the company faces cease-and-desist orders, expensive investigations, hearings, and civil and criminal penalties." 

Colorado Attorney General Philip J. Weiser's office has declined to comment on the lawsuit to Fox News Digital. 

XX-XY founder Jennifer Sey provided a statement to Fox News Digital insisting that the law would hinder her company's marketing strategies and the overall movement to oppose trans athletes in girls and women's sports. 

"What is happening in Colorado is a threat to anyone who speaks the truth about biological reality and who stands up for the rights of women and girls. XX-XY Athletics communicates often and broadly on the reality that men and women are different and our mission as a brand is to empower female athletes to also speak up and protect women’s sports," Sey wrote. 

"Laws like this in Colorado force Coloradans to adhere to an ideology that is in violation of actual truth. They want to silence anyone who disagrees. We are filing this lawsuit to fight for our — and every Coloradan's - right to free speech."

COLORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT SUING STATE OVER POLICY THAT ALLOWS TRANS ATHLETES IN GIRLS SPORTS

Sey's brand has regularly used its social media platforms to bring attention to instances of biological males competing in girls and women's sports around the country, while promoting XX-XY merchandise. The company also produces original commercials that feature its brand ambassadors, and some of those include references to trans athletes being "men" or "boys." 

Colorado is already facing a lawsuit from one of its own school districts over the state's laws requiring schools to allow biologically male transgender athletes to compete in girls sports.

School District 49 (D49) in El Paso County, Colorado, filed its lawsuit against the state after passing a localized rule that banned trans athletes from girls sports at its schools earlier in May. That lawsuit cites "increasing tension between Title IX obligations and the state system that requires discrimination against female student-athletes," according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital.

"Knowing that the approved policy would generate opposition and potentially trigger legal challenges, D49 filed a pre-enforcement action in the Colorado District of the federal court system seeking declaratory and injunctive relief," the school district said.

The lawsuit does not come in response to a specific incident of a trans athlete competing in the district. Instead, it's a response to the state's sweeping policies conflicting with the school's obligation to abide by federal law, specifically Title IX.

"Political culture is far out of balance on gender issues. Our lawsuit seeks a rational correction to excessive accommodations," D49 Superinterdent Peter Hilts told Fox News Digital. "Our state athletic association simultaneously advocates equity and discrimination. We asked them to resolve that discrepancy, and they declined, so we were compelled to pursue a legal ruling."

Students in the state can compete in either gender category if they inform their school in writing that their gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth. CHSAA requires schools to do a confidential evaluation, and all forms of documentation are voluntary. There are also no medical or legal requirements stated.

Weiser's office responded to that lawsuit in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. 

"The attorney general is committed to defending Colorado’s anti-discrimination laws. The attorney general’s office has no further comment on this ongoing litigation," the statement said.

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Coco Gauff was slightly ill-prepared for her first-round match at the 2025 French Open on Tuesday, but that didn’t stop the young American tennis star from cruising through to the next round. 

Gauff, who won the U.S. Open in 2023, arrived at Court Philippe-Chatrier on Tuesday without her rackets, which she only realized after she began searching through her bags.

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In disbelief, Gauff showed her empty bag to her team in the stands and appeared to joke with opponent Olivia Gadecki about the mishap. 

"Honestly, as long as I’ve been on tour, my coach has always put the rackets in the bag before the match because he’s very superstitious," Gauff explained of the incident. "I’m blaming it on my coach. It’s OK."

TOP-SEEDED AMERICAN TAYLOR FRITZ EXITS FRENCH OPEN AFTER SHOCKING 1ST-ROUND UPSET

Despite the apparent miscommunication, Gauff didn’t appear to miss a beat during her match. She defeated the Australian tennis pro in straight sets.

"Now that I think about it, it seems like that was the only way I was going to win the match," Gadecki joked after her 6-2, 6-2 loss. 

Gauff advanced to the second round where she’ll face Tereza Valentova on Thursday. The American's best finish at the French Open was the finals in 2022.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Reported details of Mary Lou Retton's DUI arrest earlier this month have surfaced.

Fairmont police in West Virginia reportedly stopped the gold medalist on May 17 following a report about a person in a Porsche driving "all over the roadway." 

According to the criminal complaint, via WNEM, Retton smelled of alcohol and was slurring her words, and she failed a field sobriety test. Officers also reported observing a container of wine in the passenger seat.

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Retton, 57, refused a roadside breath test and a blood test. She was released from custody after paying a $1,500 personal recognizance bond.

Fox News Digital reached out to Retton’s reps for comment.

Retton, 57, was diagnosed with a "rare form of pneumonia" in 2023, with her family raising the alarm that she was "fighting for her life." She was placed in the intensive care unit for a period of time as doctors helped her fight the illness.

"This is serious, and this is life, and I’m so grateful to be here," she said on NBC’s "Today" in 2024. "I am blessed to be here because there was a time when they were about to put me on life support."

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Retton was nicknamed "America’s sweetheart" during her gold medal-winning performance at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles. She was just 16 when she scored perfect 10s in the floor exercise and vault in the final two rotations to become the first American woman to win the Olympic all-around title.

She earned five medals that year – one gold, two silver and two bronze.

After she retired from gymnastics, Retton became a motivational speaker and frequently shared messages about the benefits of proper nutrition and exercise. 

She also served on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports under former President George W. Bush.

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Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

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