Friday Sports in Brief

SKIING

Lindsey Vonn has only two races remaining on her aching knees.

The women’s all-time leader in World Cup wins announced Friday that she will retire from ski racing after this month’s world championships in Sweden.

The 34-year-old Vonn had been planning to retire in December but changed her plans because of persistent pain in both of her knees, which she fully realized after failing to finish a race in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, last month.

NBA

METAIRIE, La. (AP) - Anthony Davis says he feels like it’s his time now, that he’s given all he can to the Pelicans and that he is ready to move on.

The All-Star has informed New Orleans he would like to be traded but said Friday that his intention is to play as long as he is a member of the Pelicans organization.

Davis, who has been sidelined with a sprained left index finger, says “obviously it’s a tough situation but my intention is to still play and when I’m able to play I’m going to suit up.”

MIAMI (AP) - Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki are going to the All-Star Game one more time, added Friday to the player pool by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

Wade and Nowitzki will be drafted by team captains LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo in a newly added third round of the Feb. 7 draft for the Feb. 17 game in Charlotte.

CHICAGO (AP) - Carmelo Anthony has been waived by the Chicago Bulls, making the 10-time All-Star forward a free agent.

The Bulls acquired Anthony from Houston on Jan. 21 with the intention of trading him prior to the Feb. 7 deadline or letting him go. He averaged 13.4 points in 10 games with the Rockets and has not played since Nov. 8.

NFL

DALLAS (AP) - The Dallas Cowboys say former NFL quarterback and longtime assistant coach Wade Wilson has died.

The Cowboys said Wilson passed away Friday at his home in Coppell, Texas. The team didn’t specify a cause of death for Wilson, who died on his 60th birthday.

Wilson played for five NFL teams from 1981-98. He played 10 seasons for the Minnesota Vikings, leading them to the 1987 NFC championship game. He also played for the Atlanta Falcons (1992), New Orleans Saints (1993-94), Cowboys (1995-97) and Oakland Raiders (1998). He was Troy Aikman’s backup when the Cowboys won their last Super Bowl title during the 1995 season.

Wilson began his coaching career as the Cowboys quarterback coach from 2000-02, and returned to that role from 2007-17. He coached with the Chicago Bears from 2004-06.

BASEBALL

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Free agent right-hander Jason Hammel and infielder Matt Davidson have agreed to minor league deals with the Texas Rangers.

The 36-year-old Hammel joined the Rangers on Friday, three months after the Kansas City Royals declined a $12 million mutual option and instead paid a $2 million buyout.

Hammel was 4-14 with a 6.02 ERA in 18 starts and 21 relief appearances for the Royals. He was dropped from the rotation in early July after dropped six starts in a row, and set a career high for losses.

Davidson batted .228 with 20 home runs and 62 RBIs for the Chicago White Sox. He hit three homers on opening day at Kansas City.

CHICAGO (AP) - The Chicago Cubs have added bullpen help, agreeing to a $750,000, one-year contract with right-hander Tony Barnette, a deal containing an option, escalator and bonus opportunities that could raise its value to $4.5 million over two seasons.

The 35-year-old Barnette was 11-4 with a 3.50 ERA over three seasons with Texas. He went 2-0 with a 2.39 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 26 1/3 innings over 22 appearances for the Rangers last year.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Washington Nationals have banned backpacks from their ballpark, a step farther than other major league clubs have gone in an era of enhanced security at stadiums.

The Nationals announced the change on Friday. It will take effect starting this season.

All major league ballparks require fans to pass through metal detectors. Most teams have limits on bag size but don’t restrict a particular type of bag. But under Washington’s new policy, even backpacks that are within the size requirements for other bags will not be permitted.

AUTO RACING

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Jeff Gordon’s immense influence on NASCAR was highlighted during a star-packed Hall of Fame induction ceremony befitting a driver who changed the trajectory of an entire sport.

Gordon was the top vote-getter in the 10th class of the Hall of Fame, which included the late drivers Davey Allison and Alan Kulwicki, as well as team owners Roger Penske and Jack Roush. Gordon received 96 percent of the vote, falling just short of the Hall of Fame’s first unanimous selection, in his first year of eligibility.

WNBA

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Sparks have re-signed guard Karlie Samuelson, who played her rookie season for Los Angeles.

She appeared in 20 regular-season games and one playoff game last year.

Samuelson averaged 16.0 points for a Belgian League team during the WNBA offseason.

OLYMPICS

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) - Twelve Russian track and field athletes, including 2012 Olympic high jump champion Ivan Ukhov, have been found guilty of taking part in state-backed doping.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport says Ukhov has been disqualified from the London Olympics, while hammer thrower Tatyana Lysenko and high jumper Svetlana Shkolina also have been disqualified after winning gold at the 2013 world championships.

The court says the 12 cases arose from Richard McLaren’s investigation into allegations of “systemic doping practices in Russian sport.”

SOCCER

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Qatar won its first major soccer title by beating four-time champion Japan 3-1 in the Asian Cup final on Friday, completing an improbable run to glory for the Gulf nation as it prepares to host the 2022 World Cup.

The victory in Abu Dhabi against one of the favorites came only hours after tournament organizers announced they dismissed a challenge by beaten semifinalist the United Arab Emirates against the eligibility of two Qatar players.

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