Figure skater Boitano comes out
Brian Boitano, the 1988 gold medalist, is among the gay athletes chosen to represent the U.S. in Sochi Olympics.
OLYMPIC figure-skating champion Brian Boitano came out yesterday, two days after he was named to the U.S. delegation for Sochi along with openly gay athletes Billie Jean King and Caitlin Cahow.
The 1988 gold medalist had always kept his personal life private, saying in a statement that "being gay is just one part of who I am." But President Obama's decision to include openly gay athletes in the delegation for the opening and closing ceremonies - and not send high-ranking officials - was widely seen as a message to Russia about its treatment of gays and lesbians.
Boitano and King will attend the opening ceremony. Cahow, a two-time medalist in women's hockey, will attend the closing ceremony.
In other Olympic news:
* The Turkish Athletics Federation cleared 2012 Olympic 1,500-meter champion Asli Cakir Alptekin of doping violations.
* Officials in a Siberian province say wrestling coach Vadim Gorbenko, 73, died of a heart attack after taking part in the Sochi Olympics torch relay.
* Olympic champion rower Nathan Cohen, of New Zealand, retired after being diagnosed with a serious heart ailment.
Sport Stops
* Forward Mia Hamm and defender Joy Fawcett were unanimous selections for the U.S. Soccer Federation's All-Time Women's National Team Best XI as part of the governing body's 100th anniversary celebration. The rest of the team: Michelle Akers, Kristine Lilly, Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, Christie Rampone, Briana Scurry, Brandi Chastain, Carla Overbeck and Julie Foudy.
* Spanish police say a burglar has helped them arrest a soccer coach in southern Spain who they believe sexually abused some boys he trained. Police said the burglar, who hid his identity from the police, called to say that he had found videotapes during a robbery showing the abuse. He said he would leave the evidence under a parked car. After viewing the videos, police tracked down the suspect, a local coach, and arrested him. Police said they have identified four victims who had suffered abuse for up to 6 years.
* A misdemeanor assault charge against Cincinnati boxer and former WBA welterweight champion Adrien Broner was dismissed when his accuser failed to show up in court, Broner's attorney said.
* An air bag worn by skiers to help improve safety was tested on the World Cup circuit for the first time this week in Italy.