Here are the AP’s top sports stories that have moved or are planned to move today. All times U.S. Eastern. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit AP Newsroom’s Coverage Plan. Sports content can be found at http://newsroom.ap.org/page/APSports.

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UPCOMING

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BBO--UNION-SHAKEUP

DESCRIPTION: The Major League Baseball Players’ Association tries to regroup one day after executive director Tony Clark resigned. The decision was made ahead of an expected start of collective bargaining in April for an agreement to replace the five-year labor contract that expires Dec. 1. By Baseball Writer David Brandt. 800 words, photos.

UPCOMING: By 02/18/2026 5:00 p.m. EST, Text

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FBN--RAVENS-COORDINATORS

DESCRIPTION: OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens coach Jesse Minter introduces the team’s two new coordinators -- Declan Doyle on offense and Anthony Weaver on defense. 600 words, photos.

UPCOMING: By 02/18/2026 5:00 p.m. EST, Text

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GLF--GENESIS INVITATIONAL

DESCRIPTION: Riviera has been around 100 years and delivered champions from Ben Hogan to Tom Watson to Fred Couples. Missing are two of the best, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. And winning at Riv is a priority for the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. By Golf Writer Doug Ferguson. 700 words, photos.

UPCOMING: By 02/18/2026 6:00 p.m. EST, Text, Photo

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SOC--ITALIAN ROUNDUP

DESCRIPTION: AC Milan looks to close the gap on Serie A leader Inter Milan with a home win over Como, which needs to boost its chances of qualifying for the Champions League.

UPCOMING: By 02/18/2026 6:30 p.m. EST, Text

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NEW AND DEVELOPING

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BKN--MAVERICKS-IRVING

Kyrie Irving won’t play this season for the Mavericks as he continues recovery from knee injury

SUMMARY: Kyrie Irving won’t play this season as the star guard for the Dallas Mavericks continues his recovery from a knee injury sustained almost a year ago. The nine-time All-Star and the team made the announcement two days before the Mavericks return from the All-Star break. Dallas is on a nine-game losing streak, its longest in 28 years, and out of playoff contention. Irving tore the ACL in his left knee on March 3. This will be the first time in his 15-year career that he has missed an entire season.

WORDS: 587 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 1:41 p.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:e4a0b5a228d36ab03e15d0a6d7ddc771&mediaType=text

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OLY--MILAN CORTINA-SPONSORS

Sponsors are becoming more visible at the Winter Olympics with product placement and arena shoutouts

SUMMARY: Sponsors are showing up more and more inside Olympic venues at the Milan Cortina Games, even as TV viewers mostly still see the familiar “clean” look. Olympic organizers are continuing a trend of relaxing restrictions on sponsor logos ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. There’s product placement on TV, even if it’s not as intrusive as in most major American sports. In the arenas, announcers call out brands in fan games and on big screens. International Olympic Committee marketing director Anne-Sophie Voumard says “we continue to open up those opportunities for partners.”

WORDS: 893 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 1:36 p.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:6020ba1c947e2cc2c60d3294647316c4&mediaType=text

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FBN--SEAHAWKS SALE

Paul Allen’s estate says it has begun the process of selling the Super Bowl champion Seahawks

SUMMARY: The Seattle Seahawks are going up for sale in accordance with the wishes of late team owner Paul Allen. Allen’s estate announced Wednesday that it has begun the process of selling the team, which is just coming off its second Super Bowl victory in franchise history.

WORDS: 187 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 1:29 p.m. EST. Will be updated.

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:de44677992a36b2bb4d8d354342a8f6b&mediaType=text

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OLY--BIA-WOMEN’S RELAY

Julia Simon leads French women to Olympic gold in biathlon relay

SUMMARY: Julia Simon didn’t need to shoot fast when she entered the range on the last leg of the women’s 4x6-kilometer biathlon relay race at the Milan Cortina Olympics. But she knocked down all five targets down in rapid succession, took a bow and skied the French team to a gold medal — its first in the event in 34 years. Carrying a massive French flag and smiling wide, Simon crossed the line in a combined time of 1 hour, 10 minutes, 22 seconds. Defending Olympic relay champion Sweden overcame some setbacks to take silver, 51.3 seconds behind. Norway lost some ground at the end but held on for bronze, 1:07 back.

WORDS: 663 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 1:14 p.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:9d0ddba800fbebbf65c469be31a3215c&mediaType=text

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OLY--SKI-WOMEN’S SLALOM

US star Mikaela Shiffrin becomes 3-time Olympic champion with emotional slalom win

SUMMARY: Mikaela Shiffrin’s eight-year Olympic medal drought is over. The American skiing standout has put in two dominant runs in gorgeous conditions amid the jagged peaks of the Dolomites to show why she is regarded by many as the greatest Alpine skier of all time. It was the third-largest margin of victory in a women’s Olympic slalom, the event she won as a fresh-faced teenager in Sochi in 2014 to underline her status as a skiing star. She delivered again in her favorite race 12 years later for her third Olympic gold and gain redemption after failing to win a medal in Beijing four years ago.

WORDS: 940 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 12:49 p.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:eee2ed4bf10364e2d922f29273152502&mediaType=text

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OLY--XXC-TEAM-SPRINT

In a golden masterclass, Norway’s Klaebo extends Winter Olympics medal record

SUMMARY: Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo has won a 10th gold medal in cross country skiing at the Milan Cortina Olympics, setting another Winter Games record. The 29‑year‑old, racing with Einar Hedegart, won the men’s team sprint, for his fifth gold at the 2026 Games. Klaebo first broke the Winter Olympics record in Sunday’s 4 x 7.5-kilometer relay. In the women’s competition, Jonna Sundling and Maja Dahlqvist continued Sweden’s winning run.

WORDS: 505 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 11:59 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:f5a2e5150122de904f0de0e03fa45edf&mediaType=text

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OLY--SKE-UKRAINE-HELMET-FUNDRAISER

Skeleton racer disqualified from Olympics returns to Ukraine, plans fundraiser for fallen athletes

WORDS: 867 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 11:50 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:0e8caa07ed23dd5077aacb829c18316f&mediaType=text

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US-WOMEN’S SPORTS MEDIA

At the Olympics and beyond, women’s sports media outlets are writing their own playbooks

WORDS: 1151 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 10:55 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:81d8fad82a877902d206cf548f0c5b37&mediaType=text

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SOC--VINICIUS-PRESTIANNI-RACISM

Benfica’s Prestianni denies racially insulting Real Madrid’s Vinícius in Champions League game

SUMMARY: Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni has denied racially insulting Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior during a Champions League match when he covered his mouth with his jersey. The 20-year-old Argentina forward says “I have never been racist with anyone.” Prestianni faces a potential 10-match ban if found guilty of racial abuse in UEFA’s disciplinary code. The European soccer governing body has appointed a special investigator to gather evidence. The match was halted for nearly 10 minutes on Tuesday after the referee initiated the anti-racism protocol. Benfica fans reacted to Vinícius celebrating his 50th-minute goal by dancing by the corner flag, throwing bottles and other objects toward the Madrid players. Prestianni then confronted Vinícius.

WORDS: 859 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 10:33 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:820ccd5767e1fef81d92dba5a1a4f1dd&mediaType=text

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OLY--FIG-WOMEN’S FREE SKATE PREVIEW

Alysa Liu sits within 2 points of the lead heading into Olympic free skate Thursday night

WORDS: 839 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 10:13 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:328f4469f6ea79776df47c27afac710a&mediaType=text

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AS--PAKISTAN-IMRAN KHAN-CRICKETERS APPEAL

Former cricket captains urge Pakistan to ensure better medical care for Imran Khan in prison

SUMMARY: More than a dozen former international cricket captains have urged Pakistan’s government to ensure better prison treatment and medical care for former cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan. The captains, including India’s Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, cited concerns about his eyesight while in custody. Khan’s party and political allies also once again demanded Wednesday that he should be shifted to hospital from prison. In a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, 14 former captains called for Khan to be treated with “dignity and basic human consideration.” They expressed concern about a reported deterioration in vision in his right eye during detention.

WORDS: 574 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 8:52 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:4282cdddeba6b4f4c0af8116b04838f0&mediaType=text

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OLY--SKI-VONN’S CRASH-BINDING SAFETY

Lindsey Vonn’s skis didn’t come off in her Olympic crash. A different binding system isn’t close

WORDS: 1430 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 7:23 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:b17c7ddda542dd4bf43acfddd5f82f88&mediaType=text

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OLY--CUR-SPORTS BETTING

Quirky curling has turned into a betting magnet at the Milan Cortina Olympics

SUMMARY: Curling, which piques viewers’ curiosity every four years at the Winter Olympics, is expanding its audience even more at the Milan Cortina Games. Bettors are showing significant interest in the quirky sport. Hockey is the top Winter Games sport among gamblers, but curling with its sliding stones and spirited sweeping has surprised oddsmakers. Chris Pearce a senior trader at Caesars Sportsbook says there’s “definitely a stronger curling-hockey split than what was expected.” The curling competitions are being held in Cortina. The men’s and women’s team events are in full swing, and there’s even a dash of controversy with cheating allegations.

WORDS: 807 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 6:03 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:7b1362a4bc5fa2c14753242e07cfe782&mediaType=text

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SOC--CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUNDUP

Champions League playoffs: Bodø/Glimt targets another upset against Inter Milan

SUMMARY: Inter Milan faces a daunting trip to Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League playoffs. The tiny Norwegian team has been the surprise story of this season’s competition after shocking wins over Manchester City and Atletico Madrid to make the playoffs. Located north of the Arctic Circle — farther north than any team in Champions League history — its reward for its impressive run is a showdown with last year’s runner-up Inter, which currently leads the Italian league. Qarabag of Azerbaijan is another unlikely team in the playoffs and it hosts Newcastle. Atletico travels to Club Brugge and Olympiacos hosts Bayer Leverkusen.

WORDS: 151 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 3:01 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:0dae9f07aec2882cf69cec28f90f4eb0&mediaType=text

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BKC--T25-TEXAS TECH-TOPPIN INJURED

Texas Tech star JT Toppin injures lower right leg in loss to Arizona State

SUMMARY: Texas Tech star JT Toppin was doing his usual work in the paint, pouring in buckets and grabbing rebounds against Arizona State in a tough road environment. Then late in the second half, the junior forward went down in a heap, holding his right leg. The 13th-ranked Red Raiders can recover from their 72-67 loss to the Sun Devils, but it’s going to be much harder if the 6-foot-9 Toppin is out for an extended period. Toppin came in averaging 21.9 points per game. Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland said Toppin injured his lower leg with 6:03 remaining, but wasn’t sure about the severity.

WORDS: 448 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 2:50 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:d40f0e5eb82d47429e4e5fde78fcbe98&mediaType=text

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