Olympics
USOC looks to 2024 bid — The U.S. Olympic Committee is looking for cities interested in bidding for the 2024 Summer Games. The USOC sent letters to the mayors of 35 cities Tuesday to gauge interest in a potential bid to bring the Summer Olympics back to the country for the first time since 1996. Following failed bids by New York and Chicago for the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, the USOC is taking a measured approach before moving ahead with a new campaign and wants to be sure it has a good chance of winning. Los Angeles, Dallas and Tulsa, Okla., are among the cities that have expressed interest in hosting the 2024 Games, while Portland and Seattle were also on the list.
College athletics
Miami said to receive allegations — The University of Miami received its notice of allegations from the NCAA, marking the end of just one step in what’s already been a two-year probe of the athletic department. The allegations arrived on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter and who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the NCAA nor Miami authorized releasing any information publicly. The NCAA did not respond to a request for comment, and a Miami athletics spokesman said he had no knowledge of the letter’s arrival. Next up: The sanctions phase, where Miami’s penalties will be decided.
Boxing
Mayweather announces next fight — Floyd Mayweather Jr. will fight Robert Guerrero on May 4, and he’s changing networks to do it. The biggest star in boxing dropped a surprise Tuesday while announcing his long-rumored next bout: After several years on HBO, Mayweather is moving to Showtime with a lucrative multi-fight deal. Mayweather’s move is a coup for Showtime. The CBS-owned network has always trailed behind HBO in boxing prominence, but Mayweather (43-0, 26 KOs) is the sport’s biggest moneymaker. Mayweather’s Showtime deal could include up to six fights over 30 months. His first bout is against Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KOs), the WBC’s interim welterweight champion. The fight likely will be at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.
Cycling
Hamilton discloses doping payments — Cyclist Tyler Hamilton told a Spanish court Tuesday he paid tens of thousands of dollars a year for doping to the doctor at the heart of the Operation Puerto scandal. Hamilton told Judge Julia Santamaria by video he used blood doping about 15 times and also bought the blood booster EPO, testosterone, growth hormone and insulin from defendant Eufemiano Fuentes. Fuentes is on trial for endangering public health with his sister and fellow doctor, Yolanda; Manolo Saiz, a former ONCE and Liberty Seguros team sports director; and Vicente Belda and Ignacio Labarta, both associated with the former Kelme team. Hamilton said he paid $33,000 to $40,000 for the services in 2002 and 2003.
Football
Hawkins to coach Montreal — Former Boise State and Colorado coach Dan Hawkins has been hired to coach the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. He succeeds Marc Trestman, who was hired as the Chicago Bears’ coach last month. Hawkins has never coached in the CFL. He was 19-39 at Colorado and 53-11 at Boise State and has an overall coaching record of 112-61-1.
Baseball
Posey earns steepest rise in arbitration — San Francisco catcher Buster Posey received the steepest increase among players in salary arbitration this year. According to a study by The Associated Press, the 133 players who filed last month gained an average increase of 119 percent. No cases went to a hearing for the first time since arbitration began in 1974. Posey, the NL batting champion and MVP, led the way with a 13-fold hike to $8 million.
— From wire reports
