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Wednesday's Sports in Brief

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The NCAA Board of Governors adopted an anti-discrimination measure that would affect the way the governing body evaluates bids to host sporting events.

The NCAA said the decision came during the board's quarterly meeting in Indianapolis. In a news release, the NCAA said it requires sites that are hosting events or bidding on them ''to demonstrate how they will provide an environment that is safe, healthy and free of discrimination.''

The NCAA said the decision follows actions of legislatures in several states. While the NCAA didn't specify which states, Mississippi and North Carolina have recently passed laws that critics say can allow discrimination against members of the LGBT community.

The release said the requirement is being integrated into a process that covers everything from access to people with disabilities to practice facilities.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Renowned basketball coach Bob Knight threw his support behind Donald Trump's presidential campaign, less than a week before Indiana voters go to the polls in the state's primary.

The former Indiana Hoosiers coach, who was known for his brash and sometimes controversial manner, appeared with Trump at a rally in Indianapolis, hailing Trump as ''the most prepared man in history to step in as president of the United States.''

''There has never been a presidential candidate prepared to the length that this man is,'' said Knight, who urged attendees to cast votes for Trump. ''You will be helping our government take the first step toward what all of us want our government to be like.''

NBA

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - The Los Angeles Lakers received permission from the Warriors to interview top assistant Luke Walton for their coaching vacancy.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr said before Game 5 of the playoffs against Houston that Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak contacted Warriors GM Bob Myers, who said Walton could interview once the first-round series is done. The Warriors beat the Rockets to advance to the second round in Game 5.

The 36-year-old Walton, who won two championships during his nine seasons playing for the Lakers, guided defending champion Golden State to a record 24-0 start this season while filling in for Kerr when the coach was on a leave of absence following complications from two back surgeries. Overall, Walton was 39-4 while Kerr was out, and he finished eighth in Coach of the Year voting.

Meanwhile, the New York Knicks have interviewed former Cleveland coach David Blatt for their head coaching position, a person with knowledge of the details said.

Knicks President of Basketball Operations Phil Jackson met with Blatt this week, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details of the coaching search are private.

BASEBALL

SEATTLE (AP) - Nintendo of America plans to sell its controlling stake in the Seattle Mariners to a group of minority owners led by John Stanton, who would become the team's chairman and chief executive officer.

Current Chairman Howard Lincoln announced the intended transaction along with his plan to retire from day-to-day oversight of the franchise. Nintendo, which took control of the team from Jeff Smulyan in 1992, is selling all but 10 percent of its stake in the franchise and the regional sports network ROOT Sports.

Lincoln, instrumental in the sale to Nintendo that helped keep the Mariners in Seattle, said the intention always had been to eventually return to a local ownership majority.

WOMEN'S HOCKEY

A former National Women's Hockey League executive filed a lawsuit seeking to recoup more than $200,000 he said he invested to help launch the inaugural season last year.

Mike Moran is demanding his investment back after a dispute with NWHL Commissioner Dani Rylan over what he says was his 40-percent stake in establishing North America's first hockey league to pay female players a salary.

Moran was the NWHL's chief marketing officer and made payments to cover expenses, including securing ice time, hiring a public relations firm and helping the league meet its first payroll in October, according to the 11-page suit filed in Massachusetts U.S. District Court.

Upon stepping down from his role because of what he called a ''soured friendship'' with Rylan, Moran said an agreement was reached in which his investments would be considered a loan. He said attempts to negotiate a repayment plan ended when talks broke off in February after another league executive, George Speirs, was fired.

OLYMPICS

MONTREAL (AP) - Russia was responsible for more doping violations than any other country in 2014, while track and field was the sport with the worst doping record over the year, according to the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Russian athletes topped the country list with a total of 148 violations, followed by Italy with 123 and India with 96, WADA said in a report on doping cases around the world.

Belgium and France completed the top five with 91 violations each.

The findings for Russia come as the country remains banned from international track and field, including the Olympics, after its athletics federation was suspended by the IAAF in November following allegations of state-sponsored and systematic doping made by a WADA panel.

UFC

NEW YORK (AP) - UFC replaced its canceled Conor McGregor fight for another rematch, Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier for the light heavyweight title at UFC 200.

UFC officials announced the replacement main event on Wednesday, several days after Jones beat Ovince Saint Preux by decision in his first fight since he had his title stripped in 2015.

The move solidifies the stance taken by the mixed martial arts giant and its president, Dana White, as McGregor tried to sidestep promotional commitments leading up to the event.

McGregor - a colorful star known for spectacular knockouts, drawing power and trash talk - declined to attend a news conference last week in Las Vegas to promote his rematch with Nate Diaz. McGregor stirred fans with several tweets, first saying he was retired, then explaining his desire to focus on training, then saying he was back on to fight at UFC 200.

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