SOCCER

Video replay a possibility for World Cup in 2018

Video replays could be used at the 2018 World Cup, new FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Tuesday.

The International Football Association Board, which sets soccer’s rules, approved trials of video assistance last month.

Calling the technology “something that everyone was waiting for,” Infantino said it could be used on the sport’s biggest stage almost as soon as those experiments come to an end.

“This test period will start now, will take two years. This will mean that by March 2018 we will see if it works or not,” Infantino said.

“We will know in time and I hope that Russia 2018 will be the first World Cup where the referees will be a helped a little bit by video technology.”

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

UFC: Conor McGregor delivered a punch on social media rather than inside a UFC cage on Tuesday.

One of the UFC’s top draws, McGregor created a stir when he tweeted that retirement was on the horizon and the UFC later tweeted that McGregor had been pulled from UFC 200 on July 9.

The 27-year-old McGregor tweeted, “I have decided to retire young. Thanks for the cheese. Catch ya’s later.”

But is it truly exit octagon cage left for the Irish star?

McGregor was scheduled for a rematch against Nate Diaz in the main event of UFC 200.

UFC President Dana White told ESPN that he pulled McGregor from the card after he decided not to attend pre-fight promotional appearances in Las Vegas.

“Is Conor McGregor retiring? Only he can answer that question,” White told ESPN. “I don’t know. But he will not be a part of UFC 200.”

COLLEGES

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: UConn Coach Geno Auriemma was released Tuesday morning from the hospital, where he was admitted Saturday with an undisclosed ailment.

The school said the 62-year-old Auriemma had boarded a plane Saturday morning, but decided to deplane because he was not feeling well.

TENNIS

BARCELONA OPEN: Marcel Granollers will play Rafael Nadal in the second round after defeating Daniel Munoz de la Nava 6-4, 6-3 on Tuesday.

The 50th-ranked Granollers had 10 aces on his way to victory over his fellow Spaniard.

Second-seeded Kei Nishikori, the defending champion, opens on Wednesday against Thiemo de Bakker of the Netherlands, who defeated Sweden’s Elias Ymer 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-3.

Fifth-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain fell to Russian qualifier Karen Khachanov 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-3 in the second round.

PORSCHE GRAND PRIX: Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova swept past qualifier Luisa Chirico 6-0, 6-0 to reach the second round at Stuttgart, Germany.

The fifth-seeded Kvitova needed only 55 minutes to dismiss the American.

Ana Ivanovic of Serbia rallied to beat German qualifier Carina Witthoeft 7-6 (3), 6-0, and seventh-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain defeated Oceane Dodin of France 6-3, 6-0.

SNOWBOARDING

LAWSUIT: A federal appeals court backed a ban on snowboarders at Alta Ski Area outside Salt Lake City, saying the private business has a right to remain one of the last ski resorts in the nation to ban the activity.

The snowboarders had argued that it was discriminatory to stop them from shredding its slopes at the resort located largely on public land.

– From news service reports