America.gov-Sports: Introduction

Kyrgyz Basketball Team Follows Hoop Dreams to United States

Carlos Aranaga — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:25:35 -0400

In the trip of a lifetime, seven young Kyrgyz basketball players transcend personal tragedy in pursuit of a U.S. basketball tour of their dreams, thanks to a sports exchange program.

Players from 16 Countries Will Compete in World Baseball Classic

Ralph Dannheisser — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 12:32:50 -0400

Star players from 16 countries are ready to represent their native lands in the 2009 renewal of the World Baseball Classic, with China and defending champion Japan set to compete in the first game March 5. Most of the national teams will include players on loan from the U.S. major leagues.

Unable to Compete in Iran, U.S. Badminton Players Disappointed

Carolee Walker — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:55:49 -0400

Eight female athletes representing USA Badminton were on their way to compete in a tournament in Iran when they learned their visas would not be ready in time. Although the players were disappointed, they still hope to host the Iranian team at a tournament in California in July.

Biden Announces Selection of Disability Policy Adviser

Carolee Walker — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:29:55 -0400

The United States is committed to improving conditions for people with disabilities, says Vice President Biden at the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games. Biden also announces the appointment of Kareem Dale as special assistant to the president for disability policy.

Mauritanian Snowshoers Hit the Snow at Special Olympics

Heather Carlin Fabrikant — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 11:59:06 -0400

It’s difficult to imagine training for a snowshoeing competition in the balmy, flat capital city of Nouakchott, Mauritania. But coach Eyde Ould Sidi Mohamed is busy preparing his Mauritanian snowshoeing team for the February 2009 Special Olympics in Boise, Idaho.

Iran Does Not Provide Visas for U.S. Badminton Team

Carolee Walker — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:47:32 -0400

The Iranian consulate in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, did not issue visas to members of the USA Women’s Badminton team in time for them to compete in an international tournament in Tehran, Iran, State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood says.

Special Olympics Athletes Set to Compete in 2009 Winter Games

Carolee Walker — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 16:37:25 -0400

While growing up, athlete Loretta Claiborne remembers, she was told by those around her what she could not do. She says the Special Olympics, which open the 2009 World Winter Games on February 7 in Boise, Idaho, turned her life around.

U.S. Baseball Team Signs First Indian Players

Paul Levitan — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:21:27 -0400

Two budding pitchers from Uttar Pradesh are the first Indian-born athletes signed by a major U.S. sports team. Until a year ago, neither player had even heard of baseball. Now, after winning a televised contest, Rinku Singh, 20, and Dinesh Kumar Patel, 19, have been signed to a U.S. professional contract.

Passion for Baseball Used in Dominican Republic Development Plan

Eric Green — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:53:47 -0400

The Dominican Development Alliance, an agreement between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Major League Baseball, aims to tap into the passion for baseball to help young people in the Dominican Republic “get an education and do well in life,” says a USAID official.

Baseball Plays Key Role in State Department Public Diplomacy

Paul Levitan — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:50:18 -0400

Ken Griffey Jr. joins the ranks of baseball greats in the U.S. public diplomacy effort. “When Ken Griffey travels overseas, one of his greatest objectives will be to talk to young people and to spark their interest in America and in our culture,” Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says.

Baseball’s Cal Ripken Jr. and Dennis Martinez Visit Nicaragua

Paul Levitan — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:21:50 -0400

American Public Diplomacy Envoy Cal Ripken Jr. was joined by his former Baltimore Orioles teammate, Nicaragua’s own Dennis Martinez, on a trip to Managua and Martinez’s hometown of Granada. There, the U.S. baseball stars worked with coaches and players on improving their game.

“Redeem Team” Brings Back U.S. Basketball Glory

Paul Levitan — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:23:52 -0400

In the Beijing Olympics the U.S. men’s basketball team earned its Redeem Team nickname, returning the Olympic gold medal to the United States. The U.S. team’s excellent play has engendered many comparisons of this Redeem Team to the original 1992 Dream Team.

Increase in American Soccer Players Bolsters Professional League

Paul Levitan — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:43:56 -0400

Soccer in America is growing in popularity. Major League Soccer, a North American league with consistent game attendance and a committed fan base, as well as increasing television ratings, is approaching profitability — something its predecessor, the North American Soccer League, was never able to do.

Women’s Professional Soccer Starts in 2009 in United States

Paul Levitan — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:52:17 -0400

With the start of the Women’s Professional Soccer league in early 2009, women across the world again will have an opportunity to realize their professional football dreams. Seven teams will compete in the inaugural 2009 season. The WPS plans to add three more teams in 2010.

Little League Baseball Aims to Blend Fun, Character Development

Ralph Dannheisser — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:50:43 -0400

A group of youngsters from Waipahu, Hawaii, traveled more than 7,500 kilometers to South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, to realize the dream of winning the Little League World Series. More than 2.3 million ballplayers in six age-based divisions participate in more than 7,000 leagues spread across scores of countries.

What’s next for Michael Phelps?

Paul Levitan — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:31:07 -0400

In terms of medals, Michael Phelps became the greatest Olympian of all time this week. He will leave Beijing with a total of 14 career golds -- a record eight of those earned in a single Olympics (seven in world-record time). Although Phelps is done competing here, his Olympic career isn't finished.

Sports Come and Go from the Olympics

Kelly Bronk — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:49:19 -0400

Throughout Olympic history, many unusual sports like tug of war, croquet and jeu de paume have been contested at the games. There are two main criteria for a sport to be eligible for inclusion: It must have an international association or governing body, and the sport must be practiced widely by men and women around the world.

U.S. Olympic Fencers Make it a Triple Feat

Paul Levitan — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:43:13 -0400

In a strong return to Olympic action in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the United States swept the medals in women’s sabre. Mariel Zagunis wins the gold medal for the second straight Olympics, Sada Jacobson the silver, and Becca Ward the bronze.

2008 Games Could Mark “Strike Three” for Baseball in Olympics

Ralph Dannheisser — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:24:57 -0400

The 2008 Summer Games may be the last time baseball is played in the Olympics. Baseball will be eliminated starting in 2012, but supporters are hopeful for its return in 2016. Eight baseball teams will take part in the Beijing Olympic Games August 13-23 at the specially built Wukesong Baseball Field.

Baseball, Once Just an American Game, Extends Reach Worldwide

Ralph Dannheisser — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:33:59 -0400

When major league baseball introduced the “World Series” in 1903, the name was an exercise in hyperbole. The sport was strictly American in nature, and the bulk of players and managers were U.S. natives. But as the game has grown in popularity around the world and international superstars develop, the “World” aspect has become a reality.

Sports Exchanges with Iran Build Bridges

Paul Levitan — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:17:28 -0400

In the run-up to the Olympics, the State Department brings to the United States two Iranian national teams, the table tennis and basketball teams, to practice and compete in the United States as part of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

Americans Passionate, Patriotic About Olympic Games

Eric Green — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:25:53 -0400

Americans will closely follow the 2008 Olympic Games in China from August 8 to 24, Olympic experts tell America.gov. The allure of playing on a world stage and “cultural pride” is attracting top U.S. athletes, such as basketball stars Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, to compete in the Olympics.

Sports Films Make Strong Showing at U.S. Film Festival

David Minckler — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:04:11 -0400

Sports films make a strong showing at Silverdocs, one of America’s most respected documentary film festivals, with two films on the upcoming Olympics in Beijing. Other films look at a baseball team in Israel, women’s football (soccer) in the United States and Iran, and a football competition for homeless men.

Watching Soccer: a Popular U.S. Pastime

Paul Levitan — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:23:32 -0400

Summers Restaurant in Arlington, Virginia, is a football institution. It was voted the best soccer bar in the United States in 2002 by the U.S. Soccer Federation. Manager Joe Javidara has been showing soccer matches there since the bar’s inception in 1984.

A Conversation with a Top Paralympics Track Athlete

Paul Levitan — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:41:17 -0400

April Holmes, who lost part of a leg in a train accident, is an extremely busy athlete, speaker and director of the April Holmes Foundation (developed to promote more opportunities for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities). She was able to provide us with a snapshot of what it is like being a Paralympian.

Trailblazing African Americans Enriched the Sport of Tennis

Paul Levitan — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:14:46 -0400

Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson were trailblazing African-American athletes. Their skill and determination opened up new areas for athletic achievement by African Americans. Their breakthrough achievements in tennis and their lives beyond the court are an example to future generations.

Stanley Cup Is a Hockey Tradition

Paul Levitan — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:15:50 -0400

Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom was the first European captain to lead an NHL team to victory in the Stanley Cup finals. The victorious captain will take the Stanley Cup back to Sweden as part of a traditional day with the cup accorded to each player from the winning team.

Children's Sport Gains Popularity as Adult Game and Social Event

Michelle Austein — Fri, 30 May 2008 16:36:07 -0400

A decade ago, some friends in their 20s decided it would be fun to play one of their favorite childhood games -- kickball. The group found a few others interested in playing kickball as well, and the World Adult Kickball Association was born. Today, the organization has more than 49,000 members.

Asian Americans First Won Olympic Gold 60 Years Ago

Melody Merin — Fri, 30 May 2008 12:12:23 -0400

In 1948 in London, Sammy Lee and Victoria Manalo-Draves became the first Asian-American athletes to win gold medals at the Summer Olympics. Overcoming discrimination to train and compete, the two paved the way for the many Asian-American Olympic athletes who would follow.

“Trinity” of Sports Demonstrates American Beliefs

Craig A. Forney — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:50:28 -0400

The favorite American games of football, baseball and basketball illustrate a striving to reconcile individual freedom and competition with sacrifice and cooperation in pursuit of the common good, argues Craig A. Forney, a professor of religious studies.

Baseball Museum Honors Negro League Players

Kathryn Mcconnell — Mon, 12 May 2008 15:52:49 -0400

In 1996, the U.S. Congress designated a small museum in Kansas City, Missouri, as America’s National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, lifting its status to a national destination for anyone seeking to know more about the ways that racial segregation affected what is known as "America's pastime."

Basketball’s March Madness Thrills Fans, Boosts School Morale

Jaroslaw Anders — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:46:03 -0400

It descends on America every March, together with spring showers and the first blossoms on trees. It is a collective giddiness, excitement, even frenzy that involves gathering in groups, making wagers and telling tall tales about the amazing Final Four. It is March Madness, more soberly known as the collegiate basketball championship.

2007 Special Olympics World Games Touches Down in Shanghai

Carolee Walker — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 12:47:40 -0400

When 7,500 athletes from 160 countries descended on China's Shanghai Stadium to compete in the Special Olympics Summer Games October 2, few participants had more on their mind than winning.

Special Olympics Opens New Frontiers to Intellectually Disabled

Lauren Monsen — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 12:45:15 -0400

Since its first international competition in Chicago in 1968, Special Olympics has grown into a global movement that has opened many doors for the intellectually disabled and made it increasingly possible for them to be contributing members of society.

Business Throws Its Weight Behind Special Olympics Summer Games

Elizabeth Kelleher — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 12:30:43 -0400

Millions of dollars from corporations are supporting this week's Special Olympics summer world games in Shanghai, China. In making alliances with nonprofit groups, “the corporation gets a big halo,” says Stephen M. Adler, author of a book about the intersection of philanthropy and business goals.

Baseball Icon Cal Ripken Using Sports to Bridge Cultures

Eric Green — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 12:01:10 -0400

Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. is a new U.S. State Department public diplomacy sports envoy. His first assignment is visiting China October 28-November 6, 2007, to train Chinese youngsters in baseball.

Extreme Sports Offer Salvadoran Youth Refuge from Violence

David Shelby — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:17:07 -0400

Soyapango, where rival gangs have carved the suburb into home turfs ruled by violent crime, is one of the most densely populated and most dangerous communities in El Salvador. But with the help of a U.S. grant, Fundacion Salvador del Mundo works to draw young people away from violence and into sports.

Foreign Players Help San Antonio Win Basketball Championship

Tim Receveur — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 11:11:31 -0400

The popularity of the National Basketball Association (NBA) has been growing around the world as ever-increasing numbers of international players join NBA rosters and the games are broadcast to more places and in more languages. International basketball players now represent roughly 20 percent of all NBA players.

U.S. Skater Calls Lessons of Being a Champion Athlete Universal

Carolee Walker — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:58:32 -0400

U.S. Public Diplomacy Envoy Michelle Kwan came to Beijing to share her experiences as a champion figure skater with Chinese students in the hope of making a difference in their lives. She told them what she learned on the ice is universal: hard work, discipline and dedication.

U.S. Olympic Skater Kwan Urges Students to Follow Their Dreams

Carolee Walker — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 18:54:42 -0400

The first thing Olympic athlete Michelle Kwan learned about ice skating was how to fall, she says. “In skating you fall a lot,” she told a group of students in Beijing January 18. Yet, like any difficult pursuit, Kwan said smiling, you need to pick yourself up and keep practicing to be better.

Amateur Wrestling Enjoys Long and Rich Tradition in United States

Howard Cincotta — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 12:20:42 -0400

Mention “wrestling” and most Americans think first of the highly publicized spectacles featuring such characters as Hulk Hogan and The Rock. Even its most devoted fans, however, recognize that "professional" wrestling today is purely escapist entertainment that has nothing to do with the real sport that flourishes across the country among youths.

People with Intellectual Disabilities Benefit from Sports, Competition

Carolee Walker — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 12:40:20 -0400

Sports training and competition improve the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and, in turn, the lives of everyone they touch, says Bob Gobrecht, managing director for Special Olympics North America.

U.S. Olympic Skater Named American Public Diplomacy Envoy

Carolee Walker — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 19:00:44 -0400

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice names champion figure skater Michelle Kwan the first American public diplomacy envoy. Kwan, 26, is the most competitively successful figure skater in U.S. history, winning five world championships, nine national championships and two Olympic medals.

U.S. Sports Star Returns to Congo To Open Hospital

Judy Aita — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 11:21:29 -0400

American basketball star Dikembe Mutombo is returning to his hometown of Kinshasa in September to open the Democratic Republic of Congo's first new hospital in more than 40 years, a hospital he helped build.

International Students Find Friendship Through Sports, Arts

Cecilia Martin — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 12:19:16 -0400

Sports and arts are a means of fostering international goodwill at the World Scholar-Athlete Games in Kingston, Rhode Island, where nearly 2,000 secondary school students from around the globe have gathered for a week of friendly competition and collaboration from June 24 to July 2.

Basketball Star Dikembe Mutombo Joins Fight Against HIV/AIDS

Kathryn McConnell — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 11:19:05 -0400

Professional basketball star Dikembe Mutombo first became aware of HIV/AIDS when he was a high school student in his native Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Not much was known about the disease then. Mutombo, who plays with the Houston Rockets, came to the United States to study medicine, with the goal of returning home to help correct health problems.

Latin Little Leaguers Participate in Baseball Exchange Program

Scott Miller — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 11:56:26 -0400

An exchange program organized by the U.S. Department of State in cooperation with Major League Baseball (MLB) is providing Little League baseball players and coaches from Venezuela and Nicaragua an opportunity to attend the inaugural World Baseball Classic, learn new training techniques and experience a shared love of baseball.