Russia steps up legal fight against isolation in sports

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Russia has stepped up its legal fight against isolation in sports because of the war in Ukraine. The Russian Olympic Committee made an urgent appeal Friday to overturn a ban on its athletes competing at a winter sports festival. The Court of Arbitration for Sport says it’s setting a timetable for the case ahead of the Winter European Youth Olympic Festival being held from March 20-25. The ROC appeal challenges a March 2 decision by the executive committee of the European Olympic Committees. It excluded Russian and Belarusian athletes after the invasion of Ukraine. Russian officials had promised to challenge athlete bans imposed by most Olympic sports bodies this month.