Montreal Canadiens defenceman Douglas Murray will have an 1

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Montreal Canadiens defenceman Douglas Murray will have an 11am et phone hearing with the National Hockey League on Thursday after a controversial hit to Michael Kostka of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night. . The Lightning defenceman was skating with the puck into the Canadiens zone in the third period when Murray stepped up and caught Kostka with his elbow. Kostka lay motionless on the ice for a few moments, but was able to skate off under his own power even though a stretcher was taken onto the ice. Kostka was reportedly diagnosed with a concussion on Wednesday. Murray received a match penalty on the play. Tampa Bay beat Montreal 3-1 to clinch a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. . TSN was honoured with several awards, with Rod Smith and James Duthie sharing the win for Best Sports Host for SportsCentre and the NHL: Season On The Brink coverage, respectively. . -- The Chiefs have signed seven players to reserve/future contracts, including running back Joe McKnight, a former fourth-round pick of the New York Jets. . A player confirmed to TSN on the condition of anonymity that he received his ballot yesterday. Another confirms hes been told to expect his shortly. "The unions executive committee insists a strike vote does not mean were pushing away from the table," the player said. "But we want the league to know were serious about our position.Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford has branded the International Olympic Committees decision not to impose a blanket ban on Russia at next months Rio Games as spineless and expressed surprise that more athletes were not speaking out. The IOC says it will be down to individual sports federations to decide whether their Russian members can go to next months Games, but speaking to The Guardian, Rutherford said the governing body had made a mistake in attempting to placate both sides. IOC opts against Russia ban The IOC has opted not to impose a blanket ban on Russian athletes in Rio We know the pros and the cons of a blanket ban, we know the risks of collective justice, but we also know the risk of not punishing a culture of doping that comes from the very top, he said. I would say that the latter is a much greater threat to sport. Weve certainly not been given a clear message of transparency and progress. But no, what we have now is a messy, grey area that doesnt help anyone.This is a spineless attempt to appear as the nice guy to both sides. The head of the US Anti Doping Agency, Travis Tygart, says the IOC have made the wrong decision after allowing Russia to compete at the Olympics The World Anti-Doping Agency has stood by its recommendation to exclude Russia and has also expressed disappointment at the IOCs verdict.WADA is disappointed that the IOC did not heed WADAs executive committee recommendations that were based on the outcomes of the McLaren Investigation and would have ensured a straightforward, strong and harmonised approach, said WADA president Sir Craig Reedie.The McLaren Report exposed, beyond a reasonable doubt, a state-run doping program in Russia that seriously undermines the principles of clean sport. Travis Tygart has led the condemnation of the decision not to ban all Russian athletes from the Olympic Games The US anti-doping head Travis Tygart said the Olympic flame burns a little less bright after the what he called an incredible ruling. . Its a significant blow to the fight for integrity in the Olympic movement and the rights of clean athletes, he said.Its incredible that this decision has come out in the way it has, and I think theyve gone to great lengths to justify doing the wrong thing. Unfortunately the Olympic flame burns a little less bright today.You have to suspend the Russian Olympic Committee - they have the responsibility to ensure the Olympic code is followed in their country, which did not happen.Now is a time for clear leadership, not passing the buck, and unfortunately the buck has been passed to 28 different individual federations. The head of cyclings governing body Brian Cookson backs the IOCs decision not to introduce a blanket ban on Russia The International Tennis Federation has already announced Russias seven team members can go to Rio, subject to further IOC-imposed checks.And Tygart said: How one federation can already have come out in saying that theyve gone through the process highlights the problem. What are the criteria?Paula Radcliffe, who competed at four Olympics, wrote on Twitter: A sad day for clean sport.A decision that shows that the IOCs primary concern is not to protect the clean athletes, not to be able to look them in the eye and promise they did all they could to ensure a level playing field.And Sir Chris Hoy, winner of six cycling gold medals, said: What sort of message does this send out? Surely IOCs job is to make crucial decisions rather than passing the buck. Also See: IOC opts not to ban Russia Tennis clears Russians ' ' '

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