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Latvia will not send its skeleton athletes to this seasons world championships in Sochi, the first such announcement by any national team in response to the Russian doping scandal.The world championships for bobsled and skeleton are scheduled to be held on the 2014 Olympic track Feb. 13-26. A number of athletes, including some past Olympic medalists from the U.S. and Britain, have said in recent weeks that they will consider skipping worlds unless officials move the event out of Russia.But no other national team had taken such an official stance, until Sunday.Enough is enough, the Latvian skeleton team said in a statement.If worlds are going to be moved out of Sochi, a decision by the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation would have to come quickly. The IBSF said it will act promptly and decisively after World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLarens latest report detailing the scope of the doping program in Russia was released on Friday.U.S. officials have said they will support any American athlete who chooses not to race in Sochi.Among the concerns some sliders have expressed about going back to Russia is a fear that food and beverage supplies could be tampered with and that athletes could unknowingly ingest a banned substance. If they were subsequently tested and that test came back positive, they would likely be ineligible to compete in the 2018 Olympics.The Russians are scheduled to compete this weekend in a World Cup bobsled and skeleton competition in Lake Placid, New York, as are sliders from most other nations on the circuit.I want to compete in a World Championships thats drug free and safe for all, U.S. womens bobsled pilot Elana Meyers Taylor said on Twitter. Sochi, Russia, is not an option.The British Bobsled and Skeleton Federation is among those taking a wait-and-see approach for now, not making any decisions until the IBSF decides whether worlds should be moved.I hope too that they will want to join the fight, said Lizzy Yarnold, the Olympic womens skeleton gold medalist from Britain.Latvia has seven Winter Olympic medals in its history -- all of them in sliding sports. The Latvian team is led by Martins Dukurs, the seven-time defending World Cup overall champion who has gotten silver medals at the past two Olympics. At the Sochi Games in 2014, Dukurs entered as a gold-medal favorite but was beaten by Russias Aleksandr Tretyakov.McLarens report released on Friday said that Russians who won 15 medals in Sochi had their drug-testing samples tampered with, including two athletes who won four gold medals. McLarens report did not include names.While our international federation is still going to read and digest the report, we will do what we can, the Latvian skeleton team wrote. We will be glad to race in World Championships at any track of the world, but we are not participating in World Championships in Sochi, Russia -- a place where Olympic spirit was stolen in 2014. Cheap Custom Raiders Jerseys . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. Wholesale Raiders Jerseys . Still, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke thought taking him out before the fifth inning was an unusual move. "Im looking up at the board and hes got two hits given up and one run, and Im taking him out after the fourth inning," Roenicke said. http://www.cheapraidersjerseysauthentic.com/ . -- Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Alrdridge were again the go-to duo for the Trail Blazers against the Kings. Authentic Raiders China Jerseys . It might not have mattered. While the Dodgers are preparing for the playoffs, the Padres showed their future has promise behind two rookies. COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Dawn Staley doesnt hesitate when asked about No. 4 South Carolinas strength -- its all that offense.With high-scoring transfers Kaela Davis and Allisha Gray joining a lineup that returns double-digit scorers Aja Wilson and Alaina Coates, the Gamecocks look poised to break records and maybe a few scoreboards this season.From an offensive standpoint, we just have layers and layers and talent, said the ninth-year coach of the three-time defending Southeastern Conference champions. Its just making sure the ball finds the right people in the right moments.Wilson is the reigning SEC player of the year who averaged 16.1 points a game last season while senior returnee Coates averaged 12 points last fall as a third option most times behind Wilson and Tiffany Mitchell, a two-time SEC player of the year and the ninth overall pick in the 2016 WNBA draft.Davis, a lighting quick, smooth-shooting 6-foot-2 guard was third in the Atlantic Coast Conference at 19.1 points a game when she last played for Georgia Tech in 2014-15. That was also Grays previous season when she averaged 15.8 points a game.Davis smiles when looking at the offensive potential. She likens the Gamecocks to a college version of the Golden State Warriors and their four-headed offensive monster of Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.Yeah, this is fun, Davis said. I have such high caliber people around, it makes everyones job a lot easier.Except, maybe, South Carolinas opponent.Staley has wanted to push the pace since arriving at South Carolina before the 2008-09 season, but has rarely had the consistent scoring from all spots on the floor to make the offense as fluid as she liked. The Gamecocks have relied on sticky defense, Mitchells clutch scoring and dominant inside play from the 6-5 Wilson and 6-4 Coates to win the past three SEC regular-season titles and last two SEC tournaments.The formula, though, has not been enough to get the Gamecocks what Sttaley ultimately wants, a national title.ddddddddddddSouth Carolina reached its first Final Four two years ago, falling by a point to Notre Dame. The Gamecocks have also lost high-profile showdowns with four-time national champion Connecticut the past two seasons, unable to keep up with UConns torrid scoring pace.Staley believes she now has those options.Its a team full of talent and we can do a lot more, she said.The Gamecocks head back to No. 3 UConn for another marquee matchup on Feb. 13.Coates likes the blend she has seen from the team since Davis and Gray joined practice -- both sat out last season but worked out with the Gamecocks -- and feels the team has the potential to take the next step. She said Davis and Gray both bring Mitchells scoring punch to the lineup.Instead of having that one person to do so much, we have it coming from all these different people, she said.The seemingly always upbeat Gray spent her time away from games working on her pull-up jumper. The 6-foot junior is also adept at three-point shooting, rebounding and defense. When all four are on the floor and clicking, Gray said the team is close to unstoppable.We are capable of big things, she said.Staley, like most coaches, is tapping the breaks this time of year until she sees how they blend in games. She has been pleased so far at how unselfish and pass-oriented the players have been in practices. That attitude comes from the two-year college partnership of Wilson and Coates, who can both dominate the middle but often give up open looks for a better shot by the other.Were not all selfish players, Gray said. Were not forcers and `Im going to get mine. We go with the flow of the game.For now, Staley likes what shes seen.Theres good team chemistry, she said. But weve got a ways to go.---More AP College Basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org ' ' '