Just days ahead of the Olympic Games the waterways of Rio de Janeiro are as filthy as ever, contaminated with raw human sewage teeming with dangerous viruses and bacteria, according to a 16-month-long study commissioned by The Associated Press. The AP’s survey of the aquatic Olympic and Paralympic venues has revealed consistent and dangerously high levels of viruses from the pollution, a major black eye on Rio’s Olympic project that has set off alarm bells among sailors, rowers and open-water swimmers.

This evening is Game 1 of the NBA Finals, where the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers will once again face off, and each team has a very stylish roster.

"Mechanical doping" made its way into the popular culture last week when a professional bike racer got caught.​

One NFL player after another — from former Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler, 69, who died in July 2015, to 27-year-old Giants safety Tyler Sash, who died two months after Stabler — has been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated trauma. The New York Times reports that well over 100 football players, including several Pro Football Hall of Famers, have CTE so far.

With a dream of becoming the first hijab-wearing Muslim ballerina, 14-year-old Stephanie Kurlow recently launched a fundraising page in the hopes of pulling together more than $7,000 so that she can get her certification to open a performing arts program in her native Sydney because she said, “I don’t want certain people who are discriminatory to hold anyone back from achieving their dreams and being unique.” 

A cheering coach lost her job after allegedly tripping a cheerleader. Video shows the cheerleader backflipping and Teresa Fann sticking a leg out to stop her.

At least one-third of the Power Five conference schools are not punishing athletes as harshly as they were 10 years ago for testing positive for marijuana and other so-called recreational drugs, according to an investigation by The Associated Press.

Clear the streets! Dutch cycling group Mijl Van Mares Werkploeg just broke the 2016 world record for longest bicycle.  At a whopping 117 feet long, the bike stretches half a city block and spans farther than the word’s longest limo, at 100 feet long. Per Guinness World Record’s requirements, it has just two wheels and is actually operable. The bike stretches half a city block. (Photo: Guinness World Records) In the video, Mara Montalbano shows us how it rides.

“In business, you either close a deal or you don’t — and if you don’t, you can’t just say, ‘Well, everybody tried hard, right?’” Jen Welter, a sports psychologist and the first female coach in the NFL, tells Yahoo Parenting.

Could cheerleading be the most progressive sport in terms of gender roles? New research from the University of East Anglia indicates that the traditionally female-centered activity can help participants of both sexes challenge stereotypes about girls in sports. The study, which was published in the journal Sport in Society: Cultures, Commerce, Media, Politics, tracked the growing popularity of cheerleading in the U.K. and focused on the members of four cheerleading teams. “The participants in our study talked about flipping gender norms in cheerleading,” Dr. Amy Pressland, a co-author of the study, tells Yahoo Parenting.

Tom Brady and wife Gisele Bundchen. (Photo: Instagram.com/gisele) A run-of-the-mill post-game radio interview with Tom Brady ended up being a lot more than that, when the Patriots quarterback took a swing at the processed food industry — calling out Coca-Cola and Frosted Flakes, specifically.  Brady’s been known to stick to an extremely healthy diet — avocado “ice cream,” anyone? — but this interview revealed the passion behind his healthy habits.

Though the two are still legally married, Khloe Kardashian left the basketball star after five years together in 2013, reportedly over his struggle with substance abuse and, primarily, his addiction to cocaine.  Odom remains in critical condition, still unconscious, with Kardashian by his side after she rushed to Las Vegas upon hearing the news.  Earlier this week, University of Southern California football coach Steve Sarkisian was fired, allegedly as a result of his own struggle with alcoholism and his violation of the school’s zero-tolerance policy regarding alcohol use. The 41-year-old has three children with his estranged wife.  Also this week, reality TV star Scott Disick, the former boyfriend of Kourtney Kardashian and father of her children, checked into rehab to get help for his addiction problems.

Daniel Fells in January 2015.  “This is a serious situation that has been taken seriously from the beginning,” Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon told NFL.com. “We’re all fighting for Daniel.” But what is MRSA, exactly? “I can’t count how many MRSA infections I see. While MRSA infections have leveled off in the last few years following a rapid increase from the 1960s to mid-2000s, they have the potential to turn deadly — and do.

A spleen can become enlarged for many reasons, including genetic diseases, William Katkov, MD, a gastroenterologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., tells Yahoo Health. Here’s why that’s a problem: A person may feel better and resume their normal activities, but their enlarged spleen is more susceptible to rupturing and may no longer be protected by their ribcage, leaving it incredibly vulnerable to injury. “An enlarged spleen is at an increased risk for rupture or injury in the setting of normal trauma, like a football game, diving into a pool, or minor car accident,” Katkov says. While an enlarged spleen can be asymptomatic, Katkov says a person can feel uncomfortable or have a feeling of fullness in their upper abdomen on the left side.

Novak Djokovic, who beat Roger Federer to claim the U.S. Open title on Sunday, says parenthood has made him a better player. Since then, the tennis champ has credited fatherhood with improving his game.

Gary Parrish, center, died on Thursday of liver cancer. Gary Parrish was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer and metastasis to the liver in June. STORY: Late Dad Makes Stunning Appearance in Photo With Widow, Baby When this year’s baseball season started, 11-year-old Ryan Parrish’s coach, Caison Whatley, who also coached him last season, noticed the boy was unusually distracted. He’s got a whole lot more on his mind than we could ever have,” Whatley told WSFA.

Serena and Venus Williams share a hug after Serena’s victory over her big sister on Tuesday night. (Photo: Corbis Images) After Serena Williams beat her sister Venus on Tuesday night in a competitive three-set U.S. Open quarterfinals match, the two met at the net and embraced. Venus, the older Williams sibling, whispered to her sister: “I’m so happy for you.”

Former NFL player Michael Sam, who had been estranged from his father since coming out as gay in February 2014, tweeted this week that the two have spoken for the first time since then. (Photo: Getty Images) When former NFL player Michael Sam announced to the world that he was gay back in February 2014, he was largely praised for his bravery and honesty by fellow players, various celebrities, the NFL, and ESPN — pretty much everyone, it seemed, except his father, Michael Sam Sr., who was quoted at the time as saying, “I’m old school. I’m a man-and-a-woman type of guy.” STORY: NFL Dad Sends Powerful Message by Confiscating Kids’ ‘Trophies for Nothing’ Shortly after, Sam discussed his estrangement from his dad during a segment of Dancing With the Stars, while he was a contestant.

Your rabid fandom is actually a good thing. (Photo: Stocksy/Yahoo) There’s no question about it — being a sports fan is a good thing when it comes to your health.  “The idea that people get isolated and porky from watching sports is not true,” clinical sports psychologist William Wiener, PhD, tells Yahoo Health. There are many health benefits of being a sports fan.” Need evidence? We rounded up the research surrounding fandom and health to show how your team loyalty might actually help you be happier and healthier: It Prevents Depression While you might feel sad if your team loses a big game, being an active participant all season can actually help prevent depression. “People who root and are attached to their teams are less depressed than those who are uninvolved,” Wiener says.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump says he'll nominate New York Jets owner Woody Johnson to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom.

Johnson raised money for Trump's presidential campaign and donated funds to help pay for inaugural festivities. Johnson is chairman and CEO of The Johnson Co., a ...

METAIRIE, La. (AP) - New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis says the club has signed the second of its two first-round draft choices, offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk.

Loomis says the 6-foot-6, 314-pound Ramczyk, who was drafted 32nd overall out of Wisconsin, has signed a four-year contract. Ramczyk's signing means ...

TOKYO (AP) - New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady got a quick lesson in the ancient sport of sumo during a visit to Japan.

Brady, who visited China and Japan this week on a tour promoting football, stopped in at the Sakaigawa sumo stable in Tokyo on Thursday and stepped ...

BOSTON (AP) - The New England Patriots have signed former New York Jets linebacker David Harris.

The team announced the move Thursday. The Patriots also released receiver DeAndrew White.

Terms of Harris' deal were not disclosed, but a person familiar with it told The Associated Press that it is a ...

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) - The father of former pro-football star Michael Vick has been arrested on charges of being involved in a drug ring.

The Virginian-Pilot reports that federal authorities arrested 55-year-old Michael Dwayne Boddie on Thursday. A federal indictment unsealed Wednesday in Newport News alleges that he and ...

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - Relatives of an inmate who died after hanging himself in a Michigan jail cell have settled a lawsuit that alleged a deputy was watching Monday Night Football on TV instead of monitoring the man.

MLive.com reports (http://bit.ly/2s19fC1) Thursday that the federal wrongful death lawsuit against ...

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - Keith Loneker, the former Kansas offensive lineman who spent three years in the NFL before becoming a modestly successful actor, died Thursday. He was 46.

The school announced Loneker's death in a statement. No cause was given, though son and current Kansas linebacker Keith Loneker Jr. ...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Andy Reid and John Dorsey arrived with the Kansas City Chiefs within weeks of each other, the coach and general manager given the massive undertaking of turning around a 2-14 franchise.

Reid will head into Year 5 by himself.

The Chiefs announced Thursday they had ...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Jurors in the case of an ex-Vanderbilt University football player charged with rape will have to decide if he was bullied into the assault - and if so, whether that's enough to clear him of charges.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys presented their closing arguments Thursday in ...

Life after football hits some NFL players harder than others.

Michael Vick, Steve Smith and Justin Forsett are adjusting to their post-NFL careers in different ways.

Vick, the dynamic four-time Pro Bowl quarterback who was honored with a retirement ceremony by the Atlanta Falcons last week, isn't hanging up the ...

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - It's been five years since ex-Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was convicted of 45 counts of child sexual abuse. His appeal is just one of many issues related to the scandal that are still working their way through the courts.

A look at some ...

MASON, Mich. (AP) - Former Michigan State football player Auston Robertson has been ordered to trial on sexual assault charges.

A 20-year-old woman testified Thursday that Robertson raped her at her off-campus apartment in April. The defensive end from Fort Wayne, Indiana, was kicked off the team after he was ...

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - Frank Kush, the fearsome coach who transformed Arizona State from a backwater football program into a powerhouse, died Thursday. He was 88.

"Coach Kush built ASU into a national football power," ASU President Michael M. Crow said in a statement. "He taught us how to make ...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Kansas athletic director Sheahon Zenger says plans to renovate Memorial Stadium and build an indoor training facility are moving forward and will cost around $300 million.

The Kansas City Star (http://bit.ly/2sUNiZx ) reports that Zenger made the announcement Wednesday night at a meet-and-greet event for ...

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - Raiders quarterback Derek Carr finalized a five-year contract extension Thursday that will keep him with the team through the 2022 season.

Carr tweeted that an agreement had been reached to add five years to his current rookie deal that expires after this season. The contract will ...

One variable in Kirk Cousins' contract negotiations has been the status of other quarterbacks — namely Raider Derek Carr and Lion Matthew Stafford — expected to get hefty, market-setting new deals. 

On Thursday, Carr signed a five-year contract extension worth $125 million according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The deal ...

NEW YORK (AP) - New England Patriots wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell can be sweet when he wants to be.

Mitchell has a three-book deal with Scholastic, the children's publisher told The Associated Press on Thursday. The books include a newly illustrated edition of his self-published "The Magician's Hat," to come ...

HOCKEY

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Edmonton's Connor McDavid won his first Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player at the league's postseason awards show at T-Mobile Arena, the new home of the expansion Vegas Golden Knights.

McDavid also won the Ted Lindsay Award, given to the league's most outstanding ...

NEW YORK (AP) - Pete Flynn, a popular groundskeeper for the New York Mets who spent five decades manicuring baseball diamonds from the Polo Grounds to Citi Field, died on Wednesday. He was 79.

The team said Flynn died after a long illness. No other details were provided.

Easily recognizable ...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - The Jacksonville Jaguars have claimed offensive lineman Demetrius Rhaney off waivers from the Los Angeles Rams.

The Jaguars announced the move Wednesday and said they released rookie offensive lineman Parker Collins to make room on the roster for Rhaney.

The 6-foot-2, 301-pound Rhaney was a seventh-round ...