National Sports

VICTORIA — There is less than a year to go before Vancouver is on the global stage hosting seven FIFA World Cup soccer games, and leaders are promoting the economic benefits of spending hundreds of millions of dollars on the international showcase.

TORONTO — After a 25-day hiatus, Toronto FC returns to action Wednesday looking for a change of fortune when it hosts the New York Red Bulls. Toronto's break was longer than most, with a June 13 game at Los Angeles FC pushed back to Oct.

TORONTO — Armed with an invite from Canadian squash legend Jonathon Power, Peru's Diego Elias was just 14 when he made his first appearance at Toronto's National Squash Academy.

LONDON — Carson Branstine upset top seed Lois Boisson on Tuesday as several Canadians moved to the second round of the Wimbledon women's qualifying tournament. Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont.

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays released reliever Erik Swanson after the right-hander cleared waivers, the team said Tuesday. Swanson was designated for assignment last week after posting a 15.19 earned-run average over six appearances this season.

SANTA PONSA — Montreal will be well-represented in the quarterfinals of the Mallorca Championship after Gabriel Diallo and Félix Auger-Aliassime won their second-round matches Tuesday.

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps were the team to watch through the first half of the Major League Soccer season, earning gutsy, offensively dominant victories against some of the continent's top teams.

Invited to watch his first hockey practice at an ice rink in Beijing, Haoxi Wang was no different than any impressionable, wide-eyed four-year-old being fascinated by the equipment the players wore.

Like many Canadians, Michael Bartlett watched Game 7 of the NBA Finals with bated breath. But as Canada Basketball’s president and CEO, he had a unique rooting interest, with players on both teams.

CONCACAF has cleared Canada coach Jesse Marsch of any wrongdoing but fined Canada Soccer for incidents at Canada's opening Gold Cup game last week in Vancouver.