The University of Minnesota football team on Saturday morning rescinded its boycott of the Dec. 27 Holiday Bowl against Washington State in San Diego. The players threatened the protest in support of 10 teammates who were suspended because of a sexual assault investigation. The leaders of the boycott contended that the 10 players were being punished without the benefit of due process. The reversal followed a lengthy Friday night meeting of senior team leaders with university president Eric Kaler and athletic director Mark Coyle. The suspensions for the 10 players remain in effect. ‘‘As a team we understand that what has occurred these last few days and playing football for the University of Minnesota is larger than just us,’’ receiver Drew Wolitarsky said at the players’ news conference. No arrests or charges were made in the case. University investigators wrote they generally found the woman’s account more credible than those of the accused students, which led to the suspensions. Hours after the boycott was rescinded, about 200 people gathered outside the school’s TCF Bank Stadium to show support for the victim of the alleged assault . . . The men’s soccer team at Washington University in St. Louis was indefinitely suspended for what the university called sexually explicit comments and other inappropriate behavior toward the women’s soccer team. The suspension was announced Friday night. Four men’s teams in the Ivy League were involved in suspensions for similar behavior since November: Harvard University’s soccer and cross-country teams, some members of Columbia University’s wrestling team, and Princeton University’s men’s swimming and diving team.
NFL
Kuechly cleared to play
Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly was cleared from the NFL’s concussion protocol by independent doctors to play Monday night against the Washington Redskins, according to team spokesman Steven Drummond. But it’s not clear if Kuechly will play. That decision will be up to to coach Ron Rivera. The Panthers could be eliminated from playoff contention before they ever take the field and Rivera could err on the said of caution and hold Kuechly out for the final three games. Kuechly has missed six games in the last two seasons due to concussions. Cam Newton is “good to go’’ Monday night against the Washington Redskins, according to Rivera, although he’s listed as questionable on the injury report with a right shoulder injury . . . The Minnesota Vikings reinstated running back Adrian Peterson from injured reserve, clearing the way for him to return on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. Peterson will play for the first time since he tore the meniscus in his right knee against Green Bay in Week 2 . . . The Chiefs placed veteran linebacker Derrick Johnson on IR after he ruptured his Achilles’ tendon last week.
Baseball
Abreu agrees to deal
First baseman Jose Abreu and the Chicago White Sox agreed on a one-year contract for $10.8 million. The deal avoids salary arbitration. Abreu hit 25 home runs with 100 RBIs last season while batting .293. He has had at least 30 doubles, 25 homers, and 100 RBIs in each of his first three seasons in the majors, all with the White Sox.
Winter sports
US women dominate luge
Erin Hamlin and Emily Sweeney gave the US team a sweep of the top two spots in a World Cup women’s luge race in Park City, Utah. Hamlin won gold in 1 minute, 29.257 seconds, her third career win in a World Cup race. Sweeney tied her career-best World Cup finish by taking second in 1:29.384 . . . Max Franz stunned the field to win a World Cup downhill in Val Gardena, Itlay, ending Austria’s 13-race drought in skiing’s signature event with his first career victory. Franz finished a slim 0.04 seconds ahead of Norwegian standout Aksel Lund Svindal. . . Slovenian Ilka Stuhec won her fourth women’s World Cup downhill race this season in Val D’Isere, France. She finished .28 seconds ahead of Austrian Cornelia Huetter.
Miscellany
Chrome cruises to win
California Chrome won the $180,000 Winter Challenge by 12 lengths in track-record time at Los Alamitos in his final start in California. Ridden by Victor Espinoza, California Chrome ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.03, breaking the old mark of 1:40.82 set by Uncle Lino on April 30 in the California Chrome Stakes. The victory, worth $50,000, increased California Chrome’s career earnings to $14,502,652, with 16 wins in 26 starts . . . Alexander Povetkin failed a doping test and sanctioning for the Russian heavyweight’s title bout against Bermane Stiverne was withdrawn, said World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman. Povetkin was due to take on Stiverne for the WBC interim world title Saturday in Russia but the fight was called off.
