Sports
State Department demands Iran halt execution of 19-year-old wrestling star
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Iran is seeking to execute a decorated Iranian wrestler for merely peacefully protesting against the regime in early January, prompting the U.S. State Department on Wednesday to demand that Tehran overturn the death penalty for 19-year-old Saleh Mohammadi.
Wrestling is a national pastime in Iran and a sport liked by President Donald Trump, who sought to save the life of champion Iranian Greco-Roman wrestler Navid Afkari in 2020. The clerical regime in Iran executed Afkari for his 2018 role in a demonstration against the economic and political corruption of the theocratic state.
According to the official X account for the State Department in Farsi, a post on Wednesday read: “The United States is deeply concerned by reports that 19-year-old wrestling champion Saleh Mohammadi is facing imminent execution. The regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran is massacring young people and destroying Iran’s future. We call on the Iranian regime to halt the execution of Saleh Mohammadi and all those sentenced to death for exercising their fundamental rights. #SalehMohammadi #StopExecutionsInIran #HumanRights #IranProtest.”
The Iranian American, Sardar Pashaei, who won a Greco-Roman wrestling world championship title for Iran and coached the country’s elite Greco-Roman team, told Fox News Digital, “In less than 10 days, the Iranian regime shot dead more than 30 athletes across the country. The youngest was just 15 years old. The victims included youth athletes, national champions, coaches and international referees. Every one of them was killed by gunfire.”
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He added that his organization, Hiwa, “has documented only confirmed cases. Many more athletes remain missing, imprisoned, or at risk of torture and execution, while families across Iran continue searching for loved ones with no answers or justice.” He praised the State Department’s actions in publicly calling for Saleh Mohammadi’s release.
Wrestling champion Saleh Mohammadi faces imminent execution in Iran for protest participation as international pressure mounts to save the athlete. (The Foreign Desk)
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Pashaei continued, “A regime that jails, tortures and murders its own athletes has no place in the international sporting community. Sport must never be used to whitewash blood. Hiwa is preparing an official letter demanding that the International Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling suspend and ban Iran from all international competitions.”
Security forces for the Islamic Republic seized Olympic wrestler Alireza Nejati, who has won medals in world championships, after he posted a social media message to his more than 78,000 Instagram followers. The regime imprisoned Nejati and reportedly tortured him.
“I wish everyone a beautiful weekend full of success and good vibes,” the 27-year-old Greco-Roman wrestling champion wrote on Jan. 7. He concluded his message with, “This is the end.”
Fox News Digital sent email press queries and conducted telephone calls to the UWW.
An IOC spokesperson told Fox News Digital that, “Sadly, today’s world is divided and full of conflicts and tragedies. The IOC cares deeply about the situation of athletes all around the globe and is concerned every time it learns of individual cases of mistreatment. At this moment in time, we are particularly concerned about the situation of Iranian athletes impacted by the events unfolding in their country – as we are with all athletes who face conflict and tragedies elsewhere in the world. Unfortunately, these situations are more regularly brought to our attention due to the increasingly divided world in which we live.”
The spokesperson continued, “The IOC is a sports organization whose remit and success is based on bringing the world together in peaceful competition. We have to be realistic about the IOC’s ability to directly influence global and national affairs. At the same time, we will continue to work with our Olympic stakeholders to help where we can, often through quiet sport diplomacy. The IOC remains in touch with the Olympic community from Iran.”
IRAN TO EXECUTE 2ND WRESTLER, SPARKING OUTRAGE FROM US STATE DEPARTMENT
Iranians in Canada on Mel Lastman Square demonstrate against the execution of wrestler Navid Afkari by the Iranian regime, in Toronto, Ontario, 15 Sept. 2020. The death sentence caused international uproar, yet the regime persisted. (Photo by Sayed Najafizada/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Foreign Desk editor-in-chief, Lisa Daftari, who is a leading expert on Iran, told Fox News Digital, “Saleh Mohammadi is a 19‑year‑old athlete whose only ‘crime’ was to stand with his people, yet he now faces an imminent death sentence designed to make an example out of him and terrify an entire nation. His imminent execution would not be justice, it would be a warning shot at every young Iranian who dares dream of freedom — and the world’s response will show protesters whether they are truly alone or not.”
She added, “By threatening to kill its youth — its athletes, artists, musicians and brightest minds — the regime is making clear that it does not see the Iranian people as its future, but as a threat to be silenced.”
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Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. State Department for a comment.
Sports
Caitlin Clark reveals she vomited during halftime of Fever’s win, powered through illness
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If you watched Caitlin Clark on Thursday night and thought she looked a little different in the second half of the Indiana Fever’s win, you’d be correct.
Clark told reporters after the Fever’s 83-71 victory over the Atlanta Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse that she vomited during halftime and didn’t spare any of the nauseating details.
“I haven’t puked that much in a really long time,” Clark said, via ESPN. “But then I felt fine. I felt light. So, I was running around feeling good in the second half, but [I] feel OK. Obviously, I’m losing my voice a little bit. But I’ll be good.”
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark looks on during the second half against the Atlanta Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on June 4, 2026. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
Clark powered through the illness, finishing with 17 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. She also tied her own WNBA record in the process.
During the win, she became the fastest player in WNBA history to record 150 points and 50 assists in a season. She first achieved the feat last season.
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark looks on during the second half against the Atlanta Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on June 4, 2026. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
The win was a needed one for the Fever. Head coach Stephanie White and Clark became the talk of the WNBA after a video of their heated sideline exchange went viral. The win snapped a two-game losing streak and brought them back to over .500, at 5-4.
Clark said everybody this week looked in the mirror and found ways to improve.
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark reacts to a foul in the second half against the Atlanta Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on June 4, 2026. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
“A lot of people have called and asked me how I am, and I said, ‘What do you mean? I’m great,’” Clark said. “I think a lot of self-reflection from everybody (this week), like look yourself in the mirror and find ways to get better. That’s certainly what I did.”
Clark will try to overcome her illness when the Fever look to build on their positive momentum against the New York Liberty on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Sports
Vegas’ Brayden McNabb takes a puck to the face, forced to leave Game 2 of Stanley Cup Finals
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb was forced to leave Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Thursday after taking a puck to his face on a slap shot midway through the first period.
The 14-year veteran, who played for the Kings from 2014-2017, did not return to the game. ESPN is reporting that McNabb was taken from Levno Center in Raleigh, N.C., to a hospital for evaluation.
Vegas coach John Tortorella did not have an update on McNabb’s status after his team’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Carolina Huricanes, and the Golden Knights had not provided one as of early Friday morning.
McNabb was defending in front of the net with 9:08 remaining in the first period when a blistering shot by Carolina winger Nikolaj Ehlers hit him in the facial area. Slow-motion replays show the puck may have struck the protective visor on McNabb’s helmet near his eyes.
After crumpling to the ice, McNabb immediately climbed to his feet, skated off the playing area and headed down the tunnel while holding a hand over his nose and mouth.
“It’s a scary play,” Vegas forward Brett Howden said after the game. ”You never want to see that. Just hope he’s doing all right. We haven’t seen him yet but hope he’s doing OK.”
Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin said: “Any time you see that happen to a teammate, especially to a guy like Nabber who is a huge part of this team, a leader, it’s tough. It’s hard to see that happen to any guy on the ice. We’re just hoping for the best for him.”
Born in Davidson, Canada, McNabb was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round of the 2009 entry draft. He played in 37 games for the Sabres and was acquired by the Kings on March 5, 2014. Los Angeles also received Jonathan Parker and a pair of draft picks in exchange for Hudson Fasching and Nic Deslauriers.
McNabb had six goals and 36 assists in three seasons with the Kings before being selected by Vegas in the 2017 expansion draft. This is his third Stanley Cup Finals with the Golden Knights, who won the championship in 2023.
In Vegas’ 5-4 Game 1 victory against Carolina on Tuesday, McNabb had three assists for the first time in his career. Ben Hutton and Kaedan Korczak are possible options to take McNabb’s spot if he can’t play in Saturday’s Game 3 in Las Vegas.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sports
Seth Jarvis scores overtime game-winner as Hurricanes storm back from 2-0 deficit to even Stanley Cup Final
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The Carolina Hurricanes have evened up the Stanley Cup Final in thrilling fashion, coming back from down 2-0 to win in overtime, 4-3.
It was Seth Jarvis, who has been criticized for not having his usual production in the playoffs, hammering home a power-play one-timer to send the crowd into a frenzy as the Hurricanes salvaged a home game before heading on the road.
This game looked like another chapter in Brett Howden’s surprising playoff run. The Golden Knights forward scored just 12 goals during the regular season, but his two-goal performance in this contest brought his postseason total to 13. He is in clear contention for the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs.
Seth Jarvis of the Carolina Hurricanes looks to pass during game one of the NHL Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., on June 2, 2026. (Nicholas Faulkner/Icon Sportswire)
His first goal of this game was from a nifty Mitch Marner floater down ice. It’s unknown if he was trying to find Howden on the other end, or just clearing his own zone, but it worked out as Howden settled the puck and was quick to snap a wrister past Frederik Anderson.
Then, just after a power play ended for Vegas, Ivan Barbashev, who scored in Game 1’s victory, found Howden streaking toward the offensive zone and put the puck right on his stick. Howden, riding high throughout these playoffs, made a tremendous move and deked out Anderson for his second goal of the game.
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The Lenovo Center crowd was silenced, as Howden’s heroics gave the Golden Knights a 2-0 lead heading into the third period. But the Stanley Cup Playoffs have a way of getting weird, and Game 2 was proof of that with a back-and-forth battle between these two teams.
Midway through the third, the Hurricanes got the goal they needed from Logan Stankoven on a hard-fought battle behind the net for a puck, which he turned into a wraparound shot past Carter Hart. It got the crowd back into the contest, and Carolina used it to their advantage.
It was Mark Jankowski getting his first goal of the playoffs joining a rush similar to Marner’s flip down ice to Howden earlier in the game. Eric Robinson was trying to get the puck to William Cartier, and a pinball effect saw it land right in front of Jankowski, who fired it off the right post and into the net. Just like that — tie game in Carolina.
Mark Jankowski of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates a third-period goal against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Two of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., on June 4, 2026. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
With the game hanging in the balance, both teams pressed for the winner. Vegas was trying to grab a 2-0 series lead before returning home for Games 3 and 4, while Carolina was looking to protect home ice and avoid heading on the road down two games.
It looked as if Carolina was going to fulfill the comeback, as Jordan Staal tipped home a shot from Shayne Gostisbehere during a power play that came after the Golden Knights challenged a potential goal on a sprawling save by Anderson. It was a risky move by head coach John Tortorella, and it backfired with 4:35 left in the game as Carolina took the 3-2 lead.
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But Vegas found itself on the power play shortly thereafter. However, the ‘Canes played it perfectly, with the Golden Knights only getting one shot off before killing it and getting back to even strength. Vegas had no choice but to pull Hart from the net, allowing them the extra skater.
Then, Mark Stone, the Golden Knights’ captain, said not so fast, batting a puck past Anderson following a Marner shot to tie the game at three apiece with less than two minutes to play in the game. And upon video replay, it was Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin who accidentally hit the puck into Anderson, bouncing it off his shoulder and pushing it into the net.
Mark Stone of the Vegas Golden Knights reacts after scoring a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period of Game 2 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., on June 4, 2026. (Jeff Bottari/NHLI)
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Overtime was needed as a result, and the first break in the extra period came after Tomas Hertl, the game-winning goal scorer in Game 1, was called for tripping, sending the Hurricanes to the power play once again.
Carolina made it hurt, and now Game 3 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas should be a fun one to watch as this series has gotten off to a high-octane start.
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