National Sports

TORONTO — Top tier athletes in Ontario can expect to be back in action by the end of the summer. Ontario said it has accelerated its return-to-play plan for professional and elite amateur leagues as the province loosens COVID-19 restrictions.

Matt Heaton of Rugby ATL and Ben LeSage and Lucas Rumball of the Toronto Arrows will co--captain Canada for rugby test matches next month in Wales and England. Canada coach Kingsley Jones has named 30 members of his 32-man travelling party.

Gerard Gallant is set to join one of hockey's oldest organizations instead of the NHL's newest franchise after reaching an agreement to coach the New York Rangers.

CARTAGENA, Spain — Posting a fourth straight clean sheet, Canada played Brazil to a scoreless draw Monday in its last outing before coach Bev Priestman names her Olympic roster.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer will start a minor-league rehab assignment Tuesday, the next step in his return from a strained right quadriceps that has kept him out of the lineup for much of the season.

MINNEAPOLIS — Canadian forward Natalie Achonwa is listed as out indefinitely by the Minnesota Lynx with a knee injury. The 28-year-old from Guelph, Ont.

The CFL says professional football will return to Canada in August. The CFL's board of governors voted unanimously Monday in favour of an amended collective bargaining agreement and starting the 2021 campaign Aug. 5.

SEVILLE, Spain (AP) — The chances came and went but neither Spain nor Sweden managed to put any of them in the net Monday in a 0-0 draw at the European Championship.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — It was another another rout for Canada's women's basketball team at the FIBA AmeriCup tournament. Shaina Pellington scored 21 points as the world No. 4-ranked Canadians trounced El Salvador 98-41 to improve to 3-0 on Monday.

RICHMOND HILL, Ont. — A minor hockey association in southern Ontario has launched its first-ever registration campaign as organized sports plan their return to play in the province.