Russian hammer thrower Sergei Litvinov, who formerly competed for Germany, believes his countrys athletes will be permitted by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to compete at the Rio Olympics. The IAAF banned Russias track and field athletes last year after a World Anti-Doping Agency report uncovered systematic state-sponsored doping within the country.The ban was extended last month, which ultimately ruled Russian athletes out of next months Olympics, subject to an appeal by the CAS, which will be decided on Thursday. From a legal point of view, we have very good chances, the 30-year-old said.Litvinov, who won bronze at the 2014 European Championships, would be one of Russias biggest hopes for a medal in Rio but with three weeks to go he still does not know if he can compete. Litvinov has asked IAAF President Sebastian Coe to explain the criteria needed for Russian athletes to compete in internationally At the end of June, Litvinov wrote a letter to IAAF president Sebastian Coe, asking him to explain the criteria needed for Russian athletes to compete in international events.My letter wasnt directly addressed to Coe, but was more to those living in the West, said the athlete, who is coached by his father Sergei Litvinov, who won gold at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul in the hammer.People should understand just how absurd our situation is. I think this letter helped. I got through to people that we need help (from), he said.Litvinov does not think the IAAFs actions are politically motivated but said it was impossible even for clean athletes to show they are not part of the Russian system. Russian long jumper Darya Klishina was permitted to compete as a neutral at Rio On July 10, the IAAFs Doping Review Board turned down applications from 67 Russian athletes to compete internationally as neutrals. Only long jumper Darya Klishina, who is based and tested in the United States, got approval.The IAAFs decision on July 10 admitted that no one will be able to defend the reputations of those sportsmen who are clean, he said. Russia name squad for Rio Russia name a 68 athlete strong track and field team in the hope their IAAF ban will be lifted In the 2008-2009 season, the Rostov native competed for Germany. However, he has no regrets about returning to Russia in order to compete for the country of his birth.He said: My family are in Russia and my son was born here. Everything that happens is for the better and I never planned to return to the West. 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Taylor Ward Jersey .com) - The Golden State Warriors have started another winning streak and theyll try to pad it Tuesday night when they head to Staples Center to face the Los Angeles Lakers.PHILADELPHIA – One year ago at the NHL draft in Newark, the Maple Leafs picked Frederik Gauthier with their first selection, a hulking centre with likely third-line potential and a low offensive ceiling. They swung for a much higher fence with the eighth overall pick on Friday night, landing the "electrifying" William Nylander from Sweden. A speedy, highlight-reel winger, he is the son of longtime NHL centre Michael Nylander and the first European Toronto has drafted in the first round since Jiri Tlusty in 2006. Nylander is also the first draft pick of the Brendan Shanahan era and an injection of homegrown game-breaking ability, long-starved within the Leaf organization. "Hes got high, high-end skill," gushed general manager Dave Nonis, shortly after the pick was made. And that fills a need within the prospect ranks of the organization, considerably deprived over the years. Though hopeful that the likes of Carter Verhaeghe, Connor Brown and Andreas Johnson may eventually make an impact of sorts with the big club, the Leafs simply did not boast a game-breaker with Nylanders ceiling beyond the NHL club (and have not historically). They havent landed many at all from the draft. Vincent Damphousse, picked sixth overall in 1986, was the last homegrown player to register at least 80 points in a season as a Leaf. Toronto has, additionally, sent only two homegrown players to the All-Star game in the past 20 years, neither of whom was a forward (Tomas Kaberle and Felix Potvin). Dealing first round picks – as they did five times from 2003-2011 – certainly didnt help the matter. Nylander may or may not make it, but he, at the very least, represents the kind of high upside, homegrown talent the organization has mostly lacked, especially up front – Nazem Kadri, who scored 20 goals as a 23-year-old last season, was a recent exception. Nonis wouldnt go as far as to say that adding skill was a priority, but labeled it "an area of weakness". "He might be the most skilled player in the draft," said the Leafs GM of Nylander. Nonis saw that skill firsthand at the Under-18 tournament in Finland this past April. Nylander, playing for Sweden, led all players with 16 points in seveen games, notching six goals along the way.dddddddddddd As a teenager, he spent part of last season in Swedens top league, totaling a goal and seven points in 22 games – notable given his age and size (5-foot-11, 169 pounds). "He has NHL speed, NHL hands, an NHL shot right now," Nonis said. "Its whether or not the rest of his game can catch up." Unwilling to pay Dale Tallons price for the first overall pick and rights to draft Aaron Ekblad, Nonis said he actually considered moving down if one of two players – Nylander among them – wasnt there to be had with the eighth pick. Nylander grew up around the NHL, his father totaling 920 NHL games for seven different teams. That kept the younger Nylander in North America until the age of 14 when he moved to Sweden, eventually playing alongside his 40-year-old dad last year (with Rogle in the second-tier league). "I like to score goals and make plays," Nylander said, projecting an aura of confidence and cool, noticeably unfazed by all that surrounded him. A free agent and thus able to come to North America next year if he and the organization so choose, Nylander will audition for the Leafs in the fall. "Hell definitely have a chance to make our team," Nonis said. "[But] I really dont care how skilled you are, its very difficult to make the NHL as an 18-year-old. I think itd be a long shot for him to do that, but hes going to be given that opportunity and if hes good enough to stick and play and contribute then we would keep him. If not, well decide at that point whether its best to keep him over in North America or to have him go back to Sweden to play in the Elite League." Nylander boasts a "VERY high ceiling" according to Mark Seidel, chief scout for North American Central Scouting, but has been trailed by attitude questions, something Nonis brushed aside as outward confidence. Like most draftees, the new Leaf prospect will have to get bigger and stronger before he is likely to make the leap to the NHL, additionally requiring some acclimation to the North American ice surface. "It may take him a month to acclimate, it might take him over a year – I dont know that," said Nonis. "But the skill-set is very high end." ' ' '