National Sports

TORONTO — Canadian country duo The Reklaws will perform at this year's Grey Cup kickoff show, the CFL announced Thursday. The league made the announcement prior to the start of the Calgary Stampeders-Ottawa Redblacks game.

KING CITY, Ont. — Former Australian skipper Steve Smith took the first step away from the ball-tampering scandal that derailed his career with an innings of 61 Thursday in the opening game of the Global T20 Canada cricket tournament.

SAO PAULO — The prosecution of U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte for filing a false police report during the 2016 Olympics is back on after a Brazilian court decision this week.

HAMILTON — Jeremiah Masoli and Chris Streveler are off to impressive starts to the CFL season, but neither sees their meeting on Friday as a quarterback shootout in the making.

KALININGRAD, Russia — England barely seemed troubled by losing. Belgium appeared to be a reluctant winner. Such was the curious conclusion to the group stage at the World Cup on Thursday.

TEHRAN, Iran — Online bullying has just cost Iran one of its top players. Forward Sardar Azmoun said Thursday that he's retiring from the national team.

EDMONTON — Given injuries and all the new faces, it might have been tempting for the Edmonton Eskimos to lean on excuses after having their defence dominated last week.

TORONTO — The so-called mind gym is one of the first places new draft picks go at the Toronto Blue Jays' training facility in Dunedin, Fla.

SAMARA, Russia — The "fair play" tiebreaker doesn't seem all that fair to Senegal. The last African team standing at the World Cup lost to Colombia 1-0 Thursday, leaving it even with Japan on record, goal differential, total goals and head-to-head.

VOLGOGRAD, Russia — Nice guys don't necessarily finish last at the World Cup.