making hotel reservations, Hill had to apply for a passport. It will be his first trip abroad.Willock said shes happy to be able to help a stranger whos no longer a strang

Several prominent retired and current Olympic athletes have thrown their support behind an international crowdfunding campaign to benefit Russian doping whistleblowers Vitaly and Yuliya Stepanov, who had to flee their home country and settle in an undisclosed location in the United States last year.The public effort, designed to help the Russian couple with educational and living expenses, comes at a time when athletes around the world are urging anti-doping and Olympic officials to ensure whistleblowers personal safety and ability to provide authorities with information.Lauryn Williams of the United States, one of only five athletes in history to have won medals in both the Summer (track and field) and Winter (bobsled) Games, is among those who recorded statements of support on a Swiss-based website.I think that globally, we should make an effort to support them so that other whistleblowers know were serious about stamping out doping, said the 32-year-old Williams, who sits on the World Anti-Doping Agency Athlete Committee.Others publicly endorsing the campaign include Olympic discus gold medalist Robert Harting of Germany, who will defend his title in Rio de Janeiro next month; Olympic cross-country skiing champion Beckie Scott of Canada, who also chairs the WADA Athlete Committee; and three-time Olympic skeleton racer Ben Sandford of New Zealand.Joseph de Pencier, CEO of the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations -- a trade and advocacy association for 59 such agencies -- praised the effort.Equally important are continuing efforts to make use of the Stepanovs experience and insight to improve anti-doping, he told ESPN. We all need to learn from those who report wrongdoing how better to encourage others to come forward.Vitaly Stepanov, a former employee of the now-discredited Russian Anti-Doping Agency, began providing inside information to WADA in 2010. His wife, an 800-meter runner who doped as part of the national system, joined him after being sanctioned in 2013. Her covert recordings later became part of a German television documentary that forced WADA to investigate their allegations.WADAs findings, combined with further, detailed revelations by ex-Moscow lab director Grigory Rodchenkov, have led the International Olympic Committee to consider excluding Russian athletes from the Rio Games next month. Yuliya Stepanova has been granted a special exemption by world track and field officials to compete in Rio, but it is still unclear whether she would be able to do so under a neutral flag if other Russian athletes are excluded. 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Miller reached right to deflect Mikhail Grabovskis attempt with just over 2 minutes remaining in regulation, and then made two more saves in the shootout Sunday to give the Sabres a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals.PHILADELPHIA -- A chance ride, an hourlong conversation, and the generosity of strangers are making it possible for a Philadelphia Uber driver to go to Rio to see his son compete in the Olympics.Retired bus driver Ellis Hill didnt have the money to fly to Brazil to watch his son, shot putter Darrell Hill.I was content with just staying home and getting a good bag of popcorn and watching him on TV, he said.But in late July, when the Democratic National Convention was in town, he was fortunate to pick up Liz Willock of Chicago at the Philadelphia airport.There was an air of love and peace, he said. I met a lot of interesting people and delegates from different states.Traffic restrictions and a slow drive to Willocks hotel in New Jersey left plenty of time for conversation.Eventually talk turned to the Olympics. Willock said she knew one of the swimmers competing. Hill did her one better and told her his son, who was a track and field star at Penn State, was in the competitions.Then Willock asked Hill if he was able to go.When he told me he couldnt go to the Olympics in Rio, I just wondered how I would feel as a parent of athletes, Willock said.Within minutes, Willock asked Hill whether he would go if she got him pllane tickets.ddddddddddddHill was stunned.I said, `Whoa, I dont even know you, Hill said. She said, `No, no, I believe it was meant for you and I to meet because I just missed my flight.A GoFundMe page was set up, and literally within two days, wed raised the funds, said Willock, who works at a concierge service arranging travel and accommodation for patients participating in clinical trials across the world.Over 150 people had donated $8,200 by the time Willock closed the Send Darrells Dad to Rio fundraiser -- some of them friends and classmates of Hills son, but most complete strangers.As well as booking flights and making hotel reservations, Hill had to apply for a passport. It will be his first trip abroad.Willock said shes happy to be able to help a stranger whos no longer a stranger.Im sure well be friends for life now, she said.Hill heads to Rio on Monday. His son celebrates his 23rd birthday Wednesday and competes on Thursday.A lot of Americans are getting gold, and I hope hes one of them, he said.---Associated Press writer Teresa Crawford in Chicago contributed to this report.Cheap Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys ' ' '