NEW YORK -- Philadelphias Ryan Howard and Washingtons Ryan Zimmerman have been cleared by Major League Baseball of allegations they used banned performance-enhancing substances.Pharmacist Charlie Sly claimed in an Al-Jazeera America documentary The Dark Side: Secrets of Sports Doping, which was broadcast Dec. 27, that the two used banned performance-enhancing substances.In a brief statement Friday, MLB said its investigation did not find any violations of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program by either Howard or Zimmerman.MLB said the players cooperated with its investigation and Sly did not.Howard, a three-time All-Star, and Zimmerman, a one-time All-Star, denied the allegations and in January sued Al-Jazeera America, Al Jazeera reporter Deborah Davies and former hurdler Liam James Collins, who was said to have assisted in the documentarys reporting. The suits, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., claimed defamation and false light invasion of privacy.The accusations from Al-Jazeera came out of nowhere, and I was shocked and outraged by their false claims, Howard said in a statement. I welcomed the investigation by Major League Baseball as an opportunity to clear my name. I was fully cooperative and transparent in the process, and MLBs findings validate what I have said publicly.Al Jazeera America at first claimed in a text report the two may have used human growth hormone, then changed the text report to the banned steroid Delta 2, conforming with the broadcast documentary. Sly, who worked as an intern at an anti-aging clinic, later recanted his claims.The three defendants asked the court to dismiss the suits. The parties in the Zimmerman suit last month asked U.S. District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to hold a hearing on the motion.I understand why Major League Baseball found it necessary to explore this matter, and I appreciate that MLB, after a thorough investigation, was able to publicly affirm my innocence, Zimmerman said in a statement.Throughout my life and career, I have been true to myself, my family, the Nationals organization and my community. It is not right that a so-called news organization and its personnel can publicly make false accusations that damage my reputation and call into question my integrity without any consequences whatsoever.Both players reiterated they would press forward with their defamation claims, filed in U.S. District CourtThe whole point of the lawsuit was to not allow people to basically smear your name without any evidence or without any proof, Zimmerman said before Friday nights game at Atlanta. So that will go on.Former major league catcher Taylor Teagarden, another player implicated in the Al-Jazeera report, was suspended for 80 games in April.The report also implicated NFL players Peyton Manning, Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers, James Harrison and Mike Neal. Manning, now retired, was cleared by the NFL after an investigation. The NFL is still investigating Matthews and Peppers, who play for Green Bay, Pittsburghs Harrison and Neal, a free agent.---AP freelance writer Amy Jinkner-Lloyd in Atlanta contributed to this report. Jason Williams Jersey . 10 VCU 85-67 on Thursday night at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The Seminoles (4-0) have scored at least 80 points in each of their games. Oscar Robertson Jersey . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. https://www.cheapkingsbasketball.com/ . Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. Sacramento Kings Pro Shop . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker. Adrian Smith Jersey .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. A dominant offensive display from Diamonds shooters Caitlyn Bassett and Caitlyn Thwaites has led the world champions to a 68-43 win over South Africa in their Netball Quad Series opener.The 193cm Bassett and 188cm Thwaites, playing a half each in Auckland, repeatedly employed their height and reach advantage over Proteas defender Phumza Maweni to good use.The pair scored a combined 51 points as Australia eased to victory over a valiant South Africa outfit, who bettered their 35-point thumping against the Diamonds in the World Cup.Goal attack Natalie Medhurst nailed a further 12 points before making way for debutant Stephanie Wood, who scored five.The world champions went on the offensive from the get-go, repeatedly hitting Bassett with passes over the top from midcourters Kim Ravaillion and the returning Madi Robinson.Bassett netted 16 of her 17 shots in the first quarter as the Diamonds raced to a nine-point lead.At the other end of the court, goalkeeper Sharni Layton ensured the absence of skipper Laura Geitz didnt impact too heavily on the side,, marshalling from the back with authority and restricting limiting Proteas shooter Lenize Potgieter to eight points.dddddddddddd.The match followed a similar pattern in the second quarter, as the Diamonds put their foot down.Ravaillion and Robinson snared a combined 17 goal assists over the two quarters to take the Diamonds into the halftime break ahead 36-20.Coach Lisa Alexander rung in the changes at the halftime break, introducing April Brandley into the defence and young gun Liz Watson as centre.Bassett was also given a breather for the second half, swapped out for Thwaites after her 28-goal showing.A closer third quarter ensued, with the Proteas limiting the third-quarter tally to 14-10.Wood and fellow defensive debutant Kristiana Manua were both given their Diamonds debut in the fourth quarter as the Diamonds wound down the clock.Thwaites, 29, finished her half on the court with a perfect 23 points from 23 shots. 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