COMEBACK KIDSThe Phillies have six comeback wins in t

LONDON -- In a shift in position, the IOC opened the door on Thursday to the possibility of Russian whistleblower Yulia Stepanova competing as a neutral athlete at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.The IOC said it has asked its ethics commission for advice on the issue and will then decide whether Stepanovas participation as an independent athlete merits an exception to the rules of the Olympic Charter.Until now, the International Olympic Committee had said Stepanova would be represented by the Russian flag if deemed eligible to compete in the games by track and fields world governing body.Stepanova, an 800-meter runner who served a two-year doping ban, helped expose the widespread cheating in Russia that led the IAAF to ban the countrys track and field athletes from global competition, including the Olympics.Last month, the IAAF granted Stepanova exceptional eligibility to compete as a neutral athlete, but not under the Russian flag. It praised her for having made a truly exceptional contribution to the anti-doping fight.IOC President Thomas Bach said last month that the IAAF had no say on the terms of Stepanovas participation in the Olympics. Under IOC rules, Stepanova would have to be entered by the Russian Olympic Committee and compete under the national flag, Bach said.The IAAF has since acknowledged that her participation in Rio must be approved by the IOC, which says the issue is subject to the Olympic Charter, the rule book for the games.The IOC said Thursday it received a letter dated July 5 from Stepanova requesting the right to compete as a neutral athlete at the games.Stepanova, who has been living and training at an undisclosed location in the United States, competed as a neutral athlete Wednesday at the European Championships in Amsterdam. However, she tore a ligament in her right foot and finished last in her 800-meter heat. Its unclear whether the injury could rule her out of the Olympics.The IOC said Stepanovas Olympic participation involves important ethical aspects, and that its ruling executive board decided to ask the ethics panel for its advice in this respect.The IOC said the ethics commission could ask Stepanova to attend a hearing on the case.As soon as the advice of the IOC ethics commission is available, the IOC (executive board) will then take all of the circumstances of the case into consideration and decide whether it merits an exception to the rules of the Olympic Charter, the statement said.Stepanovas case is separate from those of other Russian athletes.Russia has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport on behalf of 68 athletes, challenging the IAAFs blanket ban and contending that athletes without any doping violations should be allowed to compete at the games. 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The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. Gary Harris Jersey .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. PHILADELPHIA -- Freddy Galvis has quite a knack for clutch hits.Galvis hit a two-run homer with two outs in the eighth inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-3 win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.Despite a .221 average, Galvis leads the team with eight game-winning RBI.He gave me a good pitch to hit, and I was just trying to put the ball in play, got a good swing and hit the homer, Galvis said. Sometimes you are down a little bit on yourself. I am just trying to help the team win some games. I was trying too hard and right now I feel pretty good.Maikel Franco hit a homer for the fourth straight game to help the Phillies complete a three-game sweep and win for the eighth time in nine games.Adonis Garcia hit a pair of RBI doubles for the Braves.Galvis lined a 2-2 pitch off Arodys Vizcaino (1-4) into the seats in right after Franco had started the inning with a walk.Hector Neris (3-3) got the win despite allowing a go-ahead run in the top of the eighth. Jeanmar Gomez finished for his 23rd save in 25 tries.Braves starter Tyrell Jenkins allowed one run and four hits in 4 2/3 innings. He started in place of Julio Teheran, who returned to Atlanta to be treated for an infection on his right thigh.He did a great job stretching the game that far, Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said. He gave us everything he had. He was pitching. He was mixing pitches, keeping the ball down.Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson gave up two runs -- one earned -- and four hits in six innings.Garcia lined an RBI double to right-center to score Jeff Francoeur, giving the Braves a 2-1 lead in the sixth. Garcia hit a sharp grounder down the left-field line to put the Braves up 3-2.Franco tied it at 2 with an opposite-field shot to right off Chris Withrow in the sixth.dddddddddddd.Im just really comfortable at home plate, Franco said. I see the pitch much better. Thats what Im doing right now, trying to see the ball and trying to put good contact on it.Odubel Herrera sliced an RBI double down the left-field line with two outs in the fifth to tie it at 1. Earlier in the inning, Francoeur made a perfect no-hop throw to the plate from left field to get Galvis trying to score from second on a single.Hellickson walked Freddie Freeman with the bases loaded to force in a run in the third. A fielding error on second baseman Cesar Hernandez led to the unearned run.COMEBACK KIDSThe Phillies have six comeback wins in their last 13 games, going 10-3 in that span. They had none in the previous 32 games after recording 10 in the first 41 games while going 24-17.STANDINGSThe Braves (28-57) have the worst record in the majors while the Phillies (40-46) are inching closer to .500.STREAKINGFranco is the first Phillies player to hit homers in four straight games since Ryan Howard in September 2012. Franco was 10 for 19 with four homers in the six-game homestand. ... Peter Bourjos was 0 for 3 with an intentional walk, ending his hitting streak at 14 games.UP NEXTBRAVES: RHP Lucas Harrell (1-0, 1.50 ERA) starts a makeup game at the Chicago Cubs before a three-game series at the Chicago White Sox.PHILLIES: LHP Adam Morgan (1-6, 6.31) pitches the opener of a four-game series at Colorado. Morgan is filling in for Aaron Nola, who is being skipped to get an extended rest after five poor starts. ' ' '