President Barack Obama sent Russia a clear message about its treatment of gays and lesbians with who he is -- and isnt -- sending to represent the United States at the Sochi Olympics. Billie Jean King will be one of two openly gay athletes in the U.S. delegation for the opening and closing ceremonies, Obama announced Tuesday. For the first time since 2000, however, the U.S. will not send a president, former president, first lady or vice-president to the Games. Russia has come under fierce criticism for passing national laws banning "gay propaganda." Though the White House did not specifically address the Russian laws in making its announcement, spokesman Shin Inouye said the delegation "represents the diversity that is the United States" and that Obama "knows they will showcase to the world the best of America -- diversity, determination and teamwork." The White House said Obamas schedule will not permit him to attend the Games. "Its a positive sign to see openly gay representatives in the delegation," said Michael Cole-Schwartz, spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign, which recently sent a letter urging Obama to include gays and lesbians in the delegation. "Hopefully it sends a message to the Russian people and the rest of the world that the United States values the civil and human rights of LGBT people." King said she was "deeply honoured" to be named to the delegation. "I am equally proud to stand with the members of the LGBT community in support of all athletes who will be competing in Sochi and I hope these Olympic Games will indeed be a watershed moment for the universal acceptance of all people," said King, who will attend the opening ceremony. Hockey player Caitlin Cahow is the other openly gay representative to the delegation. Shell attend the closing ceremony. The U.S. Olympic Committee made no comment about the sexual orientation of the delegation. In a nod to its disapproval of the law, however, the USOC recently revised its non-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation. France and Germany are among the other countries who will not send their presidents to Sochi for the Games. Earlier this year, Obama rejected the idea of a U.S. boycott of the Olympics despite a number of differences with Russia, including the anti-gay law. This move, however, sends a strong signal: In 2010, Vice-President Joe Biden led the delegation, and in 2012, first lady Michelle Obama held the honour. This years group is led by former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. Others in the delegation include U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, figure skater Brian Boitano and presidential adviser Rob Nabors. King, the iconic tennis player, might be the most recognizable face in the group. Shes a 39-time Grand Slam title winner (singles, doubles and mixed), a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and one of the most prominent advocates of equality for women in sports and society over the past several decades. Shell attend the Olympics in a country that is creating tension for several key players because of the laws, including the International Olympic Committee, which awarded the Games to Russia. Earlier this month, IOC President Thomas Bach said Russia would set up public protest zones in Sochi for "people who want to express their opinion or want to demonstrate for or against something." Meanwhile, the IOC approved a letter going out to athletes reminding them to refrain from protests or political gestures during the Sochi Games -- reiterating Rule 50 of the Olympic charter, which forbids demonstrations on Olympic grounds. Bach had previously said hed received assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin that gays will not be discriminated against in Sochi. But the Russian law has raised questions about what could happen to athletes who wear pins or badges or carry flags supporting gay rights. Earlier this fall, skier Bode Miller was one of the few American athletes to speak out against the Russian law, calling it "absolutely embarrassing." Athletics Jerseys 2019 . After falling 5-0 on home ice in a game that could have tied them for second in the wild card standings, Washington head coach Adam Oates had some strong words for Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin. Chris Bassitt Athletics Jersey . The eighth-year point guard played in his 500th career game on Sunday, a 98-93 win over the Orlando Magic. Does he feel like hes played in that many games? "No," he said initially, before reconsidering. https://www.cheapathleticsonline.com/.J. Ellis have avoided arbitration, agreeing to a one-year contract. Chris Bassitt Jersey . First-half goals by Will Bruin and Oscar Boniek Garcia sucked the life out of the Impact as the Houston Dynamo bounced them from Major League Soccers post-season with a 3-0 victory on Thursday. Custom Oakland Athletics Jerseys .Y. -- That hangover from the Big East tournament is gone for Villanova.Sharon Fichmans first memory of the French Open was watching Jennifer Capriati knock off Kim Clijsters to win the 2001 title. Fichman was 10 years old at the time. She printed out a photo of a smiling Capriati holding the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen winners trophy. She then cut out a photo of her own face and pasted it over Capriatis. "That was really funny," Fichman said from Paris on Friday. It was also the beginning of her love affair with Roland Garros that will reach new heights next week when the 23-year-old from Toronto plays in the tournaments main draw -- the first time shes earned a direct entry into a Grand Slam main draw in her career. "I knew after that (Capriati victory) that I wanted to win the French Open, that was the Grand Slam when I was that age, that I really wanted to win," Fichman said on a conference call. "Ever since then, when Ive played (here) as a junior and now as a pro, I just feel more comfortable every single year. I love it here, I love Paris, I love the tournament. I really enjoy going out and competing and playing good tennis and getting better, and winning matches. Just really good memories every time Im here." Fichman, ranked a career-high 77th, faces a tough first-round opponent in sixth-seeded Serb Jelena Jankovic. Fichman is one of four Canadians who earned direct entry. Eugenie Bouchard of Westmount, Que., seeded No. 18, will open against Shahar Peer of Israel. On the mens side, eighth-seeded Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., will open against Australian wildcard Nick Krygios, and Vasek Pospisil of Vancouver takes on No. 60 Teymuraz Gabashvili of Russia. "Its very cool for me, . . . that this is going to be the first time Ive been in the Grand Slam main draw playing here as a professional," Fichman said. "I worked really hard so Im just happy that the hard work is paying off." Fichman will also play doubles with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the Russian she partnered with to win the junior doubles title at the French Open in 2006. "Its going to be fun, hopefully we can make another good memory," she said. Fichman, who finished 2013 ranked 106th, is enjoying easily the best season of her career. She defeated Peer in the first round at Inddian Wells, Calif.dddddddddddd, in March, before being eliminated by world No. 10 Sara Errani in the second round. She reached her first singles final of the season earlier this month at the $100,000 International Tennis Federation event in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France. Her victory over Switzerlands Timea Bacsinszky in the final was the biggest of her career. Fichman credits her switch to coach Larry Jurovich in the summer of 2012 -- and all the changes in her game and in training that came with it -- for her improvement. "I think its a lot of things," she said. "I think mentally Ive changed, Ive definitely gotten stronger. Physically Ive changed. . . and also my game has changed. Were working on different things than Im used to. Its coming close to two years now (with Jurovich) and before that I was focusing on different things. "So honestly I think its a bit of everything. But the most important thing is I really believe in what Im doing, and I believe in myself, so I think thats helping the most out of everything." Fichman knows what shes up against with Jankovic. The Serbian star defeated the Canadian 6-4, 7-6 in the second round of last summers Rogers Cup. "I have a lot of respect for her, shes an accomplished player," she said "It was a close match (at the Rogers Cup), and I know I had some chances, especially in the second set. Its going to be a tough opponent but I also think that Im playing well and I know that I did well last time, so Im just going to focus on my game and I think if I continue to fight and I execute what were working on, I have just as good a chance as any." Bouchard, meanwhile, faces Peer for the fourth time in her career -- Bouchard has won all three previous meetings. At last years French Open, the 20-year-old was defeated by Maria Sharapova in the second round. Raonic faces a rising star in Krygios. The 19-year-old Aussie was crowned champion of the International Junior Tennis Open in Repentigny, Que., in 2012. Raonic is having a strong clay court season, highlighted by a semifinal appearance at the Rome Masters last week. Hell be looking to improve on his third-round showing in Paris last year where he fell to Kevin Anderson of South Africa. ' ' '