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WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama says he believes the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, will be safe and is not discouraging Americans from attending.Wholesale Jerseys . Obama says Russian authorities "understand the stakes" involved in securing the games and the potential threats against the events. He says the U.S. is co-ordinating with Russia and officials have looked at the Russian security plans. Still, Obama says there are "always some risks" involved with large international gatherings like the Olympics. And he says he feels better when those types of events are held in the United States because American officials have full control over what happen. Obama spoke in an interview with CNN. Cheap NFL Jerseys . The All-Star point guard, sidelined for the past six months with a knee injury, was set to return to the Oklahoma City Thunder lineup for Sunday nights home game against the Phoenix Suns, weeks earlier than expected. Cheap Jerseys . The 25-year-old Emmerton has appeared in 43 games with the Griffins this season, scoring 14 goals with 21 assists.MONTREAL - Speedskater and Olympic gold medallist Mathieu Giroux says he is retiring from elite-level competition to concentrate on his pharmacy studies at the University of Montreal. "After 24 years dedicated to my career in speedskating, including 12 seasons on the national team, I am retiring from top-level sport," Giroux said Wednesday in a Speed Skating Canada release. "I am very proud of what Ive accomplished and the person Ive become through all these years of training. I reached the highest peaks in my sport in both short and long track and I enjoyed the Olympic gold in Vancouver." Giroux, a 28-year-old Montreal native, started in short track and won two bronze medals at the 2003 junior world championships plus a bronze and a silver in 2005. At the beginning of the 2008-09 season, an ankle injury led him to long track where he immediately qualified for the World Cup circuit. Wholesale NFL Jerseys. At the 2010 Games in Vancouver, Giroux won Olympic gold in the mens team pursuit with Lucas Makowsky and Denny Morrison. Giroux also competed at the 2014 Sochi Games but did not reach the podium. "Elite sport has forged me and taught me so many lessons that will follow me all my life," Giroux said in his retirement announcement. "Sport will always be my No. 1 cure for staying healthy. I will always be passionate about amateur sport and the Olympic spirit will be lit within me all my life. I hope that the magic of the Games can transform our country, gather and invite them to excel at all levels and, of course, inspire our youth to move and dream big." cheap nfl jerseys cheap jerseys ' ' '