OLYMPICS
Iraq banned from Beijing Games
BAGHDAD - Just two weeks before the start of the Olympics, Iraq was told yesterday it's not welcome in Beijing because of a political feud in Baghdad that angered the games' guardians and exiled a country that arrived to a roaring ovation at the opening ceremony four years ago.
The International Olympic Committee told Iraqi sports officials in a letter that it would uphold its ban imposed in June after the government in Baghdad replaced its national Olympic panel with members not recognized by the IOC. The IOC had called the move unacceptable government interference.
In Iraq, it also smacked of the lingering sectarian bitterness between the new Shiite power brokers and the Sunnis who were once favored under Saddam Hussein - whose son, Odai, ran the nation's Olympic committee as a personal fiefdom and was accused of torturing athletes who came up short.
"Clearly we'd very much like to have seen Iraq's athletes in Beijing," said IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies. "We are very disappointed that the athletes have been so ill-served by their own government's actions." But Davies suggested there was still a possibility for last-ditch talks to salvage Iraq's place before the Games open Aug. 8.
WNBA
Leiberman signs to play for one game
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - The Shock signed Nancy Lieberman, 50, a Hall of Famer and one of their former coaches, to a seven-day contract and she expected to play only last night in Houston."It's really a one-game deal," said Lieberman, a former Old Dominion star who as the general manager and coach of the Shock from 1998-2000.
She played at ODU from 1976-80, helping the school win two national titles. She was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame three years later.
In other WNBA news:
The league suspended Detroit Shock assistant coach Rick Mahorn and 10 players for their roles in a skirmish with the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday night. Shock forward Plenette Pierson was suspended for four games, the harshest penalty, for initiating and escalating the altercation. Mahorn, a former star at Hampton University (then Institute), was suspended for two games.
NBA
Warriors match offer for Azubuike
OAKLAND, Calif. - Kelenna Azubuike will return to the Golden State Warriors after the club matched the Los Angeles Clippers' three-year, $9 million contract offer for the shooting guard. Azubuike averaged 8.1 points and 4.0 rebounds in 81 games last season with the Warriors.
GOLF
Ochoa's 65 good for one-shot lead
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France - Lorena Ochoa shot a 7-under par 65 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Evian Masters. Ochoa, 26, started with a birdie on the first hole and added six on the back nine in a bogey-free round. Ahn Sun-ju, Candie Kung and Angela Park trailed by one stroke.
In other golf news:
Top-seeded Jorge Fernandez Valdes of Argentina won his second-round match and was joined by Emiliano Grillo into the third round of the U.S. Junior Amateur championship in Shoal Creek, Ala. Fernandez Valdes, 15, never trailed in defeating Bobby Wyatt, 15, of Mobile, 3 and 2. Fernandez Valdes led all scorers in stroke play with a 36-hole total of 5-under 139 on the 7,251-yard course.
The son of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani is suing Duke University, claiming his golf coach manufactured accusations against him to justify kicking him off the team to whittle the squad. Andrew Giuliani, 22, who will be a senior this fall, contends he was dismissed without cause from the golf team in February without a chance to defend himself.
ELSEWHERE
The United States defeated Poland 25-18, 23-25, 27-25, 18-25, 16-14 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, to remain alive in the World League volleyball finals. Richmond native William Priddy closed out the fifth set with his fourth ace of the match at Maracanazinho stadium. Priddy was one of the leading scorers for the United States with 21 points.
Major League Soccer intends to add two expansion teams in time for the 2011 season, boosting membership to 18. The announcement was made following a meeting of the MLS board of governors, and hours before the MLS All-Stars faced English Premier League team West Ham United at Toronto's BMO Field. MLS, which has 14 teams, already has announced expansion teams for Seattle, beginning in 2009, and Philadelphia in 2010.
Former Penn State football player Chris Bell has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of making terroristic threats. The case dates to April, when police say Bell (Norfolk) stormed into a campus dining hall and threatened teammate Devon Still with an 8-inch knife. He is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 29.
AROUND THE STATE
Randy Bungard has resigned as the director of track and field and cross country and coach of the men's and women's track and field teams at the University of Virginia. Bungard was named coach of the men's and women's cross country and track and field programs at U.Va. in 1997. Since then, the school's track and field and cross country programs have produced 33 All-Americans, two USATF national champions, 53 NCAA qualifiers, 38 Atlantic Coast Conference champions and 180 all-ACC performers.
Andy Gerard has been named director of the men's and women's track and field program at George Mason. He had been head of the men's track and field program for the past three seasons. Gerard also has coached at William and Mary and Stanford.
- From Staff and Wire Reports
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