■ Boxing
Salido tests positive
New IBF featherweight champion Orlando Salido of Mexico could be stripped of his title after testing positive for the banned steroid Nandrolone, a Nevada boxing official said on Thursday. "If he had steroids in his system, no matter how they got there, he shouldn't have been in the ring," said Keith Kizer, Nevada Athletic Commission executive director, on Thursday. Kizer said urine samples collected from both fighters before the fight in Las Vegas on Oct. 4 were tested for steroids. Post-fight urine samples for banned stimulants came back negative, Kizer said. Salido, 25, who trains in Los Angeles, earned a unanimous decision over IBF 57kg titleholder Robert Guerrero, 23, of the US. Salido has been temporarily suspended for two months pending a hearing, Kizer said.
■ Baseball
Igawa free to play in MLB
The Central League's Hanshin Tigers have granted pitcher Kei Igawa permission to pursue a career in the US major leagues. Igawa, who would have had to play in Japan for three more seasons before becoming a free agent, will put up for bid by the Tigers, team officials said yesterday. Pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka of the Seibu Lions and infielder Akinori Iwamura of the Yakult Swallows have already been put up for bid. Major league teams will be able to bid to secure the negotiating rights for the Japanese players. After being awarded the negotiating rights for the highest bid, a team will have 30 days to sign the player. Igawa went 14-9 in last year with a 2.97 earned run average.
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