■ NFL
Bengals star sent to jail
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry was sent to jail for two days on Thursday after pleading guilty to allowing minors to drink alcohol in his hotel room last spring. He is one of nine players on the NFL team arrested in the past 13 months. Henry has been arrested four times as a Bengals player. Henry was charged in Covington with three counts of unlawful transaction with a minor. Police said he brought alcohol for three females -- ages 18, 16 and 15 -- in a Covington motel room on April 29. One of the three, Monica Beamon, 18, was charged with murder in Cincinnati last September.
■ Cricket
Astle announces retirement
Veteran batsman Nathan Astle announced his retirement on Friday, shocking his New Zealand teammates and further weakening their fragile batting line-up just weeks away from the World Cup. The 35-year-old, New Zealand's second most prolific one-day scorer behind skipper Stephen Fleming, said he was struggling with motivation for the tournament after patchy form in recent seasons. "I have been fighting this day for about eight months," Astle said in a statement. "I so desperately wanted to go to my fourth World Cup, but deep down inside I knew that I was lacking motivation and the enjoyment levels were just not there," he said.
■ Soccer
Ronaldo suing drug firm
Brazilian star Ronaldo is suing a Chinese drug company for using his image in a television commercial without his authorization, reports said yesterday. Ronaldo has complained that his image was used without his permission and plans to sue, the state-run newspaper Beijing Youth Weekend and other reports said. The ads show a grinning Ronaldo holding up a packet of Golden Throat Lozenges. According to the state-run newspaper China Daily, Guangxi Golden Throat has defended its use of Ronaldo's image.
■ Rugby Union
Two charged over fan fracas
Toulouse lock Trevor Brennan was charged with misconduct on Thursday after climbing into the stands to punch a fan during a European Rugby Cup match. Brennan said he was provoked by a group of Ulster supporters during Sunday's Heineken Cup match at Toulouse's Stade Ernest Wallon. The ERC said in a statement that Toulouse teammate Gareth Thomas -- a Wales international expected to play in the Six Nations -- was also charged with misconduct. Thomas "allegedly engaged in aggressive exchanges" with fans, tried to enter seating areas and reportedly made an offensive hand gesture toward the crowd. Brennan, a former Ireland international, apologized on Tuesday for the incident, but said the visiting Northern Irish fans insulted his mother and poured beer on him as he warmed up.
■ Soccer
Hleb out for four weeks
Arsenal's Belarus midfielder Alexander Hleb is likely to be out for a month after picking up a hamstring injury during the 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday. "It will be a good four weeks," manager Arsene Wenger said on the club's Web site. Dutch striker Robin van Persie is already facing a long lay-off after breaking a metatarsal in his right foot during the 2-1 victory over Manchester United on Sunday.
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