Former motorsports promoter Michael Goodwin was sentenced to two consecutive life prison terms without possibility of parole in Pasadena, California, on Thursday after declaring he did not murder former business partner Mickey Thompson and the racing legend's wife. "I can't apologize because I'm not guilty of this crime," Goodwin, 61, told the judge. He said the 1988 killings of Mickey and Trudy Thompson were "a tragedy." Thompson was a high-profile motorsports figure who pursued land-speed records and raced all kinds of vehicles. The Thompsons were shot to death while leaving their gated home in a Los Angeles suburb. The killers, who came on bicycles, were never caught. The prosecution said Goodwin sent hit men to kill the couple as revenge for a business deal that went sour.
■ Cricket
Oram mulls losing finger
New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram has said he would consider cutting off his fractured finger to play in the World Cup. Oram departed with the New Zealand squad for the tournament in the Caribbean despite breaking a finger on his left hand when taking a catch against Australia two weeks ago. "If it means cutting the finger off, if that's the worst case scenario, if that's the last resort, I'll do that," Oram told the NZ Press Association before leaving for the West Indies, where the tournament begins on March 13. "There's no way I'm missing this," he said.
■ Golf
Camera click throws Daly
John Daly withdrew from the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on Thursday when a fan's camera click caused him to halt his swing and apparently sprain a rib. "I felt pain like I've never felt in my upper body," Daly said. Daly also complained of shoulder pain, and PGA Tour officials said he had injured both his ribs and shoulder, although the exact nature of the injury wasn't known. The woman culprit, who had somehow managed to get on the course with the offending camera despite a ban on cameras in the gallery, was found by tournament security and escorted from the grounds.
■ Rugby League
Allen's coke ban doubled
Former Widnes rugby league player David Allen, banned for a year after "accidentally" taking cocaine, has had his suspension doubled after an appeal by UK Sport, the organization said on Thursday. The Widnes second row tested positive for a metabolic of cocaine but a Rugby Football League (RFL) tribunal accepted his claim that he had taken the substance accidentally and suspended him for a year. UK Sport appealed against this decision to a separate RFL panel on the basis that his defense did not amount to "no significant fault or negligence." The appeal was upheld and the panel confirmed that the mandatory two-year bans prescribed in the World Anti-Doping Code should apply.
■ Basketball
Trail Blazers president quits
Portland Trail Blazers president and general manager Steve Patterson unexpectedly resigned on Thursday. Tod Leiweke, chief executive officer of the Seattle Seahawks, will take over Patterson's duties while a replacement is found, team owner Paul Allen's company said. Petterson has been the team president since 2003. "I concluded this was simply the right time to step away," Patterson said in a statement.
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