Artest pleads no contest
Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest pleaded no contest on Thursday to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge stemming from a March 5 dispute with his wife, the latest in a string of off-court problems. Placer County, California, Superior Court Judge Francis Kearney sentenced Artest to 100 hours of community service and a 10-day work project through the county sheriff's department. Artest also was fined US$600 and ordered to get extensive counseling. Kearney modified the restraining order that has kept Artest away from his wife, Kimsha, and three children since the incident.
■ Boxing
Klitschko hit with lawsuit
IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko was hit with a US$5 million lawsuit on Thursday over last year's canceled fight with Shannon Briggs at Madison Square Garden in New York. The suit, filed in New York State Supreme Court, alleges breach of contract, breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing and fraudulent misrepresentation. Cedric Kushner, president of Gotham Boxing, filed the lawsuit against Klitschko, promoter Shelly Finkel, Shelly Finkel Management, K2 Promotions and Sport Five. "Briggs was strung along for close to two months by the Klitschko camp," Kushner said in a statement.
■ Baseball
Cepeda charged for drugs
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will recommend prosecutors charge baseball Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda with drug possession, a spokesman said on Thursday. The department was scheduled to forward its report of Cepeda's arrest to the Solano County District Attorney's office yesterday, CHP Sgt. Wulf Corrington said. The former San Francisco Giants star was stopped on Tuesday after he was clocked driving 134kph in a 105kph zone on Interstate 80 in Cordelia, northeast of San Francisco. The 69-year-old Cepeda was arrested after the officer discovered marijuana and a white powder substance in his car.
■ Baseball
Early classic invites sent
Defending champion Japan, Cuba and the US were among the teams sent early invitations for the 2009 World Baseball Classic. "There are already several countries that were in a good position in the last Classic that have received their invitations," Major League Baseball vice president of international baseball operations Lou Melendez said on Thursday. The first invitations went to teams that reached the second round of last year's tournament: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the US and Venezuela. Another eight invitees will be announced by December.
■ Tennis
Sampras routs Korda
Pete Sampras routed Petr Korda 6-1, 6-2 in the Champions Cup on Thursday, the 14-time major winner's first tournament in nearly five years. "It was fun -- it was nice playing in the crowd," Sampras said after his first competitive match since beating Andre Agassi in the 2002 US Open final. "I felt excited walking out there with a nice ovation. This is why I decided to play." The 35-year-old Sampras, who will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in July, didn't touch a racket for nearly three years before picking up the sport again last summer to get in better shape.
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