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■ Rugby Union
New trophy up for grabs
A little-known player born in Melbourne nearly 150 years ago and raised in Wales will have his name on a new trophy representing rugby superiority between Australia and Wales. The James Bevan Trophy unveiled yesterday honors the player who captained the inaugural Wales international side against England in 1881. Bevan was born in the Melbourne suburb of St. Kilda in 1858. He lived with relatives in Wales following the death of his parents when he was seven, completing his education at Cambridge University before his rugby career. The new trophy will be contested in the forthcoming two-test series between Australia and Wales, the first tomorrow in Sydney.

■ Basketball
Magic fire Brian Hill
Brian Hill was fired as coach of the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, the Orlando Sentinel reported, saying the NBA club dumped him despite two years remaining on his deal. The Magic finished 40-42 and reached the NBA playoffs for the first time in four years, but Orlando was swept out by the Detroit Pistons in the first round. The newspaper reported that Magic general manager Otis Smith "expected" Hill to return but noted Hill was frustrated with his role and often criticized by fans hungry for a winner. Hill, 59, guided the Magic to their only NBA Finals appearance in 1995, but was fired in 1997. Hill was 76-88 in his second stint as coach of the Magic.

■ Tennis
Golovin, Peng withdraw
Tatiana Golovin of France and Peng Shuai of China have pulled out of the French Open because of injury, organizers said on Wednesday. Golovin, ranked 17th, has failed to recover from a right-foot injury picked up during Fed Cup play last month, while 32nd-ranked Peng has a left ankle injury, the French tennis federation said. Golovin will be replaced in the main draw by a lucky loser, while Germany's Angelique Kerber steps in for Peng. The French Open starts tomorrow.

■ Olympics
Austria fined US$1 million
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) yesterday slapped a US$1 million sanction on Austria following last year's Winter Olympic doping scandal. The Austrian National Olympic Committee was barred from receiving US$1 million in grants or subsidies from the IOC and warned that it must show that internal changes have been implemented by June 30 next year, the IOC said in a statement. Six Austrian cross country skiers and biathletes caught doping at last year's Turin Winter Olympics were banned for life by the IOC's disciplinary commission last month.

■ Ice Hockey
Billionaire to buy Predators
Nashville Predators owner Craig Leipold reached an agreement to sell the franchise to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie. Leipold told Predators' employees of the sale in a meeting on Wednesday afternoon in Nashville, according a person familiar with the sale who spoke to the press on Wednesday night on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been finalized. It was unknown whether the sale would involve relocating the franchise. The NHL's Board of Governors must approve any sale. Balsillie, the co-CEO of Blackberry makers Research in Motion, has offered an undisclosed amount for the team, Canadian sports network TSN reported.


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