■ OLYMPICS
Vancouver signs UN pact
Organizers of the 2010 Winter Olympics signed a UN agreement on Monday as part of their efforts to tout the Vancouver Games' commitment to the environment. But the pledge reignited criticism of the negative impact from the infrastructure built for the Games as well as the carbon emissions from visitors to the region. Under the agreement, the organizing committee promises to come up with innovative ways to minimize the environmental footprint of major events before, during and after the games. Joe Foy, of the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, said the massive transportation infrastructure built for the games would increase greenhouse gas emissions long after the athletes have gone. He said habitat for endangered species like the grizzly bear would be destroyed with the building of trails in Whistler.
■ BASKETBALL
Judge turns down Sonics
The Seattle SuperSonics cannot try to escape their lease at KeyArena in Seattle through arbitration, a federal judge said on Monday. Judge Ricardo Martinez called the team's interpretation of the contract "as errant as a typical Shaquille O'Neal free throw." The decision was a victory for the city and means officials may continue to seek a court order forcing the Sonics to play their next three seasons at the NBA's smallest venue. New Sonics chairman Clay Bennett failed to win public funding this year to build a new arena. Last month, he issued a demand for arbitration, hoping to buy out the remainder of the lease unless a deal on a new facility could be reached by the end of this month.
In response, the city sued, trying to force the Sonics to honor the terms of a deal reached in the mid-1990s: In exchange for US$74 million in renovations to the old Seattle Coliseum, the team agreed to play all of its home games there through Sept. 30, 2010.
■ FOOTBALL
Romo takes Cowboys deal
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo agreed to a six-year, US$67 million deal that was to be announced yesterday. The contract, which will become effective this week and provides salary cap relief for Dallas, includes US$30 million in guaranteed money, said a person familiar with the deal who requested anonymity because the contact had not been announced. "It's a great feeling you have when the organization and the people stand behind you, and you can be the quarterback for a long, long time," Romo said in Irving, Texas. "It's a neat feeling that, `You're our guy, we like you.' ... It makes you feel good as a person and a player."
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