■ Baseball
Mitchell pans lack of power
Former US senator George Mitchell said his probe into doping in Major League Baseball has been delayed because he lacks the power to compel testimony. Mitchell was hired by league commissioner Bud Selig last March following more than a year of allegations against Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and other stars. No timetable was set for Mitchell's report. "When I began, I was, of course, aware that I do not have the power to compel testimony or the production of documents," Mitchell said in a statement on Friday. "From the outset I believed that the absence of such power would significantly increase the amount of time necessary to complete the investigation, and it has."
■ NBA
Iverson fined for no-show
Allen Iverson, fined by the Philadelphia 76ers for skipping a bowling event with corporate sponsors and season-ticket holders, said on Friday the effects of medicine after a dental procedure made him unable to attend. He was fined an undisclosed amount for missing the event on Wednesday. He said the medicine "put me out" after having two abscessed teeth pulled. Iverson left practice on Wednesday, complaining of fatigue. Iverson said he was willing to accept the consequences of disappointing Sixers fans. "I'm not too much worried about the fine as the fact I missed a team event," Iverson said.
■ Alpine Skiing
Riesch wins downhill
Germany's Maria Riesch, coming back from two knee operations, won the opening downhill of the women's World Cup season on Friday. Riesch won for the fourth time in her career, finishing in 1 minute, 51.31 seconds on the Olympic course. Lindsey Kildow of the US was the runner-up in 1:51.74 and Nadia Fanchini of Italy took third with 1:52.06. Riesch, the 10th skier down the hill, had a long wait before she knew she won. There was also a delay after Sweden's Jessica Lindell-Vikarby fell and had to be taken off the hill by helicopter. Riesch injured her right knee last year and the left the year before.
■ Swimming
Krayzelburg makes return
Olympic gold medalist Lenny Krayzelburg's comeback is off to a good start. Krayzelburg, who underwent shoulder surgery after the 2004 Athens Games, finished fourth in the 100m backstroke finals at the US Open on Friday with a time of 56.93 seconds. He was more than 2 seconds behind winner Ryan Lochte. It was Krayzelburg's first major competition since the Athens games. "For a first meet coming back, I was pretty happy," he said. "It's going to take some time, but it's a good start." It was a solid return for the four-time Olympic gold medal winner, whose career had been in doubt.
■ Soccer
Veron faces prison stay
An Italian court has recommended a two-year jail term for former Argentina soccer international Juan Sebastian Veron, who is accused of illegally obtaining an Italian passport. Former Lazio player Veron and six others including former Lazio president Sergio Cragnotti have been prosecuted in the case. Veron obtained his passport on Sept. 9, 1999. Cragnotti is also facing a possible two-year jail term following the prosecutors' recommendations. The trial is set to resume on Jan. 12. Veron spent seven years playing in Italy with Sampdoria (1996 to 1998), Parma (1998 to 1999), Lazio (1999 to 2001) and Inter Milan (2004 to this year).
SSC Napoli’s Italian Serie A title hopes suffered a late setback on Sunday when they were held to a 2-2 draw at home against Genoa, setting up a thrilling season finale with closest rivals Inter just one point behind. The hosts remain top with 78 points, holding a slim lead over Inter, who won 2-0 at Torino earlier on Sunday, with two rounds remaining. To make matters worse for Napoli, midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, struggling with an ankle injury, was forced off just minutes after the match began. Scott McTominay delivered a perfect pass into the box where Romelu Lukaku got
Harry Kane opened the scoring ahead of lifting his first career silverware as Bayern Munich beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-0, with veteran Thomas Mueller playing his last home game for the club. Bayern officially won the title on May 4 when defending champions Bayer Leverkusen were held to a 2-2 draw at Freiburg, but were presented with the Bundesliga shield in front of their home fans at full-time. Dripping wet after being showered with beer by teammates, Kane said the title win was “an incredible feeling,” and hoped it would be “the first of many.” “It’s been lot of hard work, a lot of
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
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