LPGA backs off demand for English
The LPGA Tour’s “mea culpa” didn’t need much translation.
Facing anger from lawmakers and bewilderment from sponsors, the LPGA Tour backed off plans to suspend players who cannot speak English well enough to be understood at pro-ams, in interviews or in making acceptance speeches at tournaments in the United States.
The policy has generated a storm of bad publicity since it was announced last month.
LPGA Tour commissioner Carolyn Bivens said she would have a revised plan by the end of the year that would not include suspensions, although fining non-English speakers remains an option.
“We have decided to rescind those penalty provisions,” Bivens said in a statement. “After hearing the concerns, we believe there are other ways to achieve our shared objective of supporting and enhancing the business opportunities for every tour player.”
Bivens disclosed the tour’s original plan in a meeting with South Korean players two weeks ago at the Safeway Classic in Portland, Golfweek magazine reported. The policy, which had not been written, was widely criticized as discriminatory, particularly against Asian players.
The LPGA membership includes 121 international players from 26 countries, including 45 from South Korea. Asians won three of the four majors this year.
The reversal was quickly hailed by two California lawmakers who challenged the original policy.
State Sen. Leland Yee, a Democrat from San Francisco, had asked the Legislature’s legal office to determine whether the English policy violated state or federal anti-discrimination laws. If it was deemed legal, Yee said he would have pushed for legislation banning such policies in California.
The LPGA Tour plays three events in California, including its first major championship.
•Villegas atop field: Camilo Villegas of Colombia, coming off a tie for third last week that allowed him to advance in the PGA Tour Playoffs, continued his good form with eight birdies on long, soft Bellerive Country Club for a 5-under-par 65 that gave him a one-shot lead at the BMW Championship in St. Louis.
Steve Stricker made a 35-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for a 4-under 66, tied with Kenny Perry, Tim Herron, Stuart Appleby and Andres Romero.
•Four fire aces in Utah: Peter Tomasulo, Chris Stroud, Brian Stuard and Jonathan Fricke had holes-in-one Thursday in the first round of the Utah Championship in Sandy, the first time in Nationwide Tour history that there have been four aces in a round.
•Fujikawa’s father charged: The father of 17-year-old pro golfer Tadd Fujikawa was charged with trafficking methamphetamine and awaits trial next month in Honolulu.
Basketball
Vitale, others honored
Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing and Pat Riley were enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame, but it was inductee Dick Vitale who, as expected, stole the show in Springfield, Mass.
Others in the class, which also included Adrian Dantley, Detroit Pistons and Shock owner Bill Davidson, and former Immaculata University coach Cathy Rush, gave speeches. But the ESPN commentator held court, preaching with passion for almost 30 minutes about everything from basketball to broadcasting to family.
“I’ve been stealing money talking about a game, getting paid,” he said.
•Chalmers apologizes: A contrite Mario Chalmers spoke out about his banishment from the NBA’s rookie symposium, acknowledging that he made an error in judgment but denying numerous reports that he was using marijuana.
The Miami Heat rookie guard, who helped Kansas win the NCAA championship five months ago, released an apology through the team to several parties, including NBA commissioner David Stern, Heat owner Micky Arison, Heat president Pat Riley, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and the Kansas basketball family.
Chalmers was sent home from the event Wednesday after security at the resort where the four-day session was taking place found Chalmers and former Kansas teammate Darrell Arthur in a room with two women, and security officials detected the scent of marijuana.
•Cavs sign Wright: The Cavaliers signed center Lorenzen Wright to help offset the loss up front of forward Joe Smith.
Cleveland has been looking for some frontcourt size since Smith was traded as part of the three-team deal with Memphis and Milwaukee that brought guard Mo Williams to Cleveland.
•Big Sky teams land ESPN slot: Defending Big Sky Conference champion Portland State and Montana State have been chosen to participate in the seventh annual ESPN BracketBusters basketball games in February.
Track and Field
Jones out of prison
Disgraced sprinter Marion Jones was released from federal prison after completing most of her six-month sentence for lying about her steroid use.
Jones left a halfway house in San Antonio around 8 a.m., said LaTanya Robinson, a community corrections manager for the federal Bureau of Prisons.
Jones, who has a house in Austin, will remain on probation.
•Bolt continues dominance: Usain Bolt rallied against cold, wind and Asafa Powell to win the 100 meters in 9.77 seconds at the Van Damme Memorial in Brussels, Belgium.
Running against a strong headwind in his season finale, the three-time Olympic champion had a bad start and watched Powell go ahead. But Bolt pulled even with Powell and used his long strides to finish 0.08 off the world record he set at the Beijing Games.
•Hammer throw medals in question: The silver and bronze medalists from Belarus in the men’s hammer throw at the Beijing Olympics were caught doping and could be stripped of their medals.
Vadim Devyatovskiy and Ivan Tsikhan are still being investigated for doping offenses at the games by the International Olympic Committee.
Miscellany
U.S. boxing coach out
U.S. boxing coach Dan Campbell retired after his attempt to remake the American team backfired in Beijing with its worst showing in Olympic history.
Campbell, a 65-year-old veteran of the amateur boxing ranks, had been the national director of coaching for USA Boxing since 2005.
He was in charge of the nine American fighters in Beijing, winning just one medal.
•Kentucky bans steroids in horse racing: Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear signed an emergency regulation banning steroids for the state’s thoroughbred and standardbred races.
The new rules go into effect immediately and ban anabolic steroids from being present in the blood of any horse that’s racing.
Big Brown had steroids in his system before winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. It was not illegal in any of the Triple Crown states this year.