Newsmakers
Re-signed The Oklahoma City Thunder re-signed guard Derek Fisher on Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not immediately available.
Announced A French inquiry into sports doping indicates 1998 Tour de France champion Marco Pantani and runner-up Jan Ullrich used the banned blood-booster EPO. France’s senate, after a five-month investigation focused on sports doping, released the report. It describes the use of EPO was rife in cycling in the late 1990s.
• A member of FIFA’s executive committee says awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar was a “blatant mistake” and that even moving it to avoid searing summer temperatures wouldn’t be ideal. Former German soccer federation president Theo Zwanziger said that a suggestion by FIFA President Sepp Blatter to play the tournament in winter would seriously affect the European leagues.
Approved A state board has given the go-ahead for a new Red Wings arena in downtown Detroit that will be partially paid for with tax dollars.
Rescued Tennessee Titans linebacker Jonathan “Tig” Willard says he helped rescue a family from a burning vehicle on his way to training camp. The rookie was driving on Interstate 40 Tuesday when he noticed a sports utility vehicle smoking. He said that he flashed his lights and honked his horn to get the driver to pull over when he saw flames shoot out the back. Willard said he handed an infant to the driver before pulling out another child. A second man rescued a third child and the family’s dog with the SUV exploding into flames a couple minutes later.
Died The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff says a freshman walk-on linebacker was shot to death outside his home in Louisiana. Lydell Hartford Jr. died Tuesday at his home in Waggaman, La. Hartford was fatally shot by a 16-year-old friend who was playing with a gun.
Agreed Guard Mike Miller is going back to a former home, agreeing to a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. No terms were released.
Launched The Italian soccer federation launched an investigation after AC Milan midfielder Kevin Constant, who is black, walked off the field following racist abuse during a friendly match.