Edwards out, Devers in the 100

Torri Edwards’ two-year doping suspension cleared the way for 37-year-old Gail Devers to try to win her third gold medal in the 100 meters.

Of course, that means defending champion Marion Jones gets left out of the event at the Athens Games.

Just another day of drama Wednesday on the U.S. track and field team.

Edwards appealed to the international Court of Arbitration for Sport, where a binding decision should come before the track competition begins on Aug. 20. Her chances are not good.

Edwards’ suspension for taking a banned stimulant elevated Devers, a five-time Olympian, into the 100 because she finished fourth at the U.S. trials last month.

There had been speculation Devers would turn down a spot in the 100 in order to concentrate on the 100-meter hurdles, a decision that would have let Jones — fifth at the trials — defend her gold medal from the Sydney Games.

Devers ended that idea, telling U.S. women’s coach Sue Humphrey of her otherwise.

“Marc Raquil, a medal contender in the 400 meters for France, will miss the Games with an injured left calf.

Serena Williams pulls out of Games

Serena Williams pulled out of the Summer Olympics just hours before she was to travel to Greece with the U.S. tennis squad, joining Jennifer Capriati on the sideline.

“I am sad and disappointed, not only because I am unable to travel to Greece and participate in the Olympics,” Williams said Wednesday, “but also because I gave my word that I would play.”

In New York to catch the team’s flight, the six-time Grand Slam singles champion saw a doctor and was told not to compete in Athens because of lingering pain in her left knee, U.S. Tennis Association spokesman Randy Walker said.

The doctor “advised her that if she were to play, she’d risk serious long-term repercussions on her knee,” Walker said.

Williams’ withdrawal came a day after 1992 singles gold medalist Capriati announced she wouldn’t play because of a hamstring injury.

U.S. team stays in Turkey

If the U.S. basketball team’s wildly inconsistent warmup tour accomplished anything, coaches hope it finally delivered the message they’ve been screaming about: Winning the gold medal in Athens won’t be easy.

The team stuck around Turkey for an extra day Wednesday, getting in a lengthy practice before it travels to Athens for what promises to be the most competitive Olympic tournament since professionals began playing in 1992.

Coach Larry Brown, both a perfectionist and a pessimist, still doesn’t believe his team is entirely ready for what’s in store.

“I don’t know where we are,” Brown said. “We have good moments and bad, but I have a pretty good understanding of who needs to play. Now the job is to get an understanding of how we have to play.”

Malchow has with shoulder injury

Defending Olympic 200-meter butterfly champion Tom Malchow has been hampered by a right shoulder injury that was diagnosed after last month’s U.S. trials.

Malchow didn’t feel quite right at meets in May and June, but didn’t know he was hurt until after earning a berth on his third Olympic team.

He’s had two cortisone shots recently to combat swelling and fluid buildup.

“We can’t fix the tear. I’m managing the pain pretty well,” he said.