Skeleton coach Nardiello fired again
U.S. skeleton coach Tim Nardiello was fired by the sport’s national federation for ignoring orders to stay away from the team during its final Olympic preparations.
Nardiello, who was denied a credential to coach at the Turin Games, is in St. Moritz, Switzerland, where the four sliders representing the United States are training. The letter of dismissal was e-mailed Friday.
“I’m very disappointed,” Nardiello said Saturday.
Nardiello was suspended by the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation Dec. 31, accused of sexually harassing team members. He was reinstated 25 days later when an arbitrator found no credible evidence supporting those claims.
But the U.S. Olympic Committee, which conducted a separate inquiry, still refused to let him coach in Turin, citing other misconduct.
After his reinstatement, Nardiello asked permission to join the team in Europe and coach until the Turin Games open. The federation declined, but Nardiello went to Switzerland anyway.
The next-to-last World Cup downhill of the season was canceled because of heavy fog in Chamonix, France, strengthening Austrian Michael Walchhofer’s chances of defending his season title.
Maria Jose Rienda of Spain and Anja Paerson of Sweden finished in a dead heat in Ofterschwang, Germany, edging American Julia Mancuso in the final women’s World Cup giant slalom before the Olympics.
Tennis
Haas advances to Delray finals
Tommy Haas moved into his first final since 2004 with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Vince Spadea at the International Tennis Championships in Delray Beach, Fla.
Haas, seeded fourth, will face defending champion Xavier Malisse in the championship match. The third-seeded Malisse beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-6 (4), 6-1.
Haas, 10-2 this year, improved to 6-1 in his career against the eighth-seeded Spadea.
Top-seeded Ivan Ljubicic defeated teenager Novak Djokovic of Serbia-Montenegro 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the Zagreb Indoors final in Zagreb, Croatia.
Miscellany
Phelps continues strong showing
Swimmer Michael Phelps continued his domination of the FINA World Cup in East Meadow, N.Y. The 20-year-old from Baltimore lowered his American record in the 200 freestyle to 1:42.78, then earned his fourth victory of the meet by winning the 200 IM. Tara Kirk of Bremerton, Wash., won the women’s 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke races.
John Vaught, who led Mississippi to six SEC titles and 18 postseason bowl appearances in 25 seasons as football coach, has died at 96 in Oxford, Miss.
High Limit won the $300,000 Strub Stakes for 4-year-olds at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., spoiling the return of 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo, who finished third.
Keyed Entry outran heavily favored First Samurai by 1 1/4 lengths to win the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Miami.
Sweden’s Kajsa Bergqvist broke the world indoor record in the women’s high jump by clearing 6 feet, 9 3/4 inches in Arnstadt, Germany. The previous mark of 6-9 1/2 was set by Heike Henkel of Germany on Feb. 8, 1992.
The Boston Red Sox and pitcher Josh Beckett settled their arbitration case, agreeing to a one-year contract for $4,325,000. Beckett, acquired in a seven-player trade on Thanksgiving, made $2,425,000 last season when he went 15-8 with a 3.38 ERA for the Florida Marlins.