In brief: NCAA committee rejects drug-testing proposals

A proposal that would have expanded the NCAA’s drug-testing policy to include street drugs was rejected Wednesday in Indianapolis by an NCAA committee. The measure would’ve imposed strong sanctions for violators, including a half-season suspension for first-time offenders.

The decision will not change the program currently implemented by the NCAA, which includes testing at championship events and random year-round testing for performance-enhancing drugs. About 10,000 to 11,000 student-athletes are randomly selected each year for tests.

Carolyn Femovich, chairwoman of the Championship and Competition Cabinet, said committee members did not believe legislation was necessary since most Division I schools and conferences already test for street drugs, such as marijuana and cocaine.

“The NCAA will reconsider three rules, including one that bans coaches from sending text messages to recruits, at its Aug. 9 board of directors meeting.

The board could reaffirm the text messaging decision, reject the decision or create new legislation. Current rules place no restrictions on text messaging with recruits.

Basketball

Wittenberg coach dies

Pam Smith, Wittenberg University’s most successful women’s basketball coach, died after a long bout with cancer, the university said. She was 47.

Smith, also the university’s associate athletic director, died Tuesday in a Springfield, Ohio hospital.

“A federal jury in Washington D.C. began hearing a $20 million lawsuit against Allen Iverson, who is accused of assaulting two men in a bar fight.

Marlin Godfrey and David Anthony Kittrell sued Iverson, saying the Denver Nuggets guard stood by as his entourage beat them and at one point even joined in by hitting someone with a bottle. They are seeking $20 million in damages.

“LSU has paid former women’s basketball coach Pokey Chatman the $160,000 owed her as a result of a recent contract settlement following her resignation.

Chatman abruptly resigned March 7 after assistant coach Carla Berry raised allegations of improper conduct with a former player or players.

“Los Angeles Lakers center Kwame Brown underwent surgery on his right shoulder, and the team said he should be at full strength by the start of training camp in early October.

Miscellany

Mueller gets extension

Miami Dolphins general manager Randy Mueller, a native of St. Maries, Idaho, signed a two-year contract extension that will take him through the summer of 2010. Mueller’s initial contract was three years for $2.1 million and ran through June 2008.

“Haile Gebrselassie set two world records in the rarely contested 1-hour race at the Golden Spike in Gold Coast, Australia, eclipsing the mark for the time-limited race (12.77 miles) and adding another at 20,000 meters (56 minutes 25.98 seconds) along the way.

“The International Softball Federation announced a “Back Softball” campaign to push for the sport to be reinstated for the 2016 Olympic Games.

After three rounds in the Olympics, softball was eliminated from the 2012 London Games.

“FIFA revised its ban on soccer matches at high altitude, easing the restrictions to only apply to World Cup qualifiers above 9,840 feet rather than 8,200 feet.

“America’s Cup defender Alinghi sailed by the book – the Swiss yacht grabbed the lead and defended it.

The defending champion’s 30-second victory over New Zealand evened the best-of-9 series at 2-2 for the Auld Mug.

“Ted Musgrave was suspended one race for retaliating against another driver during the Truck Series race at the Milwaukee Mile.

“Serena and Venus Williams were picked to play for the United States in the Fed Cup semifinals against Russia on July 14-15.

“Anthony Mundine retained his WBA super middleweight boxing title with a unanimous decision over Argentina’s Pablo Zamora Nievas.