Newsmakers

Detained France soccer players Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema were detained for questioning by police officials as part of an investigation into an alleged prostitution ring. A police official who spoke on condition of anonymity told the Associated Press the players were being questioned by a special prostitution brigade in Paris at the request of an investigating magistrate. The investigation became public knowledge this year after a young woman claimed that several soccer players on France’s national team paid to have sex with her when she was a minor.

Signed American midfielder Sal Zizzo has left Hannover of the German Bundesliga to sign with Major League Soccer. MLS said that Zizzo will be assigned to a team during a weighted lottery held at the league’s offices today. The 23-year-old former UCLA star tore his left anterior cruciate ligament last October.

• The Carolina Panthers have signed third-round draft pick Brandon LaFell, leaving just quarterback Jimmy Clausen from this year’s draft without a contract. The Panthers expect LaFell to compete for playing time immediately as fourth-year wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett has been slow to emerge as a consistent factor in the offense.

Withdrew American Mark O’Meara withdrew from the Senior British Open at Carnoustie following the death of his father Bob at the age of 81. The 53-year-old O’Meara, a two-time major winner, cut short his two-week visit to Scotland to fly home to Florida and be with his family.

Driving NASCAR road racing specialist Boris Said will drive the No. 83 Toyota for Red Bull Racing when the Sprint Cup visits Watkins Glen on Aug. 8. Said has nine Cup starts at the winding circuit, finishing third there in 2005. Said will be the fifth driver to pilot the No. 83 for Red Bull this year. Primary driver Brian Vickers left the car earlier this season after developing blood clots.

Returning Gymnast Paul Hamm is on the comeback, hoping to make another run at the Olympics. The 2004 Olympic all-around gymnastics champion tells the Associated Press he has quit his job and is heading back to the gym to start training full-time, in hopes of making the U.S. team for the London Games in 2012.