Newsmakers
Banned American tennis player Wayne Odesnik was banned for two years on Wednesday, two months after pleading guilty to importing human growth hormone into Australia. Although Odesnik denied using HGH and never tested positive for the banned substance, the International Tennis Federation suspended him for possessing a prohibited substance “without a therapeutic use exemption.”
Pleaded Two men who refused to testify in the trial of Willie Clark, the man convicted in the death of Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams, pleaded guilty in a Denver court to being an accessory to perjury. As part of a plea agreement, Kataina Jackson-Keeling and Mario Anderson admitted they were in contempt of the court. Denver prosecutors had accused them of lying to a Denver grand jury investigating Williams’ death in a drive-by shooting early on New Year’s Day 2007.
Sidelined NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer was placed on probation until June 16 for aggressive driving. The penalty stems from a late-race incident between Bowyer and Denny Hamlin in last weekend’s Nationwide race at Dover. Bowyer and Hamlin were battling for position during a late restart when Hamlin clipped Bowyer, forcing him to pit. Hamlin called the bump “unintentional,” but Bowyer raced out of the pits and slammed into Hamlin. Bowyer’s No. 21 car was parked immediately by NASCAR officials and he finished 24th.
Expected New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov says general manager Kiki Vandeweghe will be let go when his contract expires this summer. Prokhorov said he does plan to retain team president Rod Thorn.
Replaced NASCAR driver Casey Mears will fill in for Brian Vickers during Saturday’s Sprint Cup All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Red Bull Racing says Mears will drive the No. 83 Toyota for Vickers, who is undergoing treatment for blood clots in his legs and near his lungs. Mears finished 22nd while subbing for Vickers last weekend at Dover.
Charged New York Knicks swingman Wilson Chandler was charged with a minor drug offense after police said they found marijuana in his car during a traffic stop in New York. Police stopped Chandler for driving his Mercedes Benz with the headlights off. Officers recovered a plastic bag of marijuana from inside the car and five other small plastic bags from the trunk, weighing less than 2 ounces in total.
Released Six-time WNBA All-Star Chamique Holdsclaw was released by the Atlanta Dream after coach Marynell Meadors said the forward asked for a trade three days prior to training camp and then did not report to the team. Meadors said she tried to work out a deal for the team’s second-leading scorer.