Newsmakers

Rejected A Texas appeals court has rejected Lance Armstrong’s attempts to block an arbitration panel from reviewing $12 million in bonuses paid to him by a company that wants its money back. The Dallas-based Fifth Court of Appeals had temporarily halted the case at Armstrong’s request in March, but ruled Thursday it doesn’t have jurisdiction at this stage of an arbitration matter.

• Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has rejected accusations of bribery as his trial opened in Germany – telling a Munich court that the German banker at the center of the case didn’t tell the truth. Ecclestone said in a statement read out in German by his lawyers that he was “grateful” to be able to give his side of the story. The 83-year-old Ecclestone is charged with bribery and incitement to breach of trust, and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Announced The Buffalo Bills cheerleaders will be making no appearances this year, a decision that comes days after a lawsuit over pay and working conditions. Stephanie Mateczun is the manager of the Buffalo Jills and president of Stejon Productions Corp. She wouldn’t explain the suspension, but two days earlier five former cheerleaders sued the company and NFL team. The cheerleaders say they had to work hundreds of hours for free at games and were subjected to groping and sexual comments at mandatory public appearances.

• This year’s Giro d’Italia will be missing two of cycling’s biggest names after Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome, the last two winners of the Tour de France, were left out of Team Sky’s nine-man lineup for the May 9-June 1 race. Wiggins is competing in the Tour of California in May while Froome is being rested ahead of the defense of his Tour de France title in July.

Declared University of Colorado point guard Spencer Dinwiddie is skipping his senior season and will declare for the NBA draft. Dinwiddie’s junior season was cut short when he tore his left ACL Jan. 12 at Washington and needed reconstructive surgery. Dinwiddie was averaging 14.7 points and nearly four assists when he got hurt.

Removed Former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar believes he has been removed as a TV commentator for Cleveland’s preseason games because of slurred speech he attributes to concussions sustained in the NFL. The Browns announced that Kosar is being replaced by Solomon Wilcots. The team says it is exploring other media roles for Kosar – one of the Browns’ most popular players.