UPI NewsTrack Sports

Report: Doping at Olympics likely

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Doubts have been expressed about the ability of international anti-doping authorities to stop the use of human growth hormone at the 2008 Summer Games.

The Washington Post reported Friday that tens of millions of dollars have been spent in research over the last decade but anti-doping officials said the blood test for HGH has significant shortcomings, isn't available for widespread implementation and a urine test for the substance has yet to be developed.

"It's not at the stage where we would say it is state-of-the-art," David Howman, director of the World Anti-Doping Agency, told the Post.

A recent report on the use of performance-enhancing substances in major league baseball said more than 50 of the 92 players mentioned acknowledged either using HGH or were alleged to have purchased it, but many switched from steroids to HGH after baseball started a drug-testing program in 2003.

Officials said only surprise tests administered between international competitions would be effective.

Clemens not named in sports drug documents

NEW YORK, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens was not named in newly unsealed documents related to illegal performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, but slugger Sammy Sosa was.

The U.S. Justice Department unsealed documents Thursday that mention four new players -- Sosa, Pete Incaviglia, Geronimo Berroa and Allen Wats -- in connection with doping, The New York Times said.

Clemens and dozens of other players were named in last week's Mitchell Report, former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell's investigation of use of steroids and human growth hormones in Major League Baseball, the New York Daily News said.

However, Clemens' name was absent in a search warrant request from an IRS agent unsealed Thursday. A second warrant request to search the home of a former Mets clubhouse attendant also was unsealed, but its contents weren't immediately available.

Germany is top FIFA women's team

ZURICH, Switzerland, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Germany, which won the World Cup title this year, has finished first for the fifth consecutive year in the FIFA women's soccer team world rankings.

Germany beat Brazil in the World Cup finals and was 15 points ahead of the United States in the rankings. Sweden is third followed by Brazil and Norway. North Korea is rated sixth and France seventh followed by Denmark, Canada and England.

Sweden jumped up one spot pushing Brazil to fourth -- the only change in the FIFA women's Top 10.

Even with a German loss in the Algarve Cup, a tournament won by the United States, the Germans held onto the year-end No. 1 spot. The United States had a better record this year, going 19-1-4, but that loss was in the semifinals of the World Cup, where rating points are enhanced.

Ranking points are accumulated based on the results of a team's matches over the previous four years, the importance of each match, the strength of the opponent, the strength of the region and the number of matches per year that each team plays.

Wie to skip PGA events next season

HONOLULU, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Michelle Wie said she won't compete in any men's golf events next season.

The 18-year-old Wie, who has played in at least one PGA Tournament ever year since 2003, said she will stick to LPGA events in 2008.

She has struggled to be competitive on either tour since she was burst on the golf scene as a prodigy. In 2000 -- at the age of 10 -- she became the youngest player to qualify for the Women's U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.

For the past five years, she has played in the PGA's season-opening Sony Open in her native Hawaii after getting a sponsor's exemption, which wasn't offered for next season.

"I think she just wants to reestablish herself," her coach, David Leadbetter, told CBS Sportsline. "Her biggest goal needs to be getting her form and confidence back (and) you do that brick by brick."

While battling an ongoing wrist injury, Wie had a disastrous 2007 season when she missed three cuts, withdrew from two events, and finished in 69th place in eight LPGA events. She is also a student at Stanford University.

Flyers to give coach contract extension

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Philadelphia Flyers Coach John Stevens has agreed to a one-year contract extension with the NHL team, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

The newspaper said the deal would pay the coach $650,000.

Stevens took over the Flyers early last season when Ken Hitchcock was fired. Philadelphia is 21-42-11 overall since Stevens was made head coach but the Flyers are 16-13-3 so far this season.

Stevens was the head coach for the Flyers' AHL affiliate for six seasons (2000-06), compiling a 230-181-33-25 record and a Calder Cup championship in 2005.