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Cuban kicks referee in taekwondo
SAN DIEGO, July 17 (UPI) -- U.S. soccer's Abby Wambach will miss the Beijing Summer Olympics next month because of a broken leg.
Wambach, who has 99 goals in 127 international games and 13 goals and 10 assists this year, broke both the tibia and fibula in her left leg in a collision with Brazilian defender Andreia Rosa in the first half of Wednesday's exhibition game in San Diego.
Doctors planned to insert a titanium rod into Wambach's leg. She will be out of the lineup for 12 weeks. The Olympics begin in three weeks in China. The first U.S. women's soccer team game is Aug. 6 -- even before the opening ceremonies.
The United States, 21
1 this year after beating Brazil 1-0 on Wednesday, had been one of the favorites to win the gold medal in women's soccer at the Games.
Third Tour de France rider out for doping
LAVELANET, France, July 17 (UPI) -- Riccardo Ricco, who won two stages in this year's Tour de France, tested position for a banned substance and he and his team withdrew from the race.
Ricco allegedly tested positive for the blood-booster EPO. He won the sixth and ninth stages in this year's Tour de France and was in ninth place in the overall standings.
His team -- Saunier Duval -- voluntarily withdrew from the race and team leaders said they would not compete in any races until further notice.
Ricco is the third racer to leave the field this year after running into doping allegations. Manuel Beltran left after the first stage after test returned positive for EPO. On Wednesday, Moises Duenas Nevado was detained by French police after he allegedly tested positive for EPO.
Ricco, who was taken off the team bus by police before Thursday's Stage 12, and Duenas Nevado were both tested after the Stage 4 time trial.
Police were questioning the riders about where they obtained EPO, which aids flow of oxygen to the lungs by increasing the number of red blood cells in the human body.
Cavendish wins third Tour stage this year
NARBONNE, France, July 17 (UPI) -- Mark Cavendish held off the field with a strong final sprint Thursday in winning his third stage of the 2008 Tour de France.
Cavendish, who also won Stages 5 and 8 this year, was in fifth position with about 330 yards to go in the 101-mile race from Lavelanet to Narbonne when he made his move. He had just enough power to hold off Sebastian Chavanel by a bike length. Gert Steegmans was third.
Cavendish's time was 3 hours, 40 minutes, 52 seconds. The first 129 riders, including overall leader Cadel Evans, were credited with the same time.
Evans, 20th in Thursday's stage, owns a 1-second lead over Frank Schlenk and has a 36-second edge on Christian Vandevelde in the overall standings. Bernhard Kohl, who trails Evans by 46 seconds, and Deni Menchov, 57 seconds back, are the only other riders within 1 minute of Evans.
Stage 13, to be ridden Friday, is a 109.2-mile plains route from Narbonne to Nimes.
Boxer Diaz critical after brain surgery
SAN ANTONIO, July 17 (UPI) -- Welterweight boxer Oscar Diaz was in critical condition following brain surgery Thursday morning at the University Hospital in San Antonio.
The popular 28-year-old San Antonio native collapsed after the 10th round of his nationally televised bout against Delvin Rodriguez Wednesday night.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Oscar, his family, and all of Oscar's fans and friends in San Antonio," promoter Joe DeGuardia, the CEO of Star Boxing, said in a statement. "Oscar is a tremendous fighter and more importantly a tremendous person. We hope for the best, and ask everyone to keep Oscar in their thoughts and hearts."
Diaz (26-3) and Rodriguez (23-2-1, 14 KOs) were fighting for the vacant United States Boxing Association welterweight crown.
Before the bout, ESPN 2 boxing analyst Teddy Atlas said he felt both fighters had an equal chance of winning.
Toronto Maple Leafs offering a free game
TORONTO, July 17 (UPI) -- The Toronto Maple Leafs announced that 20,000 people can win free tickets to a Sept. 22 preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres.
At a news conference at the Air Canada Centre Wednesday, the team -- one of the costliest for tickets in the NHL -- announced the promotion in partnership with Coca-Cola Zero, the Toronto Star reported.
The loss in revenue is close to $2 million, team officials said.
Team General Manager Cliff Fletcher acknowledged the team's reputation for high prices.
"The cost of tickets today puts the game out of reach for a lot of the grass-roots fans," he said. "This is a way we can acknowledge how important they are to the team and give them an opportunity to see a game free of charge."
Fans who attended the news conference were given a pair of tickets and the rest will be given away through various Coca-Cola and Leafs promotions listed on www.mapleleafs.com.
