IN BRIEF (Page 23)

NBA

Walker traded to Minnesota in five-player deal

CHICAGO: Three-time All-Star forward Antoine Walker has been traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves by the Miami Heat in a five-player deal, the Wolves announced on Wednesday.

Walker, who helped Miami win the 2006 NBA title, was acquired along with center Michael Doleac, forward Wayne Simien, a first-round draft pick and financial considerations.

In exchange, the Wolves sent former Miami guard Ricky Davis and center Mark Blount to the Heat.

The 31-year-old Walker, a veteran of 11 seasons in the NBA, moves to Minnesota after a checkered career in Miami where he did not always satisfy head coach Pat Riley's lofty fitness standards.

However, the forward's conditioning did not worry Kevin McHale, vice-president of basketball operations for the Wolves.

Lakers cancel Utah game in San Diego due to wildfires

LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Lakers have canceled Thursday's preseason game against the Utah Jazz in San Diego because of the wildfires that have raged across Southern California this week.

More than half a million people have been forced to leave their homes in the biggest mass evacuation in California's modern history, with nearly 1,500 homes already lost in San Diego county.

"There is simply too much devastation in the area and too much uncertainty about what will happen in the next few days," Tim Harris, senior vice-president of business operations for the Lakers, said in a statement on Wednesday.

Tennis

Top seed Roddick beaten in Lyon

LYON, France: Top seed Andy Roddick slumped to a 7-6 2-6 6-4 defeat by Frenchman Fabrice Santoro in the first round of the Lyon Grand Prix on Wednesday.

The American, though, has already qualified for next month's season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai.

Frenchman Richard Gasquet boosted his bid to qualify for the Masters Cup with a 7-6 6-3 victory over Belgian Christophe Rochus.

Fourth seed Gasquet, who won the Lyon title last year, blasted Rochus off the court with 23 aces.

Gasquet is 11th in the ATP Race standings, eight points behind eighth-placed German Tommy Haas who holds the last qualifying spot for the Masters Cup.

Next week's Masters Series event in Paris will be the last chance for Shanghai hopefuls.

NFL

League earmarks extra $10 million for medical fund

NEW YORK: An additional $10 million has been approved by the National Football League to bolster its medical fund for retired players, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced on Wednesday.

The money, which supplements an initial fund of $7 million agreed by the league in July, will help pay for joint replacement surgeries and other medical assistance.

Goodell said the $10 million commitment would be augmented by on-field player fine money, additional contributions from the NFL Players Association and other retired players groups.

The so-called "Alliance" of the NFL, the NFLPA, the Hall of Fame and the NFL Alumni Association was formed in May to address the medical concerns and needs of retired players.

Soccer

Vasco goes out in Romario's coaching debut

RIO DE JANEIRO: Former Brazilian striker Romario made his coaching debut on Wednesday but was unable to stop Vasco da Gama from being knocked out of the Copa Sudamericana.

Vasco, with Romario taking a player-coaching role on an interim basis, beat Mexico's America 1-0 in the quarterfinal second leg, but went out 2-1 on aggregate.

The former Barcelona and PSV Eindhoven player was appointed on Monday after Celso Roth became the second coach this year to be fired by the club.

Romario, 41, brought himself on as a second-half substitute for his first game in four months and wasted a chance to level the aggregate scores when he mis-timed a free header.

Leandro Amaral gave Vasco a 10th-minute lead following a corner but, despite creating a wealth of chances, the Brazilians were unable to find a second goal.

Sao Paulo was knocked out by Colombia's Millonarios, who won 2-0 to complete a 3-0 aggregate win.

(China Daily 10/26/2007 page23)