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Hornets ink reinstated Andersen to one-year deal

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana: The New Orleans Hornets inked forward Chris Andersen to a one-year contract on Wednesday, one day after their former player was reinstated by National Basketball Association commissioner David Stern.

Andersen, 29, was banned for two years for violating the NBA anti-drug policy.

He was in the second year of a four-year, $13 million deal when he was suspended on January 27, 2006 for testing positive for a prohibited substance.

The Hornets had exclusive contract rights to Andersen, who would have become a free agent in 30 days if his former team had not signed him.

Nowitzki suspended for flagrant foul on Kirilenko

NEW YORK: The NBA suspended Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki for one game on Wednesday for committing a foul, which left Utah's Andrei Kirilenko with a sprained right hip.

Kirilenko was hurt in Utah's 116-110 win over Dallas on Monday.

Germany's Nowitzki grabbed Kirilenko from behind as he went for a layup in the opening quarter, dragging the Russian to the ground.

Kirilenko limped out of the game and was to miss the Jazz's game against Minnesota on Wednesday and perhaps the game at Phoenix on Friday.

Nowitzki was initially assessed for a penalty one flagrant foul, but the NBA announced Wednesday that the foul had been upgraded to a penalty two, bringing a one-game suspension.

Czech striker Koller suspended, fined for spitting

FRANKFURT, Germany: Nuremberg's Czech international striker Jan Koller has been suspended for one league match and fined S22,800 by the German Football Federation (DFB) on Wednesday for spitting.

The 34-year-old, who joined Nuremberg from Monaco in January, was found guilty of unsportsmanlike behavior at the end of his side's 2-1 defeat at Hannover last Saturday.

Koller had been involved in an argument with Albanian Altin Lala and was seen to spit at the Hannover midfielder, an action which the referee did not see.

Wide receiver Walker joins Raiders on lucrative deal

SAN FRANCISCO: The Oakland Raiders have signed former Pro Bowl wide receiver Javon Walker on a multiyear contract, the team said on Wednesday.

Walker, who was released by the Denver Broncos last week, joins the Raiders on a deal estimated by local media to be worth $55 million over six years.

The former Florida State standout is expected to receive a $6 million signing bonus and a salary of $5 million for each of the first two years.

Walker, 29, earned a Pro Bowl spot in 2004 after ranking third in the league in receptions with 89 for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns with the Green Bay Packers.

Edwards docked 100 points, loses NASCAR lead

MIAMI: Carl Edwards lost his lead in the Sprint Cup standings on Wednesday when he was docked 100 points by NASCAR for his team's rule violation at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday.

Edwards, a member of the Roush Fenway Racing team, was also stripped of the 10 bonus points he would have carried into the Chase for the title while Jack Roush was docked 100 championship owner points.

Crew chief Bob Osborne was fined $100,000 and suspended from the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events and placed on probation until December 31.

The rule infractions by the No 99 Ford team were discovered during post-race inspection at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, NASCAR said in a statement.

"The No 99 car driven by Carl Edwards was found to be in violation of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing)," NASCAR said.

(China Daily 03/07/2008 page22)