Taurasi cleared of doping charge
WNBA star Diana Taurasi was always confident she would be cleared of doping allegations. It finally happened yesterday. Taurasi, 28, had her provisional suspension lifted by the Turkish Basketball Federation, which said the lab that returned a positive test retracted its report after it "evaluated" Taurasi's statements in her defense. The federation did not say whether the lab made a mistake.
WNBA star
Diana Taurasi
was always confident she would be cleared of doping allegations. It finally happened yesterday.
Taurasi, 28, had her provisional suspension lifted by the Turkish Basketball Federation, which said the lab that returned a positive test retracted its report after it "evaluated" Taurasi's statements in her defense. The federation did not say whether the lab made a mistake.
"I got the news this morning at 5 a.m. and was in shock," Taurasi said from her Phoenix home.
Taurasi had insisted that she never used performanceenhancing drugs, even though she had her contract terminated by Turkish club Fenerbahce last month. The lab that tested her sample had said the results came back positive for the stimulant modafinil.
The Mercury guard has led the WNBA in scoring the last four seasons.
Colleges
* Florida International has cleared shortstop Garrett Wittels to resume his pursuit of the NCAA hitting-streak record when the team's season begins Friday, despite unresolved legal issues stemming from a rape charge in the Bahamas late last year. Wittels got a hit in all 56 games in which he played last season. The record is 58, set by Robin Ventura in 1987 for Oklahoma State.
* Virginia sports agent Raymond Savage Jr. has been arrested and jailed in Tuscaloosa in a case involving ex-Alabama football star Tyrone Prothro.
* Florida State football coach Jimbo Fisher signed a 5-year, $13.75 million contract that runs until January 2016.
Tennis
* Anna Chakvetadze collapsed at the Dubai Championships and withdrew from her match against Caroline Wozniacki. Organizers said she had a stomach illness.