No prognosis offered for Michael Schumacher

Doctors offered a grim assessment of Michael Schumacher’s head injuries Monday, providing no prognosis for the Formula One driving great after his skiing accident in the French Alps.

Schumacher has been put in a medically induced coma to relieve pressure on his brain, which suffered bruising and bleeding when the retired seven-time world champion fell and struck a rock Sunday while skiing during a family vacation.

“We cannot predict the future for Michael Schumacher,” Dr. Jean-Francois Payen, the doctor in charge of Grenoble University Hospital’s intensive care unit, said at a news conference.

“He is in a critical state in terms of cerebral resuscitation,” said Payen, the chief anesthesiologist treating the 44-year-old German driver. “We are working hour by hour.”

Schumacher’s wife, Corinna, daughter, Gina Maria, and son, Mick, were at his bedside.

Sabine Kehm

PRO BASKETBALL

Horford out for the season

Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford will have season-ending surgery Tuesday to repair his torn right pectoral muscle.

Hawks spokesman Garin Narin on Monday night confirmed plans for the surgery.

Horford, the Hawks’ leading scorer and rebounder, suffered the injury in the first overtime of Thursday night’s 127-125 double-overtime win at Cleveland.

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San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker apologized for a newly surfaced photograph that shows him making the same gesture with anti-Semitic connotations that French soccer star Nicolas Anelka displayed while celebrating a goal over the weekend, creating an uproar in their home country.

The photograph shows Parker and a French comedian making a gesture known in France as a “quenelle,” which critics describe as an inverted Nazi salute. Parker said in a statement released through the Spurs that the photograph was taken three years ago.

Parker, who was born in Belgium but raised in France, said he didn’t know at the time that “it could be in any way offensive or harmful.” He said he thought it was part of a comedy act and said he apologized for any misunderstanding or harm.

PRO FOOTBALL

Falcons fire three assistants

The Atlanta Falcons fired defensive line coach Ray Hamilton and offensive line coaches Pat Hill and Paul Dunn.

Coach Mike Smith said that his coordinators — Mike Nolan on defense, Dirk Koetter on offense and Keith Armstrong on special teams — will return next season.

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The Buffalo Bills fired receivers coach Ike Hilliard.

Hilliard oversaw a young group of receivers that included rookie Robert Woods.