Suns’ Dumas Treated at Drug Rehab Clinic

Phoenix Sun forward Richard Dumas sought treatment for two weeks last month at a drug-rehabilitation clinic in Houston, a Houston television station reported Tuesday.

Dumas, who has a history of substance abuse, was treated at the John Lucas clinic. Dumas did not check into the NBA’s Substance Abuse Program center in Van Nuys, as expected, and one of his agents told KRIV-TV the league had not yet become involved.

“We’re concerned about Richard’s medical problems,” said James Bryant, Dumas’ agent. “Richard felt he needed further help from John Lucas and his people in his recovery. That’s why he voluntarily checked back in. At this point, we don’t know what action the NBA will take as far as Richard seeking further help.”

Each referral or check-in to a drug center counts as a strike and three strikes result in banishment from he NBA for two years. However, it is unclear how many strikes Dumas has against him.

Dumas was suspended for 13 months before his rookie season after he failed a random drug test. However, it may not count as a strike because Dumas’ problem two years ago was detected before he had played a regular season game.

Bryant said Dumas left the Lucas clinic in late August for his hometown of Tulsa, Okla., but planned to return soon. He acknowledged the August visit was for help beyond Dumas’ after-care program.

The news apparently ended the Suns’ hopes of trading Dumas to the Detroit Pistons for Dennis Rodman.

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The Milwaukee Bucks signed rookie forward Vin Baker from Hartford to a 10-year contract worth $1.5 million a year.

Track and Field

Sergei Bubka cleared 18 feet 4 1/2 inches to win the pole vault at a meet in New Delhi. Bubka failed to clear 20-1 3/4, which would have broken his world record of 20-1 1/2, set at Tokyo last year.

Gwen Torrence, the 1992 Olympic 200-meter champion, easily won the 100 with a meet-record time of 11.11 seconds.

Football

William Dunavant, leader of an investment group trying to get an NFL expansion team for Memphis, Tenn., is unhappy with a $60-million plan to expand the city’s football stadium. Dunavant’s group would have to pay the city $15 million if a Memphis NFL team leaves the city within 10 years. Dunavant said the city’s refusal to negotiate the payment could put an end to Memphis efforts to get a team.

Jurisprudence

A former Brigham Young linebacker claimed in a deposition that boosters routinely gave him money and that courses were rigged so he could pass.

“Throughout my junior and senior years, if I needed some money, I would just kind of hint to someone and it would be brought to me,” Bob Davis said in a deposition.

Davis is a witness for former player Budd Orr, who contends in a federal court suit that his back problems stem from being pressured to play after an injury. The testimony by Davis, who completed his eligibility in 1989, is intended to support Orr’s contention that BYU had a win-at-any-cost attitude.

Coach LaVell Edwards declined comment. Davis declined to discuss his testimony.

High school basketball star Dontonio Wingfield, who was to start his freshman year at Cincinnati next week, was arrested after a scuffle with police in Albany, Ga.

Boxing

Genaro Hernandez’s scheduled Sept. 27 fight to defend his World Boxing Assn. junior-lightweight title against No. 1-ranked contender Harold Warren at the Forum has been postponed until Oct. 11 because of Hernandez’s recent bout with flu.

The new main event for the Sept. 27 card is junior-welterweight David Kamau (20-0) against Cesar Valdez (10-2-2).

Heavyweight James (Bonecrusher) Smith stopped Elijah Tillery in the sixth round of a scheduled 10-round heavyweight fight at Atlantic City.

Miscellany

Australia Prime Minister Paul Keating urged the International Olympic Committee to resist pressure aimed at selecting Beijing next week as host for the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Organizers of Sydney’s bid have argued that the city will provide the best facilities, but fear Beijing might win because of China’s political and economic muscle.

Sydney and Beijing are the top candidates.

Bebeto, Brazil’s best forward, has received medical clearance to to play in Sunday’s World Cup qualifying game against Uruguay. Bebeto, Brazil’s top scorer during qualifying, has been sidelined since last month.