Figure Skater Curry Dies of AIDS-Related Illness

John Curry, a former Olympic and world champion whose artistry on ice revolutionized figure skating, died Friday of an AIDS-related illness in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England. He was 44.

Curry died of a heart attack brought on by his AIDS condition, agent Jean Diamond said.

The English skater, who won the gold medal at the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, and the world championship title the same year, was found to be HIV positive in 1987.

He returned from New York in 1991 after being told he had developed AIDS. In the last years of his life, he spoke openly about his disease and said that he was gay.

Football

The San Francisco 49ers are cautiously optimistic that free-agent linebacker Ken Norton of Dallas will accept their five-year, $8-million contract offer, team President Carmen Policy said. Policy also confirmed that the 49ers are trying to trade quarterback Steve Bono, scheduled to make $1.55 million next season as Steve Young’s backup, to create more room under the $34.6-million player payroll cap. . . . The Miami Dolphins signed quarterbacks Kelly Stouffer and Doug Pederson, tight end Rob Coons and wide receiver Demeris Johnson.

The Rams said they had agreed to a 10-year extension of their lease for team’s practice facility. The previous lease expired Dec. 31.

Tennis

Alberto Berasategui of Spain upset top-seeded Stephan Edberg, 6-3, 6-2, to join second-seeded Jim Courier, Marc Rosset and Slava Dosedel in the semifinals of the Nice Open in France.

Ivan Lendl won twice to join Patrick Rafter, Brad Gilbert and top-seeded Michael Chang in the semifinals of the Hong Kong Open.

The NCAA said it has restored eligibility to 29 of 61 scholarship tennis players who took illegal reimbursements at professional tournaments. In almost every instance, it was decided the infractions stemmed from lack of understanding rather than willful disregard of the rules.

The USC women’s tennis team, short of players after Petra Schmitt and Suzanne Italiano were declared ineligible by the NCAA, forfeited a match against Stanford after another player, Maggie Simkova, became ill on the flight to the Bay Area.

Soccer

Forward Roy Wegerle of the U.S. soccer team underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee but is expected to be recovered in time to play in the World Cup.

Wegerle, 30, who plays for Coventry City of the English Premier League, will remain in Mission Viejo to rehabilitate his knee with the U.S. team’s medical staff, U.S. Soccer General Manager Bill Nuttall said.

It was the third surgery for Wegerle since suffering the injury in an English Football Assn. Cup match Jan. 8.

Television replays will be used to review fouls and disciplinary actions for the first time at the World Cup this summer, FIFA said.

Replays will be studied by a special disciplinary committee after games to determine whether to impose, revoke or let stand suspensions for fouls.

Jurisprudence

Rookie Isaiah Rider of the Minnesota Timberwolves pleaded innocent in Edina, Minn., to charges that he kicked a bar manager in a dispute over his failure to attend an autograph session.

Lubbock County authorities in Texas issued an arrest warrant for Texas A&M; forward Joe Wilbert, charging him with misdemeanor assault on a Texas Tech basketball fan.

Wilbert, 21, is accused of Class A misdemeanor assault against William Scott Patterson, a fan, during a postgame brawl in February.

Izett Buchanan of Marist, basketball player of the year in the Northeast Conference, was charged in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., with stealing credit cards and racking up more than $1,000 in purchases on them.

Miscellany

Shelly Looney’s three goals led the United States to a 14-3 victory over China in the semifinals of the women’s hockey world championships at Lake Placid, N.Y. The United States will play two-time defending champion Canada, a 4-1 winner over Finland, in Sunday’s final.

Carol Ann Shudlick of Minnesota was selected as winner of the Wade Trophy as the nation’s top female college basketball player.

Archie Moore, the 80-year-old former light-heavyweight champion, was listed in fair condition at a San Diego hospital after triple-bypass heart surgery.

Rob Orellana and Tim Murphy, assistant men’s basketball coaches at UC Irvine, have been fired by Coach Rod Baker.

A fourth defender syndicate--this one to be made up primarily of black sailors--has set its sights on sailing for yacht racing’s most prestigious prize next year.

The African Diaspora Maritime team was formed to provide black sailors with the opportunity to compete in the America’s Cup.