Johnson’s Appeal Denied; Sotomayor Faces Long Ban

Ben Johnson is gone for good from track and field, and Javier Sotomayor may not be back for two years.

Johnson, the Canadian sprinter who was banned for life in 1993 after a second positive drug test, lost his bid for reinstatement Monday, and Sotomayor, the Cuban world-record holder in the high jump, was told he must face doping charges over his positive cocaine test.

In Seville, Spain, the International Amateur Athletic Federation rejected a petition to allow Johnson to return to competition. IAAF officials said the ruling was final, with no possibility of an appeal.

Sotomayor, meanwhile, faces a possible two-year ban after testing positive for cocaine at this month’s Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada, where he was stripped of the gold medal.

Sotomayor has denied knowingly taking any banned drug. Cuban officials have supported him and suggested his test was manipulated as part of a conspiracy.

Unless the Cuban federation suspends Sotomayor for the mandatory two years, the IAAF can ban him, spokesman Giorgio Reineri said.

Boxing

The heavyweight unification rematch between Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis has only a “50-50” chance of being held, according to Panos Eliades, Lewis’ promoter.

Eliades and Don King, Holyfield’s promoter, have until Friday to work out financial terms for the bout, a deadline imposed by HBO, which will show the fight if it’s held.

Eliades said he has had no recent contact with King.

Eliades said Lewis will fight Nov. 13, even if Holyfield is not the opponent. He mentioned South African World Boxing Union champion Corrie Sanders as a possible replacement if the deadline passes and the Holyfield-Lewis fight is reset for spring.

The first unification fight in March ended in a draw, although most of those ringside thought Lewis had won.

Hockey

An arbitrator ruled that the Boston Bruins will have to pay forward Dmitri Khristich $2.8 million, a raise of $850,000, if they want to keep him next season.

If the Bruins elect not to pay Khristich, he will become a free agent.

The 30-year-old left wing from Kiev, Ukraine, scored 29 goals and had 41 assists last season.

Ottawa Senator center Alexei Yashin made it clear that unless his contract, which has one year left on it, is restructured, he won’t be on hand when training camp opens Sept. 5.

Yashin, the NHL’s sixth-leading scorer last season with 94 points, is due to make $3.6 million this season.

The Atlanta Thrashers acquired left wing Denny Lambert from the Nashville Predators in exchange for the rights to center Randy Robitaille. . . . The Phoenix Coyotes re-signed right wing Tavis Hansen to a multiyear contract, the team said.

Tennis

Thomas Enqvist of Sweden rallied from a 5-3 deficit in the first set to cruise to a 7-5, 6-0 victory over unseeded Mose Navarra of Italy in the first round of the RCA Championships at Indianapolis.

NCAA champion Jeff Morrison of the University of Florida was quickly ousted from his ATP debut by No. 14 Cedric Pioline of France, 7-6- 6-3. Max Mirnyi of Belarus upset Fernando Meligeni of Brazil, the 16th seed, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.

Patrick Rafter is expected to compete despite shoulder problems in Sunday’s loss to Pete Sampras in the finals of the ATP Championship in Cincinnati. Sampras, the tournament’s top-seeded player, is scheduled to play today.

Justin Gimelstob upset 15th-seeded Richard Fromberg of Australia, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), in the first round of the Legg Mason Classic at Washington.

Gimelstob, ranked No. 91 on the ATP Tour, is fresh off a straight-set victory over No. 7 Todd Martin in the second round of last week’s ATP Championship.

Jennifer Capriati, returning to the site of her first professional tournament victory, beat Angeles Montolio of Spain, 6-1, 6-3, in the first round of the du Maurier Canadian Open at Toronto.

Television

Channel 2 and sportscaster Lisa Guerrero have parted company. Guerrero said Monday that the station made two contract offers last week, both for seven years. But she said the first offer was for 30% less than she has been making as a freelancer and the second was for 21% less.

Guerrero said she has done charity work for the station, has generated national publicity and, during the month of July, filled in as an anchor for Jim Hill 15 times.

“I thought I deserved better,” Guerrero said from New York, where she is exploring a network opportunity.

John Severino, the new general manager at Channel 2, said: “My basic philosophy is, you don’t allow your on-air people to work without a contract. You don’t build them up and promote them so they can go elsewhere for more money. We offered her a contract and she rejected our offer.”

Jurisprudence

A judge in Nashville dismissed the two most serious charges, reckless endangerment and felony vandalism, against former NBA player Dontae’ Jones in connection with a spring shooting outside a Nashville nightclub. Seven people were wounded.