Group Warns of Olympic Violence

Aboriginal leaders in Australia, warned Monday of possible violent protests at the Sydney Olympics because of a government report that plays down the harm done by a longtime policy of taking Aboriginal children from their families.

“It’s not for me to say there will be or won’t be violence,” said Geoff Clark, chairman of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, the country’s main indigenous organization.

“The fact is that violence is a part of demonstrations. What you need to do is be able to contain that, suggest to people that there shouldn’t be violence, and that’s been my call. I would hope people would heed those suggestions.”

Protests at the Olympics are “going to be very violent,” senior Aboriginal activist Charles Perkins told the BBC in England on Sunday, in an interview rebroadcast in Australia.

For months, Aboriginal protesters have said they would use the Sept. 15-Oct. 1 Olympics and the intense media attention the games generate to highlight the plight of their people. Until now, however, they had stressed that any protest would be peaceful.

That conciliatory mood evaporated this weekend after the government said accounts of the estimated 100,000 Aboriginal children taken by authorities between 1910 and the 1970s--known as the “stolen generation”--were exaggerated.

Jurisprudence

The second malpractice trial against Reggie Lewis’ doctor began in Boston with accusations of cocaine use that threatened to dominate just as they did in the deadlocked trial last year.

The attorney for Dr. Gilbert Mudge said the doctor was unable to diagnose Lewis at first because the former Boston Celtic hid his history of cocaine use. Mudge said Lewis admitted on July 12, 1993, to using cocaine, William Dailey said, two months after he first sought Mudge’s care and two weeks before he dropped dead while shooting baskets.

Dennis Rodman pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor drunk-driving charge in Newport Beach. The former NBA star’s lawyer entered the plea. Rodman was not required to be in court for the hearing, and is not required to attend a pretrial conference May 4 at the Harbor Justice Center. . . . Former Laker guard Sedale Threatt was charged by federal prosecutors with failing to pay child support. Threatt is accused of owing more than $46,700 in payments for his 14-year-old son. who lives in Boston.

Pro Football

If Denver Bronco cornerback Dale Carter is suspended by the NFL, in the wake of a published report that he violated the league’s substance-abuse policy, the team could be hurt financially.

Because Carter received a $7.8-million signing bonus, at least $5.14 million would count against the salary cap if the Broncos cut him. The NFL is expected to rule on Carter’s appeal this week.

Miami Dolphin safety Brock Marion had surgery to remove a cyst from the back of his left knee. Marion should be able to resume off-season conditioning in a month. . . . Wide receiver Jason Tucker, who averaged 19.1 yards a catch for the Dallas Cowboys last season, re-signed with the team. . . . Backup cornerback Kato Serwanga re-signed with the New England Patriots. Serwanga started the final three games last season after starter Ty Law broke his hand. . . . Safety Greg Myers, an unrestricted free agent, has signed a two-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, and wide receiver James Hundon, a restricted free agent, has signed a one-year deal.

Miscellany

Cory Paus, still recovering from surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder, will be held out of contact drills as the UCLA football team begins four weeks of spring practice today and tries for the second time to find a long-term successor to Cade McNown at quarterback.

Paus’ limited availability was expected, but could become a major setback to his aspirations of fighting off the challenge by Ryan McCann that began near the end of 1999.

Florida football Coach Steve Spurrier’s father, the Rev. Graham Spurrier, died in his sleep at his home in Green Cove Springs, Fla. He was 85.

Karyn Bye and Tricia Dunn each scored three goals as the United States opened the women’s world hockey championships with a 16-1 victory over Germany at Barrie, Canada.

Miami men’s basketball Coach Leonard Hamilton, who led the Hurricanes to the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament, signed a seven-year contract. . . . Butler’s Barry Collier confirmed that he had met with Nebraska Athletic Director Bill Byrne about the vacant basketball coaching position, but declined to say whether a move was imminent.

Savannah State’s baseball team, which thought it had set an NCAA record for consecutive victories when its run reached 35, finally has undisputed possession of the longest streak. After defeating Claflin twice, the school extended its streak to 42, eclipsing the record of 40 claimed by Marietta College of Ohio. . . . Ramiro “Toti” Mendez, a Florida International baseball player who was sitting out the season because of a viral infection, collapsed and died Sunday at his home in Miami, the university said. He was 20.

Paris and London were awarded the 2003 and 2005 World Outdoor Track and Field Championships, and Birmingham, England, and Budapest, Hungary, were granted the 2003 and 2004 world indoor meets, the International Amateur Athletic Federation announced in Paris.