Khannouchi’s Dream Spoiled by Injuries

Khalid Khannouchi, who fought for three years to become a U.S. citizen so he would be eligible to run in the Olympic marathon trials, said Wednesday that he must sit out Sunday’s race at Pittsburgh because of ankle and hamstring injuries.

That means the Moroccan-born Khannouchi, the world-record holder who received his U.S. citizenship in Houston on Tuesday, will be unable to run the marathon for the United States at the Sydney Games.

“I feel frustrated and very disappointed,” he said at a news conference in New York. “I feel sorry for the people who have been working so hard for my dream to come true.

“It’s a shame. I feel very bad. My heart wants to run, but what can I say?”

Khannouchi still hopes to compete at 10,000 meters in the Olympics. The U.S. track and field trials are in Sacramento in July.

Soccer

Nicolas Anelka’s first goal since returning from suspension, four minutes into the game, helped Real Madrid beat Bayern Munich, 2-0, before about 85,000 at Madrid in the first leg of their European Champions League semifinal.

About 100 people, including police, were reported injured and more than 100 were arrested Tuesday night after violence broke out during the national finals soccer series between Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split at Split, Croatia.

A tournament with the strongest four-team field in women’s soccer history will highlight the U.S. squad’s July tour of Europe in preparation for the Sydney Olympics. The World Cup champions will compete in the round-robin event against World Cup runner-up China, host Germany, and Norway--the only country with a winning record against the United States.

Miscellany

Top-seeded Martina Hingis of Switzerland, playing her first match in a month, swept past Sylvia Plischke of Austria, 6-4, 6-1, to roll into the quarterfinals of the $535,000 Betty Barclay tournament at Hamburg, Germany. . . . Second-seeded Sandrine Testud of France advanced to the third round of the $170,000 Croatian Bol Ladies Open, defeating Jelena Kostanic of Croatia, 7-5, 6-2, at Bol. . . . Albert Portas of Spain rallied from a set down to upset second-seeded Marcelo Rios of Chile, 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4, and advance to the quarterfinals of the Mallorca Open at Palma de Mallorca, Spain. . . . Martin Rodriguez of Argentina beat fifth-seeded Paul Goldstein, 6-2, 6-4, in the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships at Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Premium seats at the planned New England Patriot stadium at Foxboro, Mass., expected to open in 2002, are being sold at a premium price, much higher than at other NFL stadiums. Club seats cost from $3,750 to $6,000. The most expensive seats in existing stadiums top out at $3,000 for the Washington Redskins and Carolina Panthers. . . . The Dallas Cowboys added versatility at linebacker by signing free agent Joe Bowden and might be close to signing his former Tennessee Titan teammate, cornerback Barron Wortham. . . . Pro Bowl linebacker Mo Lewis will remain with the New York Jets after signing a one-year tender offer of $4.187 million. . . . Rick Spielman, the Chicago Bears’ director of pro personnel since 1997, is rejoining Coach Dave Wannstedt with the Miami Dolphins. Spielman will become the Dolphins’ vice president for player personnel. . . . Former All-American quarterback Harry Newman, who was the first player to pass for a touchdown in an NFL championship game while playing for the New York Giants in 1933 and played with former President Ford at Michigan, died in Las Vegas. He was 90.

The latest questions over whether University of Tennessee athletes receive inappropriate help with their studies are inaccurate and skewed, according to a top school official. Carmen Tegano, associate athletic director and head of academic counseling for athletes, has vehemently disputed the recent allegations by English professor Linda Bensel-Meyers. . . . Tennessee football Coach Phillip Fulmer announced that sophomore running back Onterrio Smith has been dismissed from the team for violation of team rules. . . . Police are investigating a University of Kansas soccer player’s report that she was fondled, spanked and taunted by two Kansas football players.

Salt Lake Olympic organizers have spent almost $3 million in attorneys fees because of the U.S. Department of Justice investigation and previous probes into the bid-city scandal, the Salt Lake City Tribune reported.

Southern Methodist junior guard Jeryl Sasser, who averaged 17.3 points a game last season, is making himself available for the NBA draft. . . . Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim, who guided the U.S. team to the gold medal at the Men’s Junior World Basketball Championships in 1998, was chosen as coach of this year’s team, which will compete in Brazil during July against seven other teams from the Americas for one of three qualifying berths for the 2001 World Championships. . . . Mike LaPlante, an assistant for four years at Auburn, was hired as coach at Jacksonville State.

Minor leaguer Mike Peluso scored the winning goal as the unbeaten United States team defeated France, 3-2, to clinch a second-round berth in the World Hockey Championships at St. Petersburg, Russia. The victory enabled the Americans to top the Group D standings with a 2-0-1 record.