Schools Prevail in Court

State high school athletic associations can be sued for violating a member’s rights, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

The 5-4 ruling let a Tennessee private school sue the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Assn. in a dispute over football recruiting practices.

A lower court had barred the civil-rights lawsuit, saying the athletic association had not acted on behalf of the government. Federal civil-rights law provides remedies only for government violations of people’s rights.

But Justice David H. Souter wrote for the court that “the pervasive entwinement of state school officials in the structure of the association” meant its actions should be considered government action.

Public schools represented 84% of the association’s membership, Souter said, adding, “There would be no recognizable association . . . without the public school officials.”

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A man charged in the death of Herbert Cleaves, older brother of Detroit Piston rookie Mateen Cleaves, surrendered to authorities in Flint, Mich.

Jaroy L. Davis, 19, is charged with an open count of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder and possession of a firearm during a felony, Genesee County Prosecutor Arthur Busch said.

If convicted, he faces up to life in prison without parole.

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Former New York Yankee pitcher Ken Clay avoided a prison sentence by pleading guilty in Bradenton, Fla., to using an ex-girlfriend’s personal information to defraud three credit card companies.

Pro Football

A day after Doug Flutie met with the Buffalo Bills’ brain trust, Rob Johnson was at the franchise’s offices in Orchard Park, N.Y., to make his pitch to be the team’s starting quarterback going into next season.

Details of the interviews were not revealed, and neither quarterback was available for comment.

The club is expected to cut one of the players next week.

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue met in New York with Mark Chmura for almost two hours to consider whether to punish the former Green Bay Packer tight end after his acquittal on sexual assault charges. . . . The Denver Broncos are expected to offer quarterback Brian Griese a one-year contract that will make it more costly for other teams to entice the restricted free agent. . . . Eddie George will have surgery on the big toe on his right foot, an operation that will keep the Tennessee Titans’ all-pro running back sidelined for the team’s May and June minicamps. . . . Kicker Ryan Longwell signed a five-year contract with the Packers at what a team spokesman called a “premium” price. . . . Eric Whitfield, a former UCLA safety now on the Washington Redskins’ roster, was the first player taken in the NFL Europe dispersal draft. He was taken by the Scottish Claymores.

Miscellany

Nevada junior defensive end Dwight Lane has been kicked off the football team and is being sought by police for questioning in connection with a stabbing at a party. . . . Lennox Lewis will defend his World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation heavyweight titles against Hasim Rahman in Johannesburg, South Africa, on April 21. . . . Martha Karolyi was named national coordinator of the U.S. women’s gymnastics team, replacing husband Bela, who stepped down after the Sydney Olympics. . . . Bente Skari of Norway won the women’s 10-kilometer classic-style race and Bjarte Engen Vik led the Norwegians to the Nordic Combined team title to become double gold medalists in the World Nordic Ski Championships at Lahti, Finland.

Turner Network Television and CNN/Sports Illustrated will combine to televise 22 games of the first season of the Women’s United Soccer Assn. . . . No. 2-seeded Mark Philippoussis beat Juan Albert Viloca, 6-2, 7-5, in the Kroger St. Jude tournament at Memphis, Tenn. . . . Third-seeded Amanda Coetzer beat Nicole Pratt of Australia, 6-2, 7-6 (1), at the IGA U.S. Indoor Championships in Oklahoma City. . . . Top-ranked Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil beat Richard Fromberg of Australia, 6-2, 7-6, in the first round of the Copa AT&T; tournament at Buenos Aires. . . . Top-seeded Marat Safin lost to Max Mirnyi, 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-3, in the first round of the ABN AMRO indoor tournament at Rotterdam, Netherlands.