Lindros Threatens to Sit Next Season if Not Traded

Six-time NHL all-star Eric Lindros is prepared to sit out another season if he isn’t traded by the Philadelphia Flyers, said his lawyer, Gordon Kirke.

Lindros, who rejected an $8.5-million offer from the Flyers last summer, refused to play last season unless Philadelphia traded him to Toronto. He expanded the list to include St. Louis, Detroit and Washington late in the season, then added the New York Rangers this summer.

“Eric is prepared to sit out the year if the Flyers can’t or won’t get a deal done,” Kirke said Tuesday from his Toronto office. “And he may not have any choice.”

Philadelphia holds rights to Lindros, 28, because he’s still a restricted free agent until he turns 31 when, by terms of the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement, he can freely sign with another team.

Until then, he must stay with the Flyers if they match any offer he signs. The Flyers can get as many as five first-round draft picks in compensation if they decide to let him go.

Detroit Red Wing goalie Dominik Hasek remains in a Czech Republic hospital for reasons of convenience and security, not medical necessity, said Dr. Donald Weaver, who was sent by Detroit owner Mike Ilitch.

Hasek has been staying at a hospital in his hometown of Pardubice, 60 miles east of Prague. He was admitted July 5 for an undetermined condition with symptoms that include fever, pain and swollen wrists and ankles.

Pittsburgh Penguin goalie Johan Hedberg has declined to file for salary arbitration, saying he thought it would be counterproductive to current negotiations with the team. The Penguins recently made a qualifying offer of $583,000 to Hedberg, who received a prorated salary of $375,000 when he spent the final month of last season and the playoffs with Pittsburgh. Hedberg wants more money.

Tom Barrasso, a 17-year veteran goalie who sat out last season, signed a one-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes, who want to ease the workload of Arturs Irbe. . . . The Dallas Stars signed defenseman Greg Hawgood to a two-year contract and gave one-year deals to left wing Jon Sim and center Gavin Morgan. . . . Defenseman Bobby Allen, who helped lead Boston College to the NCAA title last year, signed a two-year contract with the Boston Bruins. . . . Defenseman Frantisek Kaberle, a restricted free agent, re-signed with the Atlanta Thrashers.

Tennis

Gustavo Kuerten defeated Andrew Ilie of Australia, 6-1, 6-2, at the Mercedes Cup at Stuttgart, Germany, in his first match since winning the French Open more than a month ago. The top-seeded Brazilian, who skipped Wimbledon, eased into the third round of a clay-court tournament he won in 1998.

Top-seeded Sebastien Grosjean of France was defeated in the first round of the Energis Open at Amsterdam, losing 6-4, 6-4 to Argentina qualifier Juan Ignacio Chela. . . . Carlos Moya of Spain finished a good day for seeded players when he defeated Jiri Vanek of the Czech Republic, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, in the first round of the Croatian Open at Umag.

Auto Racing

Michael Schumacher slammed into a rubberized wall at about 185 mph during practice at Monza, Italy, but the Formula One leader was back at his garage after a brief hospital stay.

NASCAR driver Mike Skinner is out indefinitely because of injuries suffered in a crash last weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, and he will be replaced by Robby Gordon on a race-by-race basis.

NASCAR kept its top sponsor when R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. picked the Winston Cup stock car series as the one program it can bankroll under the 1998 tobacco settlement. RJR had to choose between NASCAR, the National Hot Rod Assn. and the Vantage Championship, a Senior PGA Tour event.

Miscellany

Three officials from a now-defunct Dutch cycling team were convicted in Reims, France, of providing riders with performance-enhancing drugs in 1998. Cees Priem, the former sports director for TVM, received a suspended 18-month prison sentence, while former team doctor Andrei Mikhailov and trainer Jan Moors received suspended sentences. All three were convicted of providing the banned substance EPO to riders.

Clarence Young, an Indiana University reserve defensive back, was charged with rape of a woman he met at a sports bar and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. . . . Nebraska tight end Aaron Golliday was hit in the face with a beer bottle by an unidentified man in a parking lot last weekend after an incident at a restaurant, Lincoln police said. He cut his lip and lost a tooth.

Free-agent offensive lineman Chris Brymer, who has been with three other NFL teams, signed a one-year contract with the San Diego Chargers. . . . The Chicago Bears agreed to terms with linebacker Jim Emanuel.

Samuel Dalembert, the Philadelphia 76ers’ first-round draft pick, had throat surgery and is expected to resume playing in four to six weeks, the team said.

A group of NBA players, including all-stars Ray Allen and Gary Payton, will participate in September exhibition games in China, marking the first time the league has staged a game there.

Iran fired Gary LeMoine, the American coach of its national basketball team, after a string of poor performances that included the failure to qualify for the Asian Basketball Cup finals.

Youngstown State named Ron Strollo, 31, to head its sports programs, making him the youngest Division I athletic director.

Ecuador routed Venezuela, 4-0, to revive its chances of reaching the quarterfinals of the Copa America soccer tournament at Barranquilla, Colombia. Colombia got a goal in each half to beat Chile, 2-0, and complete a sweep of its first-round games.

A chestnut colt by standout sire Mr. Prospector out of Nuryette brought $3.6 million in a bidding war at Keeneland’s July Selected Yearling Sale.

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Columnist T.J. Simers has the day off.