Belgium’s Captain at Fed Cup Criticizes Absence of U.S.

Ivo Van Aken, captain of Belgium’s team in the Fed Cup at Madrid, on Wednesday accused the United States of using the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as an excuse to skip the tournament.

“It’s obvious that they didn’t want to play on clay after the Masters and to come here just for one competition,” Van Aken said.

“That’s why they’re not here. The events of Sept. 11 gave them an excuse.”

The Americans pulled out of the eight-team tournament last month, citing security concerns. The U.S. has won the Cup 17 times.

French captain Guy Forget could “half understand” the reasoning by the Americans.

But he questioned their absence since most of their key players were competing in Europe as recently as last week.

The comments by Van Aken came on a day when Belgium swept Germany, 3-0, and Russia led the Czech Republic, 2-1.

*

Losses of $377 million in the third quarter this year prompted Swedish telecom company Ericsson to drop its $6-million-a-year title sponsorship of the Ericsson Open at Key Biscayne, Fla., after next year’s tournament.

College Basketball

Connecticut point guard Sue Bird received the most votes for the Associated Press women’s preseason All-American team.

Bird was listed on 43 of 45 ballots cast by a national media panel.

She was joined on the team by Chantelle Anderson of Vanderbilt, Stacey Dales of Oklahoma, LaToya Thomas of Mississippi State and Alana Beard of Duke.

*

Fresno State point guard Chris Sandy will be academically ineligible until the spring semester after the NCAA denied the school’s appeal.

*

Murray State sophomore Jamar Avant was charged with sending two e-mailed bomb threats to the school and was suspended from the team.

He faces a felony count and was in Calloway County (Ky.) jail in lieu of $2,500 bond. Avant was academically ineligible last season.

Olympics

The International Olympic Committee said it was sticking with a combined blood and urine test for erythropoetin at the Salt Lake City Winter Games.

All endurance competitors in Salt Lake City will undergo screening for EPO, which enhances stamina. Athletes in other sports also could be randomly tested.

Soccer

The Women’s United Soccer Assn. champion Bay Area CyberRays changed their name to the San Jose CyberRays, adopting the name of the city where the club plays.

Miscellany

FedEx Corp. extended its title sponsorship agreement with Championship Auto Racing Teams Inc. through 2005.

The 2005 U.S. Figure Skating Championships will be held in the Rose Garden at Portland, Ore.

Jackie Berube, the only American in the World Weightlifting Championships at Antalya, Turkey, finished fifth Tuesday in the women’s 128-pound class.

Berube, from Escanaba, Mich., paid $3,000 to finance the trip after USA Weightlifting, the national governing body for the sport, cut funding for the American team because of security fears over military strikes in Afghanistan.

She lifted a combined 429 pounds, equaling the American snatch record of 192.5 pounds she set earlier this year.

Kelly Askew posted his 100th West Coast Hockey League point with a goal and the Ice Dogs defeated Fresno, 5-4, in a shootout at Long Beach.

Passings

Hank Gremminger, a defensive back with the Green Bay Packers from 1956-65 who was inducted in the team’s Hall of Fame in 1976, died last week in Texas. He was 68.

Gremminger retired after playing with the Los Angeles Rams in 1966.