Panthers’ Davis Out at Least Two Weeks

The Carolina Panthers have not had a good week: Running back Stephen Davis was lost Friday because of a knee injury, only days after star receiver Steve Smith broke his leg.

Davis, who ran for a career-best 1,444 yards last season, began having problems with his knee after practice Thursday. He had arthroscopic surgery Friday and will sit out Sunday’s game at Kansas City.

The Panthers said he would be out two to five weeks. Former UCLA standout DeShaun Foster will replace Davis at running back, and rookie Keary Colbert of USC is expected to start at receiver for Smith.

Pro Basketball

The NBA says it will hire replacement officials if it doesn’t reach agreement early next week on a new labor contract with the referees’ union. The league and the referees are negotiating a five-year contract to replace the agreement that expired Sept. 1. The union is seeking 6% annual raises. The league is offering 3.5%.

The Utah Jazz’s exhibition game in Russia next month was canceled by the NBA because of security concerns.... The Clippers are interviewing for a new strength and conditioning coach after dismissing Johnny Doyle, who held the position for 11 seasons before his contract ran out this month.

Olympics

Anti-doping authorities said that, for the first time, athletes were tested for human growth hormone at the Athens Olympics. Patrick Schamasch, the International Olympic Committee’s medical director, said 382 such tests had been performed, 12% of the 3,123 tests the IOC performed from July 30 to Aug. 29.

Human growth hormone is believed to be one of the most widely used banned substances. No positive tests have been reported, but Dick Pound, head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, said the Athens samples could be retested to look for the muscle-building hormone and previously undetectable substances.

Tennis

Fifth-seeded Marat Safin of Russia beat Kevin Kim, 6-2, 6-4, to advance to the semifinals of the China Open at Beijing.

Safin will next face Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen, who beat third-seeded David Nalbandian of Argentina, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.

Mario Ancic of Croatia and Vincent Spadea became the only seeded players to reach the semifinals of the Millennium International Tennis Championships at Delray Beach, Fla.

Top-seeded Spadea beat qualifier Hugo Armando, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, and third-seeded Ancic beat Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark, 6-2, 7-5.

Motor Racing

It was an inauspicious start to the 10-race playoff for NASCAR’s Nextel Cup championship with rain washing out qualifying for Sunday’s Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon.

The 10 drivers who qualified to compete under NASCAR’s new championship format will start at the front, led by series leader Jeff Gordon and teammate Jimmie Johnson.

Former series champion Jacques Villeneuve is back in Formula One and will drive the final three races of the season for Renault and then join Sauber-Petronas in a two-year deal.... Jaguar and parent company Ford are pulling out of Formula One racing at the end of this season after only two top-three finishes since 2000.

Miscellany

In golf, Dean Wilson shot a 65 and led first-round leader Ted Purdy by one stroke at 11-under 129 after two rounds of the Texas Open at San Antonio.

LPGA Tour rookie Brandi Jackson shot a six-under 66 and took a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the rain-delayed Safeway Classic at Portland, Ore.

Four-time Olympic medalist Stephan Eberharter of Austria retired from competitive skiing after 16 years on the World Cup circuit.

Pat O’Connell of Laguna Beach edged Kalani Robb of Hawaii on the third day of the Boost Mobile Pro surf contest at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, setting up a fourth-round matchup today against former six-time world champion Kelly Slater of Cocoa Beach, Fla. O’Connell defeated Robb, 14.94-14.60.

University of Alabama swimmer Bernardo Romero, 21, a native of Ecuador, has died after battling leukemia since last year.