Colorado Relaxes Limits on Football Recruiting

Colorado has eased some recruiting restrictions imposed last year amid a sex-and-alcohol scandal and is allowing prospective football players to spend more time meeting with team members.

The university banned the use of “player-hosts” to show recruits around campus and required closer supervision by coaches after an independent commission found that some players had arranged sex, drugs and alcohol for recruits.

Provost Phil DiStefano said the university is letting recruits spend more time one on one with players “without coaches sitting there.”

Recruiting visits are still limited to one night, and curfew remains 11 p.m., DiStefano said. Coaches, not players, are still responsible for the recruits during their stay, he said.

The rules were eased after Jack Lengyel became interim athletic director, replacing Dick Tharp, who resigned. Lengyel said Coach Gary Barnett brought up the issue about individual contact between players and recruits.

The recruiting scandal occurred a year ago after a woman filed a lawsuit saying she was raped at an off-campus party attended by Colorado players and recruits.

At least nine women, including former kicker Katie Hnida, have alleged that they were raped by football players or recruits since 1997, but no criminal sexual assault charges were filed.

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Baseball

Aaron Sele and the Seattle Mariners agreed to a minor league contract that allows him to earn up to $1.1 million, bringing the right-hander back to the Pacific Northwest.

Sele, 34, spent the last three seasons with the Angels and was 32-15 in 68 games with Seattle during the 2000 and 2001 seasons. Sele was 9-5 with a 5.05 earned-run average last season with the Angels.

Free-agent reliever Ricky Bottalico agreed to an $800,000, one-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, who also settled their arbitration case with Brooks Kieschnick in a $550,000 deal that contains bonuses for pitching and hitting.

Brian Jordan agreed to a $600,000, one-year contract with the Atlanta Braves that allows him to earn an additional $400,000 in performance and roster bonuses.

The outfielder, who will be 38 by opening day, has not played in more than 66 games since 2002, and he batted .222 with five homers and 23 runs batted in for Texas last season.

Free-agent pitcher Esteban Loaiza joined the Washington Nationals, agreeing to a $2.9-million, one-year deal. The Nationals also added a reliever, agreeing to a $800,000, one-year contract with Antonio Osuna.... Veteran utility player Jose Offerman agreed to a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.

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Soccer

Negotiators from the U.S. Soccer Federation and its union are scheduled to meet with a federal mediator today in Chicago in an effort to resolve the money dispute threatening to keep the regular players off the field for a World Cup qualifier next month.

If an agreement is not reached by Feb. 1, the U.S. Soccer Federation says it will use replacement players selected from minor leagues for the Feb. 9 match at Trinidad and Tobago.

Adidas signed a $351-million, eight-year sponsorship deal with FIFA, extending an arrangement that began in 1970.... Mark McCullers, the Columbus Crew’s acting general manager since last summer, was elevated to full-time status by the team.... Defender Brian Dunseth, a former U.S. Olympic team captain and seven-year Major League Soccer veteran, was acquired by Real Salt Lake. Dunseth, who spent last season with Bodens BK in the Swedish Supperettan, was acquired from FC Dallas in exchange for a natural fourth-round pick in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft.

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Miscellany

William Scheyer, a former doctor who was the central figure in the Washington softball team’s 2003 drug controversy, pleaded guilty in Seattle to illegally obtaining prescription narcotics for at least one student and several other people.

The government agreed to recommend up to six months’ imprisonment for Scheyer, 77, along with 500 hours of community service and 90 days of home monitoring.

Former U.S. skating champion Christopher Bowman, 37, was sentenced to 18 months’ probation in Rochester Hills, Mich., after pleading no contest in November to possessing a gun while intoxicated and misdemeanor assault and battery charges on Oct. 27.

Roland Schoeman of South Africa won the 50-meter freestyle at a short-course swimming World Cup meet in Stockholm, one day after setting a world record in the 100 individual medley.

Schoeman won the 50 in 21.53 seconds, beating Jason Lezak by .07 seconds. American Ed Moses won his third breaststroke event of the meet, taking the 100 meter in 58.03.