Arbitrator Upholds Andersen’s Dismissal

Former New Orleans Hornet forward Chris Andersen’s dismissal from the NBA for violating the league’s drug policy was upheld by an arbitrator Monday in New York.

Andersen was dismissed and disqualified from the league in late January. He is not eligible to apply for reinstatement for two years.

Andersen and the players’ union had filed a grievance, but arbitrator Calvin Sharpe rejected it.

According to the league’s collective bargaining agreement, a player can be disqualified only for a fourth positive test for performance-enhancing drugs, or a first positive test for “drugs of abuse.” The drugs on that list include amphetamines, cocaine, LSD, heroin, codeine and morphine.

Andersen had not previously been suspended for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

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Miami Heat center Shaquille O’Neal was fined $5,000 by the NBA for a flagrant foul Saturday against Chicago forward Andres Nocioni.

O’Neal’s foul in the second quarter of a Heat victory was originally ruled a flagrant foul penalty one, but was upgraded to a flagrant foul penalty two by Stu Jackson, the NBA’s vice president of basketball operations.

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Detroit Piston guard Richard Hamilton was fined $5,000 by the NBA for throwing a ball into the stands during Saturday’s loss at New York.

Hamilton was ejected in the third quarter after protesting an offensive foul by firing the ball to the other end of the court.

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Toronto Raptor center Antonio Davis might miss the rest of the season because of a sore back, Coach Sam Mitchell said. Davis was acquired Feb. 3 in the trade that sent Jalen Rose to New York.