Ullrich’s Home Searched in Cycling Doping Raids

Former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich’s home in Switzerland was searched Wednesday by authorities, along with nine other homes and offices of people suspected of involvement in a Spanish doping scandal.

A statement by Germany’s Federal Crime Office did not say whose homes or offices were searched. But Ullrich’s manager, Wolfgang Strohband, confirmed that his and Ullrich’s homes were raided.

The recently married Ullrich was on his honeymoon and not at home, Strohband said.

The headquarters of Ullrich’s former T-Mobile team in Bonn were also searched.

The searches -- both in Germany and abroad -- were part of the fraud investigation by prosecutors in connection with the probe of Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.

Five people in Spain -- including Fuentes and another doctor, Jose Merino Batres -- were arrested and charged in May when police seized drugs and frozen blood at a Madrid clinic. The samples were thought to have been prepared for performance-enhancing transfusions.

Nine riders, including Ullrich and Ivan Basso, were forced to withdraw before the start of this year’s Tour de France because of alleged ties to Fuentes.

HOCKEY

Primeau Is Expected to Retire Today

Philadelphia Flyers captain Keith Primeau is expected to retire today after failing to receive clearance to play because of lingering effects of a concussion suffered nearly 11 months ago that cost him most of last season.

Primeau, who will turn 35 in November, had been trying to return from a concussion sustained on Oct. 25 after a hit from Montreal’s Alexander Perezhogin. It was the most severe in a series of head injuries Primeau endured during his 15-year NHL career. Primeau has 266 goals and 619 points.

The Ducks announced that individual game tickets for the regular season will go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased either at anaheimducks.com, at the Pond box office or at all Ticketmaster locations.

The team is also making tickets available Saturday at Anaheim Ice, where it will be in its second day of training camp. All practices are open to the public.

The Ducks will open their season against the Kings on Oct. 6 at the Pond, which will be renamed the Honda Center on Oct. 3.

Anson Carter signed a one-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He coming off a career-best, 33-goal season with Vancouver.... Andrew Brunette signed a one-year extension with the Colorado Avalanche that will keep him with the team through the 2007-2008 season. He had a career-best 24 goals last season.... The Chicago Blackhawks re-signed forward Tuomo Ruutu night to a two-year contract worth $3.75 million.... The New York Islanders signed forward Viktor Kozlov to a one-year, $865,000 contract.

TENNIS

Davydenko Keeps Going Strong

Nikolay Davydenko showed few signs of weariness, beating Kenneth Carlsen, 6-3, 6-4, in the China Open at Beijing despite little rest after his run to the U.S. Open semifinals.

Marcos Baghdatis defeated Wang Yeu-tzuoo, 7-6 (4), 6-4, and Mario Ancic beat Stefano Galvani, 6-3, 7-5. Ivo Karlovic trailed, 2-6, 1-3, to Danai Udomchoke before retiring because of a knee injury.

Top-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova ousted Erika Takao, 6-1, 6-2, to reach the quarterfinals of the Wismilak International at Bali, Indonesia.

Marion Bartoli defeated Casey Dellacqua, 6-1, 6-3, and Melinda Czink beat hometown favorite Angelique Widjaja, 7-6 (1), 6-1.

Second-seeded Florent Serra beat Martin Vassallo Arguello, 6-4, 6-1, to advance to the quarterfinals of the clay-court BCR Open Romania at Bucharest. Jurgen Melzer upset fourth-seeded Gilles Simon, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

MISCELLANY

U.S. Women Win in Soccer, Basketball

Abby Wambach scored two goals in the U.S. women’s 3-1 victory over Mexico in an exhibition soccer game at Rochester, N.Y.

Lindsay Tarpley scored the other goal for the U.S. women, who have won 17 consecutive matches against Mexico, with an 82-6 scoring edge.

DeLisha Milton-Jones had 13 points and Tina Thompson had 10 as the United States routed Nigeria, 79-46, at the women’s basketball world championship at Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The U.S. had a 25-4 lead after the first quarter and cruised from there.

In other games, Australia defeated Senegal, 95-55; Argentina defeated Spain, 77-65; Brazil defeated South Korea, 100-86; France routed Taiwan, 100-68; Russia defeated China, 86-66; the Czech Republic defeated Cuba, 73-51, and Lithuania defeated Canada, 84-58.

Five women were picked for the seven-member U.S. Ski Jumping team, the first time female jumpers have been part of the national squad. They hope this is another key step toward becoming Olympians in 2010.

The team features Brenna Ellis, Abby Hughes, Jessica Jerome, Alissa Johnson and Lindsey Van. All of the women train in Park City, Utah, and had previously been competing as a club team together. Alan Alborn and Clint Jones round out the roster.

In May, women jumpers cleared their first big hurdle toward becoming Olympians when the International Ski Federation, or FIS, voted to add an individual event in the 2009 World Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic, a necessary prelude to the sport attaining Olympic status.

For women jumpers to compete at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, the sport still must be accepted by the local organizing committee in Canada and be approved by the International Olympic Committee at its meeting in July 2007 in Guatemala.

Phil Rizzuto, the oldest living member of the Baseball Hall of Fame at 88, had his most-valuable-player award from the 1950 season sold at auction for $175,000.

Three of Rizzuto’s World Series rings sold for a total of $84,825, and a Yankees cap worn by the former shortstop with a wad of chewing gum stuck to it went for $8,190.

The names of the buyers weren’t immediately available.