L.A. Gets ’09 Skating Worlds

As expected, Los Angeles was chosen to play host to the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships, which will determine the number of entries allotted for the figure skating competition at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

The event, to be staged by U.S. Figure Skating in partnership with AEG, will be held March 23-29, 2009. Staples Center will be the primary venue and a temporary practice rink will be set up at the adjacent Convention Center.

The U.S. last played host to the World Championships in 2003 at Washington, D.C. Staples Center was the main venue of the 2002 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which drew more than 125,000 people and remains the best-attended.

More than 175 skaters from more than 60 countries are expected to participate in the 2009 competition.

-- Helene Elliott

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PRO BASKETBALL

Finding Could Clear Way for Federal Trial

A federal agency found probable cause to believe a hostile work environment existed at Madison Square Garden, where a former Knicks executive claims she was sexually harassed by New York President and Coach Isiah Thomas.

The treatment of senior Knicks executive Anucha Browne Sanders was not an isolated incident, and included “severe and pervasive verbal sexual harassment,” according to the findings released by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Sanders, the Knicks’ former senior vice president of marketing and business operations before her dismissal in January, contends she was fired “for telling the truth” while going through internal channels to stop the harassment.

The EEOC determined there was enough evidence to believe the Garden violated the Civil Rights Act, and that senior management “was aware of the harassment but failed to address it effectively.”

The process is not a verdict, but a prerequisite to pursuing such a case in federal court.

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BOXING

Laila Ali to Be Part of Klitschko Card

Heavyweight champion Vladimir Klitschko (46-1) will make the first defense of his International Boxing Federation title against Calvin Brock on Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden.

Klitschko won the title in April with a seven-round victory over Chris Byrd in Berlin and will be facing an unbeaten opponent in Brock (29-0).

Laila Ali, the daughter of boxing great Muhammad Ali, will fight on the undercard. She will make her debut 35 years after her father lost to Joe Frazier at the Garden. Ali’s opponent has yet to be determined.

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TENNIS

Knee Injury Sidelines Henin-Hardenne

Justine Henin-Hardenne might be sidelined until the tour’s season-ending championships in November because of a knee injury that forced her to quit during the decisive match of the Fed Cup final.

Henin-Hardenne, the French Open champion ranked No. 2, pulled out of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany, early next month and is doubtful for the Zurich Open beginning Oct. 16. The WTA Tour Championships in Madrid, Spain, start Nov. 7.

The Belgian star tore a knee muscle Sunday during the third set of doubles in the title match against Italy.

Three seeded players -- No. 2 Karolina Sprem, No. 3 Yuliana Fedak and No. 8 Anastasia Rodionova -- lost in the first round of the Sunfeast Open at Calcutta, India.

Casey Dellacqua upset Sprem, 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2. Fedak lost to Alberta Brianti, 6-4, 6-2, and Rodionova was beaten by Alla Kudryavtseva, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Li Na defeated Vera Dushevina, 6-3, 6-4, to advance to the second round of the China Open at Beijing.

Top-seeded Katarina Srebotnik lost in the first round of the Slovenia Open at Portoroz, beaten by Martina Sucha, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

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MISCELLANY

IAAF President Urged to Step Down

A key organizer of the Turin Olympics urged IAAF President Lamine Diack to resign, saying track and field is “gravely ill, maybe dying” and in need of new leadership.

Luciano Barra, who served as late IAAF president Primo Nebiolo’s chief of staff, sent a seven-page letter to Diack. Diack, of Senegal, has been president of the International Assn. of Athletics Federations since 1999 and is up for re-election next year.

A former Cerritos College assistant football coach, accused last year of securing more than $150,000 for players ineligible for federal aid, pleaded guilty to falsifying government documents.

Patrick Callahan, 58, is facing 90 days in county jail and five years probation, along with a suspended two-year state prison term that he will not have to serve if he complies with the terms of his probation, said Deputy District Attorney Leonard Torrealba.

Callahan also is expected to be ordered to repay $70,758 to the U.S. Department of Education and $20,799 to Cerritos College, and to resign from the college, according to the prosecutor.

Marquette gave men’s basketball Coach Tom Crean a contract extension through the 2016-17 season.

Terrell Davis, the former Denver Broncos running back and Super Bowl most valuable player who is now a studio analyst for NFL Network, will be the featured guest at a charity event Saturday at the Rose Bowl, where the USC and UCLA games that day will be shown on big screens.

The event benefits the Oralingua School for the Hearing Impaired in Whittier. Information: 562 945-8391.

Australia will host the 2009 BMX world championships, the International Cycling Union announced.

The championships will be staged in the South Australian capital of Adelaide and are expected to draw around 1,800 entrants from 35 countries.

Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Tie Domi, 36, announced his retirement, ending 16 fight-filled seasons in the league.

With 3,515 penalty minutes, Domi leaves as the third most penalized player in NHL history behind only Dale Hunter (3,565) and Dave Williams (3,966).

The Los Angeles D-Fenders selected forward Duane Erwin with the fourth overall selection in the NBA Development League expansion draft.

With their remaining choices, the D-Fenders took forward Hiram Fuller, guard Brian Chase, forwards Kevin Johnson and Josh Gross, guard Jackie Manuel and forwards Erik Daniels, Isiah Victor, Reed Rawlings and Tremaine Fowlkes.

The D-Fenders are owned by the Lakers.

Former Negro Leagues star Buck O’Neil, 94, has been hospitalized since the weekend because of exhaustion.