Tour leader missed doping test

Like a cyclist who can’t shake his pursuers, the Tour de France continues to be dogged by the cloud of doping.

Race leader Michael Rasmussen became the latest rider to face scrutiny on Friday when he had to answer why he had been kicked off the Danish national team for failing to report his whereabouts for drug-testing purposes.

“I do admit that I’ve committed an administrative error,” Rasmussen said. Asked how much the expulsion mattered to him, the 33-year-old held a thumb and forefinger narrowly apart and said: “How about this much?”

The episode took the spotlight away from Friday’s 12th stage, won by Tom Boonen of Belgium in a sprint.

Rasmussen said he had been tested out of competition in June, and the results were negative.

“I have no positive doping tests, and that’s it,” he said. “This is blown out of proportion. It’s a matter of misinformation.”

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PRO BASKETBALL

Suns trade Thomas to the SuperSonics

The Seattle SuperSonics acquired veteran forward Kurt Thomas and the Phoenix Suns’ first-round draft choices in 2008 and 2010 for a conditional second-round draft choice.

Seattle also used its $9-million trade exception with Phoenix to complete the deal. The SuperSonics gained the exception from Orlando earlier this month when they completed a sign-and-trade deal that sent Rashard Lewis to the Magic.

Thomas, who turns 35 in October, averaged a career-low 4.6 points in 67 games last season. But he’ll provide the veteran presence Seattle was seeking to tutor Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, the second and fifth overall selections in last month’s draft.

Miami Heat General Manager Randy Pfund has signed a contract extension and will return for a 13th season with the organization. Terms of the extension weren’t disclosed.

Minnesota Lynx point guard Lindsey Harding, the first pick in this year’s WNBA draft, had reconstructive surgery on her left knee to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Harding, injured during a game against the Washington Mystics on July 10, leads WNBA rookies with 11.7 points a game and is second with 4.4 rebounds a game.

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TENNIS

Nadal breezes into Mercedes Cup semifinals

Top-seeded Rafael Nadal posted his 91st win in 92 matches on clay when he defeated Juan Monaco, 6-1, 6-3, to reach the semifinals of the Mercedes Cup at Stuttgart, Germany.

Nadal played with his right knee taped but didn’t seem bothered by an injury that flared up during his second-round match Thursday. He suffered the injury in the Wimbledon final against Roger Federer.

Nadal will next play Feliciano Lopez, who upset sixth-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

The second semifinal pits seventh-seeded Juan Ignacio Chela against Stanislas Wawrinka. Chela beat Fernando Verdasco, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, and Wawrinka beat Jiri Vanek, 6-1, 6-4.

Second-seeded Mikhail Youzhny defeated Evgeny Korolev, 6-4, 6-3, to advance to the semifinals of the Dutch Open at Amersfoort. Youzhny had four aces and one double fault and saved all six break points.

Werner Eschauer upset third-seeded Carlos Moya, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4, and will play the winner of a match between Robin Haase and Florent Serra that was postponed until today because of rain. Haase led, 3-2, in the first set.

Anna Amanmuradova, ranked 141st on the WTA tour, defeated Lilia Osterloh, 6-1, 6-4, to reach the semifinals of the Cincinnati Women’s Open at Mason, Ohio. She will play seventh-seeded Akiko Morigami, who defeated second-seeded Patty Schnyder, 6-3, 6-1.

Karin Knapp rallied from 2-5 in the second set to upset fourth-seeded Emilie Loit, 6-3, 7-6, and advance to the semifinals of the Palermo International in Sicily. She will play second-seeded Martina Mueller, who defeated Flavia Pennetta, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

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MOTOR RACING

Bourdais clinches spot on first row

Sebastian Bourdais won the provisional pole for Sunday’s Champ Car World Series Grand Prix of Edmonton, adding a point to his total and moving into a tie with Will Power for second place in the series standings -- two points behind the leader, rookie Robert Doornbos.

Bourdais, who also clinched a spot on the first row, had a fast lap of 120.983 mph. He was followed by a pair of rookies, Simon Pagenaud (120.440) and Newman/Haas/Lanigan teammate Graham Rahal (120.158).

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PRO FOOTBALL

Raiders safety Cooper is suspended by NFL

Oakland safety Jarrod Cooper was suspended for the Raiders’ first four regular season games for violating the NFL’s policy on steroids.

Cooper, a valuable special teams player for the Raiders, will be allowed to participate in training camp and exhibition games. Cooper won’t be able to be on the team’s active roster until Oct. 1, the day after the team’s fourth game of the season against Miami.

Cooper is the second Raiders player to be suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Running back Dominic Rhodes was also suspended for four games.

Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter was fined nearly $150,000 by the NFL for his part in a Las Vegas scuffle with another player.

The team said that Porter has to pay $141,176 for punching Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Levi Jones on March 18 after a disagreement at the Palms Hotel.

Porter pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery and paid a $1,000 fine in May.

The Green Bay Packers cut ties with former executive John Jones and began their new search to replace longtime Packers leader Bob Harlan.

Jones is expected to receive a seven-figure financial settlement from the team, but officials said in a statement that the terms of his departure would remain confidential and no further comment would be made on his resignation.

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MISCELLANY

Oklahoma appeals ruling by NCAA

Oklahoma has taken the first step to appeal a ruling by the NCAA that stripped the football team of its 2005 wins and found the university guilty of “failure to monitor” the employment of its athletes.

School President David Boren sent a notice of appeal of those two findings to NCAA President Myles Brand.

Boren noted the appeal was limited only to the “failure to monitor” finding and the NCAA’s penalty that forced the Sooners to erase all of the wins from the 2005 season, when they went 8-4 and won the Holiday Bowl.

The Kings signed right wing John Zeiler to a multiyear contract. Zeiler, 24, played in 23 games with the Kings last season and had three points. He made his NHL debut against the Ducks on Feb. 17 and scored a goal on his first NHL shot against Vancouver on Feb. 22.

Ryan Sheckler of San Clemente won the skateboard park event on the opening day of the AST Dew Tour Right Guard Open at North Coast Harbor in Cleveland. He had 94.00 points. Rodolfo Ramos of Brazil was second with 87.92.

Tickets for the LG World Championships of Freestyle Motocross on Sept. 29 at Fairplex in Pomona will go on sale Sunday at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster locations or at Ticketmaster.com. The event will feature Nate Adams, who is seeking his fifth consecutive world championship title.