Gatlin vows to fight on

Olympic champion sprinter Justin Gatlin will challenge his four-year doping suspension and may take the case to federal court.

“We may have to file multiple actions at the same time,” Gatlin’s attorney, John Collins, told the Associated Press on Wednesday.

A three-member arbitration panel voted, 2-1, to suspend Gatlin, who faced a possible eight-year ban for his second doping offense, in a ruling released Tuesday.

Under the panel’s ruling, Gatlin would be eligible to run May 25, 2010. That would prevent him from defending his 100-meter title at the Beijing Olympics in August. If he can get his first offense erased, it probably would result in a two-year ban that would expire in May, a month before the U.S. Olympic trials.

Gatlin tested positive for excessive testosterone at the Kansas Relays in April 2006. It was his second doping offense. As a 19-year-old competitor at the world junior championships, Gatlin tested positive for amphetamines, part of a prescribed medication he was taking for attention deficit disorder.

Former Olympic champion Marion Jones says she has been punished enough and should not have to go to prison for lying about steroids and check fraud in court papers filed in White Plains, N.Y.

As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors suggested Jones be sentenced to six months in prison at most.

TENNIS

Davenport improves to 15-1 in comeback

Lindsay Davenport improved to 15-1 in singles since her return from child birth, beating fifth-seeded Annabel Medina Garrigues, 6-1, 4-6, 6-0, in the second round of the ASB Classic at Auckland, New Zealand.

Wild card Joseph Sirianni advanced to his first ATP Tour quarterfinal, beating Sam Querrey, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3, in the Australian men’s hardcourt championships at Adelaide, Australia.

Former No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo advanced to the quarterfinals of the Australian women’s hardcourt championships with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Nathalie Dechy at Gold Coast, Australia.

Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko beat Fabrice Santoro, 6-3, 6-3, to reach the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open at Doha.

Defending champion Xavier Malisse defeated sixth-seeded Jurgen Melzer, 7-6 (3), 6-2, to reach the quarterfinals of the Chennai Open in India.

JURISPRUDENCE

Leyritz had license suspended before crash

Former World Series star Jim Leyritz had a suspended license before he was charged with driving under the influence and killing a 30-year-old woman last week in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

New York State suspended the Florida license in November. Florida officials said Leyritz’s license is still valid in the state, but they planned to suspend it.

Leyritz, 44, was ticketed outside Albany, N.Y., for using a cell phone while driving June 20, and his license was suspended Nov. 23 for failing to answer the summons, according to records.

MISCELLANY

Texas running back decides to leave

Texas junior running back Jamaal Charles, who rushed for 1,619 yards, decided to leave the Longhorns to make himself available for the NFL draft.

Pablo Bonells scored in the 69th minute and Pumas beat Monterrey, 1-0, at Frisco, Texas. Meanwhile, Alfredo Moreno scored on a penalty kick in the 17th minute to lead San Luis past Cruz Azul, 1-0. Both teams won their first InterLiga matches.

The Dodgers have sold utility infielder Wilson Valdez to a team in Korea.

Valdez, a 29-year-old Dominican, batted .216 in 41 games with the Dodgers last season but more important was the fact he played five positions without committing an error. Valdez has a career .211 average in a three-year career with four big-league teams.

Valdez played impressively at shortstop this winter with Gigantes de Cibao of the Dominican League, batting leadoff and hitting .287.

-- Kevin Baxter

The PGA Tour’s season gets under way today with 31 golfers competing in the Mercedes-Benz Championship at Kapalua, Hawaii. Tiger Woods is not entered.