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WNBA

Monarchs fold as owners shift focus

The Sacramento Monarchs have folded, a shocking and disappointing development for the WNBA and one of its original eight franchises.

The decision was largely based on the Maloof family's desire to focus all its energy and efforts on the NBA's Sacramento Kings. Maloof Sports & Entertainment had owned both teams.

Now, the WNBA is left scurrying to try to find a new owner for the organization and a suitable market: with the most logical place being the Bay Area, perhaps in Oakland or San Jose.

League president Donna Orender said in a statement Friday that the league is in discussions with potential investors to relocate the Monarchs to the San Francisco area in time for next season.

The Monarchs franchise was one of the league's original eight teams and it won the WNBA championship in 2005 and the Western Conference title the following season.

Track and Field

Sprint stars Usain Bolt , of Jamaica, and Tyson Gay , of the United States, will race each other at least three times at elite Diamond League meets next year.

Track and field's governing body said on Saturday that the two fastest men in history are contracted to compete in seven of the 14 cities in Asia, Europe and the United States featured in the inaugural global series.

The rivals must decide which meets will host their showdowns, over 100 or 200 meters.

"The only thing I know is I will be racing Bolt at least three times or more," Gay said before a Diamond League launch ceremony on Saturday.

The new circuit will be the top tier of track and field in 2010 with no Olympics or World Championships on the schedule.

Bolt, the 100 and 200 world record holder and a three-time Olympic champion, took Gay's 100 world title in a record 9.58 seconds at Berlin in August, leaving the 27-year-old American with silver despite a lifetime best of 9.71.

Gay then ran 9.69 -- equaling the 23-year-old Jamaican's previous world mark set in the Beijing Olympic final -- at Shanghai in September.

One of Bolt, Gay and Asafa Powell , the third fastest man in history, will be compete at each meet on the circuit.

Bobsledding

In Lake Placid, N.Y., John Napier and brakeman Charles Berkeley defeated Steven Holcomb and brakeman Justin Olsen by 0.26 seconds with a combined two-run time of 1 minute, 53.62 seconds in a World Cup two-man race.

Ivo Ruegg and Roman Handschin of Switzerland were third. Pierre Lueders and brakeman David Bissett of Canada finished fourth.

It was the first podium finish for Napier, who is competing for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.

Para-ympics

Ath-etes with -earning disabilities will be a--owed to compete in the Para-ympics again at London in 2012.

The Internationa- Para-ympic Committee voted Saturday in Kua-a Lumpur, Ma-aysia, to overturn the ban that had been in p-ace since the Spanish basketba-- team was revea-ed to have cheated at the 2000 Sydney Games.

The IPC said there will be a rigorous classification procedure, with medical files submitted for review before athletes proceed to onsite testing that focuses on "sports intelligence."

Full criteria will be available early next year.

Boxing

*ungarian captures be-t by decision

In Kie-, Germany, Zso-t Erdei , of *ungary, won the WBC cruiserweight tit-e with a majority decision over Giacobbe Fragomeni .

Two judges had it 115-113 for Erdei, while the third scored it 114-114.