Sports: In Brief

In Brief

Compiled from Times wires

Stewart won't face charges

Tony Stewart will not face criminal assault charges stemming from an accusation by a fan that the NASCAR driver shoved her at an August race in Bristol.

The Sullivan County (Tenn.) grand jury declined to indict Stewart after hearing a report on the sheriff's investigation after the Sharpie 500 Winston Cup race Aug. 24, District Attorney Greeley Wells said.

Sheriff Wayne Anderson said one of his officers saw Stewart and the unidentified woman in the pit area at Bristol Motor Speedway. The sheriff said the woman was authorized to be in the pits and would not say if she was injured.

Stewart, third in the points race, is on probation with NASCAR and sponsor Home Depot for punching a photographer after the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis on Aug. 4.

PRO BASKETBALL: Lisa Leslie had 24 points and 13 rebounds to lead the United States 71-56 over Australia and into the finals of the Women's World Championship in Nanjing, China. The Americans face Russia, a 70-53 winner over South Korea. ... The father of Sacramento's Chris Webber was arraigned on charges of lying to a grand jury about the NBA player's dealings with a University of Michigan booster. ... Detroit will trade forward Rodney White to Denver for a first-round pick and center Menk Bateer and forward Don Reid, the Associated Press reported. ... The Lakers hired Paul Sunderland as TV and radio play-by-play announcer to replace Chick Hearn, who died last month at 85. Sunderland, co-captain of the U.S. Olympic volleyball team that won 1984 gold, called 56 games for L.A. last season while Hearn recovered from heart and hip operations. ... Celtics forward Paul Pierce testified at the trial of three men accused of attacking him two years ago in Boston. Pierce said he was attacked from all directions, left bloodied and asked emergency room doctors if he would live after being stabbed. ... Miles Dabord, whom FBI investigators hoped to question in connection with the disappearance of his brother, former player Bison Dele, and two others, will be removed soon from life support, his mother said.

TENNIS: Qualifier Anca Barna defeated Elke Clijsters 6-4, 6-3, advancing to the second round of the Sparkassen Cup in Leipzig, Germany. She faces top-seeded Serena Williams. ... Second-seeded Fernando Gonzalez beat Zeljko Krajan 6-3, 6-2, advancing to the second round of the Sicilian International in Palermo. ... U.S. qualifier Sarah Taylor beat fifth-seeded Adriana Serra-Zanetti 6-2, 7-5 in the first round of the Wismilak International in Bali, Indonesia. No. 4 Nicole Pratt beat U.S. Open junior champ Maria Kirilenko 6-2, 6-4. ... Francisco Clavet and Nicolas Massu won first-round matches at the Salem Open in Hong Kong before matches were postponed because of rain. ... A $40-million lawsuit Martina Hingis filed against an Italian sportswear maker whose shoes allegedly injured her feet was dismissed in New York because similar litigation between Hingis and Sergio Tacchini is pending in Milan.

COLLEGES: UConn guard/forward Rashad Anderson of Lakeland was charged with threatening and breach of peace in connection to pranks on campus. ... The USF men's golf team finished eighth at the Carolina First Intercollegiate, 14 behind winner East Carolina (6-over 870) in the 16-team field. The UCF women (967) finished ninth at the Louisville Cardinal Cup behind champion Louisville (919). ... Kentucky basketball center Jules Camara will miss 4-6 weeks with a broken right hand. ... The USF volleyball team beat visiting Florida A&M 3-0. Florida beat visiting FSU 3-1.

OLYMPICS: Federal agents investigating the figure skating scandal in Salt Lake City are interviewing the sports' international officials and possibly will interview skaters, USA Today reported.

SOCCER: FIFA no longer will allow players who receive a red card to appeal a one-match ban. Players receiving a red card, or two yellow cards for lesser offenses, automatically will be banned one match. ... World Cup star Ronaldo will not debut with Real Madrid today in the Champions League because of a strained left calf. ... Luizao, a member of Brazil's World Cup championship team, was benched by German club Hertha Berlin in favor veteran striker Michael Preetz.

CYCLING: Santiago Botero (3 hours, 32 minutes, 5 seconds) won the 16th stage of the Tour of Spain in Leon. Roberto Heras of the U.S. Postal team retained the overall lead by .35.