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In brief

Safin thinks EPO testing unnecessary

SYDNEY, Australia -- Marat Safin says blood testing for the banned performance-enhancing substance EPO is invasive and unnecessary, and players weren't properly consulted about its introduction.

Blood testing for EPO is expected to be conducted for the first time in a Grand Slam tournament starting next week at the Australian Open.

Safin said there was enough drug testing and that EPO wasn't a big issue in tennis.

"We go for too much. First of all, we have to go for the urine testing, now we have to go to EPO -- I said to the ATP that I don't think it's correct, but they really didn't listen," Safin said.

RAFTER RETIRES: Pat Rafter, formerly the world's top-ranked player and a two-time U.S. Open champion, has retired at age 30.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN DRAW: Top-ranked Lleyton Hewitt faces a possible third-round clash with former No.1 Gustavo Kuerten, and top-seeded Serena Williams begins her bid for a fourth consecutive Grand Slam title against Emelie Loit.

BOXING: Foreman to be honored

George Foreman, who capped a remarkable comeback to become the oldest heavyweight champion, leads the International Hall of Fame's class.

Joining him on June 8 will be 15 others, including Mike McCallum, champ in three divisions; Oscar-winning writer Budd Schulberg; and late promoter Dan Duva, who joins his father, Lou, a 1998 inductee.

WRIGHT TIME?: St. Petersburg's Winky Wright, the IBF junior middleweight champion, got a boost in his bid to get a bout with Oscar De La Hoya, the WBC and WBA super-welterweight champion, when USA Today included it as one of its must-see matchups for 2003.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Miami gets top recruit

Louis Irizarry, a top high school recruit, changed his commitment from Ohio State to Miami. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder from Youngstown (Ohio) Ursuline is the third-ranked tight end in the nation, according to theinsiders.com.

GEORGIA: Linebacker Chris Clemons will forgo his senior year to enter the NFL draft.

MISSISSIPPI ST.: Former Michigan State offensive coordinator Morris Watts was hired for the same position. Former Delta State coach Steve Campbell will be offensive line coach.

NOTRE DAME: Center Jeff Faine will forgo his senior year to enter the NFL draft

SOUTHERN MISS: Former Memphis coach Rip Scherer was named offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Also, tight ends coach Mitch Rodrigue will be moved to offensive line coach.

TCU: Linebacker LaMarcus McDonald will forgo his senior season to enter the NFL draft.

UCLA: Washington assistant head coach Steve Axman was named offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

ET CETERA

ARENA FOOTBALL: The Storm will take 34 players into its three-day minicamp, which begins at 10 a.m. today with a second session at 4 p.m. at Skyway Park in Tampa.

AUTOS: CART returns to Europe in May with back-to-back races in England and Germany.

COLLEGES: Skip Bertman, former LSU coach whose teams won five titles, was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

HORSE RACING: Sixteen-year-old Shannon Uske couldn't get consecutive wins to start her career, narrowly finishing second in a $36,000 allowance race at Gulfstream Park.

SAILING: The three remaining America's Cup syndicates have agreed to use on-board umpires for the first time.

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