Moving forward to legislate steroid-testing policies for pro sports, a House Commerce and Energy subcommittee approved changes to a proposed bill Wednesday, including calling for two tests instead of one per athlete each year.
The Drug Free Sports Act was introduced last month by Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., who chairs the subcommittee. Other changes include allowing the commerce secretary to tailor the list of banned substances to each sport, and adding the possibility of reduced penalties if an athlete proves he didn't know he was taking an illegal substance.
"We're concerned that we did not have an opportunity to comment on the legislation before (the) committee vote," NFL spokesman Joe Brown said.
"We think there are aspects of this bill that will diminish our program, and other aspects of the bill, including the two-year suspension for the first offense, that are not applicable to our sport."
The legislation aims to set standard drug-testing policies and minimum penalties for Major League Baseball, the NFL, NBA, NHL, Major League Soccer and the Arena Football League. Based on the Olympic model, the bill calls for a two-year ban for a first offense and a lifetime ban for a second.
BOXING: Ex-champ fails drug test
Former WBO bantamweight champion Cruz Carbajal has been suspended indefinitely by the Nevada Athletic Commission for failing a post-fight drug test. Carbajal, 31, tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone after his loss by unanimous decision to Silence Mabuza in an IBF bantamweight elimination fight May 13 in Las Vegas.
CYCLING: Frenchman takes stage
Christophe Le Mevel edged a small breakaway group at the finish line Wednesday to win the 130-mile, 16th stage of the Tour of Italy, also known as Giro d'Italia, and Paolo Savoldelli retained the overall lead. It was Le Mevel's first professional stage win, and the first at the Giro by a Frenchman since 1999.
SOCCER: Liverpool rebounds
Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek saved two penalty kicks in a shootout to help the English team beat AC Milan in Istanbul and win European soccer's Champions League title for a fifth time. Liverpool had trailed 3-0 at the half and completed the greatest comeback in Champions League competition. Liverpool was the first English team to reach the final since Manchester United won in 1999. SHUFFLED AGAIN: D.C. United traded two-time All-Star Chris Henderson to the Columbus Crew for an allocation pick, the second trade involving the midfielder this week. Henderson was traded by Colorado to D.C. United on Monday.
EXHIBITION: Venezuela and Panama played to a 1-1 draw in an exhibition at Caracas' Olympic Stadium. Panama is fifth among six teams in the final round of North and Central American and Caribbean World Cup qualifying at 0-1-2. Panama hosts the United States (2-1) June 6.
SWIMMING: German sets world mark
Janine Pietsch of Germany set a world record in the 50-meter backstroke with a time of 28.19 seconds at the German Championship in Berlin. The old mark was 28.25.
ON THE AIR: CBS re-ups analysts
Former quarterbacks Phil Simms and Boomer Esiason signed multiyear contract extensions as part of NFL coverage on CBS.
SAILING: 8 left in Challenge
Two yachts have dropped out of the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge, leaving 18 boats continuing toward England in an attempt to break a 100-year-old race record. The race started Sunday off New York. The yachts are trying to break the trans-Atlantic record of 12 days, 4 hours, 1 minute and 19 seconds set by the 185-foot, three-masted schooner Atlantic in 1905.
