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U.S. Men Survive Aussie Challenge

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The Associated Press

Published: August 6, 2008

SHANGHAI, China - The U.S. Olympic basketball team wrapped up its exhibition schedule with its toughest test, pulling away to beat Australia 87-76 Tuesday night in its final game before heading to Beijing.

The United States led by only four points nearly halfway through the third quarter and was up by seven midway through the fourth against an Australian team that was resting its best player, Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut.

The Americans relied on an aggressive defensive effort to overcome a horrendous night from 3-point range and the free-throw line, the same areas that proved costly in their semifinal loss to Greece in the world championships two years ago.

Dwyane Wade scored 22 points and LeBron James had 16 for the Americans, who made three of 18 shots from behind the arc and 20 of 33 (61 percent) from the foul line.

IOC Official: Pollution Will Not Pose Risk

BEIJING - The International Olympic Committee's chief medical official expressed confidence that air pollution will not pose a major risk to athletes and visitors at the Beijing Games.

Arne Ljungqvist, chairman of the IOC medical commission, said the committee is evaluating the city's air quality based on standards set by the World Health Organization.

Some American track cycling athletes arrived in China's capital on Tuesday wearing face masks.

"You've got to take every chance you have just to protect the airways," Michael Friedman said. "It's really just taking every precaution necessary. Who knows how bad it's going to be in a few days, so if you can resist any air pollution, any contaminants, then you know it's better performance hopefully."

Leslie Leads U.S. Women Past Australia

HAINING, China - Lisa Leslie scored 14 points and the U.S. women's basketball team held off Australia 71-67 to win the FIBA Diamond Ball tournament.

This was the first meeting between these two rivals with both teams at full strength since the 2004 Olympics gold-medal game, won by the Americans 74-63.

Before Tuesday's game, both teams said this contest was merely a tuneup for the Olympics and nothing more. Yet the physical play spoke differently. Players on both teams hit the floor after hard fouls and the game had the feel of an Olympic gold-medal matchup, not a meaningless game.

Penny Taylor scored 19 points to lead Australia. Lauren Jackson added 16 and was named the tournament's MVP.

IOC Member Critical Of Global Torch Relay

BEIJING - A senior International Olympic Committee member said the Beijing Games escaped political boycotts only due to the goodwill following May's devastating earthquake.

Canadian member Dick Pound said during the IOC's general assembly Tuesday that the global torch relay never should have taken place in light of expected protests by activists opposed to China's policies on Tibet, human rights and other issues.

"This came very close to becoming a disaster," he said. "The risks were obvious and should have been assessed a little more carefully. The result is there was a crisis affecting the games."

The relay was disrupted by anti-China protests in London, Paris and other cities.

CYCLING: Italian cyclist Marta Bastianelli was questioned by the Italian Olympic Committee's anti-doping prosecutor after she tested positive for a banned stimulant and lost her Olympics spot.

Bastianelli, who won the women's road race at last year's world championships, said she had "shed light on the main points" of the case.

The 21-year-old rider tested positive during July's under-23 European championships in northern Italy.

DOPING: The leader of the IOC's medical commission said seven Russian female track and field athletes, accused of tampering with their urine samples, appeared to be involved in a case of "systematic doping."

Seven Russian women were provisionally suspended last week by the International Association of Athletics Federations in the doping scandal.

LEGAL: At San Francisco, a federal judge has temporarily shut down a Web site that Olympic officials say is defrauding patrons by falsely advertising tickets to the games in Beijing.

USOC lawyers say www.beijingticketing.com cheated numerous U.S. residents out of thousands of dollars by falsely promising to deliver tickets to the games starting Friday.

CASH REWARDS: The Dominican Republic says it will pay its athletes who win gold, silver or bronze medals at the Olympics.

Sports Minister Felipe Payano said the awards will range from nearly $90,000 up to $200,000. Winners also could get a car.

The Caribbean country has won only two medals in Olympic history, a gold in athletics in 2004 and a boxing bronze in 1984.

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