NBA may expand into Europe

Sports Digest/ Basketball : American basketball is considering a full-scale expansion into Europe over the next decade, according to reports in the US.

Sports Illustrated magazine claims NBA commissioner David Stern is contemplating creating as many as five franchises in Europe.

According to the report on www.SI.com, Stern will announce the NBA's stance during a news conference tomorrow, the day before the All-Star Game in New Orleans.

The proposals are understood to include the formation of a European division with five new teams in major markets.

The teams would play a full 82-game schedule and compete for the NBA championship.

Doherty overrun by Selby

Snooker: Mark Selby, surfing the crest of a tidal wave of confidence after winning the Masters at Wembley last month, made the quarter-finals of the Welsh Open in Newport yesterday thanks to his 5-2 victory over Ken Doherty.

Exploiting virtually every opportunity that was afforded him, Selby fired in breaks of 71, 66, 60 and 114 to build a 4-1 lead.

Doherty, renowned as one of the sport's most tenacious fighters, briefly came to life when he erased a 50-point deficit in frame six with a stubborn 92 clearance.

That was that, though, as far as the Dubliner's comeback was concerned as Selby controlled the seventh frame.

Pistorius ban goes to arbitration

Athletics: The double amputee Oscar Pistorius is taking his ban from able-bodied races to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) because of the refusal of the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) to hear an appeal.

"The IAAF told us for the level of appeal we want we might as well go straight to CAS because they won't consider any appeal or second opinions," the South African said yesterday.

Pistorius, who holds the Paralympic 100m, 200m and 400m world records, had hoped to qualify for this year's Beijing Olympics before the IAAF ruled last month his carbon-fibre prosthetics gave him a great considerable advantage and banned him from sanctioned able-bodied competition.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times