Pitcher Guillermo Mota was banned for 50 games on Wednesday for violating American Major League Baseball's anti-drug policy.

Nine-time major golf winner Gary Player of South Africa won the Payne Stewart Award on Wednesday.

Vera Zvonareva of Russia and Aravane Rezai of France sailed into the third round of the Gaz de France Stars tournament on Wednesday while Belgian tennis star Kim Clijsters returned to the court with a big bang.

Two goals from Wang Yongpo helped China beat the United Arab Emirates 2-1 and tighten their grip atop Group B in the AFC Youth Championship at the Salt Late Stadium in Kolkata, India Wednesday evening.

Defending champion Guangdong Hongyuan held the No. 1 placing of the Chinese Basketball Association league (CBA) when CBA was suspended for almost two months after Wednesday's 11th-round matches.

Having defeated defending champions Italy in the opening match, Serbia and Montenegro took another surprise victory over Cuba on Wednesday at the 2006 women's volleyball world championship

China denied a late comeback by Dominican Republic here on Thursday to win 3-1 in the 2006 women's volleyball world championship.

Washington Wizards forward Darius Songaila will undergo surgery to repair a herniated disc and will be sidelined for up to three months.

Russian Marat Safin eliminated Swede Robin Soderling 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a second-round match to stay on course for a fourth Paris Masters crown here on Tuesday.

Gabriela Sabatini, Argentina's most successful women's tennis player, received an award on Tuesday from the Buenos Aires City Council, and told them that she now wants to start a family.