FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The NFL suspended New England Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes four games without pay for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Spikes, the team’s second-leading tackler, will miss the rest of the regular season but will be eligible for the playoffs. Spikes said the substance “was a medication that I should have gotten clarification on before taking. It was not a performance enhancer or an illegal drug.”
The NFL also suspended Carolina Panthers guard Duke Robinson four games for the same violation.
• Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre did minimal work in practice for the first time all week, making a few soft tosses to test out the sprained SC joint in his throwing shoulder. He is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants and will be a game-time decision on whether he will make his 298th consecutive regular-season start.
Government won’t contest ruling in steroids investigation
WASHINGTON — The government will not contest an appeals court ruling that investigators illegally seized a list of baseball players who allegedly tested positive for steroids, the Justice Department said. That decision keeps intact a legal victory for scores of ballplayers snared in the doping investigation.
Charged in the probe of steroids use is former San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds, who is scheduled to go on trial March 21 for allegedly lying to a grand jury when he denied knowingly taking steroids.
Navratilova hospitalized
NAIROBI, Kenya — Martina Navratilova was hospitalized because of fluid accumulation in her lungs after attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. The 54-year-old tennis great is expected to recover.
Navratilova was diagnosed with high-altitude pulmonary edema, said Dr. David Silverstein, a consultant in cardiology and internal medicine at Nairobi Hospital.
“It is potentially dangerous when someone is at high altitude, but once brought down, recovery is quick,” he said. “Martina is doing well and will continue to do well.”
Footnotes.
Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly, the defending champions, and Dustin Johnson and Ian Poulter put up matching 9-under- par 63s in the modified alternate- shot format to take the lead at the Shark Shootout in Naples, Fla.
• Denmark’s Iben Tinning (69—208) and England’s Melissa Reid (68) were tied for the third- round lead at the Dubai Ladies Masters in the United Arab Emirates.
• Anthony Michael shot a 3-under 69 for a 135 total and two-stroke lead after the second round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship in Malelane, South Africa.
• Bobby Gates shot a 3-under 69 for a 134 total and one-shot, second- round lead over China’s Liang Wenchong (68) and John Senden (65) in the Australian PGA in Coolum.
• Memphis forward Wesley Witherspoon, the team’s leading scorer, is expected to miss five weeks after having surgery for a right knee cartilage tear.
• Duke guard Kyrie Irving had his right foot placed in a hard cast to help an injured toe heal. He is out indefinitely.
