China's 2000 gymnasts probed, too

The investigation into the ages of China's gold medal women's gymnastics team has been expanded to include members of the 2000 team that won a bronze in Sydney. International gymnastics officials are examining whether Yang Yun and Dong Fangxiao, in particular, were old enough to compete at the Sydney Olympics. Gymnasts must turn 16 during the Olympic year. "If we had a look at all the articles that came before, during, and after the Games, there were always rumors about the ages of China's athletes in Sydney," Andre Gueisbuhler, secretary general of the International Gymnastics Federation, said yesterday. "We did not have another choice. If we want to remain credible, then we have to look into things." Yang's birthdate is listed as Dec. 2, 1984, which would have made her 16 in 2000. But Yang, who also won bronze on uneven bars, said in a June 2007 interview on China Central Television that she was 14 at the Olympics. Dong's birthdate is listed as Jan. 20, 1983, making her 17 at the time of the Sydney Games. Her blog, however, includes a reference to being born in 1985.

Tigers reliever Todd Jones announced his retirement in his column in the Sporting News. "So this is it," he wrote. "If you're a Tigers fan, I'll never stress you out again. If you're not a Tigers fan, you'll never have me as your ace in the hole, convinced I'll blow a lead against your team." Jones, 40, went on the DL in July with an injured right shoulder. He was activated for one game in August, gave up five unearned runs, and went back on the DL. Jones has 319 career saves with Detroit, Houston, Minnesota, Colorado, Boston, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and Florida. His 235 Detroit saves are a team record . . . Colorado outfielder Willy Taveras is done for the season with a stress fracture (right leg), and first baseman Todd Helton will have back surgery to alleviate a disk problem.

New Oklahoma State basketball coach Travis Ford would have to pay the university $1 million if he leaves before the end of his seven-year contract. Terms of the deal call for the former University of Massachusetts coach to receive about $9.1 million over the course of the contract, which runs through June 2015. The university released the contract after an open records request by the Associated Press. The deal provides for a $200,000 buyout of Ford's contract at UMass, where he had agreed to a new seven-year contract extension worth $200,000 annually only days before he was hired at Oklahoma State in April . . . The UMass-Memphis tilt kicks off a 14-game College Basketball Tip-Off Marathon on the ESPN networks Nov. 18. The game will begin around midnight, after ESPN's "Monday Night Football," and start 23 hours of coverage . . . Individual tickets for Celtics home games go on sale tomorrow at 10 a.m. at Celtics.com, by calling 1-800-4NBA-TIX, or by visiting the TD Banknorth Garden box office or any Ticketmaster outlet. Random number distribution will begin at approximately 9 a.m. for fans purchasing at the Garden box office . . . The Charlotte Bobcats signed Houston Rockets restricted free agent forward Carl Landry to a three-year, $9 million offer sheet. The Rockets have a week to match it or lose Landry . . . Nuggets guard Chucky Atkins will miss six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.

Brazil stars Marta (Los Angeles), Daniela (St. Louis), and Cristiane (Chicago) were selected in the first round of the Women's Professional Soccer international draft in San Francisco. The Boston Breakers got England's Kelly Smith (first round), Brazil's Fabiana and Maycon, and Japan's Shinobu Ohno. In all, 10 Brazilians were chosen. "Clearly there is a keen interest in Brazilian players, who bring a creative and dynamic rhythm of play," said WPS commissioner Tonya Antonucci. The WPS begins play in April.

Montreal defenseman Mathieu Carle was carried off the ice on a stretcher after being hit by host Detroit's Tomas Kopecky during an exhibition game, won by the Canadiens, 3-2, in a shootout. Carle lost and regained consciousness after the hit. He was taken to Detroit Medical Center for further testing. "He was awake when he went to the hospital," said Montreal coach Guy Carbonneau. "We gave him a couple of quick tests and he was fine." Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom was hit in the face with a shot and helped off the ice in the third period. He took stitches above his right eye and also went to the hospital for precautionary X-rays . . . Sergei Gonchar, 34, will be kept out of the Penguins' lineup at least through the opener in two weeks because of a dislocated left shoulder.

US Olympic boxer Demetrius Andrade will make his professional debut Oct. 23 at the Northern Quest Casino in Washington state. The 20-year-old Providence fighter's opponent for his 154-pound bout hasn't been selected . . . Top-seeded Jelena Jankovic defeated Aleksandra Wozniak, 6-3, 7-5, at the China Open in Beijing, and is on course to threaten Serena Williams's hold on the top spot in tennis. With a win in Beijing, Jankovic can reach 4,070 points, just 21 short of Williams . . . Marathoner Alberto Salazar will run in the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon 10-mile Oct. 5 - his first race since collapsing from sudden cardiac arrest last year.