NBA | Locked-out officials reportedly might return in time for start of season

NBA

Officials reportedly could return in time for regular season: The league's locked-out referees might be back on the floor in time for the regular season.

The league has made a new proposal and a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press it will be recommended for approval to the referees Friday. The person, who requested anonymity because negotiations are ongoing, said it is "highly likely" they will be on the court for Tuesday's season opener in Cleveland.

The reported breakthrough in the labor dispute came Tuesday, after a meeting that included commissioner David Stern and referees union negotiator Lamell McMorris — who had both previously withdrawn from the process.

Neither the NBA nor the National Basketball Referees Association would comment on the progress in the talks, first reported by ESPN.com.

The contract between the league and the union expired Sept. 1.

Robinson leads Knicks: Nate Robinson, a former standout for the Washington Huskies and Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, scored 21 points to lead the host New York Knicks to a 108-103 exhibition victory over the Boston Celtics.

WNBA

Shock's move from Detroit to Tulsa is announced: The three-time champion Detroit Shock is moving to Tulsa, Okla.

Donna Orender, the league president, and other officials made the announcement the Shock was being sold and relocated, a day after The Associated Press reported the move. The sale and move need league Board of Governors approval, and the purchase price wasn't revealed.

Nolan Richardson, former Tulsa and Arkansas men's coach, has been named coach and general manager of the new team, which will play at 18,000-seat BOK Center downtown.

Soccer

Donovan adds to trophy case: Landon Donovan, 27, won an unprecedented sixth Honda Player of the Year Award, given annually to the U.S. national team's top player.

Donovan received 424 points in balloting by 221 media members, finishing ahead of two England-based players, goalkeeper Tim Howard (267 points), who plays for Everton FC, and 19-year-old forward Jozy Altidore (178), who is with Hull City on loan from Spanish power Villarreal.

Donovan has scored a record 42 goals during his 120 matches with the U.S. national team. He has five goals and 10 assists for the U.S. team this year. The Americans have qualified for next year's World Cup in South Africa.

Donovan plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer.

MLS gets high marks for diversity: Major League Soccer once again earned high marks for its racial and gender hiring.

The league received its third consecutive A for racial hiring from the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport. Its gender grade improved to a B from a C-plus last year and a D-plus in 2007.

MLS's combined race and gender grade of B-plus was the same as last year, but its points total increased to 86.5 from 85.7.

Barcelona and Liverpool lose in UEFA Champions League: Rubin Kazan of Russia stunned defending champion Barcelona 2-1 in a UEFA Champions League match in Spain.

Meanwhile, visiting Lyon of France handed Liverpool of England its fourth consecutive loss in a 2-1 defeat — the first time in 22 years Liverpool has lost four consecutive matches.

Barcelona is likely to advance, but Liverpool might be in trouble after Cesar Fabian Delgado scored in injury time to hand the five-time European champions another loss.

Blatter indicates he will run again: FIFA president Sepp Blatter indicated he plans to run for re-election in 2011, saying he continues to want to introduce new initiatives to develop the sport worldwide.

"I have not finished my mission to develop the game," Blatter said.

Olympics

IOC says it is confident in Rio's ability to deliver safe 2016 Games: The International Olympic Committee expressed confidence Brazil will deliver a safe Olympics in 2016 despite weekend violence between rival drug gangs that killed 21 people in Rio de Janeiro.

The violence came about two weeks after the IOC voted to award the 2016 Games to Rio, taking the event to South America for the first time. Rio defeated Madrid, Spain; Tokyo; and Chicago.

Gymnastics

Ryazanov is killed in auto wreck: Russian police said gymnast Yury Ryazanov, 22, was killed in a car crash near his home in Vladimir, days after taking the bronze medal at the world championships in London.

Sailing

America's Cup challenger says venue doesn't comply: The Persian Gulf port of Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, is no more of a legitimate America's Cup venue than the Colorado River or Walden Pond would be, American challenger Golden Gate Yacht Club argued in its latest filing in a long, bitter court fight with defending champion Alinghi of Switzerland.

Safety concerns aside, the San Francisco club said the Swiss choice of Ras al-Khaimah doesn't meet the stipulations of the 19th-century Deed of Gift that governs sailing's marquee event.

The U.S. club is attempting to get the New York State Supreme Court to reject RAK as the port for the best-of-three showdown beginning Feb. 8 and have the event staged in Valencia, Spain.

Seattle Times news services