By The Associated Press

Published: Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Updated: Friday, November 20, 2009 11:38 AM CST

Here's a look at Thursday's sports in brief around the world.

BASEBALL — Some teams lost money in 2009, baseball commissioner Bud Selig said after the final owners meeting of the year.

CHICAGO (AP)

Selig said final figures for this year are still being calculated and everyone is living in the most difficult economic times since the Great Depression. He declined to identify the teams.

Major League Baseball’s average attendance dropped 6.7 percent last season from an average of 32,528 in 2008 to an average of 30,350. Total attendance of 73.4 million was baseball’s fifth-highest.

ATHLETICS

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African runner Caster Semenya will keep her 800-meter gold medal from the world championships, and the results of her gender tests will be kept confidential, the South African sports ministry said.

However, the question of whether she remains eligible to compete as a woman remained uncertain.

The ministry also said that the International Association of Athletics Federations has agreed to allow the 18-year-old Semenya to keep her prize money.

The IAAF did not confirm the South African ministry statements.

NFL

NEW YORK (AP) — Tony Dungy is taking a lead role in improving communication between the NFL and its players.

Dungy will lead a new NFL player advisory forum that will meet with players about league policies, programs and issues that affect their lives on and off the field. Those subjects will include player health and safety, personal conduct, game rules and procedures, career transition and player development.

Dungy, who retired as coach of the Indianapolis Colts after last season, is a special adviser to commissioner Roger Goodell.

SOCCER

DUBLIN (AP) — Ireland appealed to France and FIFA to replay their World Cup playoff after an obvious hand ball by Thierry Henry set up the deciding goal.

Ireland’s government and soccer association asked for Wednesday’s 1-1 draw in the second leg at Stade de France to be replayed. France advanced to next year’s World Cup in South Africa 2-1 on total goals.

FIFA said it received Ireland’s request for a replay, though it was unclear if the governing body of soccer would seriously consider it.

SEATTLE (AP) — Los Angeles forward Landon Donovan was named the 2009 MLS most valuable player after helping lead the Galaxy to the MLS Cup finals for the first time since 2005.

Despite all the accolades he’s garnered for being the best player in the U.S., this is the first time Donovan has won the top award in MLS.

Donovan scored 12 goals and had six assists during the regular season, helping the Galaxy rally for the best record in the Western Conference.

OLYMPICS

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — An Olympic housing plan in which thousands of visitors would have stayed on cruise ships has been called off because of the rough economy.

As many as seven ships would have been used for fans and sponsors as part of the multimillion-dollar plan by the DEAP Group. But there was not enough financing to go forward.

Group president Greg Peart adds that the demand for lodging also doesn’t appear to be reaching the level tourism officials envisioned with less than three months until the games.

Almost all of Vancouver’s hotel rooms are booked by sponsors and Olympic officials.

NBA

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Retired NBA star Jayson Williams has agreed to a plea deal that would send him to prison for up to three years for accidentally shooting a driver at his New Jersey estate in 2002, a person with knowledge of the case told The Associated Press.

Williams, who retired in 2000 after playing nine seasons in the NBA for the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets, was to face a retrial in January on a reckless manslaughter count.

The person, who was not authorized to speak about the case, told the AP on condition of anonymity that Williams is to plead guilty Friday to aggravated assault. Because a gun was used in the crime, Williams must serve at least 18 months in prison, the person said.

COLLEGE SOFTBALL

DICKINSON, N.D. (AP) — Final autopsy results show that three college softball players who drowned when their sport utility vehicle went into a North Dakota pond had not been drinking or using drugs, authorities said.

Toxicology tests came back negative for 22-year-old Kyrstin Gemar of San Diego; 20-year-old Afton Williamson of Lake Elsinore, Calif.; and 21-year-old Ashley Neufeld, of Brandon, Manitoba.

The bodies of the three Dickinson State University softball players were found Nov. 3 inside Gemar’s SUV, which was submerged in about 10 feet of water in a pond about 10 miles northwest of Dickinson.

The women were believed to have gone on a stargazing trip two nights earlier. Authorities say they likely drove straight into the water in the darkness.

EQUESTRIAN

COPENHAGEN (AP) — International Equestrian Federation members voted overwhelmingly for a new anti-doping program to clean up their sport after a series of Olympic scandals.

FEI President Princess Haya of Jordan described the vote as a landmark.

National associations voted 90 to 8 in favor of measures to crack down on teams and riders doping horses. They voted 95-5 for rules controlling the use of certain medications.

Riders had argued for better guidance on using some drugs that are banned in competition but can be used in training.

Equestrian’s reputation was hit when six horses tested positive for banned drugs at last year’s Beijing Olympics.

Three gold medals were taken from riders involved in doping at the 2004 Athens Games.