Turner loses $316M case

A jury has ruled that Turner Broadcasting System should pay $316 million to a Texas businessman who claims the media giant breached a contract while he was negotiating to buy Atlanta's pro basketball and hockey teams, along with a downtown arena.

David McDavid signed a letter of intent with Turner to purchase the NBA Hawks and NHL Thrashers in April 2003. The proposed deal also included rights to Philips Arena, home of both teams.

A Fulton County (Ga.) Superior Court jury ruled in the case yesterday. An appeal is possible.

* London 2012 organizers are concerned that companies supplying materials for the Olympic Park could go broke because of the global economic downturn. The east London Olympic Park will feature key venues and the athletes' village. The plans for the village already have been scaled back from 4,200 apartments to 3,300 for the 17,000 athletes and coaches because of the fall in the housing market.

* About 500 doping samples from the Beijing Olympics will be retested next month for a new version of the endurance-enhancing hormone EPO and other illegal substances, the IOC said.

* Real Madrid fired Bernd Schuster, 2 days after the German coach said it would be "impossible" for the two-time defending Spanish champion to win against Barcelona on Saturday. Former Tottenham and Sevilla coach Juande Ramos replaces the 49-year-old Schuster, who was let go only 6 months after guiding the Spanish powerhouse to its record 31st league title.

* Three-time heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis headlines the 2009 induction class into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He will be joined by American bantamweight champion Orlando Canizales and South African junior lightweight champion Brian Mitchell.

* Golfing great Seve Ballesteros was released from a hospital in Madrid, Spain, more than 2 months after brain surgery to remove a malignant tumor.

* Luxembourg cyclist Frank Schleck was cleared by his national anti-doping agency of involvement in a Spanish scandal. *