NHL players will be allowed to use stick blades that are curved three-quarters of an inch - a quarter-inch more than last season - under a series of minor rules changes approved yesterday by the league's board of governors.

During regulation time or overtime but not shootouts, a player found to have a stick curved in excess of three-quarters of an inch will be assessed a minor penalty and a $200 fine for the first offense. A second offense in the same season will be accompanied by a minor penalty, plus a fine of $1,000. A third offense will result in a game misconduct penalty and an automatic one-game suspension. The suspension will double in length for any subsequent violation.

During shootouts, an opposing team may request the measurement of a shooter's stick before the shooter's attempt. If the stick is found to be legal, the complaining team will forfeit its next shootout attempt and the player listed for the challenging club's next attempt will not be permitted to participate until all other eligible players have participated. The team will be fined $5,000 and the coach will be fined $1,000. If the stick is illegal, the offending player will become ineligible to participate in the shootout and the club will forfeit that shootout attempt. The team will be fined $5,000 and the player will be fined $1,000.

The board also approved enhanced measures against diving and embellishment of actions in the attempt to draw a penalty. The first such infraction will result in a warning letter being sent to the player. A second infraction will be accompanied by a $1,000 fine. A third infraction will result in a telephone hearing with the director of hockey operations and a possible one-game suspension. The length of the suspension will double for any subsequent violation.

Montreal Canadiens captain hopes to put off surgery on a small cataract in his left eye until after the season. Koivu, who had surgery this summer to repair a detached retina, said he has a blind spot in his peripheral vision.

Buffalo Sabres center will likely miss the start of the season because he's still experiencing postconcussion symptoms after being hurt during the playoffs.

American cyclist faces a new doping investigation, less than 2 weeks before his two-year suspension for blood doping is lifted. USA Cycling said it was contacted by UCI, which provided documents on Hamilton's involvement in a Spanish doping scandal.

Former U.S. junior national cycling team members and are settling federal lawsuits after contending their coaches injected them with steroids without their knowledge, their lawyer said.

German authorities secured samples of former Tour de France winner DNA when they raided his Swiss residence Wednesday, according to a report released yesterday. Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung said in an advance release of today's edition that authorities plan to compare the German rider's DNA with frozen blood seized at a Madrid clinic as part of a doping investigation that forced Ullrich and eight other riders to withdraw from this year's Tour.

A Palm Beach County (Fla.) Circuit judge ordered and to turn over tax returns to prosecutors who claim the documents prove the tennis stars lied about their father's involvement in their careers. Judge said portions of the tax returns are relevant to a multimillion-dollar breach of contract lawsuit the sisters and their father, , face for pulling out of a 2001 tournament.

The U.S. Tennis Association will increase the number of women and minorities working as chair umpires at its tournaments following an investigation into possible discrimination.

scored 19 points to lead the United States past Russia, 90-80, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The U.S. team finished the first round of the women's world championships 3-0.

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