Sports briefs

Britons say air quality at Beijing won't necessitate protection masks British athletes will compete without pollution-protection masks at the Beijing Olympics.

The British Olympic Association said Wednesday the International Olympic Committee had endorsed the view that air quality in Beijing will meet required standards.

"There is no intention to wear masks," BOA president Colin Moynihan said. "The IOC monitors air quality and is protecting the world's athletes."

The BOA had said last month that it was considering supplying its athletes with masks to counter pollution.

Marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia said this week he may skip the event because of the poor air quality. Chinese officials responded by saying measures to cut the city's notorious smog were on course.

Daly disqualified John Daly woke up in Orlando, Fla., Wednesday morning to read that swing coach Butch Harmon dropped him. Then he was informed that he had been kicked out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational for missing the pro-am at Bay Hill. Daly said he showed up late because he mistakenly was given his tee time for the first round when he called to ask for his tee time for the pro-am.

Harmon, one of golf's most renowned swing coaches, said he was done working with Daly because the two-time major champion appeared more interested in drinking than working on his game.

Vonn accepts downhill trophy Lindsey Vonn picked up her World Cup downhill trophy in Bormio, Italy, on Wednesday, and joins Bode Miller in a quest to win the overall title this weekend.

Vonn, the former Minnesotan who clinched the downhill title last month, was awarded the downhill crystal globe after the final downhill of the season was canceled because of soft snow. She is the first American woman to win the downhill trophy since Picabo Street in 1995 and '96.

"The first time I met Picabo I was 9, and that's when I first decided that one of my goals was to win a downhill title," Vonn said. "She really inspired me and made me want to win it. I'm just ecstatic."

Vonn and Miller are attempting the first U.S. sweep of the World Cup overall ski titles in 25 years.

Entering the World Cup finals, Vonn holds a 157-point lead ahead of Maria Riesch of Germany in the overall World Cup standings, and Miller has a 169-point edge on Didier Cuche of Switzerland heading into the final super-G, giant slalom and slalom of the season.

Stewart feels criticism is justified Tony Stewart defended his harsh criticism of the tires Goodyear brought to Atlanta last weekend and said it was time to speak out after years of closed door meetings failed to produce a solution.

"You finally get to the point where, if you get frustrated enough, now it's gone from doing things in a nice, calm manner to I want to make sure I get somebody's attention about this," Stewart said Wednesday. He had called the tires "the most pathetic racing tire I've ever been on in my professional career."

Some of Stewart's critics dismissed the remarks, saying he was just being his usual outspoken self. But many drivers have agreed that the tires were subpar, including former champions Jeff Gordon and Dale Jarrett.

• Roush Fenway Racing said it won't appeal the penalties imposed by NASCAR against Carl Edwards after his winning No. 99 car failed the post-race inspection at Las Vegas. Edwards was docked 100 points and stripped of the 10 bonus points he earned for the March 2 victory when NASCAR discovered the cover was off the oil tank in his Ford.

Soccer: Five Cuban soccer players went missing Tuesday night after the under-23 team played a match against the United States in Tampa, Fla., a team official said. The missing men have not reported to authorities but are expected to be granted asylum under a standard U.S. policy. ... German rivals Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen advanced to the UEFA Cup quarterfinals despite losses. Bayern Munich lost 2-1 to Anderlecht but won the fourth-round series on 6-2 aggregate. Bayer Leverkusen lost 3-2 at Bundesliga rival Hamburg, leaving the aggregate tied 3-3 but advancing because of a 2-1 advantage in away goals. Everton, PSV Eindhoven, Getafe and Zenit St. Petersburg also advanced.

Horse racing: Autism Awareness, the $1,000 yearling who won last week's El Camino Real Derby as a 62-to-1 underdog, has a bone chip in his left front knee that will keep him out of contention for the Kentucky Derby.

Jurisprudence: Former elite cyclist Tammy Thomas pleaded not guilty in San Francisco to lying to a grand jury about using steroids.