Sports briefs

Ravens' kicker seeks ouster of Upshaw Veteran Baltimore kicker Matt Stover has begun a campaign to replace Gene Upshaw as executive director of the NFL Players Association.

Upshaw, whose contract runs through 2010, has said he will not leave until the union gets through its latest negotiations with the owners, who are expected to opt out of their March 2006 agreement with the union next November. That would trigger a new round of negotiations.

Union President Kevin Mawae of Tennessee said Stover's opinion does not reflect the opinion of the players.

Finland beats U.S. 1-0 in OT Defenseman Heidi Pelttari scored a power-play goal 3:42 into overtime as Finland defeated the United States 1-0 in the World Women's Hockey Championship in Harbin, China, on Tuesday. Finland scored the game's only goal while on a two-person advantage. The U.S. will face Canada on Thursday.

FINA approves new suits The International Swimming Federation ruled Speedo's new high-tech LZR Racer suit is legal. The LZR has been worn for 18 of the 19 world records set since it was introduced in February. "There is no scientific proof that it helps somehow, to the best of FINA's knowledge," FINA said. Italian coach Alberto Castagnett opposes the suit, calling it "technological doping."

Venus Williams takes hiatus Six-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams will be sidelined indefinitely, though she did not say why she will be out of action.

"I've just been having some issues that I need to resolve, so I'm working on that at the moment and I'm hoping to be back playing as soon as possible," Williams said at the Bausch & Lomb Championships.

• Top-seeded Maria Sharapova made a successful debut at the Bausch & Lomb Championships with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Barbara Zahlavova Strycova. Lindsay Davenport began her quest for a fourth Bausch & Lomb title with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Vania King.

Storm adds former MVP Yolanda Griffith Former WNBA Most Valuable Player Yolanda Griffith signed with Seattle, giving the Storm three MVPs on their revamped roster.

Griffith, 38, is a six-time All-Star who was thought to be retiring after averaging career-lows of nine points and 4.6 rebounds per game last season with Sacramento. She joins WNBA great Sheryl Swoopes, 37, and returning MVP Lauren Jackson in joining new coach Brian Agler, who is a former Lynx coach.

• WNBA All-Star Becky Hammon will play for Russia at the Beijing Olympics. Hammon, a South Dakota native, said she signed with the Russian national team Monday, about two weeks after getting her Russian passport.

Newman, Penske penalized Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman became the latest driver penalized by NASCAR, losing 25 points because his car failed inspection at Texas Motor Speedway. The penalty dropped Newman from eighth to 10th in the Sprint Cup standings.

Also penalized were car owner Roger Penske, who was docked 25 points, and crew chief Roy McCauley, fined $25,000 and placed on probation until the end of the year.

• Jeremy Mayfield parted ways with Haas CNC Racing, and Johnny Sauter will drive the No. 70 in Phoenix this weekend.

Colleges: Suspended Penn State receiver Chris Bell was kicked off the team after university police charged him with threatening another player, defensive end Devon Still, with a knife.

Curling: France edged the United States 6-5 at the World Men's Curling Championship in Grand Forks, N.D., handing the Americans their second loss of the day. The U.S. team fell to Australia 6-4 earlier Tuesday. The loss to France dropped the U.S. record to 3-4 in round-robin play.

Baseball: McMurry's Derek David had his streak of consecutive games with a home run snapped at seven against Wayland Baptist. The NCAA record is eight.

ASSOCIATED PRESS