Tour de France champion Floyd Landis, a Lancaster native, got more bad news yesterday -- a report that follow-up tests on his backup urine samples found traces of synthetic testosterone. But he refused to confirm the results and said the report on the Web site of French newspaper L'Equipe was yet another result of unethical maneuvers engineered by those who want him stripped of the Tour title.

"In any other industry or field, their failures would be construed as criminal negligence," Landis said during a teleconference.

Landis' attorney said he has received some documentation from the tests done on the "B" samples at a lab outside of Paris, but it was not complete.

In the 2006 Tour, Landis, 31, tested positive for elevated testosterone to epitestosterone levels after he won the 17th stage. He repeatedly has denied doping, faces the loss of his title and a two-year ban if an arbitration panel upholds the positive test.

Baseball

Metal bats will be banned on the high school level in New York starting in September after the city council overrode a mayoral veto of the bill. The measure outlawed metal bats under the theory that they produce balls with greater velocity and raise the risk of injury because of less reaction time. Opponents, including Little League Baseball and equipment suppliers, say there is no evidence metal bats are more dangerous.

The Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League signed catcher Mario Garza, a former draft pick of the Houston Astros.

Football

University of Connecticut wide receiver Brandon McLean has been suspended for the first three games of the season for what coach Randy Edsall said was "conduct unbecoming of a UConn player."

The Las Vegas Bowl is switching to the Saturday before Christmas after three years of playing on the Thursday before the holiday.

The Beaver County Warriors, a minor-league team, will move into the National American Football League (NAFL) this season.

College basketball

Freshman Brandan Wright of North Carolina is entering the NBA draft. Wright said he doesn't intend to sign with an agent yet -- a move that would keep open the possibility of a return to school next year.

Utah State guard Jaycee Carroll will enter the NBA draft but won't hire an agent to retain the right to withdraw by June 18 and return for his senior season.

Matthew Mitchell was introduced as the first male coach in the 36-year history of the women's team at Kentucky.

Golf

After missing two chances to become No. 1 in women's golf, Lorena Ochoa finally replaced Annika Sorenstam at the top without even hitting a shot. Despite the LPGA Tour having no tournaments last week, Ochoa moved to No. 1 in the computerized ranking with 12.84 points, while Sorenstam was at 12.70.

Michelle Wie accepted a sponsor's exemption to play in the LPGA's new $2.6 million Ginn Tribute in Mount Pleasant, S.C., with Sorenstam as the host. The event starts May 28.

Phil Mickelson is changing coaches, saying he will start working with Butch Harmon. Mickelson had worked most of his career with Rick Smith.

The Par-3 Shootout in Gaylord, Mich., has been canceled for this summer to work out a multiyear sponsorship agreement, but will resume in 2008.

Alex Timmons of Carnegie Mellon won the University Athletic Association individual title at the Orange County National Golf Center in Orlando, Fla. Timmons shot a two-round total of 1-under 143. The Tartans (609) finished third as a team.

Hockey

Jonathan Filewich scored on a power play 7:03 into overtime as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins edged the host Norfolk Admirals, 3-2, to take a 2-1 lead in this AHL Eastern Division series.

Track and field

Parry O'Brien, who revolutionized shot-putting and went on to break 17 world records and win three Olympic medals, died Saturday of a heart attack while competing at a swimming event in California. He was 75.