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Sandusky shower date change may aid PSU officials

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HARRISBURG, Pa. — One of the two charges against two Penn State administrators will likely be dismissed now that prosecutors have come forward to change by one year the date they allege former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky sexually assaulted a boy in the team’s showers, legal experts said.

Five weeks ago, the attorney general’s office argued in a court filing concerning the charge of failing to properly report suspected child abuse against Tim Curley and Gary Schultz that the statute of limitations had not expired because the incident involving “Victim 2” occurred in March 2002.

On Tuesday, Sandusky case Judge John Cleland granted prosecutors’ request to amend that offense date to February 2001.

Under a timeline about the statute of limitations was included in the March 30 filing by state prosecutors, the failure-to-report charge now appears to fall outside the time limit by nine months.

“Based on the prosecution’s own pleading, the statute of limitations is 10 years from the event,” Tom Farrell, Schultz’s lawyer, said in a statement Friday. “There is no dispute that the statute of limitations has expired on the failure to report count.”

Asked whether that means the charge will be dismissed, the attorney general’s office declined to comment.

Djokovic loses; won’t return to Madrid’s blue clay

MADRID — Novak Djokovic joined Rafael Nadal in declaring he won’t play again on the new blue clay court at the Madrid Open after losing to Janko Tipsarevic 7-6 (2), 6-3 Friday in an all-Serb quarterfinal.

Tipsarevic won for the second time in five matches against Djokovic, who last lost at this stage in November at the Paris Masters.

“I want to forget this week as soon as possible and move on to the real clay courts,” the top-ranked Djokovic said. “Here you can’t predict the ball bounce or movement.They can do whatever they want, but I won’t be here next year if this clay stays.”

On the women’s side, Serena Williams eased past Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-3 to advance to the semifinals. Also making the semis was top-ranked Victoria Azarenka, who rallied past French Open winner Li Na 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

George Mason elects to stay in the Colonial Athletic Association

RICHMOND, Va. — George Mason is staying in the Colonial Athletic Association.

The school in Fairfax, one of three league basketball powers that acknowledged considering a change in conference affiliation, announced Friday that staying put is in its best interests.

A committee of administrators looked at what the goals are for the school’s athletic programs along with the university’s priorities and decided to remain a part of the CAA, athletic director Tom O’Connor said. He said George Mason’s status as a founding member of the CAA, the league’s geographic and competitive stability, and an “exciting” future were factors in the decision.

Virginia Commonwealth and Old Dominion also have acknowledged that they are studying their conference affiliations. VCU, like George Mason, has expressed interest in the Atlantic 10, which boasts a more powerful basketball league, while Old Dominion — the only one of the three with a football team — is intrigued by a jump up to the Bowl Subdivision in Conference USA.

VCU (five) and George Mason and Old Dominion (four each) account for 13 of the league’s past 16 NCAA tournament berths.

Americans Gatlin, Felix win 100 meters in Doha

DOHA, Qatar — American Justin Gatlin nipped Jamaica’s Asafa Powell at the line to win the 100-meter dash in a time of 9.87 seconds at the season-opening Diamond League meet on Friday.

Powell got off to the faster start but Gatlin pulled even and managed to get his head in front as they crossed the line.

“This is fastest I ever opened up my career,” said Gatlin, who dedicated the win to son Jace on his second birthday.

It was the start of a good night for the Americans, with Allyson Felix winning the women’s 100 from Jamaican rival Veronica Campbell-Brown and Walter Dix setting a meet record in the 200.

Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt, coming off a 21-month doping suspension, set a world-leading time this season in easily winning the 400.

Gatlin tied Powell’s world record in Doha six years ago, but the result was erased when he was caught doping a few weeks later. Gatlin tested positive for excessive levels of testosterone, which led to a four-year ban.

Ronaldinho expected to be left out of Olympics

SAO PAULO — Brazil coach Mano Menezes failed to pick Ronaldinho on Friday for friendlies ahead of the London Games, virtually ending the player’s chances of making it to the Olympics again.

Neymar, Alexandre Pato and Paulo Henrique Ganso were among the 23 players selected for the friendlies against Denmark on May 26, the United States on May 30, Mexico on June 3 and Argentina on June 9.

The players selected are expected to form the core of a squad which will try to lead Brazil to its first Olympic gold medal in football, and Menezes hinted that those not on the list likely won’t be in London.

“It’s correct to affirm that these 23 names are the base of the Olympic team,” Menezes said.

From wire sources