UPDATE 1-NHL-League owners approve new labor deal

* Players expected to ratify labor agreement on the weekend* Bettman says he has no plans to step down as comissioner (Adds quotes, detail)Jan 9 (Reuters) - The National Hockey League's (NHL) board of governors ratified the tentative labor deal on Wednesday, followed by Commissioner Gary Bettman's apology for dragging fans and sponsors through a four-month lockout.Requiring a simple majority to pass,...

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League owners approve new labor deal

(Reuters) - The National Hockey League's (NHL) board of governors ratified the tentative labor deal on Wednesday, followed by Commissioner Gary Bettman's apology for dragging fans and sponsors through a four-month lockout.Requiring a simple majority to pass, the 30 league owners voted unanimously to approve the 10-year deal that was agreed to early on Sunday after a marathon 16-hour bargaining session.The...

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NHL owners approve new labor deal; players to vote

NEW YORK (AP) — NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman secured unanimous ownership support for the pending labor deal, then apologized to everyone hurt by the long lockout and said he isn't going anywhere.The league's board of governors met in a Manhattan hotel Wednesday and overwhelmingly approved the agreement that was reached early Sunday on the 113th day of the lockout.Bettman felt the full brunt of anger,...

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Soccer-Pro Patria given one-game fan ban over Boateng incident

Jan 8 (Reuters) - Italian fourth-tier side Pro Patria must play their next home league match behind closed doors after fans racially abused AC Milan's Kevin-Prince Boateng, the league said on Tuesday. Boateng walked off the pitch in last week's friendly because of monkey chants and his team mates followed him, drawing widespread praise across the game. An Italian...

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UPDATE 2-Soccer-Bulgaria and Hungary told to play behind closed doors

BERNE, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Bulgaria and Hungary were ordered to play their next home World Cup qualifiers behind closed doors after their fans were found guilty of racist and anti-Semitic behaviour in recent games, FIFA said Tuesday.Bulgaria were sanctioned after a group of supporters racially abused Denmark substitute Patrick Mtiliga every time he touched the ball after entering the field in the second...

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Soccer-Galatasaray say open talks to sign Sneijder

Jan 8 (Reuters) - Galatasaray have opened talks to try to sign Inter Milan's out-of-favour Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder, the Turkish league leaders said on Tuesday.The 28-year-old has not played for the Italian side since negotiations aimed at getting him to accept a cut in wages broke down in November."Galatasaray have begun talks with Inter for the transfer of Wesley Sneijder," a statement from...

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NHL players respond to lawsuit in labor dispute

 As the National Hockey League and the players' union sought to negotiate the end to a long labor dispute that has jeopardized the season, proceedings in a lawsuit pitting the two sides against each other moved forward.In a court filing on Thursday, the players asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the league that sought a declaration confirming the legality of the player lockout.The...

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NHL-Labor talks at near standstill as season deadline looms

Jan 3 (Reuters) - Negotiations on a labor deal between the National Hockey League (NHL) and locked out players ground to a near standstill on Thursday, with time running out on salvaging even a partial season.The optimism that surrounded talks on Wednesday vanished quickly as the NHL Players Association (NHLPA) dialed up the pressure, calling on the membership to vote again to give their executive...

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DISCOVER YAHOO! WITH YOUR FRIENDS close Labor talks at near standstill as season deadline looms

Negotiations on a labor deal between the National Hockey League (NHL) and locked out players ground to a near standstill on Thursday, with time running out on salvaging even a partial season.The optimism that surrounded talks on Wednesday vanished quickly as the NHL Players Association (NHLPA) dialed up the pressure, calling on the membership to vote again to give their executive board the power to...

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