Safin, Nadal Are Out of the Australian Open

Defending champion Marat Safin and French Open winner Rafael Nadal are out of the Australian Open.

Bothered by a left knee injury, Safin played in only one tournament in the last five months of 2005.

Nadal, the world’s second-ranked player, said he was pulling out because of the left foot he injured in October at the Madrid Masters, the last event he played. The Australian Open begins Monday.

Second-seeded Amelie Mauresmo was bounced out of the Sydney International in Australia with a 6-3, 7-5 loss to Ana Ivanovic of Serbia and Montenegro in the second round.

Roger Federer was upset by Tommy Haas at an Australian Open tuneup tournament at Melbourne, Australia. Haas, ranked No. 41, fended off three break points while serving for the match and closed a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win with an ace in the opening match of the Kooyong Classic exhibition tournament.

*

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Lawsuit Reveals Stanford Infractions

A lawsuit by a disgruntled Stanford athletic department employee revealed that football players took recruits to a strip club three years ago using athletic department money.

Stanford officials acknowledged the strip club outings, which did not violate NCAA rules at the time. The school reported minor infractions to the Pacific 10 Conference and NCAA that hosts spent more than the $30 allowed for entertaining recruits -- by $3.70, $6.01 and $6.86.

The incidents came to light in a lawsuit filed by Sheryl Kanzaki, who alleged mistreatment by Senior Associate Athletic Director Debra Gore-Mann while she worked in the department’s accounting office from 2002 to 2003.

Penn State’s Joe Paterno was selected coach of the year by the American Football Coaches Assn., marking the record fifth time his peers have chosen him for their highest annual honor.

Linebacker Paul Posluszny will return to Penn State for his final year of eligibility. Posluszny partially tore two ligaments in his right knee in the Nittany Lions’ 26-23 win over Florida State in the Orange Bowl.

Wisconsin tailback Brian Calhoun will give up his final season of eligibility and make himself available for the NFL draft, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

*

WINTER SPORTS

U.S. Skeleton Coach Loses His Appeal

U.S. skeleton Coach Tim Nardiello lost his bid to have his suspension over sexual harassment allegations overturned so he could join his Olympic-bound team at this weekend’s World Cup competition in Germany.

New York Supreme Court Justice James Dawson upheld Nardiello’s suspension and issued his decision one day after the coach went to court in Elizabethtown, N.Y., seeking reinstatement.

Skeleton involves driving a sled in a prone, head-first position down an ice track.

American skeleton slider Zach Lund will be out of the World Cup race in Germany -- and possibly the Turin Olympics -- after testing positive for a drug-masking agent. Lund tested positive for Finasteride, an ingredient in a medication used to spark hair growth.

Alitalia pilots and flight attendants plan to strike on the eve and the first day of next month’s Turin Olympics, creating possible havoc for arriving fans. Cabin crews are set to strike for 24 hours Feb. 10 -- the day of the opening ceremony -- and pilots are scheduled to stage a four-hour protest the previous day.

Skier Isolde Kostner is retiring because she is pregnant and will not compete at Turin. Kostner, 30, is considered the greatest Italian female speed skier.

Wendy Wagner won the women’s 15-kilometer pursuit and Kris Freeman won the men’s 30K to cap the U.S. cross-country championships at Midway, Utah.

*

PRO FOOTBALL

Owens’ Agent Can Seek Trade for Receiver

The Philadelphia Eagles have given agent Drew Rosenhaus permission to seek a trade for Terrell Owens, though it’s unlikely a team would give up players or draft picks for the receiver.

Minnesota Coach Brad Childress hired Tampa Bay defensive back coach Mike Tomlin as defensive coordinator.

*

SOCCER

Chivas, Tigres Advance in Interliga Tournament

Chivas of Guadalajara got a 90th-minute goal from Omar Bravo and earned a 1-1 tie with Necaxa in front of 26,253 at the Home Depot Center.

Chivas advanced to Sunday’s final four of the Interliga tournament, from which two Mexican league teams will qualify for the Copa Libertadores in South America.

Tigres defeated Cruz Azul, 4-0, behind two goals by Walter Gaitan and advanced to Sunday’s doubleheader.

The tournament continues tonight when Morelia plays Veracruz at 6 and Monterrey plays Pachuca at 8:15.

U.S. midfielder Pablo Mastroeni will be out six to eight weeks after partially tearing his left quadriceps during practice.

The U.S. will play Guatemala in a World Cup warmup game Feb. 19 at Frisco, Texas.

*

MISCELLANY

Murray Will Become Dodger Hitting Coach

Hall of Fame slugger Eddie Murray has agreed to become the Dodger hitting coach, completing the new coaching staff. In addition to the six official coaches, Rob Flippo will return as bullpen catcher and Manny Mota, 67, will be back for a 27th season as a batting and outfield coach.

Jane Rah, a freshman at Torrance High, has been selected The Times’ girls’ golfer of the year.

Competition started in the Professional Bowlers Assn.’s Dick Weber Open in the Fountain Bowl at Fountain Valley.

Alumnus Boone Pickens will donate $165 million to Oklahoma State, the largest gift given to an NCAA athletic program.

Dave Brown, a defensive back who played 16 seasons in the NFL and was an assistant coach at Texas Tech, died of an apparent heart attack, the school said. He was 52. Brown won a Super Bowl with the Pittsburgh Steelers.