The Enquirer and wire reports

Justine Henin-Hardenne will play in the French Open after all. Just don't call her the favorite to win it.

The world's No. 1 player said Tuesday she would defend her title at Roland Garros even though she hasn't fully recovered from a viral infection. "It is evident that I am still not at 100 percent, but, in any case, I feel ready," she said. The French Open starts Monday in Paris, and the Belgian isn't sure she can win the whole thing.

"You cannot consider me the big favorite for this tournament," she said. "My main objective is to have fun out there."

New York among 2012 host finalists

New York and four European capitals - Paris, London, Madrid and Moscow - were picked as finalists for the right to host the 2012 Olympics by the International Olympic Committee, which trimmed the field from nine bidders.

Missing the cut were Havana; Istanbul, Turkey; Leipzig, Germany, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The host city will be selected by the full IOC assembly in July 2005. The selection of Paris, London, Madrid and New York came as no surprise; an IOC report expressed a "high level of confidence" all four could host the games. Moscow was the wild card, making the list even though the IOC said it was "less certain" about the Russian capital's capabilities.

Armstrong likely to race in 2005

Five-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong probably will race in 2005. Asked whether Armstrong would quit at the end of the year, U.S. Postal team director Johan Bruyneel replied: "I don't think so." The Postal Service's eight-year sponsorship of Armstrong's team ends this year. Bruyneel didn't say whether a new sponsor has been found but is optimistic. "I think I can tell you we will have a team over the coming years," he said. Armstrong, 32, previously said retirement is tough to imagine. "Can I see myself retired in five or six months? That's hard for me to see," he said.

Welcome back Trader Jack

Jack McKeon, former Reds manager and current manager of the World Series-winning Florida Marlins, will appear at Straus Tobacconist, 410 Walnut St., at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 26.

Report: CU leadership is to blame for problems

In a blistering report that stopped short of calling for firings, an investigative panel said Tuesday sex, alcohol and drugs were used to lure football recruits to the University of Colorado, and lax oversight by top university officials was to blame. The panel's report said there was no evidence officials condoned misconduct, but it suggested they were lazy, ineffective or simply ignored what was going on in the top athletic program at the state's flagship university.

Members of the eight-person panel said their investigation had confirmed collegiate athletics nationwide are undermined by a "hyper-competitive recruiting arms race that is complicated by the presence of big money, lucrative media and easy access to alcohol and sex."

At Colorado, the panel said, player-hosts "felt pressured to impress recruits and resorted to providing alcohol, drugs and sex, including visits to strip clubs and the hiring of strippers."

The 50-page report from the Board of Regents panel had been awaited in part because the future of suspended football coach Gary Barnett hangs in the balance.

MIAMI BASEBALL: After creating Web sites for football players Travis Prentice and Ben Roethlisberger and hockey player Derek Edwardson, Miami has launched SloneAndFerris.com to promote junior catcher John Slone (St. Xavier) and junior first baseman Mike Ferris (Colerain) for All-America honors.

MOUNT ST. JOE GOLF: Former Oak Hills High girls' coach Robert Bibbo has been hired as the Lions' women's golf coach.

Golf

OHIO HALL OF FAME: Major championship winners Tom Weiskopf and Tammie Green are among four inductees into the Ohio shrine, the sponsoring Ohio Golf Association announced. Joining Weiskopf and Green are Kent State coach Herb Page and Cincinnati golf administrator George "Duke" Smith.

Smith has served on several state, regional and national boards that support golf. A member of the USGA Rules Committee for two U.S. Open championships, he has been a member of the Royal and Ancient Club at St. Andrews since 1974.

The induction ceremony will be Aug. 9 at Plumbrook Country Club in Sandusky.

Pro basketball

LOCAL ABA TEAM: U.S. Bank Arena will host the inaugural season of Cincinnati's American Basketball Association team.

High schools

BASKETBALL: Dale Haarman has agreed to become the new girls' varsity basketball coach at Turpin.

Haarman was a standout player at St. Bernard High and Xavier University in the 1970s and later a successful coach of the Indian Hill boys' program, with a 69-44 coaching record.

Haarman's 1997-98 Indian Hill team was Division III boys' state runner-up. Haarman left coaching after the 1999-2000 season to watch his son, Joe, play at Indian Hill and later as a walk-on at Indiana University.

Haarman's new job is pending approval at a June school board meeting. He will take over from Tara Kaiser, who resigned.

--Tom Groeschen

Tennis

RAIFFEISEN GP: Greg Rusedski lost to Juergen Melzer 6-2, 7-6 (6) at St. Poelten, Austria, in his first match since being cleared of drug charges.

DAVIS CUP: Charleston, S.C., will host the U.S. team's semifinal against Belarus in September.

Horse racing

VALENZUELA SUSPENSION: Jockey Patrick Valenzuela must sit out June to complete a four-month suspension for failing to report for a drug test, the California Horse Racing Board ruled.