Beijing Denies Targeting Migrant Workers

A Beijing official denied reports that the city will expel migrant workers during the 2008 Olympics, but said the Chinese capital is considering how to keep the mentally ill from "damaging the public interest" during the Games.

Chinese officials have promised that hosting the Olympics will improve the country's respect for human rights, while International Olympic Committee officials have warned them privately that excessive social controls could mar the Games.

The state-run Beijing Morning Post newspaper reported this month that many of the 1 million migrant workers in Beijing from other parts of China would be expelled before the Olympics.

"This contention has no basis in fact," Zhou Jidong , head of the city's legal department, said at a news conference.

· HIGH SCHOOLS: Morgan Wootten , who guided DeMatha High to a record of 1,274-192 over 46 seasons, will pick up one more honor today when the Basketball Hall of Fame is expected to announce it has created a national high school coach of the year award named after him.

The award, to be presented annually to one boys' and one girls' basketball coach, will be named the Morgan Wootten Award. "It's a tremendous honor," said Wootten, who is scheduled to receive a kidney transplant Oct. 11. "Obviously, I'm glad to see high school basketball getting the recognition."

· GOLF: The Senate approved a bill to posthumously grant Byron Nelson the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of the golf star's philanthropy.

Nelson died Tuesday at 94 at his home in Roanoke. He won a record 11 straight tournaments and 18 overall titles in 1945 and finished with 52 career wins.

The House voted in May to award the medal to Nelson. The Senate approved The Byron Nelson Congressional Gold Medal Act last night and it now goes to President Bush .

· CYCLING : Tour de France chief Patrice Clerc said he considers Floyd Landis a cheater who has discredited cycling's showcase race.

"For me, the sermon has been read. Landis did not win the Tour because he cheated," Clerc said in an interview with sports daily L'Equipe published yesterday.

Landis tested positive for elevated testosterone after winning this year's Tour de France and was fired by his Phonak team in August. The tour director, Christian Prudhomme , previously said he no longer considered Landis the champion.

· PRO BASKETBALL : Second-round draft pick Hassan Adams signed with the New Jersey Nets after passing a physical on his recently broken right foot.

· HOCKEY : Goalie Dan Cloutier has agreed to a two-year extension with the Los Angeles Kings, through the 2008-09 season.

· SOCCER: The Chicago Fire won its fourth Open Cup title, getting first-half goals from Nate Jaqua and Andy Herron and a late score from Thiago to beat the Los Angeles Galaxy, 3-1. Chicago is only the fifth team to win the title four times.

-- From News Services and Staff Reports