Athletics

Nike co-founder Knight will step down as chairman

NEW YORK – Nike Chairman Phil Knight plans to step down, and said he wants President and CEO Mark Parker to succeed him.

Nike Inc. says it expects to name a new chairman in 2016, but no specific date was set for Knight’s departure. Knight, 76, says he plans to stay involved with the company.

Phil Knight co-founded Nike and has been a director of the footwear and athletic apparel and equipment maker since 1968. Parker has been Nike’s president and CEO since 2006.

Knight also says he will transfer most of his Nike stock to a limited liability company called Swoosh LLC. The directors of the company will be Knight himself, Parker, and Nike directors Alan Graf and John Donahoe. On Tuesday Knight said he had transferred 128.5 million shares, or about 15 percent of Nike’s total outstanding shares, to Swoosh. Because Knight owns a large amount of Nike’s Class A shares, which aren’t publicly traded, Swoosh now has the power to elect three-quarters of Nike’s board.

Injured Bolt pulls out of Diamond League meetings

PARIS – Race organizers said Usain Bolt pulled out of this month’s Diamond League meetings in Paris and Lausanne, ahead of the world championships in August.

Organizers of the Paris meet Saturday said the Olympic sprint champion “has been feeling discomfort in his left leg since his last competition which has restricted his training.”

Bolt’s doctor, Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt, diagnosed a blocked joint “which is restricting his movement and putting pressure on his knee and ankle.”

Golf

Robber in Allenby’s Hawaii saga pleads guilty

HONOLULU – A Hawaii man pleaded guilty to using Robert Allenby’s credit cards after the professional golfer said he was robbed and beaten in Honolulu.

Allenby recounted a bizarre saga earlier this year that involved having no memory of what happened for 2½ hours after he left a Honolulu restaurant in January. He had missed the cut at the Sony Open and went to dinner. He said he later woke up in a park with a bloodied face.

Owen Harbison was arrested in February on identity theft and other charges.

Harbison is expected to receive a five-year sentence.

NFL

Lawmakers hold Rams’ St. Louis fate in hands

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Missouri judge is weighing whether to allow the governor to sign off on plans to build a new stadium for the St. Louis Rams.

A state lawmaker argued Tuesday in Cole County Circuit Court that Gov. Jay Nixon and officials who oversee the current Rams stadium are overstepping their authority.

The governor and others want to keep the Rams in St. Louis or attract another team if owner Stan Kroenke moves the franchise to Los Angeles, which could happen as early as 2016.

NHL

A Saad day in Chicago: star traded to Columbus

CHICAGO – The Chicago Blackhawks traded forward Brandon Saad to the Columbus Blue Jackets in a seven-player deal.

The 22-year-old Saad set career highs with 23 goals and 29 assists in 82 games this past season. The rugged winger then helped the Blackhawks to their third Stanley Cup title in six seasons.

Saad was eligible for restricted free agency, and Chicago is trying to manage its salary cap with twin extensions for captain Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane kicking in for next season.

Associated Press