Beckham says loan deal to AC Milan nearly done

Galaxy midfielder David Beckham says a deal for another loan to AC Milan is “95% done.”

Beckham was loaned to AC Milan from last January through the end of the Serie A season, then returned to Major League Soccer in July. He wants to play in Europe again to ensure he’ll stay sharp and earn a place on England’s World Cup roster for the fourth time.

“It’s close,” Beckham said. “I’ve always said I want to go back there if they want me. AC Milan have said they wanted me back since I left to go back to the United States and they’re saying the same now.

“It’s 95% done so I don’t know why it wouldn’t happen now. It will be sorted out in the next month, and I will probably be going there at the end of December.”

Beckham made his 115th international appearance for England on Wednesday in a 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over Belarus.

--

Jamaica defender Orane Simpson, 26, was fatally stabbed in the violence-wracked Kingston slum where he was raised, police said. Simpson had played for the national team since 2005.

PRO BASKETBALL

Brown, Hollins fined for criticism

Larry Brown became the first major target in the NBA’s zero-tolerance policy toward criticizing its replacement referees.

The Bobcats coach was hit with $60,000 in fines and the Charlotte organization was fined another $60,000 after Brown’s ejection from an exhibition game.

Memphis Grizzlies Coach Lionel Hollins was also fined $25,000 for criticism after a game Monday.

--

LeBron James sat out the Cleveland Cavaliers’ final home exhibition game against the Washington Wizards because of flu-like symptoms that have been bothering him for several days.

TENNIS

Minar suspended for eight months

Czech player Ivo Minar was suspended for eight months after testing positive for a banned substance following a Davis Cup match.

A sample taken after the Davis Cup quarterfinal against Argentina on July 11 contained the banned stimulant methylhexanamine, the International Tennis Federation said.

--

Reigning U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro retired from the Shanghai Masters because of a wrist injury, adding to the mounting injury toll at the event. The third-seeded Argentine was trailing Jurgen Melzer, 7-5, 2-1, in his second-round match when he retired because of an injury to his right wrist. . . . Second-seeded Marion Bartoli advanced to the quarterfinals of the Japan Women’s Open at Osaka with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Karumi Nara. Bartoli will face Sania Mirza, a 6-4, 6-3 winner over Viktoriya Kutuzova.

GOLF

Allenby tells Kim that he’s sorry

Robert Allenby said he has apologized to Anthony Kim about his comments after losing to the American in the Presidents Cup, and both golfers said the issue was over.

After their singles match Sunday, Allenby was quoted as saying his friends saw Kim returning to his hotel room at 4 a.m., and the Australian referred to him as the “loosest cannon in that team.” Kim denied he was out late.

Kim said he accepted the apology and “we are both moving on.”

ETC.

Tyson, Holyfield to meet on Oprah

Boxing rivals Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield are to meet again -- and this time Oprah Winfrey will referee.

Harpo Productions announced the two fighters would appear on Friday’s live episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” from Chicago.

In 1997, Tyson was disqualified after biting off part of Holyfield’s right ear during their World Boxing Assn. heavyweight title fight.

--

Rebecca Bross, who trains at the same gym that produced Olympic champions Carly Patterson and Nastia Liukin, had the best score in qualifying at her first world gymnastics championships. Bross finished with 57.4 points at London, just one-tenth ahead of another newcomer, Romania’s Ana Porgras. The top 24 gymnasts advanced to Friday’s all-around final, when scoring will start from scratch.