Beijing says upcoming Olympics are sold out

All tickets to Olympic events in Beijing have been sold, organizers said yesterday, putting the games on course to be the first to ever sell out. Tickets to watch competitive events of the 2008 Games in Olympic venues in Beijing are now sold out,” said a brief notice on the Beijing Games' Web site.

Another 570,000 tickets went on sale for preliminary round soccer matches in the cities of Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenyang and Qinhuangdao, where some tickets remained available.

With enthusiasm among home fans running at fever pitch, the Aug. 8-24 Games are expected to be played out in front of full venues, although tickets that went to sponsors and the national Olympic committees of participating countries may not all get used. In all, 6.8 million Olympic tickets have been available for domestic and foreign sales.

OLYMPIC DOPING

A Jamaican track and field athlete tested positive for a banned substance and will be removed from the country's Olympic team. The athlete wasn't identified, but authorities said it wasn't a “major” member of the team.

Cyclist Marta Bastianelli, who is scheduled to compete for Italy at Beijing, has tested positive for a banned stimulant, Italian news reports said.

Danish mountain bike champion Peter Riis Andersen was barred from the Olympics for testing positive for EPO. He tearfully apologized and said he would quit professional cycling.

MORE OLYMPICS

The U.S. men's basketball team arrived in China, and LeBron James joined the squad's first practice in Macau with his right ankle taped. He said he will play in upcoming exhibition games in Macau and Shanghai.

Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina and Stephanie Vogt of Liechtenstein withdrew from the Olympic tennis tournament because of injuries.

A FIFA-appointed judge is expected to rule today on whether soccer clubs can stop their players from competing at Beijing.

Swimmer Dara Torres' coach, Michael Lohberg, is set to undergo aggressive treatment for the rare, potentially fatal blood disease that has prevented him from traveling to Beijing.

– FROM NEWS SERVICES