SPORTS digest

Local flag football teams make nationals

INDIANAPOLIS

Two Youngstown flag football teams have advanced to the NFL FLAG powered by USA Football National Championships, which will be held in January’s Pro Bowl in Orlando.

The Youngstown Youth Flag Football Association, run by former Youngstown State wideout Elliott Giles, is sending a 9-10 coed team (5-1) and a 13-14 girls team (3-1).

The teams advanced from the NFL FLAG regionals in Canton.

Lawyer says Pitino vindicated by verdict

NEW YORK

The lawyer for former Louisville coach Rick Pitino says the convictions in a federal trial alleging corruption in college basketball supports his client’s assertion he was unaware of a scheme to bribe the family of a Cardinals recruit.

Attorney Marc Mukasey said in a statement Thursday that the government argued that former Adidas executive James Gatto, business manager Christian Dawkins and amateur league director Merl Code “needed to conceal” the scheme from schools and “no one with any degree of credibility implicated Pitino.”

A federal jury on Wednesday found the three men guilty of fraud in the case. Louisville fired Pitino last October soon after the investigation was announced, but the coach was not mentioned in the federal complaint. Pitino has maintained he was not involved in or aware of a scheme to pay the family of former Cardinal player Brian Bowen Jr.

Tony Stewart considers Indy 500 return

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

Tony Stewart is reconsidering a return to the Indianapolis 500 in part because of injuries Robert Wickens suffered in an IndyCar crash.

Stewart has been consistent in his desire to run at least one IndyCar race on an oval, preferably at Pocono Raceway, to acclimate himself to the car before he entered the Indianapolis 500. Wickens suffered severe injuries in an Aug. 19 crash at Pocono that included a thoracic spinal fracture and a fractured neck.

Stewart tells The Associated Press he is not so sure now.

Juventus ‘calm’ over rape allegations

TURIN, ITALY

Juventus president Andrea Agnelli is standing by Cristiano Ronaldo as the soccer superstar faces an accusation of rape in the United States.

Speaking at a club shareholders meeting, Agnelli says “when there are problems I tend to look people in the eyes, ask them the questions directly and them judge them myself. ... I’m very calm, having spoken to him directly as soon as the case emerged, on his position. And his behavior in the days and weeks that followed only confirm my initial feeling.”

Agnelli is the son of former Fiat CEO Umberto Agnelli and serves on the Italian car maker’s board.

Kathryn Mayorga filed a civil lawsuit last month in Nevada claiming Ronaldo raped her in his Las Vegas hotel room in 2009. Police also reopened an investigation into the allegation at her request.

UEFA charges Greek soccer teams

NYON, Switzerland

UEFA has charged AEK Athens for crowd misbehavior in Tuesday’s Champions League game against Bayern Munich.

European soccer’s ruling body accuses AEK fans of throwing objects, lighting fireworks and blocking stairways during the 2-0 defeat to Bayern in the Greek capital.

AEK is last in Group E after losing all three games.

Three other Greek clubs — Olympiacos, PAOK Thessaloniki and Asteras Tripolis — have been fined by UEFA this season for a variety of offenses. These included PAOK fans using a laser pointer, Olympiacos supporters throwing objects and setting off fireworks, and a pitch invasion at Asteras’ stadium.

MVRC horse racing entries unavailable

Entries for today’s season-opening races at Mahoning Valley Race Course in Austintown were not available at press time on Thursday night.

Staff/wire reports