Pacman attacked at airport
ATLANTA — Police said former Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones was attacked during a run-in with a facility-service employee at the airport in Atlanta. Atlanta Police spokesman Jarius Daugherty said Jones confronted ABM Industries employee Frank Ragin after Ragin made a “gesture” toward the football player Tuesday night at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Police said words were exchanged before Ragin struck Jones with a closed fist, causing a cut to Jones’ face. Cellphone video footage shows Jones and Ragin trading several punches. Jones ultimately knocked Ragin to the ground with a punch to the face, then hit the employee again before a man broke up the fight. Daugherty said at some point during the fight, Ragin ended up hitting a woman who was with Jones, injuring her hand. He said Ragin was the aggressor and Jones defended himself. Jones and his friend declined medical treatment. Ragin was arrested on two counts of battery and taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for injuries. Jones, a one-time Pro Bowler, spent eight seasons with the Bengals. He also played for the Tennessee Titans and the Dallas Cowboys.
› ATLANTA — The lawyer for the ex-girlfriend of NFL star LeSean McCoy said the Buffalo Bills running back orchestrated an attack that left her bloody amid attempts to get her to leave his suburban Atlanta mansion. Attorney Tanya Mitchell Graham said in a news release that her client was physically assaulted Tuesday morning by a man who entered the home with no signs of forced entry. The man demanded specific items of jewelry that had been gifted to her from McCoy, who had requested them back on many occasions. The Associated Press is not identifying the woman, pending further details of the attack. McCoy — who is 30 and entering his 10th NFL season — and the woman have been in court regarding his attempts to evict her from the home. An image of the ex-girlfriend’s bloodied and beaten face was shown in a social media post blaming McCoy for the assault. The football player denied the allegations Tuesday.
BASKETBALL
› MEMPHIS — The Memphis Grizzlies have signed their second free agent of this offseason, adding 6-foot-9 forward Omri Casspi to the roster. General manager Chris Wallace announced the move Wednesday without disclosing terms. Casspi has started 145 of 552 games in his NBA career with Sacramento, Cleveland, Houston, New Orleans, Minnesota and Golden State. Casspi, 30, played 53 games with the Warriors last season and averaged 5.7 points and 3.8 rebounds. He shot 58 percent from the floor and 45.5 percent outside the arc. Sacramento drafted the native of Holon, Israel, at No. 23 overall in 2009. He became the first Israel-born player to play in an NBA regular season game on Oct. 28, 2009. The Grizzlies also signed Kyle Anderson to a four-year deal that was announced Monday.
SOCCER
› MOSCOW — Females have an equal right to have FIFA use video review for their World Cup next year in France, U.S. women’s national soccer team coach Jill Ellis said Wednesday. FIFA is using Video Assistant Referees for the men’s World Cup for the first time this year, and it has led to several key call reversals and an increase in penalty kicks. “I can’t see them not having it. I think it would be a little bit insulting if we weren’t afforded the same opportunity,” Ellis said during a roundtable discussion with American reporters. “There’s too much at stake to not have it, and I think our game, our passion, our drive, our motivation is at the same level as the men.” Ellis, who coached the Americans to the 2015 Women’s World Cup title, maintains video review could be even more significant in the women’s game than it is for the men. “With all the men’s leagues around the world, you’ve got more referees getting more into the higher-level experience. We don’t have that many leagues, so we have to, I think, add another layer to the decision-making process,” she said.