Two more FIFA executives investigated

In the history of soccer lineups, the 24-man FIFA executive committee of 2010 ranks among the all-time worst for bad behavior.

On Wednesday, two more of the FIFA ExCo team that voted for the 2018-2022 World Cup hosts were formally confirmed as under investigation by the embattled governing body’s ethics committee. German soccer icon Franz Beckenbauer and FIFA vice president Angel Maria Villar of Spain could add to the ranks of 10 who have been banned or are currently suspended from soccer duty.

Beckenbauer — the only man to captain and coach World Cup-winning teams — and Villar await the verdict of FIFA’s ethics judges over whether they obstructed former U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia’s investigation of the bidding contests, won by Russia and Qatar.

The hard-working ethics committee now has more of the 24 in its sights, including FIFA President Sepp Blatter and his would-be successor Michel Platini.

HOCKEY

After an 0-7 start, the Columbus (Ohio) Blue Jackets fired coach Todd Richards and replaced him with John Tortorella. Richards had been with Columbus since 2012, leading the Blue Jackets to an NHL playoff appearance in 2013-14. The team said Wednesday that Tortorella signed a three-year contract through the 2017-18 season. ... St. Louis Blues forward Paul Stastny will be sidelined at least five weeks with a broken right foot. The 29-year-old Stastny was injured in the second period of a 4-3 victory in Vancouver on Friday.

TENNIS

Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus upset fourth-seeded Bernard Tomic of Australia 7-6 (7), 6-3 Wednesday to advance to the Stockholm Open quarterfinals. Baghdatis, who won the tournament in 2009, next plays eighthseeded Gilles Muller of Luxembourg, who defeated John Millman of Australia 7-5, 6-3. Seventh-seeded Jack Sock served 10 aces on his way to the quarterfinals with a 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 6-4 win over Spain’s Fernando Verdasco. The 23-year-old American is seeking his second career ATP World Tour title after winning at Houston in April.

Seventh-seeded Ivo Karlovic of Croatia advanced to his 10th quarterfinal of the season by defeating Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine 6-4, 7-5 at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, Austria. Karlovic next plays Ernests Gulbis, who upset third-seeded John Isner 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to reach his third quarterfinal of the year.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia ousted secondseeded Lucie Safarova from the Kremlin Cup 6-1, 6-7 (2), 6-3 on Wednesday, leaving the Czech player vulnerable to being left out of the season-ending WTA finals. Topseeded Flavia Pennetta, the U.S. Open champion, secured her spot in Singapore next week by defeating Russia’s Daria Gavrilova 6-2, 6-4. The Italian then withdrew from the Moscow tournament because of a right foot injury. Germany’s Angelique Kerber also was guaranteed a place in the tour finals thanks to Safarova’s second-round loss. In the men’s competition, Russia’s Teymuraz Gabashvili upset third-seeded Viktor Troicki 6-2, 6-3, while Robin Haase of the Netherlands defeated fifth-seeded Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay 6-2, 5-7, 6-1.

RACING

Triple Crown champion American Pharoah, twotime Breeders’ Cup winner Beholder and Travers winner Keen Ice will square off in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic next week, with 2014 Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist in the field, too. They are among 200 horses preentered Wednesday for the $26 million, 13-race Breeders’ Cup world championships being held for the first time at Keeneland Oct. 30-31. Ten were pre-entered for the Classic, which will be shown live in prime time on NBC.