SOCCER

Beckham spurns Paris offer, decides to stay with L.A. Galaxy

Resisting the lure of Paris for the sake of his family, David Beckham pledged his future to America’s Major League Soccer on Wednesday by signing a new two-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

The 36-year-old midfielder had been courted by leading clubs across Europe in the months before his initial five-year Galaxy deal ran out in December, with Paris Saint-Germain’s wealthy Qatari owners offering the most lucrative deal.

But Beckham turned down around $12 million-a-year with the glamorous French capital club for a less lucrative base salary at the Galaxy, which was previously paying him at least $6.5 million-a-year.

For the former England captain, whose career at Manchester United and Real Madrid turned him into a celebrity icon who transcended sport, the deal wrapped up in Los Angeles could be the last of his playing career.

“This was an important decision for me,” Beckham said in a statement. “I had many offers from clubs from around the world, however, I’m still passionate about playing in America and winning trophies with the Galaxy.”

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Birmingham knocked local rival Wolverhampton Wanderers out of the FA Cup after midfielder Wade Elliott scored a second-half winner for a 1-0 victory in a third-round replay.

The victory means Birmingham will visit Sheffield United in the next round.

In another match, Brighton advanced by beating Wrexham 5-4 in a penalty shootout after the game ended 1-1 following extra time.

SKIING

WOMEN’S WORLD CUP: Swedish skier Maria Pietilae-Holmner was ruled out for the rest of the season after tearing ligaments in her left knee during training in Austria.

The Austria Press Agency reported Pietilae-Holmner crashed while preparing for this weekend’s GS and slalom races in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.

The 25-year-old Pietilae-Holmner has won two career World Cup titles and is ranked sixth in the slalom standings.

PREP SCHOOLS

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL: Torie St. Pierre scored seven first-half points in leading Berwick Academy (5-5) to a 32-8 halftime lead en route to a 65-15 victory over Concord Academy (0-4) in South Berwick.

St. Pierre finished with 11 points as all 14 Bulldogs scored.

BOXING

DONATION: Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. made good on a promise to a Nevada judge to donate $100,000 to a breast cancer support organization.

Mayweather’s lawyers promised the judge who sentenced Mayweather in December in a domestic battery case that the boxer would make the donation.

— From staff and news services