FOOTBALL

NFL: The NFL suspended defensive end Greg Hardy for 10 games without pay for conduct detrimental to the league after concluding there was “credible evidence” he roughed up his ex-girlfriend nearly a year ago when he was a member of the Carolina Panthers.

Hardy, who joined the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent on a one-year, incentive-laden deal, was notified Wednesday of the decision in a letter from Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Hardy plans to appeal.

COLLEGES

SOFTBALL: Oklahoma senior Lauren Chamberlain tied UCLA’s Stacey Nuveman for the NCAA Division I career record of 90 home runs last Saturday against Baylor. She will have several chances this week to break the mark.

She has enjoyed the spotlight during her chase, with big crowds and thousands of followers on social media paying close attention. She has more than 30,000 followers on Twitter and 42,000 on Instagram.

Chamberlain does more than crank homers – she’s hitting .409 with 54 RBI.

Chamberlain’s teammate, returning All-American Shelby Pendley, said Chamberlain is “the greatest hitter in softball right now.”

OLYMPICS

BOSTON’S BID: Larry Bird and David Ortiz are members of the board that will try to bring the 2024 Olympics to Boston.

The Boston basketball and baseball stars will be joined by two dozen other athletes and business leaders on the committee.

TENNIS

BARCELONA OPEN: Rafael Nadal avenged last year’s loss in Spain to Nicolas Almagro by beating his fellow Spaniard 6-3, 6-1, while U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic slumped to a second-round exit.

– From staff and news services