Football

The Fresno County grand jury charged that nine Fresno State football players applied for food stamps, claiming they were homeless.

The grand jury also charged that someone in the university’s athletic department knew in December of 1992 about the applications but failed to make the players pay back any benefits they had received.

Coach Jim Sweeney said an assistant learned of the investigation and told the players they had to make restitution.

Gary Cunningham, Fresno’s athletic director, said students involved, whom the grand jury did not name, could lose their scholarships.

John Welty said the NCAA reported that the case does not violate any NCAA rules.

Figure Skating

Japan’s Yuka Sato was first in her qualifying group for the women’s competition at the World Figure Skating Championships at Chiba, Japan, and 13-year-old Michelle Kwan of Torrance was fifth. The other U.S skater, 16-year-old Nicole Bobek, failed to qualify.

Kwan replaced Nancy Kerrigan, and Bobek replaced Tonya Harding in the event.

Hockey

Cam Neely of the Boston Bruins, the second-leading goal-scorer in the NHL, is out for the season with a torn ligament in his right knee.

Neely has 50 goals in 49 games.