DETROIT — Allen Iverson apparently chose family and food over practice — and he’ll be fined for it.

Iverson was the only player who didn’t show up when the Detroit Pistons worked out on Thanksgiving.

Coach Michael Curry confirmed Iverson will be fined, will not stars tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks and might not play in the game for missing the practice.

After Detroit traded for the superstar, Iverson insisted he would do whatever Curry wanted him to and even mocked his famous rant about practice while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Pistons are 5-5 since acquiring Iverson from Denver for Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb. McDyess and the Nuggets reached a buyout agreement and the power forward’s agent said he will re-sign next month in Detroit.

OLYMPICS

Former sprinter Halkia suspended for doping

ATHENS, Greece — Greek sports officials say former Olympic hurdles champion Fani Halkia has been suspended for two years for doping.

Halkia, who won a gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2004 Athens Olympics, was expelled from the Beijing Games this year after testing positive for the steroid methyltrienolone.

Officials from the Hellenic Association of Amateur Athletics, or Segas, said Thursday the 29-year-old Halkia had been given the ban at a board meeting of the sporting body held on Wednesday.

IOC changing up ticket system for 2012

LONDON — The International Olympic Committee is seeking to improve the ticketing system for upcoming games in Vancouver and London to avoid the problem of empty seats that occurred in Beijing this year.

The IOC and London organizers, meanwhile, expressed confidence that the 2012 Olympics will be a success despite the global economic downturn. And London’s Olympic chief said the games will be “secure” from terrorism.

Olympic officials concluded weeklong meetings aimed at passing on lessons learned from the Beijing Games, which the IOC described as “an indisputable success” that could lead to further social, economic and political progress in China.

HOCKEY

Burke earns six-year contract with Toronto

TORONTO — Brian Burke and the Toronto Maple Leafs have agreed to a six-year deal for the former Anaheim general manager to take over as president and GM, The Associated Press learned.

An official announcement could come Saturday after the Canadian Press and the Globe and Mail first reported the agreement.

Burke spent the past three-plus seasons with the Ducks, leading them to a Stanley Cup title in 2007. He stepped down Nov. 12 after declining to sign a contract extension that would take him beyond this season.

BASEBALL

Player and coach Tom Burgess dies at age 81

LAMBETH, Ontario — Tom Burgess, who played briefly in the major leagues before serving as a coach under Joe Torre and Bobby Cox, has died. He was 81.

A member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, Burgess died Monday at his Lambeth home after a battle with cancer, Baseball Canada said.

Burgess spent most of his professional playing career in the minors but had two short stints in the big leagues as an outfielder and first baseman. He went 1-for-21 (.048) at the plate with the 1954 St. Louis Cardinals and didn’t get back to the majors until eight years later, when he batted .196 with two homers and 13 RBIs for the 1962 Los Angeles Angels.

After his playing career ended, Burgess managed at many levels for St. Louis, Atlanta, the New York Mets, Texas and Detroit. He was third base coach for the Mets under Joe Frazier and Torre in 1977 and for Atlanta under Cox in 1978.