BRIEFLY: NEVADA ACTS ON VARGAS.

Byline: Daily News staff and wire services

The Nevada State Athletic Commission will file a formal complaint this morning against Fernando Vargas, who tested positive for steroids after his knockout loss to Oscar De La Hoya on Sept. 14, an official said.

Vargas, a Camarillo resident, is believed to be the first boxer to fail a steroid test in the United States.

The boxer will have 20 days to respond to the complaint and a hearing will then be scheduled, possibly in early November, said Marc Ratner, executive director of the commission.

``I've tried to emphasize that he'll get fair due process, a fair hearing,'' Ratner said.

Vargas has denied knowingly taking the steroid, Stanozolol, that was found in a urine sample and vowed to determine how it got into his system. He suggested that he could've been given the steroids by someone in his camp without his knowledge.

De La Hoya knocked out Vargas in the 11th round of the fight.

- Michael Rosenthal

-- Welterweight champion Vernon Forrest, coming off two wins over previously unbeaten Shane Mosley, has signed a six-fight contract with HBO.

TENNIS: The United States' Davis Cup team, which lost to France in the semifinals last month, will open 2003 play at Croatia on Feb. 7-9.

-- Magdalena Maleeva upset top-seeded Venus Williams 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (3) in the second round of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow.

Meanwhile, -- Serena Williams, the world's No. 1-ranked player, has withdrawn from three European indoor tournaments because of fatigue, the WTA Tour announced.

Both Williams sisters plan to next play at the season-ending WTA Championships at Staples Center from November 6-11.

BASEBALL: Creighton coach Jack Dahm has been infected by the mosquito-borne West Nile virus.

At least 80 people have been infected in Nebraska, where four deaths have been reported, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

SOCCER: New England defender Carlos Llamosa was suspended for one more game and fined an additional $1,000 for being ejected in last Sunday's Major League Soccer playoff loss at Chicago.