BRIEFLY : CUBA REJECTS ORDER TO BAN SOTOMAYOR.

Byline: - Daily News Wire Services

Cuban officials again refused to suspend high jumper Javier Sotomayor, contending his positive test for cocaine at the Pan American Games was the result of tampering.

The International Amateur Athletic Federation said Monday it received a letter over the weekend from the Cuban federation rejecting the IAAF's demand that Sotomayor be suspended pending a hearing.

``They said they have enough proof to say there was a manipulation of the urine sample,'' IAAF spokesman Giorgio Reineri said. ``We will now ask to see the evidence.''

Sotomayor and Cuban officials, including Fidel Castro, have repeatedly claimed the athlete was the victim of a political conspiracy.

BOXING: Felix Trinidad was back in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Monday, welcomed by thousands amid a frenzy of adulation and national pride.

At an airport news conference, Trinidad joked about his victory over Oscar De La Hoya on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

``He had a different style of boxing,'' Trinidad said. ``He ran a lot.''

He also told the fans: ``I promised you this victory and I did it. This triumph is for all of Puerto Rico. There is no doubt now that the best boxers are in Puerto Rico - pound for pound they have the most heart.''

The WBA junior middleweight title bout between champion Sharmba Mitchell and Elio Ortiz, which was scheduled for Friday in Washington, D.C., was postponed because Mitchell strained a rib muscle.

TENNIS: Unseeded Adrian Voinea of Romania won the rain-delayed Samsung Open in Bournemouth, England, defeating fifth-seeded Stefan Koubek of Austria 1-6, 7-6, 7-6 (7-2).

Voinea defeated Morocco's Younes El Aynaoui 6-3, 6-4 in a semifinal completed earlier Monday. In the other semifinal, top-seeded Thomas Enqvist pulled out with a sore back, giving Koubek a walkover.

CYCLING: The U.S. Postal Service Cycling team said it is adding five riders to its roster for the 2000 season, when team leader Lance Armstrong will look to repeat his victory in the Tour de France.

Joining the U.S. Postal Service team in 2000 will be Cedric Vasseur of France, Russian Viatcheslav Ekimov, Patrick Jonker of Australia, American Levi Leipheimer and Steffen Kjaergaard of Norway.

Russia's Vjatceslav Ekimov finished ahead in the final sprint to win the 15th stage of the Tour of Spain, and Germany's Jan Ullrich retained the overall lead for a fourth straight day.

BASKETBALL: Detroit native Terry Mills reached an agreement to return to the Pistons. Mills, a free-agent forward out of Michigan, played five seasons with the Pistons from 1992-97, averaging 13.5 points. He spent two injury-filled seasons in Miami.