BRIEFLY : SAMARANCH VOWS TO STAY.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

Describing as ``rubbish'' some of the personal attacks against him, IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch said Sunday only the committee's members are in a position to judge whether he should stay in office.

Facing continuing calls from outside the IOC for him to resign in connection with the widening Olympic corruption scandal, Samaranch vowed again to remain as long as he has the support of the general IOC membership.

``My obligation is to stay and to put all my efforts to get back the prestige that the IOC had during the last years,'' Samaranch said.

BASEBALL: Magic Johnson and baseball Hall of Famer Frank Robinson are among investors interested in buying the Oakland Athletics.

John Kehriotis, part owner of the Sacramento Kings, said he has been speaking with Robinson and Johnson for several months about joining him in making a bid.

Four other investor groups also have shown interest in a $120 million deal to buy the Athletics, said Bob Caporale of Game Plan LLC, which is shopping the team for the city of Oakland and Alameda County.

BOXING: Fernando Ibarra remained in critical condition in St. Louis with a brain injury after being knocked out by the IBF's No. 1 junior flyweight contender. Ibarra had a blood clot on his brain after being knocked out by Ratanachai Vorapin of Thailand in the sixth round of a scheduled eight-rounder Friday night.

WBC middleweight champion Hassini Cherifi, who was to defend his title Saturday night in a rematch in Washington against Keith Holmes, has withdrawn from the bout after hurting his back in his final sparring session in France.

MOTOR SPORTS: A Riley & Scott Mark III, co-driven by team owner Rob Dyson, splashed to victory with Butch Leitzinger behind the wheel in the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla.

NBA: Mario Bennett, who started four games for the Lakers last season, was signed by the Chicago Bulls. . . . Free agents Mark Blount, Juaquin Hawkins and Chris Smith have been waived by the Clippers.