'Landis must provide proof'

Published>Sat, May 22 10 11:47 AM

The the IOC and World Anti-Doping Agency said on Friday that if Floyd Landis has proof of doping by seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, he should back it up with concrete evidence.

"He has to bring proof that this is true," IOC president Jacques Rogge said. "These are accusations that need to be corroborated by proof.You can't condemn without proof," Rogge added.

WADA president John Fahey said if there is any substance to allegations, either the US Anti-Doping Agency or International Cycling Union should intervene.

"If he has evidence, he should make that evidence available to the USADA or UCI and I'm sure if there is any substance to that evidence, either of those bodies would act," Fahey said.

Rogge and Fahey spoke after Landis, in a series of e-mails confessed to years of doping after having previously denied cheating.

The American, who was stripped of the 2006 Tour de France title and served a two-year ban for doping, also alleged that Armstrong not only joined him in doping but taught others how to beat the system.

No credibility

Armstrong has denied the claims. "We have nothing to hide," Armstrong said at an impromptu news conference before the fifth stage of the Tour of California. "Credibility, Floyd lost his credibility a long time ago."

Rogge expressed doubts about Landis' claim that Armstrong and longtime coach Johan Bruyneel paid former UCI president Hein Verbruggen to cover up a test after Armstrong purportedly tested positive. The UCI denied changing or concealing a positive test result, and Bruyneel said, "I absolutely deny everything (Landis) said."

In two e-mails, Landis admitted of doping and said Armstrong's positive EPO test was in 2002, around the time he won the Tour de Suisse. Armstrong won it in 2001 and did not compete in 2002. "We're a little confused. At the end of the day, he pointed the finger at everybody still involved in cycling," Armstrong said.

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Pollard, Proteas fined for breaching ICC Code of Conduct

Published>Sat, May 22 10 11:37 AM

Dubai, May 22 (ANI): West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard has been fined 25 per cent of his applicable match fee for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during his team's second Twenty20 International match against South Africa in Antigua.

According to an ICC press release, Pollard was charged with a Level 1 offence under article 2.1.8 of the code which relates to conduct contrary to the spirit of cricket. The charge was laid by on-field umpires Norman Malcolm and Clyde Duncan as well as third umpire Goaland Greeves.

The player pleaded guilty to the charge and accepted the proposed sanction offered to him by Roshan Mahanama of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees at the conclusion of the match.

The incident took place in the 18th over of the West Indies innings when Pollard ran towards the non-striker's end in such a way that he impeded the bowler's path to the ball.

"A competitive attitude is to be promoted and cherished on the cricket field but players must also remember at all times to play within the spirit of the game," said Mahanama.

"On this occasion Kieron has overstepped the mark and I have fined him 25 per cent of his match fee, a penalty that he has accepted."

Offences included in Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct can range from an official reprimand up to 50 per cent of his or her match fee. The full text of the code can be found at http://icc-cricket.yahoo.net/rules_and_regulations.php.

The South Africa team too has been fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during its 13-run victory over West Indies in the first Twenty20 International in Antigua on Wednesday.

Mahanama imposed the fines after Graeme Smith's side was ruled to be one over short of its target at the end of the match when time allowances were taken into consideration.

In accordance with ICC Code of Conduct regulations governing minor over-rate offences, players are fined 10 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount.

As such, Smith has been fined 20 per cent of his match fee while his players receive 10-per-cent fines. Smith was guilty of a similar offence in T20Is during the ICC World Twenty20 2010 and, under the terms of the ICC Code of Conduct, if he is guilty of three in total in this format of the game over a 12-month period, he will automatically receive a one-match suspension.

The offence is contrary to Article 2.5.1 of the code which relates to minor over-rate offences. The penalty was accepted by South Africa without contest so there was no need for a hearing. (ANI)

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INTERVIEW - Japan chief admits SKorea warm-up 'risky'

Published>Sat, May 22 10 11:07 AM

Japan's soccer chief has described Monday's World Cup warm-up game against fierce Asian rivals South Korea as a risk worth taking.

Japan Football Association (JFA) President Motoaki Inukai said the Blue Samurai needed toughening up before the finals in South Africa, which begin on June 11.

"It's the first time in a long time Japan will play South Korea with both teams fielding their best line-ups," Inukai told Reuters before Japan's World Cup send-off at Saitama.

"It is risky, but if you don't take those risks with less than a month to go they don't (get) that sense of what the World Cup is all about."

Japan coach Takeshi Okada has chosen three tough opponents in the run-in to the tournament with fixtures against England and Ivory Coast after their South Korean test.

South Korea have notched 33 wins to Japan's 10 in their previous 61 meetings and their last victory at the East Asian championship earlier this year almost cost Okada his job.

Inukai refused to shake Okada's hand after Japan were overpowered 3-1 in Tokyo but insisted he was squarely behind the coach.

"I don't get too nervous about friendly results," said Inukai. "The coach wants to play the top teams and feels that if we lose then tough luck.

"Before the 2006 World Cup we won lots of games and the Japanese media were jumping up and down and saying we could get to the semi-finals or even further -- and look what happened."

DEEP SCARS

Japan's meek early exit from Germany four years ago under Brazilian Zico left deep scars, and on paper it looks like they will struggle to make it past the first round in South Africa.

Okada's side face Cameroon, Netherlands and Denmark in Group E. Victory against 2002 World Cup semi-finalists South Korea in Saitama would give them an enormous confidence boost.

"What I want from Japan is to go out and try to win every match," said Inukai, who will be looking for a new coach at the end of the World Cup with Okada's bags already packed.

Inukai would not reveal the identity of any potential JFA targets but flatly denied former German World Cup winner Guido Buchwald was poised to take over.

"I don't know where those reports came from," he laughed.

"It's not quite as bad as the English media but there is no basis whatsoever in those reports. It certainly won't be Guido!"

Ikunai also had a dig at Okada for likening the Japan side to a "swarm of feasting flies" at his squad announcement.

"The world 'flies' wasn't good," he said. "I wish he'd said 'wasps' at least. We want them to go there and sting."

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Ten Sports protests B-team to Zimbabwe

Published>Sat, May 22 10 10:07 AM

New Delhi, May 22 -- Broadcaster Ten Sports is not amused by the Indian cricket board's (BCCI) decision to rest seven star players and send what is in effect a second-string team for the triangular series in Zimbabwe. With players like Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra missing, and with the concurrent excitement over the football World Cup in South Africa, the Zimbabwe games are not expected to make the TRP ratings soar. "There's a gap of about 15 days between the World T20 and this series, which I feel is good enough for the professionals who play the sport for a living (to rest)," Atul Pandey, Head, Ten Sports, told HT. "We have to rest our top players," a BCCI official told HT. "There's a long season ahead, but we're sending a young team with an eye to the future. We expect a good contest. And the broadcaster cannot dicate the team to us." But Pandey felt sending a second-string team could harm the long-term interests of all the stakeholders, including fans. "Viewer interest could decline a lot if this team fails to deliver the goods, especially after the World T20 debacle. If that happens, revenue could take a major hit in future," warned Pandey. At the same time, he said they weren't too worried about revenue targets for the tri-series. "It will be a challenge and without big names, the series won't be a blockbuster. But we'll do fine, thanks to our sponsors." However, while Pandey put on a brave face, industry sources said it was a major setback. "In such a situation, sponsors and advertisers generally renegotiate deals with the broadcaster," said a source. "It invariably leads to a substantial loss in revenue." What's worse is that Ten Sports can't even seek compensation from either the host board or the BCCI. "When bids are made for the rights, there's no clause pertaining to the quality of the teams that will participate. So it's not an option, but we feel there should be a bit more predictability in team selection," he said. But isn't it unfair to expect big-name players to turn out for every series in a tightly packed cricketing year?

"It's for the boards to sort that out."

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Shooting victim Cabanas an inspiration for Paraguay

Published>Sat, May 22 10 08:27 AM

Paraguay's Salvador Cabanas will miss the World Cup finals as he continues his recovery from being shot in the head, but the striker will still be a driving force for the team.

A compact and powerful striker, the 29-year-old was a pillar for Mexican club America and led Paraguay through a strong qualifying series to a World Cup berth.

However, his life took a dramatic turn when he was shot in the head at a Mexico City nightclub in the early hours of Jan. 25. Sporting a long scar across the side of his head, Cabanas now trains alone at a rehabilitation centre north of the Argentine capital Buenos Aires.

As Cabanas runs through his daily exercises in Argentina, back home in Paraguay he has become a symbol of strength and inspiration for the national team, who face holders Italy, New Zealand and Slovakia in Group F at the finals in South Africa.

"Everyone knows Salvador, not just us. The work he has done over time is valued everywhere," defender Julio Caceres said.

"Unfortunately, he's not going to play in the World Cup but he's going to be with us and that's going to be fundamental for us to be in high spirits.

"The efforts we make, our wins, every step we take will logically be for him."

His doctor, Lisandro Olmos, said the Paraguayan beat the odds to survive the shooting and continues to surprise as he recovers.

"This kind of injury statistically results in almost instant death in 80 percent of the cases," Olmos told Reuters.

"But in the 20 percent that survive and get emergency treatment and later gain access to rehabilitation, only three percent have an acceptable level of recovery."

HUGE STRIDES

Olmos said Cabanas is in condition to travel to South Africa and watch the games from the sidelines, but will most likely stay in Argentina and continue his rehabilitation.

The doctor explained that damage from the bullet forced doctors to remove part of his skull to relieve pressure from brain swelling. The skull bone was replaced but doctors were forced to leave the bullet.

Less than four months after the shooting, the tenacious Cabanas is already playing soccer at the clinic. He has made giant strides but his motor skills still need work.

"He's really shown significant advances. For example, he now has the capability to pass the ball to the left and to the right, something that didn't happen at first," Olmos said.

Shortly after the shooting, fans filled soccer stadiums in Asuncion and Itagua, Cabanas' hometown, to show their support for the charismatic striker.

An advertisement, filmed last year, has taken on special symbolic value in Paraguay. It shows Cabanas first as a field commander, riding a horse and encouraging his team mates, then manning the wheel of ship in the middle of a storm.

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Rogers holds lead in California after mountain stage

Published Sat, May 22 10 08:07 AM

Australian Michael Rogers retained the overall lead in the mountain stage of the Tour of California on Friday, while 20-year-old Peter Sagan of Slovakia captured his second straight stage victory.

Rogers, who assumed the race lead with his runner-up finish on Thursday, finished third in the mountainous 217.7-km stage from Palmdale to Big Bear Lake.

Sagan, riding in his first pro season, powered ahead of the rest of the overall contenders during the waning meters of the grueling stage. Rory Sutherland Australia was second

American Levi Leipheimer, winner of the last three Tour of California races, finished fourth in the stage and dropped into fourth place overall, trailing by 14 seconds.

Rogers will carry a four-second advantage over American David Zabriskie into the race's penultimate stage. With his time bonus for winning the stage, Sagan moved into third place overall, trailing by nine seconds.

Since the race began May 16 in Nevada City, none of the four race leaders have held more than a four-second lead.

The individual time trial stage will be held Saturday and the top-five riders are all within 30 seconds of each other in the overall standings.

The eight-day event concludes Sunday in Thousand Oaks.

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Messi scrape gave us a fright - Maradona

Published Sat, May 22 10 07:07 AM

Such is the focus on Lionel Messi in the countdown to the World Cup that even the slightest problem in training gets full blown local media coverage, as with a scrape on Friday.

The world's top player, practising with Diego Maradona's Argentina for the finals in South Africa that kick off on June 11, fell and suffered a minor scrape on his right knee at the team's training base outside Buenos Aires.

"We all got a fright," said Maradona with a grin in an interview with Canal 13 television station later on Friday.

"I didn't see it, my back was turned. He and Masche (Javier Mascherano) clashed knees and then I saw that Messi had stopped. But it's nothing, he put ice on it and if he wants to play on Monday (against Canada) he'll be on the pitch."

Team doctor Donato Villani said on the Argentine Football Association website (www.afa.org.ar): "It was just a scrape."

Messi, Argentina's big hope after a brilliant season at Barcelona including top scoring in Spain's La Liga with 34 goals, got up and walked from the training pitch after the accident.

Argentina, who face Nigeria, South Korea and Greece in Group B, began their countdown on Thursday and are preparing for a warm-up on Monday against Canada.

The team's farewell match at the River Plate stadium will double as part of the country's bicentennial independence celebrations.

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Vikasdeep takes LCA Chowk into final

Published>Sat, May 22 10 05:23 AM

A devastating five wicket haul by Vikasdeep Yadav (5 for 7) helped LCA Chowk in defeating National Youngster Club by nine wickets in the semi-final match of the 3rd Munnu Dada Chanewala Under- 14 Cricket Tournament at Chowk Stadium, Lucknow on Friday.

Brief Scores:

National Youngster: 65 all out in 21.5 overs ( Aman Vishwakarma 25; Vikasdeep Yadav 5 for 7, Dhirendra 2 for 10, Yash Goel 2 for 12);

LCA Chowk: 66 for one in 6.5 overs ( Faiz Hasan 41 not out; Pankaj Singh 1 for 31).

Aditya shinesA five wicket haul by Aditya Shukla (5 for 7) helped LCA Hostel in defeating LCA 'LU' by nine wickets in their day's match of the the 'Aao Cricket Seekhen Under -10 Cricket League', in Lucknow on Friday.

Brief Scores:

LCA 'LU': 62 all out in 11.4 overs ( Ashutosh 22; Aditya Shukla 5 for 7);

LCA Hostel: 63 for one in 9.1 overs ( Dhanveer Singh 38 not out, Samarth Rastogi 18 not out; Ritik 1 for 8).1

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Americans Fowler, Love and Couples target Open spots

Published Sat, May 22 10 04:47 AM

Former world number one amateur Rickie Fowler will line up with ex-major winners Fred Couples and Davis Love III on Monday in a strong field of 78 at the U.S. leg of international qualifying for the British Open.

PGA Tour rookie Fowler and his fellow Americans will be competing over 36 holes at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano for eight spots on offer at the year's third major, to be held from July 15-18 at St. Andrews in Scotland.

The Gleneagles field includes 21 of the world's top 100 players, among them South African Rory Sabbatini, U.S. Ryder Cup player JB Holmes and India's Jeev Milkha Singh.

"This is my first attempt to qualify for the Open," Fowler, 21, said in a statement released by British Open organisers on Friday. "I have done well in qualifiers in the past, having qualified for the U.S. Open twice.

"Links golf is one of my favourites, if not my favourite, so I look forward to this opportunity," added the world number 54.

Sabbatini, who is defending his title in this week's Byron Nelson Championship at the nearby TPC Four Seasons Resort, has set his sights on an eighth consecutive British Open.

"It is a true test of golf," the 68th-ranked South African said. "Playing it is definitely a challenge and I look forward to it every year."

Tour veteran Love, whose only major victory came at the 1997 PGA Championship, has competed in the last 23 British Opens. He booked his place in the 2009 championship at Turnberry via the U.S. qualifier at Gleneagles.

Former U.S. Masters champion Couples has recorded nine top-10 finishes in 17 British Open appearances, including a tie for third when the tournament was last held at St. Andrews in 2005.

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Messi scrape has Argentina worried for a few minutes

Published Sat, May 22 10 04:27 AM

Such is the focus on Lionel Messi in the countdown to the World Cup that even the slightest problem in training gets full blown local media coverage as with a scrape on Friday.

The world's top player, practising with Diego Maradona's Argentina for the finals in South Africa that kick off on June 11, fell and suffered a minor scrape on his right leg at the team's training base outside Buenos Aires.

"It's nothing, it's a scrape on his right leg," Argentine Football Association spokesman Andres Ventura said.

Messi, Argentina's big hope after a brilliant season at Barcelona including top scoring in Spain's La Liga with 34 goals, got up and walked from the training pitch right after.

Argentina, who face Nigeria, South Korea and Greece in Group B, began their countdown on Thursday and are preparing for a warm-up on Monday against Canada.

The team's farewell match from their fans at the River Plate stadium will double as part of the country's Bicentennial independence celebrations.

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Leader Donald proves a cool-hand Luke at Wentworth

Published>Sat, May 22 10 02:27 AM

Luke Donald's bright pink trousers were not the only thing wowing the Wentworth crowd as he fired a second straight 68 to grab the lead after the PGA Championship second round on Friday.

On a day when the revamped West Course was again a hot topic of debate among the players, Donald was consistency personified as he finished on six-under 136 on another baking hot day on the outskirts of London.

That left the 32-year-old one stroke ahead of fellow Britons Ross Fisher (70) and Danny Willett (72) and South African James Kingston (69). Holder Paul Casey and triple major winner Padraig Harrington were among those a further shot adrift on 138.

"You have to plan around this course a little bit more, plot your way round," Donald told reporters, referring to the layout remodelled by South African Ernie Els.

Plot was the key word as he mixed precise drives and irons with deft touches around the green, most noticeably on 15 where the Englishman saved par with a superb bunker escape and on 16 where he produced a fine up-and-down for par.

Donald then holed a 20-footer for a birdie at the monstrous 600-yard 17th.

"Before you could just step up at the 17th and 18th, give it a whack and usually make a couple of birdie fours," he said.

"Now it's very hard to hit it on the green at 17, it's a narrow entrance, and on 18 it's a very difficult second shot if you choose to go for it.

TOUGH CHALLENGE

"I've enjoyed some of the changes to the course. I think the greens are more consistent and it's still a tough challenge," said the former Ryder Cup player.

Donald, without a victory since the U.S. PGA Tour's 2006 Honda Classic, has shown encouraging signs of a return to form this year especially on the other side of the Atlantic.

Fellow Britons Rory McIlroy and Paul Casey believe his game is perfectly suited to the devilishly difficult West Course.

"He is the most patient player in the world," said McIlroy after finishing on 143.

"It's no surprise to see somebody like Luke in the lead," said Casey, who employs Donald's brother Christian as his caddie.

"Christian calls him 'Plod' so that's all you need to know. He has plodded his way round very well."

While several players have criticised the new-look 18th, the changes have curried favour with Harrington.

Told that owner Richard Caring was planning a few tweaks for next year, the genial Irishman replied: "I thought it was great -- it just goes to show what I know.

"It's a good, tough hole. Maybe there are too many people who think the easy option to layup in three shots is probably an issue."

World number three Lee Westwood just made the cut after carding a 74 for 144, two over, and for the second day running he had issues with the course.

"You're not sure how much sand is in the bunkers. The caddies have a real job raking them, I feel sorry for them," said the Briton.

Fanny Sunesson, former caddie to Nick Faldo and now carrying Swede Henrik Stenson's bag, told Reuters much the same after she spent several minutes in a sand trap.

"It's a fact. They are hard to rake," she said wearily.

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Els hurt and disappointed by criticism from players

Published>Sat, May 22 10 02:07 AM

Ernie Els said he was hurt and disappointed by the weight of criticism over his re-design of Wentworth's West Course.

World number three Lee Westwood has led the player backlash at the PGA Championship, complaining about the devilishly difficult 18th hole and the bunkers all round the tree-lined, par-71 layout.

"Today I felt very disappointed by everything that's been said and kind of hurt a little bit," Els told reporters after a second-round 70 gave him a three-under total of 139 at the European Tour's flagship event.

"But you've got to be man enough to take it on the chin. I am in the firing line, I knew the 18th was going to be a problem, number eight was going to be a problem and also some of the greens.

"It's a tough decision sometimes. You've got to keep the owner (Richard Caring) happy, the players happy and as a designer you have a philosophy that you want to follow. With all of these factors it can be a little tricky at times."

South African Els, who has a house on the Wentworth estate, said he would have accepted it more if the players had confronted him with their complaints.

"I would love for people to come to me personally rather than go to the newspapers and tell their side of the story," said the world number seven.

"Nobody knows exactly what's gone on here (at the club) and I'd like to explain to players before they go to the media... and even the media doesn't have an idea what's happened here."

BORDERLINE GREENS

"On the whole the changes have been good. We know a couple of the greens are borderline, I agree with that. There are some things I'm not even happy with," added Els.

"But when you have an owner who invests a lot of money into making changes and really wants the golf course better, as a tougher challenge... and you take a lot of other factors into consideration, you've probably got an impossible task."

Els came unstuck at the 18th on Thursday when his approach found the new moat protecting the front of the green.

He made amends 24 hours later by hitting the putting surface in two and making a birdie four after shaving the hole with his 12-foot eagle attempt.

"Today it was a totally different yardage and a little downwind," he said. "I hit a seven-iron 194 yards to the front of the green -- that was probably my shot of the day."

According to media reports, around 6.5 million pounds ($9.34 million) was spent on redeveloping the iconic West Course to the extent that few of the 18 holes stayed untouched.

"This golf course doesn't have to shy away from any golf course in the world, and I'm talking about the toughest golf courses in the world," said Els.

"Most of it is going according to plan and we will take the necessary steps to rectify the other ones.

"Hopefully things haven't got too out of control. We'll address it and we'll have a great championship golf course going into the future," said the triple major winner.

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Poulter, Quiros, Kaymer miss cut after Wentworth nightmare

Published>Sat, May 22 10 01:47 AM

When the organisers put Ian Poulter, Martin Kaymer and Alvaro Quiros in the same threeball at the PGA Championship they probably expected the trio to be at Wentworth for the weekend.

Briton Poulter leads the European money-list after winning the WGC-Accenture Match Play in Arizona in February, German Kaymer won in Abu Dhabi in January and world number 31 Quiros triumphed at the Spanish Open earlier this month.

All three were victims of a remodelled West Course however as world number six Poulter finished five-over after two rounds, 11th-ranked Kaymer four-over and Spaniard Quiros was seven-over after carding a 10 at the mammoth par-five 17th.

With the cut falling on three-over 145, Quiros especially will be kicking himself. But he was not the only pro embarrassed by the testing parkland layout.

Portugal's Jose-Filipe Lima took an 11 at the much-changed par-four eighth and Spaniard Pablo Martin racked up a 10 at the equally troublesome 18th.

Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez, the 2008 winner, also missed the cut but it was not all doom and gloom as 2006 champion David Howell of Britain birdied the two closing par-fives to finish three-over.

On another baking hot day at the European Tour's flagship event, there were four withdrawals.

British quartet Stephen Dodd (knee), Bradley Dredge (neck), Graeme Storm (food poisoning) and Michael Hoey (unwell) all pulled out.

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Loose manhole cover blamed for Barrichello crash

Published Sat, May 22 10 01:07 AM

A loose manhole cover caused Rubens Barrichello's Monaco Grand Prix crash last weekend, his Williams Formula One team said on Friday.

Williams, who had both cars crash out of the season's showcase race, said in a statement that an investigation had showed the drain cover at turn two was to blame for the Brazilian's accident.

"As Rubens' car drove over the manhole cover, it was spun up and hit the rear left wheel, causing failure," the team said.

"This incident has been reported to the FIA (International Automobile Federation)."

Barrichello's crash on the approach to Casino square brought out the safety car for the second time in the race and it was deployed again 12 laps later when a loose drain cover was reported.

The Brazilian's car was spun around after it hit the guardrails, facing fast approaching traffic head on. Barrichello tossed his costly steering wheel on to the track where it was then run over by the HRT of Indian Karun Chandhok.

Barrichello's German team mate Nico Hulkenberg crashed on lap one in the tunnel and Williams said that accident was caused by a front wing mounting failure after an impact with another car.

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Wentworth owner takes blame for 18th-hole backlash

Published>Sat, May 22 10 12:11 AM

Wentworth owner Richard Caring said he would carry the can over the much-criticised changes to the 18th hole and has pledged to right the wrongs in time for the 2011 PGA Championship.

The revamped West Course has been the hot topic among the players, with world number three Lee Westwood leading the complaints about the new moat and elevated putting surface at the par-five last that have made it tough to go for the green in two shots.

"The 18th was a dream I had," Caring told reporters at the European Tour's flagship event on Friday. "I wanted to give the spectators a bit of excitement, a bit of theatre.

"We might have gone slightly too far because it's proven to be quite difficult. I think the green could be slightly lower, which is what (designer) Ernie Els wanted to do but I was a bit more theatrical than he was.

"I liked it a little higher. I thought we should tempt the pros to hit the second shot into the green rather than laying up (but) I must say Ernie was right and I was wrong."

Caring said he planned to speak to a select band of players to ensure the alterations that needed to be made to the closing hole would meet with their approval.

"We will talk to the pros who we really want to listen to ... five or six of them," said the millionaire entrepreneur.

"I just had a chat with Lee, who is the third-ranked golfer in the world, and he gave me a few ideas.

ERNIE'S CALL

"It's Ernie's call at the end of the day but I believe the 18th will have changed and there might be one or two other tweaks."

According to media reports, around 6.5 million pounds ($9.34 million) was spent on redeveloping the iconic West Course to the extent that few of the 18 holes stayed untouched.

"We have put a lot of time, effort and passion into it and we won't stop until we get it perfect," said Caring.

"When you take one of the finest and most historic parkland courses and try and bring it into today's age, you need a little bit of a brave heart.

"Overall the work that has gone into it, considering how terrible the winter was, the worst in 49 years in the UK, our staff here have been unbelievable," added Caring.

"I think it's beautiful, the quality is fantastic and I'm not unhappy with it."

Caring said he and Els had plenty of disagreements over the original changes.

"We had a few punch-ups," he joked. "But the 18th you have to put down to me because I wanted the fans to 'ooh and aah' around the last hole.

"Ernie is a terrific guy and he's done fantastic things for us here and we are very proud of it."

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WADA loses bid to hike suspension of U.S. swimmer Hardy

Published>Sat, May 22 10 12:05 AM

World record holder Jessica Hardy has been cleared to continue swimming after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) lost an appeal to increase the American's ban from one to two years.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said Friday they had dismissed WADA's appeal to double the suspension but left open the possibility she could be ruled out of the 2012 Olympics in London.

CAS agreed with an earlier ruling from the American Arbitration Association (AAA) to impose a reduced 12-month ban after finding she had not been significantly negligent but did not wade into the issue of whether she can compete in London.

"It should be noted that the decision leaves open the question of the IOC eligibility rule, which refuses entry to Olympic Games by athletes who have been suspended from sport for more than 6 months for doping," WADA said in a statement.

"The panel did not accept jurisdiction in relation to this matter, nor did it consider it could be part of any further reduction of the penalty."

Hardy, a world record holder in breaststroke, has already served a one-year suspension after testing positive for the banned steroid clenbuterol at the 2008 U.S. Olympic trials, which normally carries a two-year ban.

The AAA reduced it to one year when Hardy explained she took nutritional supplements after having obtained assurances from the manufacturer and a CAS panel of arbitrators said the shortened penalty should stand.

"They agreed that Jessica Hardy had shown good faith efforts before ingesting the food supplements at stake," the court said in a statement explaining their decision.

"The athlete had personal conversations with the manufacturer about the supplements' purity prior to taking them, she obtained the supplements directly from the manufacturer, not from an unknown source; supplements she took were not labelled in a manner which might have raised suspicions."

WADA said they would accept the court's ruling that a 12-month ban was appropriate under the circumstances.

"Under the World Anti-Doping Code, when a panel determines that an athlete has committed no significant fault or negligence, as the CAS panel did in this case, the period of ineligibility may be reduced to a maximum of half the otherwise applicable period of ineligibility," WADA said.

"CAS accepted a sanction of 12 months was appropriate. WADA is satisfied that CAS fully scrutinized this case and abides by the CAS ruling."

Hardy voluntarily withdrew from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and returned to swimming last year after completing her ban, reclaiming her world record in the 100 metres.

But the 23-year-old is still unsure whether she can compete at the London Games.

In her submission, Hardy asked CAS to add the IOC to this arbitration hearing but her request was rejected. CAS also declined her request to make a recommendation on the 2012 Games.

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I missed you, Roger tells Rafa

Published>Fri, May 21 10 11:47 PM

Roger Federer is looking forward to facing his great rival for the French Open crown a year after Rafael Nadal missed their rendezvous in the final.

With usual contenders Nikolay Davydenko of Russia and Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro having pulled out injured, the road looks clearer for another Roger versus Rafa classic.

"It is hard to pick anybody to say if Roger and Rafa are not going to win who else will it be," Federer, wearing a blue polo shirt and looking calm, told reporters on Friday.

"We'll see how we play. I hope we can play again in the future, because a year away from each other was maybe a bit long," he added.

After 12 months without meeting Nadal, Federer finally caught up with him last week in the Madrid Masters final.

The muscular Spaniard beat the Swiss last Sunday, a year after losing at the same stage in the same place.

SPECIAL MATCH

"I think anywhere we play is special", said Federer.

"It's always a big match regardless of where it is, how it is. It's one of the great rivalries in sports right now, and obviously in our game the biggest one."

Nadal and Federer have met 21 times, with the Spaniard coming out on top on 14 occasions, comfrotbaly winning three French Open finals against the Swiss.

Neither was keen to jump the gun and anticipate a fourth final showdown on the Paris clay, although the temptation was greater for Federer who made the draw at Roland Garros.

"When you're sitting in that room, you feel like, ah, if only I could have picked maybe (...) Oh, no. You don't even want to start thinking that way," he said with a smile.

"It was a bit nerve-wrecking in some ways. But I'm used to pressure situations, so it was moderate. It was fine."

The pressure will get stronger by the day for the defending champion, who could meet France's Gael Monfils in the fourth round before a possible quarter-final clash with Swede Robin Soderling who he beat in last year's final.

"Fourteen days down the road and six matches for each of (us) to get into the final. (It) is not my priority to play Rafa," said Federer.

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Roland Garros feels like home to Henin

Published>Fri, May 21 10 11:27 PM

Justine Henin feels at home at Roland Garros, surrounded by familiar faces and even happy to see her old locker.

"I went to see the place with my locker in the locker rooms where I had won the last time. It's a sort of good-luck charm for me, that specific locker," four-times champion Henin told reporters on Friday, two days before the start of the French Open.

"But the most emotional thing was to meet people again, coming back after all those years and seeing the same people working for the tournament, with whom I had sort of created some friendly relationships, and also to come back to clay here, which is the best clay ever."

The Belgian, who returned from 20 months in retirement in January, won the last match she played on the Paris clay three years ago.

"I know the site perfectly well and I feel very much at ease here," said Henin, 27. "Very often I stayed for the whole two weeks in this tournament, so for me it's easy to find my way here. It's always very special for me.

"I practised on Court One and I remembered that 13 years ago I won the juniors here. All this comes to my memory."

Henin, champion in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007, is expecting a warm welcome from the local crowd.

"I feel at home here because the French crowd always welcomed me incredibly well, and many Belgian people come because it's close," the former world number one said.

"When you are at the other end of the world in Australia you feel more isolated, whereas I feel here I'm surrounded by many more people...Of course I have to deal with that, because it means I want to do even better here than elsewhere."

Henin will start her bid for a fifth French Open title with a first-round match against Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova, possibly on centre court.

"I know that court very well. I don't really need to practise on that particular court in advance," she smiled.

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Pollard, South Africa fined

Published Fri, May 21 10 10:57 PM

Antigua, May 21 (PTI) Explosive West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard was today fined 25 per cent of his match fee for breaching ICC Code of Conduct during his team''s second Twenty20 International match against South Africa here. South Africa were also fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during their 13-run victory yesterday. Pollard was charged with a Level 1 offence under article 2.1.8 of the code which relates to conduct contrary to the spirit of cricket. The incident took place in the 18th over of the West Indies innings when Pollard ran towards the non-striker''s end in such a way that he impeded the bowler''s path to the ball. The charge was laid by on-field umpires Norman Malcolm and Clyde Duncan as well as third umpire Goaland Greeves. The player pleaded guilty to the charge and accepted the proposed sanction offered to him by Match Referee Roshan Mahanama. "A competitive attitude is to be promoted and cherished on the cricket field but players must also remember at all times to play within the spirit of the game," Mahanama said in an ICC statement. "On this occasion Kieron has overstepped the mark and I have fined him 25 per cent of his match fee, a penalty that he has accepted," the statement added. Graeme Smith''s side was ruled to be one over short of its target at the end of the match when time allowances were taken into consideration. In accordance with ICC Code of Conduct regulations governing minor over-rate offences, players are fined 10 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount. As such, Smith has been fined 20 per cent of his match fee while his players receive 10-per-cent fines. "Smith was guilty of a similar offence in T20Is during the ICC World Twenty20 2010 and, under the terms of the ICC Code of Conduct, if he is guilty of three in total in this format of the game over a 12-month period, he will automatically receive a one-match suspension," the ICC statement said.

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Bolt revels in China return, Liu aims to surprise

Published>Fri, May 21 10 10:47 PM

Jamaican triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt lapped up the attention on his return to China on Friday, while hometown hurdling hero Liu Xiang vowed to give fans a nice surprise.

Bolt, who won 100 and 200 metres gold at the Beijing Olympics in world record time, will run in the 200 in Shanghai on Sunday in the Diamond League's second meet of the season.

Clad in a pale blue and bronze t-shirt and baby blue jeans, Bolt aimed to put on a good show for the Chinese crowd but said a defeat could spice up world athletics.

"I am loving it, this is where I burst out," Bolt told a news conference. "I really enjoy the crowd here, there is a lot of support."

Earlier this week, the lanky Bolt clocked a time of 9.86 seconds in Daegu, South Korea, easily defeating compatriot Michael Frater with a time that was 0.28 seconds off his world record of 9.58.

However the Jamaican, making his first appearance in China since the 2008 Games, said he was not unbeatable.

"I have said it before, I can be beaten. I really work hard not to be," he said, adding that a defeat could even make the sport more interesting.

"I take everybody seriously as long as you are in the lane beside me."

'FIERCE MATCH'

Liu, a sporting icon in China with a profile rivaled only by basketball's Yao Ming, posed for photographs with Bolt and looked at ease in the full glare of the media spotlight.

The Chinese hurdler, wearing a lime green t-shirt, was in confident mood throughout the session and said he wanted to give his home supporters a good surprise in the 110 hurdles this weekend.

Liu devastated millions of Chinese when he limped out of the 2008 Olympics and admitted he was still not at his peak, predicting a time of 13.5 seconds.

Cuban Dayron Robles, the champion in Beijing, has already bettered Liu's 110 world record with a time of 12.87 seconds in Ostrava in June 2008.

The 26-year-old Liu is making his first outdoors appearance of the season and faces a stiff test in the form of world champion Ryan Brathwaite of Barbados.

"I am always competing against myself," Liu said. "The audience and the media want to see a fierce match, I am used to that."

The Achilles injury that caused him to limp out of Beijing's Bird's Nest Stadium in August 2008 has continued to dog his performance. He finished seventh in the 60m final in Qatar in March.

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WADA loses appeal to increase Hardy suspension

Published Fri, May 21 10 10:27 PM

World record holder Jessica Hardy has been cleared to continue swimming after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) lost an appeal to increase the American's ban from one to two years.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said Friday they had dismissed WADA's appeal to double the suspension, agreeing with an earlier ruling from the American Arbitration Association (AAA) to impose a reduced 12-month ban.

Hardy, a world record holder in breaststroke, has already served a one-year suspension after testing positive for the banned steroid clenbuterol at the 2008 U.S. Olympic trials, which normally carries a two-year ban.

The AAA agreed to reduce it to one year when Hardy explained she took nutritional supplements after having obtained assurances from the manufacturer.

WADA asked that the ban be increased to two years but a CAS panel of arbitrators ruled that the AAA penalty should stand.

"They agreed that Jessica Hardy had shown good faith efforts before ingesting the food supplements at stake," CAS said in a statement explaining their decision.

"The athlete had personal conversations with the manufacturer about the supplements' purity prior to taking them, she obtained the supplements directly from the manufacturer, not from an unknown source; supplements she took were not labelled in a manner which might have raised suspicions."

Hardy voluntarily withdrew from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and returned to swimming last year after completing her ban, reclaiming her world record in the 100 metres.

But the 23-year-old is still unsure whether she can compete at the 2012 Olympics in London after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) introduced a strict new rule that athletes suspended for six months or more automatically miss the next Olympics.

CAS rejected Hardy's request that the IOC be added to this arbitration hearing and declined to make any recommendation on the 2012 games.

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My Test career is over: Afridi

Published Fri, May 21 10 10:21 PM

Karachi, May 21 (PTI) Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi today made it clear that his Test career is over and will now concentrate only in one-day and Twenty20 cricket which he said is more suited to his attacking style. Afridi, who is tipped to be named next week as captain of the one-day side for the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, ruled himself unavailable for Pakistan''s six-match Test series in England this summer. "Some of my well wishers and supporters wanted me to return to Test cricket. But it''s the end of Test cricket for me and it''s my firm decision," Afridi said. "Now my focus is forthcoming Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, T20 and ODI series in England and next year''s World Cup," he told a state owned news agency. Afridi, who has not played a Test since 2006, conceded that his attacking style suited limited-over cricket more. "To be frank, Test cricket has its own demands and it doesn''t suit my style. I love to play in attacking manner and I get it from T20 and ODIs," Afridi said. Afridi, who led Pakistan to the final of just concluded Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies, is expected to be given the ODI captaincy when Pakistan Cricket Board and selectors meet next week in Lahore. Asked about next month''s Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, Afridi said, "It''s my dream to win this continental title for the country. It will be a good tournament." "We need some solid batsmen in the middle order which is our trouble area," he said. After the Asia Cup, Pakistan play four Twenty20 Internationals and five ODIs in England besides the six Tests. Afridi has made 1683 runs in 26 Tests at an average of 37.40 and taken 47 wickets at an average of 34.89. Meanwhile, experienced all-rounder Abdul Razzaq is still undecided about continuing to play Test cricket. "The last time I played was three years ago so I really don''t know but if the selectors feel I have a role to play in the Tests in England then I will give it a thought," Razzaq said. Razzaq, however, made it clear that he wanted to continue his limited over cricket career for Pakistan.

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Gill skips meet on regulation of sports bodies

Published>Fri, May 21 10 09:57 PM

New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) Union Sports Minister M.S. Gill Friday skipped a meeting called for regulating the sports federations, ostensibly because he missed his flight from Chandigarh.

Gill was to attend a meeting on 'need of regulating the sports bodies' organised by think tank the Policy Planning Group.

However, the organisers announced at the last minute that Gill had missed his flight to Delhi after he was caught up in traffic jam on his way from Shimla.

Gill's non-appearance came on a day the Delhi High Court quashed the central government's order derecognizing a national sports body and termed the action as illegal.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had de-recognised the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), a move that was endorsed by the sports ministry.

Two days ago, four Rajya Sabha members had questioned Gill for writing to the International Olympic Council that the Indian parliamentarians wanted the sport bodies to be regulated.

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Stenson joins chorus of disapproval over revamped 18th

Published>Fri, May 21 10 09:47 PM

Henrik Stenson, who last year won the tournament dubbed the unofficial fifth major, has joined the growing chorus of disapproval over the revamped 18th hole at Wentworth's West Course.

The 34-year-old Swede, hovering around the projected cut mark at the PGA Championship, had to risk all and go for the green in two at the treacherous par-five last on Friday.

Stenson drove into a bunker and then hit a majestic 240-yard five-wood before two-putting from 18 feet for his birdie four.

"I had no choice," he told Reuters after a second-round 71 gave him a two-over total of 144. "When I got a pretty clean lie in the bunker there was no doubt in my mind.

"I enjoy that shot but I'm not overly fond of the changes on the 18th and it definitely needs a bit of tweaking."

With a new moat ready to gobble up anything that lands short of an elevated green, most players are taking a safety-first approach by laying up in two.

World number three Lee Westwood was among those critical of the new-look 18th on Thursday and Stenson feels much the same.

"I would have liked to see the green not quite as raised to give the players a little bit more room," said Stenson who has dropped to 21st in the world after being in the top 10 following his 2009 Players Championship victory in Florida.

"There's no margin for error. If you bail out short of the green it should be a hardship but some of the bunkers just leave you completely dead.

"I think it will be re-evaluated at the end of the week but it's pushing too many players to lay up," added the tall Swede, resplendent in white tee shirt and loud, green-checked trousers.

STAY DRY

"It's fine to have a creak or something on the last hole but if you stay dry I think you still need to have some sort of shot left."

Stenson is without a title since his Sawgrass triumph and has struggled this season, with two eighth-place finishes representing a poor return for someone blessed with so much natural talent.

"My confidence is quite low," said the Ryder Cup stalwart. "I've been struggling with my swing in general for quite some time but my short game is pretty good and my putting is okay too.

"I feel like I've been playing pretty average for some time and I have some things to sort out. Of course I get frustrated.

"I know I can perform and play so much better and it's just not happening. I've got to work a little harder and stay patient and look to put it all together."

Stenson, a winner of six European Tour events, said he was finding it tough mentally to keep on an even keel.

"It's a combination of things of course," he said. "Once you hit it bad and you don't feel good about it, every bad shot gets to you more than it does when you're in good form.

"It's a bit of a battle at the moment and I just have to hope I get through it."

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Delhi High Court comes down hard on sports ministry

Published>Fri, May 21 10 09:27 PM

New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) The Delhi High Court rapped the sports ministry Friday while reinstating the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) two years after its supersession by the Indian Olympic Association. The government should play the role of an 'effective regulator' and the sports bodies should have a 'degree of autonomy' to function, the court observed.

Though Indian Olympic Association itself came in for criticism for 'illegally' disaffiliating the IHF in April 2008, the court's observations on the role of the ministry might have come as music to the ears of the Olympic associstion which has been waging a battle for autonomy for itself and the sports federations.

'Sports bodies have to have a degree of autonomy with the government playing the role of an effective regulator. They must be allowed to function in a democratic manner with persons really interested in developing the game participating in its affairs,' Justice S. Muralidhar observed while delivering the judgment.

IOA and national sports federations (NSFs) are on the warpath, opposing the ministry's efforts to fix the tenure and age limit of the their office-bearers.

The ministry Friday reserved its comments on the court order. A ministry official told IANS that Sports Minister M.S. Gill would comment only after going through the full judgment.

'He would not comment until he goes through the full court order,' a ministry spokesperson said when asked to react to the court observation that the government's role should be that of an 'effective regulator'.

After disaffiliating the IHF, headed by Kanwar Pal Singh Gill, the IOA appointed a new body Hockey India (HI) with blessings of both the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and the ministry.

The international body even made the formation of an elected HI as a precondition for India hosting the World Cup in Feb-March, but relented and gave time to hold the election after the event.

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Gill vows to fight back after High Court quashes IOC order

Published>Fri, May 21 10 09:07 PM

New Delhi, May 21 (ANI): Deposed president of Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), K.P.S. Gill today vowed to fight back after the Delhi High Court quashed the Indian Olympic Association (IOC) order disbanding the IHF in 2008.

The judgment is in the interest of Indian hockey and that the IHF will soon be back in action, Gill said.

"We stand vindicated by the order. We are already having the nationals and soon we will call the AGM of the IHF and take necessary steps to revive the game in the country," Gill said.

The Indian Olympic Association dissolved IHF over allegation of mismanagement of funds involving the then IHF secretary K Jyothikumaran.

Hockey India was formed after the merger of men and women associations and an ad-hoc committee was formed to run the hockey affairs. (ANI)

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Akmal gets Waqar''s backing

Published Fri, May 21 10 08:51 PM

Melbourne, May 21 (PTI) Kamran Akmal, who is facing allegations of match-fixing during Pakistan''s recent tour of Australia, got backing from his coach Waqar Younis who said he would consider the wicket-keeper for selection until the charges are proved. Intikhab Alam and Aaqib Javed, Pakistan''s coaches on the Australian tour, expressed suspicions over performance of Akmal who had dropped four catches and missed an easy run out chance in the Sydney Test. Video recordings of the proceedings of the inquiry committee that was formed by the Board in March to probe into the team''s poor performance show Intikhab and Aaqib saying they have suspicions over the performance of Akmal and all-rounder Rana Naved and have heard things about them in relation to match fixing. "If you don''t have any proof, you should just keep quiet," said Waqar who replaced Intikhab as head coach. "I won''t have a problem selecting Kamran, I think he was one of our better performers in the World Twenty20. There are some very ugly agendas and people trying to benefit here," he was quoted as saying by ''The Age''.

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INTERVIEW - Spain not taking Triesman allegations seriously

Published>Fri, May 21 10 08:47 PM

Spain had not taken seriously allegations of a Russian-Spanish match-fixing plot at the World Cup, said secretary of state for sport Jaime Lissavetzky.

"I read about it and I simply had to smile," Lissavetzky told Reuters in an interview on Friday.

"How could anyone in their right mind think that Spain, a democratic country, could do such things?" he added. "We didn't attach much importance to it."

Lissavetzky was reacting to allegations made by David Triesman, former chairman of the English Football Association and head of England's bid for the 2018 World Cup.

Triesman quit this week after the secretly recorded comments were made public in Britain's Mail on Sunday newspaper.

He was quoted as saying rival bidders Spain and Russia were conspiring to bribe referees at next month's World Cup in South Africa and FIFA have said they are working with Interpol to see if there was any substance to the allegations.

"Everyone has the right to make a mistake," Lissavetzky, who is half Ukrainian, told Reuters.

"I know that he (Triesman) sent a letter to the Spanish and Portuguese federations apologising," he added. "Nothing more needs to be said."

Spain and Portugal have applied jointly for the right to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022 and Lissavetzky said in the wake of the Triesman allegations it was important to ensure there was "fair play" in the bidding process.

"The only thing I would ask is for fair play," he said. "We, of course, show respect to the other bids. We have always played fair here in Spain."

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Sharat Kamal to lead Indian challenge in World TT

Published Fri, May 21 10 08:27 PM

New Delhi, May 21 (PTI) Olympian Achanta Sharat Kamal will spearhead Indian men''s challenge at the Liebherr World Table Tennis Championships to be held in Moscow from Sunday. The other members of the men''s team include Soumyadeep Roy, Subhajit Saha and Arputharaj Amalraj Anthony. The women''s team will be led by experienced Mouma Das while the other members include Poulomi Ghatak, Shamini Kumaresan, Madhurika Patkar and Divya Deshpande. The men''s team is placed in Group E along with Belgium, Argentina, Israel, Canada and Bosnia while the women paddlers find themselves in Group H where they will take on Malaysia, Israel, Denmark, Turkey and Portugal. The entire Indian contingent will leave for Moscow tonight from Zhengding, China, where they were training and competing with the best of Chinese players.

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Twenty20 format popularising cricket: Irfan

Published Fri, May 21 10 08:23 PM

Chandigarh, May 21 (PTI) Former India pacer Irfan Pathan today said the Twenty20 format has helped in increasing popularity of cricket as the fans have embraced it wholeheartedly. "T20 format of game has given 200 per cent popularity to cricket. The change for good is always accepted by the people and they have welcome it to the fullest," Pathan said on the sidelines of selection of players for Ambuja Parivar League (APL) here. He said media criticism of players was welcome if it did not cross the limit. "It (media criticism) always helps in improvement. However, there should be certain limit to criticism," he said. Pathan said APL will raise the spirit of sportsmanship among its members. Pathan selected 15 players each of Chandigarh Challengers and Bathinda Warriors teams. He will also select players for other teams in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar. The APL is a cricket tournament organised by Ambuja Cement to spot talent among its dealer network.

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