McQuaid asks Spanish to help

Sports Digest:World cycling's governing body, the UCI, has complained to the Spanish government the lack of information about the Operation Puerto doping inquest is threatening to destroy the sport.

In a letter to Spain's sports minister, UCI president Pat McQuaid said the organisation was exasperated by the refusal to allow information from the case to be used as the basis for disciplinary action.

"Although I am aware that you are only interested in the criminal aspects . . . I urge you to intervene because of the damage this is causing to our sport," said McQuaid in an extract published in El Mundo Deportivo.

Operation Puerto came to light after the Civil Guard raided addresses in Madrid and Zaragoza earlier this year and found drugs, syringes and frozen bags of blood.

Yousuf gives mentors credit

CRICKET:Pakistan's record-breaking batsman Mohammad Yousuf has given credit to former leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed and his coach Bob Woolmer for the golden form that has fetched him a record nine centuries and 1,788 runs in 2006.

Yousuf broke several records yesterday on the fourth day of the final Test against the West Indies with his second century of the match, told reporters his former team-mate Mushtaq had made him practise on cement.

"I have worked very hard and changed my practice style," he said. "Mushtaq was with our team as assistant coach and he made me practise a lot on slab and it improved my game a lot."

Yousuf said of Woolmer: "He has helped me improve my balance and set it right, which is so important for any batsman."

Maradona takes in Davis final

TENNIS:Former soccer World Cup-winning captain Diego Maradona will attend the Davis Cup final between Russia and Argentina, an Argentine embassy source in Moscow said yesterday.

"Yes, Maradona is coming," the source said. "He boarded the plane in Buenos Aires on Wednesday and we should expect him in Moscow later this afternoon."

Argentina, chasing their first Davis Cup title, take on 2002 champions Russia in the three-day final, starting today, at Moscow's Olympic arena.

Maradona has become a big tennis fan and attended several of Argentina's Davis Cup ties. His last visit to Russia was in 1990 when his club team Napoli lost to Spartak Moscow 5-3 on penalties in the European Cup second-round clash.