Sports digest

Today's other stories in brief

Dakar still on tour

MOTOR SPORT:The Dakar Rally, held in Argentina and Chile in January, will return to South America next year, organisers said yesterday.

“Based on the success and popularity of the 2009 Dakar held for the first time in Argentina and

Chile, ASO. (Amaury Sports Organisation) and the two countries have decided together to renew the organisation of the rally in 2010 in South America,” said a statement.

The controversial race was moved away from West Africa due to terrorism fears in Mauritania

Wada defend new rules

DRUGS IN SPORT:Controversial anti-doping rules requiring athletes to state their location for an hour every day will need at least a year to "bed in", the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) said yesterday.

“We’re eight weeks into this and I don’t know of anyone who has missed a test yet,” Wada president John Fahey said of the rules that came into effect on January 1st. “Surely it is best to monitor it and if shortfalls emerge then we can look at it again next year.”

Under the new requirements, athletes have to inform their national anti-doping authorities of where they will be at a chosen hour between 6am and 11pm each day for a three-month period.  

Phelps to return 

SWIMMING:Multi-Olympic champion Michael Phelps will make his competitive return from a three-month ban in May at the Charlotte UltraSwim in the United States.

Phelps was suspended by governing body USA Swimming, who also withdrew financial support, following the publication of a picture apparently showing him using illegal drugs at a party at the University of South Carolina.

The ban was compounded when sponsor Kellogg announced they would not be renew their contract when it expires this month.

Tergat set for Great Ireland

ATHLETICS: Former world marathon record holder Paul Tergat is the biggest name yet to be announced for the Great Ireland Run in Dublin on Sunday April 5th.

Thirty-nine year-old Kenyan Tergat is acknowledged as one of the greatest distance runners of all-time having also won, during a glittering career, five successive world cross-country titles and two Olympic 10,000 metre silver medals.