Sports Digest

TENNIS/Haas 'wasnot poisoned':There is no evidence that Tommy Haas was poisoned in Germany's Davis Cup semi-final defeat by Russia in Moscow in September, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) has concluded.

The ITF started an investigation after Alexander Waske, a doubles player on the German team, said he had been told by an unnamed figure in Moscow that Haas had been poisoned during Russia's 3-2 win.

"Following inquiries, the ITF has concluded that there is no medical information or other evidence whatsoever to support recent speculation concerning the medical condition of Tommy Haas during Germany's Davis Cup semi-final tie against Russia," the ITF said yesterday.

"There will be no further comment on this subject."

Haas said himself this month that blood tests had revealed no evidence of poisoning.

Big setback for Curragh's €100m grandstand plans

RACING:The planned 2009 finish date for completion of the new €100 million Curragh grandstand was described last night as being "unrealistic" after an An Bord Pleanála decision on whether or not construction can go ahead at Irish racing's headquarters was postponed again, writes Brian O'Connor.

An appeal against the planned new grandstand will not now be heard until just before Christmas on December 21st while a decision on an appeal against the planned new parade ring and champagne ring will take place this Friday.

"We had hoped for a final decision on both appeals today but that hasn't happened.

"These delays are extremely frustrating," said a disappointed Curragh racecourse manager Paul Hensey yesterday.

"We will have to sit down with the professionals and work out a building programme but I would say at this stage the completion date of Derby day 2009 is unrealistic," he added.

"As things stand we are looking at having the existing facilities in place for the 2008 season with building beginning after September."

The Turf Club authorities have been anxiously waiting the green light to continue the most expensive ever facelift to an Irish racecourse since earlier this year when work on a vital ring road around the track was completed.

The project, which began with the Aga Khan's purchase of the Stand House Hotel behind the current grandstand, has been hit by regular delays which now look like extending the finish date for the project even further into the future.

Appeals have been with An Bord Pleanála since October of 2006.

Ohuruogu hopeful

ATHLETICS:Christine Ohuruogu emerged from a three-and-a-half-hour appeal hearing in London yesterday hopeful that her lifetime Olympic ban would be overturned.

The 23-year-old world 400 metres champion still has to wait for the decision of the three-man Sports Dispute Solutions Panel to discover if her plea has been successful. She declared herself "happy" with the way the proceedings had gone.

"I am not expecting a result today but I'm quite hopeful," said Ohuruogu, banned from the Olympics for life by the British Olympic Association after missing three out-of-competition drug tests between October 2005 and July 2006. She returned from a one-year suspension from all competition, imposed by UK Athletics, to strike gold at this year's World Championships in Osaka less than a month after completing the ban.