Baumann sample fails second test

Athletics: A second sample taken from Germany's former Olympic champion Dieter Baumann has tested positive for nandrolone.

The result was announced in Berlin by the German Athletic Federation.

Baumann, who won gold in the 5,000 metres at Barcelona in 1992, is serving an indefinite ban after the first sample of a urine test taken at a training session in October showed traces of the banned steroid - 10 times over the permitted level.

This latest result concerns the first of two B samples - the second is due to be made public tomorrow.

Tennis: Boris Becker has resigned as coach to Germany's Davis Cup squad, the German tennis federation (DTB) announced yesterday. Becker had been Davis Cup coach since October 1997 but his period in charge had been marked by quarrels and now the path is open for Nicolas Kiefer, ranked one in Germany and sixth in the world, to return to the team. The two men had a much publicised feud.

The reasons for the dispute between Becker and Kiefer are still not known.

The team's current captain Carl Uwe Steeb will take over Becker's coaching duties while the three-time Wimbledon champion will take a diplomatic role with the DTB, liasing with the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the men's ATP tour.