Drugs case takes a twist

SPORTS/Digest: The curious case of Raimondas Rumsas's mother-in-law took a further twist yesterday with the publication of a list of 37 drugs found by customs men in the boot of the car driven by the cyclist's wife, Edita, on the day her husband finished third in this year's Tour de France, writes William Fotheringham.

The drugs were, according to Edita Rumsas, destined for her sick mother. But the list of substances leaked by French legal sources to the daily newspaper L'Equipe includes two different varieties of the male hormone testosterone and a cortisone product widely used in cycling over the last 20 years, Delayed Action Kenacort, plus insulin and two different types of growth hormone.

There is a further twist which will intrigue the French and Italian investigators, who joined forces yesterday to interview Rumsas at his home in Tuscany for the first time since his wife's arrest. Three of the substances found in Edita Rumsas's possession were also found by investigators looking into possible drug use by the Juventus soccer team: the cortisone products Bentelan and Voltaren, and a mysterious drug named TAD600, apparently used to flush toxins out of the liver.

Rumsas has maintained since his wife's arrest that the drugs found in her car are nothing to do with him. He was tested several times during the Tour de France and came up negative each time. The only anomaly to attract the interest of drug testers was a rise in his blood thickness level - haematocrit - during the race when, according to the laws of physiology, it should have diminished.

The only item in the car which has been directly linked to the Lithuanian cyclist is an envelope bearing his name which contained six syringes ready for use. They contained a colourless liquid which is still being analysed, as are several foil packages of powders and pills with no name on them.

Guardian Service

RUGBY: ERC Ltd and SANZAR, the governing bodies responsible for the management and development of the Heineken Cup and the Rugby Super 12 tournaments, have held further talks to discuss staging an annual challenge match between their two champions, reports Gerry Thornley.

However, due to pressure on players, the 2003 Rugby World Cup and the congestion in the international and domestic fixture lists, they agreed it is not yet possible to find a suitable date.

"We believe that in order for this event to establish itself on the global rugby calendar that it must start on a sound footing," said Derek McGrath, chief executive of ERC. "For this reason both sides concluded that the time is not right at present."

Rian Oberholzer of SANZAR added: "Although we have been unable to find a suitable date for this match in the short term, like ERC we are fully committed to the development of this prestige event."