Creatine: THE Irish Sport Council (ISC) has issued a recommendation against using the food supplement creatine, which has become a popular energy source for many part-time and full-time athletes.
The advice follows evidence of short-term side effects, including gastrointestinal dysfunction and accelerated dehydration.
"Creatine may have the potential for long-term effects, which can only be clarified through extensive research," said Dr Conor O'Brien of the Irish anti-doping committee
John Treacy, chief executive of the ISC, has argued that "supplementation outside a normal balanced diet is not required to excel at sport and may promote the wrong ethos of fair sport."
- Snooker: Dubliner Michael Judge took Stephen Hendry to the wire in the Thailand Masters last night, before going down 5-4 to the seven-times world champion.
Hendry's fellow Scot John Higgins also qualified for a quarter-final spot in Bangkok.
Judge's nine-match winning sequence looked set to reach double figures when he led 2-1, 3-2 and 4-3, but he could not quite apply the finishing touch when presented with a gilt-edged opportunity in frame eight.
With the balls well spread, Judge misjudged a positional shot. He then missed a tricky black using the rest and Hendry pounced with a 52 clearance - his highest break of the contest.
Judge could also have taken the decider but he jawed a red from distance and a grateful Hendry stepped in with a 40 break to set up a meeting with Adrian Gunnell or Matthew Stevens.
- Cycling: The Women's TQ Paper two-day international scheduled for April 7th and 8th has been postponed due to the foot-and-mouth crisis.
The annual event is the highlight of the women's calendar in Ireland, attracting cyclists from the UK and the Netherlands.
Organisers hope to stage the event later this year, most likely in September.
Cricket: Venkatsai Laxman smashed Sunil Gavaskar's record for the highest individual Test score by an Indian as the hosts turned the tables on Australia in stunning fashion on the fourth day of the second Test in Calcutta.
The 26-year-old struck an unbeaten 275 as he shared a record unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 357 with Rahul Dravid, who himself made 155 not out.
India put the tourists to the sword, compiling 589 for four by the close after following on 274 runs behind.
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