McWilliams on team

Sports Digest: MOTOGPVeteran Jeremy McWilliams is to return to MotoGP next season after being named as one of new team Ilmor's two riders.

The Northern Irishman, still recovering from injuries suffered during an Ilmor test in Spain, will join Australian Andrew Pitt on the team next season.

Mario Illien, owner of the Northampton-based team, has backed McWilliams who suffered a fractured left femur during the crash in Spain last month and former World Superbike rider Pitt to spearhead the new team's challenge.

Both riders were at the team's engineering facility in Northampton yesterday to discuss plans for the 2007 season after putting the Ilmor through its paces in Jerez last month.

Muller goes for mix of youth and experience 

WOMEN'S HOCKEY:Gene Muller has named five uncapped players in his first Irish squad for next month's trip to South Africa, where Ireland will play the hosts and Canada in six matches over eight days, writes Mary Hannigan.

Included in the group of 22 is Randalstown's Shirley McKay, who was selected after an open trial. The other newcomers are UCD's Roisín Flinn, Armagh's under-18 Ulster player Rachel Mulligan, Old Alexandra goalkeeper Shauna Frey and UCC's Áine Connery, sister of established international Fiona.

In all, there are 11 survivors from April's World Cup Qualifier in Rome.

"I was really surprised to see how the younger players progressed over the course of last weekend's camp," he said. "Many of our future elite players performed at a level that suggests that they will be ready for senior hockey soon. This is a fortunate position for Irish hockey.

"This tour represents the start of our competition preparation for the 2007 international season and this selection represents the best players at this time in my opinion, (but) there are many players who were not selected who have the potential to play for Ireland in the future."

IRISH SQUAD:E Stewart, R Mulligan (both Armagh), B McKeever (Ballymoney), C O'Brien, E Harte (both Chelmsford), E Cregan, J O'Halloran (both Cork Harlequins), N Symmons (Braunschweig), L Caulfield, F Connery (both Hermes), C McKean, L Healy (both Loreto), S Frey (Old Alexandra), A Speers, J Orbinson (both Pegasus), M Goode (Pembroke Wanderers), E Clarke, K Elkin, S McKay (all Randalstown), A Connery (UCC), L Jacob, R Flinn (both UCD).

Indian silver medallist fails gender test

ATHLETICS:An Indian silver medallist at the Doha Asian Games could be stripped of her medal after failing a gender test, an Indian sports official said in New Delhi. Santhi Soundarajan won silver in the women's 800 metres.

"She had to undergo a gender test and there were some problems with it," Dr Manmohan Singh, head of the medical panel of the Indian Olympic Association, said.

"They (the organisers) have informed the executive board of the Olympic Council of Asia. Doubts were raised during the dope test by an official, following which the test was carried out."

The test reports sent to the Indian Olympic Association say said the athlete "does not possess the sexual characteristics of a woman", it was reported.

The medical evaluation panel usually includes a gynaecologist, an endocrinologist, a psychologist, and an internal-medicine specialist.

IABA looking to hold world championships

BOXING:The Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) are looking to celebrate their centenary year by staging the 2011 World Senior Championships in Dublin.

IABA president Dominic O'Rourke said yesterday they had already sent a letter to world boxing chiefs, the AIBA, outlining their request to stage the championships at the National Stadium in 2011.

He said: "We have written to the AIBA with our request to host the 2011 world senior championships and will be making a more formal application to the AIBA early in the new year to stage the tournament."

If the IABA's bid to host the championships on its 100th birthday is successful then it could have a double significance.

This year the AIBA announced that next September's world championships in Moscow will act as one of the qualifiers for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Boxers reaching the quarter-finals in Russia will qualify for the Olympics with additional qualifying tournaments after Moscow.

If the IABA are successful in their bid to hold the 2011 world senior championships in Dublin then that tournament will act as one of the qualifiers for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Meanwhile, the IABA will stage the EU Championships at the Stadium next June. Season tickets for every tournament at the Stadium in 2007 can be bought for €100. Contact (01) 4020457 for ticket information.