Boxing: One of the top officials in the International Amateur Boxing Association, Gafur Rakimov, could be prevented from coming to Belfast this summer for the world amateur championships, writes Johnny Watterson. Rakimov is reported to have close connections with organised crime in Asia and was denied entry to Australia for last year's Olympic Games.
A British MP, Derk Wyatt, has asked Home Secretary Jack Straw to ban Gafur, a senior Olympic official, from the Belfast event in June.
Hockey: In a rearranged programme for the Gold Cup tournament in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Ireland's opening match will be against China on March 12th. This will be the first time the two countries have met.
Ireland play Malaysia the following day, and their other games in Pool B are against Pakistan (the tournament favourites) and Egypt on successive afternoons, March 15th and 16th.
Cycling: Former national champion Tommy Evans yesterday placed 18th on the opening stage of the Giro Della Riviera Ligure Di Ponente in Italy. The Team Ireland cyclist, who is competing in the world ranked event with his VC La Pomme team, crossed the line in a large group which finished in the same time as winner Alberto Loddo of the Vellutex squad.
