Sports digest

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

O'Sullivan out of top 16 for first time after delayed season start

SNOOKER:The newly-released world rankings show world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan has fallen out of the top 16 for the first time.

O’Sullivan, now 36, joined the game’s elite 19 years ago but, despite winning a fourth world crown in May, is now out of the leading group.

That comes as a result of his self-imposed delayed start to the season, with his stalling over signing a player’s contract meaning he missed the Shanghai Masters, the Australian Open and the Wuxi Classic.

His participation in ranking events remains, though, as he is automatically seeded second as a result of his Crucible win. He plays at the International Championship in China next month.

Mark Selby is ranked first, Judd Trump second and John Higgins is up from fifth to third.

Athletics Australia probe racism claim

ATHLETICS:Athletics Australia will probe a complaint of racism within the governing body made by local athlete John Steffensen in the leadup to the London Olympics.

Steffensen, who won a 4x400 metres relay silver at the 2004 Athens Games, said he had been a victim of racism and threatened to pull out of London after being overlooked for selection in the individual event in favour of teenager Steve Solomon.

Steffensen was later given a reserve spot for the individual 400, but Solomon competed in the event at London where he finished eighth after qualifying for the final.

Days before the Games opening ceremony, Steffensen told Australian media he had been racially vilified by an AA official when he competed at the 2008 Beijing Games.

An independent legal adviser would be appointed by AA to look into Steffensen’s allegations, local media reported.

The 30-year-old athlete, who has South African heritage but was born in Australia, previously boycotted the 2010 Commonwealth Games, alleging mismanagement at the governing body.

O'Briain biggest Irish mover in qualifying

GOLF:Royal Dublin's Neil O'Briain was the big Irish mover at European Tour qualifying in France yesterday with a second-round 68 rocketing him up the leaderboard.

The 25-year-old started the day tied for 44th place following an opening 75 but two halves of 34, including one dropped shot and four birdies, means he goes into round three one stroke off the final qualifying position.

All four Irishmen competing in the latest first qualifying stage event at Golf d’Hardelot, just down the coast from Calais, are well-placed ahead of the cut which comes at the end of today’s play.

Limerick’s Tim Rice’s level-par 71 helped him move up to joint third place, four shots off new leader James Ruebotham of England, who fired a superb 66.

Cian McNamara recorded a 72 to slip to joint 10th and with only five shots separating the top 17, the make-up of the qualifiers – the best 19 plus ties – will be a real dog-fight.

Mallow-based Michael Collins is sitting on level-par following a round of 70 yesterday, a shot adrift of McNamara and a stroke in front of O’Briain, who is tied for 21st.

Way cleared for Mayweather and Pacquiao to get it on

BOXING:A possible match-up between two of the top fighters in the world has moved a step closer, after Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jnr settled their long-running legal battle.

The fighters have been at loggerheads after the Mayweather camp accused the Filipino of using performance-enhancing substances. Pacquiao filed for damages in 2009 and the pair have traded verbal blows ever since, scuppering any hopes of them meeting in the ring.

However, the lawsuit has now been settled on confidential terms and a public apology issued, clearing the way for the pair to final meet.

A lawyer for the Mayweather’s said in a statement: “We wish to make it clear that they never intended to claim that Manny Pacquiao has used or is using any performance-enhancing drugs, nor are they aware of any evidence that he has used performance-enhancing drugs.”

“Manny Pacquiao is a great champion, and no one should construe any of our prior remarks as claiming that he has used performance enhancing drugs.”