A roundup of today's other news in brief
Boevski arrested in Brazil
WEIGHTLIFTING: Olympic champion Galabin Boevski was arrested at Sao Paulo's international airport after trying to board a plane bound for Spain with nine kg of cocaine, Bulgaria's foreign ministry said yesterday.
Boevski, who won gold at the Sydney Games in 2000, was stopped by Brazilian anti-drugs officers on Monday and the cocaine was found in his luggage. He faces up to 15 years in jail.
Boevski was banned for eight years for doping by the International Weightlifting Federation in 2004 after tampering with his urine sample at the 2003 world championships.
It was the second time he had committed a doping office since 1995. The Bulgarian, 37 in December, also won gold at the world championships in 1999 and 2001, and at the European championships in 1999, 2002 and 2003.
Stirling signs new contract
CRICKET:Ireland batsman Paul Stirling has signed a new three-year contract at Middlesex on the back of a ringing endorsement of his talents from former England bowler Angus Fraser, writes Emmet Riordan.
Fraser is now the managing director of cricket at Lord’s and believes that 21-year-old Stirling matches up to the very best young in the game. “Paul is, without doubt, one of the most exciting young batsmen around. I have seen very few batsmen strike the ball as cleanly or hit the ball as far as Paul does,” said Fraser. “Last season he played half a dozen shots that I will never forget.
“Along with being brutal they were technically and aesthetically beautiful. He has the ability to take apart any bowling attack, and there are very few players capable of doing that,” he added. In his first full season at Middlesex this summer, Stirling had an outstanding CB40 campaign, scoring 535 runs at an average of 53.5 with a strike-rate of 128. He also scored four centuries for Ireland this year.
Walsh to ride at Wetherby today
RACING:Ruby Walsh makes his first return to race-riding in Britain since being suspended under the new whip rules at Aintree when he heads to Wetherby for one mount today.
Walsh was suspended for five days by the Aintree stewards on Saturday having been deemed to have hit his mount, Edgardo Sol, once more than the permitted eight times after guiding him to a narrow victory in a novices’ handicap chase.
A furious Walsh indicated in the aftermath that his visits to England would become less frequent due to the stringent rules, and is due to have an appeal against the findings of the Aintree stewards heard next week.
But he will be back in the saddle in England when partnering Fistral Beach for Paul Nicholls in Wetherby’s bet365 Handicap Chase.
NBA may resume after talks
BASKETBALL:There is renewed optimism the NBA season could soon resume after players and owners spent more than 10 hours locked in discussions on Wednesday about reaching a labour agreement.
Talks had broken off last week with little sign of progress towards ending a lockout that has been in place since July 1st and forced the cancellation of the pre-season and first two weeks of regular season games.
Commissioner David Stern rejoined the discussions, after he had missed the last meeting with the flu. Last week’s meeting ended when it was reported the owners demanded a 50-50 split of revenues. The players had lowered their demands from 57 to 52.5 per cent.
It was anticipated that Stern would announce further cancellations this week. His failure to yet do so could be seen as a positive sign though it is unclear whether an 82-game season could still be salvaged.
Britain’s Shone fractures spine
BOBSLEIGH:British bobsleigher Serita Shone is reported to have suffered a fractured spine in a training crash in Germany.
British Bobsleigh performance director Gary Anderson told the BBC that Shone had undergone surgery following the crash.
Her team-mate, Fiona Harrison, is said to have suffered a head injury and remains under observation. Mr Anderson said: “I can confirm they were injured during a training run for the British Championships.
The pair were training in Winterburg, where the British Bobsleigh Championships are taking place this week.
Shone (22) joined the bobsleigh team last month after switching from athletics where she had competed as a heptathlete. Harrison (29) is also a former heptathlete who has competed in bobsleigh for two years.
Kvitova and Azarenka cruise into last four
TENNIS: Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and Victoria Azarenka roared into the semi-finals of the WTA Championships with impressive victories as world number one Caroline Wozniacki’s tournament looked in danger of a premature end yesterday.
Czech Kvitova cruised past a weary Wozniacki 6-4 6-2 to qualify from the Red Group with a match to spare after Azarenka trounced China’s Li Na 6-2 6-2 to guarantee a top-two place in the White Group.
Wozniacki, who will end the year on top of the rankings for a second consecutive season, needed to have her blood pressure checked at the end of the first set as the effects of two long three-setters in two days seemed to catch up with her.
The Dane, who posted just one win in her round-robin matches, looked ready for a holiday by the end although should Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska beat Vera Zvonareva later, but drop a set in the process, Wozniacki would have to delay her flight home until at least after the final round-robin matches today.
