Sports digest

Today's other sports stories in brief

F1 Grand Prix date switched

MOTOR SPORT:Formula Ones governing body approved a proposal to switch the date of next years Monaco Grand Prix to May 16th yesterday but left a question mark over the Canadian and British races.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement that the showcase Monaco race had been moved forward a week after agreement by the World Motor Sport Council meeting in Paris.

It added that it had also approved in principle a request to swap the dates of the Brazilian and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, pending agreement with the promoters.

That would make Brazil the season-ending race next year rather than Abu Dhabi, which makes its debut on the calendar next week in this seasons finale as the sports first day to night race.

Monaco was moved forward after teams said the later date posed too much of a logistical headache with Turkey scheduled the following weekend.

Glover runs away with Grand Slam

GOLF: US Open champion Lucas Glover coasted to a five-shot victory at the end-of-season PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda yesterday after firing a five-under-par 66.

Two strokes ahead overnight in the elite 36-hole event which brings together the winners of the years four majors, Glover posted an 11-under total of 131 at Port Royal GC.

Although briefly caught by fellow American Stewart Cink after reaching the turn in two-under 34, Glover regained control with four birdies in the next eight holes. British Open champion Cink faded to a closing 70 leaving him third at five-under. Masters winner Angel Cabrera, helped by an eagle at the par-five seventh, signed off with a 66 to finish second at six under.

British Darts not for sale

DARTS:Barry Hearn's bid to buy the British Darts Organisation has been dismissed as a "cheap publicity stunt". Hearn, chairman of the rival Professional Darts Corporation, sent an open letter to the BDO board outlining plans to bring the whole sport under his control. But BDO founder Olly Croft insists it is not for sale. "This is nothing more than a cheap publicity stunt and has nothing to do with unifying the sport."

Champion Davydenko crashes out

TENNIS: Marat Safin opened his final Kremlin Cup campaign by ousting defending champion Nikolay Davydenko in the first round in Moscow yesterday.

Safin was runner-up in last year’s final, and yesterday he came from a set down to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 and end Davydenko’s bid for a fourth title in the Russian capital.

Safin, 29, who retires at the end of the season, produced 10 aces and a better all-round game against his 28-year-old opponent to win in a little under two hours.

In the women’s draw, there was a shock as third seed Agnieszka Radwanska crashed out to Russian Maria Kirilenko. The Pole had little success on her serve with Kirilenko claiming a 6-3 6-3 win against an opponent ranked more than 50 places above her.

New code of conduct for Pakistan

CRICKET: The Pakistan Cricket Board is drawing up a new code of conduct to stop players on central contracts speaking to the media without approval, PCB chairman Ejaz Butt said yesterday.

He said the revised code is aimed at curbing controversies and players would have to sign it before the next one-day series against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi and Dubai from November 3rd.

“We have a code of conduct in the existing contracts but it has loopholes and is not spelt out clearly. The new code will be stricter and carry more penalties,” he said.

He said only the captain, coach and manager would now be allowed to speak to the media without first seeking approval.

Any player wanting to give an interview or statement or make a television appearance would have to ask for prior clearance from the PCB and give details of what he intended to say.

Italian cyclist Moreni to pay UCI one-year salary fine

CYCLING: Italian Cristian Moreni is to pay the International Cycling Union a year's salary for failing an anti-doping test, the UCI said yesterday. Moreni was handed a two-year ban from the sport after testing positive for testosterone during the 2007 Tour de France.

In June that year, the UCI said a rider testing positive would be suspended at least two years and would have to pay a year’s salary, with the fine being used to fund the governing body’s anti-doping programme.

“Cristian Moreni came up to our headquarters last week to find an agreement with us to pay his one-year salary fine,” said UCI president Pat McQuaid.

“He wants to get back to racing and wants to tell his future team he is paying the fine.”

Other riders who tested positive during the 2007 Tour have yet to pay up, McQuaid added.