Today's other stories in brief
Australia in command
CRICKET:Australia are in a commanding position after day one of the third Test against the West Indies at the Waca, with Mike Hussey poised to become the first Aussie centurion for the series after Simon Katich and Shane Watson went desperately close.
The Australians finished on 339 for three, but Katich will be rueing a rash shot on 99 that led to his downfall, while Watson looked to be charging towards his maiden Test ton before being beaten for pace by Kemar Roach on 89.
Hussey produced a 81 having come in midway through the second session when captain Ricky Ponting was forced to retire after being hit above the elbow by a Roach screamer. Ponting was struck on the left arm by the second ball he faced after Roach beat Watson’s forward defence, earning an edge to the keeper after the Australian opener took all before him in the first session.
Gasquet to learn of fate today
TENNIS:Richard Gasquet will discover this afternoon whether he must serve an extended doping suspension, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport set to reveal their decision.
The 23-year-old Frenchman failed a test for cocaine in March and served a two-and-a-half-month ban.
He was then cleared in July after the International Tennis Federation’s disciplinary panel accepted his explanation that the drug got into his system after he kissed a woman at a nightclub.
However, the ITF, along with the World Anti-Doping Agency, appealed against the decision of their own panel and are seeking a ban of up to two years.
Gasquet attended a CAS hearing in Switzerland last month and a verdict has now been reached.
Gasquet, who is known for his elegant game, achieved a career-high ranking of number seven in 2007 after reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals.
However, he is now outside the top 50.
Woods's agent denies 'illegality' in treatment
GOLF:Tiger Woods's agent has categorically denied there was "illegality" involved in the world number one golfer's treatment by Dr Anthony Galea, who was yesterday charged with selling an unapproved drug.
Galea, an Ontario-based sports doctor who has worked with athletes in Olympic sports, the NHL, NFL and MLB, earlier this year treated Woods in his recovery from a knee injury but is now the subject of a joint Canada and US investigation and will appear in a Toronto court tomorrow.
The New York Times reported Woods’s International Management Group were unhappy with the slow pace of recovery – a claim strenuously denied – as he underwent platelet-rich plasma therapy to accelerate the process.
A statement from agent Mark Steinberg read: “The New York Times is flat wrong, no-one at IMG has ever met or recommended Dr Galea, nor were we worried about the progress of Tiger’s recovery, as the [New York] Times falsely reported.
“The treatment Tiger received is a widely accepted therapy and to suggest some connection with illegality is recklessly irresponsible.”
Galea will appear in court tomorrow on four charges: selling an unapproved drug (Actovegin, an extract of calf blood which activates metabolism in body tissue); conspiracy to import an
unapproved drug; conspiracy to export a drug; and smuggling goods into Canada.
Bradley resists Connacht changes
RUGBY:Connacht coach Michael Bradley has resisted the temptation to bring fit-again players back into Challenge Cup action this week against Worcester.
Johnny O’Connor and promising lock Andrew Browne have recovered from injury while experienced centre Keith Matthews has almost regained full fitness.
But Bradley, with two exceptions, is sticking with the squad which defeated Worcester 26-21 for Friday night’s crucial tie against the English side.
Adrian Flavin, who was ill last week, makes a return while Kieram Campbell takes over from scrumhalf Conor O’Loughlin (calf).
Connacht squad (v Worcester): L Bibo, F Carr, S Cronin, G Duffy, A Flavin, J Hagan, I Keatley, R Loughney, M McCarthy, M McComish, R Morris, F Murphy, J Muldoon, T Nathan, G Naoupu, M Nikora, R Ofisa, K Campbell, M Swift, N Ta’auso, B Upton, B Wilkinson, A Wynne.
Harlequins appoint O'Shea
RUGBY: Conor O'Shea has seen off a star-studded field to become the new director of rugby at Harlequins.
The former Ireland international (39) will begin his new job in March, heading up Harlequins existing coaching staff of John Kingston, Colin Osborne and Tony Diprose.
Head coach Kingston recently agreed a new contract, but Diprose was thought to be among the rugby director contenders alongside candidates like British and Irish Lions chief Ian McGeechan and ex-Scotland supremo Frank Hadden.
Harlequins though, have turned to one-time London Irish rugby director and player O’Shea, who won 35 Test caps between 1993 and 2000. O’Shea, currently national director at the English Institute of Sport (EIS), will fill the vacancy created by Dean Richards’s resignation earlier this year.
Former England number eight Richards quit following his role in the “Bloodgate” scandal which subsequently saw him land a three-year worldwide coaching ban.
