UCI chief not taking blame

Cycling: World cycling chief Hein Verbruggen said yesterday that the International Cycling Union (UCI) could not be held responsible if a rider took banned drugs.

"I don't feel responsible or guilty if a rider is on dope or if a masseur gives doping products," he told the Festina doping trial in Lille.

Verbruggen, who asked to be heard under oath, admitted mistakes might have been made by the UCI but he insisted no doping case had been covered up during his presidency.

"There might be a doping culture in cycling but there also is an anti-doping culture. We have done everything we could for a long time to fight that plague."

Judge Daniel Delegove argued that the world cycling body had spent less than one percent of their budget on the fight against doping.

The UCI spent 1.8 million francs, the court was told, compared to a global budget of 250 millions francs (£30 million).

Verbruggen said: "We took our responsiblities. We invested money against doping but we're not a rich federation."

Skiing: Italian nordic skier Manuela Di Centa said yesterday she would not resign from her post as an athletes representative at both the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The skier's remarks, made at a top-level meeting of Italian sports bodies, come after Ferrara magistrate Pierguido Soprani named Di Centa as one of more than 60 alleged clients of Professor Francesco Conconi, whom Soprani is seeking leave to prosecute for doping-related offences.

Former Olympic champion Di Centa said: "My relationship with Conconi is purely as an acquaintance as I have already explained. I have nothing to hide. Knowing Conconi is no reason to have to leave your job."

Rugby: England's leading clubs last night insisted they had no plans for a mass breakaway in the aftermath of Rob Andrew's resignation over the failure of the Rugby Football Union to implement his plan for the professional game's future. But Gloucester chairman Tom Walkinshaw made it equally clear they intend to stand firm over the divisive issue of automatic promotion and relegation.

The Premiership clubs originally agreed to a two-year moratorium on promotion and relegation after which there would be a play-off between the bottom team in the Premiership and top team in the second division.

That has since been improved to offer a play-off at the end of this season, but the second division clubs want an automatic system of two up, two down and the row threatens to rumble on with the Premiership clubs also standing firm.

Golf: Wales yesterday stepped up their bid for the 2009 Ryder Cup by detailing what First Minister Rhodri Morgan described as "a visionary plan that will transform the golfing landscape" across the country.

While Colin Montgomerie continued to promote Scotland's campaign - they have five courses in the running - and Prime Minister Tony Blair gave his backing to Slaley Hall in Northumberland, the spin-offs from taking the event to Welsh soil for the first time were spelt out.

The lavish Celtic Manor near Newport wants the match and the National Assembly for Wales has set up a bid committee under the chairmanship of former England cricket captain Tony Lewis.