Cycling: US Postal, the team of double Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, faces a judicial investigation into alleged doping, French judicial sources revealed yesterday. The Paris prosecutor has opened an investigation for "infraction of the law on the prevention of the use of doping products, inciting the use of doping products and breaking of legislation regarding toxic substances."

The inquiry comes following an anonymous tip-off which led to the opening on October 18th of a preliminary inquiry. Following a month of investigations, those working on the case believe there is enough evidence to proceed with a full-blown investigation which will be headed up by Parisian judge Sophie-Helene Chateau.

French satirical daily Le Canard Enchaine reported two weeks ago that judiciary were investigating allegations that the team had used products containing calves' blood, products whose effects are similar to those of EPO.

EPO increases the blood's ability to store oxygen and therefore fight fatigue and several sports stars, including cyclists, have been caught using it.

US Postal insists that the team has an attitude of "zero tolerance" towards doping and Armstrong has always strenuously denied taking any banned substances.

Cricket: Former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin, who federal investigators said confessed to match fixing, yesterday denied the charge and claimed he was innocent.

In his first interview since the release of the match-fixing report by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on November 1st, Azharuddin told an Indian website he was confident his name will be cleared.