Olympics: Ten more athletes, mostly weightlifters and wrestlers, have been stripped of the medals they won at the 2008 Beijing Olympics after failing doping tests in re-testing of samples, the IOC said yesterday. They were among a total of 16 athletes named in the latest batch of disqualifications from the Games. The athletes named included three silver medallists – Khasan Baroev (Russia) in the men’s 96-120 kilo Greco-Roman wrestling, Vitaliy Rahimov (Azerbaijan) in the men’s 55-60 kilo Greco-Roman wrestling and Irina Nekrassova (Kazakhstan) in the women’s 63 kilo weightlifting.
Basket, NBA: The decision to rest LeBron James backfired as Cleveland Cavaliers lost 103-93 to Indiana Pacers, yesterday. James has averaged 23.4 points per game for the reigning NBA champions, but was rested for the trip to Indianapolis after scoring 28 points against Toronto Raptors on Tuesday. However, Cleveland struggled without their star player, falling 11 points behind in the first quarter and rarely threatening to get back on terms as they were beaten for only the second time in the NBA this season.
Martial Arts: Fresh off his latest triumph, UFC champion Conor McGregor continues to call out boxing champion Floyd Mayweather and attempt to lure him into a bout. McGregor called Mayweather “afraid” and demanded $100 million for a showdown between the two during an appearance in a New York nightclub this week. “As far as real fighting – true, pure unarmed combat – Floyd don’t want none of this,” McGregor said. “I want the $100 million cash to fight him in boxing rules because he’s afraid of a real fight.”
Rugby Union: Reeling South Africa received a selection boost yesterday after experienced winger Bryan Habana was named by coach Allister Coetzee to face Italy in Florence tomorrow. The return of Habana in place of JP Pieter-sen is one of two changes to the starting line-up from the side that lost 37-21 to England last weekend, a sixth defeat in 10 tests for the Springboks in 2016. The other sees Nizaam Carr make a first start for the side at flanker as South African Rugby Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit moves to the second row in place of Eben Etzebeth who has concussion.
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Golf: Rory McIlroy (picture, right) struggled to a 75 and the other contenders to top the European money-list also made slow starts in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship first round in Dubai yesterday. Experienced Briton Lee Westwood led the field with an opening 66 but British Open champion Henrik Stenson, who leads the money-list, shot level-par 72 and his Swedish compatriot Alex Noren and Britain’s US Masters winner Danny Willett had rounds of 71. World number two McIlroy, fourth on the money list, needs victory in Dubai to win the race with Stenson finishing outside the top 45, Willett failing to make the first five and Noren the top two.