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Martial Arts: Top-ranked female mixed martial arts featherweight Cris “Cyborg” Justino (picture, right) has been informed by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) of a possible doping violation, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) said. The UFC said in a statement it was formally notified that USADA told Justino of a potential anti-doping policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collection on Dec. 5. Justino last fought on Sept. 24, stopping Lina Lansberg in the second round as part of a UFC Fight Night event in her native Brazil. The 31-year-old (17-1) previously tested positive for an anabolic steroid in December 2011, which she blamed on a diet supplement she received from a former coach.
Boxing: Former British middleweight champion Nick Blackwell has woken from a coma, PA Sport reported yesterday. Blackwell has regained consciousness after undergoing surgery to remove part of his skull to ease the swelling on his brain sustained during an unsanctioned sparring session staged last month. The 26-year-old from Trowbridge had been in a stable condition, but had yet to regain consciousness.
Winter Sport: Russia has pulled out of hosting a biathlon World Cup meeting in March amid growing concern at the extent of the country’s doping programme, highlighted in the McLaren report. The International Biathlon Union (IBU) said that the Russian Biathlon Union had “given back to the IBU” the event, which had been due to take place in Tyumen, and the junior world championships, earmarked for Ostrov. The step follows mounting pressure to strip Russia of the event after the McLaren report laid bare the extent to which Russian sport was affected by an “institutional conspiracy” of doping. Britain had said that it planned to boycott the Tyumen event.
Rugby Union: Former Wales captain John Gwilliam has died, aged 93, his family have announced. Gwilliam won 23 caps between 1947 and 1954, leading Wales to two Grand Slams – the only Welsh captain to do so – and played in their last victory over the New Zealand All Blacks in December 1953. A history teacher who became headmaster of Birkenhead School, he played for Cambridge University, Newport, Edinburgh Wanderers, Gloucester, London Welsh, Llanelli and Wasps.
Cricket: Cricket Australia has assured fans over security arrangements for the Boxing Day test against Pakistan after police foiled a plot to attack prominent sites in Melbourne with a series of bombs on Christmas Day. “Our security team is in contact with the relevant authorities to ensure we have the appropriate level of security at the Boxing Day test and other cricket matches being held around the country,” CA chief executive James Sutherland said. Extra police would be on patrol on Christmas Day and at the annual Boxing Day cricket test, which attracts tens of thousands of fans every year, in Melbourne the following day.