Doping: German rider Grischa Niermann, who rode for the Rabobank team for 12 years, has admitted using banned sub-stances to boost his perfor-mance, the Dutch cycling federation said yesterday. “Thanks to the people around me I realised in 2003 that banned substances was not the path I wanted to follow. I will give anti-doping bodies and relevant commissions all further infor-mation,” Niermann said. The federation said the rider, who retired last year, admitted to using EPO “several times” between 2000-2003.

Golf: The US Open will be held at Winged Foot for the sixth time when the second major golf championship of the season is staged at the New York course in 2020. “We’re thrilled to bring the US Open back to this outstanding club,” said United States Golf Association vice president Thomas J. O’Toole Jr. The course, located 25 miles (40 kms) north of New York City in Westchester County, last hosted the US Open in 2006 when Australian Geoff Ogilvy pipped American duo Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk and Colin Montgomerie of Britain to the title.

Rowing: Acer Nethercott, who coxed the British men’s eight team to an Olympic silver medal in Beijing in 2008, has died at the age of 35. “It is very sad news,” performance director David Tanner said. “Acer was the top British cox of his time. He had an exceptional period with the GB rowing team.” The cause of death was not disclosed but media reports said Nethercott had been fighting brain cancer.

Rugby Union: England prop Alex Corbisiero will miss the entire Six Nations with a knee injury, while explosive centre Manu Tuilagi will miss the tournament opener against Scotland, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) said yesterday. Corbisiero had an operation last Wednesday to fix the knee that had been troubling him since England’s close-season tour of South Africa. England will also be without Tuilagi for Saturday’s opening match against Scotland at Twickenham after he failed to recover in time from an ankle injury.

Basketball, NBA: Kobe Bryant’s new pass-friendly approach helped the Los Angeles Lakers overcome the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder 105-96 on Sunday as they attempt to reverse a woeful start to the season. Bryant again flashed his all-around game with 21 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds, matching his season-high in assists for a second straight game, and the host Lakers earned a second consecutive victory. “You have to figure out a way to win ball games, and that’s what I drew from,” Bryant said of his change in style.