American swimmer Jessica Hardy was handed a "reduced" one-year suspension after testing positive for anabolic agent clenbuterol at last year's US Olympic trials, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) said. An independent, three-member American Arbitration Association (AAA)/Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) panel determined that Hardy had "exercised sufficient diligence in her investigation of the supplements to be entitled to a reduction" in her suspension. Hardy's ban ends on July 31, 2009 allowing her to return to competition in August.

Formula One

Force India have put on hold the new KERS system they had planned to introduce at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix, team owner Vijay Mallya said yesterday. The optional kinetic energy recovery system offers drivers a power boost at the push of a button but only a handful of Formula One teams have used it so far this season. Force India introduced a new rear diffuser and aerodynamic developments to their Mercedes-powered car at the previous race in Bahrain and plan further upgrades for Barcelona.

Basket, NBA

The Houston Rockets stunned the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers 100-92 to get their Western Conference semi-final series off to a surprising start. Yao Ming scored 28 points and had 10 rebounds to help the fifth-seeded Rockets notch a rare win at the Staples Center. The Eastern Conference semi-finals also began with an upset, as the underdog Orlando Magic weathered a storming comeback from the Boston Celtics to defeat the defending NBA champions 95-90.

Cycling

Filippo Simeoni has handed back the winner's jersey he claimed at last year's Italian national championship in protest at his Ceramica Flaminia team being left out of this month's Giro d'Italia. "It is unacceptable that the Italian champion cannot compete in the biggest event in his country," the 37-year-old told reporters yesterday. His team were not deemed strong enough to invite to the Giro. Organisers of the Giro, which starts in Venice on Saturday, said Simeoni's actions were a publicity stunt.

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