■ MEDIA
Video restrictions relaxed
International news agencies reached an agreement on Monday with organizers of the Rugby World Cup on relaxing restrictions for posting video on Web sites. Under the deal, The Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse and other agencies that cover tournament news conferences, training sessions and other non-match activities can now distribute as much of their video as they think their subscribers need. Previously, rugby officials had sought to limit the agencies to three minutes of video per day of the 20-nation championship in France.
■ ARGENTINA
Agustin Pichot injured
Argentina scrumhalf and skipper Agustin Pichot was ruled out of yesterday's World Cup clash against Georgia in Lyon because of a leg injury. The veteran international, who played in the shock 17-12 win over France, will be replaced by Nicolas Miranda. "Agustin Pichot will not play on Tuesday," Argentina assistant coach Daniel Baetti said. "He is more tired than really injured but he will be ready for the next match [against Namibia on Sept. 22]."
■ Australia
Cameron Shepherd called up
Australia have called up utility back Cameron Shepherd to replace the injured Mark Gerrard for the rest of the World Cup. Gerrard will return to Australia this week after rupturing his knee in Saturday's 91-3 victory over Japan in Lyon. A spokesman for the Wallabies said Shepherd would join the Australia team in Cardiff tomorrow ahead of their next game against Wales on Saturday. Shepherd, 23, is a fullback or winger who has played five Tests for Australia.
■ Ireland
Brian O'Driscoll fit
Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll has given his beleaguered team a boost ahead of Saturday's World Cup match against Georgia after he was passed fit to play. The inspirational center hyper-extended his elbow during Ireland's disappointing 32-17 victory over part-timers Namibia on Sunday, but following tests he has been cleared for the next pool D game in Bordeaux. O'Driscoll was originally a doubt for Ireland's first two World Cup matches after suffering a fractured sinus from an unprovoked punch during a warm-up match against French club side Bayonne last month. But having made a quicker than expected recovery he sent his countrymen's pulses racing again on Sunday when emerging from the dressing-rooms with ice strapped to his elbow.
■ South Africa
Schalk Burger cited
South Africa backrow forward Schalk Burger could miss the crucial Group A World Cup clash with world champions England after being cited for a dangerous tackle during Sunday's 59-7 walloping of Samoa. The 24-year-old -- named 2004 IRB player of the year -- has been cited following his head-high tackle on Samoa scrumhalf Junior Poluleuligaga, tournament organizers announced.
■ OLYMPICS
Cabinet approves Tokyo bid
Japan's Cabinet yesterday approved Tokyo's bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, paving the way for Japan's capital to formally submit its candidacy with the IOC. "The Olympics are the celebration of culture and peace," Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara said in a statement following the approval. Japan's central government will bear up to half the cost for building major facilities for the games, but said organizers should try to utilize existing facilities to cut costs. The IOC is expected to announce a final list of applicant cities for the 2016 Games on Friday. In June next year, the IOC will draw a short list and then select a host city in October 2009.
■ SUMO
Hakuho bulldozes Kakuryu
Grand champion Hakuho took just seconds to overpower Kakuryu on the third day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo yesterday. In the day's final bout at Ryogoku Kokugikan, the Mongolian yokozuna bulldozed the rank-and-filer out of the ring, improving his record to 2-1. Hakuho is the clear favorite in autumn sumo with the sport's other grand champion, Asashoryu, sitting out the 15-day tournament. Asashoryu is serving a two-tournament suspension. But among early leaders at the Autumn tourney is ozeki Chiyotaikai, who defended his 3-0 record, downing Dejima in a furious slapping match that sent the rank-and-filer twirling from the ring. Rank-and-filer Tochinonada handed Kotooshu his first loss, winning a rematch against the Bulgarian ozeki after the wrestlers crashed onto the dirt at the same time. After judges ordered a rematch, Tochinonada brought Kotooshu down with a powerful throw.
■ CYCLING
Brown leads in Poland
Graeme Brown of Australia claimed the overall lead at the Tour de Pologne on Monday by winning the second stage. The Rabobank rider finished the 202.4km stage from Plonsk to Olsztyn, Poland, in 4 hours, 50 minutes, 46 seconds. Quick Step rider Wouter Weylandt of Belgian was second, three seconds behind, and Said Haddou of France was third, a further three seconds behind. The results of the team race in the first stage do not count in the overall standings.
■ SOCCER
Ronaldo's therapy probed
The Italian Olympic Committee's anti-doping prosecutor has indicated he may open an investigation into a genetic therapy being used to treat the injured thigh of AC Milan forward Ronaldo. "I'm waiting for news, and it's not been said that we won't open an inquiry," prosecutor Ettore Torri told the ANSA news agency Monday. Ronaldo is receiving the therapy -- called "growth factor," which uses a natural protein to stimulate cell proliferation -- in Brazil under the supervision of national team physician Jose Luis Runco. The practice is banned in Italy.
■ CYCLING
Vuelta leader wins stage 10
Overall leader Denis Menchov won the 10th stage of the Spanish Vuelta on Monday. The Rabobank team worked hard up the final stretch of the ascent in the Pyrenees to set Menchov up for a final assault, with the Russian finishing the 214km ride to Vallnord, Andorra, in 5 hours, 47 minutes, 5 seconds. Menchov, who won the Spanish classic in 2005, retained the leader's gold jersey with an overall time of 39:41:51.
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
RALLY: It was only the second time the Taiwanese has partnered with Kudermetova, and the match seemed tight until they won seven points in a row to take the last set 10-2 Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova on Sunday won the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix women’s doubles final in Stuttgart, Germany. The pair defeated Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri and Estonia’s Ingrid Neel 4-6, 6-3, 10-2 in a tightly contested match at the WTA 500 tournament. Chan and Kudermetova fell 4-6 in the first set after having their serve broken three times, although they played increasingly well. They fought back in the second set and managed to break their opponents’ serve in the eighth game to triumph 6-3. In the tiebreaker, Chan and Kudermetova took a 3-0 lead before their opponents clawed back two points, but
Taiwanese gymnast Lee Chih-kai failed to secure an Olympic berth in the pommel horse following a second-place finish at the last qualifier in Doha on Friday, a performance that Lee and his coach called “unconvincing.” The Tokyo Olympics silver medalist finished runner-up in the final after scoring 6.6 for degree of difficulty and 8.800 for execution for a combined score of 15.400. That was just 0.100 short of Jordan’s Ahmad Abu Al Soud, who had qualified for the event in Paris before the Apparatus World Cup series in Qatar’s capital. After missing the final rounds in the first two of four qualifier