CYCLING
Armstrong cover-up alleged
A former teammate of Lance Armstrong alleged on TV’s 60 Minutes on Sunday that cycling’s world governing body had helped the seven-time Tour de France winner cover up a positive drugs test. Tyler Hamilton told the US version of the show, broadcast on CBS television, that Armstrong had told him he tested positive for EPO (erythropoietin) during the 2001 Tour of Switzerland, but escaped punishment after the International Cycling Union intervened on his behalf. Armstrong has always insisted he has never failed a dope test and Hamilton’s comments drew an immediate rebuke from Armstrong’s lawyer. “I know he’s had a positive test before,” Hamilton said. “He told me. He was so relaxed about it and he kind of said it off the cuff and laughed it off. People took care of it. I don’t know all the exact details, but I know that Lance’s people and the people from the other side, the governing body of the sport, figured out a way to make it go away.”
BASEBALL
Colon treatment gets interest
One of the doctors who assisted in a procedure last year on New York Yankees pitcher Bartolo Colon said that other pitchers have expressed interest in undergoing the treatment that is being scrutinized by MLB. Leonel Liriano said in a Dominican TV interview that about 10 pitchers between the ages of 21 to 37 have contacted him about the possibility of getting the controversial medical treatment. The doctor did not disclose the identities of the athletes during his interview with the Sport Week program on Channel 13. Liriano is the medical director for US-based Regenocyte in the Dominican Republic. The company specializes in the use of stem cells for regenerative therapy. He has denied the treatment that the 37-year-old Colon received last year involved the use of banned substances and stressed his medical team consulted with Colon’s agent and lawyers in New York before beginning the treatment in the pitcher’s native Dominican Republic.
RUGBY UNION
Wallabies’ Elsom hurts ankle
Wallabies skipper Rocky Elsom faces another spell on the sidelines after injuring his ankle in his first match of the season for the ACT Brumbies in Super Rugby at the weekend. The 28-year-old flanker was to undergo scans yesterday to determine the seriousness of the injury he sustained in the second half of the Brumbies’ 13-13 draw with Western Force on Saturday. A six-week spell out could signal the end of Elsom’s time at the twice-Super Rugby champion Brumbies, who have four matches left to play and no hope of making the playoffs. Elsom has not yet decided on his future after his contract with the Brumbies and Australian Rugby Union expires at the end of the year. Saturday’s match in Perth was Elsom’s first for six months after he recovered from a hamstring injury.
RUGBY LEAGUE
Sam Faust dies of leukemia
Former North Queensland National Rugby League (NRL) forward Sam Faust lost his battle with leukemia and died aged 26 in Townsville, Australia, yesterday, the club said. Faust played 24 matches for the Cowboys in 2007-2008, before his rugby career was cut short when he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2009. In recent months, NRL players and fans raised money for Faust, a father of three, to travel to the US for medical treatment. “I know everyone connected with our club, and with rugby league in general, will be saddened by this news,” Cowboys chief executive Peter Jourdain told reporters.
Ademola Lookman on Thursday scored on his Atletico Madrid debut in a 5-0 rout of Real Betis Balompie that sent Diego Simeone’s team to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey. David Hancko, Giuliano Simeone, Antoine Griezmann and Thiago Almada also scored for Atletico as they advanced to the last four for the third straight season. Atletico are trying to reach their first Copa final since winning the competition in 2012-2013. Hancko opened the scoring for the visitors in the 12th minute and Giuliano Simeone added to the lead in the 30th, before Lookman got his first goal for Atletico on a fast
GUNNING FOR A WIN: The victory sending Arsenal to the final for the first time in six years was cathartic for a team who had lost their previous four semi-finals Arsenal on Tuesday reached the League Cup final for the first time in eight years as Kai Havertz sealed a 1-0 win against Chelsea in the semi-final second leg. Mikel Arteta’s side had put themselves in pole position in the first leg and Havertz came off the bench to finish the 4-2 aggregate victory in the closing moments at the Emirates Stadium. It was a cathartic triumph for the Gunners, who had lost their previous four semi-finals in last year’s UEFA Champions League and League Cup, the 2022 League Cup and the 2021 UEFA Europa League. In their first final for six years,
SUPERSTAR DELIVERS: Victor Wembanyama scored 29 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to propel the Spurs to a 135-123 victory over the Dallas Mavericks The Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday shook off the early exit of injured star Luka Doncic, rallying without him in the second half for a 119-115 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Austin Reaves, again coming off the bench in his second game back from a 19-game injury absence, scored 13 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter, drilling a pair of back-to-back three-pointers to give the Lakers their first lead of the game early in the final frame. “Losing Luka, you know nothing’s going to be easy after that because he does so much for us, but we bonded together,” said
France head coach Fabien Galthie on Thursday lauded his team’s attacking performance after their dazzling 36-14 victory over Ireland in their Six Nations opener. A brace of tries from Louis Bielley-Biarrey and one from mercurial flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert helped France storm into a 29-0 lead before taking their foot off the gas and allowing Ireland back into the match, before winger Theo Attissogbe put some gloss on the victory late on. “In an attacking sense, with the ball, the team played with great accuracy,” Galthie said. “It was one of the most accurate attacking performances in a long time, despite the weather
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