ATHLETICS
Sumgong ban doubled
Kenya’s Olympic marathon champion Jemima Jelagat Sumgong has had her doping ban doubled to eight years for trying to tamper with a positive test for erythropoietin (EPO), the Athletics Integrity Unit said on Friday. Sumgong, who in 2016 became the first Kenyan woman to win the Olympic marathon, was found to have provided “fraudulent medical information.” She had already been banned for four years for failing an out-of-competition test five months after winning the gold. That ban has been doubled after it was found Sumgong had falsely claimed she was injected with EPO by an “imposter” at a Kenyan hospital during a doctors’ strike. She had tried to explain her positive test by claiming she had a ruptured ectopic pregnancy that had led to her receiving an injection and a blood transfusion. The athlete gave anti-doping officials fabricated hospital documents. The final straw came when Sumgong was unable to explain why she was in Kapsabet — a five-hour drive from Nairobi — at the time.
SNOWBOARDING
Kelly Clark to retire
US halfpipe star Kelly Clark, who won 2002 gold and two bronze medals in five Winter Olympics appearances, on Friday announced her retirement from the sport at age 35. Clark captured gold on home snow at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, took third in 2010 at Vancouver and 2014 in Sochi, and just missed the podium with fourth-place efforts in 2006 and last year at Pyeongchang, where she became one of only two US women to compete at five Winter Olympics. “The next generation will take halfpipe snowboarding further than I ever could,” Clark said. “Today, I step away from competitive riding knowing that women’s snowboarding is alive and well, and in good hands.” Topping that next generation is last year’s Olympic halfpipe champion Chloe Kim, who was eight when she met Clark in California in 2009.
DOPING
Russian group to drop suit
The All-Russia Athletic Federation has dropped a legal challenge against its ban from international competition. If the ban is not lifted by Sept. 27, Russian athletes are to compete at the world championships in Qatar as neutrals. “I’m convinced that at the moment we need to focus efforts on negotiations with the IAAF [International Association of Athletics Federations] regarding the reinstatement on issues which are under our control, and not waste time and strength on legal processes,” federation president Dmitry Shlyakhtin said on Friday.
RUGBY UNION
Concussion trial fails
England’s Rugby Football Union has ended a trial on lowering tackle height after a preliminary study indicated that it contributed to an increased likelihood of concussions, the Daily Telegraph reported on Friday. When the rule was introduced into England’s second-tier Championship Cup, the union found that while it reduced upright and high tackles, it also increased the relative risk of concussion because of “unintended behaviors” and collisions in which the tackler and ball-carrier were bent at the waist. Former Samoa Under-20 flanker Faiva Tagatauli died on Thursday after a suspected head injury. South Africa’s Pat Lambie, 28, last week announced his sudden retirement, telling French sports daily L’Equipe he had numerous concussions and “persistent post-concussion symptoms” as a result of his time in the sport.
MARRED FINAL: As most of Senegalese players walked off the pitch after a controversial decision, some supporters threw objects and attempted to get onto the pitch Senegal on Sunday won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as Pape Gueye’s extra-time winner sunk hosts Morocco 1-0 after a chaotic final that saw the eventual champions storm off the pitch late in the game. Brahim Diaz could have won the trophy for Morocco with a controversial spot-kick in the 24th minute of added time at the end of normal time as ugly scenes broke out in the stands. However, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy easily saved the weak attempted “Panenka” chip by the Real Madrid winger, who was clearly distracted by the long delay that followed the penalty award.
James Harden on Friday scored 31 points and came up big in overtime to help the Los Angeles Clippers erase a double-digit deficit on the way to a 121-117 NBA victory over the Toronto Raptors. Harden scored 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Clippers pushed their wining steak to five games despite the absence of star Kawhi Leonard with a sprained right ankle. The Clippers trailed by 11 entering the fourth quarter, but Harden drilled a pair of free-throws with 1:24 left in regulation to tie it and after misses from both teams, they went to
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg on Wednesday was ruled out for the second half of their 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets after the No. 1 pick sprained his left ankle in the first half. Flagg was called for a foul while defending against Peyton Watson and turned the ankle as he fell to the floor with 6 minutes, 1 second left in the second quarter. Flagg limped to the bench and continued to the locker room, but returned for the final 2 minutes, 35 seconds before the break. The 19-year-old did not come out for the second half before the announcement that
Yassine Bounou on Wednesday saved two penalties, while Youssef en-Nesyri netted the decisive spot-kick as hosts Morocco secured a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Nigeria following a 0-0 draw in a tense Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Rabat. Morocco, seeking their first continental title in 50 years, are to face 2021 winners Senegal in Sunday’s decider in Rabat, while Nigeria take on Egypt in the third-place playoff tomorrow. The 120 minutes before the shoot-out had few clear-cut chances for either side, but it was Morocco who created more opportunities, although they were denied by some fine saves from Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. Nigeria
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