1. Four Athletes Stripped of Medals from 2008 Beijing Games
Eight years later, more athletes continue to be stripped of medals from the Beijing Olympics because of positive doping tests, according to PTI.
Four athletes, including three Russians, had their medals taken away today after their doping samples from 2008 were re-tested and came back positive for banned drugs.
A total of six athletes -- one runner and five weightlifters -- were sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee based on re-analysis of their samples with improved techniques. They were among the 98 positive cases recorded in the retesting of more than 1,000 samples from Beijing and the 2012 London Olympics.
The four athletes include Russian runner Tatyana Firova, Russian weightlifter Marina Shainova, another Russian weightlifter (75kg) Nadezda Evstyukhina and Armenia’s weightlifter Tigram Martirosyan.
2. French Open Champ Muguruza Crashes Out; Indian Doubles Pairs Start Well at US Open
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Third-seeded Garbine Muguruza received an upset in straight sets on Wednesday by Anastasija Sevastova, who returned to tennis last season after a nearly two-year retirement. The 48th-ranked Sevastova won 7-5, 6-4 to reach the third round at the US Open for the first time, according to Reuters.
Muguruza has never been past the second round at Flushing Meadows. The 22-year-old fell to 124th-ranked Jana Cepelova in the second round at Wimbledon after she beat Serena Williams in the French Open final for her first major title.
The Indian doubles pairs started well at the US Open after all three pairs involving Indians notched wins over their opponents.
Sania Mirza and her new partner Barbora Strycova beat Jada Myii Hart and Ena Shibahara 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of the women’s doubles draw on Wednesday.
Rohan Bopanna and Frederik Nielsen defeated Radek Stepanek and Nenad Zimonjic 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 in the first round of the men’s draw and Leander Paes and Martina Hingis got past Sachia Vickery and Frances Tiafoe with a scoreline of 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of the mixed doubles draw.
3. Yogeshwar’s Sample Will be Tested Before Upgradation to Silver
Star India wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt will have to wait to know whether his bronze medal from the 2012 London Olympics is upgraded to silver till the time his sample is cleared by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), according to PTI.
Reports emerged that the grappler’s bronze would be upgraded to silver after second-place finisher of the London Games - late Besik Kudukhov of Russia - was stripped of his medal for failing a dope test.
An official confirmation is still awaited and a top Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) official has said that even Yogeshwar’s dope test from the 2012 Games has to be cleared before he can be handed the medal.
4. ‘Mini IPL’ in USA Plans Put on Hold, Says Thakur
BCCI president Anurag Thakur has said the Cricket Board has put on hold plans of hosting a ‘mini IPL’ in the USA, with T20 Internationals being seen as the preferred platform to reach out to the American market.
The main hurdle, according to Thakur, was the time zone difference.
I think we must understand the time difference. IPL is watched in India from 7 o’clock to 11 or 11.30 at night. So you have to play somewhere in the east coast here (USA) so (that) the timing matches. If we have to play in the day here, the matches should be seen in India at night because broadcasting is a big thing. So you can’t make your home fan lose (by) playing outside India. So which are the provinces you can play in United States? That’s a big task. [sic]Anurag Thakur
5. Boxing Stalwarts Vijender Singh, Mary Kom Demand System Reboot
Indian boxing’s biggest names are demanding an all systems reboot to halt the sport’s decline after a medal-less Olympic campaign in Rio, and their road-map goes beyond having the much-delayed national federation.
From the country’s first Olympic medallist in boxing, Vijender Singh, to Commonwealth Games gold-medallists Akhil Kumar and Mohd Ali Qamar, and the much-decorated MC Mary Kom, Indian boxing stalwarts stand united in their cry for change.
There has to be some accountability. First there should be a federation and secondly there should be action against officials and coaches who are responsible for the current state of Indian boxing. As for the road-map ahead, the coaching staff should be overhauled.Vijender Singh
6. Finch and Bailey Power Australia to Series Win Over Sri Lanka
Quick-fire half centuries from opener Aaron Finch and George Bailey helped Australia to a six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the fourth one-day international in Dambulla, giving the visitors an unassailable 3-1 lead heading into the final ODI, according to Reuters.
Sri Lanka, who won the toss and elected to bat on a dry wicket, laboured to 212 in their 50 overs, but Australia chased down the target with 114 balls to spare.
Earlier in the day, fast bowler John Hastings rattled through Sri Lanka’s batting line-up, picking up six wickets for 45 runs in his 10 overs.
Finch, who smashed eight fours and three sixes on route to an 18-ball half century, equalled the record for the fastest ODI 50 by an Australian.
The opening batsman equalled Simon O’Donnell and Glenn Maxwell’s record.
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