Global Sport

IAAF overturn Walker's verdictSEVILLE: International athletics chiefs today decided not to accept Britain's decision to clear sprinter Do...

IAAF overturn Walker’s verdict

SEVILLE: International athletics chiefs today decided not to accept Britain’s decision to clear sprinter Doug Walker of doping offences. The International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) will refer the case to its independent arbitration panel, IAAF general secretary Istvan Gyulai said. “The anti-doping commission (of the IAAF) unanimously believes that this was an erroneous decision. The criteria is whether a substance is in the body or not,” Gyulai said after a meeting of the IAAF’s ruling council. The council accepted a recommendation that the case be referred to arbitration. Gyulai could not give a date for the arbitration hearing. In the meantime, Walker is eligible to compete. Last month, UK Athletics, the British governing body, cleared the Scot of wrong doing after traces of the banned anabolic steroid Nandronlone were found in an out-of-competition test last December.

Romanian runner tests positive

BUCHAREST: A Romanian long distance runner hasbeen banned from competition for life for testing positive for anabolic steroids, a Romanian Athletics Federation official said. Cristina Costea, 26, received the maximum penalty from the federation because it was her second offence. Costea tested positive after running a 25-km race in Berlin on May 3. A second test on August 4 confirmed the result.

Keiring wins Mexico Marathon

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MEXICO CITY: Eliud Keiring of Kenya won the 17th Mexico City International Marathon, finishing in 2 hours, 17 minutes, 55 seconds. Mexico’s Jesus Reyes finished second, 30 seconds behind Keiring. Ramon Aguilar, also of Mexico, was third in 2:20:14. Maria Elena Reyna of Mexico won the women’s division with a time of 2:55:00 on a course that was three kilometers too long because of an error by race officials. The error was corrected before the men’s race began.

Maurice Odumbe back at the helm

NAIROBI: Maurice Odumbe was named Kenya’s cricket captain for the second time today. Odumbe, who was sacked in 1997, takesover from Asif Karim. He retired from the international game last month a few weeks after captaining Kenya in the World Cup. Odumbe, a gifted batsman, captained his country to a remarkable win over West Indies during the 1996 World Cup. But he lost the captaincy to Karim the following year after declining an invitation to play in The Netherlands.

Steve Waugh gets audience with Sir Don

SYDNEY: Steve Waugh carried some helpful psychological baggage when he flew out with his World Cup cricket champions for their tour of Sri Lanka. Waugh was granted an audience with the greatest batsman of all-time, Sir Donald Bradman, last week and came away inspired. “It was such a privilege,” Waugh, who spent just over an hour with Sir Don, told The Australian newspaper. “I really wanted to spend more time with him and I hope I can again in the future. I was just starting and it was time to go. It was great to talk to him, just to be in his presence.”

Tight security for Aussies inLanka

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka will give armed protection fit for a head of state to the visiting Australian cricket team following a spate of suicide bomb attacks by Tamil separatists. The Australian team which arrives tomorrow will be guarded by the police Ministers’ Security Division (MSD).