Sport

Shane Sutton: Failed drugs test adds to cycling crisis – The Week UK

Friday, April 29, 2016

A disastrous week for British Cycling got worse on Thursday night when it was announced that Simon Yates, a former points race world champion and a contender for a spot on the Olympic road team, had failed a drugs test. The news came a day after Shane Sutton stood down as technical director of British Cycling amid a welter of allegations of bullying and discrimination, and after claims that the…

Imposing racial quotas is a vital step forward for South African sport – The Guardian

Friday, April 29, 2016

South Africa’s sports minister has announced that he will no longer “beg for racial transformation”, but will start forcing the country’s sporting federations to fulfil racial quotas. Fikile Mbalula said in a speech on Sunday that the cricket, rugby, netball and athletics federations would be banned from bidding for any international tournaments until their numbers of black players improved. Related: South Africa Rugby Union facing ban from bidding for 2023…

GB cyclist Simon Yates fails drugs test as British Cycling is plunged further into crisis – Daily Mail

Thursday, April 28, 2016

British rider tested positive after stage of Paris-Nice race last month Cyclist was contesting for place in British team for Rio Olympic Games The father of the Yates brothers declined to comment on Thursday night By Matt Lawton for the Daily Mail Published: 16:29 EST, 28 April 2016 | Updated: 17:22 EST, 28 April 2016 British Cycling descended deeper into crisis Thursday night after it emerged that one of their…

Tony X, greatest new hockey fan in world, gets huge Blues surprise – Yahoo Sports (blog)

Thursday, April 28, 2016

View gallery . Blues Viral moments in social media have become calculated, work-shopped and focus-grouped. The truly organic, truly odd moments of simultaneous discovery and zeitgeist tapping are few and far between, which is why they have to be savored and celebrated.  And with that, the cult of celebrity around Anthony Holmes, a.k.a. “Tony X,” must be celebrated. As he tells it, Tony was flipping around the channels on Monday night…

Shane Sutton: British Cycling not in crisis, says boss Ian Drake – BBC News

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Media playback is not supported on this device ‘British Cycling needs independent review’ – Ian Drake speaks to BBC sports editor Dan Roan British Cycling chief executive Ian Drake insists the organisation is not in crisis following the resignation of technical director Shane Sutton amid claims of sexism and discrimination. The governing body is investigating claims Sutton, 58, used derogatory words to describe Para-cyclists. An independent review will also look…

The NHL’s newest fan, Tony X, is suddenly friends with hockey royalty – SB Nation

Thursday, April 28, 2016

It was a busy night for hockey’s newest fan Tony X on the eve — and start — of the second round on Wednesday. Hockey Twitter’s darling was making friends left and right all evening, including some famous ones that even die hard fans have been unable to crack. First, it was with the not-so-secret Twitter of Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo, who is known for his entertaining — but rare…

British cycling was the one we looked up to – now it sounds like it has stumbled into macho time warp – Telegraph.co.uk

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Again this comes as a shock, and a disappointment, 100 days before the Rio Olympics and Paralympics. A beacon sport that all others could look up to and learn from has lost its way, which is not the same as saying its problems are incurable. Anyone who persists in thinking the kind of terminology and discrimination we are hearing about is simply motivational banter is a menace to a great…

Rio Olympics 2016: South Korea unveils ‘zika-proof- uniforms – Telegraph.co.uk

Thursday, April 28, 2016

South Korea is taking no chances with the health of its athletes competing at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, issuing them with uniforms that have been infused with insect repellent to keep mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus at bay. The South Korean team’s uniforms were unveiled in Seoul on Wednesday, marking 100 days until the opening ceremony in Brazil. The formal uniforms, which the Korean Olympic Committee said will be worn during…

With Brazil in Turmoil, Rio Counts Down to Olympics – New York Times

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

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Tony Stewart will pay $35K fine, donate money from Drivers Council to charity – ESPN

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

3:15 PM ET print Tony Stewart will pay his recent $35,000 fine from NASCAR on his own and donate the money given to him by fellow drivers to charity. The nine-member NASCAR Sprint Cup Drivers Council, of which Stewart is a member, decided to give him the money to pay the fine for comments that denigrate the sport. The $35,000 from the Drivers Council will go to Autism Delaware, founded…

Shane Sutton: British Cycling not in crisis, says boss Ian Drake – BBC Sport

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Media playback is not supported on this device ‘British Cycling needs independent review’ – Ian Drake speaks to BBC sports editor Dan Roan British Cycling is not in crisis despite technical director Shane Sutton having resigned amid claims of sexism and discrimination, according to its chief executive Ian Drake. British Cycling is investigating claims Australian Sutton, 58, used derogatory words to describe Para-cyclists. An independent review will also look at…

Rule reminder: How Stewart will be scored at Talladega – Nascar

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

RELATED: Stewart eager for more | See current Chase Grid When he announced his return to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing, Stewart-Haas Racing driver and co-owner Tony Stewart said he would qualify his No. 14 Chevrolet this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway and start Sunday’s race, but ultimately give his seat to standby driver Ty Dillon at some point during the GEICO 500 (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Stewart’s first race since injuring…

100 days out: What we know about Rio Olympics – USA TODAY

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

x Embed x Share USA TODAY Sports’ Rachel Axon breaks down what to expect at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. USA TODAY Sports View of the Carioca Arena 1, 2, 3 at the Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro on April 11, 2016.(Photo: YASUYOSHI CHIBA, AFP/Getty Images) With 100 days to go until the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, here are some key storylines:…

Shane Sutton: British Cycling chief resigns amid sexism and discrimination claims – BBC Sport

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Australian Shane Sutton joined British Cycling as a coach in 2002 British Cycling technical director Shane Sutton has resigned amid claims of sexism and discrimination towards elite cyclists. He had been suspended while the sporting body investigated allegations of derogatory comments about Para-cyclists. Great Britain cyclist Jess Varnish previously said Sutton made sexist comments towards her and told her to “go and have a baby”. Sutton “rejects the specific claims”….

Four of NASCAR’s best always come up short at restrictor-plate races – FOXSports.com

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

After three compelling short-track races in the last four weeks, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to the longest oval on the circuit, the mammoth 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway, site of Sunday’s GEICO 500. Talladega is one of two restrictor-plate tracks on the NASCAR circuit — Daytona International Speedway is the other — and believe it or not, some of the sport’s best drivers have never won at either track. Here…

Michael Phelps Did Not Want to Compete in the 2012 Olympics – TIME

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Olympian Michael Phelps opened up about what he calls a “downward spiral” on Wednesday morning in an interview with the Today Show‘s Matt Lauer. Phelps, who is preparing for the 2016 Olympics in Rio, said he struggled in the wake of his sweeping Olympic victories in 2008. By the time the 2012 games came around, he said, he did not want to compete. “Leading into London, I didn’t want anything…

Shane Sutton: British Cycling chief suspended over discrimination claims – BBC Sport

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Australian Shane Sutton joined British Cycling as a coach in 2002 British Cycling technical director Shane Sutton has been suspended amid an investigation into discrimination allegations. It follows a report in the Daily Mail that claimed Sutton made derogatory comments about Para-cyclists. Cyclist Jess Varnish previously said Sutton made sexist comments towards her and told her to “go and have a baby”. The 25-year-old said she spoke out against Australian…

Rio 2016 Olympics: 100 days to go – key facts – BBC News

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

<!– The first Olympic Games in South America In 100 days’ time Rio will welcome 206 countries to four venues to compete for 4,924 medals across 42 sports… all in just 17 days of action. <!– The Rio Olympics will be held in four venues in Rio, Brazil: Deodoro, Barra, Copacabana and Maracana – the site of the Olympic Stadium Who’s going? A fleet of 21 jumbo jets would be…

British Cycling chief Shane Sutton suspended after allegedly referring to para-cyclists as ‘gimps’ – Telegraph.co.uk

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Those claims were backed up by Victoria Pendleton in Tuesday’s Telegraph, the Olympic champion describing a “bullying, suffocating culture” at British Cycling, where she said sexism was an issue. Nicole Cooke, another former Olympic champion, also voiced her support for Varnish, as did Wendy Houvenaghel, the retired Northern Irish rider describing Sutton as a “narcissistic little bully”. British Cycling tried to stem the tide of negativity, with Sutton granting The…