A round-up of today's other sports news in brief
Sharapova out of Paris Open
TENNIS:Former world number one Maria Sharapova (pictured) has pulled out of next week's Paris Open after failing to fully recover from a shoulder injury, organisers said yesterday.
The 21-year-old Russian has been sidelined since August and was not able to defend her Australian Open title last month.
World number one Serena Williams and Russian Olympic champion Elena Dementieva have confirmed they will take part in the tournament starting on Monday.
Clare hurler Ger Hoey dies suddenly aged 41
HURLING:The sudden death occurred on Tuesday night of Clare hurler and All-Ireland senior club medallist Ger Hoey at the age of 41.
Along with his brother David, he was a member of the St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield club side that triumphed over Wexford’s Rathnure in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day 1999.
Playing at right corner back, he again lined out a year later in the 2000 club decider. On that occasion St Joseph’s relinquished their All-Ireland title to Athenry.
Employed as a branch-manager with AIB in Ennis, Hoey also enjoyed success at club level outside Clare, winning a Laois senior hurling medal with Portlaoise in 1989.
A dedicated clubman, Hoey served as treasurer of the club for a number of years.
His impressive roll of honour saw the respected defender win three Clare senior medals, one intermediate championship as well as two Munster club and one All-Ireland title. He played intercounty hurling for Laois as well as his native Clare.
Nicky Kirwan makes his debut at left corner forward on the Wexford team to play Kerry in the National Hurling League on Sunday. Manager Colm Bonnar gives Dermot Flynn a run in goal while Anthony O’Connell continues at corner back following good performances during the Walsh Cup.
WEXFORD (SH v Kerry): D Flynn; B O’Leary, R Kehoe, A O’Connell; M Jacob, D O’Connor, C Kenny; C Farrell, D Redmond; S Doyle, E Quigley, D Lyng; R Jacob, S Banville, N Kirwan.
New drug-testing body for Britain
DRUGS IN SPORT: A new independent drug-testing body for British sport will be up and running by the end of the year after a 60 per cent funding increase was agreed, British sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe announced yesterday.
The new organisation, provisionally titled ‘UK Anti-Doping’, will take over testing from UK Sport, which will remain the body distributing public funding to elite sport. The new national anti-doping agency (NADO) will cost 60 per cent more to run – it will cost €8.1 million in 2010-11 compared to the current €5.1 million budget for UK Sport.
Sutcliffe said the new body would have stronger powers than the current set-up, particularly when it comes to investigating organised doping rings. It will also be established in time to prepare for the London 2012 Olympics.
FIA propose more cost cutting
MOTOR SPORT: Formula Ones governing body has proposed further cost-cutting measures that would allow teams to compete in 2010 on less than a quarter of the amount some were spending last season.
Our target would be to get the cost (of competing) down to €50 million for everyone, including the manufacturer teams,” an FIA spokesman said yesterday.
A detailed “Cost Containment Policy – White Paper” document was sent to teams in December containing extensive proposals that go well beyond what has already been agreed in the face of the global financial crisis. The measures outlined aimed to make it possible for a team to be competitive enough to win the title on a budget of €50 million while giving minimal advantage to any rival spending more than €100 million.
Meanwhile, Mitsubishi yesterday confirmed the withdrawal of its works team from all cross-country motorsport events, including the Dakar Rally, due to the global economic downturn.
