Sport

Tennis players face extra tests

TENNIS: Tennis players will be subjected to twice as many out-of-competition drug tests this year, the ATP said yesterday.

Mon Jan 13 2003 - 00:00

TENNIS: Tennis players will be subjected to twice as many out-of-competition drug tests this year, the ATP said yesterday.

In-competition drug testing will increase by 20 per cent. Male players were told at a meeting in Melbourne on Saturday night that testing teams would be given greater resources to demand to test players at their homes and training bases in 2003.

The Australian Open, starting today, is the first tournament at which blood tests will be taken to test for the banned endurance booster erythropoietin (EPO).

The ATP, Women's Tennis Association and International Tennis Federation adopted International Olympic Committee standards from January 1st, and a Swedish drug agency will take the blood tests.

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Players who decline a blood test would be banned for two years, the same period of suspension as for a positive test to EPO.

FORMULA ONE: Giancarlo Fisichella has beaten five-time world champion Michael Schumacher in a poll of his fellow Formula One drivers.

The Italian won the "Drivers' Driver" award at the F1 Awards in Birmingham - then said his main target was to score his first win this season.

"The car looks good and the target for me is to win my first race in Formula One and be really competitive," said the Jordan racer, who is widely-regarded as one of the best of the current crop of drivers even though he has not won a race in 107 attempts.

"If the Jordan is very competitive this year then I have one more year with Jordan. But obviously if I have the opportunity to drive for one of the best teams like Ferrari, McLaren or Williams then it would be a good chance."

BADMINTON: Ireland's under-17 team had mixed fortune at the annual Home Countries Quadrangular in Cardiff over the weekend.

After losing 8-1 to England and 7-2 to Scotland, the Irish finished on a high beating Wales 6-3.

Jennie King beat all-comers in the team event and went on to win the individual event beating English number one Jenny Wallwork 6-11, 13-10, 11-2 in the final. In the boys singles Scott Evans lost out to England's Tom Dunlop 15-9, 17-16 in a nail-biting individual final.