DIGEST:An Iraqi bodybuilder has been disqualified from the Asian Games after 134 ampoules of the banned steroid nandrolone were found in his luggage at Doha airport, organisers said yesterday.
Saeaz Faeaz was disqualified after the National Health Authority of Qatar detained the ampoules of the banned muscle-building substance, the Olympic Council of Asia said.
The 32-year-old from Baghdad is the fifth competitor to be disqualified from the 15th Games for a drugs-related offence, but the first to be sanctioned for a non-analytical anti-doping violation. Four weightlifters had earlier been disqualified for failing drug tests.
Iraq pulled off a shock 1-0 win over South Korea yesterday to storm into the Asian Games soccer final. Samer Mujbel sent the Iraqi fans into a frenzy by heading in the 24th minute winner after captain Younes Khalef's shot was blocked on the line.
The RTÉ sports person of the year shortlist features boxing champions Bernard Dunne and Katie Taylor, athletics star Derval O'Rourke, golfers Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke, Ireland and Munster rugby player Paul O'Connell, Kerry GAA footballer Kieran Donaghy, racing trainer Aidan O'Brien, Kilkenny hurler Henry Shefflin and show jumper Jessica Kürten.
The winner will be decided by a panel and will be announced during RTÉ's 2006 The Sporting Year this Saturday on RTÉ 1 (9.45pm).
Chaired by Tom McGurk, the panel will include Eamon Dunphy, George Hook, Pat Spillane, Cyril Farrell, Ted Walsh and Jerry Kiernan.
The Triple Crown-winning rugby team, European Cup winners Munster and the victorious European Ryder Cup team will battle it out for the team of the year award (chosen by public vote).Super-middleweight world champion Joe Calzaghe said April's title defence against Peter Manfredo could be his last fight in Cardiff and has hinted at retirement.
The 34-year-old Welshman will be trying to defend his WBO title for the 20th time against American Manfredo in a bout that has been put back from March 3rd to April 7th.
"This could possibly be my last fight in Cardiff," Calzaghe told the BBC yesterday. "If I have a few successful fights in 2007 I will sit down and see where I am, because I've achieved nearly everything I want to achieve in boxing.
"Only four or five in history have got to 20 defences so that is a massive goal for me. I want to get to that magic number 20 in front of my home fans in the Millennium Stadium."
The fight has been put back to protect the pitch for the Wales v England Six Nations rugby international.
