A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Lab director denies aiding Armstrong

DOPING SCANDAL:The director of Switzerland's laboratory for doping analysis has denied allegations that he once told disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong how to avoid being detected for EPO.

Martial Saugy said he had one meeting with Armstrong in 2002 at the request of the International Cycling Union to talk about the tests but refuted the suggestion that he told him how to avoid detection.

“The answer to the question, is clear: no, I did not give the keys to Lance Armstrong ,” he told a news conference.

“It would be a paradox as my job as leader of an anti-doping laboratory. The fight against doping is our life’s work.

“It’s true that a meeting took place, and that’s not a new fact,” he added. “In the context, I think it was the right thing to do. It was not a mistake or an act of naivety as some have written. I’ve met him for only about 20 minutes in my whole life.”

He added: “It’s a fundamental right for the sportsmen to know the scientific basis of an analysis.”

Motorcyclist becomes rally's third fatality

DAKAR RALLY:The Dakar Rally has been marred by a third fatality inside two days after French motorcycle rider Thomas Bourgin was killed in an accident ahead of the seventh stage from Calama to Salta.

The 25-year-old collided with a Chilean police car at 8.23am local time as he made his way to the start of the stage via a mountainous link route.

Rally organisers confirmed an inquiry had been opened into the causes of the accident.

"Motorcycle rider number 106 Thomas Bourgin was the victim of a fatal traffic accident," read a statement from rally organisers.

"The rally's medical teams deployed on the ground were only able to certify the rider's death, probably instant.

Bourgin, from St Etienne, was competing in the Dakar Rally for the first time and had been lying in 68th place overall.