ATHLETICS: Former 100-metre hurdles world and Olympic champion Ludmila Engquist, who has admitted using banned steroids, was under fire from athletes and media in her adopted Swedish homeland yesterday. "I am shocked and disappointed. But it's good the cheaters are cleared away," said Karin Olsson, who was Engquist's partner at bobsleigh since she quit running in 1999.

Olsson was quoted by the tabloid Aftonbladet, which also carried an interview in which Swedish former high jumper Patrik Sjoberg dismissed Engquist. Sjoberg, the only other Swede to have won a world athletics championship gold, said: "I showed that it was possible to become world champion without doping."

Russian-born Engquist, who became a Swedish citizen in 1996, admitted on Swedish national television on Sunday she had recently used banned steroids.

Ten days ago, Russian-born Engquist took a drug test before she raced in Lillehammer, Norway. She opted to speak to Swedish television before the test results could be made public.

SWIMMING: Connacht swimming is in crisis following the suspension of the Sharks Club, one of the leading clubs in the country, reports Pat Roche.

Swim Ireland secretary Pat Donovan confirmed the suspension yesterday and indicated the club would remain banned "until the resolution of issues within the club". The club has been a mainstay of Connacht competition for many years but a domestic row, partly concerning the refusal by swimmers to sign up to new club rules, is at the heart of the problem.

Details of the suspension which bans Sharks competitors from "all club and Swim Ireland activities" is with the the Minister for Sport, Jim McDaid. Repeated requests by Swim Ireland for the club to have the matter resolved by holding a special a.g.m. "has not been adhered to", according to a letter from Donovan.

A spokeperson for parents of Sharks swimmers said yesterday: "Since mid-September Sharks swimming club officers have refused entry to the water to 31 out of its 43 active registered swimmers because of their refusal to sign new club rules."

In the meantime, many of the club's swimmers have sought private tutoring elsewhere.

As matters stand, the club is in danger of been disbanded, according to a letter sent by Swim Ireland secretary Donovan to all Sharks club members. Swim Ireland are prepared to hold an e.g.m., "to deal with the whole issue and decide if the club should be disbanded", the letter states.

GAELIC GAMES: The 2001 Railway Cups will be contested this weekend in tournaments in Tipperary and Kerry. The football semi-final between Munster and Leinster will make history when it becomes the first in the interprovincial series' history to be played under floodlights. Stack Park, Tralee will host the event at 4.30 on Saturday afternoon.

The hurling semi-finals between Ulster and Connacht and Munster and Leinster take place in Templemore and Nenagh respectively with the same pairings in football taking place in Killarney and Tralee.

Meanwhile, Kilkenny hurling selector Ger Henderson has stepped aside because of business commitments and will be replaced by Noel Skehan.