SPORTS DIGEST/Olympics: Kostas Kenteris, Greece's disgraced former Olympic champion, has said he is confident he will clear his name in court if authorities in Athens decide to charge him with deliberately avoiding a drugs test.
A senior Greek prosecutor is expected to publish the results today of an investigation into whether Kenteris and his training partner Ekaterini Thanou skipped a test on the eve of the Games in August, then faked a motorcycle crash. Their former coach, Christos Tzekos, could face similar charges.
Kenteris, surprise winner of the Olympic 200 metres in Sydney in 2000, said he welcomed the threat of legal action. "A prosecution means the case will be cleared. I want to go to the end and then we'll see who's right."
Several officials in a Greek hospital are also under investigation after a doctor who examined the athletes after the alleged crash found Kenteris had fewer injuries than stated in the hospital report and Thanou none visible at all.
SWIMMING: Ireland's Andrew Bree anxiously awaits the outcome of a meeting of Swim Ireland selectors this morning in Dublin when the European short-course championships in Vienna will be top of the agenda, reports Pat Roche.
Although the reigning silver medallist at 200 metres breaststroke in the 25-metre pool Bree was bitterly disappointed as Ireland's first European medallist in years not to make the Olympic team for Athens.
Bree, in common with three or perhaps four other top Irish competitors, is hoping that agreement to send a team to Vienna is forthcoming.
Meanwhile, a team for the Grand Prix in Bath in December is to be named today.
CYCLING: Irish road-race champion David O'Loughlin has signed a professional deal to race in 2005 for the Navigators Insurance team, reports Shane Stokes.
O'Loughlin, who raced on the American circuit in 2002 and 2003, will join fellow Irishman Ciarán Power on the US team.
"I am very pleased with the deal," he said yesterday. "It's good for me. I think Navigators Insurance is a good team to race with and has been very, very professional in everything they have done so far. Ciarán (Power) is full of praise for them so I am very pleased to be associated with them."
CRICKET: Shoaib Malik hit an unbeaten 53 to guide Pakistan to a six-wicket victory in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Karachi yesterday.
The home side, chasing 137 to win, recovered from 65 for four before tea to romp home in the final session thanks to Shoaib and Abdul Razzaq, who made 35 not out. Shoaib finished off the tourists in style by smashing 22 runs off the last over as Pakistan made 139 for four to level the two-match series 1-1.
GOLF: Hazel Kavanagh and Rebecca Coakley are well on course to beat the third-round cut today in the women's European Tour Final Qualifying School at Riva dei Tessali Golf Club, near Bari in southern Italy.
Kavanagh added a second round 72 for a 145 total while Coakey is a shot back on 146 after a second 73. Martina Gillen improved by eight shots in a 71 for 150 while Yvonne Cassidy is on 159.
At the top of the field of 90, Mianne Bagger (Denmark), Mikaela Parmlid (Sweden) and Miriam Nagl (Germany) share the lead on one-under-par 143.
TENNIS: Marat Safin, Tim Henman and Guillermo Coria grabbed the final three spots in the season-ending Masters Cup after Andre Agassi and David Nalbandian withdrew from the Paris Masters yesterday with injuries.
Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt, Carlos Moya and French Open winner Gaston Gaudio had already qualified.
With Agassi and Nalbandian unable to accrue more points before the cup, they were effectively eliminated from the season-ender.
