MOTOR SPORT: The promoters of next year's British F1 Grand Prix have announced a £10.6million investment in improving traffic flow and car parking at the Northamptonshire circuit in a bid to convince race bosses not to take the event from them.

The sport's governing body, the FIA, are due to decide on Friday if the British round of the world championships is ditched in favour of a race in France.

But Octagon Motorsports, who plan to promote the Silverstone race on behalf of the British Racing Drivers' Club, have tried to pre-empt the FIA's announcement by releasing details of changes they hope will secure the British GP for next year.

BASKETBALL: The draw for the semi-final games of the 2002 ESB Cup took place yesterday and as none of the men's semi-finalists have taken the cup title in the past there will be four hungry teams in the National Basketball Arena at the end of next month.

Favourites Waterford have been drawn against Star of the Sea, while Tralee take on Limerick.

On the women's side, Mercy Coolock will play the winners of tonight's meeting between Meteors and Killester, while the University of Limerick face Tolka Rovers.

ATHLETICS: Cuba's high jump world record holder Javier Sotomayor, who retired in October, has denied charges by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) that he took the banned steroid nandrolone. "It's a lie, at no time have I taken that substance," Sotomayor said.

The IAAF announced the failed dope test in Monaco on November 25th. "I know that every time there is a doping case, everyone generally says they are innocent. But in my case I am innocent. That substance can never have reached my body," said Sotomayor.

MOTOR SPORT: An inquest into the death of a marshal at this year's Australian Grand Prix has been told the safety barriers at Melbourne's Albert Park circuit were too low. The FIA, Formula One's world governing body, have refuted the claims, however, saying they had no plans to raise the height of the barriers in the near future.

Track marshal Graham Beveridge died of a ruptured heart when a wheel flew through a narrow access gap in the track-side safety barrier following a collision between two cars.

RUGBY: Swansea yesterday appointed Australian John Connolly as their new coaching director.

Connolly will link up with the Welsh-Scottish League champions after his existing contract at French giants Stade Francais expires next June.

The former Queensland Reds supremo guided Paris-based Stade to last season's Heineken Cup final, when they lost a thrilling encounter 34-30 against English champions Leicester.

He has agreed a two-year contract with Swansea, and will succeed New Zealander John Plumtree in the coaching hot-seat.