SPORTS DIGEST/TENNIS: Argentina's Mariano Puerta, the subject of doping allegations, has said he took anti-inflammatory tablets for a sore leg after his French Open semi-final win over Russia's Nikolay Davydenko.
Puerta has denied a French newspaper report that he had tested positive for a banned stimulant at Roland Garros after his defeat by Spain's Rafael Nadal in June's final.
"It's really crazy," said Puerta, who faces a life ban if found guilty after failing a doping test two years ago. "The doctor gave me a simple medicine, but it's completely unrelated to any cold medicine I'm supposed to have taken.
"I've heard the rumour I had a cold and took some medicine, but that's completely untrue."
SHOW JUMPING: Cameron Hanley, winner of the Athens Grand Prix last Sunday, was back in the money at the Greek fixture yesterday when riding Night Dancer into third in the Poseidon Cup, writes Grania Willis.
The Mayo man will have his Grand Prix ride Hippica Kerman for this afternoon's non-Super League Nations Cup in the Olympic venue at the Markopoulo Equestrian Centre.
Ireland has been drawn ninth of 10 nations in the starting order for today's team decider, with Ryan Crumley opening the batting, followed by Hanley, Sarah Kate Quinlivan and Neal Fearon. Chef d'equipe Robert Splaine is quietly confident of a good result this afternoon.
CYCLING: Cycling's ruling body has appointed a Dutch lawyer to investigate newspaper allegations that seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong had tested positive for drugs in 1999.
"Within the frame of measures aiming to clarify facts linked to the analysis of urine samples taken during the 1999 Tour de France, the UCI has appointed last Friday . . . Emile Vrijman and his law firm Lamsma Veldstra & Lobe attorneys in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, as independent investigator to be in charge of this case," the UCI said in a statement.
RUGBY: All Black outhalf Daniel Carter will return from injury for his provincial side Canterbury tomorrow and appears likely to be available for New Zealand's grand slam tour of Britain next month.
