A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Dominguez provisionally cleared
ATHLETICS: World steeplechase champion Marta Dominguez has been provisionally cleared by a judge of administering drugs without a prescription, a Madrid court said yesterday.
The 35-year-old Dominguez, one of Spain’s best-known athletes who was a vice president of the country’s athletics federation (RFEA) until she was caught up in a doping probe in December, was accused of administering a banned drug to her training partner.
However, Judge Mercedes Perez Barrios ruled there was “no rational evidence” she had committed a criminal act.
A third charge against the athlete, of supplying a banned substance, was provisionally dropped in April. She remains under investigation for alleged tax irregularities.
Maradona fine after car accident
SOCCER: Diego Maradona has suffered minor injuries in an accident on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.
The Argentina legend and his partner Veronica Ojeda were taken to hospital after the car he was driving hit a bus.
Maradona (50) reportedly hurt his knee and Ojeda her hip, but Dr Oscar Cicco, a director at Hospital de Ezeiza, said they were “in perfect condition”.
He added: “They’ve hardly suffered any injuries and came to the hospital by themselves as a precautionary measure.”
Maradona’s mother is currently in hospital and local media reported that he was on his way to visit her when the accident happened in the suburb of Ezeiza.
At present Maradona is waiting to take over as coach of Al Wasl in the United Arab Emirates, his first job since departing as Argentina manager following the 2010 World Cup.
Molloy heads qualifiers as Dunbar has change of heart
GOLF: As Ardee member Ciarán Molloy collected the Silver Medal as leading qualifier in the North of Ireland at Royal Portrush yesterday evening, rumour was rife that Alan Dunbar would not defend the title because of a Walker Cup trial at Aberdeen next week.
However, Dunbars name was in the hat when the draw was made last night as the 21-year-old Rathmore man had second thoughts after speaking to Ulster chairman Ivor McCandless.
Dunbar, along with fellow Irish internationals Paul Cutler and Paul Dunne were involved in the European Team Championship in Portugal and were excused from qualifying for the North. Alan did notify me that he was withdrawing from the Championship but after he had a talk with our chairman he decided to leave his name in the draw, explained Ulster secretary Kevin Stevens.
Mageean heads team of 15
ATHLETICS: Ciara Mageean heads a team of 15 Irish Junior athletes for the European Juniors in Tallinn, Estonia from July 21st to 24th. Mageean competes in the 1,500m where she has a qualifying time of four minutes, 17 seconds.
Ireland juniors: C Mageean (Lisburn), M Kenny (Letterkenny), M Curley (Craughwell), E Prendiville (Farranfore), J Healy (Bandon), C Kennedy (Ferrybank), L Brady (Tullamore), M Pons (DMP), K Barry (Crusaders), L Markham (Ennis), A Doyle (Mid Ulster), D McGuigan (Finn Valley), D Cronin (Blarney), J Mills (Ballymena), T Barr (Ferrybank).
Italy to host rugby in Olympic Stadium
RUGBY: Italy will host next year’s Six Nations rugby union matches in Rome’s Olympic stadium, the country’s rugby federation (FIR) said yesterday.
The matches against England on February 11th and Scotland on March 17th will both be played at the arena, which has hosted one Olympic Games, four European Cup finals and the 1990 World Cup final.
It is also used as the home stadium for soccer’s Serie A clubs Lazio and AS Roma.
The FIR said in a statement that the decision had been taken in conjunction with the Italian Olympic Committee.
Italy has staged its home games in the tournament at the Stadio Flaminio, also in Rome, for the last 11 years.
Irish boxers sure of five bronze
BOXING: IRELAND’S boxers will be taking home at least five bronze medals from the European Schoolboys’ Championships in Grozny, Russia following five quarter-final wins yesterday.
John Joyce, James Cleary,Tiernan Bradley, Lewis Crocker and Keelan Sexton all claimed last-eight victories and are all guaranteed at least bronze.
Joyce, of the Moate BC in Westmeath, club of European Senior and World Youth champ Joe Ward, also won bronze at the 2010 European Schoolboys’ Championships in Bulgaria.
Corks Oliver McCarthy and James McDonagh were also in action yesterday but lost out.
Quarter-finals: 40Kg: O McCarthy (Ire) lost to S Bammotov (Rus) 0-4; 44.5Kg: J Cleary (Ire) bt D Bichul (Ukr) 5-2; 46Kg; J McDonagh (Ire) lost to S Aliyev (Azer) 1-4; 48Kg: J Joyce (Ire) bt E Ustundag (Tur) 4-2; 52Kg: T Bradley (Ire) bt O Pogrebnyak (Ukr) 5-0; 59Kg; L Crocker (Ire) bt E Kann Ozyill (Tur) 8-0; 68Kg: K Sexton (Ire) bt A Kpupadziorau (Bel) 2-0.
