Other sports news in brief
Limited medication accepted
EQUESTRIAN:Soccer isn't the only sport caught up in controversy, with delegates at the general assembly of the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) in Copenhagen voting narrowly in favour of in-competition use of limited medication of horses.
This vote to adopt a so-called "progressive list" of medications, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Nsaid) such as phenylbutazone (bute), came after delegates voted overwhelmingly in favour of the federation's clean sport campaign, which, according to the FEI president, Princess Haya, will "allow us to restore the public image of our sport as a clean and incorrupt product".
Some delegates from western Europe voiced their opposition to the adoption of the progressive list which, in January, will replace the zero-tolerance policy now in force, claiming it runs counter to the clean sport programme.
Uruguay given a fright
SOCCER:Uruguay struggled to tame Costa Rica before booking their place in the World Cup finals with a 1-1 draw at home in the second leg of their South America/ Concacaf play-off on Wednesday night.
The Uruguayans went through 2-1 on aggregate after winning the first leg in San Jose on Saturday.
Substitute striker Sebastian Abreu headed home with 20 minutes to go to put Uruguay ahead, sparking huge celebrations by the home team, their bench and the packed Centenario terraces.
But just three minutes later midfielder Walter Centeno, the Costa Rica captain, restored the Central Americans' hopes of an upset when he equalised.
The match was held up for nearly five minutes near the end because of fighting between a Uruguay camera crew near the touchline and the Costa Rica bench amid a nervous denouement.
Federer to face Verdasco as Murray gets Del Potro
TENNIS:World number one Roger Federer will meet Spain's Fernando Verdasco in tomorrow's second Group A round-robin match of the ATP World Tour finals.
Scotland's Andy Murray will play US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro in the opening match at London's O2 Arena.
Spain's Rafael Nadal begins his campaign in Group B on Monday afternoon against Robin Soderling, the Swede who ended his four-year reign at the French Open in May.
Soderling, beaten in the Roland Garros final by Federer, has replaced American Andy Roddick who withdrew from the event on Tuesday with a knee injury.
Ireland's Barry King came close to pulling off a shock win over the number two seed in the ITF Men's Futures event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia yesterday. Monaco's Thomas Oger edged the tie-break to record a 6-1 1-6 7-6 (7/5) victory.
Fellow Irish James McGee and Colin O'Brien also exited in the second round of the hard-court event.
Louk Sorensen was forced to retire with a shoulder injury when trailing 1-4 against Germany's Dieter Kindlmann in the second round of the Challenger Tour event in Japan.
But Conor Niland beat American Bobby Poole 6-1 5-7 6-2 in the ITF Futures event in Florida
Semenya 'will keep her gold medal'
ATHLETICS:Caster Semenya will keep the gold medal she won at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, South Africa's department of sport and recreation said yesterday.
The 18-year-old is currently waiting to hear whether she can continue competing as a woman after being asked to undergo gender tests - the IAAF yesterday insisted an announcement was not imminent.
She will definitely keep the medal she won last summer, however.
"Because Caster has been found to be innocent of any wrong, she will then retain her gold medal, retain her title of 800 metres world champion, retain her prize money," the department said in a statement.
Irish let lead slip and hopes fade
HOCKEY:Ireland's World Cup qualification hopes took a second severe blow as they blew a two-goal lead to draw with the Czech Republic 2-2 in Quilmes, Argentina, last night.
Following Tuesday's loss to Belgium, this result moves Ireland's hopes of reaching New Delhi 2010 close to extinction.
John Jermyn had put Ireland into a 2-0 half-time lead with a penalty stroke and penalty corner.
But Ondrej Vadmuska pulled on back midway through the second half before Daniel Pieterak netted from play with four minutes to go.
The Irish now need a win tomorrow against the Argentine hosts - ranked eight places above them in the world - in their final group game and results to work drastically in their favour to keep hope alive.
