Around 3,000 samples "have been taken from Russian athletes by officials investigating claims of widespread doping in the country." The World Anti-Doping Agency "launched its investigation following allegations made in a German television documentary." Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko confirmed a WADA commission "had now visited the country at his request." He said, "They took around 3,000 samples to be checked in laboratories" (BBC, 12/24). ... Malaysian Hockey Confederation Deputy President Puan Sri Raja Noora Ashikin said that "the association must call for an immediate meeting to discuss the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) rejection to their proposed constitution." The FIH "cited several areas the MHC must address before getting the approval." She said, “We have to seriously look into the contents and act on it. They (the FIH) are the governing body and we are their affiliate. You cannot go against them" (THE STAR, 12/27). ... Having teetered on a "fiscal cliff," the Cycling Association of Hong Kong said that the only int'l-standard BMX cycling venue in Hong Kong "is back on track." The controversial venue "was closed temporarily last year after running out of funds with parents staging a protest and management questioned over the park's operations." But "after a period of restructuring, the governing body said the venue was now sustainable and had become more popular" (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 12/27).
