Spanish Basketball League (ACB) Disciplinary Judge JUAN RAMÓN MONTERO ESTÉVEZ ruled to close the case investigating possible irregularities in the passports of MARCUS SLAUGHTER and ANDY PANKO (ACB). ... Spain's court of arbitration for sport "has upheld steeplechase runner ANGEL MULLERA's two-year ban for failing to appear for a scheduled drug test." Spain's anti-doping agency said that the suspension, "which began from the day of Mullera's missed test on July 16, 2015, will last until July 16, 2017" (AP, 3/24). ... Russian SERGEY KIRDYAPKIN is "set to be stripped" of the 50km walk Gold Medal he won at the 2012 London Olympics after the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld an appeal by the IAAF against the Russian anti-doping agency (RUSADA). Two more Russian athletes are set to lose their London Games Medals after the IAAF appealed on six cases where it said that RUSADA had been "selective" in annulling previous results of the athletes after they were banned for irregularities in their biological passports (REUTERS, 3/24). ... 2012 London Olympics men's 60kg Judo Silver Medalist HIROAKI HIRAOKA "announced his retirement as an active judoka on Wednesday." The 31-year-old Hiraoka "lost at a domestic tournament last fall and missed out on a place at this summer’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro." Hiraoka said, "I want to thank everybody and retire" (KYODO, 3/23). ... Austrian anti-doping authorities have banned cross-country skier HARALD WURM "for four years for blood doping." The Austrian Anti-Doping Legal Committee said on Thursday that "it suspended the two-time Olympian for taking the banned substance cobalt and using several prohibited methods for blood enrichment which boosts endurance" (AP, 3/24). ... Former Sunderland player ADAM JOHNSON has "been jailed for six years for grooming and sexual activity with a girl aged 15." While sentencing, Judge JONATHAN ROSE said that he had abused a position of trust and caused his victim "severe psychological harm." The judge told Johnson, 28, he had "engaged in sexual activity with her knowing she was under 16" (BBC, 3/24).
