British Cycling Technical Dir Shane Sutton categorically denied that sprinter Jess Varnish "was dropped from the squad because of her public criticism of the coaches in early March" following the women’s team sprint duo’s failure to qualify for the Rio Olympics, "and reiterated that Varnish had been dropped on performance grounds." Sutton: "No one was going to hold that against her -- we all say things in the heat of battle that we wish we hadn’t said. This is an evidence-based program and always has been, and if you take away the emotion the evidence doesn’t lie." Varnish was informed in late March in a rider review conducted by a three-man panel -- Sutton, the head coach, Iain Dyer, and the sprint squad coach, Justin Grace -- that her contract with the Olympic squad "would not be renewed, and the 25-year-old subsequently appealed." That appeal was turned down (London GUARDIAN, 4/20).
The Indonesian government "has launched a text-for-cash campaign" to keep Manor F1 driver Rio Haryanto on the '16 grid. CNN Indonesia reported that the government has organized five telecoms -- Telkomsel, Indosat, Smartfren, XL Axiata and Tri -- to help the rookie compile the last $4.7M he "owes to Manor." Fans can text the word "Rio" to a mobile number, costing them a "small amount that will go into Haryanto's sponsorship pot" (AUTOWEEK, 4/19).
A disciplinary hearing has been scheduled in Maria Sharapova’s doping case, "with a ruling possible before Wimbledon starts." ITF President David Haggerty said on Wednesday that its doping cases typically take "two to three months" to process. That could "deliver a verdict in June." Haggerty said that he had "not been told details by the federation’s anti-doping tribunal, including when and where the hearing would be held" (AP, 4/20).
The elite Kenyan contingent in Sunday’s London marathon have "welcomed the country’s progress on anti-doping and said on Wednesday the public should believe they and most of their compatriots are running clean." Two-time London marathon winner Wilson Kipsang said, "Nothing was being done before because there was no policy or structure but now they can proceed." Defending London marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge also welcomed the new law that "finally lifted the shadow of a possible Olympic ban for the distance powerhouse that has been rocked by more than 40 positive tests in recent years" (REUTERS, 4/20).
