Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said that accusations that four Russian Gold-Medal winners at the Sochi Olympics used performance-enhancing drugs are just "speculation." The allegations were made by former Russian anti-doping officer Vitaly Stepanov, who said that the former head of Russia's drug-testing lab told him he had a "Sochi List" of Russians who "competed on performance-enhancing drugs," and four athletes on that list won Gold Medals in '14. Mutko said, "Stepanov is back on his hobby horse. All of his so-called revelations are based on speculation" (AP, 5/7).
SAFETY REVIEW FINDINGS: Mandatory guidelines surrounding helmet safety are "set to be a recommendation from the review into player safety" following former Test opener Phillip Hughes' death in Nov. '14. Cricket Australia will "release the findings on Wednesday from the review it commissioned." CA has "devoted much more attention to player safety since the Hughes tragedy, such as its revised concussion policy which takes the decision about whether a cricketer is fit to play out of their hands and it is now solely at the discretion of the medical staff" (THE AGE, 5/9).
LEAGUE BRIEFS ...
Cycling Australia announced a four-year strategic plan encompassing all aspects of cycling, including the ambition of becoming "the worlds leading cycling nation." Strategy 2020 is "broken down into five different metrics; sport, community, commercial, advocacy and governance." Cycling Australia CEO Nick Green said, "As the national body responsible for the sport of cycling in Australia, our vision is to be the world's leading cycling nation while affirming our leadership of cycling in Australia" (CYCLING NEWS, 5/9).
The Australian Football League will "review the contentious shot clock after conceding its presence marred the end to a thriller between North Melbourne and St Kilda." Kangaroos player Mason Wood "earned a free kick in reach of goal with 22 seconds remaining and he milked the clock." The shot clock was introduced this season but shortly after the match, former Richmond player Matthew Richardson described the scenario as "a farce." Former Essendon player Tim Watson said that "a change was imperative" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 5/10).
