The Kremlin said that Russia "does not accept the application of U.S. justice outside Washington's jurisdiction," after the U.S. Justice Department opened an investigation into allegations of state-sponsored doping by Russian athletes.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, "We treat with a certain skepticism and a certain degree of incomprehension and aversion the cases of extra-territorial application of the jurisdiction of U.S. courts which have become pretty widespread lately" (REUTERS, 5/19). Alexander Kurennoi, spokesperson for the Russian Prosecutor-General's office said that Russian prosecutors "launched an investigation into media allegations about doping by Russian athletes." Kurennoi said that prosecutors and other law enforcers "will check information on doping use by Russian sportspeople during the Beijing, London and Sochi games" (REUTERS, 5/19).
A STEP CLOSER: National Rugby League clubs and the game's governing body "are a step closer to eternal peace but there is no end in sight to the hostilities at Parramatta." The first meeting this year of NRL CEOs and chairs saw clubs "move further towards signing perpetual licences to play in the premiership which will ensure there can not be another Super League war as they would be unable to join a breakaway competition." The clubs and the NRL "had signed off on a Memorandum of Understanding last December," which guaranteed them an extra A$100M in funding from the new A$1.8B broadcast deal and annual grants equating to 130% of total player payments from '18-22 (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 5/19).
TENNIS SURVEY: As players gather in Paris for the French Open, "a survey shows that almost one in four believe a rival has thrown a match against them for financial gain." And as Maria Sharapova "the anonymous survey of 31 players" also showed 22% knew an opponent had used performance-enhancing drugs in their career.
Sharapova "was to appear" at an Int'l Tennis Federation hearing in London on Thursday, but if the hearing occurred, it did not happen at the ITF’s headquarters. According to the survey, conducted by ESPN, "20 of the 31 players who responded believe Sharapova should be suspended for a year and nine believe the penalty should be longer" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 5/20).
A NEW STRATEGY: Sport England will "triple the amount of money it invests in tackling inactivity" by spending £250M ($365M) over four years as it targets the 28% of people who do less than 30 minutes of exercise per week.
There "will be a shift in emphasis towards the least active groups: typically women, the disabled and those from low socio-economic backgrounds." It "will also dedicate funding to children from the age of five." As part of its new strategy, it will invest up to £30M ($43.8M) on a plan "to increase the number of volunteers in grassroots sport" (BBC, 5/19).
