Russia's LILIYA SHOBUKHOVA "has been ordered to repay" more than £377,000 ($493,870) to London Marathon organizers after being banned for doping.
The 38-year-old "won the 2010 race but was later suspended for 38 months." The judgement to recover her appearance fees and prize money for the '10 and '11 races "needs enforcing by Russia" (BBC, 7/19). ... Swedish freeride skiing champion MATILDA RAPAPORT died "after getting caught in an avalanche last Thursday in Chile." She "was 30." Rapaport "was on a filming trip near the Farrellones ski area in the Andes when she was swept away and buried on her second run." Rescuers "recovered her and got her to a hospital in Santiago, the country’s capital, approximately 22 miles away, within an hour and a half." The accident left Rapaport in a coma over the weekend, and "she died from complications due to lack of oxygen" (Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH, 7/18). ... JACQUES VILLENEUVE said that he "would love to come back" to Formula E after cutting ties with Venturi just three races in to season two. One-time Formula 1 and CART champion Villeneuve announced last August "he would be entering Formula E with Venturi." Villeneuve: "It was just a shame that there wasn't time to build anything up, that's all. That was a bit disappointing, but that's just the way life goes" (NBC SPORTS, 7/19).
