The Kerala High Court on Monday revoked the BCCI decision to "impose a life ban" on former Indian cricketer S. SREESANTH. Last year, a special court in Delhi "acquitted him" in the '13 Indian Premier League spot-fixing case. After the verdict, Sreesanth approached the BCCI to remove the ban but "his plea was turned down" (HINDUSTAN TIMES, 8/7). ... TV personality DAVE FISHWICK is "ending his longstanding sponsorship" of Premier League side Burnley. But he is "set to continue his support by buying shares in the club and acting as a key adviser." Fishwick, who is "known best" for his role in Channel 4 show "Bank of Dave," has sponsored the Cricket Field Stand for 15 years (LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH, 8/3). ... Former French Open finalist SARA ERRANI has been banned for two months "over a doping breach." The former world No. 5 will miss the US Open this month after recording a positive test to letrozole, which is an aromatase inhibitor "usually used in the treatment of breast cancer post surgery." The 30-year-old argued that the ingestion of the drug had been "inadvertent," with her mother providing a submission stating she had been using a drug containing letrozole to "combat cancer." An Anti-Doping Tribunal found Errani "at fault, though the degree was at a low level" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 8/8).
RETIRING: Two-time Tour de France champion ALBERTO CONTADOR will retire from professional cycling after the 2017 Vuelta a España, which starts on Aug. 19. The Spaniard, 34, won the Tour de France in '07 and '09, but he was stripped of the '10 title for doping. He is one of only six riders to have won all three Grand Tours -- the Tour de France, Vuelta and Giro d'Italia (BBC, 8/7). ... Super League rugby side Widnes Vikings forward EAMON O'CARROLL announced his retirement, "having suffered a nerve injury" in the club's defeat by Wakefield on July 14. O'Carroll, who played 149 Super League games for Widnes, including six this season, played for Ireland in two Rugby League World Cups and won six caps for his country between '07 and '13 (BBC, 8/7).
STATE FUNERAL: Sydney's St. Mary Cathedral will host a state funeral for "much-loved" football broadcaster LES MURRAY next week. The "SBS doyen has been honoured with the service, to be held on Monday, for his passionate support for the sport over a 35-year career" (AAP, 8/7).
'AUSSIE GOLDEN GIRL': BETTY CUTHBERT, who "took the 1956 Melbourne Olympics by storm as an 18-year-old," died, aged 79, "after a long battle with multiple sclerosis." Cuthbert was a four-time Olympic Gold Medalist, winning three at the 1956 Melbourne Games -- in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay events. She also won Gold in the 400m event at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Cuthbert was Australia's first inductee into the IAAF Hall of Fame in its inaugural year of '12 (AAP, 8/6).
