The Australian Football League's "powerful integrity unit has swelled to 15 full-time staff, four medical consultants and nine casual security officers." Former Victoria Police homicide squad senior detective Tony Keane heads the department responsible for policing gambling, doping, illicit drug use, ground security, the salary cap and player behavior and associations. Three other "ex-cops and a former unsworn police intelligence analyst are also full-time members" of the 28-person AFL integrity body -- the biggest in Australian team sport (HERALD SUN, 12/3).
As "concerns about sledging in the Ashes increase," England head coach Trevor Bayliss called for stump microphones to be turned down "so fans would not be able to hear exchanges between players on the pitch." Bayliss: "I don’t think anyone has to listen to what is being said. ... I don’t think that’s necessarily a thing for young kids watching" (London TELEGRAPH, 12/3).
Romania’s anti-doping laboratory in Bucharest "had its accreditation provisionally suspended due to non-compliance," the World Anti-Doping Agency said on Thursday. The suspension "will remain in place pending disciplinary proceedings being carried out by an independent committee" (REUTERS, 11/30).
