Cycling: Contador vows to clear his name
Contador: Will return in August
Alberto Contador hasn't ruled out appealing a two-year doping ban handed down to him by sport's highest court, maintaining his innocence a day after being stripped of his 2010 Tour de France title.
The Spaniard said yesterday he has no plans to retire, despite hinting previously that he might quit if banned for testing positive for clenbuterol on his way to winning a third Tour title, which was taken away from him with Monday's ruling.
Contador completely disagreed with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which rejected his claim that his positive doping test for the muscle-building steroid was caused by eating contaminated meat.
"Something doesn't work with the system," he said. "My lawyers and I will fight as far as we need to demonstrate my innocence."
Contador said his legal team are examining whether to appeal to Switzerland's supreme court, which is the only body he can still turn to in hopes of being exonerated.
"I've tried everything to understand this ruling," said Contador, who underwent a lie-detector test during the investigation. "The only satisfaction I feel is that, the ruling never says I doped."
Meanwhile, Mark Cavendish claimed his first victory with Team Sky when he won a sprint in the third stage of the Tour of Qatar.
Golf
Tiger Woods has revealed a new incentive as he tries to climb back to the top -- his children want to see him on television.
Daughter Sam will be five in June, while son Charlie is three today.
"My kids are of an age where they want to see Dad on TV," said Woods at Pebble Beach, where he is practising for the start of the AT&T National Pro-Am tomorrow.
He has told them it will happen more the better he plays, and they have told him to go and do it.
"Golf is more enjoyable than it used to be," added the 36-year-old 14-times Major winner.
Motorsport
Kimi Raikkonen rolled back the years with the fastest lap for Lotus on the first day of Formula One testing yesterday.
The 2007 champion, making his comeback after two years in the world rally championship, looked at home right from the start in Jerez.
His best timewas quicker than any lap in testing at the track last year. But the fastest driver in last year's Jerez test was Rubens Barrichello, who went on to score just four points for Williams all season.
cricket
England have dropped struggling batsman Ian Bell from their one-day and Twenty20 squads, drafting in Danny Briggs and Jos Buttler for the limited over series against Pakistan.
Kevin Pietersen, who like Bell failed to make an impact in the 3-0 Test series whitewash against Pakistan, will open the batting in the 50-over games. Dubliner Eoin Morgan keeps his place.
Irish Independent
