Dublin, July 11
Women will box in the Olympics for the first time in London, bringing an end to the last all-male sport at the summer Games and potentially usher in a series of changes that may permit professionals to fight in Rio in four years time.

Women, rejected in the past because of a limited global appeal that saw them only sanctioned to box in Britain 15 years ago, will compete for three gold medals, squeezing the men into 10 weight categories from the 11 fought in Beijing. Likely to be one of the big novelties at London 2012, some still wonder whether they should be competing at all.

Former world light welterweight champion Amir Khan, a silver medallist at the 2004 Olympics, bristled at the thought of women getting knocked out while amateur boxing powerhouse Cuba refuses to allow its females fight. Its head coach was quoted as saying in 2009 that they were "made for beauty and not to take blows around the head".

Potential stars of the games like India's Mary Kom and Ireland's Katie Taylor, sporting heroes in their countries who hold nine world titles between them and were at the forefront of the campaign to get women's boxing into the Games, will be keen to prove them wrong.

The London games will also likely be the last to feature a full card of amateur fights with boxing's governing body keen on seeing it follow basketball and tennis in allowing professional athletes to compete for medals.

International Boxing Association (AIBA) president Wu Ching-Kuo has said more than 50 professional boxers will compete at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, chosen from the new World Series of Boxing (WSB) and soon to be launched AIBA Professional Boxing (APB), Wu's own brainchild. Wu, who was recently nominated to the International Olympic

Committee (IOC) executive board, also wants computerised scoring scrapped to encourage fighters to win with style and head guards ditched, potentially putting him on a collision course with the medical profession.

The phasing out of the amateur ethos in Olympic boxing means London could also be the last time professional promoters will be presented with such rich pickings, hoping to unearth the next Oscar De La Hoya or Wladimir Klitschko, gold medal winners in the 1990s before going on to conquer the pro game.

Inside the ring, Cuba will be desperate to better their 2008 medal haul when they came away with just one gold compared to the 21 they netted over the course of the four previous Games. Bantamweight Lazaro Alvarez and light-heavyweight Julio Cesar la Cruz triumphed at the world championships last year that were dominated by Ukraine who should be able to at least double the two boxing golds it has won since first taking part in the Games 16 years ago. — Reuters

New Delhi, July 11
If the underdog Indian hockey team wants to put up a decent fight at the London Olympics, ace drag-flicker Sandeep Singh would have to be in prime form and he knows it more than anyone else. The hero of India's Olympic qualifiers is confident of a good show and says that he has been working hard to improve his drag-flicking skills.

"I always try to give my best and improve my skills as per the changing trends of the game. I have a feeling that India will be one of the better teams to compete in the London Olympics," Sandeep told PTI in an interview from La Albercia in Spain.

Asked about the team's preparations, the senior player sounded pretty confident. "We have been doing well for the past six months in the run-up to the Olympics. We have put in a lot of hard work and hopefully, it would pay off when it matters the most." He didn't seem to agree that the Indians would be under immense pressure at the quadrennial extravaganza.

"There is no pressure on us as we are much more confident of doing better this time around." While the team's Australian coach Michael Nobbs is eyeing a top-six finish, his key player feels that the "primary target should always be a podium finish." "The idea will be to take one match at a time rather than thinking too far ahead. We are planning proper strategies for each of our opponents."

"For the past six months, we have had extensive video analysis sessions where we have dissected the strengths and weaknesses of our opponents," said Sandeep.

The feisty player thinks that training at high altitude in Pune was of tremendous help for the side as it went into the pre-tournament warm-up matches. "The training camp in Pune has ensured that we have been able to maintain high level of fitness. Credit should also be given to David John who has worked tirelessly with the boys to upgrade their fitness levels. We are now confident of taking on any European side." The three-week training in France and Spain has also proved to be very helpful, says Sandeep.

"We have played South Africa, France, Great Britain. It has been some good match practice before the real action begins. These matches would be of great advantage," feels Sandeep.

There had been a lot of talk about how the Indian team will do on the blue astro-turf but Sandeep doesn't want to entertain any negative thoughts. "I have no problems with the blue astro-turf. I have got used to it and I believe that we have got sufficient games to get accustomed to playing on blue turf. The Olympic test event, Sultan Azlan Shah and now the warm-up matches," he signed off. — PTI

Hyderabad, July 11
With little over two weeks left for the Olympics, Indian shuttler V Diju said there was no time for experimentation and he along with partner Jwala Gutta would stick to the tried and tested strategy at the big event.

Diju and Jwala, ranked 13 in the world, haver done consistently well in the last few years and are hopeful of putting up a good show in the marquee event. "My preparations are very good. We are practicing under an Indonesian coach at Gachibowli in Hyderabad. I don't have a special strategy for the Olympics. Whatever we were doing earlier, we are continuing the same," Diju told PTI here today.

Diju and Jwala were the runners-up at Indian Open at Hyderabad in 2009. The duo also reached the final in World Super Series Masters final in Malaysia the same year. Riding on these performances, the duo had reached the career-best ranking of world number six in August, 2010.

Diju said they are excited at the opportunity to participate in the biggest sporting event. "It is a good feeling. It is a matter of great pride for me to play in the Olympics. I am really excited about it," he said.

He also praised Jwala, whom he described as very helpful and a player with great self-confidence. "I have played with different partners before. Jwala is better than them in comparison. She is very confident," he said. — PTI

London, July 11
The head of the World Anti-Doping Agency has called on athletes using performing enhancing drugs to pull themselves out of the London Olympics. WADA president John Fahey said the Games would be the most tested ever and that athletes owed it to their teams and their opponents, as well as the image of the Olympics, to play fair and quit before competing.

"I say this in the clearest way possible: if you are a doping athlete and you are planning to compete in London then you must withdraw from your Olympic team," Fahey said.

"Doping is cheating, plain and simple. And if you compete in London as a doped athlete then not only will you be cheating your fellow athletes, you will be cheating sports fans across the world, doing a disservice to your national flag and flouting the ideals of the Olympic Movement," he said.

The Games begins on July 27 and run until August 12 although the 'in-competition' testing period start with the opening of the Athletes Village on July 16.

There will be around 6,250 samples analysed at the Games while UK Anti Doping have also been mandated to test in pre-competition training camps.

"There has been a coherent effort to make London 2012 as 'clean' as possible and doping athletes should know that their chances of avoiding detection are the smallest they have ever been," said Fahey.

"A doping athlete cannot achieve success, it is a complete contradiction. Even if a doping athlete were to win a medal he or she would never be able to look at themselves in the mirror and say 'well done, I deserved this'," he added.

"The Olympic Games is the absolute pinnacle for many athletes, and for them to train endlessly over a four-year period and then have their efforts belittled by a doping athlete, to me that is complete and utter betrayal of what sport stands for."

There were 20 proven cases of doping at the Beijing Games four years ago, including six horses, down from 26 cases in Athens in 2004.

"Athletes are responsible for what they put into their bodies and athletes are responsible for whether or not they choose to dope," said Fahey. — Reuters

• There will be around 6,250 samples analysed at the Games while UK Anti Doping have also been mandated to test in pre-competition training camps
• There were 20 proven cases of doping at the Beijing Games four years ago, including six horses, down from 26 cases in Athens in 2004

La Albericia (Spain), July 11
The Indian hockey team went down fighting to South Africa in its last friendly in the run-up to the Tri-Nation tournament here today. India lost the keenly-fought encounter 3-4.

The scorers for India were Danish Mujtaba, Sandeep Singh and SK Uthappa while Clinton Panther, Thoton McDade, Llyod Norris-Jones and Justin Reid Ross were on target for South Africa. Panther put South Africa ahead in the ninth minute, scoring a field goal. McDade scored the second goal for his team in the 17th minute.

India reduced the margin four minutes later with a field goal scored by forward Mujtaba. Going into the second half India created good moves penetrating in the circle and levelled 2-2 in the 47th minute through a penalty corner converted by Sandeep. However, three minutes later, Norris-Jones put South Africa ahead. India fought back strongly and equalised seven minutes later through a field goal by Uthappa. South Africa scored the winning goal in the 61st minute through a penalty corner by Justin Reid.

In the run-up to this tournament, India drew 3-3 with Spain before losing the second match 1-2 to them. They had beaten South Africa 6-5 in the first friendly. The four matches helped the Indian players adjust to the blue turf. India will play against Great Britain on Saturday in the inaugural match of Tri-Nation series in Santander, Spain. — PTI

Pallekele, July 11
Pakistan's Azhar Ali smashed a second century in successive matches today to leave the final Test against Sri Lanka poised for an intriguing finish. Azhar made 136 as Pakistan wriggled out of a corner to post 299-8 in their second innings by stumps on the fourth day here, a lead of 188 runs with two wickets in hand.

The tourists now have three sessions on the fifth day to conjure a series-levelling win on a wearing pitch that will offer some turn to prolific off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.

But Sri Lanka remain favourites to win or draw the match and clinch their first series victory in three years since beating New Zealand at home in 2009. The hosts won the first Test in Galle by 209 runs before the second in Colombo was drawn.

Azhar, who made 157 in the Colombo Test, held the innings together for six hours, hitting 13 boundaries in his fourth Test century and the third this year. The 27-year-old put on 94 for the second wicket with his overnight partner Mohammad Hafeez and 48 for the third with Younis Khan after Pakistan resumed the day at 27-1.

But the most crucial partnership came towards the end of the day when Asad Shafiq helped Azhar add 100 for the fifth wicket after Younis and skipper Misbah-ul Haq had departed quickly.

Fast bowler Dilhara Fernando and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath sparked a lower order collapse in the final hour as Pakistan slipped from a comfortable 276-4 to 299-8. Fernando had Azhar caught behind and then claimed his 100th Test wicket by trapping Mohammad Sami leg-before.

Herath claimed Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal leg-before, but Shafiq saw out the day for Pakistan in the company of injured wicket-keeper Adnan Akmal.

Shafiq was unbeaten on 55 after top-scoring with 75 in the first innings, while Akmal, batting with a hairline fracture in his left hand, had yet to score. Hafeez, who also hit a century in Colombo, made 52 when he was dismissed just before lunch with Pakistan two runs away from wiping out the first innings deficit of 111 runs.

The Pakistan vice-captain edged a wild drive off Fernando to Tharanga Paranavitana in the slips. The wicket of Hafeez came against the run of play after Sri Lanka's bowlers failed to contain the flow of runs on a pitch that appeared to ease out under bright sunshine.

Pakistan went to lunch at 119-2, in front by eight runs, after Younis had given his team the lead by tapping Angelo Mathews for a single to point. Wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene dropped a low catch when Younis, then on 12, followed a wide ball from Angelo Mathews.

But the missed chance did not prove costly as Younis managed to add just seven more runs when he was snapped up by a lunging Paranavitana at silly-point off Herath. — AFP

Pakistan 1st innings: 226

Sri Lanka 1st innings: 337

Pakistan 2nd innings (overnight 27-1)

Hafeez c Paranavitana

b Fernando 52

Umar lbw b Kulasekara 4

Azhar c Prasanna b Fernando 136

Younis c P’vitana b Herath 19

Misbah c Mahela b Herath 5

Shafiq not out 55

Sami lbw b Fernando 3

Gul lbw b Herath 0

Ajmal lbw b Herath 5

Adnan not out 0

Extras: (b6, lb8, w6) 20

Total (8 wkts, 104 ovrs) 299

Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-110, 3-158, 4-176, 5-276, 6-280, 7-281, 8-299.

Bowling: Kulasekara 22-7-50-1, Perera 17-1-66-0, Herath 32-4-64-4, Fernando 20-1-65-3, Mathews 12-0-38-0, Samaraweera 1-0-2-0.

The implications may be insulting but they are now part of the terrain. It is the burden, if not the tragedy, of Bradley Wiggins and all those against whom he competes in the Tour de France that he knows deep down there is one race he can never win. It is the one against doubt, the opponent whose presence is always most tangible in the wake of the most brilliant deeds and conspicuous courage.

If you are clean you rage against the suspicion that your greatest performances inevitably come with chemical assistance, as Wiggins did in a volley of expletives the other day. The trouble is there is simply not enough of the stuff to go around — rage, that is. This is because it is employed as fiercely by the guilty as the innocent. And there has been much systematic corruption, much cheating on an industrial scale.

The long-running charges against Lance Armstrong and so many of his successors concern very sophisticated methods, but they are founded in the suspicion that when the challenge is so hard, and the awards are so great, someone will always be prepared to gamble on the possibility of life-changing success.

For Wiggins the implications may be unpleasantly insulting but, unfortunately, they are part of the terrain he so superbly conquered this week in the 41.5km time trial which may just have given him permanent possession of the yellow jersey.

Like Usain Bolt in Beijing four years ago, Wiggins can only bask in the acclaim of all those who are still prepared to believe that the purest achievement can still come, well, purely.

When Bolt came home in Beijing in his astonishing time, in his astonishing gait, it was as though you were back in Seoul in 1988, when Michael Johnson made his own impact on the art of the possible — the same swivelling of heads, the same need to believe.

It is perhaps appropriate that the time trial discipline in which Bradley Wiggins may have sealed his greatest prize has always been known as the race of truth. The winning of such a race, in every respect, is not only a superb ambition but the answer to a sometimes despairing prayer. — The Independent