Former undisputed world champion Evander Holyfield will attempt to become the first fighter to become a heavyweight champion on four occasions when he faces fellow American John Ruiz for the World Boxing Association crown on Saturday night,

"He's a strong, basic fighter who's getting a big chance," says Holyfield, who would surpass Muhammad Ali's record of three times becoming a heavyweight champion if he wins, although Holyfield's achievement would come under less than completely convincing circumstances.

The WBA title is vacant after the body stripped former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis of England of the title for electing to defend his International Boxing Federation (IBF) crown against undefeated American Michael Grant in April instead of defending his WBA belt against Ruiz.

Drugs In Sport: Maria Kisseleva, who was on Wednesday stripped of her European duet synchonised swimming title after failing a doping test, was named yesterday in the Russian team for the Sydney Olympics.

"Her positive test has revealed a presence of ephedrine, which carries a ban of up to three months, but she was given a lighter, one-month sentence," said Gennady Alyoshin, president of the Russian swimming federation. "The test was done on July 21st, so her ban ends on August 21st before we must submit the final Olympic rosters, thus she is eligible to compete in Sydney."

The Russian swimming chief said Kisseleva's light sentence was fair. "She was given a supplement to control her weight by a doctor. Unfortunately, it didn't give all the ingredients and ephedrine wasn't on that list," Alyoshin said.

Sydney 2000: Gold medallists at the Olympic Games in Sydney will be celebrated on postage stamps available less than 24 hours after their victories. At the Sydney Games starting on September 15th, stamps with the images of the winning Australian athletes will be produced by Australia Post and available to the public from noon the following day.