Sports Digest/Formula One: The prospect of a breakaway world championship from 2008 was still hanging in the balance yesterday, but looking less likely after a new alliance of nine formula one teams and five car manufacturers offered the governing body a package of new proposals for the development of the sport.
The Grand Prix Manufacturers' Association (GPMA) consists of the BAR, Jordan, McLaren, Minardi, Red Bull, Renault, Sauber, Toyota and Williams teams in addition to the manufacturers BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Honda, Renault and Toyota, all of whom want an early meeting with FIA's president Max Mosley to discuss their package of suggestions.
"Considering the fact that their alliance represents 90% of the current grid, and views from key stakeholders such as circuits, broadcasters, sponsors and fans are included, the teams and manufacturers are confident that the FIA will consider their proposals carefully," said a GPMA statement.
The team owners were reluctant to discuss the precise details of what their package of measures contained but one senior team insider remarked that there was still an underlying nervousness about dealing with the FIA. "I hope that Max will be receptive to these suggestions," he said, "and not dismiss them out of hand."
An FIA spokesman tried to allay those fears. "Our proposals were not a fait accompli," he said. "I think both sides in this debate are much closer together than some outsiders might think."
RUGBY: Australia scrumhalf Matt Henjak has been sent home from South Africa after being involved in an incident in a Cape Town bar. Henjak was one of a group of players out in the early hours of last Thursday, two days before the Wallabies met the Springboks in Johannesburg.
He was also fined $380 and given a two-match ban suspended for two years.
The Wallabies play the Springboks in the opening game of the Tir-nations on Saturday in Pretoria.
CRICKET: A fine century from Cliftonville's Gareth McKee has put Ireland into a strong position in the ECC Under-19 Championships in Dundee yesterday. McKee was well supported by Eoin Morgan (92) and fellow opening batsman Fintan McAllister (44) as Ireland put on an impressive 352 for 6 off 50 overs against he Netherlands.
The Dutch managed to get to 200 for 9 off their 50 overs as Ireland's Niall McDarby and Gary Kidd both took two wickets.
TENNIS: It took great resilience by a young British qualifier in Nicola Mooney to provide hope for all challengers when the opening shots were fired in the Women's Irish Open Championships, an ITF $10,000 event at the Castleknock LTC yesterday, reports Pat Roche.
Mooney finally succumbed after two tense sets 7-6 7-5 but only after having played some well planned points before Hewson escaped to meet German oppositon in Ria Doernemann today.
Ireland's Anne Marie Hogan, advanced with a final set win over Stammalia Fafaliou of Greece.
