A round-up of other stories in brief.
Griffin in the hunt
CYCLING:With time ticking down to tomorrow's crucial ascent to the summit finish of Genting Highlands, Kerry cyclist Paul Griffin remains in the hunt for a high overall placing in the Tour de Langkawi.
The Giant Asia rider finished in the main bunch on yesterday's 141.5-kilometre stage to Cukai, being classified in the same time as the victor, Alberto Loddo (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Selle Italia). The Italian took his fourth stage win when he once again got the better of Maximiliano Richeze (Ceramiche Panaria Navigare).
Griffin is 17th overall, 4 minutes and 50 seconds behind race leader Anthony Charteau (Crédit Agricole). Today's stage is the 174-kilometre trip to Karak.
Sixty-five fail test
DRUG TESTS:Sixty-five out of 1,915 anti-doping tests were positive in France in the last quarter of 2006, the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) announced yesterday.
"Most of the tests revealed the presence of either cannabis or beta-2-agonists," AFLD chairman Pierre Bordry said.
Beta-2-agonists are often found in medicines prescribed to treat asthma.
Rugby provided the highest number of positive tests, with 22 players caught in the net of the anti-doping agency. Eighteen soccer players tested positive.
In cycling, nine riders were found guilty of doping offences.
"All the athletes who have been tested positive can still provide us with a 'therapeutic use exemption'," Bordry added.
Wait-in-line day planned
OLYMPIC GAMES:The 11th of every month in Beijing is to be "voluntarily wait in line" day as the city attempts to eradicate queue-jumping before next year's Olympics, a city official said yesterday.
Orderly queues are a rare sight in a city that is also hard at work trying to put an end to spitting and littering and present a more "civilised" face to the world in 2008.
"The reason for establishing such a day is to mobilise the Beijing population to ensure that where there are more than two people, they should wait in line," said Zhang Huiguang, director of the Capital Ethic Development Office. "We are hoping to enlist all the citizens of Beijing to be missionaries of civilisation," she added.
Hewitt confident
TENNIS:Lleyton Hewitt is fighting fit and raring to go on Belgium's indoor clay courts as Australia tackle the Europeans in a Davis Cup first-round tie this weekend. The former world number one was quick to underline his clay-court credentials before tomorrow's clash.
"Beating (Albert) Costa in Spain and beating (Gustavo) Kuerten in Brazil - you don't get much bigger than that," he said. "I know what I'm capable of and I know how to do it in big situations when the pressure's on and I look forward to the challenge yet again."
Australia have won both previous meetings between the two nations, with Belgium losing 5-0 in Perth in 1991 and 4-0 in England in 1922.
Matches to resume
SOCCER:Matches in Italy will resume this weekend, the football federation said yesterday, after the government approved a tough set of measures to fight hooliganism despite resistance by clubs.
All play had been suspended last Friday following the killing of a policeman by rioting fans outside a stadium in Sicily.
Under the new measures stadiums not in line with security regulations will remain closed to fans.
Firecrackers will no longer be allowed inside stadiums and, at least initially, there will be no late-night matches.
"It's clear that we have here very serious measures," the deputy interior minister, Marco Minniti, said after a special cabinet meeting.
