Today's other sports stories in brief

Team Delta Loyd's chances hit

SAILING:A broken keel structure has ended Team Delta Loyd's chances in the third leg of the Volvo Ocean Race.

The Dutch/Irish VO70 was halfway across the Bay of Bengal on its way to Singapore when the port side carbon structure around the ram broke yesterday.

Skipper Roberto Bérmudeze de Castro and his crew are safe. The boat is not taking on water and continues sailing, without withdrawing from the third leg.

"We are currently putting up the J4, and we will sail eastward (upwind) with the keel centred using only the starboard ram", reported US navigator Matt Gregory. "We should be able to sail at seven knots. According to the boat designer it is safe to continue under sail and we are about 400 miles west of the northern corner of Sumatra. We have a fuel range of 450 miles and only enough food for 11 days at sea."

Meanwhile, Irishman Edwin O'Connor is leading the process of fixing the keel. Media Crew Member Sander Pluijm (NED) said that the race has not been abandoned yet.

Splaine signs new contract

SQUASH: Robert Splaine has signed a new contract with Horse Sport Ireland which will see the Corkman reappointed as team manager for the senior show jumping team, a position he has held since 2006, writes Margie McLoone.

The contract will run until the end of 2012 but is subject to a review clause at the end of 2010. Splaine will preside over the teams for next year's European championships in Windsor, the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky and the 2012 London Olympics. "I am delighted to have agreed to a new contract with Horse Sport Ireland. Of course the long term goal is London 2012 but we have to qualify first and this will not be easy," said Splaine yesterday.

Nicklaus and Sorenstam team up for Olympic bid

OLYMPIC GAMES:Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam have joined the campaign to put golf back into the Olympics.

The International Golf Federation yesterday named Nicklaus and Sorenstam as Global Ambassadors in support of the bid.

The International Olympic Committee will vote in Copenhagen next October on whether to add two new sports to the 2016 Olympic Games. The last time golf was on the programme was 1904.

"Golf truly embodies the Olympic spirit - with a foundation built upon honour, integrity, dignity and sportsmanship," said Nicklaus.

"I believe with its inclusion, golf can strengthen the Olympic movement throughout the world."

Sorenstam, who retired as a player last week, stated: "It is an honour and privilege to take an active role in assisting golf's bid to become an Olympic sport. Now, as I step aside from competitive golf, a major objective of mine is to help grow the game around the world - and I can think of no better way to grow it than through the Olympics."

Cudmore gets five-week ban

RUGBY:Clermont Auvergne secondrow Jamie Cudmore has been suspended for five weeks following an ERC-sanctioned independent disciplinary committee hearing in London arising from an incident in his team's recent Heineken Cup defeat against Munster at the RDS.

The Canadian international was sent off by English referee Chris White for repeatedly punching Munster and Ireland secondrow Paul O'Connell.