SPORTS DIGEST

Today's other stories in brief

Today's other stories in brief

Boxer of the year award for Taylor

BOXING:Katie Taylor was officially confirmed as the best female boxer in the world yesterday after receiving the AIBA female boxer of the year award in Moscow.

The 22-year-old Bray girl, who won her second World lightweight title in Ningbo City, China last month, was in the Russian capital yesterday to receive her award.

READ MORE

Taylor, who is also the current European and European Union champion and who is coached by her dad, Peter Taylor, said that receiving the award was a proud moment for her.

She said: "I would like to thank AIBA for this very special award, it means a lot not only to me but also to all the female boxers who practice our beautiful sport. Women's boxing is amazing at the moment, the level is increasing and the recent Women's World Championships were a perfect example of the very high standard we find ourselves competing in.

"I would like to dedicate this award to all the female athletes around the world who are training hard and competing in the hope that we will be able to participate in the 2012 Olympic Games."

Ireland in County Championship

CRICKET: The Irish women's team have received a huge boost to their playing season next summer after being included in a revamped English County Championship, writes Emmet Riordan.

The 50-over competition will see Ireland take on four English counties in the Division Five North and East section.

They will play all of their games away from home, starting with a double-header against Leicestershire and Suffolk in May. They will then take on Cumbria and Northumberland over the weekend of August 8th and 9th.

Commenting on the developments, ECB head of women's cricket Clare Connor said: "The ECB is determined to play its part in supporting our European neighbours to play more competitive women's cricket."

Twenty20 cancelled

CRICKET:This year's edition of the Champions League Twenty20 tournament has been cancelled over security concerns following last month's Mumbai attacks, organisers said yesterday.

The inaugural edition of the €4.5 million event, involving eight teams from five countries, will now be staged in October 2009, an official said.

However, league chairman Lalit Modi said various issues, including scheduling, were considered before taking the decision.

"The inaugural edition of the Champions League Twenty20 will now be held in India in October 2009," Modi, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president, said.

"The governing council, comprising the founder board members, took this collective decision after taking into account all aspects. Teams from Australia, England, Pakistan, South Africa and India were due to have played in the event from December 3rd to 10th in Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai.

Formula One cut their cloth

MOTOR SPORT:Formula One teams will cut their costs by almost a third next year under a package of measures approved yesterday to secure the sport's future in the face of the global credit crunch.

The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement that independent teams would see engine costs halved in 2009, with a year's supply priced at under five million euros ($6.63 million) from 2010 compared to at least 15 million at present.

Testing will be banned during the season other than at regular Friday practice at grand prix weekends. From 2010, refuelling will cease and grand prix distances could be shortened.

The FIA estimated the new measures would save manufacturer-owned teams the equivalent of 30 per cent of their 2008 budgets next year, with independent teams seeing even more reductions.

Court of Arbitration rules against Kuerten

EQUESTRIAN SPORT: The Court of Arbitration for Sport has dismissed Jessica Kuerten's appeal against the FEI's two-month ban imposed in May and the Germany-based rider will be suspended from competition from December 16th to January 6th, writes Margie McLoone.

Kuerten's appeal, which was heard by the CAS at its headquarters in Lausanne on Tuesday, was against the ban handed down by the FEI when the mare Castle Forbes Maike tested positive for the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory Etoricoxib following her victory in the Grand Prix at La Baule in May 2007.

Although Kuerten could have returned the prize-money and paid a small fine, the 39-year-old decided to contest the decision and sought testing of the B sample. When this also proved positive, the FEI ban eventually came into force on June 7th. After four weeks, the CAS, on appeal from the rider, put a stay on the suspension which was lifted yesterday.

In addition to serving the remaining time of her ban, Kuerten has to pay €6,340 as a contribution towards the FEI's legal fees and expenses. She is eligible to compete this weekend but will miss next week's five-star show at Olympia where she was due to represent Ireland along with Shane Breen and Cian O'Connor.

"The FEI welcomes the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport," stated FEI secretary general Alex McLin.

Lions Tour dates confirmed

RUGBY: The kick-off times for the 10 matches of next year's tour of South Africa by the British and Irish Lions were confirmed yesterday, writes Johnny Watterson.

All of the day matches, which include the three Test matches against South Africa at the end of the tour, will start at 3pm with the evening games kicking off at 7.10pm. The only detail yet to be confirmed surrounds the match against a Coastal XV in Port Elizabeth.

The full schedule is:

Saturday, May 30th (3pm) Highveld XV v Lions Rustenburg

Wednesday, June 3rd (7.10pm) Xerox Golden Lions v Lions Johannesburg

Saturday, June 6th (3pm) Vodacom Free State Cheetahs v Lions Bloemfontein

Wednesday, June 10th (7.10pm) Sharks v Lions Durban

Saturday, June 13th (3pm) Vodacom WP v Lions Cape Town

Tuesday, June 16th tbc (3pm) Coastal XV v Lions Port Elizabeth

Saturday, June 20th (3pm) South Africa v Lions Durban

Tuesday, June 23rd (7.10pm) Emerging SA v Lions Cape Town

Saturday, June 27th (3pm) South Africa v Lions Pretoria

Saturday, July 4th (3pm) South Africa v Lions Johannesburg.