Sports Digest: Mark Williams compiled a maximum 147 break to seal a 10-1 win over Robert Milkins in the World Championship yesterday. The Welshman became only the fifth player to get a 147 at the Crucible, following in the footsteps of Cliff Thorburn, Jimmy White, Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan (twice).
Leading 8-1 overnight, Williams made a break of 93 in the opening frame of the final session and followed up with a maximum clearance to clinch victory. Williams, world champion in 2000 and 2003, will receive a cheque for £161,000 for his feat.
DRUGS IN SPORT: American professional sports will have to replace 10-day bans for doping offences with far stricter penalties to gain credibility in the fight against drugs, Olympic president Jacques Rogge said yesterday.
Rogge contrasted the 10-day suspensions handed to two Major League Baseball players with the much tougher sanctions imposed for similar offences by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada).
"On the professional side, we see steps in the right direction but they are very timid and should go further," Rogge said. Tampa Bay Devil Rays' Alex Sanchez and Jorge Piedra of the Colorado Rockies received 10-day bans for violating baseball's new policy on drugs.
OLYMPICS: Jacques Rogge yesterday questioned the wisdom of London and New York unveiling incentive packages this week and warned the five cities competing to host the 2012 Games not to become involved in a "bidding war".
The announcements by London and New York have caused the IOC to instruct their watchdog body to decide whether such inducements for athletes and sporting bodies are within bidding rules.
London 2012 remain insistent all their announcements can be linked back to their "bid book" - their plans submitted in November - and the ethics commission will have to decide whether the packages are "a fundamental change". If it is viewed as such, Rogge confirmed the cities will be asked to withdraw their plans.
