WADA study finds large-scale doping

A long-delayed study funded by the World Anti-Doping Agency says one third of athletes may have knowingly doped shortly before they competed at the 2011 track world championships — although few were caught.

The peer-reviewed study, published in the journal Sports Medicine, also estimated that doping was even more widespread at the Pan-Arab Games in 2011, with at least 45 percent of competitors thought to have doped in the 12 months before the regional multi-sports event.

The researchers said a total of 2,168 athletes at the two events participated in anonymous questionnaires. The volunteers were offered the choice of replying to the question “Have you knowingly violated anti-doping regulations by using a prohibited substance or method in the last 12 months?”

Cycling: Chris Froome kept his Spanish Vuelta lead by avoiding trouble in the difficult final descent of Stage 10, which was won by Matteo Trentin. Froome, the Tour de France winner, finished 24th but stayed 36 seconds ahead of his closest challengers in the overall standings.

Basketball: In WNBA play, Alyssa Thomas scored 26 points and Jonquel Jones grabbed 22 rebounds as the Connecticut Sun beat the host Washington Mystics 86-76.

Amritpal Singh, a 7-footer from the Punjab region of northern India, has signed with the Sydney Kings to play in Australia’s National Basketball League next season. The 25-year-old center is the first India-born player to play in the NBL and will travel with the team to Salt Lake City to play the Utah Jazz in a preseason game Oct. 3.