VLASIC DRAWS A BLANK

Former world high jump champion Blanka Vlasic says she is doubtful for the London Olympic because of health problems. The 28-year-old Croatian, who dominated the high jump since her silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Games, until ankle surgery last year, has a bacterial infection that has set back her recovery. She said last week that the whole season, ‘‘especially London’’, was in doubt and she would decide whether to participate ‘‘a day before the Olympics’’. Vlasic, who has the second-best jump of all time with 2.08 metres, won the world title in 2007 and 2009. She says she doesn’t want to go to London ‘‘fearing if I’ll make it to the finals’’.

MORE BOBBIES FOR GAMES

British police will deploy around 12,500 officers to protect the Olympic Games after facing strong criticism for their lack of manpower and slow response to last year’s UK riots. The Olympic operation will bolster the 10,500 army personnel already tasked with securing the July 27-August 12 Games. Planning was reviewed after Britain was stunned by violence last August that left five people dead and a trail of looted stores, torched cars and burned-out buildings in London and other cities. Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Chris Allison insisted that lessons had been learned. ‘‘We are in a different place to where I think we were last summer, a number of sentences have been given by the courts which I think will act as a clear deterrent to people,’’ Allison said.