WADA: Russia is noncompliant
Leaders of the World AntiDoping Agency declared Russia’s anti-doping operation out of compliance Wednesday — a harsh, though expected blow to a country accused of widespread corruption throughout its sports.
Members of the WADA foundation board approved a recommendation from an independent commission that detailed widespread rulebreaking in Russia’s track and anti-doping programs. Nobody voted “no,” though it wasn’t clear whether some members abstained as the vote was done by raising hands.
Without an operating antidoping agency, Russia cannot host or bid for international events. The track team already has been provisionally suspended by the sport’s governing body, the IAAF, which also is under investigation for its role in the doping scandal.
The vote came as key figures in the anti-doping movement, including Olympic champions Edwin Moses and Beckie Scott, called for banning the Russian track team from next year’s Olympics and for the probe in Russia to extend beyond track and field.
“I think the athletes were quite clear,” Moses said. “There was testimony in (the report) of what is going on in Russia is beyond track and field. They’re very, very concerned about that.”
Tennis: Rafael Nadal defeated Andy Murray 6-4, 6-1 for his second straight victory at the season-ending ATP finals and a spot in the semifinals in London.
Nadal beat French Open champion Stan Wawrinka in his opening match, and will face already-eliminated David Ferrer on Friday. Murray will play Wawrinka on the same day for the other spot in the semifinals.
In Wednesday’s late match at the O2 Arena, Wawrinka overcame an early break in the first set to beat Ferrer 7-5, 6-2.
Golf: Tiger Woods will be at the Ryder Cup next year. Still to be determined is whether he plays.
U.S. captain Davis Love III said that Woods, Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker will be vice captains for the 2016 matches at Hazeltine in Minnesota.
1 Adam Scott shot a 7-underpar 64 Thursday and owned a one-shot lead over Daniel Fox late in the first round of the Australian Masters at the Huntingdale Golf Club in South Oakleigh, Victoria.
Obituaries: Jonah Lomu, considered by many to be the greatest rugby player of all time but whose career was cut short by kidney disease, died suddenly at his home in Auckland, New Zealand, at age 40 of an apparent heart attack.
Jarryd Hayne, an Australian rugby player who played for the 49ers, called Lomu “the greatest rugby player to ever lace the boots” in a Twitter post.
Bert Olmstead, the Hall of Fame left winger who played on five Stanley Cup-championships teams during his 14-year NHL career, has died. He was 89. Olmstead had 181 goals and 421 assists in 848 regular-season games for Chicago, Montreal and Toronto from 1948 to 1962.