International Capsules: Chuene accused of 'gross misconduct' over Semenya
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — A report by South Africa's Olympic committee accused suspended South African athletics president Leonard Chuene of "gross misconduct" and ignoring medical advice after he allowed Caster Semenya to compete at the 2009 world championships.
South Africa's Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee said Chuene had "defied" medical advice that Semenya be withdrawn from the world championships in Berlin last August.
Athletics South Africa's team doctor at the time, Harold Adams, told Chuene that Semenya should not compete in Germany "because it was going to create a psychological problem for her to run and be queried," sports minister Makhenkesi Stofile told a parliamentary committee on Tuesday.
"The report found that Mr. Chuene ignored that professional advice and went ahead," Stofile said. "As such, they (SASCOC) accuse him (Chuene) of gross misconduct as well as bringing ASA and the sport of athletics and SASCOC into disrepute. He must face disciplinary hearings."
Semenya underwent gender tests at the championships, where she won the 800-meter title, and did not compete again for 11 months.
She was cleared by the IAAF, the world athletics body, in July, but it said the "medical details" of her case would remain confidential.
Chuene was suspended along with ASA's entire executive board last November after allegations of financial mismanagement and criticism of the way the national federation handled Semenya, who was then 18.
Chuene has also admitted to lying about gender tests performed on the teenage athlete in South Africa before the world championships. He said he hid the tests to protect Semenya's privacy.
SASCOC has been in temporary charge of ASA since November, carrying out what it calls a forensic audit into the body's finances and an investigation into the Semenya affair.
The report contained "various allegations" against the ASA board, Stofile said on Tuesday, including mismanagement of assets. But Stofile told members of parliament they had to wait for "due process" through the courts before SASCOC, which was not represented at the committee, could answer questions on its findings.
SASCOC laid charges against ASA officials last month, and a two-day disciplinary hearing begins Thursday.
Gatlin loses 100 but wins 200 in Sardinian meet
ARZANA, Sardinia (AP) — Former Olympic champion Justin Gatlin lost the 100 meters in a photo finish but won his first race at 200 meters since returning from a four-year doping ban.
Gatlin ran the 100 in 10.15 seconds Tuesday at the Terra Sarda meet in Sardinia. It was the same time as winner and fellow American Mike Rodgers. Britain's Dwain Chambers, also previously banned for doping, was third in 10.26.
Gatlin won the 200 in 20.63, with Oral Thompson of Jamaica next in 20.99.
Gatlin had planned to end his outdoor season in Padua, Italy, last week but decided to race again.
Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius finished fourth in the 400. He finished in 46.87, nearly a second off the 45.95 he needs to qualify for next year's world championships.
Cycling
Schleck, O'Grady sent home from Spanish Vuelta
MADRID (AP) — Two-time Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck and Saxo Bank teammate Stuart O'Grady were sent home from the Spanish Vuelta on Tuesday after breaking team rules on drinking, overshadowing a successful day for the home nation.
On a day Imanol Erviti of Spain won the 10th stage and countryman Joaquin Rodriguez took the overall lead, Team Saxo Bank said Schleck and O'Grady had been "sent home due to internal disciplinary reasons." Schleck said he and O'Grady broke a team rule "by going out for a drink after dinner."
Schleck said he is "responsible for my actions," though he contends the decision by Team Saxo Bank boss Bjarne Riis to remove the pair was "too harsh."
"I was getting back into shape and I would really have liked to stay at the Vuelta and help (brother) Frank and the rest of Team Saxo Bank," Schleck told Cyclingnews.com.
Riis was not available for comment.
Relations between Riis and the Schleck brothers have been tense since they said they would leave to join a new team based in Luxembourg.
Other Team Saxo Bank riders Jakob Fuglsang, Jens Voigt and O'Grady also have been linked with the new team, which was created by Riis' former longtime press assistant, Brian Nygaard, and his then-aide Kim Andersen.
In August, three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador signed a deal to compete next season for Team Saxo Bank-Sungard — its new name beginning in 2011 — after deciding to leave Astana.
Luxembourg rider Schleck was 77th overall in the Vuelta standings, while Australian O'Grady was 157th.
In Tuesday's 10th stage, Rodriguez, of Team Katusha, took the overall lead from Igor Anton Hernandez and is ahead by 2 seconds. Rodriguez picked up a time bonus on the intermediate sprints.
Erviti, who rides for Caisse d'Epargne, used a late solo breakaway to take the stage, covering 109 miles in northeast Spain from Tarragona to Vilanova i la Geltru in 4 hours, 13 minutes, 31 seconds. It was the second Vuelta stage win of his career.
Two Belgians were next: Romain Zingle and Greg Van Avermaet, both 37 seconds off the pace.
Wednesday's 11th stage is a 130-mile ride from Vilanova i la Geltru to Andorra.
-- Daniel Woolls
Figure Skating
Skating champion Kim Yu-na to train in Los Angeles
BURBANK, Calif. (AP) — Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu-na is set to train in Los Angeles. Although for how long and under whose tutelage still remains to be seen.
Since splitting from her longtime coach Brian Orser in a public spat last month, Kim had remained coy on her future plans.
Kim eliminated some of the mystery on Tuesday, confirming she would be moving her training base from Canada to Artesia on the outskirts of Los Angeles.
Kim, who alongside skating great Michelle Kwan will star in an upcoming on-ice special in Los Angeles in October, did not say whether the move was a permanent one or whether it was just temporarily coinciding with the show.
As for a new coach, that has yet to be determined.
"I was training for about four years in Canada, although my coach and where I'm going to be training have not been decided definitely yet," Kim said. "I'm going to make those decisions slowly and step-by-step."
Kim, who turned 20 on Sunday, had been training with Orser at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club since 2006 before informing him on Aug. 2 that he would no longer be serving as her coach.
Under Orser's guidance, Kim captured the women's figure skating gold at the Vancouver games this year.
With no coach and in search of a new training facility, Kim found an ideal landing spot at the East West Ice Palace, a rink owned and operated by Kwan's family.
Kwan, a nine-time U.S. champion, was surprised to learn that Kim would be training at her facility and even more taken aback when she heard rumors that Kwan and her father would be coaching Kim.
Kwan won't be Kim's next coach but believes Kim will find the right fit soon.
"It's going to be a transition, but she's got a great team with people that she trusts," Kwan said. "I'm sure the final decision will be hers, but it's going to be a time where she'll be making a very big decision."
As for moving to Los Angeles, Kim is familiar with the city, having previously won the 2009 World Championships there.
"LA is a city that has given me great support for skating," Kim said. "I think I'm going to be very comfortable and I'm going to enjoy the great energy in the city."
Kwan and Kim, along with other noteworthy Olympic skaters, will take the ice for "2010 All That Skate LA," a two-show event that starts on Oct. 2 at Staples Center.
It marks the first time that Kwan will be performing in front of an American audience in more than four years. The duo will be joined by Johnny Weir, Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, among others.
World figure skating champ Asada hires new coach
TOKYO (AP) — Two-time world figure skating champion Mao Asada of Japan says her new coach will be Nobuo Sato.
The 19-year-old Asada has been looking for a coach since parting ways with Russian coach Tatiana Tarasova after the world championships in March.
The 68-year-old Sato, who represented Japan at the 1960 Winter Olympics, has coached Miki Ando, Fumie Suguri and his daughter Yuka Sato in the past. He is the current coach of Takahiko Kozuka and is a member of the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame.
Swimming
Rice apologizes for Twitter slur
SYDNEY (AP) — Triple Olympic swimming gold medalist Stephanie Rice made a tearful apology Wednesday for a homophobic slur she posted Saturday on Twitter.
Rice twice broke down in tears at a news conference she called in Sydney where she asked for forgiveness for her "thoughtless and careless" comment.
The 22-year-old Rice tweeted the derogatory remark after Australia's last-minute win over South Africa in a rugby union test match at Bloemfontein.
Rice, who reportedly is dating Australia flyhalf Quade Cooper, later deleted the tweet and apologized, saying she didn't mean to cause offense. She said she called Wednesday's news conference because she felt a public apology was also necessary.
"I owe it to those who I have offended to publicly say, I am sorry. It is not me to give offense to other people no matter who they are," Rice said. "I am not a person who judges others or speaks in a way that hurts others.
"My comments were thoughtless and careless but I can assure you when I made those comments on Twitter I never intended to offend anybody."
Saturday's tweet cost Rice an endorsement contract with luxury carmaker Jaguar.
"I've learned a lot in the last couple of days," she said Wednesday. "I've learned I must think before I speak and this has been a very important lesson.
"I've also learned that some things you say can mean more to others than they do to you."
Rice said she hoped her apology would help her regain the public's trust.
"I felt I've let a lot of people down," she said. "I just want people to know how sorry I am.
Olympics
Germany, France fail to reach Olympics
LONDON (AP) — Germany and France have failed to qualify for next year's European under-21 tournament and are now out of contention for a spot in the 2012 Olympic men's soccer tournament.
Despite beating Northern Ireland 3-0 on Wednesday, defending European under-21 champion Germany finished third in Group Five behind the Czech Republic and Iceland.
France missed out for the third consecutive time, finishing third in Group Eight behind Ukraine and Belgium. The 1988 under-21 champions already had been eliminated when they concluded qualifying with a 2-0 win over Malta.
