THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016 SPORTS US high school federation calls for pitch limits in 2017 RICHMOND: The National Federation of they’re better suited to determine what pioneered a surgery, first performed on guidelines, which set 120 pitches as the whose team won the national champi- State High School Associations has direct- the number is,” Hopkins said, noting the and then named for Tommy John, that maximum recommended for pitchers ages onship in 2015, called the changes “a step ed its members to regulate the number of number in warmer climates, where base- reconstructs the ulnar collateral ligament 19-22. It then also requires they receives in the right direction” but was not sure a pitches a high school player can throw in a ball season starts earlier, might be higher. in a pitcher’s elbow, allowing them to four days of rest. single pitch count number will have the game amid growing concerns about over- States like Texas have already estab- resume their careers after rehabilitation. One impact Hopkins hopes will come desired effect. working young arms. lished their limit at 125 pitches, and “During those meetings, Dr. Andrews from the rule change will be the involve- “Somebody could throw 75 pitches The federation did not proscribe a spe- Alabama, Colorado and Kentucky have always expressed how more and more of ment of more players. “You have maybe three different times in a week,” he said. cific number , but a limit must be estab- said that will be their number, too, Hopkins his service, and his surgeries, revolved three or four pitchers in your bullpen typi- “It’s not a be all, end all,” said Sean Ryan, a lished by next season, said Elliot Hopkins, said. Minnesota will use 105 during the around younger kids,” Hopkins said. USA cally,” he said. “Now, we’ll get some kids high school coach in Richmond whose the NFHS director of sports and student season and 115 or 120 in playoffs. Baseball, the national governing body for who really can’t throw five innings, can’t team at Benedictine plays in the Virginia services. The limits will go into effect in the Anecdotal evidence suggested it was amateur baseball, in 2014 launched the give you five innings, but they can give you Independent Schools Athletic Association spring of 2017. Every state plus the District time to make the change. As a member of program “Pitch Smart,” which sets age- a solid two, and now you’ve got a bullpen and will not be subjected to the federation of Columbia are federation members, the USA Baseball sports medicine advisory appropriate guidelines for the number of and you get more kids involved.” rules. He noted that a young pitcher often Hopkins said Tuesday. Each state except committee, Hopkins said he sits between pitches a pitcher as young as 7 can throw The federation will no longer require its moves to another position during a game, Michigan has its own sports medicine advi- well-known sports surgeon Dr. James and the amount of rest they should get member associations to require a certain or in the team’s next game, where he con- sory committee that will likely be involved Andrews and former major league pitcher between pitching appearances. Most ama- amount of rest between appearances by a tinues throwing in between innings and in in settling on a specific number. “I think Tommy John at meetings. Andrews in 1974 teur baseball leagues have adopted the pitcher. Virginia coach Brian O’Connor, the game. — AP

SCHEVENINGEN: Olympic and Paralympic teams pose for a family picture during their presentation in Scheveningen, yesterday. — AFP USADA: Report could justify Russia’s exclusion from Rio Nuuausala itching NEW YORK: A report on Russian doping Tygart said. Tygart previewed the find- due out this week is expected to include ings to leaders of USA Track and Field at a details about the country’s sports min- meeting during Olympic Trials last week- istry telling its drug-testing officials end. There, Tygart said, “what we see now for debut which positive tests to report and which is what happened in East Germany” in to conceal. If those details do, indeed, the 1970s and ‘80s, when doping in the show up in the report, the leader of the Eastern Bloc went virtually unchecked. LONDON: new signing Frank- he found out I was going to sign for Wigan he Knights - will soon be flying in to the rescue. US anti-doping effort says nothing short He told USATF leaders: “You have to Paul Nuuausala turned down St Helens - and the was giving me some stick but I also got advice “Top jobs such as this one don’t come around of removing the Russian flag from this send a message to states that corrupt the advice of his friend Sia Soliola - before joining from and about Wigan very often so I’m ready to go and really can’t get summer’s Olympics would suffice. Games. I don’t want to pre-judge the the leaders. and I’m 100 per cent happy I chose Wigan. there quick enough,” said Stone - who was Travis Tygart, the CEO of the US Anti- report but indications are that that’s The New Zealand international was “When I was a kid I remember seeing Frano sacked last July. Doping Agency, told The Associated what’s going to be in there.” announced as Wigan’s new signing - effective Botica and Wigan were always on the telly “I know the club has some very short-term Press he would support the same sort of USADA chairman Edwin Moses, the immediately - at the end of last month but had because they were winning trophies.” goals in terms of wins needed in whatever action for all Russian sports that track’s gold-medal-winning and world-record- to wait for his visa application before being pre- ’s side went first in the Super league structure we end up in after 23 rounds, governing body, the IAAF, took regarding setting hurdler from the 1970s and ‘80s, sented to the media on Tuesday. The 29-year- League table last week with their win over but I’ve always believed that results tend to take the country’s track team: It barred the reiterated that point to the USATF. old - who won the NRL with the Sydney Roosters Wakefield but are still suffering from an injury care of themselves if you work hard, prepare well team but gave a small number of ath- “If an athlete is going to get sanc- in 2013 and beat Wigan in the World Challenge crisis - Joel Tomkins the latest to be ruled out for and commit to your team-mates which are key letes who could prove they were clean a tioned for two, four, eight years, then in 2014 - joins on a three-and-a-half year deal the rest of the season. Wigan face Leeds in a parts of my coaching style.” The Giants were chance to compete under a neutral flag. certainly the same should happen for after falling out of favour at Canberra Raiders. Grand Final re-match on Friday but Nuuausala is beaten last time out by Hull KR who will wel- “If it’s proven true, and there’s been any federation or agency or administra- And despite Soliola trying to convince the reluctant to be thrown straight into the mix. come their local rivals Hull FC this weekend. intentional subversion of the system by tors who are involved,” he said. Shortly prop to join Saints, Nuuausala insists there was “I really do want to play but I know, if I’m not And Rovers assistant coach Willie Poaching the Russian government ... the only out- after the Times report came out, only ever one club he had in mind, their fierce right, I’m not going to put my hand up and dis- admits his side are giving their all for a Super 8s come is they can’t participate in these International Olympic Committee presi- local rivals Wigan. respect that jersey. I don’t want to let anyone spot - despite needing a perfect finish to the Olympic Games under that country’s dent Thomas Bach wrote an op-ed piece “There was a bit of interest from (St Helens) down in my first game,” added Nuuausala. season and other results to go their way. flag,” Tygart said. in USA Today saying that if allegations in but they just didn’t pull through. It was just all “If I’m ready to play this week, I will but if not “Benny Cockayne and many others gave it The World Anti-Doping Agency com- the Times story were true, the IOC would talk,” he said. “With Wigan it was all action. I just I’ll definitely be ready to play next week.” their all against Huddersfield,” Poching said. missioned an investigation, being head- “react with its record of proven zero-tol- had to weigh up my options and decide what’s Huddersfield face St Helens on Sunday and the “George Lawler, Iain Thornley and Dane Tilse ed by Richard McLaren, into Russian dop- erance policy, not only with regard to best for me and my family. Giants have been boosted by the news Rick along with others, they just kept carrying the ing following a New York Times story in individual athletes, but to all their “Sia wanted me to play for Saints and when Stone - former head coach of the Newcastle ball whilst out on their feet.” — AFP May that detailed a state-run system that entourage within its reach.” helped athletes get away with cheating “Should there be evidence of an and win medals at the Sochi Olympics in organized system contaminating other Judo heavyweight Idalis Ortiz 2014. The McLaren report is due Friday, sports, the international federations and with public release set for next Monday. the IOC would have to make the difficult An earlier investigation, headed by decision between collective responsibili- aims for golden repeat in Rio former WADA chairman Dick Pound, ty and individual justice,” Bach wrote. looked into Russian doping inside the On July 21, the Court of Arbitration track team; the McLaren investigation is for Sport will rule on the eligibility of HAVANA: Top Cuban judoka Idalis Ortiz forged her Pelado training center south of Havana. The hopes training,” she said. “You can’t imagine how many expected to delve into all sports. 68 Russian track athletes who claim exceptional endurance and techniques by training of an entire nation rest on Ortiz, the most prominent times they took me down but losing made me In June, based on information from they should be able to compete with men-a regimen that helped her break through competitor in a sport that brought 35 Olympic stronger mentally,” she added. Pound’s report and its own follow-up, the despite the IAAF ban. Still undecided is in Beijing and claim Olympic gold in London. Now, medals to the Caribbean island from 1964-2012. To IAAF barred Russia’s track team from whether the IOC will allow cleared she is setting her sights on a golden repeat in Rio reach the top of the podium in Rio next month, Ortiz WINNING BY TURNS competing in the Olympics after decid- Russian athletes to compete as neutral, next month. Born in the little village of Candelaria, will likely have to get past world number one Song Driulis Gonzalez, a Cuban female judo star who ing it had not moved aggressively or under the Russian flag. about 50 miles (80 kilometers) outside of Havana, Yu of China and Brazil’s Maria Altheman, Ortiz’s long- trains the national team, is full of praise for Ortiz. “Since enough on widespread reforms. If the McLaren report is as damning as the smiling Ortiz learned to fall-and always to get suffering foil who will likely be thirsty for revenge on she joined the national team, she’s shown maturity, In announcing the decision, the IAAF expected, the IOC and international lead- back up-opposite male sparing partners. home turf. character and self-sacrifice. This, along with her disci- issued a report that included preliminary ers in the 27 other Summer Olympic They were the only ones who could cope with pline and talent, give her a winning mindset,” she said. findings from McLaren stating evidence sports will have to come up with plans the extraordinary physique of the 26-year-old FALLING AND FALLING AGAIN Ortiz’s love affair with judo began at an early age. But showed a “mandatory state-directed on similar issues on a limited timeframe: woman, who stands 5’8” (1.73 meters) and weighs The Cuban, who often has highlights in her hair, everything changed when she was 14 — the moment manipulation of laboratory analytical Friday marks the three-week count- 250 pounds (115 kilos). told AFP she is still eager to win titles even after tak- when she arrived at the elite national training center results operating within” the Moscow down to the Rio Games. Rich Bender, the The method payed off as, at just 18 years old, ing home some 200 medals over the course of her in Havana. When she showed up for tryouts, Ortiz says anti-doping lab from at least 2011 executive director of USA Wrestling, said Ortiz claimed the bronze in Beijing-the youngest career, including five from world championships- that her sister was bowled over by the size of her through the summer of 2013. he had full confidence in the leadership medalist in the heavyweight category. Four years two gold and three bronze. adversaries and asked her if she truly wanted to stay. “I The preliminary findings also said of his sport’s international federation to later, she broke the Chinese and Japanese choke- After Rio, Ortiz-a fan of Mexican movies and told her, ‘So long as I’m here, I’ll keep going!...and after Russia’s “Ministry of Sport advised the handle the situation correctly. hold on the sport in London with her victory. By Brazilian telenovelas that “make you cry”-says she the bouts, the teacher said, ‘The little one stays here.’” laboratory which of its adverse findings it “The international federation has a stealing the spotlight from the favorites, China’s wants to live out another dream. “I want to take a And for 12 years since that time, the champion has could report to WADA, and which it had significant responsibility to do every- Tong Wen and Japan’s Mika Sugimoto, Ortiz became break to start a family but I have no intention of giv- only ever gone home to visit. During major interna- to cover up.” thing in its power to make sure that hap- the first judoka born outside Asia to dominate in the ing up judo,” she said of her 12-year relationship tional events, Ortiz’s entire family is overcome with If those preliminary findings show up pens,” Bender said. “If you start making category at the Olympics, which first held women’s with a Cuban former weightlifter. For the time nerves but cannot travel with her due to the cost. “My in the full report, and turn out to be just exceptions and compromising positions judo competitions in 1992. In Rio, things will be dif- being, Ortiz is training hard, seven hours a day-and, parents have never had the courage to watch me spar the tip of the iceberg, it would represent there, it weakens the statement that dop- ferent, she said, because the field is more even. as she did at the start of her career, with men. “I’ve in person. My brothers have watched but not my par- “an unprecedented level of criminality,” ing isn’t tolerated.” — AP “Whoever my opponent may be, it will be difficult,” always been fairly big, and there weren’t any girls to ents,” the champion says with a smile before heading Ortiz predicted in an interview with AFP at the Cerro take me on. I’ve always had to spar with men in back to the tatami mat. — AFP