TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016 SPORTS Russia shrugs off blame over alleged anti-doping criteria breaches MOSCOW: Russia’s sports minister yester- “If people are guilty then they will be past involvement in doping. Russian athletes were told when they to be of a senior coach, who is currently day shuffled off blame over allegations in a punished in accordance with the rules.” But a 30-minute documentary by would be drugs tested. suspended because of doping allegations, German documentary that the country is Russian athletes face an uphill battle to German broadcaster ARD/WDR screened There is an audio conversation, which is as he continues to coach a group of ath- still violating strict anti-doping criteria as it be allowed to compete at the Rio Olympics on Sunday, gives new evidence of Russian claimed to be between Anna Antselovich, letes in the far-flung province of Gubkin, struggles to overturn a ban before the Rio from August 5-21 after a World Anti- athletes and coaches violating the strict the new head of Russia’s anti-doping central Russia. Olympics. “The imposition of sanctions on Doping Agency (WADA) independent com- IAAF and WADA regulations. agency (RUSADA), and an athlete, who is And the film-makers claim to have evi- specific people and checking on their mission alleged widespread corruption and According to the German documentary, being warned when a drugs test would dence of a conversation with another application is the job of the relevant anti- doping in the country’s athletics. a suspended coach has been identified take place. Russian coach, who can provide doping doping agencies, not the state,” the minis- The International Association of continuing to work with athletes in an iso- Antselovich replaced ex-RUSADA boss substances for a price. ter, Vitaly Mutko, said in a statement. Athletics Federations (IAAF) and WADA lated Russian province, while another Nikita Kamayev, who resigned last year An IAAF spokesman said the body’s “To talk about the responsibility of the outlined a strict reinstatement criteria, named trainer is still distributing doping over the allegations and died suddenly of a inspection team, chaired by Norwegian state in the case of every individual viola- including severing ties with Russian ath- substances. heart attack in February aged just 52. doping expert Rune Anderson, will be look- tion is impossible,” the statement said. letics officials, officers or staff with any The ARD/WDR team claim to have proof Footage is also shown which is believed ing into the evidence provided. — AFP Mahrez hits key goal in African scoring blitz PARIS: African sharpshooters were in top sweeping home David Silva’s pass for his form across Europe with Algerian Riyad second goal in three matches. Mahrez scoring a crucial goal for English Premier League (EPL) leaders Leicester SPAIN City. Winger Mahrez gave the Foxes a 1-0 ALFRED N’DIAYE (Real Betis) win at Watford, extending their lead over Senegal midfielder N’Diaye scored his Tottenham Hotspur to five points with first goal of the season with a fine header nine rounds left. from Joaquin’s corner five minutes from Senegalese Mame Biram Diouf and time to put 10-man Betis on route to a vital Diafra Sakho, Burkinabe Bertrand Traore 2-0 win over Granada that moved them and four-time African Footballer of the eight points clear of the relegation zone. Year Yaya Toure from Ivory Coast were other EPL scorers. CARLOS KAMENI (Malaga) Cameroonian goalkeeper Kameni ENGLAND could miss the rest of the season after RIYAD MAHREZ (Leicester City) suffering a torn meniscus in his right Mahrez netted for the 15th time this knee during his 300th La Liga game as season as Leicester won 1-0 at Watford to Malaga and Deportivo la Coruna fought a open up a five-point lead at the Premier thrilling 3-3 draw. Kameni was injured League summit. Eleven minutes into the saving in a one-on-one with Lucas Perez second half at Vicarage Road, the Algeria and is expected to be sidelined for up to star gathered a headed clearance, shifted two months. the ball to his left and bent a left-foot shot into the top-left corner from the ITALY edge of the box. MOHAMED SALAH (Roma) The Egyptian winger is Roma’s top BERTRAND TRAORE (Chelsea) scorer in all competitions with 12 this Traore scored for the fourth time in season and added two more as Roma five appearances as champions Chelsea trounced Fiorentina 4-1. He was on tar- drew 1-1 at home to Stoke City. The 20- get in the 25th and 58th minutes and year-old Burkina Faso international, pre- heavily involved in on-loan striker ferred up front to both Loic Remy and Stephan El Shaarawy’s 22nd-minute Alexandre Pato, opened the scoring in opener at the Stadio Olimpico. the 39th minute, gathering a pass from Nemanja Matic, turning and neatly firing FRANCE home from 20 yards. CHRISTIAN KOUAKOU (Caen) NEWARK: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ion Cole (28) collides with New Jersey Devils right wing Devante Smith- Pelly (25) during the first The Ivorian chose a good moment to period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, in Newark, NJ. — AP MAME BIRAM DIOUF (Stoke City) score his first Ligue 1 goal since moving Senegalese striker Diouf earned Mark to Caen from second-tier Tours in Hughes’s side a share of the spoils with January. He came off the bench to net an 85th-minute equaliser at Stamford with an overhead kick in the 89th minute Lehtera helps Blues Bridge. The former Manchester United that gave the surprise European con- man headed home after Chelsea goal- tenders a 2-2 draw with Monaco. keeper Thibaut Courtois failed to get enough purchase on a punch from CHEICK DIABATE (Bordeaux) Xherdan Shaqiri’s cross, ending a 15- The giant Malian striker won and then defeat Wild 4-2 game scoring drought. converted a first-half penalty for Bordeaux for his ninth goal since the win- DIAFRA SAKHO (West Ham United) ter break, but it was not enough to earn ST PAUL: A little extra rest seemed to boost the St. Sakho claimed an 81st-minute his side all three points as they drew 1-1 Louis Blues on Sunday. Playing for the first time NHL results/standings equaliser and set up the winning goal as with Gazelec Ajaccio. after an extended break, the Blues were full of high-flying West Ham stormed back from energy and devoid of rust, building an early lead Dallas 2, Ottawa 1; Pittsburgh 6, New Jersey 1; NY Islanders 6, NY Rangers 4; Chicago 4, Detroit 1; 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Everton. The GERMANY and beating the Minnesota Wild 4-2. Jori Lehtera, Edmonton 2, Winnipeg 1; St. Louis 4, Minnesota 2. Senegal international equalised with a PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG Ryan Reaves and Patrik Berglund scored goals and well-placed header from Dimitri Payet’s (Borussia Dortmund) goalie Jake Allen had 30 saves, as the Blues won Western Conference Florida 36 21 8 177 156 80 right-wing cross and then returned the The Gabon striker went head-to-head their third in a row and kept pace with the Chicago Central Division Boston 36 23 7 202 180 79 favour in the 90th minute with a clever with Robert Lewandowski, but neither Blackhawks in the race for the Central Division W L OTL GF GA PTS Detroit 32 22 11 164 172 75 back-heel that allowed Payet to rattle in hot-shot managed to score as it finished crown. The Blues (38-20-9) currently trail hicago by Chicago 41 21 5 191 160 87 Ottawa 31 29 7 193 208 69 the winner. goalless between Bayern Munich and two points, and host the Blackhawks tomorrow. Dallas 40 20 7 215 192 87 Montreal 30 30 6 179 185 66 St. Louis 38 20 9 170 164 85 Borussia Dortmund in a top-of-the-table Robby Fabbri scored into an empty net with 91 Buffalo 26 31 9 156 178 61 YAYA TOURE (Manchester City) clash. “Auba” touched the ball 32 times Nashville 33 21 12 181 168 78 seconds remaining for the Blues. Toronto 21 33 10 152 190 52 Ivory Coast international Toure and had four shots on goal, but was Minnesota 31 26 10 177 169 72 Metropolitan Division opened the scoring as City got their title denied by Bayern’s Germany goalkeeper BLACKHAWKS 4, RED WINGS 1 Colorado 33 30 4 180 194 70 Washington 48 13 4 212 150 100 challenge back on track with a breezy 4-0 Manuel Neuer as he failed to add to his Patrick Kane scored 21 seconds into the first Winnipeg 27 33 5 169 194 59 Pacific Division win at home to Championship-bound 22 league goals, just one behind period, and the Chicago Blackhawks pulled NY Rangers 38 22 6 188 171 82 Anaheim 37 19 8 164 149 82 bottom club Aston Villa. The former Lewandowski. The draw leaves away for a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings NY Islanders 36 20 7 184 158 79 Los Angeles 38 22 4 170 148 80 Barcelona player made the breakthrough Dortmund five points adrift of Bayern on Sunday. Duncan Keith, Artem Anisimov and Pittsburgh 34 23 8 179 166 76 in the 48th minute at the Etihad Stadium, with nine rounds to go. — AFP San Jose 35 23 6 193 173 76 Philadelphia 30 23 11 163 172 71 Jonathan Toews also scored for the Blackhawks. Vancouver 25 27 12 156 183 62 Carolina 29 26 11 161 178 69 Chicago (41-21-5) earned its third win in the Arizona 28 31 6 174 204 62 past four games.