Cycling
AIGLE, Switzerland – The World Anti-Doping Agency and cycling’s governing body announced Wednesday they are in possession of samples of blood and plasma bags seized and stored as part of the Operation Puerto case.
Last month, a Spanish court ruled that more than 200 blood bags in the decade-old case should be handed over to sports authorities for investigation. Spanish officials said, however, that no retroactive punitive sanctions could be pursued against any athletes because the statute of limitations has expired.
More than 50 cyclists were originally linked to the case. Among those eventually suspended were former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich, Spanish Vuelta champion Alejandro Valverde and Ivan Basso, who later confirmed that his blood was among the frozen samples found.
College Football
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – More than 200 former Penn State football players petitioned university leaders to return the bronze statue of Joe Paterno that stood outside the school’s football stadium.
The statue of the late football coach was removed in 2012. That was after his former assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky, was convicted of child sexual abuse and an investigation accused Paterno and other former administrators of covering up complaints about Sandusky.
Paterno died after battling lung cancer in 2012.
MLB
Former baseball star Pete Rose will sue the lawyer whose investigative report got him kicked out of baseball for gambling, alleging the lawyer defamed him last year by saying on the radio Rose raped young teen girls during spring training.
Rose said in a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday that John Dowd damaged his reputation and endorsement deals during an interview on WCHE-AM in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Dowd investigated Rose for Major League Baseball in 1989, leading the game’s all-time hits leader to be declared ineligible for the Hall of Fame.
NHL
LAWRENCE, Mass. – Former Boston Bruins star Ray Bourque has apologized to his family, friends and fans for driving drunk last month.
Bourque apologized in a statement Wednesday after admitting in Lawrence District Court that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict him of driving under the influence when he rear-ended a minivan June 24 in Andover.
Bourque’s “admission to sufficient facts” plea will resolve the case without a guilty finding if he successfully completes a year of probation. A judge also suspended Bourque’s driver’s license for 45 days.
Bourque played for the Bruins for 21 seasons, then helped the Colorado Avalanche win a Stanley Cup in 2001 before retiring.
Soccer
LYON, France – Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal into its second European Championship final, scoring with a powerful header and then setting up Nani’s goal soon after in a 2-0 win over Wales on Wednesday.
The goals came in the space of three minutes early in the second half in Lyon, helping end Wales’ unlikely run to the semifinals in only its second ever major tournament.
Ronaldo equaled Michel Platini’s record of nine goals in European Championship football when he timed a prodigious leap to perfection and planted home a header in the 50th.
Associated Press
