Athletics
Kenya athletes allege a doping bribery scheme
EMBU, Kenya – Two Kenyan athletes banned for doping at the 2015 world championships say the chief executive of Athletics Kenya, the country’s governing body for track and field, asked them each for a U.S. $24,000 bribe to reduce their suspensions.
Joy Sakari and Francisca Koki Manunga have told The Associated Press that CEO Isaac Mwangi asked for the payment in an Oct. 16 meeting. They said they could not raise the money. They were banned until 2019.
Mwangi is denying the allegation as “just a joke” and says he never met the athletes privately.
The runners say they would be willing to testify to the IAAF ethics commission that is investigating alleged corruption at Athletics Kenya.
The lead investigator, Sharad Rao, says their decision to come forward could be “very, very significant.”
Olympics
USOC to hire infectious disease specialists for Zika
The U.S. Olympic Committee will hire two infectious disease specialists to advise potential Olympians worried about the Zika outbreak in Brazil.
USOC CEO Scott Blackmun sent a letter Wednesday to all potential Olympians, acknowledging the growing concern over the virus and emphasizing that athletes’ well-being in Rio de Janeiro this summer is the federation’s highest priority.
The disease is spread by mosquitoes and can result in mild symptoms. It can also cause birth defects.
Hope Solo, goalkeeper for the U.S. women’s soccer team, told Sports Illustrated earlier this week that the virus was a concern to her.
Blackmun told The Associated Press that Solo’s comments made USOC officials realize the need to provide concise and accurate information.
Skiing
Frenzel eases to Nordic combined win in Trondheim
TRONDHEIM, Norway – Germany’s Eric Frenzel extended his lead at the top of the Nordic combined World Cup standings after winning Wednesday’s event in Trondheim.
The reigning champion started the 10-kilometer cross-country race 27 seconds behind Akito Watabe of Japan after the ski jumping.
Frenzel caught Watabe by the four-kilometer point and stayed close behind before passing him with three kilometers left and easing away to win 15.9 seconds ahead of his rival.
The winner of Tuesday’s race, Joergen Graabak of Norway, finished third, 57.8 seconds behind Frenzel.
It was 27-year-old Frenzel’s sixth win of the season as he bids to become overall champion for the fourth time in a row.
He’s now 147 points ahead of Watabe and 262 points in front of third-place Fabian Riessle, also of Germany.
WNBA
League names a new President at a key time
NEW YORK – The WNBA has named Lisa Borders its new president.
Borders, who helped bring the Dream to Atlanta in 2008 as the city’s vice mayor, will become the league’s fourth president. The move announced Wednesday comes three months after former president Laurel J. Richie stepped down.
Borders inherits a league that will begin its 20th season in May. Despite great attendance during the playoffs, the WNBA had its lowest average attendance in league history during the regular season. Some of that was due to San Antonio moving arenas while its normal home court was being renovated and Tulsa announcing it was moving to Dallas in 2016.
The WNBA announced last month that it was making significant changes to its schedule and playoffs.
Associated Press
