Cycling

Czechs clear Kreuziger of his 2012 doping charges

PRAGUE – The Czech Olympic Committee ruled that cyclist Roman Kreuziger did not violate doping rules.

Kreuziger was provisionally suspended by the International Cycling Union, but the committee’s arbitration board says anomalies in his biological passport did not break any limits, and the rider explained them during a hearing on Sept. 11.

The ruling still can be appealed at the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The UCI believes long-term analysis of Kreuziger’s blood values shows he was doping in 2012 and provisionally suspended him while he is under investigation.

The Tinkoff-Saxo rider denies wrongdoing and never has tested positive for a banned substance or doping method, such as a blood transfusion.

MLB

Braves miss playoffs, send their GM to chopping block

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Braves fired general manager Frank Wren on Monday.

The move was announced one day after the team was eliminated from the National League playoff race.

The Braves have formed a three-person team to conduct the search for Wren’s replacement. It will include former Braves manager Bobby Cox.

Wren was in his 15th season with the Braves and his seventh as the club’s general manager.

Skiing

Vail’s Toby Dawson enshrined in ski-snowboard hall

ISHPEMING, Mich. – Olympic bronze medalist Toby Dawson and five others were inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.

Dawson was adopted from an orphanage in South Korea by two ski instructors from Vail and went on to win the bronze in freestyle moguls at the 2006 Olympics.

Others inducted over the weekend were freestyle pioneer and world champion John Clendenin, freestyle aerials champion Kris Feddersen, ski film producer Joe Jay Jalbert, big mountain skier Scot Schmidt and ski show pioneer Jerry Simon.

Soccer

Charges against Solo cause some alarm for U.S. soccer

The chief executive of the U.S. Olympic Committee says he is disturbed by domestic abuse charges against women’s national team goalkeeper Hope Solo, but he stopped short of saying she should face immediate disciplinary action from the team.

Solo will face two misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree domestic violence stemming from a June 21 altercation with her sister-in-law and her 17-year-old nephew at a party in Washington state.

She pled not guilty, and the case is scheduled for trial Nov. 4. If convicted, she could face up to 6 months in jail.

USOC president Scott Blackmun said abuse in all forms is unacceptable. He said the USOC has had discussions with U.S. Soccer and fully expects action to be taken if it is determined the allegations are true.

Solo has continued to play for the U.S. in exhibition matches.

Tennis

France to host Switzerland on clay in Davis Cup

PARIS – France has decided to play its Davis Cup final against Switzerland on indoor clay in a bid to thwart Roger Federer’s quest for a first win in the team competition.

The final will be held at the 27,000-capacity Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille from Nov. 21-23.

France is third on the list of all-time winners and will bid for a 10th Davis Cup title. Switzerland will look for its first.

With the best-of-five series scheduled five days after the ATP finals, France’s decision looks like a strategic move, as Federer and Stan Wawrinka, who are expected to play at the hardcourt tournament, could struggle to adapt to clay.

Federer and Wawrinka are favored to win but will face a team that will include Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Associated Press