cycling
Armstrong claims former UCI president led 1999 cover-up
LONDON – Lance Armstrong claims former International Cycling Union president Hein Verbruggen instigated a cover-up of his doping at the 1999 Tour de France.
Armstrong told Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper in an interview published Monday that Verbruggen insisted “we’ve got to come up with something” to explain his positive tests for a banned corticosteroid.
Cycling’s governing body, the UCI, appeared to ignore its own anti-doping rules when it accepted Armstrong’s backdated prescription for a cream to treat saddle sores.
That allowed Armstrong to stay in the race, and he went on to win the first of his seven Tours, helping revive the sport after doping scandals wrecked the 1998 event.
Though Armstrong has acknowledged the prescription excuse in a television interview with Oprah Winfrey, he previously had not linked Verbruggen or other UCI officials to a cover-up.
Verbruggen, who served as UCI president until 2005, did not respond to phone messages Monday.
nfl
Investigator begins look into Dolphins’ bullying allegations
DAVIE, Fla. – The NFL’s special investigator looking into the Miami Dolphins’ harassment case began questioning players at the team’s complex Monday.
As New York attorney Ted Wells began a visit expected to last two or three days, he released a statement Monday in his first public comments about the investigation. Wells said he’ll meet with players, coaches and staff. He added that the organization has been helpful in arranging interviews and urging personnel to cooperate.
Tackle Jonathan Martin left the team three weeks ago and alleged he was harassed daily by teammates, including guard Richie Incognito, who has been suspended. Martin spent nearly seven hours with Wells on Friday in New York.
college basketball
Michigan State scratches 13-year itch atop AP poll
Michigan State was voted No. 1 in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll for the first time in 13 years Monday.
The Spartans moved up one spot after beating top-ranked Kentucky last week. They took the No. 1 spot by a wide margin, receiving 51 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel.
This is Michigan State’s first time leading the rankings since a two-week run in 2000-01 when the Spartans reached the Final Four. Their only other time at No. 1 was a two-week stint in 1978-79 when Magic Johnson carried the Spartans to the national title.
Kansas, which beat Duke in the other game in the big doubleheader last week, moved from fifth to second and received seven first-place votes. Louisville stayed third and drew the other seven first-place votes.
Kentucky dropped to fourth and was followed by Arizona, Duke, Oklahoma State, Ohio State, Syracuse and VCU.
MLB
Rodriguez’s grievance hearing resumes in New York
NEW YORK – Alex Rodriguez’s grievance hearing to overturn his 211-game suspension resumed Monday with the first of what could be 10 consecutive days of sessions.
The sides spent their ninth day before arbitrator Fredric Horowitz, who also heard the case from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 and Oct. 15 to 18.
MLB and the players’ association appear to be trying to finish testimony before Thanksgiving, and it remained unclear whether the New York Yankees third baseman would testify. He had been scheduled for an investigatory interview with MLB on Friday, but the session was canceled when Rodriguez’s side said he was ill with flu-like systems and could not travel from California.
Rodriguez was suspended for 211 games by MLB on Aug. 5 for alleged violations of the sport’s drug agreement and labor contract, and the players’ association filed the grievance.
Associated Press
