IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Sailing

Daubney banned

MELBOURNE: America's Cup winner Simon Daubney has been banned for two years after testing positive for cocaine, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ruled.

New Zealander Daubney, who was a trimmer on Swiss-backed holders Alinghi, tested positive for metabolites of cocaine after a test in June 2007 but was cleared by a five-man America's Cup jury in Sept 2007.

The decision to exonerate Daubney was recognized by the Swiss Olympic Committee before being appealed to CAS by world anti-doping body WADA.

Doping

Weightlifters punished

NEW DELHI: India's weightlifting federation has handed out life bans to two lifters after both were found guilty of second doping offences, a senior official said on Friday.

Top men's lifter Sateesha Rai, first caught and stripped of two gold medals and a bronze at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and woman lifter Boradi Prameelavalli have been banned. "I can confirm we have issued them letters banning them for life," Indian Weightlifting Federation secretary Baldev Gulati told Reuters.

Soccer

Drogba better

LONDON: Chelsea had some good news on the injury front on Thursday when they learned that striker Didier Drogba would be out for weeks rather than months.

The Ivory Coast international collapsed in agony during Wednesday's goalless Champions League draw in Romania against CFR Cluj after lunging for a cross and jarring his studs into the turf.

Drogba was taken to hospital and there were fears he had suffered a serious knee injury but Chelsea said on Thursday that he would not need surgery.

"Didier Drogba has had two forceful rotations in his knee and ankle. Fortunately, he has avoided any significant ligamentus rupture," a statement on Chelsea's website (www.chelseafc.com) said.

Auto sports

Kimi confused

LONDON: Ferrari's Formula One world champion Kimi Raikkonen said on Thursday he had no explanation for the run of four races without a point that has wrecked his title defence.

"It's difficult to find the right words," the Finn told ferrariworld.com. "Racing at night or during the day, this is definitely not my year.

"Obviously I'm really sad about this situation. I can't explain this dark period," continued Raikkonen, who crashed out of last weekend's inaugural night-time Singapore Grand Prix while in fifth place.

Raikkonen is fourth and 27 points behind McLaren's championship leader Lewis Hamilton with a maximum of 30 still to be won from the three races remaining.

(China Daily 10/04/2008 page12)