British cyclist Armitstead insists she is clean athlete (The Associated Press) British cyclist Lizzie Armitstead insisted in a two-page statement Wednesday that she is a clean athlete and that three missed anti-doping tests in a 12-month period amounted to honest oversights. Armitstead faced a provisional suspension and two-year ban that could have kept her out of the Rio Olympics. The … [Read more...]

Taekwondo star Steven Lopez to fight in record 5th Olympics (Yahoo Sports) The first time Steven Lopez made the U.S. Olympic taekwondo team, he was just 15 years old. More than two decades later, the Texas-based fighter recently qualified again and will likely be the oldest athlete competing in taekwondo at the Rio de Janeiro games. At 37, Lopez is the most acclaimed fighter in the sport … [Read more...]

Olympics-Cycling-'Naivete' almost cost Armitstead Rio spot (Reuters) British world road race champion Lizzie Armitstead has said she was "very naive" in failing to contest the first of three missed doping tests, a decision that almost cost her a place at the Rio Olympics. The 27-year-old, who won silver in the London Olympics road race and will be among the favourites in Rio, was facing an … [Read more...]

Cycling-Expanded UCI WorldTour travels to new roads (Reuters) The International Cycling Union (UCI) has announced an expanded WorldTour calendar for 2017 that will see the series host premier level races in five countries, including Britain and the United States, for a first time. Alongside the three Grand Tours, there will be 14 stage races and 20 one-day events," the UCI said in a … [Read more...]

Expanded UCI WorldTour travels to new roads (Reuters) (Reuters) - The International Cycling Union (UCI) has announced an expanded WorldTour calendar for 2017 that will see the series host premier level races in five countries, including Britain and the United States, for a first time. Alongside the three Grand Tours, there will be 14 stage races and 20 one-day events," the UCI said in a … [Read more...]

Olympic and anti-doping leaders clash over Russian scandal (Yahoo Sports) Declaring that the global drug-testing system is damaged, Olympic leaders and anti-doping officials vowed Tuesday to fix the problems and prevent the type of scandal that has embroiled Russian athletes in the lead-up to the games in Rio de Janeiro. The IOC and the World Anti-Doping Agency clashed again Tuesday over … [Read more...]

Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka pulls out of Rio Olympics (Yahoo Sports) Two-time major champion Stan Wawrinka pulled out of the Olympics on Tuesday because of injury, leaving the Rio Games without half of the men ranked in the ATP's top 10. The statement does not say where Wawrinka is injured. Wawrinka, who is No. 4 this week, joins his Swiss teammate Roger Federer, who is No. 3, along with … [Read more...]

Olympics-Cycling-South Korean cyclist hit by car during training in Rio (Reuters) A South Korean cyclist was slightly injured when he was hit by a car while training on the streets of Rio de Janeiro ahead of the Olympics Games which start on Friday, the federal traffic police said on Tuesday. Kim Ok-cheol, 21, was struck by the rear view mirror of a car when he was training within the … [Read more...]

Cyclist Armitstead wins appeal against doping violations (Yahoo Sports) British cyclist Lizzie Armitstead won an appeal against an anti-doping violation, clearing the world road race champion to compete at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Armitstead missed three doping tests in a 12-month period, triggering a charge by U.K. Anti-Doping, a provisional suspension and the possibility of a … [Read more...]

Olympics-Cycling-UK Anti-doping chief in the dark over Armitstead (Reuters) * UKAD awaits CAS explanation * Olympic rival calls decision "shameful" By Mitch Phillips RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 2 (Reuters) - The head of British anti-doping said on Tuesday she was still waiting to hear from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for a full explanation of why it overturned a ban for road cyclist … [Read more...]