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Wayne Odesnik’s 15-year doping ban is “good for tennis”,
according to world number three Andy Murray.
Odesnik, 29, tested positive for several banned substances,
including steroids, last December and January. The
American, ranked 267th in the world, announced his
retirement within minutes of his ban becoming public.
The latest doping violations followed a two-year ban in
2010 for possessing human growth hormone (HGH). The
ban is the longest in the sport’s history.
Murray told BBC Sport: “It is good for tennis that they got
him off tour. It is the end of his career and with the ban he
can’t even come on site to events or coach. That is a good
thing.
“He is a cheat, and it is good for everyone in tennis he is
dealt with in the right way.”
Murray’s comments were echoed by Andy Roddick, the 2003
US Open champion and a former world number one.
The American, who is now retired, tweeted: “I hate that he
has a US flag next to his name when he’s cheating. Good
riddance.”
Odesnik’s best result at a Grand Slam came in 2008, when
he reached the third round of the French Open.
He also reached the 2009 final of the US Men’s Clay Court
Championship in Houston, his only ATP World Tour final.
He achieved his highest world ranking of 77 in April 2009.
In his statement announcing his retirement, Odesnik
claimed he had “unknowingly ingested a contaminated
over-the-counter supplement” and said he was
“heartbroken”.
Larry Kestelman is the new executive director of the NBL
following a successful AUD$6 million takeover.
While Kestelman remains committed to Melbourne United
as an owner of the club, his priority now will be returning
the NBL to the heights of popularity it once enjoyed.
“As a result of his controlling stake in the league, he will
step down as Chairman (of United) and take on the role of
executive director of the National Basketball League,” the
NBL said.
Graeme Wade will remain as independent chairman of the
NBL Board and will focus, with Kestelman, on forming a
new board that will drive broadcast and general revenue.
Kestelman will concentrate on restoring the NBL to
commercial success, including establishing an NBL
Commission and securing a media rights partner and major
sponsor ahead of next season.
The NBL is expected to be an eight team league next
season with Townsville Crocs and Wollongong Hawks
expected to come out of voluntary administration joining
Adelaide 36ers, Perth Wildcats, New Zealand Breakers,
Melbourne United, Cairns Taipans and Sydney Kings.
The Pan American Rugby Association (PARA) has revealed
that it plans to launch a new national team competition
next year based on the European Six Nations model.
The tournament, which has yet to be named, would bring
together the top-six ranked rugby union nations across
North and South America with the goal of strengthening
competition in the region. The initiative was unveiled
followed a PARA meeting in the US city of Miami.
The competing nations – Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile,
Uruguay and the United States – will each play five matches
annually.
ODESNIK’S 15-YEAR BAN ‘GOOD FOR TENNIS’
MELBOURNE UNITED BOSS LARRY KESTELMAN
INVESTS MILLIONS INTO NBL
NEW AMERICAS SIX NATIONS TOURNAMENT
ANNOUNCED
SPORTS
SHORTS
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ISSUE 21 | AUGUST 2015