Runner without country to compete at Olympics
LONDON — The IOC has cleared a marathon runner born in what is now South Sudan to compete under the Olympic flag at the London Olympics.
The IOC executive board agreed Saturday to allow U.S.-based Guor Marial — a former refugee — to take part as an independent athlete.
Marial has no passport and is not represented by a national Olympic committee. South Sudan gained independence last year after breaking away from Sudan but doesn’t yet have a recognized Olympic body.
Marial moved to the United States as a refugee when he was a child and even though he has permanent residence in the U.S., he isn’t yet an American citizen. That meant he was unable to compete for the United States, South Sudan or Sudan, the IOC said, despite qualifying for the Olympics last year.
IOC strips Cox of 2004 gold medal
LONDON — American runner Crystal Cox was stripped of her gold medal from the 4×400-meter relay at the 2004 Athens Olympics on Saturday after admitting to doping, while the IOC put off a decision on whether to disqualify the U.S. team.
Cox admitted in 2010 to using anabolic steroids and accepted a four-year suspension and disqualification of her results from 2001 to 2004.
The International Olympic Committee executive board formally disqualified Cox and took away her gold medal. However, the IOC took no action on the U.S. team victory, which still stands — for now.
Bird’s back and US women rout Croatia
ISTANBUL — Sylvia Fowles scored 15 points and Candace Parker added 14 to lead a balanced U.S. offense in the Americans’ 109-55 win over Croatia in an exhibition game Saturday.
The contest marked the return of Sue Bird to the team. She left the women’s basketball squad Sunday after the death of her stepfather and missed the team’s exhibition wins over Brazil and Britain.
Roddick holds
off No. 1 seed Isner
ATLANTA — No. 4 seed Andy Roddick beat top-seeded John Isner 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4 in the semifinals of the Atlanta Open on Saturday.
Roddick will play Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller, who knocked off No. 8 Go Soeda of Japan 6-4, 6-3, for his 32nd ATP World Tour title today.
Hercog to defend title in Swedish final
STOCKHOLM — Defending champion Polona Hercog has advanced to the final of the Swedish Open, where she will face Mathilde Johansson of France today.
The Slovenian eased through her semifinal Saturday on the Bastad Tennis Stadium the clay court, beating Mona Barthel of Germany 6-1, 6-3. Johansson ousted Johanna Larsson 6-4, 6-4. The Swede ended the match by serving a double-fault.
Haas, Monaco reach final at Hamburg
HAMBURG, Germany — Third-seeded Juan Monaco and veteran Tommy Haas will play for the title at the German Tennis Championships today.
Monaco upset top-seeded and last year’s finalist Nicolas Almagro 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday. Haas defeated fourth-seeded Marin Cilic 7-6 (7), 6-0.
Bartoli advances to finals at Carlsbad
CARLSBAD, Calif. — Top-seeded Marion Bartoli rebounded from a poor first set for a 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over qualifier Chan Yung-Jan that sent her to the finals of the Mercury Insurance Open on Saturday.
The Frenchwoman will face second-seeded Dominika Cibulkova, a 7-6 (8), 6-1 winner over Russia’s Nadia Petrova.
By wire sourcces
