Turin Cheats Face Arrest

Drug cheats at the Turin Winter Olympics will face prosecution under Italian law despite suggestions to the contrary circulating in recent weeks. David Howman, director-general of the World Anti-Doping Agency, confirmed yesterday that the authorities in Italy have not suspended their right to arrest and prosecute athletes during the 16-day games period starting next week.

The authorities have agreed not to intervene directly in drugs tests, however, which comes as a relief to the British Olympic Association and other national associations who feared that Italian anti-doping laws would see police raiding the athletes’ village.

The International Olympic Committee has been in dispute with the Italian government over who has jurisdiction for drugs testing during the games, and this week Rome confirmed that the department of health, responsible for tests in Italy, would not duplicate IOC-administered tests during the games.

Howman stressed, however, that the Italian authorities would not be soft on drugs. "If an athlete in Italy intentionally indulges in doping then they can be prosecuted. There is still the prospect of an athlete being marched off to prison, and any coaches who attempt to take drugs into the country will also be harshly treated."

Sarah Friend, the BOA’s director of legal services, said the news came as a relief. "We’ve been waiting for clarification on this and at least now we can concentrate on preparations without worrying that the authorities might be coming into the village."

Good sign for Moody

It is not unusual for rugby players facing disciplinary action to launch a charm offensive but the flanker Lewis Moody, restored to the England side yesterday despite being sent off last time out against Samoa, inadvertently started his campaign for lenient treatment early. At the team banquet after his dismissal for repeatedly punching an opponent, Moody signed an autograph for a young female supporter. As luck would have it, the fan was the daughter of the RFU disciplinary chief and council member Jeff Blackett. Blackett, a circuit judge, insists that Moody’s kindly act played no part in his receiving only a nine-week ban, three weeks fewer than the recommended tariff, allowing him to play in England’s Six Nations opener on Saturday. "My daughter’s autograph played no part in the judgment as I was not on the disciplinary panel that heard the case," said Blackett. Moody would do well to avoid testing the RFU’s patience again. He has been banned for a total of 15 weeks this season and received a yellow card on his return to action for Leicester last weekend.

Sweetenham silence

David Sparks, chief executive of British Swimming, told an audience of sports lawyers in London yesterday that other governing bodies should follow his lead and publish transcripts of hearings into suspected doping cases. "We believe that letting the world see the rubbish we are told by way of excuse is a deterrent," he said. Sparks is not, however, applying the same logic to an internal investigation into allegations of bullying by the head coach, Bill Sweetenham, which will remain private. Sweetenham was cleared of the charge of bullying, but his general conduct has been addressed. "We’ve spoken to Bill and he’s considering how to go forward. This was an internal employment issue and as such a degree of privacy is justified."

Fulham fallout

Thin-skinned Fulham directors banned London Evening Standard reporters from attending last night’s match against Tottenham after the paper published two outwardly innocuous items about the club, one concerning the kit man and the other describing the club as having a "low media profile". The club, which has recently distributed mail-shots before home matches to try to fill Craven Cottage, decided to risk an even lower profile by barring the Standard until further notice. "The club does not get the column inches we feel we deserve in the Standard and perhaps the ban means they might realize that printing lies about Fulham is not the way to go," said a club spokeswoman.