Weightlifting
The International Weightlifting Federation has banned the thrice winner of Olympics Halil Mutlu from Turkey for two years. He was accused for taking steroids. However, these charges have been denied Mutlu, 32, said that he has not taken nandrolone. Samples of nandrolone have been found in the urine samples of Mutlu before the European Championships. Halil won three golds in the 62 kg category this April.
The Weightlifting Federation has also banned another Turkish weightlifter, Sedat Artuc. He missed the doping test in September saying that he was sick. In 2004, Artuc won the bronze in the 56 kg category.

Cycling
The winner of Tour of Italy and Tour de France former winner Charly Gaul breathed his last yesterday at a hospital. Charly suffered from lung problems and died in the hospital with a lung hemorrhage. He would have turned 73 tomorrow.
Popularly known Angel of the Mountains, Gaul won the Giro d'Italia two times and was the first non-Italian to do it. He won it first in 1956 followed by another win in 1959. Always considered as the strongest mountain climber during the 1950s, Gaul won the Tour de France in 1958. He came third in 1955 and in 1961.

Equestrianism
The 2010 Equestrian Games will be hosted by Lexington, Kentucky. This was announced by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) yesterday. This is the first time when a non-European country will host the two-week event. The Equestrian Games were initiated by Prince Philip in Stockholm 1990 when he was the president of FEI. They are held every four years and will be held in Aachen, Germany next year.

Bowls
In the Commonwealth Games to be held in March, Australia will be losing two of its best players. They are Mark Casey who was to pair up with Kelvin Kerkow and Shane Globitz. They have been alleged to have broken a curfew and have been suspended for six months by Bowls Queensland. They are said to have stayed out till early morning on the last day of the win over Fiji by Queensland.  The appeal against the decision will be reviewed in Brisbane.

American Football
Andre Dyson seized one pass and in return fumbled for another as the Seattle Seahawks won against Philadelphia Eagles 42-0. This was an eight straight win for the Seahawks and a record equaling win. The Seahawks have already grabbed the NFC West Title along with the play off spot.

Hockey
The women from Scotland will be playing against the champions Germany in the European Indoor Nations Cup. Scotland will have an encounter with the champions in the opening match to be held in Eindhoven next month. Coach Gordon Shepherd is quite happy with the draw. He said that they would be playing against the Germans before they get a chance to warm up. They would be playing France and Austria in the group games.

Real Tennis
Young Camden Riviere, 18, won against Danny Jones, the experienced player and ensured a victory over Seacourt by the Hampton Court in the Singer & Friedlander National League Premier Division.

Cricket
Under-19s from England are still to win a match in their Bangladesh tour. They went down by 60 runs in the recent tri-series match against Sri Lanka. They were set a target of 282. The captain Varun Chopra played a fabulous 77 but later the British team collapsed at 221 within 45.1 overs.

Rackets
Third in the world rankings, Ali Robinson won the Lacoste British Amateur Championship organised at the Queens Club in London. He ended the winning run by Charlie Danby.