MONACO (AP) — Olympic bronze medalist Alysha Newman was banned for 20 months on Friday for missed drug tests, though track and field investigators accepted she had ended her career as a pole vaulter.
Newman, now aged 31, took bronze for Canada at the 2024 Paris Olympics and last competed at a pair of Diamond League meetings last May in Qatar and Morocco.
The Athletics Integrity Unit said Newman was unavailable for an unannounced doping control in February last year and twice more in August. Three so-called “whereabouts” failures in a 12-month period can be prosecuted as an anti-doping rules violation.
At the third incident, the AIU said in its published verdict the athlete told a sample collection official “she had to leave immediately to participate in the filming of a television game show.”
The global anti-doping system requires athletes to specify a one-hour period each day where they will be available to give a sample for testing.
Newman’s suspension expires in August 2027 and was less than the standard two years for whereabouts cases because the AIU accepted she decided to end her career.
This, the AIU said, “is a sufficiently unique/exceptional factor that may be considered in assessing her level of fault in the matter.”
Newman also competed in two world championships finals, was a gold and bronze medalist at the Commonwealth Games and took bronze at a Pan American Games.
AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
FILE - Alysha Newman, of Canada, makes an attempt in the Women's pole vault qualification during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Aug. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)
FILE - Alysha Newman, of Canada, competes during the women's pole vault final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Aug. 7, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)
JAIPUR, India (AP) — Opening batters Lokesh Rahul and Pathum Nissanka struck half-centuries to help end Delhi Capitals' three-match losing streak at Rajasthan Royals' expense in the Indian Premier League on Friday.
Rahul smashed 75 off 40 balls, his third fifty this season plus a century, and Nissanka hit 62 off 33 as their century partnership led Delhi to 226-3 with five balls to spare and a win by seven wickets.
Rajasthan made 225-6 with captain Riyan Parag's 90 his first half-century of the season. Donovan Ferreira added a whirlwind unbeaten 47 off just 14 balls with six sixes and two fours in the last three overs.
Rahul and Nissanka wiped off nearly half of the target in their 110-run stand as Delhi posted their highest powerplay score of 70-0.
Ravindra Jadeja broke them up in the 10th over but Rahul kept scoring at a healthy rate and added 61 runs with Nitish Rana (33) before both set batters departed in successive overs.
Mitchell Starc boosted Delhi’s struggling bowling resources with 3-40 as the Australian pace bowler struck with his third delivery in his first match in over three months due to a shoulder injury.
Starc caught opener Yashasvi Jaiswal off his full toss and dismissed Parag and Jadeja with slower deliveries in the death overs.
“Nice to get the cobwebs out. Nice return,” Starc said. “I’ve been bowling for weeks but haven’t bowled at a batter until three nights ago. In terms of ticking the boxes with the skills, I was in a position to do most of what I wanted to do.”
Rajasthan's 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was out for 4, clean-bowled by Kyle Jamiesen with a full-pitched ball.
But Parag and Dhruv Jurel (40) combined for 102 and Ferreira exploded at the death.
Delhi, which was bowled out for 75 by Royal Challengers Bengaluru in its last game, jumped one place in the table to sixth. Rajasthan stayed fourth and missed a chance to top the table.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Rajasthan Royals' captain Riyan Parag plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur, India, Friday,May, 1, 2026. (AP Photo)
Delhi Capitals' Mitchell Starc celebrates the wicket of Rajasthan Royals' captain Riyan Parag with with teammates during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur, India, Friday,May, 1, 2026. (AP Photo)
Delhi Capitals' Pathum Nissanka plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur, India, Friday, May, 1, 2026. (AP Photo)
Delhi Capitals' KL Rahul plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur, India, Friday,May, 1, 2026. (AP Photo)
