The IAAF has provisionally suspended the chief executive of Athletics Kenya amid allegations he asked athletes for bribes to reduce doping bans. The governing body for athletics said it took the decision concerning Isaac Mwangi “in the interests of the integrity of the sport”. An investigation into “potential subversion of the anti-doping control process in Kenya” will now take place. He denies wrongdoing and said he wanted to leave his post to clear his name. The World Anti-Doping Agency said it was “most disturbed” by the claims. “The allegations have caused me a lot of mental anguish,” Mwangi said in a letter to Athletics Kenya. Continue reading →

The match between Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund came to an extraordinary halt after Roger Schmidt, the Leverkusen manager, refused to be sent off. The Bundesliga game was suspended after 65 minutes after protests when Dortmund took the lead at the BayArena. After waving away calls for a foul on Stefan Kiessling, the visitors broke and took the lead through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Dortmund’s goal infuriated Leverkusen and Schmidt was ordered to leave the dugout. He refused and in response the referee, Felix Zwayer, took the players off the pitch. Leverkusen’s official Twitter account posted: “The match is paused at the 65th minute after Roger Schmidt refuses to be sent off the pitch and the referees leave instead.” Dortmund were clearly perplexed by the decision judging by their Twitter post of “??? b04bvb 0-1” and both sets of players returned to the dressing room. After talks, the teams came out without Schmidt and the match resumed around eight minutes after the impromptu break started.

Trabzonspor player Salih Dursun was sent off after showing dissent to the referee by picking up and brandishing his red card, moments after his team-mate has been sent off. The incident left Trabzonspor with just seven players on the pitch, yet Galatasaray still required a last-minute Selcuk Inan penalty to snatch a 2-1 victory. Dursin seized his opportunity after team-mate Luis Cavanda had been dismissed. Trabzonspor’s players, already reduced in number after two earlier red cards, surrounded referee Deniz Bitnel, causing him to drop his red card. Dursin picked it up and waved it at the referee, who took it back and returned the favour, ordering the Turkish utility player off the pitch.

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