Sports World: Russian female lifter suspected of doping

MOSCOW • Russia's five-time world champion weightlifter and Olympic medallist Tatiana Kashirina has been temporarily suspended for an anti-doping rule violation, news agency Tass reported on Sunday.

Kashirina, 29, who won silver at the 2012 London Olympics, was one of the favourites for gold at next year's Tokyo Games but has been suspended after the World Anti-Doping Agency analysed results of doping tests of Russian athletes from 2012 to 2015.

REUTERS

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Heading gave Stiles brain damage: Doc

LONDON • A doctor looking into possible links between football and dementia has said England's 1966 World Cup-winning midfielder Nobby Stiles, who died aged 78 in October, suffered severe brain damage from repeatedly heading the ball.

Stiles had been diagnosed with dementia, as were several of his teammates including Jack and Bobby Charlton. Following a study, neuropathologist Willie Stewart told his family it was the result of heading the ball over the sustained period of his career.

REUTERS

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Benzema's big role in taking Real joint top

EIBAR • Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema kept up his impressive run of form by scoring and providing two assists in a 3-1 win away to Eibar on Sunday, taking the Spanish champions level on points with La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid.

The victory means second-placed Real join Atletico on 29 points, although Diego Simeone's side have two games in hand.

REUTERS

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Falling heat lamp kills Lorient groundsman

PARIS • A groundsman working for Lorient died on Sunday after being hit by a falling playing field heat lamp shortly after the Ligue 1 club's 3-0 home defeat by Rennes.

The mayor of the French town, Fabrice Loher, confirmed the news after widespread reports in local media of the death of the 38-year-old father of three.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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Murray enjoys winning return

LONDON • Three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray won his first match in two months by beating Dan Evans 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 in his opening match at the Battle of the Brits Premier League Tennis event on Sunday.

The former world No. 1 had not played since October but did not look rusty in the four-day exhibition, which is being organised by Lawn Tennis Association, Britain's governing body for tennis, to help British players gear up for next season.

XINHUA