Folau poised for rugby league comeback

SYDNEY • Sacked Wallaby Israel Folau is planning a shock return to rugby league, making himself available alongside his brother for Tonga in upcoming Tests against Australia and Britain, the Tongan National Rugby League said yesterday.

Folau, who has Tongan parents and was set to play a key role for Australia at the ongoing World Cup in Japan before his fall from grace over bigoted tweets, said that he would "do my talking on the field" and was excited by a return to the game where he first made his name after debuting for the Melbourne Storm in 2007.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Russia gets 3 weeks to explain doping issues

MOSCOW • The Kremlin yesterday said that Russia had three weeks to respond to concerns raised by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) over the alleged manipulation of Russian anti-doping laboratory data.

Wada yesterday announced it was looking to determine whether the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (Rusada) was compliant with international anti-doping regulations after it found inconsistencies in the data that was handed over in January.

REUTERS

Uzbeks oust coach, Abramov returns

HONG KONG • Hector Cuper was yesterday sacked as manager of Uzbekistan, becoming the first coaching casualty of the Asian qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup.

Vadim Abramov, 57, takes over as head coach for the second time, having led them to the Asian Cup semi-finals in 2011. Group D leaders Singapore host Uzbekistan on Oct 15.

REUTERS

Estate of late Foxes boss sued over crash

BANGKOK • The family of former beauty queen Nusara Suknamai, an employee of the Thai owner of English Premier League football club Leicester, who died in a helicopter crash that also took her boss' life sued his estate and his family's duty-free business on Monday for 300 million baht (S$13.6 million).

Nusara, 33, was one of five people killed when tycoon Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha's helicopter crashed and burst into flames shortly after take-off following an Oct 27, 2018 match.

ASSOCIATED PRESS