Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/449474
22 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 21 JANUARY 2015 Sport MOTORSPORTS ATHLETICS Three Russian Olympic champions get doping bans Russian Olympic walking champions Valery Borchin, Sergei Kirdyapkin and Olga Kaniskina are among five athletes banned for doping RUSSIA'S 2011 world champion Sergei Bakulin and silver medallist Vladimir Kanaykin have also been banned for failing doping tests, RUSADA added on its website. "The Russian Anti-Doping Agency RUSADA after meeting with its Disciplinary Committee has decided to ban five sportsmen for taking banned substances," it said in a statement. "The breaking of anti-doping rules was due to abnormal blood levels in their biological passports, which belong to the International Association of Athletics Federa- tions." Borchin has been suspended for eight years from October 15 2012, ruling him out of the 2016 Rio Ol- ympic Games. Kaniskina and Kirdyapkin have been suspended for three years and two months to October 15 2012, while Bakulin has also been banned for three years and two months but from December 24 2012. Kanaykin has received a life ban from December 17 2012. Sergei Kirdyapkin Tonio Cini unanimously re- confirmed President of the Malta Motorsport Federation TONIO Cini was unanimously reconfirmed as President of the Malta Motorsport Federation during the Annual General Meeting held at Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Golden Sands, for the next 3 years. During this meeting, the members also approved a new structure of the Federation based on three Council pillars: Administrative, Sporting and Static Councils, to enhance the support to the various sporting dis- ciplines which fall under the auspices of the Federation. Tonio Cini, who was first elected President in 2008, thanked the Fed- eration members for this strong con- firmation and signified the impor- tance of keeping on pushing the good practice of the sport together with all stakeholders. He was also grateful to all those who were part of the Execu- tive Council throughout these past 6 years of his presidency, for their con- tribution towards the improvement of the sport. During the General meeting, Cini stated that the Federation is looking forward to assist the Government for the forthcoming challenge of the Ex- pression of Interest for the develop- ment of a Road Safety & Motorsport Facility, later on this year. He reiterat- ed that the Federation is a strong be- liever that such International project is of great benefit for the country and could tip the €150 Million bracket investment. Such facility will educate and train new and experienced drivers in an appropriate road safety facility, thus helping in reducing the number of traffic and fatal accidents on our roads. This project will give new opportunities to various sport disci- plines to have their training grounds and not necessarily motor racing and will generate a positive ripple effect on the local SMEs, thus effecting the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while putting the country on inter- national map within this sector. Cini, was last year appointed as a member of the FIA ASN Global De- velopment Task Force by FIA Presi- dent Jean Todt and Deputy President for Sport Graham Stoker and was also asked to contribute in the Malta Mo- tor Recreation and Education Park Strategic Committee established by Hon. Chris Agius, Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation, Research, Youth and Sport and chaired by Dr. Carmel Cascun. He recently repre- sented Malta in the FIA World Gen- eral Assembly held in Doha, Qatar. President Tonio Cini at the FIA General Assembly ASMK Autocross and Motocross continues this Sunday ON Sunday 25th January 2015 'As- socjazzjoni Sport Muturi u Karo- zzi' is to continue its Motorsport activities in the ASMK – Pasta Poiatti National Championships 2014/2015. This event is to took place at the Motorsport Complex at Ta 'Qali. This Sunday the AS- MK will be organizing the seventh program for the Autocross sec- tions and the third event for the Motocross. This Program begins at 11: 00am while official Practice sessions will be held on Saturday from 2:00pm onwards. Meanwhile a look at the gen- eral Class A classification at the Motocross championship list and following two events we find Clay- ton Camilleri on his KTM 250cc motorcycle ranks at the top with 102 points. In second place with six points less is Paul Muscat on a KTM with 96 points while 3rd place is won by Edward Ciantar on a Kawasaki with 79 points. Four points below and with 75 points in fourth place is Trevor Muscat on KTM motorcycle as well. Ludvick Muscat on KTM mo- torcycle is placed at the top of the Class B riders list with 105 points. Ludvic is followed by a Gozo rid- er Adam Sultana on a Kawasaki motorcycle. Sultana ranks in 2nd place with 83 points while Elvin Debono ranks in third place on his Kawasaki 250cc motorcycle with 69 points. Fourth place is won by young Julian Abela on a Honda with 59 points. The Autocross section have passed half of the current league which is based on 12 events. At the top of the National League is Philip Joe Vella on his Opel Corsa with 133 points. Vella has devel- oped an advantage on his fellow competition drivers. Christian Mark Galea on his Fiat Ritmo is placed 2nd with 111 points. Third place is occupied by Vince Farru- gia on his Volkswagen Polo with 99 points. Farrugia is followed in fourth place by Jason Martin on another Volkswagen Polo but with 83 points. Meanwhile on Sunday the 18th of January the Trials riders con- tinued on with the Trials Nation- al championship competition. The Trials riders started riding the competition sections at 9.00 am where the route sections markings on site were laid on the previous evening. Unfortunately soon after the riders finished the first two sections the activity was stopped because of a incident by one of the competitors follow- ing a fall from his bike. This took some time to solve matters and send the injured rider to hospi- tal for furthur examination. As a safety measure the rider com- petitor who suffered the injury was examined on site and sent to hospital by the ambulance for the usual check-up with regards to his injury though he is wear- ing all safety gear related to this sport. He was sent home later on the same day. Unfortunately as the event was stopped and it took some time to continue the race director decided to postpone the rest of this Trials event for another day. One of the measures taken by ASMK is to stop racing without an Ambulance present on site. The Association decided that this Trials event will continue on Sunday 15th February 2015. Further details will be given in the coming days. One can continue to follow the activities of the Association among other subjects through the website www.asmk.org.mt and through the Facebook page enti- tled 'ASMK Malta '.