Clijsters out for four weeks

BRUSSELS // Kim Clijsters will be out of action for at least four weeks due to a right shoulder and wrist injury. The women's tennis world No 2 said on her website that she will miss Belgium's Fed Cup semi-final against Spain next weekend and the Madrid Open starting on April 30. Clijsters said medical staff had advised her to take four to six weeks off to rest and undergo intensive physiotherapy to ensure she is fit for the French Open in June.

Two-year ban for Balciunaite

VILNIUS // Zivile Balciunaite, the European women's marathon champion, has been banned for two years for doping, the Lithuania athletics federation announced yesterday. Balciunaite, who won the European title in a season's best time of two hours 31 minutes 14 seconds last July, became the first Lithuanian athlete ever to take gold in the category. But traces of banned synthetic steroids were found in a subsequent drugs test.

Guilty verdicts for pair backed

ATHENS // Giorgos Petro, Athens's public prosecutor, yesterday recommended that former Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou and their coach Christos Tzekos be found guilty of giving false statements to authorities before the 2004 Athens Olympics. The two Syndey 2000 Olympic medallists and their coach are accused of staging a motorcycle crash on the eve of their home Games to avoid a drugs test.

Break gives Kiryienka win

LEKUNBERRI // Vasil Kiryienka of Belarus won yesterday's stage two of the Tour of the Basque Country. The Movistar rider took off from a front group of around 20 riders less than two kilometres from the line, and he was able to hold on to claim the victory. Germany's Andreas Kloeden was second across the finish line and took over as the new race leader of the event as a result of his high finish. The event finishes in Zalla on Sunday.