Doping scandal, Beach volleyball

Sport, of course, and as you may have heard in the news, the spectre of doping has sadly overshadowed much of the last twenty-four hours for the Czech team. The cyclist Jan Hruska had his second positive test which was taken after the Tour of Spain last week, and that means that he is definitely out of the Games.

However, the Games must go on, of course, and one of the most popular spectator sports so far at the Sydney Games has been Beach Vollyball, played as it is on the famous Bondai Beach by scantily-clad competitors.

The Czech Republic's duo of Sona Dosoudilova and Eva Celbova were seeded 14th in the women's competition, but unfortunately crashed out in First Round on Thursday to the number 6 seeds from Japan, Takahashi and Saiki. Not that that bothered Czech Radio's man in Sydney, Miroslav Konvalina. I spoke to Miroslav a little earlier as he took a bus back from Bondai Beach to his hotel: Miroslav Konvalina there getting all the good jobs.

Just quickly to football, and with only two games gone it already looks a hopeless situation for Sparta in the Champions League. Their 3-0 defeat at the Italians Lazio leaves them bottom of the group with no points and no goals from their two matches to date.