Reuters Sports Schedule at 0600 GMT on Wednesday, May 18
Reuters sports schedule at 0600 GMT on Wednesday: DOPING Sharapova set to face anti-doping hearing in London Maria Sharapova will attend an anti-doping hearing in London on Wednesday, British media reported, with the Russian facing up to a four-year ban from tennis for failing a drugs test. (SPORT-DOPING/TENNIS-SHARAPOVA moving shortly, 300 words) IOC says 31 athletes could miss Rio after Beijing retests LONDON - Thirty one athletes from six sports could be banned from this year's Rio Olympics after failing dope tests when 454 samples were reexamined from the 2008 Beijing Games, the International Olympic Committee said on Tuesday. (OLYMPICS-DOPING/ moved, by Martyn Herman, 400 words) SOCCER UEFA expected to launch presidential race BASEL - European soccer's ruling body UEFA is expected to launch the race to find the successor to banned president Michel Platini when its executive committee meets. (SOCCER-UEFA/, expect by 1400 GMT/10 AM ET, by Brian Homewood, 400 words) Europa League final Sevilla v Liverpool, Basel Liverpool stand in Sevilla's way in Europa final BASEL - Sevilla aim for a third straight Europa League title while opponents Liverpool hope to cap Juergen Klopp's first season at the club in style with a final victory and Champions League spot. (SOCCER-EUROPA-LIV-SEV/ (PIX), expect by 2230 GMT/6:30 PM ET, by Toby Davis and Brian Homewood, 400 words) AFC Champions League (last 16) Former finalists FC Seoul and 2007 winners Urawa Red Diamonds will lock horns in the first leg of their AFC Champions League last 16 tie in Saitama, while Shandong Luneng meet Sydney FC and Al Ain take on Zob-Ahan. (SOCCER-ASIA/CHAMPIONS, expect by 1400 GMT/10 AM ET, 300 words) GOLF Local favourite Spieth heads solid field at the Byron Nelson U.S. Open champion and hometown favourite Jordan Spieth heads a solid field at this week's $7.3 million AT&T Byron Nelson in Irving, Texas where Australian Steven Bowditch defends the title he won by four shots. (GOLF-PGA/ (PREVIEW), expect by 2200 GMT/6 PM ET, 400 words) NBA Warriors try to draw level with Thunder The top-seeded defending champion Golden State Warriors will try to avoid falling into a 2-0 series deficit when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Two of the National Basketball Association's best-of-seven Western Conference final. (NBA-PLAYOFFS/WARRIORS, expect by 0345 GMT/11:45 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) NHL Lightning set for clash with Crosby's Penguins The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Two of the National Hockey League's best-of-seven Eastern Conference final that is tied at two games apiece. (NHL-PLAYOFFS/LIGHTNING, expect by 0315 GMT/11:15 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) BASEBALL Indians' Tomlin tries to extend perfect start Undefeated right-hander Josh Tomlin chases his sixth win of the season when he takes the mound for the Cleveland Indians versus the hoist Cincinnati Reds in one of the 16 games on the Major League Baseball schedule. (BASEBALL-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0245 GMT/10:45 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 800 words) NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0100 GMT/9 PM ET, 500 words) OLYMPICS Double Downies show that sisters are doing it for themselves LONDON - As a double Commonwealth Games gold medallist who was born more than seven years before her younger sister Ellie, gymnast Becky Downie would like nothing better than to pull rank on her equally talented sibling. (OLYMPICS-GYMNASTICS/DOWNIE (INTERVIEW), moving at 0800 GMT/4 AM ET, by Pritha Sarkar, 720 words) India hockey coach wary of burden of medal expectation MUMBAI - Coach Roelant Oltmans understands hockey's fallen powerhouse India's desperation for an Olympic medal but the Dutchman will not burden his players with any such expectations at the Rio Games. (OLYMPICS-HOCKEY/INDIA-OLTMANS (INTERVIEW), expect by 0800 GMT/4 AM ET, by Sudipto Ganguly, 500 words) Argentina's 'Leonas' target gold without retired Aymar BUENOS AIRES - Argentina have the quality to win an elusive Olympic gold medal in women's hockey at the Rio Games despite losing talismanic, eight times world player of the year Luciana Aymar to retirement, coach Gabriel Minadeo tells Reuters. (OLYMPICS-RIO/HOCKEY-ARGENTINA (PIX, TV), expect by 1400 GMT/10 AM ET, by Miguel Lobianco, 650 words) CRICKET England v Sri Lanka first test (from 19) Captains Cook and Mathews discuss first test LONDON - England captain Alastair Cook and his Sri Lankan counterpart Angelo Mathews discuss their team's prospects ahead of the first test in Leeds starting on Thursday. (CRICKET-ENGLAND/, expect by 1500 GMT/11 AM ET, 400 words) TENNIS ATP: Nice Open Geneva Open WTA: Strasbourg Open Nuernberg Cup Copy on merit (Asia duty editor: Peter Rutherford)
