Reuters Sports Schedule at 1400 GMT on Tuesday, March 8
Reuters sports schedule at 1400 GMT on Tuesday: TENNIS Sharapova faces ban after admitting to failed drug test LOS ANGELES - Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova, the highest-paid woman in sports, said on Monday that she failed a drug test at the Australian Open due to a substance she has been taking for 10 years for health issues. (TENNIS-SHARAPOVA/ (PIX), moved, by Mark Lamport-Stokes, 800 words) + See also TENNIS-SHARAPOVA/ (FACTBOX) SOCCER Champions League (1945) Real Madrid v AS Roma VfL Wolfsburg v Gent Bale set to reinforce Real Madrid MADRID - Real Madrid's Gareth Bale looks set to help protect a 2-0 lead against AS Roma in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at the Bernabeu after a promising return from injury as a substitute at the weekend. (SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-MAD-ROM/ (PIX), expect by 2145 GMT/4:45 PM ET, 400 words) Wolfsburg eye Champions League last eight for first time WOLFSBURG - VfL Wolfsburg host fellow Champions League knockout stage newcomers Gent in their biggest European challenge to date with a 3-2 advantage from the first leg which they led 3-0 before conceding two late goals. (SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-WOL-GNT/ (PIX), expect by 2145, by Karolos Grohmann, 400 words) FA Cup fifth-round replay Hull City(II) v Arsenal (1900) Arsenal look for lift in Cup replay at Hull Arsenal, aiming to win the FA Cup for a third straight year, visit second-tier Hull City in a fifth-round replay after the first game finished goalless at The Emirates with the winners booking a home tie with Watford in the quarter-finals. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/CUP (PIX), expect by 2100 GMT/4 PM ET, 300 words) Premier League We will bring you all the latest news and reaction after the weekend's fixtures. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/, expect throughout) - - - - CRICKET World Twenty20 First Round, Group B Hong Kong v Zimbabwe, Nagpur (0930) Afghanistan v Scotland, Nagpur (1400) NEW DELHI - The sixth edition of the World Twenty20 gets underway when Hong Kong face Zimbabwe and Scotland take on Afghanistan. The countries which top the two first round groups go through to the Super 10 stage. (CRICKET-WORLD/, expect by 1800 GMT/1 PM ET, 400 words) Malinga steps down as Sri Lanka captain ahead of World T20 COLOMBO - Lasith Malinga has stepped down as Sri Lanka captain ahead of their World Twenty20 title defence in India, the secretary of the country's cricket board told Reuters on Tuesday. (CRICKET-WORLD/SRI LANKA, moved, 400 words) India will be very hard to beat - Harris MELBOURNE - Much like eventual champions Australia at the 50-over World Cup, hosts India face raging expectations to win the World Twenty20 but should thrive in their own conditions, according to former Australia paceman Ryan Harris. (CRICKET-WORLD/HARRIS (INTERVIEW), moved, by Ian Ransom, 600 words) - - - - OLYMPICS LA24 make pitch at USOC summit BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., - The focus will shift from this summer's Rio de Janeiro Olympics to 2024 and Los Angeles when LA24 officials share the stage with medal hopefuls at the United States Olympic Committee media summit. (OLYMPICS-USA/LA (PIX,TV), expect by 2100 GMT/4 PM ET, by Steve Keating, Scott Malone and Josh Schneyer, 400 words) - - Phelps talks about vision for Rio Games BALTIMORE - Swimming great Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian ever, talks about his comeback, his goals and vision of this year's Rio Games. (OLYMPICS-SWIMMING/PHELPS, expect by 2300 GMT/6 PM ET, by Larry Fine, 400 words) - - - - TENNIS Hall of Fame unveils Class of 2016 The International Tennis Hall of Fame announces the Class of 2016 from a list of nominees that includes Belgian former world number one and seven-times grand slam singles champion Justine Henin and Russian former world number one Marat Safin. (TENNIS-FAME/, expect by 1530 GMT/10:30 AM ET, by Frank Pingue, 400 words) - - - - NBA Raps host Nets with eye on Cavs The Toronto Raptors will try to keep the pressure on the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers when they host the Brooklyn Nets. (NBA-RAPTORS/, expect by 0400 GMT/11:00 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - Lakers try to stay on winning track The Western Conference's last-placed Los Angeles Lakers, fresh off their stunning victory over the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors, try to make it two consecutive wins when they host the Orlando Magic. (NBA-LAKERS/, expect by 0630 GMT/1:30 AM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - Spur battle T'Wolves; Knicks visit Nuggets The Red-hot San Antonio Spurs visit the Minnesota Timberwolves while the New York Knicks visit the Denver Nuggets in two of the six games on the National Basketball Association schedule. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0530 GMT/12:30 AM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - NHL Stars visit fading Canadiens The Dallas Stars, locked in a tight battle with the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks for top spot in the Central division, visit the fading Montreal Canadiens in one of the eight games on the National Hockey League schedule. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0345 GMT/10:45 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (Expect by 0101 GMT/8:01 PM ET, 500 words) (Europe desk editor: Ed Osmond)
