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Sale Sharks prop Jake Pope has been banned for six months after testing positive for cocaine for a second time.
Pope is the first player to be found guilty of twice breaching the Rugby Football Union's illicit drugs policy.
He is banned from 4 December 2018, the date of his provisional suspension, until 4 June 2019.
The 21-year-old admitted a first offence after a test in September 2017 found "cocaine or its metabolites", for which he was fined £1,000.
RFU policy means first-time offences are not made public, but a second positive test in November 2018 found "adverse analytical finding" for cannabis and cocaine.
"The purpose of the Illicit Drugs Policy is primarily to protect the health and welfare of players," said Anti-Doping and Illicit Drugs Programme manager Stephen Watkins. "This means that, in the first instance, the problem can be dealt with as a confidential health-related issue.
"This is the first time we have had a second offence since the policy was established in 2010. It should send a strong deterrent message to all players that the RFU takes the misuse of substances seriously."
Pope has made a total of six appearances for Premiership side Sale, but has not played for the club this season.
A Sharks statement said Pope's behaviour was "unacceptable", but pledged to support him.
It said: "The club does not condone the misuse of drugs from any player and accept the decision made by the RFU, however Sale Sharks prides itself on being able to offer a career pathway into rugby for people of all backgrounds and circumstances and for this reason we feel it is right that, as a young man who has made mistakes, Jake be given a fair chance to redeem himself.
"Jake will be available to play again from 4 June 2019."
Chili Bowl Ticket Renewal Deadline Fast Approaching
TULSA, Okla. – The countdown has almost hit zero for fans to renew their tickets for the 34th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire with the deadline set to pass at 5 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, April 11.
A reminder that tickets are sold in 4, 5, or 6-day packages. Prices for the 2020 event are as follows: 4-Day (Wednesday-Saturday) $227; 5-Day (Tuesday-Saturday) $282; 6-Day (Monday-Saturday) $337 Prices shown don’t include Tax or Shipping. The Tax rate for Tulsa, Okla., is 8.517 percent. Shipping is $7 for orders up to 15 sets of tickets and $10 for orders of 16 ticket orders up.
Domestic orders will be sent via USPS Certified Mail. You can opt for Will Call instead. All International orders are kept in Will Call.
The Chili Bowl ticket office accepts Visa, MasterCard, Cash, Check, and Money Orders are taken by phone at (918) 838-3777, by Fax at (918) 836-5517, or by mail to 1140 S. 83rd East Ave. Tulsa, OK 74112. The Chili Bowl ticket office will not accept any order over Social Media or Email.
The Chili Bowl ticket office is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CT).
Orders will be processed for payment during the month of May and are slated to ship sometime in June. When we process orders, they are done by hand. If you have any other questions, you can find the Ticket FAQ online at https://www.chilibowl.com/ticketinfo/ or you can call the Chili Bowl ticket office.
If you’re on the list for new tickets, and a reserved seat ticket cannot be procured, Pit Passes will be on sale at the event and never sell out. The Pit Pass double as a General Admission pass and allows fans access to the back straightaway on a first come, first served basis. Pit Passes are $45 per weekday and $60 on Saturday. Passes can be purchased for multiple consecutive days. Pit Passes are not sold in advance.
The 34th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire takes place Jan. 13-18, 2020 atop the Tulsa Expo Raceway, located under the giant roof of the River Spirit Expo.
The racing season really kicked into high gear last weekend, with many tracks across the country hosting their first races of the season. Are there any changes in the Power Rankings as a result? Click below to find out!
KNOXVILLE, Iowa – My Place Hotels has partnered with Knoxville Raceway to be the title sponsor of the 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank.
The partnership makes My Place Hotels the official hotel partner of the 360 Knoxville Nationals and the nearby locations in Altoona and Ankeny will offer discounted rates to race fans during the event week.
The multi-year partnership will include the 30th annual My Place Hotels 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank in 2020.
“The My Place Hotels 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank officially kicks off the greatest 10 days of racing in America,” said Kendra Jacobs, Director of Marketing for Knoxville Raceway. “Fans from around the world travel to Iowa, which means that fans from around the world are looking for a place to stay. My Place Hotels has two nearby locations in Altoona and Ankeny with generously discounted rates for our fans. This is a partnership that not only supports the race track and the event, but also the race fans.”
The My Place Hotels locations in Altoona, roughly 45 minutes northwest of Knoxville Raceway, and in Ankeny, roughly 50 minutes northwest from Knoxville Raceway, are now the official hotel partner of the My Place Hotels 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank.
Drivers, race teams and fans can take advantage of a special promotional rate at either of the two hotels. Any guests who use the promotional code Knoxville when booking will receive a $99 per night rate for the July 31 through Aug. 5 nights. A limited amount of rooms will be available Aug. 6 through Aug. 11 at $139 per night with the promo code.
To receive the promotional discount, reservations must be made by calling the two hotels directly at 515-348-7161 (Altoona) and 515-381-0589 (Ankeny).
“The partnership with Knoxville Raceway demonstrates the fun-loving spirit of the owners and operators behind the My Place Hotels locations in Ankeny and Altoona, Iowa,” said Ryan Rivett, president and CEO of My Place Hotels. “As exceptional hospitality providers and the official hotel partner, I’m confident these nearby hotels will be an outstanding home base for race fans during the 360 Knoxville Nationals and throughout the phenomenal season at The Sprint Car Capital of the World.”
SUZUKA, Japan – Two-time Formula One champion Mika Häkkinen is making a rare return to racing in August to compete in the Suzuka 10 Hour endurance race.
Häkkinen, who won back-to-back Formula One titles in 1998-99, will co-drive a customer racing McLaren 720S GT3 in the 10-hour endurance event at the Suzuka Int’l Circuit. He’ll share driving duties with two-time Super Formula champion Hiroaki Ishiura and Japanese Formula 3 racer Katsuaki Kubota.
The trio will drive the new 720S GT3 during the fourth round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli on Aug. 23-25. Further information on the entry, including details of the customer team that will be running the car, will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Häkkinen spent 11 years competing in Formula One, nearly all of it driving for McLaren. He earned 20 victories during his career, including a victory in the Monaco Grand Prix in 1998.
After retiring from Formula One competition at the end of the 2001 season, Häkkinen competed in rally events before returning to racing full-time in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) series for three seasons from 2005 to 2007.
Since then he has raced sparingly, occasionally entering sports car or rally races.
WEEDSPORT, N.Y. – The DIRTcar Sportsman division will visit Weedsport Speedway on five different occasions this year, including two DIRTcar Sportsman Series tour stops on July 2 and Oct. 9.
All Sportsman events at Weedsport will once again pay a minimum of $1,000 to win with $100 to start.
A vital component of the Weedsport Speedway schedule for several years, the DIRTcar Sportsman will make their first stop on Monday, May 27 alongside the Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds and the CRSA Sprints as part of Heroes Remembered Weekend.
The May 27 main event will serve as a tune-up for the sixth annual Sportsman Classic 75 presented by Stirling Lubricants and Champion Racing Oil on Tuesday, July 2. The annual DIRTcar Sportsman Series stop will see a lucrative $2,500 paycheck handed out to the winner of this crown jewel Sportsman event.
The Sportsman will again be paired with the Super DIRTcar Series big-block modifieds on Hall of Fame Weekend on Saturday, July 28 presented by Coca-Cola of Northern New England.
The Sunday, Aug. 11 ESS Legends Reunion powered by Pit Stop Convenience Stores will feature the winged Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints along with the DIRTcar Sportsman’s fourth main event of the year.
The racing calendar will draw to a close on Wednesday, Oct. 9 for the Super DIRT Week Kick-Off Party as the DIRTcar Sportsman Series returns to compete on the same card as the DIRTcar 358-Modified Series.
True to word, Reed ready to 'fatten' up players at Champions Dinner
AUGUSTA, Ga. – It’s unlikely that any Masters Club participant will leave Augusta National hungry tonight.
As the reigning Masters champion, Patrick Reed gets the honor of setting the menu for Tuesday night's guest list, an exclusive group that includes all the past tournament champions as well as Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley. No spouses, friends, agents or other guests can get inside the door.
Reed joked last month at The Players that he planned to “fatten those boys up a little” with his menu selections, which he said he's had in mind since age 13. His dinner choices back up those claims, with Reed opting for a bone-in cowboy ribeye for the main course along with two salad options and a collection of creamy side dishes:
Reed explained Tuesday that he has lost 10 to 12 pounds since slipping into the green jacket last year, and he joked that part of it may have been in preparation for tonight’s loaded menu as he sits at the head of golf’s most sought-after table for the first time.
“I’ve lost a little, but the reason why I lost a little is because tonight, I knew what kind of menu I was putting out there,” Reed said. “So I need to leave a little room to be able to fit back into (the jacket).”
Koepka trying to regain energy as he eyes third major in four starts
AUGUSTA, Ga. – One of the game’s most passionate players when it comes to fitness hasn’t been in the gym in three weeks. Although this normally wouldn’t be news, in Brooks Koepka’s case it has drawn attention.
Koepka, who is playing the Masters for the first time since winning three of the last seven majors, revealed on Tuesday that he’s been in recovery mode since The Players.
“We did a bunch of tests,” he said. “This will be more of a relaxing week, recovery week for me. Taking three weeks off has been nice. Finally feel like I've got some energy back. I need to take care of myself if I want to actually play this game for a long time.”
Koepka went on to explain that his energy issues were the result of an intense diet that limited him to 1,800 calories a day but he added that his health has improved in recent weeks and that he doesn’t expect any lingering issues.
“I wanted to do it and try to lose some weight, and maybe went about it a little too aggressively for just a long period of time and the intensity of what I was doing,” he said.
Koepka said at The Players that he’d lost 24 pounds since November and added that he was about 10 to 12 yards shorter off the tee because of the weight loss. He didn’t reveal why he lost the weight, telling reporters, “you’ll see.”
Koepka remembers trip to Augusta as a kid, getting denied Lefty’s autograph
AUGUSTA, Ga. – It was a trip of a lifetime for Brooks Koepka when his father brought him to Augusta National as a youngster to attend the Masters.
Koepka remembers walking down the first fairway and getting blown away by the elevation changes and being able to stand so close to players. And the autographs, he collected so many autographs. Except one.
Koepka said he was standing by the old Tournament practice area and asked Phil Mickelson for an autograph.
“Probably about the only kid Phil's ever turned down,” Koepka said with a smile on Tuesday at Augusta National.
Koepka said he mentioned the moment to Mickelson during a practice round in 2014 and that Lefty didn’t remember the incident.
“I mean, I can't believe he doesn't remember the first time he ever said no to a kid, signing an autograph,” he said with a laugh. “I was like, ‘Listen, man, you stiffed me, and I really didn't like you for a long time.’ He was typical Phil, right back at me; I shouldn't have been there. We can laugh about it now. I've got his autograph now.”
Koepka said he collected about 50 autographs during that trip, just not Mickelson’s or Tiger Woods.
“Everybody else, I pretty much got,” he said. “All the players, when we come here, they are all so nice. As a player now, you want to sign for a little kid. It's hard to say no to a little kid.”
First- and second-round tee times for the 83rd Masters Tournament
First- and second-round groupings for the 83rd Masters Tournament. All times ET, (a) - amateur:
8:30AM/11:15AM: Andrew Landry, Adam Long, Corey Conners
8:41AM/11:26AM: Ian Woosnam, Keith Mitchell, Kevin Tway
8:52AM/11:37AM: Mike Weir, Shane Lowry, Kevin O’Connell (a)
9:03AM/11:48AM: Angel Cabrera, Aaron Wise, Justin Harding
9:14AM11:59AM: Danny Willett, Brandt Snedeker, Takumi Kanaya (a)
9:25AM/12:10PM: Fred Couples, Si Woo Kim, J.B. Holmes
9:36AM/12:32PM: Branden Grace, Emiliano Grillo, Lucas Bjerregaard
9:47AM/12:43PM: Charl Schwartzel, Charles Howell III, Eddie Pepperell
9:58AM/12:54PM: Sergio Garcia, Tony Finau, Henrik Stenson
10:09AM/1:05PM: Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama, Kyle Stanley
10:31AM/1:16PM: Patrick Reed, Webb Simpson, Viktor Hovland (a)
10:42AM/1:27PM: Charley Hoffman, Louis Oosthuizen, Marc Leishman
10:53AM/1:38PM: Tommy Fleetwood, Xander Schauffele, Gary Woodland
11:04AM/1:49PM: Tiger Woods, Haotong Li, Jon Rahm
11:15AM/2:00PM: Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Cameron Smith
11:26AM/8:30AM: Sandy Lyle, Michael Kim, Patton Kizzire
11:37AM/8:41AM: Trevor Immelman, Martin Kaymer, Devon Bling (a)
11:48AM/8:52AM: Larry Mize, Jimmy Walker, Stewart Cink
11:59AM/9:03AM: Jose Maria Olazabal, Kevin Na, Thorbjorn Olesen
12:10PM/9:14AM: Bernhard Langer, Matt Wallace, Alvaro Ortiz (a)
12:32PM/9:25AM: Alex Noren, Keegan Bradley, Matthew Fitzpatrick
12:43PM/9:36AM: Vijay Singh, Billy Horschel, Jovan Rebula (a)
12:54PM/9:47AM: Kevin Kisner, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Shugo Imahira
1:05PM/9:58AM: Zach Johnson, Ian Poulter, Matt Kuchar
1:16PM/10:09AM: Francesco Molinari, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Tyrrell Hatton
1:27PM/10:31AM: Bubba Watson, Patrick Cantlay, Satoshi Kodaira
1:38PM/10:42AM: Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Jason Day
1:49PM/10:53AM: Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose, Justin Thomas
2:00PM/11:04AM: Jordan Spieth, Paul Casey, Brooks Koepka
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