We’ve written recently that teams like the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets could give the Cincinnati Bengals problems during the first round of the NFL draft.

Those are trade problems, as the Cowboys and Jets seem like threats to trade up, jumping over the Bengals for a prospect like Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and his teammate and safety Caleb Downs.

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But as it turns out, some NFL draft rumors hint that the New York Giants could cause some problems for the Bengals, too.

According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, John Harbaugh and the Giants could be going hard after Downs and Styles: “In an ideal world, the Giants would like to move back a few spots, add more picks (they have just two in the top 100) and draft a player like Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. But that’s easier said than done.”

Those Giants hold the No. 5 pick and also really like Styles and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.

Those are all prospects the Bengals like.

The Bengals would love Styles to upgrade the unit featuring Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter. Downs would upgrade safety and perhaps nickel corner. The Bengals have even met with Love and have Chase Brown on an expiring contract and not much else behind him at running back.

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None of this means the Bengals should panic and trade up. Not happening, anyway, given how the front office in Cincinnati operates.

But an old rival like John Harbaugh and his new team are very much a club to watch as the NFL draft unfolds soon.

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: NFL draft rumors around Giants could impact Bengals

India’s growing doping problem has come under fresh scrutiny, with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) flagging the steady rise in violations as a serious concern.

WADA president Witold Banka pointed to the easy availability of performance-enhancing drugs and steroids in India, while highlighting the scale of the challenge in controlling the issue.

With India topping the global doping charts for three consecutive years, the trend has raised concerns over the effectiveness of its anti-doping system and the overall integrity of its sporting ecosystem, especially with the country now holding the hosting rights of the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

India leads the unwanted list

India, for the past three years, i.e., 2022, 2023 and 2024, has been the worst performer in doping tests as it has topped the chart with the most doping cases on all three occasions.

According to WADA’s data, India recorded 125 positive doping cases in 2022, while the number rose to 213 in 2023 and to 260 in 2024. India not only has the highest number of doping cases, it is also the only country in the top five whose numbers are increasing.

Other countries in the top five, such as France, the United States, Russia and Italy, have all recorded a drop in doping cases in the past three years, unlike India.

List of countries with most doping cases (2022-2024)

Athletics leading the chart

In terms of sports-wise division of doping cases in India (in 2024), track and field athletes are leading the chart with 76 cases, while weightlifters are in second spot with 43 positive cases, followed by wrestlers with 29 cases.

Powerlifters and boxers are joint fourth with 17 cases each, while 10 kabaddi players were also found guilty of doping.

Doping prominent at national level

Despite the significant rise in doping cases in India, it is rare that any Olympic-level sportsperson has been found guilty of doping.

Dutee Chand (athletics), Aishwarya Babu (athletics), MV Jilna (athletics), Manju Bala (athletics), DP Manu (athletics), Karthik Kumar (athletics), Parvej Khan (athletics) and Nongmaithem Ratanbala Devi (football) are some of the few international-level athletes who tested positive for doping from 2022 to 2024.

Which means most of the cases of doping are coming at the national level, signifying the issue persists at the grassroots level.

Will doping cases affect India in upcoming events?

India is set to take part in two big multi-nation events this year in the form of the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games. Despite the significant rise in the number of doping cases, India is unlikely to be overly concerned as most of its medal hopefuls have passed the tests.

However, among the banned athletes, Dutee Chand, who won the silver medal in the 2018 Asian Games, Karthik Kumar, who won silver in the 2022 Asian Games, and DP Manu, who finished fifth in the javelin throw event of the last Commonwealth Games, could have found their way to the podium, which means India could miss out on a few medals due to the doping hit.

Can India’s situation be compared with Russia?

Before India, a country that was associated as the worst among doping offenders was Russia, as in 2019 it was handed a four-year ban from bidding and participating in any Olympic-level events after it was found that the government was encouraging doping among players.

Although Russian athletes were later allowed to compete under a neutral flag after partial relief from the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the episode significantly dented the country’s sporting credibility.

With WADA now formally urging India to address its rising doping numbers, continued non-compliance or weak enforcement could weaken its case in future Olympic hosting, if it is subjected to any form of participation ban.

WADA calls for urgent systemic action

WADA president Witold Banka highlighted the scale of the challenge, pointing to the easy availability of performance-enhancing drugs and steroids in India, which complicates enforcement efforts.

He confirmed that discussions have been held with key stakeholders, including the sports ministry and the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), to strengthen coordination in identifying and dismantling doping networks.

Testing improves, but gaps remain

According to NADA Director General Anant Kumar, India has adopted a two-pronged strategy—expanding testing capacity and improving transparency to build trust among athletes.

Testing numbers have nearly doubled from around 4,000 samples in 2019 to approximately 8,000 in 2025. Despite this increase, India still lags behind major sporting nations such as China, which conducts more than 15,000 tests annually.

Banka noted that a rise in positive cases can sometimes reflect better detection and targeted enforcement. However, a decline without structural reforms could signal weak oversight rather than genuine progress.

Easy access and ecosystem failures driving violations

One of the biggest concerns flagged by WADA amid rising doping cases in India is the widespread availability of banned substances.

As one of the largest producers of pharmaceutical drugs, India faces unique regulatory challenges in controlling the distribution of performance-enhancing substances.

The issue extends beyond individual athletes. WADA’s intelligence and investigations wing has identified the role of suppliers, coaches, and support staff in facilitating doping practices, pointing to a deeper, systemic problem.

Officials have also indicated that in several cases, athletes may not be acting alone but are part of a broader ecosystem that enables or even encourages the use of banned substances.

NEW DELHI: In a firm reminder of its zero-tolerance stance on anti-corruption protocols, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has fined Rajasthan Royals team manager Romi Bhinder Rs 1 lakh for breaching match-day regulations during an Indian Premier League fixture.

The incident occurred during Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2026 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati on April 10, where Bhinder was found using a mobile phone inside the team dugout — a clear violation of the IPL’s Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA) protocols.

IPL 2026: GT vs KKR Live Score

ACU finds response ‘unsatisfactory’

The BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), headed by Sharad Kumar, had issued a showcause notice seeking an explanation from Bhinder. However, after reviewing his response, the board deemed it unsatisfactory.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that Bhinder was found guilty of breaching protocol.

“The team led by Sharad Kumar examined Bhinder’s response and found him guilty. His reply was not satisfactory,” Saikia said. “As this is a first-time offence, a fine of Rs 1 lakh has been imposed along with a warning.”

Bhinder has since acknowledged the lapse and issued an unconditional apology, according to the IPL media advisory.

Strict rules, no exceptions

The IPL’s PMOA guidelines strictly prohibit the use of mobile phones and other communication devices in sensitive areas like the dugout, allowing their use only within designated dressing room spaces.

As per the rules, all players and support staff must switch off and deposit their devices with the team’s security liaison officer upon arrival at the venue. Only limited personnel, such as analysts at designated stations, are permitted to use approved devices.

The breach gained attention after visuals showed Bhinder scrolling on his smartphone in the dugout, with young player Vaibhav Sooryavanshi seated nearby.

Sources indicated that Bhinder has been dealing with health issues, which may have contributed to the lapse, though the BCCI maintained that protocol violations cannot be overlooked.

“Using a phone in the dugout is a strict no-no. Given his experience, he would have been aware of the rules. It may have been inadvertent, but the board has handled it appropriately,” a source told PTI.

The Mornington conditioner Jerome Hunter eagerly awaits Wonder Boy’s next mile outing, this time utilizing the home track familiarity.

On Saturday, Wonder Boy enters the No Fuss Event Hire Handicap (1600m) at Mornington, which could lead to a Brisbane excursion for the four-year-old.

Hunter expressed confidence that Wonder Boy can manage the 1600m without issue now, given the gelding’s increased maturity over the version that ran it 11 months ago as a three-year-old.

Post his 1400m Bendigo Guineas success in April last year, Hunter ventured with Wonder Boy to Brisbane targeting the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m).

Though forward in the run, Wonder Boy dropped back to sixth in the closing stages.

“He didn’t get much of a chance up at Eagle Farm that day when nothing went right for him,” Hunter said.

“He was up on speed, there was a lot going on, and it didn’t suit him.

“Back on his home track, he’ll be ridden more conservatively, and we’ll see whether he gets the trip or not.”

No victories for Wonder Boy since April’s Bendigo win last year, though Hunter was heartened by the gelding’s second over 1400m at Rosehill last time out, unaffected by the travel.

“He’s done well since Sydney and he has done really well this preparation,” Hunter said.

“Last start, he came up against a pretty good horse, I think.”

With Brisbane return plans this year, Hunter targets the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm in June for Wonder Boy.

“He would need to get his rating up, but that would be a lovely race to try and get him into,” Hunter said.

“If we get him up there early enough there are some nice lead-up races along the way.”

Discover competitive racing betting markets for the No Fuss Event Hire Handicap via leading sites.

One year after selecting Paige Bueckers with the first overall pick, the Dallas Wings had the No. 1 pick again in this week’s WNBA Draft, and they selected fellow UConn alum Azzi Fudd.

The selection is much more than just an on-court improvement, however — last summer, Bueckers confirmed that she and Fudd were a couple.

The two have been relatively quiet about their relationship, prompting Kevin Sherrington, a Dallas Morning News columnist, to ask Fudd in her introductory press conference if they were still an item.

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Paige Bueckers #5 and Azzi Fudd #35 of the UConn Huskies and teammates react on the bench against the UCLA Bruins during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game at Amalie Arena on April 4, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

On the precipice of that question, Sherrington also asked Fudd if she and Bueckers would talk to “other couples in the league about how they negotiate that dynamic as pro teammates.”

Fudd was not given a chance to answer, as a staffer for the Wings public relations team butted in.

“I understand why you have to ask that question, but we’re going to respectfully decline from commenting on players’ personal lives,” the staffer said.

Sherrington placed blame on the Wings in a column.

UConn student-athlete Paige Bueckers and UConn student-athlete Azzi Fudd walk onto the stage during the Final Four Champions victory parade and rally outside the XL Center in Hartford, CT. (Scott Rausenberger/Imagn Images)

SPARKS STAR CAMERON BRINK SHOWS OFF TONED ABS AT COACHELLA AHEAD OF HIGHLY ANTICIPATED WNBA SEASON

“Refusing to acknowledge whether players are still in a relationship after one of them went public about it a year ago suggests they’ve done something wrong, feeding an ugly narrative. What are we afraid of here? What are we saying when we try to hide something already out in the open?” he wrote.

“If anyone’s at fault here, it’s the Wings, who invited the obvious question by drafting Fudd when they had other options, then acted as if they were covering for something that didn’t need hiding. Bueckers and Fudd didn’t deserve this. No matter what their status from here on out, I wish them better luck.”

Players in the WNBA have dated each other as both teammates and opponents. Notably, Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley got married while playing with the Chicago Sky.

It’s unknown how long Fudd and Bueckers have, or had, been dating, but at the very least, they were teammates from 2021 up until last April, when Bueckers was drafted. But they have now reunited.

UConn guards Azzi Fudd (35) and guard Paige Bueckers (5) smile at each other on the bench in the second half against Arkansas State in a first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Storrs, Conn. (Jessica Hil/AP)

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The duo played in two national championship games together, winning last year’s — Bueckers joined the school one year prior to Fudd.

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