15 Apr 2022

Today's sports news: What you need to know

6:37 am on 15 April 2022

Latest - Britain's men's 4x100m relay team have been told to hand back their Tokyo Olympic silver medals after Chijindu Ujah's doping violation.

Silver medallists Britain's Chijindu Ujah, Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, Tokyo Olympic men's 4x100m relay.

Britain's 4x100m relay team on the podium in Tokyo, Chijindu Ujah (far left), Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Britain finished second behind Italy last August but were stripped of the silver in February.

Ujah claimed he had "not knowingly or intentionally doped".

Canada will now be upgraded to silver and China to bronze.

-Reuters

NZ outclassed at Billie Jean King Cup

New Zealand faces must win ties against India and Indonesia if they're to stay in Asia Oceania Group 1 of the Billie Jean King Cup after losing 3-0 to Japan.

New Zealand were outclassed in the singles rubbers before again putting up a fight in the doubles.

Paige Hourigan

Paige Hourigan Photo: Photosport

Valentina Ivanov was soundly beaten 6-2 6-1 by Japan's number two Yuki Naito while Paige Hourigan proved no match for Japanese number one Moyuka Uchijima, thumped 6-0 6-1.

Hourigan then teamed up with Erin Routliffe to play the doubles rubberlosing 6-3 4-6 6-2.

The third straight 3-0 defeat leaves New Zealand winless along with Indonesia who have lost to India.

Victories over India tonight and Indonesia are now essential for New Zealand to avoid being relegated to Group 2 for next season.

-RNZ

Cowboys come back

The North Queensland Cowboys have come back from 12-nil down at half-time to record a 18-12 win over the Raiders in Canberra in the NRL.

The Raiders scored two tries in the first 15 minutes to give the hosts a perfect start against a Cowboys team that offered little in the opening half hour of the contest.

However, the Cowboys came out a different team in the second half, crossing through Heilum Luki, Valentine Holmes and Jeremiah Nani to completely flip the script.

-ABC

World Cup winning bowler retires

England's World Cup-winning bowler Anya Shrubsole has announced her retirement from international cricket at the age of 30.

Anya Shrubsole celebrates the winning runs

Anya Shrubsole celebrates scoring the winning runs against the White Ferns in a crucial World Cup pool match. Photo: © Copyright Andrew Cornaga 2022 Photosport Ltd

Shrubsole was part of two world champion squads in 2009 and 2017, playing a starring role in the latter as she took six wickets to clinch a nine-run victory over India in the final.

She played 173 matches across all formats for England, taking 227 wickets. Shrubsole holds the nation's women's record for Twenty20 international wickets (102) and is fourth on the list for one-day international wickets.

Ukraine's World Cup qualifier re-scheduled

Ukraine's delayed football World Cup qualification playoff semi-final against Scotland has been re-scheduled for June 1st, with the winners to then play Wales four days later for a place at this year's tournament in Qatar.

The European playoff round was set for March but was postponed at the request of the Ukrainian football association following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February.

-Reuters