Crystal Palace defender Mamadou Sakho believes his legal battle with WADA over a drug test blunder will not be a distraction on the pitch this season. Sakho is suing the agency for £13million.

Australian swimmer Shayna Jack, 20, could escape severe punishment for a failed doping test by using a loophole that saw a Japanese swimmer's ban cut in half.

A blind triathlete from Brisbane has been banned from fulfilling his life-long dreams amid a doping scandal, but he claims he's never had anything stronger than coffee.

MATT HUGHES - AHEAD OF THE GAME: We round up hidden stories as agents attempt to sign up Rashford and Arsenal ban stewards from drinking coffee from their club sponsor to cut costs.

MATT HUGHES: Russia are facing a worldwide ban from all major sports events after being given three weeks to explain signs of tampering with drug tests. 

RIATH AL-SAMARRAI: The explosive development follows a four-year investigation by the US Anti-Doping Agency into the work done by the coach, who runs the Nike Oregon Project.

The world of athletics was rocked on Tuesday when the coach who led Sir Mo Farah to his Olympic gold medals was banished from the sport in disgrace for doping violations.

Brisbane Broncos player James Segeyaro's career hangs in the balance after he returned a positive drug test.

Sportsmail has learned Salazar has instructed his lawyers to prepare for another lengthy battle after immediately announcing his intention to appeal USADA's judgement earlier this week.

The head of the US Anti-Doping Agency, Travis Tygart, who led the conviction of Alberto Salazar for doping offences has hit back at Paula Radcliffe.

Dillian Whyte could be back in the ring before the New Year and is still optimistic about beating his doping charge.  The investigation into his failed test is still ongoing.

Despite publicly standing by the coach who led Sir Mo Farah to four Olympic golds, Nike has responded to the backlash over the US Anti-Doping Agency findings by closing the set-up.

Slovenian cyclist Janez Brajkovic, 35, posted the pictures of his incredibly lean legs after returning to the track following a ten-month doping ban for testing positive for methylhexaneamine.

James Segeyaro, 28, was stood down from the Brisbane Broncos in October after returning a positive A-sample for banned muscle-enhancing drugs.

Russia could be set for a new ban from major international sporting events like next summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games over claimed inconsistencies in anti-doping data.

It follows an investigation into the data handed over by the Moscow laboratory in January as part of the reintegration process of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency following the state-sponsored doping scandal.

Russia have been banned from the world's top sporting events for four years, including next summer's Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Qatar World Cup, for tampering with doping tests.

Vladimir Putin's comments come after WADA barred teams under a Russian flag from competing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020 and 2022 and the football World Cup in 2022.

The 21-year-old tested positive for Ligandrol during an out-of-competition test in Cairns in July and appeared on The Sunday Project to proclaim her innocence.

Speaking about the World Anti-Doping Agency's decision, Putin said Russia were 'being punished for the same thing twice - we've never had anything like this in the history of humankind.'

A doctor who worked for Manchester City and Bury has been charged by the FA with breaching anti-doping rules. Dr Andrew Johnson is alleged to have provided 'fraudulent information'.

Tebas has previously accused Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain of 'ruining the entire system' and called for them to be thrown out of European competition.

According to the Mirror, Barnsley boss Gerhard Struber held a team meeting to break the news last week before informing the group that Diaby would not be featuring against Bristol City last Saturday.

Barnsley have suspended Bambo Diaby while the FA investigate an alleged anti-doping violation by the defender. The 22-year-old is believed to have been tested after a 3-2 defeat at Blackburn last November.

The possibility of a blanket ban on Russians in the athletics disciplines at Tokyo 2020 increased after World Athletics ordered their disgraced national federation to admit to doping offences.

RIATH Al-SAMARRAI: Sir Mo Farah could face investigation by UK Anti-Doping agency after it emerged he changed his story when talking to investigators about injections he received.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: Russia has asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport for more time to prepare an appeal against their four-year ban from international sport.

Mark Dry, 32, had appealed successfully to a sports resolution panel against the ban for lying about why he was not at the address provided in his whereabouts information in October 2018.

Chinese swimmer Sun Yang has been banned for eight years. The Court of Arbitration for Sport found the three-time Olympic champion guilty of refusing to cooperate with sample collectors.

Sun, a three-time Olympic champion, was on Friday found guilty of refusing to cooperate with sample collectors during a visit to his home in September 2018.

Adam Peaty hit out at 'fool' Sun Yang for 'disrespecting' swimming after China's three-time Olympic champion was banned for eight years for missing a doping test.

The World Anti-Doping Agency are expected to order a ban on Russian athletes competing at the Olympics as well as preventing them from hosting or competing in major international events.

Another wave of Russian athletes could face new doping charges after the World Anti-Doping Agency said on Thursday that it has completed its investigation of a vast trove of evidence.

Timo Werner is understood to be a target for Liverpool as they look to rejuvenate their squad in the summer window, although he is also coveted by a number of the top teams in Europe.

Willian's effort from the edge of the area slipped from Adrian's grasp and into the side of the net after only 13 minutes of their FA Cup encounter at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.

Supporters were left bemused after watching Liverpool and Bournemouth's players eschew the traditional pre-game handshake following the Premier League ban,

The message from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was clear. For a team who have negotiated the domestic season in a near-faultless manner, there is a new requirement - perfect football.

The former Tottenham Hotspur right-back has been revitalised by his move to La Liga and he was outstanding in Atletico's 3-2 win over Liverpool.

MARTIN SAMUEL CHIEF SPORTS WRITER - We have got a few weeks to ourselves now, it seems. So time for a think. The self-isolation of COVID-19 is the chance to consider where the game is going.

Liverpool are eyeing up potential replacements for Lovren whose out of contract this summer. Atlético's Jose Gimenez, Inter's Alessandro Bastoni and Leipzig's Dayot Upamecano.

Klopp has built Liverpool into arguably the most formidable side in the world, guiding them to last term's Champions League title and putting them on the brink of their first Premier League crown.

It had been the club's intention to move to the new state-of-the-art base at the beginning of July that would enable the first team and the Academy to be on one site but that plan has now put on hold.

According to Sport, the Catalan giants have run out of patience with injury-plagued Frenchman which could lead Liverpool to make a £80m bid for him once the transfer window reopens.

Klopp has built Liverpool into arguably the most formidable side in the world, winning last term's Champions League and putting the Reds on the brink of clinching their first Premier League title.

The Brazilian midfielder finally got his move to the Nou Camp in January 2018 in a deal worth £145million after drawn out negotiations between the Reds and Spanish giants.

The Reds were linked with the centre-back in January but reports at the time suggested they may wait until the summer.

The Senegal star excelled in 2018-19 with 26 goals to propel Liverpool towards a sixth Champions League success and almost to the Premier League title too.

Klopp's side have already won the Champions League last year and Souness believes adding the quality of Werner will add more competition and keep their strength in depth at a high level.

Liverpool are reportedly set to rival Manchester United for Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumare this summer. United have been heavily linked with the 21-year-old but they may now face competition.

With drastic measures proposed, involving promotions without relegations and revised leagues with additional places, Sportsmail takes a look at how English football could shape up.