Sablíkova’s hopes of competing in Rio dashed

Czech speed-skater Martina Sablíkova will not be able to compete in the Olympic women's road time trial on Wednesday. Her appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) was definitively rejected on Tuesday. Sablíkova, a five-times Olympic medallist in speed skating, was not included in the International Cycling Union's (UCI) final list for the Rio Games despite the Czech federation nominating her through its own qualification system. Czech officials said the root of the problem was the interpretation of the qualification procedures for Rio.