WORLD OF SPORT: Radcliffe doping anguish, Yorkshire retain title, Livermore cocaine row

Here are today’s headline stories from the world of sport.

Paula Radcliffe feels like she has been ‘almost abused’ by calls for her to release her blood data.

The former British athlete, 41, says she has been implicated by a parliamentary hearing on blood doping, following a Sunday Times investigation. Asked if freeing data would clear her, she said: “I don’t need to. I’m clean.” (BBC Sport).

Yorkshire clinched a second consecutive Championship title as a superb bowling display dismissed Middlesex for 106 on the first morning at Lord’s. The home side were 0-3 at the end of Ryan Sidebottom’s opening over, taking him past 700 first-class victims. Their title was confirmed when Notts were bowled out for 204 in their home game with Durham. (BBC Sport).

Brian Moore has called for Stuart Lancaster to ban his England squad from social media for the duration of the Rugby World Cup. Former head coach Sir Clive Woodward, who led England to World Cup glory in Australia in 2003, claims tools like Twitter and Instagram are ‘the new enemy’ and warns ‘one ill-advised tweet could cost England the World Cup’. And Moore has backed that stance and echoes those words of caution. (talkSPORT).

Hull City’s Jake Livermore is at the centre of a row after it emerged he will escape a ban for testing positive for cocaine. The Football Association are expected to confirm that they showed compassion at a hearing last week after being told that the 25-year-old took the drug in a state of depression after he and his partner lost their baby last year. Despite widespread sympathy for Livermore, however, the World Anti-Doping Agency and UK Anti-Doping are understood to be unhappy and considering a challenge. (Daily Mirror).

Roger Federer dominated France’s Richard Gasquet in a 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 scamper into the semi-finals of the US Open on Wednesday. The second seed seemed intent on beating the rain forecast to hit Flushing Meadows and he safely stormed into the last four, where he will face fellow Swiss Stan Warwinka. The fifth-seeded Wawrinka, the reigning French Open champion, advanced with an equally unstressed 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 victory over South African Kevin Anderson. Friday’s other men’s semi-final will have top seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia going against ninth-seeded defending champion Marin Cilic of Croatia. (Guardian).

David Beckham’s dream of fielding his own MLS side has moved a step closer after locating a site for the franchise in Miami. The former England captain’s plans have been hindered by the lack of a suitable venue which is a pre-requisite for the league accepting new teams. However, the 40-year-old and his business partners are looking to build on the site of the Orange Bowl, the former home of the Miami Dolphins which was demolished in 2008 and is adjacent to the Miami Marlins’ baseball stadium. (Daily Mail).