Rowing: Australia’s former rowing world champion and Olympic silver medallist Sarah Tait (picture) has died of cancer at the age of 33. She died yesterday morning, the Australian Olympic Committee said. Tait, who won silver with Kate Hornsey in the women’s pairs at the 2012 London Games, was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2013 and stepped away from rowing the following year to fight the disease.

Rugby League: National Rugby League player Mitchell Pearce has been banned for eight games and fined A$125,000 ($91,325), with A$50,000 suspended, after he was filmed simulating sex with a dog. The 26-year-old halfback was stood down by his Sydney Roosters club and stripped of the co-captaincy on Tuesday after spending a month in a rehab clinic in Thailand. Pearce, who has sworn off drinking, was filmed during boozy Australia Day celebrations on Jan. 26.

Cricket: Tributes flowed yesterday for former New Zealand cricket captain Martin Crowe, who died after a long battle with cancer. He was 53. Widely considered New Zealand’s finest batsman, Crowe was initially diagnosed with follicular lymphoma in 2012 before the disease went into remission. In September 2014, however, Crowe said a more aggressive form, double-hit lymphoma, had developed and he had been told only five per cent survive more than 12 months.

Tennis: Retired two-times grand slam champion Lleyton Hewitt has poured cold water on local fans’ hopes he might return to the court for Australia’s Davis Cup opener against the United States after Nick Kyrgios was ruled out of the tie. The 35-year-old team captain called time on his career at the Australian Open six weeks ago but made himself available for Davis Cup duty yesterday after Kyrgios was withdrawn due to a virus. However, Hewitt said there was “zero” chance he would play at Melbourne’s Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club with Sam Groth and Bernard Tomic named to play the singles rubbers against John Isner and Jack Sock at the draw ceremony yesterday.