Guyana News China’s Olympic gold medal gymnasts have been officially cleared of lying about their ages. An investigation was launched after the Beijing Games over claims that several members of their women’s squad were ineligible because they were not 16 in the year of competition. But on Wednesday, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) closed a near six-week probe saying that documentation provided confirms they were old enough to compete. The inquiry had been called for by the International Olympic Committee who were concerned that the controversy undermined the results of the competition in Beijing. China provided passports, ID cards and family registers for He Kexin, Yang Yilin, Hiang Yuyuan, Deng Linlin and Li Shanshan, all showing the girls were 16 Read the full story

India’s Olympic champion shooter Abhinav Bindra has hit out at the nation’s sports coaches and officials, saying they “know nothing” about sport.

“Indian athletes have no respect for most officials,” the 26-year-old told the Times of India. India won their best ever haul, a gold and two bronze medals, in Beijing. But Bindra, who won gold in the 10m air rifle event, said there was “no magic solution” to make the underperforming nation a sporting power. “If we want to get to double digits, we need to target 2016 and start working from today,” he said. “But the respective federations have no vision and I don’t see that changing. I wish I had a magic solution but unfortunately, I don’t. The IOA has to play a role in building athletes. It does nothing.”

Britain’s Olympic middleweight champion James DeGale admits he faces a dilemma over his future after winning gold.

The 22-year-old has reportedly been offered £1m to turn professional, but he would also love to defend his Olympic title on home soil in 2012. “It will be hard to say no to £1m but it’s not just about money - it’s a feeling too. It’s going to be a difficult decision,” he said. “To win another gold medal in my home city in 2012 would be fantastic.” The Hammersmith-born boxer said he would also seek the opinion of Great Britain boxing coach Terry Edwards before taking any action. Read the full story

London has received the Olympic flag to signal the start of its reign as Olympic host city and spark wild celebrations in the capital.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson was given the flag by IOC President Jacques Rogge at the closing ceremony in Beijing. An eight-minute handover presentation, featuring a red double-decker bus, footballer David Beckham and musicians Jimmy Page and Leona Lewis followed. An estimated 40,000 people celebrated the handover at a party in London. Read the full story

Grand fireworks and spectacular choreography brought to a close the Beijing Games Sunday as one of the most remarkable Olympics in recent history were declared at an end.Fireworks across China’s capital as a crowd of more than 90,000 at the landmark “Bird’s Nest” National Stadium watched the pyrotechnics.The ceremony marked a climax to a Games that has delivered many world-breaking sporting performances and redefined the international image of the communist nation.

The Beijing Games draw to a close on Sunday after what many have described as one of the best Olympics ever held.

China, having beaten the United States to top the medals table, will hand the Olympic flag to the 2012 hosts London at a closing ceremony from 1300 BST. Kenya’s Sammy Wanjiru won the men’s marathon on the final day. Finals in boxing, basketball, volleyball and water polo closed out the action with France’s handball gold the 302nd and last awarded. Read the full story

Usain Bolt captured a third gold medal and a third world record after Jamaica claimed men’s 4×100m relay gold.

The quartet smashed the previous world mark of 37.40 seconds set by the United States at the 1992 Olympics by a huge margin to set a new benchmark of 37.10. Nesta Carter ran a strong first leg before passing the baton to Michael Frater, who handed on to Bolt before Asafa Powell brought it home. Trinidad and Tobago took silver with Japan coming home for bronze. The run was quicker than the previous record, twice ran by a US team - first in 1992 in Barcelona and also in 1993 in the world championships in Stuttgart. Bolt has dominated the sprints in Beijing in his breakthrough season capturing the 100m and 200m titles in new world records.

Ukrainian weightlifter Igor Razoronov has been disqualified from the Games after testing positive for nandrolone.

Razoronov finished sixth in the 105kg category and is the sixth competitor, and second Ukrainian, to fail a drugs test at this year’s Games. The test was on 18 August and the International Olympic Committee asked for the result of his event to be changed as a consequence. Razoronov may also be punished by the International Weightlifting Federation. Read the full story

China’s world number one Wang Hao booked his place in the men’s table tennis singles final with a 4-1 win over Sweden’s Jorgen Persson.

Wang, who lost the Olympic final in Athens in 2004, overcame a battling Persson 11-9 11-9 9-11 11-7 11-9. His victory means that China are guaranteed gold as Ma Lin edged Wang Liqin in the other semi-final. Ma Lin, the world number two, survived a thrilling tie to eventually win 11-5 11-9 11-9 10-12 3-11 11-8. Read the full story

Britain’s sailors, rowers and cyclists won four more gold medals on Sunday to match the team’s Saturday surge and reach third in the Olympic medal table.

There were sailing golds for Yngling trio Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson, and Ben Ainslie in the Finn. Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter took GB’s first lightweight rowing gold, and Rebecca Romero won cycling’s pursuit. Fellow cyclist Wendy Houvenaghel and two rowing crews claimed silver medals, while gymnast Louis Smith won bronze. One leading sporting figure called it the greatest weekend in British Olympic history. Read the full story