Reuters Sports Schedule at 0600 GMT on Thursday, July 28

Reuters sports schedule at 0600 GMT on Thursday (times GMT): DOPING Federations deciding if Russians can compete at Rio Games We continue to bring you the latest developments after the International Olympic Committee chose not to ban Russia's entire team from the Rio Olympics over doping allegations. Individual federations are deciding whether Russians in their sport can compete. (SPORT-DOPING/RUSSIA, expect throughout, 500 words) Also see: OLYMPICS-RIO-RUSSIA/ (FACTBOX) RIO OLYMPICS PREVIEWS Athletics-Doping tsunami leaves number one sport on brink LONDON - A year of unrelenting misery, of corruption, cover-ups, bans, appeals and doping, doping, doping, has ripped the heart and soul out of athletics, the sport that likes to think of itself as the heart and soul of the Olympics. (OLYMPICS-RIO-ATHLETICS/ (PREVIEW, PIX), moved, by Mitch Phillips, 700 words) Cycling-Wiggo, Cav back but Britain's supremacy faces test LONDON - Big guns Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish will bolster the British team for next month's Olympic track cycling programme but the powerhouse nation will have its work cut out repeating the supremacy of four years ago in London. (OLYMPICS-RIO-CYCLING/TRACK (PREVIEW, PIX), moved, by Martyn Herman, 600 words) Basketball-Team USA look to sweep golds in Rio TORONTO - Team USA will be without many star players in Rio due mainly to concerns over Zika and injuries, but such is the depth of the country's basketball talent that they are expected to cruise to a third consecutive gold medal. (OLYMPICS-RIO-BASKETBALL/ (PREVIEW, PIX), moved, by Frank Pingue, 400 words) Rugby-High octane sevens brings rugby back to the Games SYDNEY - The United States have famously been Olympic rugby champions since winning gold in the 15-man game in 1924 but one of a string southern hemisphere sides look set to strike that anomaly from the record books when Sevens makes its debut in Rio. (OLYMPICS-RIO-RUGBY/ (PREVIEW, PIX), moved, by Nick Mulvenney, 400 words) Synchronised swimming-Namesake Russia coaches groom synchro stars for more gold Two namesake coaches who have propelled Russian synchronised swimming to one medal after another hope to blow rivals out of the water once again at the Rio Olympic Games. (OLYMPICS-RIO-SYNCHRONISED/ (PREVIEW, PIX), moved, by Alexandra Ulmer Modern pentathlon-Unsung heroes return for share of limelight LONDON - Lithuania's Laura Asadauskaite will be favourite to defend her Olympic title when modern pentathlon enjoys a rare share of the global sporting spotlight on the final weekend of the Rio Games. (OLYMPICS-RIO-PENTATHLON/ (PREVIEW, PIX), moved, by Martyn Herman, 480 words) Golf-Kiwi Ko the woman to beat at Rio Games SAN FRANCISCO - Red-hot New Zealander Lydia Ko is a force whenever she tees it up in a tournament but the world number one is far from a shoo-in for gold in women's golf in Rio where, unlike on the men's side, the top players will be competing. (OLYMPICS-RIO-GOLF/WOMEN (PREVIEW, PIX), moved, by Liana B. Baker, 500 words) Shooting-Rhode guns for medals - and children's books Shotgun shooter Kim Rhode will be looking to extend her record as the only U.S. athlete to win medals at five consecutive Olympic Games in an individual sport when she arrives at next month's Rio Summer Games. (OLYMPICS-RIO-SHOOTING/RHODE (PIX), moved, by Scott Malone, 400 words) Cycling-Cavendish on a high as he targets omnium gold LONDON - Mark Cavendish's past Olympic appearances have not exactly gone to plan but the Briton says he will arrive in Rio on a high as he bids to justify his return to the velodrome boards with a long-awaited first medal. (OLYMPICS-RIO-CYCLING/CAVENDISH (PIX), moved, by Martyn Herman, 400 words) Fencing-'Best U.S. team' set for high profile in Brazil SAO PAULO - Looking to fill a rare gap on its medal shelf, Team USA is sending the strongest fencing squad in memory to Rio, helped along by a generation of Olympic elders that has expanded the sport's frontiers. (OLYMPICS-RIO-FENCING/USA (PIX), moved, by Brad Haynes, 400 words) GOLF Ladies British Open (to 31) Ko leads stellar cast at Woburn WOBURN, England - World number one Lydia Ko of New Zealand and second-ranked Brooke Henderson of Canada lead a stellar cast at the women's major. (GOLF-LPGA/, expect throughout, by Tony Jimenez, 400 words) PGA Championship (to 31) Golf's best tee off for last major of year SPRINGFIELD, New Jersey - World number one and defending champion Jason Day of Australia tees off with Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson as the PGA Championship, the final major of 2016, gets underway at Baltusrol Golf Club. (GOLF-PGA/, expect by 1800 GMT/2 PM ET, by Larry Fine, 500 words) SOCCER We will bring you the latest team and transfer news from across the European leagues ahead of the new season and keep you up to date with all the major developments from the pre-season games. (SOCCER-COUNTRY-TEAM/, expect throughout) CRICKET Australia v Sri Lanka, 1st test, Pallekele (to 30) Sri Lanka need to bat out of skin on day three Still 80 runs behind Australia with nine wickets in hand, Sri Lanka cannot afford a second batting collapse when the hosts resume day three on six for one. (CRICKET-SRI LANKA/, expect throughout, 350 words) Zimbabwe vs New Zealand, first test (to Aug. 1) Zimbabwe take on New Zealand in first test in 18 months BULAWAYO - New Zealand start their African tour with the first of two test matches against Zimbabwe at the Queen's Sports Club on Thursday, a first five-day game in 18 months for the hosts. (CRICKET-ZIMBABWE/, expect toss by 0710 GMT/3:10 AM ET, 300 words) TENNIS ATP: Rogers Cup, Toronto (to 31) Djokovic, Raonic and Nishikori in third round action TORONTO - Top seeded Serbian Novak Djokovic headlines third round action when he faces Czech qualifier Radek Stepanek. In other matches, Japan's Kei Nishikori plays American Rajeev Ram and Canadian fourth seed Milos Raonic faces American Jared Donaldson. (TENNIS-MEN/TORONTO (PIX), expect by 2030 GMT/4:30 PM ET, 300 words) RUGBY Super Rugby semi-finals Wellington Hurricanes v Waikato Chiefs, Wellington Lions v Otago Highlanders, Johannesburg Hurricanes wait on Coles before Chiefs semi-final WELLINGTON - In a sign of his importance to the team, Wellington Hurricanes captain Dane Coles will be given until the last possible moment to decide if he is fit to start the Super Rugby semi-final against the Waikato Chiefs on Saturday.(RUGBY UNION-SUPER/HURRICANES (PREVIEW), expect by 0800 GMT/4 AM ET, by Greg Stutchbury, 400 words) Lions sweat on Whiteley ahead of Highlanders semi-final JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's Lions are sweating on the fitness of all-action captain and number eight Warren Whiteley as they prepare to host the champion Otago Highlanders of New Zealand in a Super Rugby semi-final at Ellis Park. (RUGBY UNION-SUPER/LIONS (PREVIEW), expect by 0800 GMT/4 AM ET, by Nick said, 400 words) (Asia desk editor: Greg Stutchbury)