Dope, defection and Dancer make headlines

The fallout from India8217;s absence from the Commonwealth Games field hockey tournament intensified when Australian coach Barry Dancer cal...

The fallout from India8217;s absence from the Commonwealth Games field hockey tournament intensified when Australian coach Barry Dancer called for an overhaul of regional qualifying criteria.

Dancer, coach of the Australian men8217;s team, said yesterday eight-time Olympic champion India and Malaysia missed out because of antiquated rules that required one team from each of the Commonwealth regions to qualify along with the hosts and defending champions.

Pakistani swimmer in
troubled water

Islamabad: Pakistan8217;s only male swimmer at the Commonwealth Games has 8220;disappeared8221; from the national team, leaving the country high and dry, an official said today
8220;It is disgraceful that swimmer Abid Hussain has disappeared from the Pakistan camp and we will definitely take action if he doesn8217;t return,8221; Pakistan Sports Board director Brigadier Saulat Abbas said. 8220;His parents have signed a bond of one million rupees 16,500 assuring he will return after the Games.8221;
Abbas said the board was contemplating legal action if the athlete did not return to the national squad.
Abbas received information from Pakistani officials in Britain that Hussain had disappeared from the camp on Wednesday. He was the only male swimmer from Pakistan and now the country will not be able to compete in men8217;s swimming. Pakistan8217;s sports ministry had made it mandatory for all athletes and officials to sign an indemnity bond as an insurance against any defections. It was forced to take the action after several embarrassing disappearances during foreign tours, apparently by athletes seeking a better life abroad.
A Pakistani football player, Nasir Iqbal, went underground during a tour of Britain last year. Four boxers and a hockey team goalkeeper defected in Australia and the US at the last two Olympics in 2000 and 1996. A 14-member football team disappeared in Japan in 1994.
Pakistan8217;s 75-member contingent expects little at the Manchester Games, with boxers and the field hockey team the only medal hopefuls. AFP

8220;I think it8217;s pretty disappointing that the qualification process means that India and Malaysia, who are two of the top 10 teams in the world and Commonwealth nations can8217;t be here,8221; Dancer was quoted saying.

Pakistan got the Asian berth for Manchester, while Wales, Barbados and Canada advanced to make it a lopsided eight-nation tournament. Australia won the men8217;s and women8217;s gold medals at Kuala Lumpur four years ago and both teams are hot favourites to defend their commonwealth games titles.

Dancer said the competition in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 was enhanced by the presence of both India and Malaysia. 8220;I think we should have a rule that allows the best teams in the Commonwealth to play and the rules just don8217;t allow that to happen.8217;8217;

Dancer hasn8217;t approached the Commonwealth Games Federation but insisted a revamp was crucial before the next games at Melbourne in 2006.

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Meanwhile, the head of world amateur boxing has slammed the facilities laid on at the venues for the Commonwealth Games saying not enough space was available.

Anwar Chowdhry, president of the Amateur International Boxing Association, said he was shocked that the wythenshawe forum that stages the early rounds of the competition had only one ring set up when the original plan was for two.

He also hit out at the decision to have only 48 seats available in the hall for officials, team personnel and competitors. Those unable to find a place must watch the action on a large screen where the other ring was meant to have been. 8220;The organising committee decided most of the coaches, team managers and officials could not sit in the hall and I think it is very unfair,8221; said Chowdhry at the boxing draw.

8220;This situation has been created by the cancellation of the second ring. It means competitors and coaches might not be able to watch future opponents in action live, which is not ideal. 8220;I am definitely not satisfied with these arrangements.It was categorically stated originally that there would be two rings but then the picture changed.