Old flame returns a day before big date

The Asian Games torch will travel at a less hectic pace on Thursday in the Qatar capital before its final duty 8212; the opening ceremony on Friday before 50,000 spectators at Khalifa Stadium. Along the way to the stadium, it will be carried by present and former Qatar Asian Games athletes and travel on a race car, bicycle and Harley Davidson motorcycle. The flame has traveled 50,000 kilometers through 15 countries in Asia over two months. It arrived in Qatar last Saturday, and has spent the past four days traveling through the small Persian Gulf country8217;s less well-known cities of Al Zubara, Durkhan, Al Wakra and Al Khor, and the Inland Sea. On Thursday, the torch will leave Barzan Castle at sunrise, then through to the Doha Golf Club, the exclusive Diplomatic Club and the Qatar Sports Centre. The torch will spend the eve of the opening ceremonies at Corniche Park in the city, a popular seaside gathering point and tourism attraction.

Chicken pox spiked

The Maldives men8217;s volleyball team will be able to compete at the Asian Games, despite having three of its players diagnosed with chicken pox. A member of the Maldives volleyball team came down with chicken pox last Friday after arriving at the athletes village. The player was isolated and while none of his teammates showed signs of the disease, seven were found to have no immunity to chicken pox and could potentially develop the virus. The team was then isolated from the rest of the Athletes8217; Village. The Olympic Council of Asia8217;s medical committee met to discuss the case and decided that since volleyball is not a contact sport, the risk of transmitting the disease was minimal and the Maldives team should be allowed to compete.