FOT, HUNGARY : Miklos Pinter a member of the local Sitting Bull Western Equestrian Club of Hungary punches the air atop his horse Sherry as he breaks the world record for one day's long distance ride at the lake of Fot, some 10 kms north of Budapest, Hungary, Saturday. Pinter completed 486 kilometres (302 miles) in 24 hours, outdoing William Cody's (Buffalo Bill's) 138 year old record of 483 kilometres (300 miles). Pinter used 24 horses to achieve the record. — AP/PTI

Gillespie, Warne boost hopes BRISBANE, Aug 15 — Australian speedster Jason Gillespie and spinner Shane Warne staked claims for a return to Test cricket with impressive performances in a trial match here today. Gillespie, who had not bowled in match conditions since injuring his back on tour in the West Indies last March, took 1-26 from 10 overs to show his ability ahead of next month’s Test series in Sri Lanka. No extra berth for Asia: Blatter BONN, Aug 15 — FIFA president Sepp Blatter today reaffirmed that soccer’s governing body would not meet Asia’s demands for an automatic fifth berth at the 2002 World Cup finals.

Drug scandals tarnish athletics’ image
SEVILLE (Spain), Aug 15 — Four gold medals for Marion Jones? A sprint double for Maurice Greene? More world records for distance greats Hicham El Guerrouj and Haile Gebrselassie?

Adams knocks out Kramnik
LAS VEGAS (USA), Aug 15 — It was the turn of top-seeded grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik to bow out of the World Chess Championship matches today.

Waugh wary of Sri Lankan tour
BRISBANE, Aug 15 — Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh admits the prospect of leading his team to troubled Sri Lanka is a little “scary.”

Russian vaulter to represent Australia
LONDON, Aug 15 — Former Russian pole vaulter Viktor Chistyakov has cleared up confusion over whom he will represent at this month’s World Athletics Championships by saying he would compete for Australia, officials said.

Our bowling lacked sting: Gaekwad
CHENNAI, Aug 15 — Wishing away the debacle at the World Cup as a “bad dream”, Indian cricket team manager Anshuman Gaekwad today asked the team to “put everything behind and turn over a new leaf.”

Footballers tortured for failing to win matches
LONDON, Aug 15 — Iraqi international footballers were tortured on the orders of Saddam Hussein’s son Uday for failing to win crucial matches, a former player told Britain’s Sunday Times.

Sub-jr chess from Aug 20
KOZHIKODE, Aug 15 — Around 350 players affiliated to the All-India Chess Federation would take part in the National Sub-Junior Chess Championship, which begins here on August 20.

Matthaeus is ‘player of the year’
MUNICH, Aug 15 — Lothar Matthaeus, who will be joining major league soccer next season, was honoured yesterday as Germany’s player-of-the-year.

Simi slumps to joint 15th spot
NEW DELHI, Aug 15 — After two sub-par rounds which gave her a share of the third position overnight, India’s Simi Mehra faltered on the third day to slump to joint 15th in the women’s British Open Golf Championships at Woburn, England.

• Affiliation for IPF

Thailand finish on top in SEA Games

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Aug 15 (Reuters) — The 20th South- East Asian Games ended today with Thailand re-emerging as the region’s undisputed sporting power. Thailand finished the nine-day festival with 65 of the 233 gold medals, ahead of Malaysia on 57.

Indonesia slumped to third with 44 after amassing a record 194 titles when they hosted the previous games in Jakarta in 1997. The country’s team chief, police general Hindarto Mochammad, immediately offered his resignation.“I know Indonesians are very unhappy about the whole episode,’’ he said. “But I don’t want to make excuses. I’m prepared to take the blame.’’Malaysia picked up three of the final eight golds decided today by winning the men’s and women’s squash team titles and another tenpin bowling gold from women’s masters champion Shalin Zulkifli.

The Philippines grabbed two more gold when their men’s basketball team thrashed Thailand 89-69 and Lee Vann Corteza won the 9-ball pool final.As expected, Singapore took both the men’s and women’s table tennis singles golds while Thailand’s final victory came in the men’s masters tenpin bowling tournament.Of the 10 participating nations, only Cambodia failed to win a medal of any description during the nine days of competition despite the poor standards in most of the 21 sports.

Although there were some top-class performances, especially in the martial arts and combat sports, the general level of competition was absurdly low with the gulf between some of the winners and losers often bordering on farce.This was particularly noticeable in the athletics programme, which descended into a shambles even though 10 SEA Games records were set.The heats for every event except the men’s and women’s 100 metres were scrapped because there were simply not enough entrants. In 10 events, competitors were given medals just for entering.

Thailand’s Yuan Yu Fang won the women’s 10 km walk 10 minutes ahead of her only rival while Chatwadee Suthorn, also of Thailand, won the women’s javelin by almost 25 metres when the only other entrant was a 120 kg Brunei mother.Filipino Gerald Rosales compiled an impressive 72-hole total of 15-under-par 273, including a course record eight-under-par 64, to win the men’s golf title. Back in 36th position, Laotian Annonh Inthavong finished at 60-over.

The worst-placed woman reached the clubhouse at 79-over-par after rounds of 104, 97 and 94.In soccer, Thailand and Vietnam, the eventual finalists, both recorded 9-0 wins over their opponents during the qualifying stages while the Philippines beat the Cambodian basketball team by 103 points on their way to winning gold.But if the level of interest shown by some of the competing nations was doubtful, the commitment shown by the athletes themselves was not.Malaysian middle-distance runner Ramachandran Murusamy completed the 5,000-10,000 metres double for the fifth successive time despite the death of his wife from cancer earlier this year.

Devastated by the loss, the 33-year-old bank clerk wanted to quit the sport but dedicated himself to winning the SEA Games in her memory.Filipino mother Elma Posadas also came back from the brink of retirement to win her eighth long jump title, breaking her own SEA Games record on her final leap.Singapore’s Joscelin Yeo collected six gold medals in swimming, all in record time, despite coming into the meeting with an injured elbow.

Hosts Brunei also had cause to celebrate after winning four golds, one more than their combined total since they made their first appearance in 1977.The next SEA Games will be held in Kuala Lumpur in 2001.

England’s uncapped trio for final Test

LONDON, Aug 15 (Reuters) — England have named uncapped trio Darren Maddy, Graeme Swann and Ed Giddins among five changes for the fourth and final Test against New Zealand, starting at The Oval on Thursday.

A lacklustre England performance in the drawn third Test at Old Trafford, following their nine-wicket defeat in the previous match at Lord’s, prompted the new-look squad of 13 announced today.Four players who were in the side at Old Trafford have been dropped — opener Mark Butcher, who was captain in the absence of the injured Nasser Hussain, Graeme Hick, wicketkeeper Chris Read and off-spinner Peter Such.

The fifth omission from the third Test team is paceman Dean Headley, who was ruled out by a shoulder injury.Hussain, who broke a finger while fielding at Lord’s, makes his comeback in charge of a reshaped side for the deciding match with the series 1-1.In addition to the inclusion of the uncapped trio, England have recalled pace-bowling allrounder Ronnie Irani, Hussain’s Essex team mate, whose only two Tests were in the 1996 home series against India.Maddy, who will take over from Butcher as Michael Atherton’s opening partner, was picked for the one-day home series against South Africa early last season, making one in his only innings.

His improved form for his county Leicestershire has helped him to earn his Test chance.Swann is a 20-year-old off-spinner and attacking middle order batsman, a prospect for the future who went on the 1998-99 England a tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Pace bowler Giddins is rebuilding his career at Warwickshire after being suspended for 18 months by the English cricket authorities, who found him guilty in 1996 while he was with Sussex of using cocaine, a banned substance.With Read dropped, Alec Stewart will resume the role of wicketkeeper and bat in the middle order, allowing England to have more bowling options by including Irani.

The team: Michael Atherton, Darren Maddy, Nasser Hussain (captain), Graham Thorpe, Mark Ramprakash, Alec Stewart, Ronnie Irani, Graeme Swann, Andy Caddick, Phil Tufnell, Chris Silverwood, Ed Giddins, Alan Mullally.

Gillespie, Warne boost hopes

BRISBANE, Aug 15 (AFP) — Australian speedster Jason Gillespie and spinner Shane Warne staked claims for a return to Test cricket with impressive performances in a trial match here today. Gillespie, who had not bowled in match conditions since injuring his back on tour in the West Indies last March, took 1-26 from 10 overs to show his ability ahead of next month’s Test series in Sri Lanka.

The South Australian bowler, who has taken 50 Test wickets at 21.30, earned strong reviews from Australian coach Geoff Marsh.Marsh was also happy with Warne, who took 2-35 off nine overs in his first spell since orchestrating Australia’s World Cup final triumph over Pakistan last June.

The trial was held for Australia before they leave tomorrow for five one-day internationals and three tests against Sri Lanka followed by a brief tour of Zimbabwe, including their first Test against the Africans.Test opener Michael Slater starred with a century for the Australian A team, guiding it to 213 for seven.Slater’s 104 from 152 balls featured two sixes in one over off Test spearhead Glenn McGrath after seamer Adam Dale applied the brakes with 2-18 from eight overs.

Gillespie had the top team on the backfoot when he trapped Mark Waugh in front for 12. But Adam Gilchrist (41), Steve Waugh (44) and Michael Bevan (52 not out) steered Australia to 214 for six. Gillespie did not bowl at full pace but his rhythm and control were good enough to convince Marsh he would not be a risk in the Test series.

“Like some other guys, he’s a big chance of playing in the Test match but we can’t really make any decisions yet,” Marsh said.“He looked in good rhythm today and he didn’t try to push himself. He’s done a lot of work over the winter and we hope we can keep him fit.”Warne’s hopes of regaining his Test spot were boosted when he bowled tightly.

No extra berth for Asia: Blatter
2002 World Cup

BONN, Aug 15 (Reuters) — FIFA president Sepp Blatter today reaffirmed that soccer’s governing body would not meet Asia’s demands for an automatic fifth berth at the 2002 World Cup finals.“They will get no more than four places and a half in this World Cup,’’ Mr Blatter told German radio Deutschlandfunk, meaning four places and the possibility of a fifth through a play-off.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has threatened to boycott the tournament to be hosted jointly by Japan and South Korea if they did not gain an extra entrant.FIFA and the AFC have been in dispute since last December, when FIFA allocated only four places to Asia, including automatic slots for Japan and South Korea.

This would leave 43 countries fighting for the remaining two spots.At last month’s FIFA congress in Los Angeles, UEFA offered Asia half a place via a play-off against a European team, giving the host continent the chance of five teams.

But the Asian delegates did not feel that was enough and walked out of the congress, repeating their threat to boycott the qualifying tournament if they did not receive one more automatic place.“The FIFA congress should not be used to exert pressure,’’ Mr Blatter told Deutschlandfunk, referring to the walkout. “A team has so far never won a match by leaving the pitch early.’’

Mr Blatter, who met AFC president Peter Velappan at the Confederations Cup earlier this month in Mexico, said he was still confident the dispute could be settled before the qualifying tournament draw in Toyko on December 7.“I am convinced that we will soon reach an agreement,’’ he said.

Drug scandals tarnish athletics’ image

SEVILLE (Spain), Aug 15 (AP) — Four gold medals for Marion Jones? A sprint double for Maurice Greene? More world records for distance greats Hicham El Guerrouj and Haile Gebrselassie?After a recent spate of drug scandals that have tarnished the sport, athletics hopes the stars reclaim the spotlight when the world championships open next weekend in southern Spain.

The season began with world records in three of the sport’s most heralded events — the 100 metres, mile and decathlon. But the latest headlines have been dominated by drug cases involving Cuba’s Javier Sotomayor, Britain’s Linford Christie and American Dennis Mitchell.Sotomayor, the world champion and world record-holder in the high jump, tested positive for cocaine at the Pan American Games in Canada and was stripped of his gold medal. While proclaiming his innocence, he is skipping the worlds, citing a back injury.Christie, the former Olympic and world champion in the 100, was provisionally suspended after testing positive for steroids.

Mitchell, the Olympic bronze medalist in the 100, was banned for two years for a positive test.Sprinter Ato Boldon of Trinidad said the doping scandals have brought the sport’s image to its lowest point since Canada’s Ben Johnson was kicked out of 1988 Seoul Olympics.“It’s been a rough month to be a track and field athlete,” Boldon said.

There should be plenty of storylines in the August 21 to 29 championships in Seville to get the focus back onto the track.Jones, the sport’s top female athlete, is chasing an unprecedented four golds: in the 100 metres, 200, long jump and 1,600 metres relay. And that’s just a warm-up for next year’s Sydney Olympics, where she plans to add the 400 relay in a bid for five gold medals.

The 23-year-old American is undefeated in the two sprint distances since 1997, regularly breaking 11 seconds in the 100 and 22 seconds in the 200.

Jones holds the second fastest times ever in the 100 (10.65) and 200 (21.62); the late Florence Griffith-Joyner holds the world records in those events (10.49 and 21.34).Jones will be the strong favourite in both sprints in Seville. She appears to be in a class of her own above the other top contenders: fellow American Inger Miller, Jamaican veteran Merlene Ottey, France’s Christine Arron and Nigeria’s Glory Alozie.Jones’ biggest challenge will be in long jump, her most inconsistent event. She ranked No 1 in the world in the event last year, but has experienced injury and defeat this season.

Jones sprained her knee jumping in June and then was beaten by Dawn Burrell in the US Championships. Her best jump of the year (7.01 metres) is only the third longest in the world in 1999.Jones is not the only American sprinter looking for multiple gold.Greene, the defending champion in men’s 100, also is running in 200m and the sprint relay.

He’s bidding to become the first man to accomplish a 100-200 double in a major event since Carl Lewis did it at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.The American stunned the athletics world in June when he ran a world-record 9.79 in the 100 in Athens, Greece, shattering Donovan Bailey’s mark of 9.84.Greene has broken 10 seconds six times already this year. He has lost only one race this season, when training partner Boldon beat him in Lausanne, Switzerland, on July 2.Greene has also been strong in the 200, clocking 19.92 in Monaco on August 4.His main challengers in Seville will be Canada’s Bruny Surin, Barbados’ Obadele Thompson and Namibia’s Frankie Fredericks.

Bailey, still working his way back after tearing his Achilles’ tendon last year playing basketball, will run only in the relay.Greene’s main rival, Boldon, said on Wednesday he would skip the worlds because of a lingering right hamstring injury. Boldon, the reigning 200 world champion, has twice run 9.86 in 100m this year, and has the year’s best time (19.86) in 200.

“If Marice and I had gone to Seville, you would have had to run 9.78 or 9.76 to win,” Boldon said. “I really don’t think anybody else has a good chance of beating Maurice. God knows, with what track and field is going through with all the headlines about drugs, Maurice and I could have provided something special in Seville.”The distance events will provide another stage for dominant performances by El Guerrouj and Gebrselassie.El Guerrouj, of Morocco, set a world record in the mile (3:43.13) in Rome on July 7, adding to his record in 1,500.

He’ll be defending his 1500m title in a field that includes 21-year-old Kenyan sensation Noah Ngeny, who also ran under the previous mile record in Rome.Gebrselassie, the tiny Ethiopian who has set 15 world records, will be the man to beat in 5,000 or 10,000m - or both if he chooses to pull off a distance double. He’s three-time defending champion in 10,000m and is considered one of the greatest long-distance runners of all time.Other highlights:— Michael Johnson, the Olympic 200 and 400m champion, is recovering from a hamstring injury and has pulled out of several recent meets.

But he is still scheduled to defend his 400 title. Fellow American Jerome Young should provide his main competition.— Denmark’s Wilson Kipketer, the world record-holder and defending champion in the 800 meters, is back in top form after fully recovering from the malaria which nearly claimed his life last year.— the most inspiring story of the season is the comeback of Ludmila Enquist, Olympic and world champion in 100m hurdles.

The Russian-born Swede was diagnosed with breast cancer in March, had her right breast removed on April 21 and began chemotherapy in May. She returned to competition in late July, has run fast times and will be a medal threat in Seville.Some big names will be absent.In addition to Boldon and Sotomayor, out due to injuries or poor form are: Ukraine’s Sergei Bubka, who had won the pole vault title at all six worlds since their inception in 1983; American Dan O’Brien, the Olympic decathlon champion and former world record-holder; and France’s Marie Jose Perec, Olympic 200-400 champion.

Adams knocks out Kramnik

LAS VEGAS (USA), Aug 15 (UNI) — It was the turn of top-seeded grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik to bow out of the World Chess Championship matches today. In the quarterfinals played at hotel Caesars Palace here, the Russian was knocked out by Englishman Michael Adams who won by a convincing 3-1 margin.

Adams will meet tough Armenian grandmaster Vladimir Akopian in a four-game semifinal match starting tomorrow.The Russian supremacy over the world championship has taken a severe beating with one Russian grandmaster biting the dust in each of the ongoing rounds.

The last Russian hope will be grandmaster Alexander Khalifman who will take on giant killer Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu of Romania for a seat in the finals and assurance of $ 396,000.The Kramnik-Adams encounter was keenly fought in each game.

They drew the first game arising out of closed sicilian defence where Kramnik with black pieces was pawn up in a technically drawish endgame. In the second game, Michael Adams took the initiative right from the beginning and launched a whirlwind attack on the white king in English opening.When the game was interestingly poised with Kramnik having an extra pawn and an advantage of seven minutes on the clock, he surprised everybody by offering a draw after 28 moves.

The match now entered further set of tiebreakers of 15 minutes.In the very first game of Moscow attack launched by the Englishman from the white pieces, Kramnik weakened his king side unnecessarily and had to lose his queen side pawns. He gave up his rook for Adams’ bishop on 31st move but could not prevent the inevitable.

Kramnik surrendered finally after 44 moves. Kramnik used the rest period of 15 minutes before the next game by consulting his trainer grandmaster Sergel Dolmatov while Adams was concentrating outside by pacing the corridors.Kramnik adopted a reversed sicilian defence from the white pieces. Adams was at his devastating best from the black side. His attack on the white king was gaining momentum till he played a pawn to ‘H6’ square instead of putting his queen there.

Suddenly Kramnik bounced back into the game. His pieces attacked the queen side and threatened invasion. However he played his bishop to an unguarded square on the 40th move. Adams broke through the white castle and when Kramnik was busy repairing the damage, he picked up the stray piece. Kramnik resigned immediately.Vladimir Akopian was rather lucky to win the first game in the tiebreakers.

Playing the torre attack from the white pieces, he could get hardly any initiative against movsezian. On the other hand, Movsezian’s strong bishops threatened to invade the white king’s wing. At this moment Sergei Movsezian played a move which will haunt him till the end of his career.

Movsezian played an apparently attacking game but a weakening pawn move on his 32nd turn saw him going down after Akopian conducted a superb mating attack.The second game was a typical akopian masterpiece. The Armenian got a tiny edge from the black side of bishop’s opening. Akopian’s exact deployment of his army left the white pieces ineffective.

The Armenian, on the verge of victory agreed for a courtesy draw to signal his entry into the semifinals by 1.5-0.5 margins.After the match, Akopian said that his mental toughness saw him through till now.

Romanian giant-killer Nisipeanu said that he did not mind being called as “a tourist” by Kasparov. “May be I am a tourist compared to Kasparov,” said the Romanian whose odds have jumped from 100-1 to 6-1 to win the world title.

The semifinal lineup: Adams (England) vs Akopian (Armenia) Nisipeanu (Romania) vs Khalifman (Russia).

Waugh wary of Sri Lankan tour

BRISBANE, Aug 15 (AP) — Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh admits the prospect of leading his team to troubled Sri Lanka is a little “scary.”

The World Cup champions fly to Sri Lanka on Monday for a one-day triangular series also involving India and a three-match Test series against Sri Lanka.The team received a detail security briefing from the government officials last night - a move which follows four fatal terrorist bombings in Sri Lanka in the past two weeks.

“For cricket players, it’s a little bit scary going into a place like that but (the government) is advising people there’s no real problem going there for holidays so that’s good enough for us”, Waugh said today.“It couldn’t be any more suffocating than it has been in the past.

We had guys with submachine guns on the bus last time but we’re used to going to the subcontinent now and that’s life as a touring cricketer in that part of the world.”Waugh says his bigger concern is keeping Australia on top in both forms of the game and overcoming a world cup letdown.For the majority of Australia’s team, yesterday net session was their first cricket action since lifting the Cup in June.

“It’s time to switch on again because this is where the hard work begins for us,” Waugh said. “I can’t remember a team being No 1 in both forms of the game since the West Indies dominated 20 years ago.“The challenge lays in staying at the top which will be hard because there’s a lot of good sides and they’re going to be out after us but it’s incentive enough for us to keep playing well.”AFP adds: Waugh refused to shed any light on the much-publicised battle between Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill to be the team’s number one spinner.

Warne, who recovered from his Test axing in the Caribbean to spearhead the World Cup charge, has said he is back to his best and expects to play both forms of the game on tour.But Waugh did nothing to dampen the speculation when he insisted the Test line-up was far from settled.

“It’s going to be a tough question again and we have to monitor how both guys are going,” he said.“Warney has first bite of the cherry in the one-day games and then we have a lead-up game going into the first Test which could be pretty crucial.“I like a team where everyone is playing for their Test spot and that’s the way it should be.“It keeps the guys hungry and focused - you don’t want to become complacent.”

Russian vaulter to represent Australia

LONDON, Aug 15 (Reuters) — Former Russian pole vaulter Viktor Chistyakov has cleared up confusion over whom he will represent at this month’s World Athletics Championships by saying he would compete for Australia, officials said.

A spokesman for athletics, Australia, said yesterday that Chistyakov had officially notified them of his decision in their favour.“He’s told us that he will represent Australia,” spokesman Brian Roe said from Monte Carlo.

“Athletics Australia is delighted with the decision.”Chistyakov has lived in Australia since 1996 and was granted citizenship this week.He has not represented Russia for three years but Russian athletics chief Valentin Balakhnichyov said this week he had a letter from the vaulter saying he would still like to represent Russia at the Seville championships.

Chistyakov’s wife Tatiana Grigorieva was already in the Australian pole vaulting team and he said in a statement that it was logical for him and his wife to compete for the same country.

Our bowling lacked sting: Gaekwad

CHENNAI, Aug 15 (PTI) — Wishing away the debacle at the World Cup as a “bad dream”, Indian cricket team manager Anshuman Gaekwad today asked the team to “put everything behind and turn over a new leaf.”

“Though our batting clicked well during the World Cup, the bowling lacked killer instinct. Bowling and fielding were the shortcomings of the team”, Gaekwad said.“The debacle was a bad dream. Now it is up to the team to put everything behind and turn over a new leaf as we move into another competitive season”, Gaekwad, who is here along with members of the Indian team for a five-day camp prior to their departure to Colombo, told PTI.

In their first outing after the World Cup, India will take part in the tri-nation one-day tournament in Sri Lanka from August 22 to 31, with the hosts and world cup champions Australia the other teams.

Expressing happiness over the team’s composition, he said the focus during the short duration camp would be on bowling and fielding to overcome shortcomings which led to the team’s exit at the Super Six stage of the World Cup in England.Full of praise for new captain Sachin Tendulkar, Gaekwad said he was confident of Tendulkar’s success as a captain and a player.

“Sachin is an intelligent cricketer and has always maintained camaraderie with team mates. Prestige and the urge to win games for India has always been his priority and this should bring in positive results,” he said.Gaekwad said the team should have a positive approach despite the World Cup setback.

“The team has to be more positive now. We have to forget what happened in the World Cup. We have to iron out the shortcomings and look forward”.On the recall of Mumbai left-hander Vinod Kambli, he said: “Vinod has got a great opportunity and his inclusion adds to the strength of our batting where Saurav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid have been in fine fettle”.Asked whether Tendulkar would continue to open the innings, he said “the batting order need not be disturbed”.On the strategies to be adopted in Sri Lanka, Gaekwad said: “Any opposition in one dayers cannot be taken lightly.

The wickets in Sri Lanka, I expect, will be something like our own wickets”.He said the camp was mainly for getting the players together. “The camp will start tomorrow evening. We may have two sessions (in the morning and evening) or a long single morning session”.The team is slated to leave for Colombo on August 20. The squad would fly to Singapore from Colombo to take part in the India-West Indies-Zimbabwe tri-nation tournament from Sept 2 to 7.

The team: Sachin Tendulkar (capt), Ajay Jadeja (vice-capt), S Ramesh, Saurav Ganguly, Amay Khurasia, Vinod Kambli, Robin Singh, MSK Prasad, Anil Kumble, Nikhil Chopra, Ajit Agarkar, Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, Debasish Mohanty.Off spinner Harbhajan Singh and left-arm medium pacer Ashish Nehra have been asked by the cricket board to bowl at the nets in the camp.

Footballers tortured for failing to win matches

LONDON, Aug 15 (AFP) — Iraqi international footballers were tortured on the orders of Saddam Hussein’s son Uday for failing to win crucial matches, a former player told Britain’s Sunday Times.

Sharar Haydar Mohamad al Hadithi said he had been hit repeatedly on the soles of his feet, dragged on his bare back through a gravel pit, then made to jump into a sewage tank so that the wounds would become infected.The paper said today it spoke to the former international at a secret location after he fled Iraq.

According to The Sunday Times, he said Radhi Shanishal, then the captain of the national team, was thrashed with an electric flex after Iraq lost a match against Kazakhstan that denied it a place in last year’s 1998 World Cup finals in France.Sharar, 31, said he himself had suffered cruel punishments during several periods of detention.

And Iraqi football authorities falsified the dates of birth on players’ passports so they could take part in youth tournaments despite being too old, he told the paper.The Sunday Times quoted Abbas Janabi, Uday’s former private secretary, describing how he had watched members of the national football team kicking a concrete ball around the grounds of one detention centre after failing to qualify for the 1994 World Cup in the USA.

FIFA, football’s world governing body, dismissed reports of maltreatment of players after an investigation two years ago, the weekly added.

Sub-jr chess from Aug 20

KOZHIKODE, Aug 15 (PTI) — Around 350 players affiliated to the All-India Chess Federation would take part in the National Sub-Junior Chess Championship, which begins here on August 20.

The event would also feature a rapid chess tournament for the under-12 and under-14 categories, the All Kerala Chess Federation President K.V. Laser told reporters here yesterday.Winners of the championship would qualify to represent India in the Asian and world championships in the same categories, they said.

While the duration of the regular matches would be six hours, the rapid chess tie would be over in 30 minutes, which would enable participants to compete in both the events.The total prize money would be Rs 1 lakh.

Matthaeus is ‘player of the year’

MUNICH, Aug 15 (AP) — Lothar Matthaeus, who will be joining major league soccer next season, was honoured yesterday as Germany’s player-of-the-year.

Matthaeus, who took the honour for the second time after 1990, was given his award at Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga season-opener against Hamburger SV.Matthaeus, who will play for MLS’s New York-New Jersey Metrostars, swept the field with 556 of 982 votes possible from German sports journalists.

Hertha Berlin forward Michael Preetz, the Bundesliga’s scoring leader, was a distant second with 161 votes, followed by Olive Neuville, a Bayer Leverkusen forward, and AC Milan’s Oliver Bierhoff.Matthaeus has a German record 139 caps with the German national team and is expected to own the all-time international record before he retires.

Code of conduct for Aussie team

SYDNEY, Aug 15 (AFP) — In an effort to prevent a scandal tarnishing the Sydney Olympics, Australian team members have been issued with a strict code of conduct with tough penalties for breaching it.

The squad will be banned from drinking alcohol without official authorisation, told to be “honest in their answers” to the media and be conscious of autograph requests, particularly from children.A four-page document signed by Australian Olympic Committee chairman John Coates refers specifically to conduct at team accommodation, all Olympic venues, general public behaviour, media conferences, use of them uniform and possible issues.Breaching the disciplinary code could result in termination of the person’s team membership, expulsion from competition and financial penalties, according to the Weekend Australian newspaper.

Simi slumps to joint 15th spot

NEW DELHI, Aug 15 (PTI) — After two sub-par rounds which gave her a share of the third position overnight, India’s Simi Mehra faltered on the third day to slump to joint 15th in the women’s British Open Golf Championships at Woburn, England.

Simi, who fired identical three-under 70 on the first two days, failed to maintain the form in third round yesterday to card a three-over 76 to be six strokes adrift of the leader at the Woburn Golf and Country Club’s 6463-yard Dukes Course. She was clubbed with six others, including Stephanie Lowe (72, 74, 70) of England, Riko Higashio (72, 73, 72) of Japan and Spain’s Ana Belen Sanchez (70, 74, 72) at three-under 216, according to information received here today.

The Calcutta-based Simi, the lone Indian on the Ladies Professional Golfers’ Association (LPGA) tour, still has a chance of finishing among the top 10 with a good card in the final round of the $ 1 million prize money event where she finished sixth last year.

Affiliation for IPF
From Our Sports Reporter

PATIALA, Aug 15 — The Indian powerlifting Federation (IPF) has been granted affiliation by the Indian Olympic Association.The IOA secretary-general, Mr Randhir Singh, has informed the IPF honorary secretary, Mr Subrata Dutta of its decision.Indian powerlifters, at both the senior and junior levels, stand to gain immensely as they can avail the facility of ‘gradation’ in accordance with their performances.