Australia reels at Games with arrest of ‘lifter, track rift
Print Edition
AUSTRALIA’S Commonwealth Games team was reeling yesterday after an alleged assault by one of its medalists and a rift within the track and field squad — just as the country’s 20-year domination of the competition could be coming to an end.
Australia has topped the medals standings at every Commonwealth Games since 1990 but slipped to second place behind England on Wednesday, trailing 35-38 in the gold medal count. With the games ending on Sunday, Australia looked unlikely to regain the lead because swimming, where the team won 19 of the total 44 golds, has been completed.
Australian weightlifter Francois Etoundi, who won the bronze medal in the 77-kilogram division on Sunday, was stripped of his games accreditation after being arrested over an alleged assault during an altercation in the athletes’ village.
Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Mike Hooper described it as a “very serious incident” that was witnessed by many people in the village early on Wednesday. The Cameroon-born Etoundi was due in court in Glasgow later yesterday.
“I made it clear I didn’t want him back in the village when violent behavior is asserted,” Hooper said. “The games have to be safe and secure.”
On a tumultuous day for Australia, officials also had to deal with strife within the track and field team.
Eric Hollingsworth, head coach of the athletics team, was ordered to return home as punishment for releasing an unauthorized statement criticizing Olympic hurdles champion Sally Pearson for not attending the team’s pre-Glasgow training camp.
“We decided the appropriate action was to revoke his accreditation and he will fly home as soon as possible,” Australia chef de mission Steve Moneghetti said.
“He understands the sanctions that have been imposed on him and he has his right to his own views and opinions on the matter. He’s been open and honest with us, but he breached the team agreement set by the Australian Commonwealth Games Federation and that’s like our bible to us.”
Hollingsworth cut Pearson’s funding for her Commonwealth Games preparations after she opted not to attend the athletics team’s training camp in England, saying “her no-show sets a bad example to the entire national team”.
Pearson, who won gold in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2011 world championships, was to open the defense of her Commonwealth title later.
“She is focused on her performances and when I spoke to her last night she appeared to be no different from her normal self,” Moneghetti said yesterday morning.
Australia’s turmoil in Glasgow comes two years after a demoralizing London Olympics when the team endured its worst medal haul since the 1992 Barcelona Games.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
