Yegorova dispute still unresolved

By K.P. Mohan

EDMONTON, AUG. 3. The Olga Yegorova doping controversy slipped into further uncertainty with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) stating that it was yet to receive the report on her `B' sample test.

Though no official statement was forthcoming, with the IAAF cancelling a scheduled press conference at the end of its two-day Congress, Reuters quoted the IAAF spokesman, Mr. Giorgio Reineri, to state that Yegorova was ``suspended from the championships''.

However, other reports indicated that she was being suspended for the time being pending confirmation of her positive test and she could be back in the championships if there was a negative report on the `B' sample.

The IAAF Secretary-General, Mr. Istvan Gyulai, had said on Wednesday that a decision on Yegorova, who tested positive for the stamina-boosting drug EPO (erthropoietin) at the Paris Golden League meeting, would be taken only after receiving a report on the `B' sample test. It was not explained whether the sample so far tested had been urine or blood.

The temporary suspension, if it is in force, could mean that Yegorova could come back and compete in next week's 5000 metres in case the `B' sample tested negative. If it proved positive, it could result in a two-year suspension.

Romanian Gabriela Szabo has stated that she would not run in the race if Yegorova was allowed to compete. The Russian's name figures in the entry list, but this is only a preliminary list and confirmations will be available just 24 hours before the event gets going. The heats in the women's 800m are scheduled for August 9 with the final billed the next day.

Meanwhile, uncertainty also continued about the possibility of Marion Jones joining the U.S. 400m relay team. The team management has not announced its final decision though the sprinting superstar had intimated the officials that she was interested in competing in the 4 x 100m relay.

Jones's name was excluded from the `pools' that the U.S. team named for the relays because she failed to join a camp for the relays. She would be running the 100m and 200m, the former through a wild card entry and the latter as the winner a the U.S. Championships in Eugene, Oregon, in June.

In Seville, two years ago, Jones had gone for four gold medals and ended up with just one, crashing out of the 200m semifinals through back spasms. She won the 100m but got only the bronze in long jump. At the Sydney Olympics, her quintuple attempt came unstuck in long jump and later the Americans botched the short relay, too.

As for the other American sprinting star, Maurice Greene, who would be gunning for a hat-trick of 100m titles, uncertainty still continued about his plans for the 200 metres. Greene was bothered by an injury, though nothing could stop him from going for the short dash. Doing the rounds would mean additional strain and hence the uncertainty about the 200 metres.

Walkers beware

In an effort to ensure the ``continued credibility'' of racewalking, the IAAF at its Congress, has approved a number of proposals to bring in improvement in the judging of walk events.

The most important rule change that was adopted at Thursday's session was to give the chief judge extra powers so as to enable him to disqualify any walker he judges to have infringed the rules, regardless of whether the competitor has previous warnings, in the last part of the race, between the circuit and the stadium, and on the track right up to the finish.

When an event takes place exclusively on the road or track, the chief judge will have the above power only in the final 100 metres of the event. A deputy chief judge will also be nominated from now on and he will have powers to disqualify athletes if they had received three warnings.

In other rule changes, the Congress agreed that in response to a number of recent accidents, some of them fatal, landing sectors in long throws, particularly in the hammer and javelin, would be reduced from 40 degrees to 34.920 degrees. This rule will not come into effect until January 1, 2003.

A controversial aspect of pole-vaulting, regarding athletes who replace the bar with their hand during a vault, was tackled with a clearer wording of the existing rule. The present rule states: ``A competitor fails, if during the vault, he replaces deliberately with his hands or fingers a bar which is about to fall off the supports.'' The new wording reads: ``A competitor fails if during the vault he steadies or replaces the bar with his hand.'' The earlier rule, it was felt, had put undue pressure on the judges.

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Section  : Sport
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