Thailand pulls out of Asian rugby championship
Posted: Saturday October 24, 1998 02:57 PM
SINGAPORE (Reuters) -- The start of the Asian rugby
union championship was thrown into disarray by the last-minute
withdrawal of the Thai team on Saturday.
The Thais, who were protesting against hosts Singapore
fielding four non-national players, warmed up for the group B
game until 20 minutes before the start but then pulled out.
Nearly 2,000 fans waiting for the game to begin were told
over the public address system that the Thais had decided not to
play. Organizers expelled the Thai team from the rest of the
tournament.
Organizing committee chairman Johny Cheo later told a news
conference that Singapore had been given special dispensation by
the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) to field the foreign-born
players.
"This is not the first time that such an exception has been
made. The dispensation was granted to us in 1994 and again in
1996, when for reasons beyond our control were unable to field a
team," said Cheo.
The players at the center of the row are Kuwata Kohei of
Japan, Dughall Aitken of Scotland, Bruce Frame of Australia and
Martin Williams of England. They have been resident in Singapore
for at least 36 months and thus qualify to represent the
country, under international rugby board rules.
ARFU secretary-general Decho Sariputra, of Thailand, said:
"While China, South Korea, Taiwan and India have decided to
give Singapore the special dispensation the move was opposed by
Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand." Singapore abstained from the
council vote.
The Thai decision leaves India fighting it out with
Singapore for a place in the Group B final.
Thai team officials were not available for comment.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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