Probe into doping at Asian Cup begins

Probe into doping at Asian Cup begins

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Asian football supremo Peter Velappan said
yesterday an investigation was underway into the results of
doping tests on players of four top teams at the Asian Cup in
December.

"It is premature to conclude that any player or team is
affected until the report is completed," Velappan, general
secretary of the Kuala Lumpur-based Asian Football Confederation,
told AFP.

He said we "cannot make any comment" on rumors that three
players from one national team tested positive for doping after
the Asian Cup, held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in
December.

Saudi Arabia beat the UAE 4-2 on penalty kicks to win the
title. Velappan said doping tests were conducted in the
semifinals and final.

Apart from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, players from the two
teams that secured third and fourth place -- Iran and Kuwait --
were also tested.

Stern action would be taken against players using banned
drugs, he said, adding that doping among Asian players was not a
serious problem.

The Thailand national team captain tested positive for drugs
at the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima, Japan. But there have been
few other cases.

"It is a normal practice to suspend players for two years if
they are tested positive for using banned drugs," he said.

In the group B match Monday of the Dunhill Cup, Indonesia,
cheered by an enthusiastic contingent of its supporters working
in Malaysia, beat Vietnam 1-0.

The victory strengthened its chances of a place in the
semifinals. Indonesia had Saturday held Zimbabwe to a scoreless
draw.

Widodo Cahya Putro sent his countrymen among the 10,000 crowd
into delirium as early as the third minute, when he stabbed in a
cross from the right.

Defeat for Vietnam meant certain elimination, as it had lost
4-0 Saturday to Bosnia.

The semifinals are to be played Feb. 28 and the finals, March
2.

In a another group B match of the soccer tournament, Zimbabwe,
down to only 10 men in the 39th minute, scrambled to a 2-2 draw
against Bosnia Herzegovina.

Needing a win to make certain of a berth in the semifinals,
Zimbabwe was on course as early as the 24th minute when Masimba
Dinyero booted home off a corner kick.

However, its fortunes changed when Ronald Sibanda was ordered
off by the referee in the 39th minute for his second yellow card
in the same match.

Sibanda, who was hauled up for dangerous play, compounded
matters by gesticulating at the referee, who then sacked him.

Bosnia exploited the advantage of having one man more by
pouring into the attack after halftime. The Bosnians were
rewarded with the equalizer in the 58th minute when Hrnjic Asim
turned the ball in off a corner kick.

Thereafter, a rampant Bosnia had Zimbabwe reeling from attacks
down the right flank, and deservedly went into the lead through
Muharemovic Dzelaludin.

But sloppy work in defense saw the lead canceled in the 75th
minute when substitute Ian Gorowa drew Zimbabwe level with a
rasping drive from just inside the penalty box.

Zimbabwe will have to beat Vietnam on Feb. 26 to make certain
of a semifinal berth.

Bosnia, with a 4-0 win Saturday over Vietnam, are almost
through to the semifinals. They play Indonesia, also on Feb. 26.