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.