Water polo team get marching orders

MANILA: There will be no opening ceremony march for the national water polo team, which narrowly lost the bronze medal in its final game on Friday.

Kusnan Ismukanto, Indonesia's delegation chief in charge of activities in Metro Manila, originally said the team would march along with the rest of the team at Rizal Memorial Stadium.

A few hours later on Saturday, chef de mission Djoko Pramono changed the plan. "No, they won't (participate). I will send them home tomorrow," he said curtly.

Djoko was among members of the national contingent who witnessed the water polo team let slip a 5-0 lead over Thailand, with the latter scoring for a tie in the dying seconds. A win would have given the Indonesians the bronze, which went instead to Malaysia. -- JP