India need good opening stands
MUMBAI, May 5 — A sound start to an innings in any form of cricket goes a long way in the team raising a good total and this is especially true in the early part of the English summer, when the May 14-June 20 World Cup is to be played.

SA's Donald, Klusner doubtful for opener
LONDON, May 5 — With the unpredictable English weather relenting, the Indian team for the cricket World Cup is going full steam ahead at the nets, even as South Africa, its opening match rival, has reported three players including speedster Alan Donald on the injured list.

Seamers "will not" dominate World Cup
HOVE (England), May 5 — South Africa’s top two fast bowlers, Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock, believe the World Cup will not be dominated by seam bowlers to the extent that many players have predicted and the reason is the seam itself.

Match-fixing allegations worry Pak
LONDON, May 5 — A "worried" Pakistan cricket team is trying their best not to let the ongoing inquiry into match-fixing and betting by "eccentric" Mr Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum cast a shadow over their preparations to regain the World Cup.

Korda bows out of Citrix meet
DELRAY BEACH (Florida), May 5 — Eighth-seeded Justin Gimelstob of the USA beat former Australian Open champion Petr Korda of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-2 in the first round of the Citrix Tennis Championships.

Indians bad players of swing bowling
CALCUTTA, May 5 — Indian batsmen are known to be a little suspect against swinging balls around the off stump on lively tracks and their batting skills would be put to severe test during the forthcoming World Cup in England.

IOC clears Kim; Coles faces investigation
LAUSANNE (Switzerland), May 5 — Olympic leaders closed the case against the highest-ranking official caught in the Salt Lake City bribery scandal.

Rushmi, Nefedova win; Arthi bows out

NEW DELHI, May 5 (UNI) — Anna Nefedova of Russia today entered the quarterfinals of the $ 5,000 ITF Women’s Tennis Circuit third leg being played here defeating India’s Geeta Manohar 6-3, 6-0 while sixth-seeded Arthi Venkataraman bowed out, losing in straight sets to Janaki Krishnamoorthy 1-6, 4-6.

Nefedova, the only foreign player playing in the circuit, did not have much difficulty over the Indian despite being not used to the the hot weather prevailing here. She now meets top-seeded Radhika Tulpule of India in the quarterfinals tomorrow.

Third-seeded Rushmi Chakravarthi also advanced to the stage of last eight overpowering Sonal Phadke 6-4, 6-2. Rushmi, who looked confident, picked up her game towards the second set and never gave Phadke any chance to come back into the match.
In tomorrow’s quarterfinals, second-seeded and India number one Sai Jayalakshmi clashes with Archana Venkataraman, Bangalore leg winner fourth-seeded Shruti Dhawan runs into Janaki Krishnamoorthi and Rushmi plays fifth-seeded Sheetal Goutam.

In the doubles quarterfinals, top-seeded duo of Sai Jayalakshmi and Rushmi Chakravarthi and second seeds Shruti Dhawan and Sheetal Goutam today entered the semifinals posting contrasting wins.

Sai and Rushmi prevailed over Radhika Mandke and Sonal Phadke 7-5, 6-0. They now play the duo of Radhika Tulpule and Janaki Krishnamoorthy in the stage of last four.

Shruti and Sheetal overwhelmed the pair of Kalpita Raje and Sricharnya Thiagrajan 6-0, 6-1. They now clash with the third seeds Venkataraman sisters — Arthi and Archana — in the semifinals.

Arthi and Archana got a walkover from the pair of Annan Nefedova and Simmi Rani who could not play as Simmi was not feeling well.

Results:
Singles (quaterfinals): Radhika Tulpule b Sumitra Rao 6-1, 6-2, Sheetal Goutam b Sandhya Kanury 6-3, 6-1, Shruti Dhawan b Nandini Perumal 6-1, 6-2, Sai Jayalakshmi b Karishma Patel 7-6 (3), 6-1, Rushmi Chakravarthi b Sonal Phadke 6-4, 6-2, Janaki Krishnamoorthy b Arthi Venkatraman 6-1, 6-4, Annan Nefedova b Geeta Manohar 6-3, 6-0, Archana Venkataraman b Nikita Bhardwaj 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles (quarterfinals): Shruti Dhawan/Sheetal Goutam b Kalpita Raje/Sricharnya Thiagrajan 6-0, 6-1, Sai Jayalakshmi/Rushmi Chakravarthi b Radhika Mandke/Sonal Phadke 7-5, 6-0, Janaki Krishnamoorthy/Radhika Tulpule b Karishma Patel/Nandini Perumal 6-1, 6-1, Arthi Venkataraman/Archana Venkataraman w/o Anna Nefedova/Simmi Rani.

Mauresmo, Williams sisters advance

ROME, May 5 (AP) — Amelie Mauresmo’s rise from tennis obscurity has been rapid. Twelve months ago, the French player was slinking away from a side court at the Foro Italico, a straight-set loser in the first round of the Italian Open qualifying tournament.

Yesterday, Mauresmo made her main-draw debut in Rome on centre court as the $ 1 million clay-court event’s 10th seed and routed her opponent.

"Conditions couldn’t be much different. Things are much better now," Mauresmo said after overpowering Canada’s Maureen Drake 6-2, 6-1. "I’m just more consistent during a match and from week to week."

The 19-year-old Frenchwoman is scheduled to play Russia’s Elene Dementieva next.

"I’m very happy to be out there on centre court to start. Certainly this year is different from last year," Mauresmo said.

"I’m finishing points more often at the net and am stronger mentally."

She showed her mettle in the Australian Open, blowing past then-top-ranked American Lindsay Davenport on her way to the final, all the while dealing with questions and comments about her open lesbian relationship.

After her victory, Mauresmo deftly handled an Italian reporter who tried to formulate a question about her private life with about as much subtlety as a Venus Williams overhead smash.

"Come on. Go ahead," she prodded, smiling, before parrying the eventual query by saying, "I’ve already said all I had to say. I would only repeat myself and it wouldn’t be interesting."

Mauresmo is the first player on the women’s tour since Martina Navratilova to talk publicly about being a lesbian.

In Melbourne, she said her decision to do so has helped her tennis game.

She followed up her on-court breakthrough in Australia by reaching the final of the Paris indoors, where she lost to Serena Williams. Mauresmo’s WTA tour ranking is up to 16th, compared to 67th at this time last year.

American sisters Venus and Serena Williams were the first two players into the third round. Venus, the third seed, edged Spain’s Gala Leon Garcia 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, and No 6 Serena had less trouble ousting Russia’s Tatiana Panova 6-2, 6-1.

Seeded players Conchita Martinez of Spain, a four-time Italian Open champion, South Africa’s Amanda Coetzer and Romania’s Irina Spirlea all reached the second round with straight-set victories.

Other second-round matches for today included top-seeded defending champion Martina Hingis of Switzerland against France’s Natalie Dechy, second-seeded Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario of Spain against Kristina Brandi of the USA, and fourth-seed Mary Pierce of France against the Czech Republic’s Kveta Hrdlickova.

The top eight seeds received first-round byes.

Kapil inaugurates Cup web site
From Our Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI, May 5 — A web site www the World Cup 99 com was inaugurated by legendary Kapil Dev, captain of the victorious Indian team in 1983 World Cup, at Machan (Taj) here this morning.

Titled ‘Pitch fever’, the web site provides all the details of previous six editions from 1975 to 1995 in addition to trivia and quiz programme.

According to Rahul Pathak, Director, IT Buffs, the web site is totally dedicated to the World Cup. "It will be every cricket buff’s window to those mega events on the net", said Pathak, adding: the web site will also provide players’ profiles.

While inaugurating the web site, Kapil Dev said that technological and scientific development had played a vital role in popularising cricket worldwide. "I am a cricket player. I love cricket, but maybe we should spare a though and time for other disciplines", said Kapil Dev, adding: "I stand for development of all sports".

Kapil Dev, who had moulded 11 individuals into a well-knit combination in 1983, was in a relaxed mood. He met all present and narrated a few anecdotes before taking a flight to Kathmandu for the ‘Seniors’ cricket tournament.

World Cup: pulsating moments,
close finishes

CHENNAI, May 5 (PTI) — It is in the nature of one-day cricket to produce exciting matches and close finishes. When a game in restricted to one day, one innings per side and around 50 overs a side as compared to five days, two innings per side and an unlimited number of overs as in Test cricket it is bound to have its share of thrills.

Little wonder then that in just under 25 years, "instant cricket" has thrown up more pulsating finishes than Test cricket has in over 118 years.

Victories by one wicket or one run, or defeats with one or two balls to spare are not uncommon in limited overs cricket given the unpredictable nature of the game. And, there is no denying the fact that more close finishes have been seen in the last decade or so. This is mainly because all the leading teams are more or less evenly matched. Indeed there have been some tied matches too.

There have been four narrow wins in World Cup history from 1975 to 1996 and notably it was one of the two subcontinent teams — India and Pakistan that were involved in all.

There will not be a more unforgettable match than the India-Pakistan final at Sharjah on April 18, 1986 and the manner in which the end came about was straight out of a story book.

It is not always that a batsman hits a six off the last ball to win the match, as Javed Miandad, the highest rungetter in World Cup history with 1083 runs in 33 matches (30 innings of which 5 were not out for an average of 43.32) did.

India were again at the receiving end in another pulsating finish a little over a year later.

This was against Australia in the Reliance Cup at Madras (now Chennai) on October 9, 1987. A fine 110 by Geoff Marsh propelled Australia to 270 for six in 50 overs. After the innings umpire Dicky Bird added a run to its total, leaving the hosts to get 271 runs off their quota of overs.

With good knocks from Srikkanth (70) and Sidhu (73), India were cruising along at 207 for two but slumped to 256-7.

However, a dramatic change came about when the last over started. India were 265 for nine, needing just six runs while Australia wanted one wicket. Last man Maninder Singh hit Steve Waugh for a couple of braces. But with the fifth ball, Waugh removed the off stump and Australia were home by one run.

The 1987 World Cup hosted jointly by India and Pakistan in fect saw a number of nail-biting finishes but none had a more memorable ending than the West Indies versus Pakistan match at Lahore.

West Indies were all out for 216 off 49.3 overs but Pakistan too could not make much headway against the fearsome West Indies speed attack and not until Salim Yousef at number seven hit a brave 56 did they have a glimmer of hope.

Pakistan seemed to have left it too late for when the last over commenced they had only one wicket in hand and still needed 14 runs for a victory. Abdul Quadir, at number nine and last man Salim Jaffer were at the crease. Somehow, the two contrived to take the exact number of 14 runs (1, 1, 2, 6, 2, 2,) off the over sent down by Courtney Walsh, to take Pakistan to a totally unexpected triumph.

To make the exciting end complete there was the added drama of Walsh not running out non-striker Jaffer, who backed up too early.

India need good opening stands

MUMBAI, May 5 (PTI) — A sound start to an innings in any form of cricket goes a long way in the team raising a good total and this is especially true in the early part of the English summer, when the May 14-June 20 World Cup is to be played.

Very often in cold, damp conditions a team finds itself in dire straits in England, as was the case with the 1974 India squad led by Ajit Wadekar, which was undone by the swing and cut of Geoff Arnold, Chris Old and Mike Hendrick to be humiliated 3-0 by the home team in the Test series.

India was shot out for its lowest ever Test score to record one of the low points in the country’s cricket history.

The last time the Indians played in England in the early part of the English summer was in 1996, when the squad led by current skipper Mohammed Azharuddin lost the three-match one-day international series 0-2.

But that was against the home team used to the conditions, whereas this time India’s other rivals in group ‘A’, apart from England, would be similarly handicapped.

It is, however, imperative for India to get off to a good start. In Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly the team has the players who are well-equipped to handle the situation and the long preparatory stay in England prior to the start of the World Cup should stand them in good stead.

Even Sachin Tendulkar was not too successful in the early part of the English summer when the one day series was played the last time the team toured England. He could muster only 30, 6 and 1 in the three innings.

India’s best opening stand in three previous World Cups held in England has been 123 between Sunil Gavaskar and Farokh Engineer at Headingley, Leeds against minnows East Africa in 1975.

The next-best partnership for first wicket was the 60-run stand between Gavaskar and Anshuman Gaekwad, the present coach, against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford, Manchester in 1979.

India could win only one match out of six played in the first two editions of the mega event.

Incidentally the best opening partnership in the 1983 World Cup, won against all odds by India, was the 46-runs stand put on by Gavaskar and Krish Srikkanth in the semifinal against hosts England at Old Trafford in late June.

But that team was complemented by a solid middle-order and backed up by a talented bunch of all-rounders lower down the order, who resumed India repeatedly from poor starts.

The current team, led by Azharuddin, does not boast of any such solid middle order against the moving ball, barring the technically strong Rahul Dravid, or good batting all-rounders in the lower order.

An early loss of either opener would expose the middle.

Azharuddin’s insistence before the Indian team’s departure for England, that its chances in the World Cup would depend heavily on the batting, holds true.

SA's Donald, Klusner doubtful
for opener

LONDON, May 5 (PTI) — With the unpredictable English weather relenting, the Indian team for the cricket World Cup is going full steam ahead at the nets, even as South Africa, its opening match rival, has reported three players including speedster Alan Donald on the injured list.

South Africa’s bowling mainstay Donald is reported to be suffering from stomach cramps, ace fielder Jonty Rhodes has a wrist injury and all-rounder Lance Klusner is down with a foot injury barely 10 days before their first match against India at Hove on May 15.

South African coach Bob Woolmer said yesterday he wanted to involve all 15 of his World Cup squad in the three warm up games against Sussex, Kent and Middlesex before taking a decision about their fitness.

"Their participation in these warm up games would prove their fitness in time for the opening match against India," Woolmer was quoted as saying by the local media.

In contrast, the Indians have no such worries as all members of the squad are fit and are going into the warm-up matches with full vigour after losing the first couple of days due to inclement weather.

"The boys are shaping well with morale high after strenuous weeklong practice," coach Anshuman Gaekwad told PTI after the team’s easy win in two friendly matches in their unofficial warm-up game at Leicester, about 200 kms from here.

"The players are in good shape. We have no injuries or mishaps," Gaekwad said, quelling rumours back home of star batsman Sachin Tendulkar having suffered an ankle fracture.

The coach said Tendulkar was present during the second warm-up friendly against a local club in Leicester on Monday.

"Though we had rested him (Tendulkar) instead playing Ramesh, he was present throughout the match with me and was taking full part in nets and physical workouts along with the whole squad," Gaekwad said describing his biggest asset as "fighting fit".
"The weather has changed. So we can practice longer outdoors. With temperatures hovering between 18 and 22 celcius, it is comparatively warmer and the boys feel more like home," the coach said.

Regarding the injuries in the rival camp, Gaekwad, not wishing to dwell on any weaknesses in the opposition camp openly, said: "We are concentrating on our own game plan, Anything else is a bonus".

Asked how Tendulkar’s back was holding on, the coach said: "The very fact that the player is participating in nets and physical build-up should answer the question."

About the nets and workout pattern, Gaekwad said: "We are varying them."

"We rotate the pattern, sometimes we concentrate on fielding, sometimes on bowling and on other occasions on catching and fielding," Gaekwad said.

Indians bad players of swing bowling

CALCUTTA, May 5 (PTI) — Indian batsmen are known to be a little suspect against swinging balls around the off stump on lively tracks and their batting skills would be put to severe test during the forthcoming World Cup in England.

With the medium-pacers likely to swing the ball around in heavy English conditions in May-June, the Indian batsmen have to literally keep the bat’s edge away from the ball instead of fishing — a mistake committed a number of times by their predecessors in previous World Cups in England.

The Indians have the ignominious record of having the highest caught out dismissals in the three previous World Cups in England, a fact which should weigh heavily on Azharuddin and his men as the biggest cricketing extravaganza returns to England after 16 years.

The Indians, who have featured in 14 World Cup matches in England, have been caught out as many as 69 times of the total 107 dismissals, heading the list among the Test-playing nations.

They have been bowled 18 times, trapped leg before on 11 occasions and suffered run outs nine times in World Cup matches in England.

Significantly, the Indian batsmen have never returned to the pavilion being a victim of stumping or hit wicket, indicating their skills in playing spin bowling.

Arch rivals Pakistan, who are also more used to playing on flat pitches in the subcontinent, were a close second having been caught out 65 times of their total 101 dismissals in England-hosted World Cups. Interestingly, like the Indians, the Pakistani batsmen have never been stumped or hit wicket. (Pakistan break up c-65, b-16, lbw-11, ro-9).

West Indies, who won the coveted World Cup in 1975 and 1979, have a total dismissal figures of just 94 in the three World Cups in England, with the mode of dismissal statistics reading: caught-52, bowled-20, lbw-13, run outs-6, stumped-2.

The figures of other Test playing countries were England: c-41, b-34, lbw-16, ro-8, Australia: c-57, b-28, lbw-11, ro-12, New Zealand: c-50, b-26, lbw-17, ro-10, st-1, Sri Lanka: c-56, b-22, lbw-7, ro-6, st-4, Zimbabwe: c-27, b-10, lbw-8, ro-7, st-1.

Although the Indian batsmen have been guilty of offering too many catches, their bowlers have managed to get rival batsmen out caught as many as 49 times of the total 106 dismissals in World Cup matches in England. They have managed to knock down the wicket 28 times and get 12 lbw decisions.

The Indians have a 50 per cent success rate in England having won seven and lost seven matches so far. Six of the seven victories were recorded in the summer of 1983.

Seamers "will not" dominate World Cup

HOVE (England), May 5 (Reuters) — South Africa’s top two fast bowlers, Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock, believe the World Cup will not be dominated by seam bowlers to the extent that many players have predicted and the reason is the seam itself.

Speaking after the team’s first practice session in Hove yesterday, both men said they were convinced that the Dukes ball to be used in the tournament had been altered in design and was now held together with a smaller seam than in past.

"It is definitely a bit smaller and quite different from all the other Dukes balls I’ve ever seen. I think they might have done it to get higher-scoring games because there has been some criticism of the ball in the early stages of a game," Donald said.

The South African team usually play with the Australian-made Kookaburra ball, which has a smaller seam than the English-made Dukes ball, but in the seven one-day matches against the West Indies earlier this year they used the Dukes ball as practice for the World Cup.

"Also the weather in the early part of the season means there’ll be moisture in the pitches to give the seamers even more assistance. Certainly when we played the West Indies it was darting all over the place off the seam, which is probably why they changed it," Donald said.

Pollock brought few Dukes ball from that series in South Africa with him to England and compared it with the new balls the team were given to practise with here.

"You can see the difference quite clearly. They’ve definitely flattened the seam and I’m also not sure that there is as much lacquer on the ball as there used to be, which means it won’t swing as much as it used to," Pollock said.

"I don’t know whether they’ve done it on purpose but if they have I think it’s aimed at trying to stop the ball from doing too much in the first 15 overs," he added.

South African coach Bob Woolmer agreed that the ball looked significantly different. "The seam is much flatter. There was concern and some adverse comment on the size of the seam before so maybe they’ve taken the decision to reduce it."

Managing Director of Dukes, Dilip Jajodia, admitted from the company’s headquarters in Canterbury that the World Cup ball was different but denied that the changes had been made specifically for the tournament.

"Isn’t it amazing how sensitive these chaps are? They notice the slightest change. Most of the countries taking part asked us to send them balls and due of differing conditions the thread we use in them has to be harder wearing," he said.

"For balls sent overseas we use a linen thread as opposed to a cotton thread used on balls in England but as far as we are concerned the difference should be minimal," he added.

Woolmer said teams might be compelled to change tactics if the ball seamed and swung less than they were expecting and pinch hitters might be used with teams making bigger scores than they were previously aiming at.

Match-fixing allegations worry Pak

LONDON, May 5 (PTI) — A "worried" Pakistan cricket team is trying their best not to let the ongoing inquiry into match-fixing and betting by "eccentric" Mr Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum cast a shadow over their preparations to regain the World Cup.

Skipper Wasim Akram, currently sharpening his skills alongwith his teammates in Birmingham for the mega event said: "I and my teammates are sick of match-fixing allegations. We are trying hard to keep them behind and not let the outcome harm our prospects."

British media reports said Akram and four others, who were directly charged, were "worried" as they awaited the judgement by what the reports described as eccentric Mr Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyaum. (The Judge is the same who recently sentenced former Pakistan premier Benazie Bhutto to jail for five years and debarred her from public life.)

"Our confidence is high after a good recent run. We feel we have a very good chance this time," the Pakistan skipper was quoted as saying and backed by bookmakers who have rated them 12-1 favourites to fetch a semifinal berth.

But the report said that match-fixing allegations were "loomimg large" over the team, particularly new disclosures that the team had been accused of rigging the game against England in the triangular tournament in Sharjah last month.

"The World Cup should be a welcome distraction for the Pakistan team as there are also fears that the regional and social factions that plague Pakistani cricketers are bubbling under, despite the team's excellent, if fitful form," The Guardian said.

Korda bows out of Citrix meet

DELRAY BEACH (Florida), May 5 (AP) — Eighth-seeded Justin Gimelstob of the USA beat former Australian Open champion Petr Korda of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-2 in the first round of the Citrix Tennis Championships.

"I can’t see the future any more," Korda said after the 72-minute match.

A year ago, Korda won his first Grand Slam tournament title and was ranked No 2 in the world. But his career began a downward spiral with a positive test for steroids at Wimbledon, his ranking plummeting to No 121.

Adamant that he never took any illegal substances, Korda says he doesn’t know how they got it in his system. But the scandal that has surrounded him has clearly had a negative impact on his tennis. Yesterday marked the fifth consecutive tournament that Korda has been ousted in the first round.

"It’s killed the tennis," Korda said. "I’m not having the enjoyment."

It could kill his career as well. This summer a Swiss arbitration court will decide whether the 31-year-old left-hander will be banned from playing for a year.

"If I leave the game, I’m not going to leave on my own terms that’s the bottom line," Korda said. "I do have two years left in me."

Gimelstob (22) is at the opposite end of the spectrum. He’ll face Hernan Gumy of Argentina in the next round.

At No 63, Gimelstob is at a career high. Although he’s only 7-10 so far in 1999. He appears ready to take the next step. He reached the round of 16 last week in Atlanta falling to Davis Cup hero Jim Courier.

In an ironic twist, Korda defeated Gimelstob in his first professional match.

"I played well," Gimelstob said. "I served very well and I played some clutch points. I was happy. He’s accomplished a lot of great things. I respect that."

Gimelstob broke Korda to go up 4-3 in the first set. It was never close after that as Gimelstob won 58 per cent of the points.

Last year, Gimelstob advanced to his first ATP Tour semifinal at America’s Red Clay Championship. The Citrix’ predecessor, losing to eventual champion Andrew Ilie in three sets.

One seeded player was eliminated on Tuesday as American Cecil Mamiit downed No 7 Mark Woodforde of Australia 7-6, (7-4), 7-5.

In other matches involving seeded players, No 2 Sebastien Grosjean of France outlasted Alex Calatrava of Spain, 7-6, (7-5), 6-7, (2-7), 3-0 retired. And No 5 Magnus Larsson of Sweden stopped Alberto Martin of Spain 7-5, 6-3.

IOC clears Kim; Coles faces investigation

LAUSANNE (Switzerland), May 5 (AP) — Olympic leaders closed the case against the highest-ranking official caught in the Salt Lake City bribery scandal.

The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) executive board yesterday said that it had 'no new element' of evidence to justify further action against Kim Un-Yong, a board member and international sports power-broker.

But the board said there was enough new information to extend its investigation of a second leading member, Australia’s Phil Coles, who like Kim had received a severe warning from an earlier inquiry. It appointed a three-member panel to report its latest findings by June 13.

"I think and I hope this case will be settled by the IOC’s June session in Seoul," IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch said. Mr Coles could face expulsion from the IOC if the investigation finds he violated more rules.

Mr Kevan Gosper, an executive board member from Australia, said a decision could come sooner than that, adding that Mr Coles may well be called to appear before the new panel, made up of board members Keba Mbaye of Senegal, Anita Defrantz of the USA, and Marc Hodler of Switzerland.

Kim had risked expulsion if it was proved he knew that Salt Lake bidders helped pay for his son’s salary at a telecommunications company.

The executive board charged Mr Mbaye, Mr Defrantz and Mr Hodler with conducting further investigations of Mr Coles case.

But after receiving new information on Kim, the IOC’s top officials decided that "no new element at present justifies going beyond the severe warning," Mr Mbaye said.

Mr Coles was cited originally for accepting travel and accommodation perks from Salt Lake City.

"All the allegations will subject to a single investigation and a single decision," Mr Mbaye said.

"We've had profiles done on IOC members before ad nauseam," Mr Gosper said. "I think the real issue here is how these files ended up in Salt Like City".

Mr Samaranch declined to comment on what fate might await Mr Coles, "We have to act with facts, not with information", he said.

As well as the completion of Mr Coles investigation, June will see the first meeting of the IOC 2000 commission, whose 80 members were unveiled yesterday.

The reform panel, which Mr Samaranch originally said would have 20 to 24 members, was set up in March to help the committee rebuild after the biggest scandal in its 105-year history. "Ten IOC members have resigned or been expelled.

The committee will be supervised by its own 26-member executive board, 13 of whose members are from outside the IOC.

They include former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, 1984 Los Angeles games organiser Peter Ueberroth, US Olympic Committee President Bill Hybl, Italian industrialist Biovanni Agnelli and former UN Secretary-General Boutros Ghali.

Mr Samaranch said the main panel's membership — including 44 IOC members — had become so large, "because we consider that we need many, many opinions".

It contains 26 present and former Olympic athletes, 10 of whom competed in the Atlanta and Nagano games. Among them are Ukrainian pole vaulter Sergei Bubka, Czech javelin thrower Jan Zelezny, and Canadian track star Charmaine Crooks.

The panel is to study IOC restructuring, including how members are appointed, age and term limits, and changes to the host city selection process.

No national anthems at World Cup

LONDON, May 5 (AFP) — The teams competing in this year's World Cup will not have their national anthem played before the games, organisers confirmed yesterday.

"This is a carnival of cricket and we are trying to get away from the old ways of doing things," said event manager Michael Browning.

"National anthems are all very well for other events and flag-waving but not this World Cup".

"The players just want to get on with the game and anthems are part of old cricket and this tournament is all about new cricket".

However, anthems may still be played before the final at Lord's on June 20 when the Queen will be present.