Olympic news

A Greek sprinter who failed a doping test days before he was due to compete at the Beijing Olympics is the first athlete to test positive since the IOC took over drugs controls for the Games.

Tassos Gousis, who was due to compete in the 200m, failed a Greek doping agency test and was ordered to return home from his training camp in Japan.

The International Olympic Committee confirmed the positive test was done since it officially took over drugs testing for the Aug. 8-24 Games on July 27.

Fire puts rowing showpiece out of action

A small fire broke out in a generator at the Olympic rowing yesterday, spewing black smoke near spectators and putting the showpiece air-bubble finish line out of action.

Two fire engines dealt with the fire but the incident did not stop the rowing action on the first day at the Lake Shunyi course.

Olympic organisers said the generator had overheated.

The fire blackened surrounding boarding and burned a hole in one of the Olympic rings on display. The finish line system, which pumps bubbles up through the water, no longer worked but competitors had markers to see the end of the course.

For every Chinese gold, a school gets built

Chinese athletes now have an added incentive to win Olympic gold - helping poor children to get a new school.

Top Chinese home appliance maker Haier Group said yesterday that it was launching a programme to build one primary school in a poor rural area for every gold that China wins in Beijing.

While primary education is in theory free for all Chinese children, the conditions at schools vary greatly from region to region, and many poor parents cannot afford the various fees that many schools charge.

The state of many classroom buildings was brought into sharp focus when a devastating earthquake hit southwestern Sichuan province in May, killing at least 70,000 people.

Croatians Ljubicic and Karlovic pull out

Croatia's chances of a medal in the men's singles tennis competition suffered two blows yesterday when Ivo Karlovic and Ivan Ljubicic withdrew because of injury.

Mario Ancic did not travel to China after pulling out with an injury last month.

Karlovic, the 14th seed, is replaced by China's Yu Xinyuan who faces Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in the first round. Berdych becomes the 17th seed in the 64-man draw.

Ljubicic is replaced by Devin Mullings of the Bahamas, the world number 1,025.

Sleepy Hong Kong joins the party

Hong Kong's start to the Olympic Games was a far sleepier affair than Beijing's spectacular opening ceremony, with thousands leaving their homes long before dawn to attend the first equestrian event.

Without fireworks or fanfare, bleary-eyed ticket-holders queued up in near darkness at 4 a.m. to board shuttle buses and clear security checks at the 18,000 seat equestrian arena where the eventing dressage competition began at 6.30 a.m.

Hong Kong was given the right to host equestrian events after Beijing failed to establish a disease-free zone for horses.

In a bid to protect the 200 or so horses from the city's sub-tropical heat, organisers have set early or late start times for equestrian events at 6.30 a.m. or at 7.15 a.m.

Rogge, heads of state in table tennis knockabout

Olympics head Jacques Rogge joined Francophone heads of state in a table tennis knockabout yesterday at an event to celebrate French as an official language of the Beijing Games.

The IOC president conducted a gentle rally with fellow-Belgian Jean-Michel Saive, a five times table tennis Olympian, before being joined by former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin. Dignitaries, including Gabon President Omar Bongo, Burundi's Pierre Nkurunziza and Madagascan President Marc Ravalomanana, joined them at the table.

Paralympic champ in Olympics

Poland's Natalia Partyka is both a long shot and a clear favourite for a table tennis medal in Beijing.

The Polish player, who was born with a right arm that ends at the elbow, is the reigning Paralympic champion.

But before defending her Paralympic title, she will get a crack at the Olympics in team play - one of only two athletes, along with South African swimmer Natalie du Toit, to compete in both in Beijing.

"All the time I play with able people, so I like more the Olympics, but I'm so happy I'm going to play in the Paralympics and I hope I can win," she said.