No cash, so no plans for throwers

THE Singapore Athletic Association asked for their training and competition programmes. They, in turn, countered: Show us the money.

Choo Chee Kiong, the spokesman for Zhang Guirong and Du Xianhui, yesterday confirmed that the two national throwers will not be submitting any plans to the SAA.

Said Choo, a local freelance coach: 'How can they submit their plans if there is no guarantee of financial assistance? Who will pay for their competitions and training?'

Added Zhang, who is in Shandong: 'How can I focus on my training when I have to worry about basic necessities such as food and housing?'

The national record-holder for the discus, shot put and javelin, the 28-year-old and Du will continue training on their own in China.

Last month, the duo asked for a resumption of funding.

This was stopped at their request last July. They felt that accepting the training grants put them under enormous pressure - from the public and the media - to deliver.

The association used to pay them $1,500 each a month. They also received $900 a month food allowance and free accommodation.

Last October, they were dropped from the Asian Games squad after failing to provide their China address.

Meanwhile, athletes eyeing December's South-east Asia Games in Thailand will have to perform consistently throughout the year.

They will no longer be considered for nomination based on just one performance - even if they qualify.

Said Chan Chee Wei, the SAA vice-president for training and selection: 'This is to ensure that our athletes aren't just one-hit wonders.'

The benchmark for qualification is still the bronze medal-winning performance at the previous Games.

In another move, retired athletes who want to make a comeback will now have to give a year's notice.

Said Chan: 'This is to ensure that all athletes are available for out-of-competition drug testing during the season, which is a requirement by the International Association of Athletics Federations.'

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BARCELONA - STEVEN Gerrard will not underestimate Barcelona ahead of their Champions League second-leg match at Anfield on March 6.

The Reds claimed the upper hand in the last-16 tie with a 2-1 win at the Nou Camp on Wednesday.

Liverpool are in a strong position to qualify, but Gerrard told Sky Sports: 'We've got an awful lot of respect for Barcelona, they're a fantastic side.

'We'll show them the same respect.

'We need to put in the same shift in two weeks' time and, hopefully, we'll qualify.'

However, overturning the deficit is maybe more than Barcelona are capable of.

They have never recovered from a first-leg loss at home in the Champions League.

In fact, they have only once overturned a first-leg deficit at home - beating Zaragoza 4-2 in the 1966 Fairs' Cup final after a 0-1 loss.

'It will be hard to go through, but we still have a great chance. Just as they won here, we can win there,' goalkeeper Victor Valdes said.

Coach Frank Rijkaard said: 'We have to keep on working, keep training, and trying to improve. That's what I'm most concerned about.

'We have to get through this suffering together and look forward.'

Barcelona have had a tough time in big games this season. They lost 0-3 to Uefa Cup champions Sevilla in the Super Cup in August. Then, they were beaten 0-1 by Chelsea in the Champions League group stage.

Real Madrid added to their woes with a 2-0 win in the league. Copa Libertadores champions Internacional downed Barcelona 1-0 in the final of the Club World Cup in December.

Wednesday's loss came only three days after Valencia beat them 2-1 in La Liga.

'Right now, the situation is complicated but we have hope,' Rijkaard said.

'We are Barca and we can always score goals. The situation is very difficult, but we mustn't give up hope.'

Barcelona started well on Wednesday, getting a 14th-minute goal from Deco.

But Craig Bellamy responded with a header in the 43rd minute, which was mishandled by Valdes.

The Welshman then set up teammate John Arne Riise in the 74th minute for the winning goal.

Incidentally, Bellamy's golf-swing celebration after his goal cost bookmakers William Hill more than £50,000 (S$150,000).

He had allegedly threatened Riise with a golf club.

After offering odds of 100-1 that the striker would make light of the recent fracas, William Hill were hit with a flood of bets.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Celtic go to Milan all square

GLASGOW - GORDON Strachan has urged his players to believe in themselves and achieve one of the greatest results in Celtic history: To knock AC Milan out of the Champions League in a fortnight's time.

The Scottish champions hung on for a 0-0 draw on Tuesday, continuing a remarkable record of losing only once at Celtic Park in 20 European matches.

But, on the road in four seasons' worth of Champions League games? One draw in 12 games, and a woeful 11 defeats. That means the trip to the San Siro could end in humiliation.

'Not many people will be putting too much money on us to beat them at the San Siro, but stranger things have happened in football,' Strachan said.

'On our will not to get beaten, I give my players 10 out of 10. For technical ability, five out of 10.

'But, if you can draw with Milan, a top side with top players, imagine what you could do with a little more belief in yourselves.

'We need only one lucky goal. We need to believe a bit more but that will come.'

One major positive for Celtic is that they managed to avoid conceding an away goal.

This means a scoring draw would be enough to take them into the last eight.

The other plus was how Strachan's youngsters acquitted themselves. The back four's average age was in the low 20s. And 19-year-old Evander Sno played well in the heart of midfield.

Celtic were resolute, but Milan left the field sure that they belong on a higher plane. Carlo Ancelotti's side were at their most superior in the 26th minute.

Andrea Pirlo robbed Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, and the move swept on.

Kaka then sent Alberto Gilardino clear, but goalkeeper Artur Boruc managed to deflect the shot with an outstretched leg.

Milan goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac's work was more routine, dealing with a 40th-minute set-piece from Shunsuke Nakamura.

Celtic's composure would have cracked had former Rangers midfielder Gennaro Gattuso scored, instead of brushing the post with a shot in the second half.

'We have more of a chance after this game and I am confident we can go through,' said Ancelotti.

'I was happy with the performance. We tried everything in attack and that is what I wanted.'

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Bellamy a 'scapegoat' for Liverpool's training-trip fracas

LIVERPOOL - CRAIG Bellamy has been made a scapegoat for Liverpool's training-camp ruckus in Portugal.

Sources within the club suggest the 27-year-old Welsh international's bad-boy reputation was exploited to deflect blame from a large number of players involved in breaches of discipline.

Other players said to have been involved include Robbie Fowler, Jermaine Pennant and Jerzy Dudek.

Yesterday, the club continued its investigation into how details of the incident were leaked to the media.

It was concerned that Bellamy, who has a history of aggressive behaviour on and off the pitch, may be the victim of deliberate attempts to further damage his name, reported The Liverpool Echo.

The manager Rafael Benitez, while furious, is understood to regard the striker as no more or less guilty than any of the other players involved.

Yesterday, The Mirror reported that the Spaniard read the riot act to all the players and fined 15 of them.

While Bellamy was involved in a bust-up with John Arne Riise, the incident was apparently far less serious than presented by the Sunday newspapers.

Claims have been made that the striker repeatedly swung a golf club at the 26-year-old Norwegian's legs. However, Riise is fit and likely to start today's Champions League match with Barcelona.

Bellamy is also likely to start, while the other players fined by Benitez will at least be in the squad.

The pair clashed after Riise apparently refused to join a karaoke session last Thursday.

When they returned to the team's hotel, a brawl started with Bellamy attacking Riise with a golf club.

The squad, including Riise and Bellamy, were back in training on Monday at Melwood, after the five-day break.

Depending on which British newspaper one reads, Bellamy could be heading out of Anfield or will remain once he promises to be on his best behaviour.

The Sun, for example, claims that the striker is on his way out and Liverpool have already started looking for his replacement.

Benitez has identified Juventus striker David Trezeguet as the ideal substitute.

Said the manager: 'It's true, we are following many players in Italy, and Trezeguet is one of them.'

He also has his eye on Juventus' Valeri Bojinov, Udinese's Vincenzo Iaquinta and Palermo's Amauri.

Where does that leave Bellamy?

Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers are keen to hand him a lifeline, reported Soccernet.

Villa's manager Martin O'Neill is ready to make an £8 million (S$24 million) offer.

He took Bellamy on loan for Celtic two years ago, after the player's fall-out with then-Newcastle boss Graeme Souness.

Bellamy went on to score nine goals in 15 games during his spell at Parkhead.

Blackburn's manager Mark Hughes is also keen to lure his countryman back to the club he left to join Liverpool.

Bellamy also has a supporter in Sunderland's manager, Roy Keane.

Malaysia's Camerlin to give out BIL stock

KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIAN investment firm Camerlin Group unveiled plans yesterday to hand almost all of its 22.3 per cent stake in Singapore investment house BIL International to its shareholders.

Camerlin said the move would allow it to restructure its own share capital, erase all of its accumulated losses and put it in better shape to look for new businesses and assets, reported Reuters.

Camerlin, controlled by Malaysian billionaire Quek Leng Chan, said it had yet to calculate the distribution ratio but that shareholders would receive somewhere between 0.65 and 0.67 of a BIL share for each Camerlin share.

'The proposed capital distribution and proposed consolidation will enable Camerlin's shareholders to have direct equity participation in the BIL shares,' it said in a statement.

'The proposed cancellation of accumulated losses will...provide the company with the opportunity to reconstruct its capital structure to facilitate its future plans.'

BIL, formerly known as Brierley Investments, has a global portfolio of investments in the hotels and resorts, and food and beverage industries. Its major investment is in Thistle Hotels, which runs 49 hotels in the United Kingdom and was privatised two years ago for $1.87 billion.

BIL's other key investments are the Denarau and Bass Strait oil and gas properties. It also owns the prestigious Clermont Club casino in Berkeley Square in London's West End, which it bought from Britain's Rank Group.

BIL, which has secondary listings in London and New Zealand, owns, leases or manages more than 11,000 rooms in Britain and claims to be the London's largest hotel operator with more than 6,000 rooms.

Camerlin plans to distribute up to 303.14 million BIL shares, worth about $500 million at the latter's current share price.

Camerlin and its subsidiaries own 304.6 million shares.

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