TUESDAY, 11.30AM:
FORMER WBU junior featherweight champion Cassius Baloyi says he was duped by the California State Athletics Comission over the forced postponement of his world tile bout in the United States at the weekend.
Baloyi and his trainer, Elias Tshabala, both say that the thought of having been scammed crossed their minds. Baloyi was refused permission to fight Sergio Liento for the vacant WBU featherweight title in palm Springs 24 hours after being given a clean bill of health at the weigh in.
An hour before Baloyi was to fight, a CSAC doctor told him he was medically unfit. Baloyi said his cutman had told him that the cancellation was due to Baloyi having “high blood pressure”.
Baloyi’s blood pressure was tested at the weigh-in.
Golden Gloves promotions publicist Terry Pettifer said he expects the confusion to be sorted out within the week.
If Baloyi is successful, the unbeaten pugilist will become only the second South African to have won world titles in two weight divisions.
SPORT BRIEFS
BAFANA STAR PIPS SPRINTERS
BAFANA Bafana and Jomo Cosmos star Macdonald Mukansi qualified for the national championships in the 100 metre and 200 metre sprint on Saturday, much to the chagrin of full-time athletes. Mukansi blistered the track in the 100 with a creditable 10,68 seconds, before taking the 200 in 21,44 seconds.
NIGERIA SNATCHES DRAW
NIGERIA came from behind in the second half to force Jamaica to a 2-2 draw in a pre-World Cup friendly soccer international played in the National Stadium in Kingston Jamaica on Sunday.
ATP RANKINGS AND MONEY WINNERS
SOUTH African tennis star Wayne Ferreira is currently ranked 48th in the world, with Grant Stafford and Marcos Ondruska at 67 and 135 respectively. Ferreira earned $103 738 in 1997.
KRUGER ADVANCES
SOUTH African Joanette Kruger has advanced to the second round of the IGA Tennis Classic in Oklahoma City after beating Australian Rachel McQuillan 3-6 6-2 7-5 on Monday.
SRI LANKA NAME TOURING SQUAD
SRI LANKA on Monday named a 16-man squad led by skipper Arjuna Ranatunga for the upcoming cricket tour of South Africa. Sri Lankan cricket authorities said the tour will run from March 3 to April 25.
Sri Lanka squad:
Arjuna Ranatunga (captain), Aravinda de Silva (vice captaain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Roshan Mahanama, Hashan Tillekeratne, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Kumar Dharmasena, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Ravindra Pushpakumara, Sajeeva de Silva, Mahela Jayawardena, Russel Arnold, Upul Chandana and Pramodya Wickramasinghe.
SAFA BIDS FOR WORLD CUP
THE South African Football Association (Safa) officially announced in Ouagadougou on Monday that South Africa is bidding to host the World Cup Finals in 2006. “We made our formal bid in a submission to the 21st Congress of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on February 10,” said Safa president Molefi Oliphant. Safa CEO Danny Jordaan said Safa has the support of the government in the bid as well as financial backing from sponsors. “We are talking of millions here and we will have no real problem raising the necessary money. It will also be a boost to our economy.”