Loughborough take bronze

Loughborough students' brave efforts to restore England to the élite European Indoor Club Championship tournament for next year's competition for the first time since 1999 failed in Ekaterinburg yesterday in bizarre circumstances.

Loughborough students' brave efforts to restore England to the élite European Indoor Club Championship tournament for next year's competition for the first time since 1999 failed in Ekaterinburg yesterday in bizarre circumstances.

After losing to Dynamo Ekaterinburg in a penalty shoot-out after a 4-4 draw in the semi-final on Saturday, Loughborough were under the impression that their dreams had been dashed. Not so. Following a tip-off from your correspondent, enquiries were made, and yesterday morning before play the teams were told of the new rules - which had been posted last October.

Due to the incredible incompetence of the officials, the Saturday evening games were designated as semi-finals when they should have been second games in the promotion pool.

So Loughborough were left needing to win against Roma in their final game to win the Trophy and one of the two promotion spots. Loughborough lost 4-2 and had to settle for the bronze. Menzieshill finished second to Roma to gain promotion for Scotland to the élite Division.