Sporting Digest: Athletics

KATRIN KRABBE, the German sprinter banned for drug abuse, last night had her request to be registered by her club for a qualifying event for the German indoor championships rejected. The Neubrandenburg club refused to put forward the names of Krabbe and her team-mates Grit Breuer and Manuela Derr, all of whom were banned for taking clenbuterol in 1992, for the event in Rostock on 22 January. The club said it had promised to send other athletes to the Rostock event.

MA JUNREN, the Chinese coach, has dropped Liu Dong, the women's 1500 metres world champion, from his squad after she walked out of the Liaoning training camp when ordered to break off a romance and get her hair cut.