China banned from games

SWIMMING

China became the first country to be excluded from a major sporting event for drug use when the Pan Pacific Swimming Association decided to bar them from this year's championships.

"We're tired of competing against Chinese who are cheating," Harold Cliff, the director of Swimming Canada, said at the association's meeting in Honolulu. Australia and Canada backed the United States' resolution but Japan voted against the ban.

The association said that the suspension would enable the Chinese to clean up the sport under the guidance of the International Swimming Federation (Fina) in order to be able to compete at the 1996 Olympics.

However, the secretary of Fina, Gunnar Werner, said he was dismayed by the ban.

"I don't think this type of action is the best way of dealing with a problem like this. This could have serious consequences for the Olympics," he said.

Werner said Fina had tried to persuade America not to call for a ban before the Chinese had a chance to clear themselves or complete their own investigation.