Basketball: Bullets set to re-sign Rolston after Bolton is taken ill

Birmingham Bullets are hoping to re-sign Kyle Rolston, the player they axed 10 days ago to make way for his fellow American Jeff Bolton, who is now returning to the States with a "serious viral condition".

Bolton played a few minutes in the Bullets' defeat at Thames Valley Tigers last Wednesday, but collapsed in training the next day and was admitted to hospital for tests. The Bullets' coach Tony Garbelotto used the club's last permitted registration of a non-national by signing another American, Ronnie Griffin, to beat Friday's transfer deadline. The club were then told by the hospital that Bolton's condition would render him unable to play for the foreseeable future and that he should return to America.

The BBL chief executive Mike Smith was still waiting for the Bullets' written submission last night and, in any case, he might not decide on the matter. If the club appeal for a special dispensation to revoke the rule on eight non-national registrations per season, that would be considered by the BBL's management board, comprising one member from each of the 11 clubs. Vested interests might then push the BBL towards more independent arbitration.

Smith is anxious for the affair to be resolved before Birmingham's BBL game at Essex Leopards on Friday, a day before the Bullets face London Towers in the BBL Trophy semi-finals.

Rolston trained with the Bullets yesterday and Garbelotto said: "Kyle is frustrated about what happened, but he now sees this as a chance to continue being part of what we are trying to achieve. We have been advised by doctors that Jeff needs to go home. He has some sort of viral infection which is very serious."