Hockey
BILL COLWILL
The international federation has told India that if they withdraw from their commitment to play England at Milton Keynes on 24 March at the opening of the National Stadium they will be fined and their international teams suspended from competition - including the Olympic Games.
This action follows a comment by the Indian coach during the Olympic qualifying event in Barcelona that India would only be sending a side of Under-21 players and ex-internationals.
The decision of certain members of the Great Britain side returning from Barcelona not to play this weekend, and the absence of England Under-18 players on a training weekend, could cause a few surprises in the cup and league programme.
Southgate have not selected their captain, Soma Singh, and John Shaw - who were in Spain - for their First Division league game today away to Bournville, the coach David Vinson not wishing to disrupt a winning side.
Reading will be without their captain, Jon Wyatt, for their fifth-round HA Cup game away to Richmond and in the league tomorrow at Teddington.
Teddington will be without Britain's captain, Jason Laslett, who was injured against Malaysia last week for their line-up at Bristol against Firebrands in the cup and at home against Reading in the league.
Cup holders Guildford travel to Beeston today, where they should advance to the quarter-finals. They stay in the Midlands for a league game against Cannock who welcome back Chris Mayer and their captain, Kalbur Takher, from the Britain squad.
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