Prean refuses England call

Table tennis

Carl Prean, the national champion, has refused to play for England in today's European Superleague match against Austria at Leeds because Chen Xinhua, this country's leading player for most of the past five years, is in the team writes James Leigh.

Prean claims Chen assaulted him during the World Championships in Tianjin in May, an allegation which is denied by the Yorkshire-based former Chinese international.

Prean refused to play for England earlier this season but it was hoped he would have a change of heart after the decision by the National Council of the English Table Tennis Association last week - apparently against its management committee's wishes - that he should be allowed to represent Britain at next year's Olympic Games.