BANGKOK: A local college band caused an uproar at an Asian Games preliminary soccer match by playing the Saudi Arabian national anthem for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) soccer team.

The anthem, played before the UAE team was to face North Korea in the Southern Songkla province late last evening, prompted a strong protest from the visibly upset UAE team's manager.

But an apology from the provincial governor who happened to be at the stadium saved the day.

``The UAE team manager finally accepted the apology from the provincial governor and forgave the hosts,'' said a witness to the incident who was at the stadium to watch the match.

At the end of the day, there was some consolation for the UAE team. They beat North Korea 7-4 on penalty kicks, after the game ended in a 3-3 draw at the end of 90 minutes.

Big Lankan team for Games

COLOMBO: Confident of putting up a strong show in athletics, Sri Lanka has sent by far its largest contingent of 128sports persons and officials to the 13th Asian Games beginning in Bangkok on Sunday.

`The Jumbo team', as it is called by local press, would compete in 12 of the 36 disciplines and hunt for country's first gold medal in 24 years. Sri Lanka won the gold in 4x400m relay in 1974 Asian Games at Tehran and failed to taste gold in the last five successive fixtures.

But the Sri Lankan team hoped to break the `hoodoo' this time with some of the strongest athletes ever produced by the country including Susanthika Jayasinghe appearing for them.

``We are aiming for five to six athletic gold medals in the coming Asian Games,'' the national athletic coach, Dervin Perera told the state-run `Daily News' newspaper. He said Sri Lanka has fair chance of winning the gold in men's 4x400m, women's 100m, 200m, 400m, and 4x400m relay.

Philippines promises $ 51,000 to winners

MANILA: Philippine president Joseph Estrada promised to give $ 51,200 to any Filipino athlete who wins a gold medal during the 13thAsian Games this month in Thailand.

Estrada made the promise yesterday during sendoff ceremonies at the presidential palace for his country's 400-person delegation, which includes 257 athletes.

``I have no doubt that you will perform well,'' he said. ``I have always believed in the skill and the fighting spirit of the Filipinos, especially our athletes.''

Athletes worried about pollution

BANGKOK: Where there's bad traffic, there's bad pollution, so athletes taking part in the 13th Asian Games beginning Sunday in Bangkok ought to be worried, right?

Yes and no.

The harmful effects of pollutants such as ozone, carbon monoxide, fine particles, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and lead are well known. Air pollution contributes to lung disease, including respiratory tract infections, asthma and lung cancer.

A person taking rigorous exercise increases his intake of air by as much as ten times over his intake at rest. For endurance athletes, such as marathon runners and cyclists, the increase iseven higher.

At the same time, breathing through the mouth bypasses the nose, the body's natural filter against impurities in the air.

All of which means that if there are nasty things in the air, an athlete will get more than his or her fair share.

Carbon isotope to weed out cheats

BANGKOK: The last Asian Games produced their doping shock weeks after everyone had left Hiroshima, when belated test results showed eleven Chinese athletes including seven medal-winning swimmers had cheated.

This time around, the screws have been tightened further with the help of a new $ 2.5 million carbon isotope spectrometer. Officials hope it will show up the tiniest traces of stimulants or hormones -- and its deterrent effect will also put the cheats off.

One in ten of the more than 7,000 athletes expected at the Games which open Sunday faces a doping test of some sort during the two- week event, says Thongtavat Anukarahanonpa of Thailand's doping control centre.

Hormones, stimulants, steroids, maskingdiuretics -- the list is long, the technology getting better on both sides of the doping war, and the lure of huge reward just as great as ever for the tempted.

Bugs still bug officials

BANGKOK: A plague of insects filling up the main swimming pools at the 13th Asian Games has been cut in half by spraying insecticides, but officials have said that's not good enough.

``I want something more drastic, because this is embarrassing,'' assistant pool manager Amthon Plaengtaisong said.``I want to see no insect in the swimming pool the day racing starts.''

Large-scale spraying was carried out Monday and is scheduled again for Saturday at the pool and other venues. Officials claimed chemicals being used will be harmless to the thousands of athletes and spectators turning out daily after the Games open Sunday.

``Please don't worry, we are taking care of it,'' said Kamala Sangsrithong, manager of the Aquatic center. ``I assure you that this insect problem will be overcome before the Gamesstart.''

Promising athletes from Myanmar

YANGON: A senior leader of Myanmar's military government has urged the country's athletes to fulfill their national duty and bring back medals from the 13th Asian Games opening Sunday in neighbouring Thailand.

Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, the powerful head of military intelligence and chairman of the National Olympic Council, was quoted today in official newspapers as saying Myanmar's team should strive not just for experience, but medals.

``We are sending promising athletes who will bring top honuors for the country,'' Khin Nyunt said. ``Bearing in mind that a national duty has been laid upon you, Myanmar athletes must try their utmost to bring home medals.''

Flame on its way

BANGKOK: Thailand, hosting the Asian Games for a record fourth time, kindled the flame and sent it on its way with plenty of the royal ritual this country relishes.

Using an ancient magnifying lens known as the Surayakarn glass, the country's revered king Bhumibol Adulyadejlit the Games flame from the rays of the sun at Bangkok's Chitrlada royal palace.

He then handed it over to Bangkok Asian Games organising committee (BAGOC) chairman, deputy Prime Minister Bhichai Rattakul, in an act meant as an auspicious start in this superstitious land.

Mounted on a traditional Thai-style Busabok pavilion of golden teak, it was then transported by an ancient royal carriage to the nearby Sanam Luang field for three days of pre-Games celebrations which coincide with the king's birthday, a top Thai event.