Aussie squad gets even more iffy

Australia met the International Olympic Committee (IOC) selection deadline on Friday, naming a team of 628 athletes although more appeals by athletes for inclusion are to come.

In another day of selection controversies, 100 metres runner Tania Van Heer was invited to train with the Australian relay squad but was not officially included in the team.

Van Heer broke down in tears on Thursday after running the qualifying time of 11.6 seconds then being told her selection was in doubt because the tailwind of 2.6 metres a second was above the legal limit.

Her Olympic hopes remain alive but those of 1992 Barcelona cycling gold medallist Kathy Watt were killed off when she lost an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Friday, as did fellow rider Brent Dawson.

Former world champion triathlete Emma Carney's appeal is yet to be resolved.

Track athlete Craig Mottram, who finished 11th after falling in the 1,500 metres last week, will take part in a special race-off in Adelaide on Saturday.

Kayakers Jacqui Mengler and Yanda Nossiter for the K4 crew and volleyballer Kylie Gerlic are also appealing against their non-selection.

An AOC statement said six athletes from five sports, triathlon, women's volleyball, fencing, shooting and canoeing had appeals pending.

"In relation to all track and field athletes entered today, the AOC has until September 20 to confirm entries for individual events and relays," the statement said.

Senior IOC official Jacques Rogge this week suggested Australia, the Olympic host nation, was inviting problems by having key selection trials like the athletics championships last weekend.

The IOC's deadline for countries to submit their national teams was on Friday, even though a number of sports do not require countries to provide their final entry lists until just before the opening ceremony on September 15.

The AOC system allows appeals to the individual sport, then an independent appeals panel, and finally CAS. The system has already been backed by a Sydney court after one disgruntled athlete went to the New South Wales Appeals Court to challenge the authority of CAS only to be told the court had no jurisdiction to hear the case.

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