SPORT LIST
SLORT
The List selection of the best in sporting events overthe next fortnight. Sport is listed first by event and then by day.
Ill
ARCHERY Sunday26
I Scottish Indoor Championships Bellahouston Sports Centre. Bellahouston Drive. Glasgow. 10.30am. Titles in the Men's. Women'sJuniors' and Handicapped categories.
ATHLETICS Friday 23
I Dairy Crest Games: Great Britain vGerman Democratic Republic Kelvin Hall. Argyle Street. (ilasgow. (i.3(lpm. £6. See panel.
Saturday 24
I Scottish Cross Country Championships (Men) Beach Park. Irvine. Various events. with the senior men's race beginningat approximately 2pm. Tommy Murray defends his senior title (over a 7.5 mile course) in what promises to bean exciting meeting. given the centenary celebrations of the Scottish Cross-Country Union.
Sunday 25
I Scottish Universities v Scottish Districtsv Scottish Schools v Birmingham Universityv Loughborough University Kelvin Hall. Argyle Street. Glasgow. 1 1am. A bit ofa mouthful of a title. but still worth savouring. lain Hamer. the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist for Wales in the Slxxlm will be representing Scottish Universities. as will other Auckland participants. such as Dave Clark and Jamie Henderson.
Saturday 3—Sunday 4
I'European Indoor Championships Kelvin Hall. Argyle Street. Glasgow. Illam, SOLD ()1 'T. A prestige event.
commensurate with Glasgow‘s mantle as European City of Culture and coinciding with the rise of British Athletics as reflected in the Europa Cup victory in Gateshead last year.
BASKETBALL Friday 23
WOMEN'S FIRST DIVISION
I Edinburgh Royals v City of Edinburgh Forrester High School. Broomhouse Road. Edinburgh. 7.45pm.
Sunday25
WOMEN'S FIRST DIVISION
I MIM V Bo'ness Wildcats The Forum. Livingston. 1pm.
I Boroughmuir Aces v Paisley Meadowbank Sports Centre. London Road. Edinburgh. 1.15pm.
MEN'S FIRST DIVISION
I Cumnock v City of Edinburgh Cumnock Academy. Ayr Road. Cumnock. 3pm. I Boroughmuirv Paisley Meadowbank Sports Centre. London Road. Edinburgh. 3pm.
‘ Wednesday 28
MEN'S FIRST DIVISION I Cumnock v East End Cumnock Academy. Ayr Road. Cumnock.8. 15pm.
Friday 2
I Under-15 Boys Scotland v England Wishaw Sports Centre. Alexander Street. Wishaw. 7pm. The last ofthe home international series. which unfortunately has not been too successful for Scotland. having already lost against Ireland and Wales.
Sunday4
WOMEN’S FIRST DIVISION
I City of Edinburgh V MIM Tynecastle High School. McLeod Street. Edinburgh. 3.15pm. An early opportunity for City to reverse their cup final defeat. when they lost 43-73 a couple of weeks ago at the Kelvin Hall.
I Paisley v Edinburgh Royals Barrhead Sports Centre. Main Street. Barrhead. 1.45pm.
MEN'S FIRST DIVISION I Paisley v Cumnock Barrhead Sports Centre. Main Street. Barrhead. 3.45pm.
I Kitchens Plus Saints v Boroughmuir Newbattle High School. Dalkeith. near Edinburgh. 4. 15pm.
I MIM v East End The Forum. Livingston. 3pm. Whether MIM play internationalist lain MacLean might depend on the outcome of a full-scale investigation by the Scottish Basketball Association into the events surrounding MacLean‘s disqualification in the recent game against Kitchens Plus Saints. Apparently. having indulged in a euphemistic ‘scuffie' with Alex Ramage ofthe Dalkeith side. MacLean kicked the ball at the referee. George Maxwell. with the result that he was sent packing from the hall. However. returning a couple of minutes later (asa spectator. so claims the MIM coach who kept a low profile throughout. it seems). MacLean proceeded to conduct a verbal argument with Ramage from the gallery. Eventually. the referee felt that he could do nothing else but abandon the game with only five minutes to go. MIM were leading 118-50.
CURLING Thursday 22--Sunday 25
I Bell‘s Islander Scottish Championship Central Scotland Ice Rink. Dunkeld Road. Perth. Thursday and Friday each from 10am; Saturday sees the end ofthe round robin tournament with games at 9am and 1pm: Sunday sees the first semi-final begin at 9am. with the second from 10am. and the filial scheduled for 4pm though this might change if BBC'I'V feel that STV coverage of the Celtic v Rangers Cup match poses too much ofa threat to their viewing figures. Despite the elimination of last year's winner. (iraeme Adam. at the playdown stage. there are four previous Scottish champions participating in the field often rinks. ()f the ten. current European champion. Hammy McMillan. from Stranraer. has still to win the title. However. along with Perth's David Smith. he must be a favourite to win and therefore qualify as Scotland's representative in the World Championships. which are being held in Vasteras. Sweden. from 31 Mar.
Glasgow
I Race Days (ireyhound racing now takes place five times a week: on Mondays. Tuesdays. Thursdays. Fridays and Saturdays; with It) races on a Monday and Friday. II on a Tuesday and Thursday. 13 on a Saturday. All races begin at 7.45pm. except on a Saturday. when proceedings commence at 7.30pm. Shawfield Stadium. Rutherglen Road. (ilasgow.
Edinburgh
I Race Days Monday. Wednesday and
ON THE CREST OF A WAVE
if"? 1 -' ll ‘ The political turmoil experienced by East Germany over the last few months has left its mark on the country’s previously controversial approach to sport. Fora political regime which pretended to operate a communist
system, its phenomenal record in the
66 ‘l he list 23 February — S March 1990
world's sporting arenas was built on extremer elitist lines. Obviously, East Germany's political mandarins of the recent past saw sport as a vehicle to parade a grandiose self-image. However, with the fall of Honecker and his pals, there is now the prospect of replacing the country’s sports organisation with something more egalitarian. How quickly structural changes will manifest themselves as reversals in corrupt practice remains to be seen. Mindful of George Orwell‘s remark suggesting that sport was little more than war without the shooting, the pressures to net metallic reward in international competition must make it increasingly difficult for athletes and administrators to ignore the temptations afforded by drug abuse and political patronage. It is known that at least one East German shot-putter (oi indeterminate sex, though competing as a woman) returned to successful international competition a matter of eighteen months after having been banned for steroid abuse. Few countries, not even the evangelical
Brits, have been able to monitor themselves to such an extent that they can safely claim to be untarnished.
Nonetheless, we must remain hopeful that in a spirit of self-examination, East Germany shows the way forward in its quest to eliminate the less happy sides to athletics.
As to the current squad, obviously a product of the previous system, it would be toolhardy to presume anything suspicious, particularly about individuals. All that can be guaranteed is that the team will be very strong and
probably difficult to beat. It promises to
be a great contest, given that British athletics is riding on the crest of a wave at present, following tremendous performances at the Olympics in 1988, the Europa and World Cups last year and (at least as far as England is concerned) the Commonwealth Games a month ago.
The Great British team will include Peter Elliott, making his first UK appearance since his 1500m gold in Auckland. While the Olympic silver
medalist had originally opted to run in the 800m, therefore raising the possibility of a meeting with Jens-Peter Herold, the 24 year old who won a bronze medal in Seoul, and Scotland's blue-eyed boy, Tom McCanny-get-ma-tactics-right McKean, he has since chosen to compete in the longer event.
Liz McColgan, without doubt Scotland’s favourite daughter at the moment, competes in the 3000m. in a race which includes Bev Nicholson, a bronze medalist for England in the Commonwealth Games.
Indeed, the squad is liberally sprinkled with Olympic and Commonwealth medalists, such as Linford Christie, Marcus Adam, Dalton Grant, and John Regis. In total, 41 athletes who competed at Auckland will be appearing, 10 of whom won gold and a further 18 who won silver or bronze.
So, hot-foot it across to the Kelvin Hall. (Mike Wilson)
GB v GDR, Friday 23, Kelvin Hall,
Glasgow.