Published>Sun, Nov 14 10 08:37 AM
Indian fury at China's refusal to clear their horses for competition threatened to sour the hosts' celebrations as they hoarded 19 out of 28 golds on day one of competition at the Guangzhou Asian Games on Saturday.
The Indian equestrian federation had planned to bring eight horses to the events starting in the southern Chinese city on Sunday, but accused China's quarantine authority of discrimination and personal agendas after the horses were rejected for failing a veterinary test.
"Indian horses are fit and healthy for participation at 16th Asian Games," India's equestrian federation said in a statement.
"It is because of reasons other than the veterinary ... and deliberate misinterpretation of lab reports, biased and malicious approach on the part of (quarantine authority) AQSIQ China that all of the eight horses have not been given permits for entry in Guangzhou."
Guangzhou's quarantine authority was unavailable for comment, while two organising officials for the equestrian tournament said they were unaware of the decision.
The sport's world governing body, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), said it had urged the Chinese authorities to clear the horses but said the issue was now a "government to government" matter.
"We regret that any country would not be able to compete in an international equestrian event ... It's absolutely not ideal that it's come at the 11th hour," Graeme Cooke, the director of the FEI's veterinary department, told Reuters.
DANCE PANACHE
The feud overshadowed a stellar day for the hosts.
China swept all five golds in the first of two days of dance sports, displaying a panache for the cha cha cha, waltz and foxtrot at odds with stereotypes of intense Chinese athletes.
The hosts kicked off their gold rush early, notching the day's first title in Wushu, the gymnastic native martial art, as Bruce Lee fan and two-time world champion Yuan Xiaochao defended his Doha gold in the Changquan or "long fist" routine.
"There is a saying that lessons you learn stay with you for ever," Yuan, reportedly born to a famous martial art family in eastern China, told reporters.
China has set itself the task of surpassing the 165 gold medals it won at the previous Asian Games in Doha four years ago. Yi Siling, nicknamed the "Shooting Beauty", did her bit for the cause, leading the women to team gold in the 10-metre air rifle and taking the individual title herself.
Under a hot sun at Aoti Stadium, the pressure got to South Korea's 50m pistol Olympic champion, Jin Jong-ho. He sprayed his second-last shot for a score of 7.7 to open the door for unheralded Chinese Pu Qifeng to mount one of the day's biggest upsets.
Jin had to settle for a team gold medal in the 50m pistol instead, as South Korea became one of only three nations to prise a title from the hosts, who won five out of six in the shooting, four out of six in the pool and both weightlifting golds on a sweltering autumn day.
DETERIORATING TIES
Japan finished the day with only five fewer medals overall, taking four golds, including two in the pool and one apiece in triathlon and judo.
Korea secured four golds to draw level with rivals Japan, including three in Japan's native martial art of judo.
China capped their excellent day with gold in the men's team gymnastics, thrashing Japan and sending fans delirious.
Fears that Japanese fans would come in for rough treatment from the home crowd amid deteriorating ties between the countries proved largely unfounded.
"On the sports pitch this tension is natural, they fought hard," said office worker Lin Qianghong after a tense bout between a Japanese judoka and a Chinese opponent. "But politics shouldn't come into it."
Cricket made its debut at the Asian Games, with the hosts romping home in their Twenty20 match against Malaysia's women.
Thirty-five medals will be contested on Sunday, with multiple Olympic breastroke champion Kosuke Kitajima hoping to head Japan's fightback against China in the pool.
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