Controversy on opening day in Manchester

12.00pm

MANCHESTER - The Commonwealth Games opened with controversies involving drugs in sport and a famous missing athlete.

Russian-born Australian Irina Lashko and Canadian teenager Alexandre Despatie won the first two gold medals of the Games in the diving pool before the 17-sport event opened with a ceremony featuring a mix of funky music and marching Grenadier Guards.

But the ever-increasing problem of doping was thrust into the spotlight when Australian shooter Phillip Adams, the most prolific medal winner in Commonwealth Games history, was given permission to compete despite failing a drugs test.

Adams tested positive for a banned diuretic on June 25 but was given the go-ahead to take part by an Australian Shooting Association (ASA) tribunal because he took the drug to treat high blood pressure.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), which runs the Games, said 56-year-old Adams, who has won 17 medals between 1982 and 1994, could compete for the moment but said its medical commission would investigate the case fully.

Australian chef de mission Don Stockins said Australia was correct to approve the participation of Adams who described the affair as "just a mistake".

Stockins said: "Certainly it's not good for this to happen. We could do without it, but the proper process has been applied."

South Africa announced that its former Olympic silver medallist Hezekiel Sepeng faced disciplinary action after being withdrawn from the national squad on Thursday for failing to turn up to the 72-nation event.

The absence of Sepeng struck a severe blow to South Africa's medal hopes at the Manchester event.

"He was withdrawn because he failed to follow the instruction that was issued to him by his federation. That was to arrive in the Games village last night at 8.15 (7.15am today NZT)," South African team spokeswoman Jody Ann Jones said.

Sepeng, South Africa's flag bearer at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, won silver in the 800 metres at the Atlanta Games in 1996 and was also second in the 1999 world championships. Team chief Banele Sindani said Sepeng's whereabouts were unknown.

Lashko, who was competing at the Olympics when Despatie was only three years old, prevailed in a duel on the women's one-metre springboard with Canada's Blythe Hartley.

Despatie, who captured his first Commonwealth title at the age of 13, claimed a second when he won the men's one-metre springboard final.

- REUTERS

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