Equestrian: Todd has press pack on tight rein

By EUGENE BINGHAM

SYDNEY - The first head-to-head showdown of these Olympics played out in a fitted-out warehouse on the outskirts of an industrial park.

Mark Todd, double gold medallist and centre of controversy for 14 weeks, was in the same room as the international media.

Sure, there will be greater, more eagerly contested match-ups on the sporting fields of Sydney over the next three weeks.

But there was as much tension in the air for this press conference as a much-anticipated duel of a more pure kind.

Mate against mate this was not.

Todd joined his fellow three-day eventing team members on a tiny stage in a small room at the Olympic headquarters of New Zealand team sponsor Reebok on Saturday.

The warehouse, at the Slough Industrial Park near Homebush, was a low-key venue for the champion equestrian's first major public appearance since a British tabloid published its drug allegations.

The press conference was supposed to be for the whole eventing team. But it was Todd's presence that drew interest from several overseas news networks, including America's NBC.

Forty-four-year-old Todd began with a prepared speech making it clear he was here to talk about the competition, not cocaine.

"We all realise you guys have got a job to do in reporting the Olympics and I would just like you to realise we've got a very important job to do as well," he said.

"We would like to have the freedom to really focus on this competition. We will be happy to answer any questions involving the Olympic Games or the equestrian side of the sport."

An Australian newspaper reporter then asked if those restrictions meant Todd would be prepared to tell the people of Australia if he was a cocaine user.

The reply was swift. "It means you can ask anything you like about the Olympic Games or equestrian."

Pressed by the reporter on the drugs issue, Todd replied: "I don't think that comes under the category I've just said. I've been selected to come here, and I'm here. Thank you. Any other questions?"

No one spoke. Then slowly came questions about the team's goals and preparations. But always Todd was on guard. Asked whether he had been able to prepare adequately given the events of recent months, he replied tersely: "I think my focus is pretty good, actually."

And later he bristled when asked about drugs at the Games.

"I've never known drugs to be an issue in equestrian sport."

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