Equestrian: Todd heads powerful Olympic eventing team

By SUZANNE McFADDEN and NZPA

Mark Todd has been named in a powerful New Zealand eventing team for the Sydney Olympics, despite the sex and drugs scandal.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee named the six-strong team on its Website last night, a day ahead of the expected announcement.

The team includes Todd, who has been accused by Britain's Sunday Mirror newspaper of taking cocaine and engaging in unprotected gay sex.

The other riders are defending Olympic and world champion Blyth Tait, former world champion Vaughn Jefferis, Daniel Jocelyn, Andrew Nicholson and Paul O'Brien.

Todd, Tait and Nicholson all have two horses in the squad. Todd will ride Diamond Hall Red and Eye Spy, Tait has Chesterfield and Ready Teddy, and Nicholson will ride New York and Dawdle.

Todd, Tait, Nicholson and Jefferis were near certainties to make the team, while O'Brien and Jocelyn, who are based in Europe, are lesser kown.

O'Brien is a newcomer to the squad with his horse Enzed. They turned in a top-class performance to take 10th place at Badminton in May.

The 31-year-old began riding 18 years ago before moving to England in 1990 to further his career.

O'Brien scored his biggest international success to date this month when Rock It won the Breda three-day event in Holland.

Jocelyn, who grew up in Wainuiomata, near Wellington, has been competing in England since 1996.

Riding his mount Silence, he finished eighth at Badminton last yeaer and 16th at the Lexington four-star competition in Kentucky earlier this year.

Four places are available in the teams competition and three in the individual event. A decision on who competes in which event will be left until the final veterinary inspection in Sydney.

Todd refused comment on his selection unntil after the official announcement today.

The double Olympic gold medallist and the most famous equestrian rider in history has remained tight-lipped about the Sunday Mirror's allegations.

But with him being named in the team, the New Zealand Olympic Committee and the sport he represents will have been satisfied that he is still a "good role model" for young New Zealanders.

The NZOC had sought a reassurance from Eventing NZ that all chosen riders could serve as examples to the country's sporting youth - an edict set down for all Olumpic sports.

Eventing NZ gave that guarantee yesterday.

The sport was also reminded that all their Olympic contenders had signed contracts stating they would not use prohibited drugs before or during the Games.

Before the announcement of the team, NZOC general secretary Michael Hooper reiterated the committee's stance on the Todd situation.

"It is not our role to investigate unsubstantiated rumours made through a tabloid newspaper," he said. "His selection will be based solely on the criteria set down by Eventing New Zealand and the NZOC."

The chairman of Eventing NZ, Scott Carter, said: "Nothing has changed from our perspective. It really is business as usual."

Eventing NZ had previously said Todd would be selected for the Olympics unless the allegations against him were proved.

Carter declined to say whether he had asked Todd to deny the allegations.

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