Azernews.Az

Azerbaijan`s hockey players are embroiled in a furious row with the sport`s governing body over their place in the Beijing Olympics next month.
After losing a crucial qualifying match 3-2 to Spain, in a clash marred by questionable refereeing decisions, the Azerbaijani women`s side was handed a chance of a reprieve after two Spanish players failed a dope test.
But, with just weeks remaining until the opening ceremony in China, sluggish officials at the International Federation of Field Hockey (FIH) have left both teams in a state of limbo.
A hearing on the doping row was held at the end of June, but the results have yet to be published, with FIH spokesman Aryen Meyer admitting he doesn`t know when a decision will be announced.
Even if the Spaniards are found guilty, the Federation`s rules are unclear. The anti-doping charter allows for the possibility of the team being disqualified - and potentially replaced with Azerbaijan - or the individual players being suspended.
In Baku, conspiracy theories reign: the president of the European Hockey Federation, Leandro Negre, is Spanish, leading to suggestions of a cover up.
Although Azerbaijan plans to refer the matter to the Court of Sports Arbitration in Lausanne, there are fears that FIH will delay a decision until it becomes impossible for a binding independent verdict to get them to the Olympics.
In a letter to FIH President Els van Breda Wrisman, the Azerbaijan federation complained of visa problems before an earlier qualifying tournament in Manchester.
They also highlighted their unanswered complaints about refereeing decisions in the decisive qualifying against Spain in Baku last April and explained their anger at the "unethical" comments of the Spanish coach about the way his team was treated.
"If Spain is allowed to play in the Olympics it will cause not only our discontent but also the indignation of the other participants in the Games," the letter concludes.
"If Spain is not excluded the sporting authorities in Azerbaijan will take their protest to the relevant bodies."
Meanwhile the Spanish team, which has complained of players being gassed in their hotel rooms at the Baku tournament and claimed that the team`s food and drink was spiked, is also unhappy.
Head coach Pablo Usoz said: "It`s all fault of sluggish officials of the International federation of field hockey. We still don`t know if our players will receive their permits for Beijing or not.
"Just imagine how our players feel. They prepare, they train but they are uneasy because the whole situation is out of their hands."
The Olympic opening ceremony is on August 8, and the field hockey tournament begins on August 10.