March 21, 2008	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 12, 1429

BEIJING, March 20: World number 10 Tie Yana is still hoping to represent Hong Kong at the Beijing Olympics after she and two other Chinese-born players were ruled ineligible by the international governing body this week.

Tie and world number 11 Lin Ling represented the former British colony at the 2004 Athens Games but both were barred by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) along with Zhang Rui because they do not hold Hong Kong passports.

“We’ve been in Hong Kong for more than six years and played at the last Olympics, why are we banned now?” Tie said. “I’m just counting on God, at least I’ve got many friends caring for and supporting me.”

Tie received special International Olympic Committee (IOC) approval to represent Hong Kong at the Athens Olympics, where she reached the quarter-final.

Hong Kong Olympic Committee President and IOC member Timothy Fok was trying to attain a special dispensation from the governing body of the Olympics for the trio, Ta Kung Pao newspaper reported earlier this month.

“I hope the IOC can consider the special situation of Hong Kong ... and give them eligibility again,” he said.

If his appeal is rejected by the IOC, Tie and Lin’s spots in the Games would go to Hong Kong passport-holding Lau Sui Fei and Luxembourg’s Chinese-born Ni Xia Lian, according to a statement on the ITTF website.—Reuters