A row over Fiji's participation at this year's Glasgow Commonwealth Games "may lead to a boycott, but it will not derail their plans of winning" this weekend's Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sevens title for a third year in a row, according to John Carney of the SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. Fiji sevens coach Ben Ryan and former player Waisale Serevi said that the Commonwealth Games dispute "would only motivate the champions to perform even better in Hong Kong and help them claim their ultimate goal of winning a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics." Fiji on Tuesday "threatened to boycott the Glasgow Games from July 23 to August 3 after being told their mercurial sevens side would not be eligible to compete." Earlier this month, Fiji was readmitted to the Games fold, "ending years of isolation" following a '06 military coup. The return, though, "was only approved after the draw for the Glasgow sevens tournament was completed, with the qualification rules making no provision for late entries" (SCMP, 3/25). The PTI reported a miffed Hockey India on Saturday asked the Indian Olympic Association "to withdraw the men's hockey team from the Glasgow Commonwealth Games" after it came to light that full-back Harbir Singh Sandhu has been denied accreditation by the organizers of the 2014 CWG. Harbir, whose name featured in the 28-member provisional list of the men's hockey team for the Glasgow Games, "has been denied accreditation for the mega-event following a UK Home Office Background Check result" (PTI, 3/22).
