Axed Singaporean shot-putters' appeal thrown out

SINGAPORE, Oct 20 (Reuters) Axed Singaporean shot-putters Zhang Guirong and Du Xianhui's plea for clemency has been thrown out and the pair will miss December's Asian Games in Doha.

The Singapore Athletic Association (SAA) dismissed their appeal, saying it had contained no sincerity.

The pair were thrown off the squad last Friday after failing to provide accurate addresses of their residence in China -- where they have been training since July.

The sport's world governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), needed the addresses to facilitate random out-of-competition testing and both women had been warned several times to supply the information.

''Everything seems meaningless now. It's very painful and it feels like we're facing a firing squad,'' 28-year-old Zhang said at the time.

Since July, 24-year-old Du has been based at the Beijing Sports University, while Zhang has been training at the Shenyang Sports School.

SAA president Loh Lin Kok told the Straits Times today that there had been no sincerity in the pair's appeal.

''In their appeal, they failed to explain why they chose to play hide-and-seek games,'' he told the broadsheet.

The Asian Games take place in Doha from Dec. 1-15.

REUTERS AY HS1039