Commonwealth Games
Australian hockey player Matt Dawson has made the ultimate sacrifice to be at the Paris Olympics by having part of his finger amputated in order to play.
The 30-year-old, who was a member of the silver medal-winning team three years ago in Tokyo, recently broke the ring finger on his right hand, plunging his bid to compete at a third Olympics into doubt.
Doctors advised him to put it in a cast and let it recover or have the top cut off.
He opted for the latter, undergoing surgery this week.
Meanwhile, teenage gymnast Shoko Miyata has been pulled from Japan's team for the Paris Olympics after being caught smoking and drinking.
The 19-year-old, a world bronze medallist and captain of Japan's women's gymnastics team for the Games, was sent home from their training camp in Monaco and admitted she had violated their code of conduct.
"With her confirmation and after discussions on all sides, it has been decided that she will withdraw from the Olympics," Japan Gymnastics Association (JGA) secretary general Kenji Nishimura told reporters in Tokyo.
Nishimura said the association had been told that Miyata was seen smoking in a private setting in Tokyo some time at the end of June or beginning of July.
She also reportedly drank alcohol in a room at Japan's national training centre.
Smoking and drinking are both illegal under the age of 20 in Japan.
(FILES) Japan's Shoko Miyata (KENZO TRIBOUILLARD AFP)
