FENCING
WANCHAI RUJAWONGSANTI
BEIJING : Nontapat Panchan lost 15-7 to Poland's Slawomir Mocek in his opening match in the men's individual foil yesterday, ending Thailand's interest in fencing in Beijing. After the defeat, Nontapat called on the Fencing Association of Thailand to improve their work or he would quit the national team.
''I will wait and see what the association will do next. If they do not try to make things right, then I will quit,'' he said.
Wiradech ''Willi'' Kothny, the only other Thai in the fencing tournament, announced his retirement from the sport after his loss in his opening match in the men's sabre a day earlier.
Three-time SEA Games champion Nontapat did not have a coach to help him during the match with Wiradech acting as his coach. Nontapat did the same to Wiradech when Wiradech was competing on Tuesday.
''I envy other teams. The Olympics is the most important event but we did not have a coach,'' Nontapat said. ''Willi acted as my coach but he could not help much because he specialises in sabre. He could only give me encouragement.''
After Wiradech lost on Tuesday, he complained that the Fencing Association of Thailand owed around 200,000 baht in travel fees for training overseas.
Nontapat also made a similar claim. He said the association owed him roughly the same amount he paid during the qualification for the Games.
Wiradech and Nontapat had to do everything during the draw as the Thai team manager had not yet arrived in Beijing by that time.
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