Athens defeat for Simmons

STEVE SIMMONS' dream of becoming the first ever Scottish heavyweight to box for Britain in the Olympics was left in ruins in Athens yesterday.

A controversial computer countback decision, after Simmons had scored the only standing eight count of the bout in the last round after drawing 10-10 at the end of four rounds, cost him victory.

Speaking from Athens, Simmons, of the Leith Victoria club, said: "I'm gutted. I scored the only standing count of the bout in round four when I forced my Romanian opponent, Petrisor Gananau, to take an eight count after clipping him with a crashing right hand and left hook combination.

"I simply couldn't believe it when the judges first announced a 10-10 draw then that I had lost on computer countback."

Leith Victoria club official, Douglas Fraser said: "'The heart of everyone at the club goes out to Steve Simmons."

Britain's other hope for a heavyweight place in Beijing, England's Danny Price, was also eliminated from Olympic contention after losing to a Hungarian in Athens.