Squash: Mir banned from Open

MIR ZAMAN GUL, of Pakistan, has been banned from next year's British Open and fined pounds 500 for the head-butt which caused his disqualification from this year's British Open seven weeks ago, writes Richard Eaton.

The punishments, imposed yesterday by the Squash Rackets Association (the English governing body), follow a four- month ban and a pounds 1,500 fine last month by the Professional Squash Association, the players' governing body which runs the mens' world circuit.

The SRA's disciplinary panel said that Mir's actions were 'wholly inappropriate for a squash player and brought the game into disrepute'.

The PSA also fined Anthony Hill pounds 100 on the grounds that the Australian provoked the head-butt - yet curiously the SRA has not sought to punish Mir's opponent at all.