MARK TODD, PLEASE PHONE HOME

New Zealand's top Olympic authority wants Mark Todd to tell it if he
snorted cocaine, but the equestrian champion is refusing to phone home.

For the past two weeks the New Zealand Olympic Committee has been trying
without success to contact the gold medallist over drug-taking allegations
made by Britain's Sunday Mirror.

The committee is also taking action over a statement by an equestrian
selector that she did not "give a hoot" if Todd took drugs.

The general secretary of the committee, Mike Hooper, said he had formally
complained after seeing the comments by Eventing New Zealand selector Joan
McCall on the website of the British newspaper.

The Mirror refreshed the sex and drugs scandal earlier this week,
publishing a blurry photo of a man leaning over a table, which they said
was Todd snorting cocaine.

Rights to the picture have been acquired by a New Zealand agency.

Responding to allegations that Todd snorted cocaine in a hotel room, Joan
McCall is quoted as saying: "If he did take it, it was probably a one-off
thing.

"I don't give a hoot."

The Equestrian Federation told Mr Hooper that Joan McCall's comments were
taken out of context and Eventing New Zealand said she was a junior member
of the selection panel and not an authorised spokeswoman.

But Mr Hooper said the comments were disgraceful.

"What sort of message is this sending to sportsmen and sportswomen in New
Zealand? In equestrian sport or in any sport, that it is okay to take
[cocaine]. That it's okay to smoke heroin?

"... It's disgraceful and totally inappropriate for a selector to be making
those sorts of comments."

Mr Hooper said the committee wanted to see the whole matter clarified "and
there's only one person who can do that and that's Mark himself.

"We've made approaches through his lawyers and agents here and we've not
had a response," he said.

"He should clarify this situation as soon as possible and if he's guilty of
what's been alleged then he should not be on our team."

Debate has raged around the country over Todd's eligibility for this year's
Olympic Games after he refused to declare his innocence or guilt over the
cocaine allegations.

Cocaine is banned by the International Olympic Committee.

The New Zealand committee's president, Sir David Beattie, who stands down
in October, declined to comment yesterday on the Todd saga.

He said he might have to make a judgment on Todd's place in the Olympic
team and did not want to appear to be biased.

Meanwhile, committee president-in-waiting John Davies was clear about his
views.

He said Todd's silence was causing the sporting community embarrassment and
damaging the country's reputation in overseas sporting circles.

Mr Davies fears the Mirror will publish more sordid information about the
incident during the Olympics.