National squash duty on hold
TULLY'S Lisa Camilleri has had a second squash tournament affected by terrorist attacks after Australia pulled out of this month's world international doubles championships in India.
Squash Australia announced yesterday Australia would not compete at the tournament, which is due to start in Chennai on December 15, following the deadly attacks in Mumbai that left 188 people dead.
Camilleri was playing in the Wah Cantt Open in Pakistan in August when two suicide attacks at a nearby factory almost forced the tournament to be cancelled.
The 25-year-old stayed on and ended up winning the tournament.
The victory came during a brilliant run that helped her world ranking improve to 35.
Squash Australia chief executive Gary O’Donnell said Camilleri’s Australian women’s team, competing in Egypt at the world teams championship, were "very uncomfortable" about travelling to India.
"The situation is exacerbated by the fact that Kasey Brown and Donna Urquhart were delayed in Bangkok en route to Cairo for many hours because of the civil unrest (in Thailand)," O’Donnell said.
"The scale of the recent Mumbai attacks and the stark warning from the Australian Government left us with no option but to withdraw."
Camilleri has helped Australia secure a quarter-final berth in the tournament in Cairo.
The Australian debutant beat Japan’s Kozue Onizawa 11-8, 11-5, 11-6 then managed to overcome Canada’s Carolyn Russell to win 7-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7.
Australia was due to play Egypt overnight to determine who topped the pool and had the easier quarter-final.
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