MICHAEL HALL FORCED TO WITHDRAW FROM ENGLISH BOXING SQUAD

Boxing

Britain's Olympic boxing medal chances look to have been hit by the withdrawal of the Darlington welterweight, Michael Hall, from England's squad for the European Championships in Vejle, Denmark, starting on Saturday. Hall, who has a virus, joins Alan Vaughan, the Merseyside light-welterweight, and bantamweight Michael Gibbons, who have also been eliminated from the championships which is the sole Olympic qualifying tournament for European boxers.

Johnny Armour's European bantamweight title defence against Denmark's Johnny Bredahl was in the balance last night after the Kent fighter was remanded in custody by magistrates, after being accused of assaulting three police officers and possessing an offensive weapon.

ENGLAND SQUAD (European Championships, Vejle, Denmark, 30 March-7 April): Fly: D Costello (Hollington); Bantam: L Eedle (Gemini); Feather: D Burke (Salisbury); Light: T Peacock (Salisbury); Welter: M Jones (Gemini); Light- middle: C Bessey (Army); Middle: S Bendall (Triumph); Light-heavy: J Branch (Repton); Heavy: F Okesola (Lynn).