SIDELINES : Zola Obeys Father, Skips Funeral

South African-born athlete Zola Budd sent a wreath but obeyed the wishes of her murdered father and did not join 200 mourners at his funeral today.

Frank Budd, 56, who was shot dead last week in his farmhouse near the Orange Free State town of Bloemfontein, said in his will that he did not want Zola and her two sisters at his graveside. However the sisters, Estelle Budd and Cara van der Westhuizen, were among the mourners.

Zola Budd was trained by her father in the early days of her spectacular career, but he became estranged from the rest of the family when she took British citizenship to evade anti-apartheid boycotts and take part in the 1984 Olympics.