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Troubled softball team chief falls ill

At the end of an eventful week for women's softball, the US won the world championship and a controversial Taiwan official was hospitalized after spitting blood during dinner.

Hsieh Ching-wen (謝清文), delegation chief of the Taiwan women's softball team, was rushed to hospital on Sunday night after he coughed up blood at a celebratory dinner with the country's softball players in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Taiwan snagged third place at the women's softball championship, behind the US and Japan and gained an automatic berth in the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Hsieh was rushed to hospital for a gastroscope operation and teammates said later the cause of their delegation chief's illness was overwork, changeable weather and the fallout from a diplomatic flag flap he was involved in.

He was suspended during the latter part of the world championships after a banned Taiwan flag was flown during two playoff games.

Under an agreement with the International Olympic Committee, Taiwan is only able to compete in most international sporting events under the title Chinese Taipei. China strongly protests if Taiwan's flag or name is used.

Softball Canada was also reprimanded for what the International Softball Federation said was a lack of security that allowed the incidents. Before a game against Australia on Saturday, a Taiwan athlete marched on to the field flying the flag.

``They have been warned repeatedly in the past,'' International Softball Federation president Don Porter said.

Hsieh was suspended and placed on probation for two years after a championship tribunal met on Sunday morning.

On Sunday, the US won its fifth straight women's world softball championship with a 1-0 victory over Japan.

The US -- which haven't lost a round-robin game in the world championships since 1970 -- finished 10-0. It also beat Japan 1-0 on Saturday.

``I just pitched tonight and let my defense make the plays,'' said Lisa Fernandez, who pitched a three-hitter. ``Our defense is what won this championship for us.''

The unique playoff format gave a second life to Japan, which lost to the US at the last world championships in 1998 and at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

The Americans scored the only run in the third inning. Shortstop Natasha Watley hit a one-out single and stole second, before scoring on Leah O'Brien Amico's single.

Watley finished the tournament with a splendid .516 batting average (16-for-31).

Japan put runners at first and third in the seventh inning, but the game ended on a popout.
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