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PRESS RELEASE Tuesday, September 2nd, 1997 Miguel Angel Martin Refuses Fitness Test; Will Be Replaced By Jose Maria Olazábal Mitchell Platts, spokesman for the Ryder Cup Committee, said: "Following close consultation between the Ryder Cup Committee and Severiano Ballesteros, the 1997 European Ryder Cup Captain, it is announced today by the Ryder Cup Committee that Miguel Angel Martin has been informed that he will be replaced in the European Team by the 11th qualified player in this year's Johnnie Walker Ryder Cup Points List which is Jose Maria Olazábal. "Miguel Angel, who has because of injury not played competitive golf since July 18, had been requested to demonstrate that there was a reasonable likelihood that he would be fit and competitive for the Ryder Cup Matches. Miguel Angel informed the Ryder Cup Committee that he did not think it was necessary or convenient in his recuperation program to play 18 holes of golf at Valderrama on Wednesday which would have provided this opportunity. "The Ryder Cup Committee and the Captain are agreed that currently there is an indisputable presumption that even if Miguel Angel was fit to play in the Matches, which is in doubt, that he cannot be competitive at Ryder Cup level. The proposal of Miguel Angel playing 18 holes on Wednesday was intended to give him every opportunity of countering this presumption. As Miguel Angel has not availed himself of this opportunity the Ryder Cup Committee and the Captain has with regret informed Miguel Angel that he will be replaced on the European Team. Severiano Ballesteros will as Captain name his two wild card selections at a Press Conference following the first round of the Canon European Masters and Crans-sur- Sierre on Thursday. "The Ryder Cup Committee and the Captain understand that Miguel Angel will be extremely disappointed, but hope that he will in time understand and accept the correctness of the decision." Following this press release, Severiano Ballesteros said in an interview: "I asked the committee to give him some time, I don't make the rules here. I only have so much power. Please don't implicate me in this. I am not trying to excuse myself or defend myself, but I am in a very difficult position." Wednesday night, on Spanish television, Miguel Angel Martin claimed that Ballesteros, as captain of the European team, was fully responsible and threatened legal action if he was not reinstated to the European Team. |
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