A Serb swimmer has been suspended for the remainder of the European Swimming Championships for wearing a T-shirt proclaiming “Kosovo is Serbia” at a medal presentation ceremony. A disciplinary panel meeting of the European swimming league, LEN, ruled the T-shirt worn by Milorad Cavic as he collected gold for the 50-meter butterfly on Wednesday “constitutes a clear political action” that violated rules, LEN said in a statement Friday. “As a consequence, the panel has decided to suspend Mr. Milorad Cavic from further participation in individual events at the ... European swimming championships.” The Serbian swimming federation also was fined $10,800. Cavic, an American-born Serb, said Thursday he was just trying to send “positive energy” to the country he represents. Kosovo, a former Serbian province with an ethnic Albanian majority, declared independence Feb. 17.Veldhuis sets tone for Games Marleen Veldhuis gave warning of her intentions for the Beijing Olympics as the Dutch swimmer sprinted to victory in the women's 100m freestyle on Thursday. Veldhuis helped ease the home crowd's disappointment after three-time Olympic champion Pieter van den Hoogenband failed to qualify for the men's 200m freestyle final which was won by Germany's Paul Biedermann. The 28-year-old came close to breaking the world record of 53.30, before running out of steam and touching in 53.77 ahead of Finland's Hanna-Maria Seppala (54.04) and another Dutch swimmer Inge Dekker (54.12). The second women's gold on offer Thursday was won by Austria's Mirna Jukic in the 100m breaststroke. She clocked 1min 08.18sec to take the title ahaed of Russia's Alena Alekseeva (1:08.91) and Swede Joline Hoestman (1:08.94). Meanwhile, France's Laure Manaudou put herself on course for a backstroke double as she achieved a new European record in the 100m backstroke semifinals a day after winning the 200m title. The Olympic 400m freestyle champion timed 59.50sec which is just 0.29sec off the world record 59.31 of American Natalie Coughlin. Hungary claimed two gold in the men's competition. Laszlo Cseh lived up to his status as favorite in the 200m medley as Gergo Kis won the 800m freestyle. Biedermann, meanwhile, succeeded the beleaguered van den Hoogenband as the 200m freestyle champion. __
