Jun 10, 2006, 18:20 GMT
Potsdam, Germany - Ukraine's national team began World Cup training in earnest Saturday under strict security and a near-total media black out.
Coach Oleg Blokhin added an unplanned training session to his team's schedule in midday, with dozens of police and FIFA officials on hand to prevent the few reporters nearby from gaining access.
Star striker Andrij Shevchenko was not working with the squad but running sprints and checking his pulse under the supervision of his personal trainer Piero Ondo.
Team Ukraine spokesman Ihor Miroshnischenko said Shevchenko was fit and would fully join in with the side's training programme in the next few days.
Though only a few reporters were on hand for the midday session, Blokhin without explanation cancelled a meeting scheduled between between his players and media afterwards.
Blokhin ordered a total ban on contact between the media and his team until 'at least the first World Cup match against Spain,' set for June 14, Miroshnischenko said.
The Ukrainian side was scheduled to conduct an open training session at 6 p.m. Saturday evening, followed by press conference. It would be the only time Ukrainian team members would be allowed to speak with the media 'in the near future', Miroshnischenko said.
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