Last edition silver and bronze medallists Jyoti Gawte and Monika Raut will lead the Indian challenge in the elite women's race of the New Delhi Marathon to be held on Sunday.
Jyoti of Maharashtra won the 2017 edition of the Mumbai Marathon and was also first runner-up of the New Delhi Marathon 2018 with a timing of 2:50:12 sec.
Monika of Maharashtra Railways will be another top Indian woman in the fray. She finished third in the last edition with 2:55:02 sec.
In the elite men's category, last edition bronze medallist Bahadur Singh Dhoni from Army Sports Institute, Pune, will be the top Indian in the fray. Dhoni is the winner of the Indira Marathon 2018 in Allahabad with a timing of 2:19:13 sec.
He will face strong competition from fellow ASI Pune runner Rashpal Singh, runner-up of Indira Marathon 2018, with a timing of 2:19:19 sec.
The 4th edition of the IDBI Federal Life Insurance New Delhi Marathon will be flagged off from the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. It is a National Marathon ...

Jyoti, Monika lead Indian elite women's challenge in New Delhi Marathon

PTI Automatic

Australia's major sporting organisations Monday threw their weight behind a drive to close the pay gap between top male and female athletes, drawing on a landmark cricket deal in the push for more equality.
The chief executives of cricket, golf, rugby union, tennis and swimming were among those to sign up to the "Pathway to Pay Equality" report by the Male Champions of Change Institute, led by former Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick.
The study outlines some of the inequities faced by women, including lower salaries and poorer facilities, and steps necessary to achieve more equality.
It involves a shift in mindset away from male sport being valued more than women's, providing greater equal opportunities from grassroots level up and long-term plans to make it happen.
All the signatories have agreed to self-assess against 16 measures each year and report on their performance to ensure progress is made over the next five years.
Tennis legend Billie Jean King .

Australia's major sports pledge to close gender-pay gap

Australia captain Aaron Finch feels that he doesn't need a Big Bash League triumph to "pep" him up as playing an away series against a formidable Indian team is a big enough challenge.
Finch will lead Australia in the upcoming limited overs series in India starting February 24 where they would play two T20 Internationals apart from five ODIs to fine tune their preparation for the ICC World Cup.
Finch's side Melbourne Renegades beat Melbourne Stars by 13 runs in the BBL final on Sunday.
"I don't think you need anything to put a pep in your step when you're going on an Aussie tour, particularly to India," Finch was quoted as saying by official Cricket Australia website cricket.com.au.
"If you are slightly off the mark, you are going to get hurt. They (India) are the best side in one-day cricket in their own conditions, I think. So you've got to go there full of confidence and have a real clear game plan," said the 32-year-old opener.
Finch went through an eventful summer. He was ...

Any slight let up and you will get hurt: Australia captain Finch on India tour

The Pakistan Cricket Board has said it will take up with the BCCI the "regrettable" removal of pictures of its former players at a couple of venues in India, owing to the Pulwama terror attack, during an ICC meeting next month.
In a statement issued late Sunday night, the PCB's Managing Director Wasim Khan said the PCB Wasim Khan said sports has always played a key role in defusing political tensions. The ICC meeting is scheduled to be held in Dubai but the dates are not yet out.
"...we have always believed and emphasised that sports and politics should be kept separate. History tells us that sports, particularly cricket, have always played a key role in building bridges between people and countries," Khan said in the statement.
"... covering or removing portrait of former Pakistan cricket captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan and other legendary cricketers from one of the most historic cricket clubs and venues are highly regrettable actions," he added.
The terror attack in Pulwama ...

Covering of Imran pictures in India regrettable: PCB

Bayern Munich head to Liverpool for Tuesday's crunch Champions League tie at Anfield demanding improvements and shouldering Germany's flagging hopes of having a club in the quarter-finals.
Since the 2005-06 season, at least one German side has always made it to the last eight.
That proud run will be under threat if Bayern suffer a heavy defeat in the last-16 first leg ahead of the return game on March 13.
"You can't make mistakes in these games, but I think we can cause Liverpool problems," said Bayern midfielder James Rodriguez.
"We have a team that's good enough to go through, if it goes well."
Yet confidence in Bayern's chances at Anfield dipped on Friday when they twice needed to come from behind for a 3-2 win at Bundesliga strugglers Augsburg, where Rodriguez was substituted after an ineffective 56 minutes.
Despite sitting just above the relegation places, Augsburg were the latest Bundesliga team to expose Bayern's weaknesses defending against quick counter-attacks.
"Everything ..

Bayern carrying German Champions League hopes against Liverpool

Jose Mourinho said he could see himself coaching in France as he attended the 0-0 draw between Lille and Montpellier to reportedly cast an eye over Ivorian star Nicolas Pepe.
Mourinho was sacked by Manchester United in December in a move that cost the Premier League club ?19.6 million ($25 million) in severance pay for the Portuguese boss and members of his staff.
He has since taken on a punditry role with beIN Sports, and was pictured sitting alongside Lille sporting advisor Luis Campos at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Sunday.
"I can imagine (coaching) in France one day," Mourinho said. "I'm a man who's worked in four different countries, who likes that, who likes to know other cultures."
"I like to learn all the time, to work in a different league would be a fantastic experience. (At the moment) I'm calm, I'm trying to enjoy life with family and friends and calmly working to hopefully find another opportunity in football."
Campos is a friend of Mourinho's and served as chief scout when 

Mourinho open to working in France

Tennis great Martina Navratilova has come to the defence of Olympic 800 metres champion Caster Semenya ahead of next week's landmark hearing on proposed rules that aim to restrict testosterone levels in female athletes.
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has proposed rules that would force so-called "hyperandrogenic" athletes or those with "differences of sexual development" (DSD) to medically lower their testosterone levels below a prescribed amount.
Track and field's global governing body wants to introduce the rule changes in order to promote what it says will be fairer competition between all female athletes.
But South Africa middle-distance star Semenya, the most high-profile athlete who would be affected by such an alteration to the rule book, is challenging the legality of the IAAF's proposals in a case which will be heard at the Court of Arbitration (CAS) in Lausanne from Monday.
Significantly, the change would only apply to female athletes competing 

Navratilova backs Semenya ahead of IAAF gender rule hearing

Napoli's title hopes took a further blow as Carlo Ancelotti's side were held to a goalless draw for the third time in four league matches to drop further points against Torino and trail champions Juventus by 13 points.
Napoli had drawn at home against AC Milan two weeks ago and at Fiorentina last time out and will face a top-of-the-table clash against Juventus on March 3 with their Serie A bid already all but over.
Champions Juventus are firmly on track for an eighth consecutive title after Cristiano Ronaldo scored in a 3-0 win over lowly Frosinone on Friday.
"We played with focus, motivation, determination, but it's unacceptable to have 18 scoring opportunities over two games and not score any of them," Ancelotti told Sky Sport Italia on Sunday.
Napoli proved wasteful at the San Paolo Stadium with Arkadiusz Milik missing a string of chances to break the deadlock as Lorenzo Insigne hit the post in the 74th minute.
On-loan Chelsea defender Ola Aina threatened for Torino in the dying ...

Torino frustrate Napoli as Nainggolan seals Inter win

Olympic 800 metres champion Caster Semenya of South Africa goes to the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday to challenge proposed rules that would force her to lower her testosterone levels.
The South African government has said the rules proposed by track and field's governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), specifically target Semenya and has called them a "gross violation" of her human rights.
The controversial rules would force so-called "hyperandrogenic" athletes or those with "differences of sexual development" (DSD) to take drugs to lower testosterone levels below a prescribed amount if they wish to compete.
The rules were to have been introduced last November but have been put on hold pending this week's hearings at the Lausanne-based CAS which Semenya is expected to attend. A judgement is expected by the end of March.
The issue is highly emotive.
When British newspaper The Times reported last week that the IAAF would argue that Semenya 

Semenya takes gender rule challenge to sports court

IMG Reliance Sunday pulled out from broadcasting the Pakistan Super League in protest against the Pulwama terrorist attack.
On Thursday, at least 40 CRPF paramilitary troopers were killed in a terror attack while several others are battling for their lives following what is being termed as the deadliest terrorist strike in three decades in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Due to unfortunate events a couple of days back which resulted in the death of Indian soldiers, IMG Reliance is pulling out with immediate effects, from offering broadcast production services for PSL. The incident that occured is deeply regrettable," stated a mail addressed to Sohaib Sheikh and Kamil Khan of Pakistan Cricket Board, the content of which is in possession of PTI.
Being the only producers of the event, the development means PSL will go off air unless the PCB brings in an alternate production services, an official said.
The fourth edition of PSL got underway in Dubai on Thursday.
The six-team tournament is currently ..

IMG-Reliance not to broadcast PSL due to Pulwama attack

Neymar's father reiterated on Sunday that there has been no attempt to contact Barcelona over a possible return to Spain for the world's most expensive player.
Neymar joined Paris Saint-Germain for a world record fee of 222 million euros in August 2017 but has repeatedly been linked with a move back to Barcelona.
"Barca are a huge club, we were very happy over there," Neymar Sr told TF1 on Sunday.
"It's impossible to leave a player like him out of these (transfer market) rumours. But it's a lie, there hasn't been a call with Barca."
"There are two people who speak for Neymar: himself and me. Neither of us has spoken about this intention to return to Barcelona," he added.
"These rumours amuse us a lot. These journalists are funny. The future is in Paris, the present is in Paris."
Neymar Sr took to social media last month to brand a report in Spain which claimed he had begged Barca to re-sign his son from PSG as "fake news".
The Brazilian forward is currently on the sidelines after he ..

Neymar's father denies any contact with Barca over return

Tennis great Martina Navratilova has come to the defence of Olympic 800 metres champion Caster Semenya ahead of next week's landmark hearing on proposed rules that aim to restrict testosterone levels in female athletes.
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has proposed rules that would force so-called "hyperandrogenic" athletes or those with "differences of sexual development" (DSD) to medically lower their testosterone levels below a prescribed amount.
Track and field's global governing body wants to introduce the rule changes in order to promote what it says will be fairer competition between all female athletes.  But South Africa middle-distance star Semenya, the most high-profile athlete who would be affected by such an alteration to the rule book, is challenging the legality of the IAAF's proposals in a case which will be heard at the Court of Arbitration (CAS) in Lausanne from Monday.
Significantly, the change would only apply to female athletes ...

Navaratilova backs Semenya ahead of IAAF gender rule hearing

Daniel Lalhlimpuia scored twice in three minutes as Delhi Dynamos FC stunned Bengaluru FC 3-2 in a closely fought Hero Indian Super League clash here Sunday.
Players from both sides wore black arm bands as mark of respect to the martyrs of the recent terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama.
Ulises Davila's goal in the ninth minute gave Delhi the lead and opened the game up in midfield. Boithang Haokip scored in the 19th minute to bring Bengaluru level. Sunil Chhetri's 72nd-minute strike looked to have put Bengaluru in the driving seat before Daniel Lalhlimpuia struck twice (77', 80') to seal a win for his team.
The win meant Delhi are now unbeaten in their last five matches, winning three of them. Bengaluru, on the other hand, have lost three of their last five matches, picking up just four points after being unbeaten in the first 11 games of the season.
Bengaluru, however, are perched at the top of the table with 31 points from 16 matches.
Bengaluru started on the front foot .

Delhi hand Bengaluru another shocking loss

Noted Mallakhamb coach Uday  Deshpande and aggressive opening batswoman Smriti Mandhana  were Sunday conferred the state government's Shiv Chhatrapati  awards at a function at the iconic Gateway of India here.
The awards were presented by Maharashtra Governor C  Vidyasagar Rao in presence of state sports minister Vinod  Tawde, a media release issued by the minister's office said.
While the Shiv Chhatrapati life-time achievement  award was presented to Deshpande, who has dedicated his life  to the traditional sport, the Shiv Chhatrapati award for  players among several others was presented to Mandhana, who  hails from Sangli district in western Maharashtra.
Mandhana is a member of the Indian women's cricket  team and will be leading the Board President's XI against the  England Women's team in a warm up game on Monday.
According to the release, noted squash player  Mahesh Mangaonkar and chess player Saloni Sapale, both  recipients of the Shiv Chhatrapati award, have decided to  donate .

Maha: Shiv Chhatrapati awards for Deshpande, Mandhana

Chennai Spartans defeated Ahmedabad  Defenders 4-1 (15-6, 13-15, 15-13, 15-11, 15-12) in a Pro  Volleyball League match here Sunday, to secure a spot in the  play-offs.
The host joined Calicut Heroes and Kochi Blue Spikers in  the semifinals.
The fourth and final play-off spot would be decided after  Monday's match between U Mumba Volley and Ahmedabad Spikers.
Rudy Verhoeff created a new milestone for the season by  levelling his own record of 20 points (18 spikes and 2 serve  points) in a single match for the third time.
Verhoeff also became the player with highest number of  points in the league at 80 points.
Chennai started the match with a streak of points to race  to a 6-3 lead.
Ruslans Sorokins and Rudy Verhoeff continued from where  they left on Saturday.
Sorokins and Verhoeff scored 3 points each including a  Super Serve to help Chennai enter the first Technical Time Out  (TTO) with a 9-3 lead.
After the TTO, Chennai kept the pressure up.
Ahmedabad called for a Super Point at .

Chennai Spartans beat Ahmedabad Defenders to qualify for PVL

Eyebrows may have been raised when the Irani Cup was called off with Vidarbha needing just 11 runs for an outright win, but one of their senior players Sunday insisted that the decision was mutually taken.
Rest of India skipper Ajinkya Rahane and his Vidarbha counterpart Faiz Fazal settled for a draw after the dismissal of Ganesh Satish on 87, when the hosts were 269 for five, in pursuit 280.
Vidarbha became the third side after Mumbai and Karnataka to retain the Irani Cup for the second time, on the basis of their 95-run first innings lead.
The decision, which seemed incomprehensible, left everyone wondering if the on-field umpires faltered in calling off the game, but the Vidarbha player, said nothing like that had happened.
When asked by PTI whether it was the umpire's mistake, the player replied in the negative.
The player also claimed that the hosts decided to settle for a draw after Ganesh Satish failed to reach a three-figure mark.
"No, no it was nothing like that. We ...

Vidarbha-ROI Irani Cup game was called off after two captains agreed

Asian Games gold medallist Amit Panghal started the season on a strong note as Indian boxers packed enough power into their punches to assure themselves of five medals in the 70th Strandja Memorial Boxing in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Sunday.
Panghal assured a semifinal berth and medal after a closely contested 3-2 win over Ukraine's Nazar Kurotchyn in the 49kg category.
The Indian women pugilists too guaranteed four medals at the end of the third day at the prestigious tournament.
Lovlina Borgohain (69kg), who won the bronze at the 2018 AIBA Wold Women Boxing Championships, put up a robust display to beat Brazil's Soarez Beatriz in a unanimous 5-0 victory and assure the first medal for the women boxers.
The Brazilian had no answer to Lovina's attacking game as she secured her place in the top four.
Following suit was young boxer, Manju Rani, who served Bonati Roberta of Italy the same fate, thrashing her with a unanimous 5-0 verdict. Manju, the current National Champion in 48 kg category ...

Amit Panghal shines, India assured of 5 medals at Strandja Memorial Boxing

Bengal on Sunday selected a fit-again Wriddhiman Saha in their 15-member squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Twenty20 domestic tournament.
The former India Test wicketkeeper batsman, who went under the knife for a shoulder injury, is set to return to action for the first time since May 25 when he last played for his IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens here.
"I'm approaching the tournament as just like returning from a normal break. It's like the start of the season for me," Saha said of his comeback.
Bengal will open their campaign against Mizoram in their group D fixture in Cuttack on February 21.
Things have changed dramatically for Saha in this nine months with Rishabh Pant establishing his place in the national side.
"I've never played cricket thinking about selection. It's not in my hands. I'm focused on what is in my control and that is my performance. I'm keen to make full use of the opportunities that come my way," the 34-year-old ...

Fit-again Saha set to return to action after nine months

Churchill Brothers came from behind to hold title aspirants East Bengal to a 1-1 draw and end the home team's dream run in the I-League, here Sunday.
Willis Plaza came to haunt his former side as the East Bengal discard stunned a strong crowd of 43,768 with a perfect finish in the 68th minute at the Salt Lake Stadium.
But the two-time former champions' lead lasted just 10 minutes with Kassim Aidara flicking in a header from a stunning Lalrindika Ralte cross to bring draw level.
The draw meant East Bengal (32) could not go level with leaders Chennai City FC (34) but jumped past Real Kashmir (32) on goal difference to occupy the second place.
This was East Bengal's penultimate home game of the season and they will next face Aizawl FC on February 25, before concluding their campaign with three away games against Real Kashmir, Minerva Punjab and Gokulam Kerala.
For Churchill, who took a fine lead against the run of play, it was a massive blow to their title hopes as they remained on ...

East Bengal drop points against Churchill Brothers, unbeaten run ends

Yuwa, a Jharkhand-based NGO which works for girl empowerment, Sunday won the Laureus Sport for Good award, becoming the third Indian entry to bag the honour.
The NGO, founded by Americans Franz Gastler and Rose Thomson Gastler in 2009, runs a football program in rural Jharkhand covering 450 girls.
The girls are amateurs and, those who have been around for long, have become coaches.
Four girls out of the 450  Hima, Nita, Radha and Konika  will receive the award on behalf of Yuwa at The Laureus World Sports Awards here on Monday.
An Indian sporting feat made its way to the Laureus Awards for the first time in 2004 when the Indian cricket team and its Pakistani counterpart shared the Sport for Good honour for resuming bilateral ties despite tensions between the two countries.
Most recently, Magic Bus from India won the Laureus Sport for Good award in 2014.
On Sunday, none other than legendary coach Arsene Wenger kicked football with the young Indian girls ahead of the announcement.
"They 

Jharkhand-based NGO Yuwa wins Laureus Sport for Good honour

Defending champions Minerva Punjab FC Sunday said it will consider moving court if three points are awarded to Real Kashmir for not playing their I-League match in Srinagar in the wake of Pulwama terrorist attack.
The match was scheduled for Monday but Minerva Punjab said its foreign players have been advised by their respective countries' embassies to pull out following the attack.
On Thursday, at least 40 CRPF paramilitary troopers were killed in a terror attack while several others are battling for their lives following what is being termed as the deadliest terrorist strike in three decades in Jammu and Kashmir.
"If three points are given to Real Kashmir for the match despite failing to provide security assurances, then we will appeal the decision and consider moving to court for relief," Minerva Punjab FC said in a statement.
The club said it had not received the assurances it had sought as far as security of its players are concerned.
"Minerva Punjab is ready to play the match at 

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