Physically-challenged mountaineer Arunima Sinha today said disabled athletes are not getting a proper platform to showcase their talent.
     She accused sports officials of not making public dates of national para-athletics championship and leaking information to a selected few players.
	"Whenever the national para-athletic games are held, information does not reach the athletes. Whether the physically-challenged athletes participate or not, is a different question. But, we should be informed at least by emails," she told PTI.
     Arunima had scaled the Mt Everest on May 21, 2013, becoming the first female amputee to reach the highest peak of the world.
     Citing an example, the mountaineer, who was awarded Padma Shri in 2015, said, "In March-April this year Jaipur hosted the national para-athletics championship. But, I came to know about it very recently. With great difficulty, I came to know that the next such championship will be held in October-November.
     "Similarly, the ..

'Disabled athletes not getting platform to showcase talent'

PTI Automatic

The Indian wushu team bagged six medals, including two gold, at the BRICS Games here today.
     They also won two silver and as many bronze medals.
     Indian Wushu players gave tough competition to wushu strongholds China and Russia.
     Yesterday, M Gyandas won gold medal in Taijiquan/Taijijian, M Bidheswari Devi won silver and L Sanatgombhi Chanu won bronze in Taijiquan/Taijijian event.
     Today, the second and final day of wushu events, the Indian team added three more medals -- one gold, one silver and a bronze in the five-nation wushu event.
     Anjul Namdev clinched the gold medal in changquan overall event, Ng. Toshibala won silver in women's changquan event, and Sajan Lama settled for bronze medal in nanquan allround event.

India win 6 medals in wushu

Sahara Force India Academy racer Jehan Daruvala grabbed his second F3 podium with a third-place finish in Race 1 before fading in the two other of races the fourth round of the FIA F3 European Championship.
     Qualifying for Race 1 was under tricky conditions due to rain and Jehan showed tremendous improvement in his wet weather skills to qualify in fourth.
     He posted the same laptime of 1:50.224 as Jake Hughes, who posted his laptime slightly before Jehan and would therefore started ahead of Jehan. Up ahead Maximillian Gunther from Germany earned pole position.
     Jehan made an excellent start in Race 1 from third, after another racer was penalised post qualifying. Jehan pulled alongside second placed racer Jake Hughes in the run down to the first corner.
     The duo were soon joined by a third racer as three cars went into corner 1 side by side. Jehan on the outside, was pushed very wide & forced to leave the track completely. Fortunately the Indian teenager was able to ...

Jehan gets podium in Race 1 in Hungary

Within three months of a cancellation, WBO Asia Pacific Super middleweight champion Vijender Singh's proposed double title fight against Oriental Super middleweight champion Zulpikar Maimaitiali is back on track for an August showdown.
     According to the undefeated Indian's promoters IOS Boxing Promotions, talks have taken a positive turn between SECA Worldwide, the Chinese boxer's promoters.
     Both the boxers will put their respective titles at stake in a winner-takes-all clash that is likely to be held in the first half of August in Mumbai.
     The promoters of the respective boxers were in talks earlier this year as well, but due to "unavoidable circumstances the bout did not take place". Maimaitiali had refused to fight without specifying the reasons.
     Speaking on a possible bout Edmund Chu, MD, SECA Worldwide said, "Zulpikar is training and preparing to fight Vijender Singh in the biggest showdown of the year. Due to certain unavoidable circumstances, the bout had to ..

After backing out, Maimaitiali challenges Vijender again

The video assistant referees were called upon for several key decisions at the Confederations Cup in Russia, as Portugal were held 2-2 by Mexico and Chile beat Cameroon 2-0.
     The first senior global tournament to have video technology for decisions other than goalline calls saw it come into focus on the second day of action.
     A dramatic Group A game in Kazan that saw Hector Moreno head in an injury-time winner for Mexico also featured a goal by Nani disallowed for offside on review.
     Chile left it late to edge out a dogged Cameroon in an opening Group B clash that saw striker Eduardo Vargas have goals both ruled out and given by the video assistant.
     Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo went into the day's first match with plenty of attention on his future, after reports that he wanted to leave Real Madrid after being charged with tax fraud.
     The forward teed up Ricardo Quaresma to put the European champions ahead, but Javier Hernandez levelled on the stroke of ...

Tale of the tape as video ref stars at Confederations Cup

Brazilian international Oscar triggered a mass brawl in the Chinese Super League as players and staff from his Shanghai SIPG side and opponents Guangzhou R&F scrapped on the pitch.
     After the former Chelsea midfielder appeared twice to fire the ball deliberately at Guangzhou players, he was rushed by several opponents. Oscar fell to the ground and a melee broke out.
     One player from each side was sent off as the opening of the CSL transfer window was marked in rambunctious style.
     The fight erupted just before half-time in Sunday's CSL clash at Guangzhou R&F, where Andre Villas-Boas' SIPG were attempting to keep up the pressure on league leaders Guangzhou Evergrande.
     Oscar cost SIPG a whopping 60 million euros ($67 million) in the last transfer window, the biggest such deal in Asian football history.
     He sparked the confrontation when he lashed the ball twice at R&F players.
     The home side's Chen Zhizhao retaliated, pushing the 25- year-old ...

Oscar sparks mass brawl in Chinese league

Virat Kohli was not wrong in his decision to bowl first on a flat track but Adam Gilchrist, a member of the all-conquering Australian team, feels opting to bat was the way to go in a big game like the Champions Trophy final.
     Gilchrist could only watch the toss of the final yesterday as he was flying in to New Delhi this morning but said the great Australian team of yesteryears would have preferred batting first.
     Pakistan outplayed India by 180 runs to win their maiden title. The Indian bowlers struggled before the high profile batting crumbled under pressure while chasing 338 for four.
     "Just before I flew out of Perth yesterday, I saw the toss happening. Mine and Australian team's natural inclination is to bat first and try and get the score board pressure going," said Gilchrist, who is also Australia's education ambassador to India.
     "Having said that, if most of the games are won while chasing, like it happened in this tournament, you can't really criticise the ...

Australian team would have batted first in a big final: Gilly

Mohammed Amir needed a closure. The Oval gave him a perfect platform and boy he grabbed it as if there wasn't a tomorrow.
     The closure was needed, more so for his fans, who over the years have loved and hated him in equal measure.
     They love him for those wrists that can do amazing things with a six and half ounce of round leather ball.
     They hate him for wasting five precious years of his life indulging in a nefarious activity like spot-fixing, which was purely his own doing.
     It's been nearly a year and half that Amir has made a comeback into international cricket. He has had good performances, in fact a great spell against India at Mirpur in a T20 game but that was for a lost cause.
     For redemption, he needed a bigger stage and a bigger occasion.
     And since the opposition was India and occasion was an ICC event final, Amir just couldn't let this go.
     "What I do know is that Mohammad Amir is a big-match player. I do know that when the game is on the line .

Being Amir: Journey from Nadir to Zenith

Former Australia batsman Michael Hussey feels underdogs Pakistan peaked at the right time and played their best cricket in the final against India to lift the ICC Champions Trophy.
     "Pakistan was the underdog coming into the final but there was a feeling of destiny about it. Tournament play is all about peaking at the right time and after a poor start to the tournament, most pundits gave it no chance of winning," Hussey wrote in his column for ICC.
     "However, by the time it lifted the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 at The Oval, it was undoubtedly playing its best cricket. Huge congratulations need to go to Mickey Arthur, Sarfraz Ahmed, the support staff and players for showing great character and turning the team's fortunes around."
     Hussey also lavished praise on India's batting and bowling.
     "India has a batting order that every team would be envious of, with Shikhar Dhawan's love affair of batting in England continuing, but it also has a somewhat unheralded bowling ...

Destiny's child Pakistan peaked at the right time: Hussey

International Master Tania Sachdev crashed through the defences of US champion Sabina Foisor to guide the Indian women team to a 2.5-1.5 victory in the second round of world women's team chess championship, here today.
     On what turned out to be a successful day after a draw with higher-ranked Georgia in the opener, the other three boards ended in a draw. D Harika signed the peace treaty very early against Anna Zatonskih, Padmini Rout salvaged what was a worse endgame against Katrina Nemcova while S Vijayalakshmi got lucky and survived against Akshita Gorti.
     The victory took Indian ladies to joint second spot on three points, coming from one draw and a victory. After beating arch rivals China in the first round, the Russian women continued with their impressive run and handed a 3-1 defeat to Vietnam.
     Russia emerged as the sole leader on four points and they are now followed by Poland, India and Ukraine on three points apiece. Vietnam, Azerbaijan and Georgia have two ...

Tania Sachdev guides India to win over USA

From "no-hopers" at the start to champions in the end, former captain Shahid Afridi feels Pakistan have become serious title contenders for the 2019 ODI World Cup with their stunning Champions Trophy triumph.
     Pakistan thrashed India by 180 runs in the final yesterday to lift their maiden Champions Trophy title.
     "This is one victory that Pakistan fans will remember for long. It has been an ultra-quick turnaround from no-hopers to champions for the Pakistan players and the manner in which the team won the match was really impressive," Afridi wrote in his column for the ICC's official website.
     "Rarely have I seen Pakistan deliver such a clinical performance in a tournament decider and annihilating hot favourite India came as a pleasant surprise," he added.
     "Pakistan, meanwhile, has a team that can develop into one of the top three teams by the time the 2019 World Cup is played in England. This squad is built around exciting young talent and has an astute and ...

Pak will be among top-3 contenders at 2019 World Cup: Afridi

Sports Minister Vijay Goel today congratulated the Indian hockey team for the emphatic victory against Pakistan in the ongoing World Hockey League Semi-Final in London.
     Team India decimated Pakistan 7-1 to continue their winning streak in the league.
     Goel hailed the goal scorers Harmanpreet Singh, Talwinder Singh, Akashdeep Singh and Pradeep More for their splendid performance.
     "By Beating Pakistan 7-1 in hockey World League Semifinal, we have set a new record," he said.
     "For the participation of Indian team in the Hockey World League, preparation camps were held at Sports Authority of India (SAI) Southern Centre, Bengaluru and the entire cost was borne by the Sports Ministry.
     "An amount of Rs.1.1 crore was also approved by the Ministry for the squad consisting of 18 players and 7 support staff members," he added.
     Goel also congratulated Kidambi Srikanth on winning the Indonesia Open Super Series. Kidambi is now the only Indian man to win Super Series ...

Goel congratulates Indian hockey team, Srikanth

India's rampaging form would be put through a tough test when they take on world No.4 the Netherlands in their final Pool B match of the Hockey World League Semi-Final, here tomorrow.
    India, ranked sixth in the world, are presently atop in Pool B with three wins from as many games, while Netherlands are placed second with two wins from two games.
     But going by performance so far in the tournament, India hold an edge over Netherlands as they have so far recorded convincing wins in the tournament.
     India defeated Scotland 4-1, Canada 3-0 before demolishing arch-rivals Pakistan 7-1 in their first three games.
     Netherlands, on the other hand, beat Pakistan 4-0 before getting the better of Scotland 3-0 in their first two games.
     On form, India are expected to give Netherlands a run for their money tomorrow, provided they can keep their composure on the turf.
     With their place already secured in the quarterfinals, India would be hoping to keep up the good work and ...

Confident India eye Netherlands scalp in HWL semis

Newly-crowned Indonesia Open champion Kidambi Srikanth and title-holder Saina Nehwal will have their task cut out when they lead the Indian challenge at the Australia Super Series starting with the qualifiers here tomorrow.
     With back-to-back finals, Srikanth is in sizzling form and he will start favourite when he starts his campaign against a qualifier on Wednesday.
     "The Australian Open is the last tournament before the World Championship and I am looking forward to it. Indonesia Open is a big confidence-booster for me ahead and I would give my 100 per cent here. I hope there is a lot more to come," Srikanth said.
     H S Prannoy has been a revelation in Jakarta when he emerged as a world beater, displaying tremendous grit during his sensational wins over Olympic silver-medallist Lee Chong Wei and Rio gold-winner Chen Long.
     His run was cut short by Kazumasa Sakai in the semifinals and Prannoy will look to avenge his heart-breaking defeat to the Japanese when he faces ..

Srikanth, Saina look for good show at Australia Open

Afghanistan's fairytale rise in world cricket could this week see them acquire coveted Test status, a massive boost for a nation long divided by war and riven by ethnic rivalries.
     No longer rank minnows, Asghar Stanikzai's team are up for consideration following their victories over Ireland in the Intercontinental Cup in March, paving the way for their potential entry into cricket's elite.
     Both Afghanistan and Ireland are bidding to become the 11th and 12th nations to join the Test club, nearly two decades after their immediate predecessors Bangladesh, if confirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) at a meeting in London.
     "A committee is working inside the cricket board, and we will work on our proposal to present it to the ICC in the future, and hopefully full membership and Test status are on the way," chairman of the Afghan cricket board, Atef Mashal told AFP during a recent interview.
     "We can not give any time frame at the moment, it is upon the ICC, ..

Afghan pride as Test status beckons

They have beaten West Indies, England and Pakistan and now Cricket Ireland are targetting London on Thursday when they expect to be given Test match status by the International Cricket Council.
     In February, the ICC agreed "in principle" that this week's meeting in London had "the potential to include additional Full Members (Ireland and Afghanistan subject to both meeting Membership criteria)".
     Cricket Ireland understand there have been no hiccups since and they stand ready to take their place alongside the game's established powers.
     It is all a far cry from the years when the highlight of Ireland's season was the visit for a one-off match by the touring Test team to England or, in alternate years, a two-day game at Lord's against MCC, invariably made up of Minor County players.
     The old Irish Cricket Union was founded in 1855 -- Phoenix Cricket Club, founded 25 years earlier, is one of the oldest in the British Isles -- but it was not until more than a century ...

Ireland eye end to long wait for Test status

India chief hockey coach Roelant Oltmans exuded satisfaction after his boys went on a goal spree against Pakistan in the Hockey World League Semi-Final but said they still need to work on some areas.
     India rode on goals from dragflicker Harmanpreet Singh (13th minute, 33rd), Talwinder Singh (21st, 24th), Akashdeep Singh (47th, 59th) and Pradeep Mor (49th) to beat Pakistan 7-1 and zoom to the top of Pool B yesterday.
     "I thought Pakistan were the better team in the first quarter and they created more opportunities but after we scored the first goal we started to play according to our plan," said Oltmans after the match.
     "We scored some great goals today and when we score the type of goals that we did today, that is what makes a coach happy. I enjoyed the way we played, but as always I look for things to improve in our performances but scoring seven and conceding one is good," he added.
     The 7-1 win was also India's biggest over Pakistan, bettering the 7-4 effort ...

We scored some great goals against Pakistan: Oltmans

Senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been on a downward spiral in one-day cricket but India skipper Virat Kohli feels it's unfair to be critical of him given the challenges of bowling on flat decks in the format.
     Ashwin was taken to task by rookie Fakhar Zaman as he conceded 70 runs in 10 wicket-less overs in India's 180-run loss to Pakistan in Champions Trophy final last night.
     In fact, he got only a single wicket in three matches that he played, giving away 167 runs from 29 overs.
     The economy rate of less than six runs per over, keeping in mind the current ODI rules, is not an issue.
     But for someone, who is a different beast with the red ball, Ashwin is not bowling enough wicket-taking deliveries. A testimony to that is a haul of only 9 wickets in his last 10 ODIs across two years.
     Asked if Ashwin needs to revisit his plans due to poor his ODI record in recent times, Kohli was ready to bat for his senior-most spinner.
     "Every spinner has challenges 

Hard when slogged across the line: Virat defends Ashwin

For a country that has not played international cricket at home against any top cricketing nation, the Champions Trophy triumph was necessary to "identify their heroes", feels Pakistan's chief coach Mickey Arthur.
     The South African is hopeful just like his skipper Sarfraz Ahmed that this victory will usher a new era in country's cricket.
     "Look, I think it'll be massive (implication of this victory). I really do. I hope that -- and I am sure that the nation of Pakistan is really happy because they deserve it," the coach said after the match.
     Ever since a terror attack on Sri Lanka's team bus in 2009, no major cricketing nation has tourned Pakistan for a series and they had to play all their 'home' matches outside the country. Zimbabwe is the only nation to have toured Pakistan two years ago.
     The International Cricket Council is likely to send a World XI to Pakistan in September and Arthur hoped it will pave the way for future tours.
     "We're scheduled to have a ..

It's a massive boost for Pakistan cricket: Mickey Arthur

Skippers of Mumbai and Pune teams believe that the upcoming Super Boxing League, which starts next month, will be beneficial for the sport to grow in the country.
	Mumbai Assassins skipper Ram Singh (34), who hails from Patiala, started boxing in 2002 and took part in the National Championship in the same year winning a Gold Medal.
	"This (SBL) is a good step for Indian boxing. We will get money, name and fame. We will get a lot of benefit by playing  in the league (along with and against foreign players)," Singh told PTI.
	Singh, a six time All India Police Gold medalist, also said their preparations are good enough for the SBL.
	The pugilist, who has participated in various international events, expressed confidence of team's victory in the league.
	"I will certainly do well and am confident of the team's victory in the Super Boxing League," he said.
	Echoing similar views, skipper of Maratha Yoddhas, the team, Deepak Singh said the league will help the sport grow at the domestic ...

SBL beneficial for Indian boxing : Players

Australia's cricketers will not back down in a bitter pay dispute, David Warner has warned amid fears their October tour of India is looming as a flashpoint.
     As the June 30 deadline for a new memorandum of understanding between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association fast approaches, the Australia vice- captain insisted players won't budge on their demands.
     "Well from July 1, we're unemployed," Warner told Channel Nine late Sunday.
     "We've been threatened with that. We're hopeful there's going to be an agreement done, it's a sticky situation."
     CA has threatened not to pay contracted players beyond the expiry of their current financial deal at the end of the month if they do not accept a new offer, with the governing body determined to scrap revenue-sharing after 20 years.
     With a Test squad for an August tour of Bangladesh named last week, Warner was adamant that a lockout was possible.
     "From our point of view I want to play for ...

Page 2378 -