FIFA approved major reforms at a congress today, part of world football's effort to end the culture of corruption that has plagued its governing body for years.
     The measures were adopted by 179 members, while 22 voted against and six abstained at a congress in Zurich that will also elect a replacement to FIFA's disgraced president Sepp Blatter.
	The reforms were developed since June by a committee led by Francois Carrard, a Swiss lawyer tasked with a similar cleanup effort at the International Olympic Committee more than a decade ago.
	Among the most crucial measures are changes in the role of FIFA's president and its executive committee.
	The president's job has been altered to function like a corporate chairman of the board, providing strategic guidance but with less management authority.
	FIFA's executive committee, which had become an epicentre of graft, has been re-branded as a FIFA council, and will operate similar to a corporate board of directions.
	FIFA's secretary ...

FIFA approves major reforms to curb corruption

PTI Automatic

Mohammad Amir, having atoned for once deliberately betraying his team and fans for a quick buck, is again making the batsmen hop and at the same time winning their hearts in a sport, which, like many others, can be generous when it comes to second chances.
     The onset of the new year brought glad tidings for Amir, who returned to the Pakistan cricket squad for the limited-overs away series against New Zealand, completing a cycle of redemption following his spectacular fall from grace in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal.
     Amir served jail term and a five-year ban suspension from cricket for indulging in spot-fixing during the 2010 tour of England.
     And even as Pakistan gear up to renew their rivalry with India in the Asia Cup tomorrow, the spotlight continues to be on the man who emerged as the hottest pace sensation in 2009.
     Whether the left-arm pacer is there or not, be it Virat Kohli or Aaqib Javed, there is a always a question on Amir nowadays.
     When the Pakistan ...

En route to entering their hearts, Amir still makes them hop

Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar feels Indian batting is equipped to handle Pakistan pacers, who will have to deal with the dashing opening duo of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan when the arch-rivals clash in Asia Cup tomorrow.
     "Pakistan will have to deal with Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, both have been in good form. Shikhar might not have scored runs in Bangladesh but he has done well against the Sri Lankans and Australians and Rohit has been simply outstanding. Virat will also figure in there but he might not get many overs if Rohit and Shikhar get going," said Gavaskar.
     "India also have a good new ball attack with Nehra being the experienced campaigner. Jasprit Bumrah bowls the under the bat ball and he is very good with it and also Hardik Pandya also can be lively as well.
     "So lets not get carried away with Pakistan bowling attack and have faith in our new ball attack. Because in batting if you see, Indian batting are better capable of handling Pakistan pace .

India capable to handle Pakistan pacers: Gavaskar

Harmeet Sahney, Deven Shah, Sandeep Poddar and Nikhilesh Kumar Garg won the Kolkata leg of the MercedesTrophy qualifier at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club here today.
     With the culmination of this stop of the MercedesTrophy in Kolkata, 29 out of the 40 spots have been booked for the National Final that will be held at Oxford Golf Resort, Pune from March 30-April 1.
     The tournament will next head to Delhi NCR for the final five days of qualifiers in March for the 10 remaining spots.
     Three Winners from the National Finals will further progress to the MercedesTrophy World Finals in Stuttgart in September 2016 to compete against winners from all over the world.

Kolkata qualifiers spotted for MercedesTrophy

A birdie-birdie finish ensured Indian star golfer Anirban Lahiri a decent first round as he scored an even-par 70 to lie Tied-23rd after the opening day of the Honda Classic on the PGA Tour here.
     Lahiri was five strokes off the lead on a day when conditions were not easy and leader, Sergio Garcia (65) avoided an alligator.
     On a tough but typically windy day at PGA National course, Lahiri opened sedately with two pars and then found his first birdie on the par-5 third. But he dropped shots on sixth and ninth to turn in one-over.
     A third bogey on 14th meant he was staring at a disappointing two-over, but the gutsy Indian, who won two titles on European Tour in 2015, including the Hero Indian Open, fought back with excellent birdies on 17th and 18th to close at even par.
     "The golf course is playing extremely tough. But I played solid coming in. However, I didn't read the greens too well, but am happy with the finish," said Lahiri.
     On his bogey on sixth, Lahiri ...

Lahiri's fine finish sees him placed at T23rd in Florida

Still nursing an ailing shoulder, Indian golfer Shiv Kapur carded a one-over 73 in the second round to stay inside the top 10 at the ISPS Handa Perth International here today.
     Kapur, who shot 66 and was one shot off the lead in the first round, struggled through an outward 40 that included three bogeys and one double bogey in four holes from sixth to the ninth but he fought back with three birdies and no bogeys on the back nine.
     On a day where gusty conditions proved to be the key challenge for the field, Kapur, despite the slip was still at five-under and in Tied-eighth place, but six shots of the lead, shared by Peter Uihlein (68) and Brett Rumford (65). One shot behind the leaders is former Open winner, Louis Oosthuizen (64).
     While Kapur struggled, Himmat Rai and Gaganjeet Bhullar shot superb 67 each to make the cut and Chiragh Kumar (72) also made the cut. Himmat is Tied-25th, while Chiragh is Tied-50th and Bhullar is Tied-57th.
     The other Indians, SSP Chawrasia 

Kapur fights on back nine to stay in Top-10 at Perth

The Mumbai squad led by Aditya Tare, that today trounced Saurashtra by an innings and 21 runs in the Ranji Trophy final inside three days, has earned a cash bonus of Rs 2 crore from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).
	"On behalf of the Mumbai Cricket Association, President Sharad Pawar has announced a bonus of Rs two crores to the winning team," said a media release from MCA Joint Secretaries P V Shetty and Unmesh Khanvilkar.
	"President of MCA has (also) congratulated the team for winning the Ranji Trophy. This is the 41st time that Mumbai (has) won the National Championship," it added.
	MCA Vice-President and former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar also hailed the team's performance.
	"It was a great win and a fantastic team effort. My heartiest congratulations to the entire team, support staff, members of the Cricket Improvement Committee and each and every cricket-loving Mumbaikar," said the former chief selector.
	The triumphant team will also get an identical amount as prize ...

Ranji champion Mumbai gets Rs 2 crore cash award from MCA

The race walk competition course for the two-day National Championships which begins here tomorrow has come for praise from international experts as the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) hopes to host global events here.
     Irishman Pierce O'Callaghan, who is an IAAF race walking judge, termed the Jaipur competition course, which will see top Indian race walkers in action tomorrow and on Sunday, as world class.
     "It is a world class course. I have inspected it. The road (on which the course runs) is a great, clean, smooth and straight one kilometer lap. It should host other international events in future," O'Callaghan, who also conducted an IAAF Level-I Race Walking Technical Officials course here, said.
     The competition starts in front of Rajasthan University and it will have a straight stretch of 1km. Those race walkers who will take part in 20km event will have 20 laps while those participating in 50km event will have to complete 50 laps.
     "The temperature of around 

Jaipur race walk course is world class: IAAF expert

Spooked by the mysterious Zika virus that has cast a shadow on the Olympic Games in Brazil, India's race walkers will avoid 
reaching Rio de Janeiro in advance for
the mega-event in August.
     Race walk coach Alexander Artsybashev today said his wards, who make the cut for the Olympics will have an 80-day training stint from June onwards in Poland and from there, they will fly to Rio just before the start of the events.
     Alexander, who has been coaching the Indian race walk team since 2011, was speaking to journalists ahead of the two -day National Race 
Walk Championships which begins here
tomorrow.
     "After this, we have the Asian Race Walk Championships (March 20) in Nomi, Japan and then the IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships (May 7-8) in Italy. After that we will have an 80-day training stint at Spala in Poland as the Indian summer is not suitable for preparation of race walkers for the Olympics," he said.
     "From Spala, we will go straight to Rio for the ...

Indian race walkers to avoid reaching early in Rio for Oly

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said today it will rule on eight doping cases involving Russian athletes while Russia remains suspended from global track and field.
     The cases include new charges against former world heptathlon champion Tatyana Chernova and runners Kristina Ugarova and Yekaterina Sharmina.
     CAS said it was taking over the cases from Russia's track and field federation because the national body is under suspension by the IAAF.
     Chernova was previously banned in January 2015 after testing positive for a steroid, and the new case could lead to a lengthy ban and disqualification of some of her key results.
     The case involves biological passport rules covering suspicious blood values, which can cover years of an athlete's career.
     The case against former European indoor 1,500-meter bronze medallist Sharmina was not previously known. Ugarova was separately recommended in November for a life ban by a World Anti-Doping Agency commission after she was ...

8 Russian doping cases to be heard by CAS

A host of Olympics bound athletes will vie for honours in the two-day National Race Walk Championships beginning here tomorrow as the domestic athletics calendar kick-starts with the event.
     Seven Indians who have qualified for race walk event in Rio Games -- Gurmeeth Singh, Sandeep Singh, Manish Singh Rawat, Baljinder Singh and Chandan Singh in men's and Khushbir Kaur and Sapna in women's section -- will take part in the championships, besides other top athletes who are seeking for the Olympics ticket.
     While Gurmeeth, Baljinder and Chandan have qualified in 20km race walk, Sandeep and Manish have booked the Rio berth in both 20km and 50m events. Khushbir and Sapna have made the cut for Rio in 20km race walk event.
     Forty-six athletes will compete in the men's 20km race walk event while 15 will take in part in women's 20km event, both of which will be held tomorrow. There will be 32 competitors in men's 50km race walk event to be held on Sunday.
     Besides being an ...

Rio-bound athletes set for National Race walk C'ships tomorrow

Ajeetesh Sandhu and Shubhankar Sharma brought home impressive cards on the second day to grab the first and second positions at the Golconda Masters golf tournament at the Hyderabad Golf Club (HGC) here today.
     Sandhu and Sharma took their two-day aggregate to 12-under-130 and 10-under-132 respectively on a relatively cooler and windier day here.
     While Chandigarh lad Sandhu, who had fired a phenomenal opening round of nine-under-62, a course record, kept his two-stroke lead for the second day running as he battled to a three-under-68, Gurgaon's Shubhankar Sharma submitted a second successive five-under-66 to be hot on the leader's heels.
     Sandhu had a forgettable start on day two as he dropped three strokes on the first two holes. Having misjudged the wind he found the water on the first for a double-bogey and then had a lapse in concentration on the second green where he let a birdie opportunity slip away and instead landed up with a bogey.
     The 27-year-old Sandhu ...

Sandhu, Sharma grab first two positions in Golconda Masters

Former WWE star Dalip Singh Rana, popularly known as 'The Great Khali', was today discharged from the hospital and vowed to take revenge for the embarrassment he had to go through after getting badly injured in the opening fight of the event, which is named after the great wrestler.
     Despite getting injured, Khali has vowed to make a comeback in the second show of 'The Great Khali Returns Series' scheduled to be held in Dehradun on Sunday.
     "It will be blood for blood and chair for chair," said Khali after being discharged from the hospital.
     Khali, on Wednesday night, suffered head and chest injuries during the Continental Wrestling Entertainment show at Haldwani and was subsequently airlifted the next morning to a speciality hospital in Dehradun.
     The fight had to be stopped mid way after his opponents, Mike Knox and Brody Steel, beat up Khali with chairs.
     Khali, 43, today said that he will fight the bout in Dehradun at his own risk just for his fans.
     ...

It will be blood for blood & chair for chair, says Khali

Looking to bounce back after a string of three losses in their last four games, Mumbai FC await the fitness report of two injured foreign recruits, medio Taisuke Matsugae and defender Son Minchol, ahead of the I-League football game against Sporting Clube de Goa tomorrow.
	"We will wait for the training session to see whether Taisuke and Minchol can take the field tomorrow. It's an important game for us," Mumbai coach Khalid Jamil said today.
	Mumbai have not won anything away this season but have also not succumbed to a defeat at home, and Sporting Goa - boasting of veteran striker Odafa Okolie, who is one of the top goal-scorers in the league this season (5 from 8 games) - need to pull out all stops in order to subdue the home team.
	While the Nigerian Odafa hovers as the biggest threat for Mumbai, coach Jamil said there were others too to watch out for in the rival line-up.
	"Odafa is not the only one. There are other good players too. We are happy to play at home and want a good ..

Mumbai FC sweat on fitness of Taisuke, Son

Madhya Pradesh wicket-keeper batsman Naman Ojha will lead the Rest of India team when they clash with Mumbai during the Irani Cup at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai from March 6th to 10th.
     "The All-India National Selection Committee met on Friday and announced the Rest of India team for Paytm Z.R. Irani Cup, 2016," BCCI Secretary Anurag Thakur said in a release.
     "The Rest of India team will play against Mumbai, the Paytm Ranji Trophy 2015-16 champions, at the Cricket Club of India, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai from the 6th of March to the 10th of March 2016."
     Mumbai won the Ranji Trophy for a record 41st time today with a comprehensive innings and 21 run victory over Saurashtra on day three of the five-day final.
     Rest of India (RoI) Team: Naman Ojha (Captain), KS Bharat, Faiz Fazal, Karun Nair, Sheldon Jackson, Stuart Binny, Shahbaz Nadeem, Jayant Yadav, Nathu Singh, Jaydev Unadkat, Barinder Sran, Krishna Das, Sudeep Chatterjee, Ian Dev Singh, Akshay Wakhare.

Ojha to lead Rest of India team against Mumbai in Irani Cup

None has qualified so far but even if they do in due course, Indian boxers are "running the risk" of being barred from this year's Olympic Games if the country fails to put together a new national federation by next month's Asian Olympic Qualifiers.
     This is the latest missive from the International Boxing Association (AIBA) after a meeting of its various commissions in Manchester recently.
     According to sources, the world body will not hesitate to stop Indians from participating in the August extravaganza in Rio de Janeiro should they make the cut through the Asian Qualifiers starting March 23 in Qian'an city of China.
     "There is a lot of pressure on India now to get a federation going. They (AIBA) have given India time till the Asian Qualifiers. In case, it doesn't happen then the country is running the risk of not moving forward," a source told PTI.
     "Our boxers who qualify could be stopped from the Olympics," he said.
     So far, no Indian boxer has qualified for .

Indian boxers running risk of being barred from Olympics

The five-year-old Afghan boy who won the Internet's heart when he was pictured wearing a plastic bag as an improvised Lionel Messi jersey is still eager to meet the Argentine football superstar, he said today.
	Murtaza Ahmadi travelled with his family to Kabul this week to receive two jerseys autographed by Messi and presented to the young fan by UNICEF.
	Despite his obvious delight in the gifts, Murtaza, who is from the persecuted Hazara ethnic minority in Taliban-infested Ghazni province, said he still dreams of coming face-to-face with Messi.
	"I want to meet Messi. I like him," he told AFP today, proudly dribbling his new ball across a dusty field in Kabul while swimming in one of his new jerseys, which was much too big for him.
	Murtaza's elder brother Homayoun, 15, turned a blue-and-white-striped plastic bag into a jersey for his sibling by scrawling "Messi" on it in marker pen, then posted the photos of Murtaza wearing it on Facebook in mid-January.
	The image struck a chord ...

Little Afghan Messi fan still keen to meet idol

Supremely confident of his pace attack, Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi today said his fast bowlers are capable of sending the Indian top-order packing in the first six overs itself when the two teams lock horns in the Asia Cup T20 group league match, here tomorrow.
     "Pace bowlers are the main form of attack in these conditions. We have got four pacers and they are just cricketers who are considered to be wicket-taking. Our fast bowlers will try to utilise the opening six overs by removing their batsmen as that is considered to be their strength," Afridi said at the pre-match press conference.
     Afridi though acknowledged that Indian batsmen do play spinners very well. In the spin department, Afridi will be supported by left-arm spinner Muhammad Nawaz, who has done well in the recently concluded PSL.
     "Indian batsmen usually play spinners very well and they have in form players in their squad as they have come here playing some good cricket. I think apart from me there is ...

Expect my fast bowlers to utilise first six overs: Afridi

Volleyball Federation of India (VFI) President, Chaudhary Avdhesh Kumar has suspended ten members of the sports body for attending an invalid core committee meeting on February 22nd.
     Kumar used his constitutional powers to suspend CEO K Murugan, EVP Rajkumar and Treasurer Ranjit Roy Chaudhary along with 7 other state unit affiliate members, who attended a meeting called by Executive Vice President Rajkumar.
     The meeting was declared unconstitutional, as it was not called by the Secretary General or by the President or by any VFI member who had given prior notice for such a meeting in accordance with the constitution of VFI. Further, the President had also dissolved the core committee of the VFI on February 20th, and disallowed any such meeting.
     Since a few VFI officials and state representatives still went ahead to meet in Delhi and later released some information regarding Indian Volleyball League, without the permission of the President or the Executive Committee, ...

VFI suspends 10 members for participating in invalid meeting

Mumbai won the Ranji Trophy for a record 41st time with a comprehensive innings and 21 run victory over Saurashtra on day three of the five-day final here today.
     Not many would have predicted Mumbai to run away with the title in less than three days but their bowlers dismissed Saurashtra for 115 to cap off a dramatic day three.
     The record Ranji Trophy champions got their hands on the trophy for the first time in three seasons and now they have 41 titles to their name in 45 finals with 10 of them being an innings victory. Karnataka are a distant second in the  overall
Ranji standings with eight titles.
     It was a repeat of the 2012-13 final where Mumbai had made short work of Saurashtra with an innings and 125-run triumph.
     Mumbai were mere 27 runs ahead of Saurashtra at the start of day three before they went on to make 371 in 82.2 overs from an overnight 262/8 in their first innings.
     Saurashtra, who managed 235 in their first innings, failed miserably with the ..

Mumbai extend Ranji dominance with 41st title

He has transformed 
himself from
'Mr Inconsistent' to 'Mr Dependable' in the shorter formats and Indian batsman Rohit Sharma today said it has been possible because of the backing that he has got from the team management.
     Few years back, the Indian team management was criticised regularly when Rohit had a string of low scores but Dhoni's faith in the Mumbai batsman's ability has been unshakable.
     "If any individual knows that he has the backing of the team, that's when he opens up and expresses himself better -- gets the performance going," Rohit told mediapersons on the eve of India's Asia Cup T20 match against arch-rivals Pakistan.
     "For us also, we have been playing with the squad for a while which shows that we have a good bunch, which is ready to take up the challenge at any given point of time. That's a good sign and we are very proud of that.
     "It's a good sign going to the World T20. But we have three more games to go and the focus now is on against the game ..

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