Sports News

Asiad 2026: BFI clears direct Worlds route for Asian Games medallists

The BFI's four-stage pathway will then move through the Asian Qualifier in China and two World Qualifying Tournaments in 2028

Asiad 2026: Captain Pushpa Rana backs India to defend women's kabaddi gold

India's women's team will begin its campaign against Bangladesh on September 21 before taking on Iran and Japan in Group A

Asian Games 2026: India full schedule, contingent, medal prospects and more

India's competitive action at the Asian Games will begin on September 17 with teqball, while the women's cricket team begins its campaign on September 18 against Japan

Asiad 2026: How India fared in previous editions of the Asian Games

With a medal haul of 107, the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou witnessed India's best-ever outing in the history of the continental tournament

Indian contingent for Asiad: Full list of 503 Aichi-Nagoya-bound athletes

Athletics once again has the highest representation among Indian athletes chosen for the continental event, with 74 participants named for the Asian Games 2026 at Aichi-Nagoya

Sanju Samson on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: 'We can't sulk' over India selection

Sanju Samson says competing with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi demands a team-first mindset, while admitting criticism affects him and explaining why he tries to switch off the Wi-Fi

Nairobi set to host first World Athletics Championships on African soil

The World Athletics Championships are heading to Africa for the first time as Kenya's capital Nairobi was confirmed Tuesday as host of the 2029 edition. Kenya has long been a superpower in distance running but has yet to host an event of this scale. The championships return to Germany in 2031 with Munich hosting. "Taking our championships to Africa for the first time will be historic," World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said as he announced the decision following the Ultimate Championship in Hungary. "Athletics is woven into the fabric of Kenya." The decision brings recognition of Kenya's status as a track nation, but is likely to bring extra scrutiny of the East African nation's history of top runners being busted for doping. Marathon world record holder Ruth Chepng'etich is serving a three-year doping ban after joining the many elite-level Kenyan runners suspended over the past decade. After the new Ultimate Championship brought big cash prizes instead of medals for an ...

Raja Randhir Singh, Jaspal Rana honoured as IOA names Asiad memorial awards

Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha on Tuesday announced two memorial awards named after veteran sports administrator late Raja Randhir Singh and multiple Asian and Commonwealth Games medallist and renowned pistol coach Jaspal Rana. While Singh, who served as the secretary general of the IOA for 25 years from 1987 to 2012, and also as the president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), passed away at the age of 79 in May this year, Rana, who was the coach of double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, died at the age of 49 in June. Usha made the announcement here during the launch of a book on Rana titled "Maverick Jaspal", co-authored by senior sports journalists S Kannan and G Rajaraman. "From this year, the IOA has decided to introduce two memorial trophies in the names of legendary Raja Randhir Singh and shooting great Jaspal Rana for the best athletes in the Asian Games," she said. "The Raja Randhir Singh Trophy will be awarded to the best male athlete of the Asian Games, .

Sports Minister forms Task Force to assess F1's possible return to India

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday announced a Task Force to assess the challenges and feasibility of reviving Formula 1 in the country under the chairmanship of Niti Aayog Programme Director and adviser Yugal Kishore Joshi. The 10-member committee also features joint secretary (sports) Kunal besides FMSCI (Motorsports Federation of India) President, who is Arindam Ghosh at the moment with the elections to be held during the AGM later in the month. The Task Force also has representation from the department of tourism and commerce among others and will include representatives from the Uttar Pradesh and Maharshtra Government. "The Terms of reference of this committee are suggesting comprehensive ways for sustainable growth of motorsports in India, a holistic coordinated roadmap for revival of Formula 1 so that we can host a race in 2028. "It will also carry out detailed assessment of challenges that would come in the way of reviving motorsports and identify policy ...

India vs Korea Davis Cup 2026: Yuki Bhambri ruled out with injury blow

India will be without their key doubles player Yuki Bhambri in their Davis Cup Qualifier against South Korea after the veteran was ruled out with a thigh injury, forcing the team to rethink its doubles combination days before the crucial contest. The winner of this match will advance into the finals. India captain Rohit Rajpal confirmed that Bhambri will not be available for the Round 2 tie. "Yuki Bambri is not doing too well with his thigh and may not be available to play the Davis Cup. So, we are working on that area to see what our combination is going to be, which we shouldn't be doing actually during the week before the Davis Cup. But unfortunately, we are having to do that," Rajpal said. Bhambri had suffered a right thigh strain before his US Open main-draw match and had subsequently been doubtful for the Korea tie. His absence is a significant blow to India's doubles plans, with Rajpal having previously paired him with Dhakshineswar Suresh. The combination worked effectivel

India vs Afghanistan: Samson, Reddy star as India seal the T20I series

Sanju Samson smashed 57 off 22 balls after Nitish Kumar Reddy took three wickets as India chased down 160 with seven wickets and 31 balls to spare, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead against Afghanistan

Asian Games 2026: India train for kabaddi gold as Sehrawat backs team unity

Pawan Sehrawat says India's 12-member kabaddi squad has built trust through training camps as Sunil Kumar's side prepares to open its Asian Games campaign against Japan on September 21

India vs Afghanistan 2nd T20I: Playing 11, toss news, live streaming

India captain Shreyas Iyer asks Afghanistan to bat first after winning the toss. India have made one forced change while the hosts Afghanistan are playing an unchanged 11 from previous match

Asian Games 2026: How govt spent Rs 800.7 crore on athletes' preparations

The Sports Ministry reported Rs 702.86 crore in training calendar spending and Rs 97.84 crore from TOPS as India prepares to send 501 athletes, including 310 debutants, to Japan

Australia legends urge diplomatic action over Imran Khan's jail treatment

Allan Border, Greg Chappell and Steve Waugh are among seven former Australia captains who have urged Canberra to raise Imran Khan's treatment with Pakistan

Sports Minister announces Task Force to assess Formula 1 revival in India

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday announced a Task Force to assess the challenges and feasibility of reviving Formula 1 in the country under the chairmanship of Niti Aayog Programme Director and adviser Yugal Kishore Joshi. The 10-member committee also features joint secretary (sports) Kunal besides FMSCI (Motorsports Federation of India) President, who is Arindam Ghosh at the moment with the elections to be held during the AGM later in the month. The Task Force also has representation from the department of tourism and commerce among others and will also include representatives from the Uttar Pradesh and Maharshtra Government. "The Terms of reference if this committee are suggesting comprehensive ways for sustainable growth of motorsports in India, a holistic coordinated roadmap for revival of Formula One so that we can host a race in 2028. "It will also carry out detailed assessment of challenges that would come in the way of reviving motorsports and identify policy ..

Asian Games 2026: OCA sets safeguarding rules; violators face suspension

Inappropriate relationships where "power imbalance or dependency" exists, use of degrading language or being a bystander to instances of harassment have been strictly prohibited in the Olympic Council of Asia's Safeguarding Code of Conduct for athletes and officials at the Asian Games with violations punishable by suspension from the mega-event. The code of conduct has been circulated to all athletes and officials bound for the Games beginning September 19 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan and participants are required to sign and adhere to it. Softball Association of India President Neetal Narang would be India's Safeguarding Officer during the Games, which is a mandatory requirement in the contingent staff as per the OCA. The use of social media has also been addressed in the code of conduct with the OCA making it clear that content should be "respectful, and appropriate" and must not "compromise the dignity or safety of others." "Breaches of this Code may result in removal of accreditation

HI Executive Board meet: Infighting and Governing Council for HIL on agenda

The controversy-mired Hockey India has called an emergent Executive Board meeting on September 18 here to resolve the differences among its top officials and restructure the struggling Hockey India League to create an independent Governing Council. HI President Dilip Tirkey and secretary Bhola Nath Singh have not been on the same page for a while following the controversy surrounding the change of Indian teams' jersey colour from blue to saffron before the recently-concluded FIH World Cup. Tirkey said the jersey change was done without his knowledge and without the consent of the HI Executive Board. Subsequently, he sent a show-cause notice to HI Director General, Cdr R K Srivastava and stripped him of all his powers with immediate effect, listing eight charges, with jersey change being the most prominent. The turn of events has prompted secretary Bhola Nath Singh to call an emergent Executive Board Meeting. The notice issued by Tirkey gave Srivastava four weeks' time to submit his

Asian Games 2026: Wrestler Nisha puts setbacks behind, eyes glory

For years, Nisha Dahia would have this lingering thought after every injury: Why me? Why did the body give up just when everything seemed to be falling into place? Why did another promising campaign end in disappointment? She no longer asks those questions? Nisha has learnt to take setbacks in her stride, stopped cribbing about the injuries that have repeatedly interrupted her career, and, most importantly, accepted that an athlete can control the work but not always the outcome. That change in mindset could prove as important as any technical improvement when Nisha steps on the mat at the Asian Games in the women's 68kg category, carrying the hopes of finally converting her considerable potential into a major medal. "I used to feel that God was being unfair on me. I used to think, why is this happening to me again and again? But now I don't think like that," Nisha told PTI in an interview. "I will get what is written in my fate. I will do my job, work hard and wrestle well. I wi

Asian Games 2026: From cricket bat to shotgun, Mairaj's sporting journey

There was a time when Mairaj Ahmad Khan dreamed of making it big with a cricket bat. More than three decades later, the 50-year-old is still chasing sporting glory -- only now with a shotgun firmly in his grip. From Khurja in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district to shooting ranges around the world, Mairaj's journey has taken him places he could never have imagined when he first stepped into the world of sport. At the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, he will be the second-oldest member of the Indian contingent, behind equestrian Shruti Vora, and will compete at his fourth continental games. Yet, shooting was never supposed to be his destiny. "I was playing cricket when it all started in 1994," Mairaj recalls. A left-handed top-order batter who usually came in at No. 3, he represented Uttar Pradesh in the CK Nayudu and Vinoo Mankad Trophy competitions before joining Jamia Millia Islamia in 1996. He played inter-university cricket and also featured in the Vizzy Trophy. Among his university