Page 21 - Sports News

FIFA World Cup: The beautiful game meets ugly realities before kick-off

Referees deported, players detained and fans denied entry - Football World Cup 2026 is already mired in controversies that have little to do with football.

Sumit credits Neeraj Chopra for helping him break record during Para games

Legendary Neeraj Chopra's priceless advice during the World Para Championship last year resulted in his world record-obliterating effort of 74.82m, said two-time Paralympic gold medallist Sumit Antil. Antil shattered his own world record of 73.29m by an incredible 1.53 metres in the men's javelin F64, to claim the gold at the 8th Indian Open Para Athletics International Championship in Bengaluru on Wednesday. The silver medalist -- Maharashtra's Sandip Sargar with 62.88m was almost 12 metres short of him. "Neeraj bhai guides me from time to time. He came to see my throw at the Para World Championship in New Delhi last year. He pointed out a few shortcomings to me. So, I am benefiting from that here," Antil told PTI in an exclusive Zoom interview from his hometown in Sonipat on Saturday. "My coach and Neeraj bhai are good friends, and they talk to each other about my technique. So, all of us together are breaking the world records again and again. And 75 metres for a para-athlete is

Odisha to host World and Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in 2028

Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Stadium will host the Asian and World Indoor Athletics Championships in 2028, boosting Odisha's stature as a global sports hub

How football quietly became India's second sporting obsession among youth

New audience research released by global leader in audience measurement and data analytics, Nielsen highlights the growing popularity of football in India, where the sport ranks just behind cricket.

India's Asian Games gold medallist Randhir Singh passes away aged 79

Veteran sports administrator and India's first shooting gold-medallist in Asian Games, Randhir Singh, died here on Wednesday after battling age-related ailments. He was 79 and had undergone hospitalisation for several days before breathing his last at his residence here. Singh recently quit his position as the President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) due to health issues. He was elected for a four-year term in 2024. "With deep sorrow, we share the sad news of the passing of Raja Randhir Singh, who left for his heavenly abode today, on 27th May 2026," Secretary of the National Rifles Association of India (NRAI), Rajiv Bhatia stated. "A distinguished Olympian, Arjuna Awardee, and one of the most respected sports administrators in India, Asia, and the International Olympic Committee, Raja Randhir Singh, made invaluable contributions to the development of shooting sports and the Olympic movement. "The National Rifle Association of India and the entire shooting fraternity mourn

Govt notifies rules for National Sports Tribunal, National Sports Board

The Sports Ministry on Tuesday notified the rules of operation for the soon-to-be-formed National Sports Tribunal (NST) and the National Sports Board (NSB), stating that a dedicated portal would be set up for submission of disputes and maintenance of legal records. In separate notifications addressing the roles of the two bodies, which will be formed under the National Sports Governance Act passed last year, the Sports Ministry reiterated that a search-cum-selection committee is in the process of being formed under the cabinet secretary. The National Sports Board, which will function as the central authority for granting recognition to National Sports Bodies and ensuring compliance with governance, financial and ethical standards, will comprise a Chairperson and two members. It will have a three-year term. The Tribunal's strength has not been specified by the government. The rules also incorporate techno-legal measures for digital implementation. "(These include) notification of a

Gurindervir Singh scripts history, clocks 10.09s in 100m at Federation Cup

The Federation Cup saw three national records being broken, with two of them falling within a span of just 30 minutes, underlining a remarkable day for Indian athletics

Enhanced Games: Everything to know about 'Steroid Olympics' in Las Vegas

The idea reportedly came from Australian entrepreneur Aron D'Souza after observing steroid use in gyms across the United States.

Apple Sports debuts in India with live scores and widgets support: Details

Apple has rolled out its Sports app for iPhone users in India with real-time score tracking, match insights, and live lock screen updates for multiple global sports

Asian Games 2026: Deepika, Atanu miss out as India announces archery squad

India enjoyed its best-ever archery campaign at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where a 16-member contingent returned with nine medals

WFI bars Vinesh Phogat from events till June 2026 over rule violations

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Saturday issued a detailed show-cause notice to Vinesh Phogat, accusing her of indiscipline and anti-doping rule violations, and declared her ineligible to compete in domestic events till June 26, 2026 for failing to complete the mandatory six-month notice period required for athletes returning from retirement under UWW Anti-Doping Rules. It means that the two-time World Championship medallist will have to wait for her comeback as she was tragetting the National Open Ranking event in Gonda, starting Sunday, for her return to competition after quitting the sport in 2024 following her disqualification from the Paris Olympic Games. In the 15-page notice, the WFI alleged that Vinesh's conduct had caused "lasting damage to reputation of Indian wrestling" in Paris and violated provisions of the WFI Constitution, UWW International Wrestling Rules and anti-doping regulations. Broad Charges ========= The federation has sought her explanation on ..

Indian shuttlers react after muted response to bronze medal in Thomas Cup

Senior players Chirag Shetty and HS Prannoy said the lack of public awareness and celebration around the achievement reflected the challenges non-cricket sports still face

Big admission by Vinesh, names herself among victims in Brij Bhushan row

Vinesh stated that she had maintained silence earlier as the matter is sub judice, but felt compelled to clarify her position now

Kenya's Sabastian Sawe becomes 1st person to run a sub-2-hour marathon

Sabastian Sawe of Kenya has become the first person to break the fabled 2-hour barrier in an official marathon. In a huge, once-inconceivable moment in sports history, Sawe smashed the men's world record by 65 seconds in winning the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds on Sunday. "What comes today is not for me alone," Sawe said of his extraordinary feat, "but for all of us today in London." Remarkably, the second-place finisher, Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia, also dipped under 2 hours by crossing the line in 1:59:41 in his first-ever marathon, while Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda broke the previous world-record time - set by Kenya's Kelvin Kiptum in Chicago in 2023 - by seven seconds, finishing in 2:00:28. The 29-year-old Sawe, who retained his title in London, said it was a "day to remember for me" and thanked the huge crowds who lined the streets of the British capital to cheer him on. "I think they help a lot," he said, "because if it was not for them you don't feel like

Asian Games 2026 live telecast: Sony acquires broadcasting rights for India

The Games will be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4, 2026, with live coverage available on Sony Sports Network channels and streaming platform Sony LIV

How rise in doping cases can impact India's performance in global events

India has topped WADA's doping charts for three straight years, raising concerns over its global sporting credibility

Govt to criminalise administration of prohibited substances: Mandaviya

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said government is working towards a legislation that would criminalise trafficking and administration of prohibited performance-enhancing substances to athletes. Speaking at the World Anti-Doping Agency's Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAIIN) Final Conference here, the minister said India, which has topped the global list of dope offenders for the past three years, would aggressively tackle the menace that casts a massive shadow on its aspirations of hosting the Olympics in 2036. "We are working on introducing criminal provisions for athlete support staff or other persons involved in trafficking and administering banned substances," Mandaviya said, making it apparent that coaches who are found encouraging use of banned substances by athletes would be among those at the receiving end. Currently, India does not have penal provisions to tackle supply of banned substances to athletes and disciplinary action is .

Manika Batra keeps her campaign alive with big win in Table Tennis WC

Three-time Olympian Manika Batra registered a gritty 3-2 win over USA's Lily Zhang to stay in contention for a place in the knockouts of the ITTF Table Tennis World Cup in Macau on Tuesday. The 30-year-old Batra rallied past Zhang 11-7, 11-2, 14-16, 5-11, 11-6 in a 43-minute Group 4 clash, bouncing back from her opening match defeat to Japan's Miwa Harimoto. In another match, world No. 43 Sreeja Akula suffered a 1-3 (11-8, 9-11, 13-15, 8-11) loss to Portugal's Fu Yu in her Group 2 opener. She will next face China's world No. 2 Wang Manyu on Wednesday. In the men's draw, Manav Thakkar faces a must-win situation against Sweden's Olympic silver medallist Truls Moregard in Group 2 after going down 0-3 to Korea's Park Ganghyeon in his opening match.

World Archery awards Sheetal Devi 2025 Para Archer of the Year honour

India's Sheetal Devi has been named 'Para Archer of the Year 2025' by World Archery, adding to her extraordinary achievements, which also include a historic world championship crown. The 19-year-old from Jammu & Kashmir became the first and only female armless archer to win gold at the World Para Archery Championships by claiming the top honours in the women's compound individual event in Gwangju, South Korea last year. Born without arms, Sheetal skilfully uses her feet, legs, and shoulder to draw the bow and shoot. She also secured a complete set of medals at the World Championships, winning the women's team silver and mixed team bronze. "India's Sheetal Devi took the honour in the para archer of the year category after another breakthrough season that included a world title in Gwangju," said World Archery. Beyond her World Championship gold, Sheetal also boasts of a Paris Paralympics bronze in the mixed team event, along with individual silvers from the 2022 Asian Para Games and

Komalika pushes for Asian Games comeback with strong work ethic

Grinding it out is the only way forward, and out-of-favour Indian archer Komalika Bari has learnt it the hard way. Once seen as the next big thing in Indian archery after Deepika Kumari, the 24-year-old has slipped to a lowly 498 in world rankings and is currently out of the national team since 2024. From a career-best rank of 51 in September 2022, it has been a steep fall. But Komalika is not giving up. With a packed season ahead, culminating in the Asian Games in Japan later this year, she is hoping to fight her way back and revive her 2028 LA Olympics dream. "I am currently in the Top 16 (among Indians) and part of the training camp and I am preparing seriously for the Asian Games selection," Komalika told SAI Media on the sidelines of the inaugural Khelo India Triba Games here. "I am also looking to participate in as many competitions to gain experience while maintaining our training schedule." Her journey had once mirrored that of the five-time Olympian and former world No.