Page 9 - Sports News

India men's 4x400m and mixed 4x100m relay teams register big progress

India's men's 4x400m and mixed 4x100m relay teams took a major step toward qualification to the World Athletics Relays in Botswana in May, delivering standout performances at the International Invitation Relay Competition here on Saturday. The men's 4x400m squad, featuring Manu TS, Amoj Jacob, D Chaudhary, and Rajesh Ramesh, secured gold with a time of 3:01.43 seconds. The performance significantly bolsters their standing as they push for a spot in the World Athletics Relays, scheduled for May 23 in Gaborone, Botswana. In the mixed 4x100m relay, the National B team stole the show by shattering the national record. The quartet clocked 42.30 seconds, erasing the previous mark of 43.44 seconds set by Tamil Nadu in 2025. The India A team followed closely in second at 42.34 seconds, while the Maldives took third. Chief athletics coach Radhakrishnan Nair praised the depth of the field, noting that both Indian entries performed "exceedingly well. However, the day was marked by "heartbrea

Explained: Why did the IOC ban transgender athletes in women's sports?

IOC will determine eligibility for the women's category primarily through SRY gene screening, a scientific test used to identify the presence or absence of the SRY gene

Iran bars sports teams from 'hostile' countries over security concerns

Iran has banned its sports teams from traveling to countries it considers "hostile," Iranian state TV reported Thursday ahead of Tractor FC's scheduled soccer game in Saudi Arabia. The ban announced by Iran's Ministry of Sports in Tehran didn't mention the World Cup which starts June 11 in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The ministry's statement singled out the Tractor game against Shabab Al Ahli of Dubai that was set to be played in Saudi Arabia. It's a playoff game in the Asian Champions League Elite. "The presence of national and club teams in countries that are considered hostile and are unable to ensure the security of Iranian athletes and team members is prohibited until further notice," it said. The Iran war has impacted the region, with nearly every country in the Middle East sustaining damage from missile hits, drone strikes or shrapnel. Tractor's playoff game in Saudi Arabia was the result of the Asian Football Confederation's draw Wednesday to determine the ...

IPL insurance premiums likely to drop 15-20% this year on lower claims

IPL insurance premiums may drop 15-20% due to lower claims, while higher valuations, revenues and sponsorships push up the overall sum insured this season

IPL vs NFL, NBA and EPL: How India's T20 powerhouse stacks up globally

Two multi-billion-dollar franchise deals have put the IPL in the global spotlight, but how does it compare with the NFL, EPL and NBA in size, revenue and influence across world sport

Every sport in the world is a function of star power, says Vinit Karnik

Cricket's dominance in India is built on deep structural strengths-from grassroots systems to governance-while other sports struggle to scale beyond visibility

Indian Open 2026: Anahat-Moataz final set; Abhay takes on Chotrani

India's Anahat Singh will face off against Egypt's Hana Moataz in the women's final while in the men's category Abhay Singh and Veer Chotrani booked their respective spots in the Indian Open squash, here on Saturday. Anahat got the better of compatriot Tanvi 3-1 (11-6 9-11 11-8 11-2) to make it to the summit clash. After dictating the early exchanges, the Indian ace took the opening game following which Tanvi bounced back to level the contest. However, despite Tanvi's strong start in the third game, Anahat grew in confidence and control. Her consistent shot-making and movement around the court helped her to win the third as well as the fourth. In the other women's semifinal, Moataz defeated compatriot Nadien Elhammamy 3-1 (11-8 5-11 11-5 11-7) in an all-Egyptian contest. After edging a closely fought opening game, Moataz lost the second before raising her intensity in the final two games to secure her spot in the final. In the men's event, Abhay overcame a strong challenge from ..

Saurav Ghosal hails Olympic debut as watershed, urges ecosystem growth

Former India No. 1 Saurav Ghosal termed squash's inclusion in the 2028 Olympics a watershed moment and emphasised the need to expand access, improve coaching, and strengthen the ecosystem to sustain the sport's growth. Recently appointed Sports Commissioner of World Premier Squash, Ghosal said the role is a culmination of his journey in the sport. "I played professional squash and for India for more than 20 years... it's been a blessing. This phase is a coming together of all those experiences and I'm excited to hopefully make a contribution at the global level and democratise the sport," he said. "I've always viewed pressure situations as opportunities... this is an opportunity to do something substantial in the sport," he added. On India's rise in squash, Ghosal underlined the importance of participation. "Strength lies in numbers... if you have more players playing, the probability is that you will produce champions," he said. "The upward trajectory is very heartening... and t

Cameron McEvoy claims 50m freestyle world record in record-breaking swim

Olympic and world champion swimmer Cameron McEvoy has broken the men's 50-meter freestyle world record which had stood for 17 years. The 31-year-old Australian posted a time of 20.88 seconds on Friday at the China Open in Shenzhen, taking 0.03 second off Brazilian Cesar Cielo's previous mark. Cielo set his world record of 20.91 during swimming's so-called "super suit" era in 2009. Those suits were later banned because they increased buoyancy and reduced drag, resulting in nearly 150 world records falling in 2009 before being prohibited in 2010. "I knew I had a chance to do a PB (personal best)," McEvoy said. "My old PB was 21.06, so maybe 20.99? But doing ?20.88 is unreal. It's crazy." Cielo was quick to congratulate McEvoy on social media, tweeting: "Congrats, Cam.

Anahat, Tanvi, Abhay, Chotrani storm into Indian Open 2026 semifinals

Top seed Anahat Singh and unseeded compatriot Tanvi Khanna ensured a strong Indian presence in the women's singles semifinals of the JSW Indian Open after winning their respective quarterfinal matches here on Friday. However, veteran Joshna Chinappa bowed out of the competition following a 13 defeat to Egypt's Nadien El Hammamy. In another quarterfinal clash, second seed Hana Moataz fought hard to edge past eighth seed Yasshmita Jadishkumar of Malaysia in a five-game thriller, 32 (11-8, 8-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8). In the semifinals on Saturday, Anahat will face Tanvi, while Moataz will square off against El Hammamy. Later, India enjoyed an impressive outing in the men's quarterfinals as well after second seed Abhay Singh and fourth seed Veer Chotrani produced dominant performances to storm into the semifinals. In the last four stage, Singh will take on Malaysia's Ameeshenraj Chandaran, while Chotrani is set to face another Malaysian challenger, Sanjay Jeeva. Abhay was in excellent t

Wrestler Radhika suspended after CAS overturns clean chit in doping case

WADA contested the ruling, stating that the investigation lacked sufficient depth and failed to properly evaluate the contamination claim.

How India's men's squash team is preparing for Nagoya Asian Games 2026

India in the last Asian Games in Hangzhou, won five medals in squash events, which was their joint best with the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, where they also won five medals

Bhubaneswar gets 2028 World Indoor Athletics Championships hosting rights

India will host the prestigious World Indoor Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar as the international body on Thursday awarded the hosting rights of the event to the country at its council meeting in Torun, Poland. The decision was taken at the World Athletics Council meeting a day before the start of 2025 World Indoor Athletics Championships in the Polish city. "India has been awarded the World Indoor Athletics Championships for year 2028," World Athletics vice president Adille Sumariwalla told PTI from Poland. AFI had revealed its bid for the World Indoor Championships, earlier this year. A two-member team from World Athletics had visited the state-of-the-art indoor facility at the Kalinga Stadium Complex in Bhubaneswar in January.

Anahat Singh excels on Day 2 of Indian Open, Elnawasany knocked out

Rising star Anahat Singh continued her dominant run with a straight game win while Egypt's Ibrahim Elkabbani defeated men's top seed Yahya Elnawasany to pull off one of the biggest upsets at the Indian Open squash tournament here on Thursday. Anahat, the women's top seed, maintained control throughout her singles match, blending precision and consistency to defeat Farida Walid of Egypt 3-0. The standout clashes, however, came from the Egyptian duo of Elkabbani and Mohamed Sharaf, both of whom emerged victorious in gripping five-game matches. Elkabbani pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, defeating Elnawasany 3-2 in a 66-minute battle. Sharaf edged past Hong Kong's Chi Him Wong in another pulsating five-setter. India's Abhay Singh produced a clinical performance to overcome Matthew Lai of Hong Kong. Despite a tight start, Abhay found his rhythm and dominated proceedings to secure a commanding 3-0 win. Tanvi Khanna impressed with a composed and confident display .

WADA postpones ruling on Trump's potential sports ban until after World Cup

The World Anti-Doping Agency put off a decision about barring government officials from major sporting events if their countries voluntarily withhold dues, pushing a potential conflict with President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials until at least after this summer's World Cup. The WADA executive committee met and said it would consider the new rule in September, two months after the end of the World Cup, which the U.S. is hosting along with Canada and Mexico. If such a rule is adopted later this year, it would presumably go into effect before the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. The U.S. hasn't paid its dues since 2023. If that continues, the new rule could place Trump and U.S. lawmakers on a banned list for Games in their own country, though there are doubts about whether an anti-doping regulator could keep any of them from attending the Olympics. Conflict with WADA has not been a particularly partisan issue in the U.S., which withheld the payments in 2024 and 2025 - once durin

Mumbai to host Global Esports Games World Finals from March 19-22

Over 70 athletes from 23 countries and territories will compete in DOTA 2 and Clash Royale as India hosts the international national-team esports championship for the first time

India adds top performers from 2025 to TOPS, TAGG lists before Asian Games

The revised list also recognises achievements in para-sports. Pramod Bhagat, a gold medallist at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, has been included in the para-badminton category alongside Naveen Sivakumar

Donald Trump says Iran team welcome at World Cup but warns of safety risks

His statement came in response to comments from Iranian officials suggesting that the national side 'cannot' participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to escalating conflict in West Asia

Badminton at its toughest, and Lakshya at his bravest: Vimal Kumar

Lakshya Sen's gruelling semifinal win over Canada's Victor Lai in the All England Open Championships on Saturday was a demonstration of badminton at its toughest and the Indian ace at his bravest, said former mentor and national coach Vimal Kumar. Battling painful blisters on his foot and severe cramps, a gritty Sen overcame Lai to storm into the final of the All England Open in Birmingham, moving within one win of ending India's 25-year wait for the prestigious title. It turned out to be one of the finest matches of his career as Lakshya fought for one hour and 37 minutes before sealing a 21-16, 18-21, 21-15 win over the 21-year-old Lai, who had claimed a surprise bronze at last year's World Championships in Paris. "Lakshya, you have made us all incredibly proud. For me, the determination and resilience you showed today were truly unmatched. It was a physically draining contest of the highest intensity, yet you fought every point with remarkable courage," Kumar told PTI after Sen's

Braveheart Lakshya downs Lai in epic battle to enter All England Open final

Battling painful blisters on his foot and severe cramps, a gritty Lakshya Sen overcame Canada's Victor Lai to storm into the final of the All England Open here on Saturday, moving within one win of ending India's 25-year wait for the prestigious title. It turned out to be one of the finest matches of his career as Lakshya fought for one hour and 37 minutes before sealing a 21-16, 18-21, 21-15 win over the 21-year-old Lai, who had claimed a surprise bronze at last year's World Championships in Paris. It will be Lakshya's second appearance in the All England final after finishing runner up at the 2022 edition. The 24-year old from Almora will now chase history when he takes on world No. 11 Lin Chun-yi of Chinese Taipei in the summit clash on Sunday. Prakash Padukone (1980) and Pullela Gopichand (2001) are the only Indians to have won the All England title. Apart from them, only Prakash Nath (1947) and Saina Nehwal (2015 runner up) came close with runner up finishes. Lakshya display