Page 29 - Sports

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho to visit Kolkata during Durga Puja

Retired Brazilian legend Ronaldinho is set to visit Kolkata during the auspicious occasion of Durga Puja next month. An official privy to the development said that Ronaldinho is likely to visit the city between October 15-19 but the final date will be ascertained following the confirmation date of Barca Legends match at Congo. According to the official, Ronaldinho, who will be visiting Kolkata for the first time, is expected to feature in a short charity match, besides visiting a football clinic and a Durga Puja pandal. He will also inaugurate a statue of Argentine FIFA World Cup winner Lionel Messi. A two-time Ballon d'Or winner, Ronaldinho is also expected to attend some sponsor meet and greet events and visit the nearby town of Rishra. The official involved has played a key role in bringing football legends to the city in the past, including Maradona, Pele and Cafu. He also played a role in bringing current Argentinian World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez this July to

Tennis player Sumit Nagal left with Rs 1 lakh, says 'just breaking even'

Most of Sumit Nagal's funds are spent on his stay at the training centre in Peine and his travel arrangements, along with either his coach or physio

Kohli talks about importance of playgrounds, U'khand HC seeks govt's reply

The Uttarakhand High Court also asked the government whether there are any schemes under the Khelo India programme to facilitate the construction of playgrounds

Riders including 6-time winner Marquez awaiting visa to race MotoGP Bharat

Some of the riders and team officials bound for the inaugural MotoGP round in India, including six-time champion Marc Marquez, are awaiting their visas ahead of the race this weekend. Sources in Repsol Honda Team confirmed to PTI that the arrival of its riders Marquez and Joan Mir in India has been delayed due to visa issues. Both the Spanish drivers were scheduled to visit the Honda India factory in Manesar on Wednesday but now that visit stands cancelled. "The riders are yet to reach India due to visa issues. So there was no option but to cancel tomorrow's event," a source told PTI. Dorna Sports are the organisers and rights holders of the event. Fairstreet Sports are the local promoters of the event. Both parties were not reachable to shed light on the extend of visa hurdles faced by the MotoGP paddock. Race.com also reported that only small number of staff from factory teams were able to enter India due to visa delays. India is hosting an event of this magnitude for the firs

Asiad 2023: More than its share of controversies for Indian team already

The deepening crisis in wrestling ahead of the Asian Games turned out to be the biggest controversy in the run-up to the continental showpiece, which will begin in Hangzhou on September 23. Even as the Indian contingent prepares to fly out to China with the target of achieving the 100-medal mark for the first time in the history of the Games, the country's grapplers, especially Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia will be in the spotlight, as he along with five others launched a campaign to oust the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, to ensure "safety of women grapplers". Here are some of the controversies, which cast a shadow on Indian sport as the athletes prepared for the continental Games. WRESTLING: The sport took centre stage not for sporting achievements but off the mat issues as some of the most decorated grapplers in the country, including Olympic medallists Punia and Sakshi Malik and 2018 Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat protested for

Prosecuting Spain's Rubiales for World Cup kiss illogical: UEFA president

Prosecuting Spanish soccer official Luis Rubiales for kissing a FIFA Women's World Cup-winning player on the lips without her consent seems completely illogical, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has suggested. Spanish state prosecutors are investigating Jenni Hermoso's accusations against Rubiales of sexual assault for the kiss at the August 20 final and coercion for then pressuring her to defend him. A restraining order was issued Friday by a judge in Madrid that prohibits Rubiales from being within 200 meters (656 feet) of Hermoso. Rubiales denied both accusations at the closed-door hearing. Ceferin, who was a criminal defence lawyer before being elected UEFA president in 2016, said in an interview published Sunday in his native Slovenia that what Rubiales did was inappropriate and not understandable. But, when I read it was deemed as a felony - as a lawyer, that seems completely illogical, Ceferin told Slovenian media outlet N1. Rubiales faced a torrent of criticism from the .

Apollo Hospitals ties up with MotoGP Bharat to provide medical support

Apollo Hospitals on Monday said it has tied up with MotoGP Bharat Grand Prix to provide medical support for the event. The capital-based Indraprastha Apollo Hospital would provide support for the first-ever MotoGP event in India to be held between September 22-24 at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. "This partnership is a testament to the diverse strengths that Apollo has to offer to the world," Apollo Hospitals Group Chairman Prathap C Reddy said in a statement. While the hospital's expertise in hospital-based care is well recognised, expertise in handling complex and critical medical conditions that can arise in the world of motorsports is equal if not better, he added. Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals is a joint venture between the Government of Delhi and Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd.

Asiad 2023: A look at India's biggest medal prospects for Mission Hangzhou

India will be sending its biggest ever contingent of 655 athletes to the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou. The country will be vying for top honours across 39 sporting disciplines, including individual and team events. While 'Aab ki Baar, Sau Paar' (which translates to crossing 100 medals this time) has been the catchline, the fans and the sporting establishment would like to temper its expectations but with an eye to surpass the tally of 70 medals won in the previous edition in Jakarta and Palembang. The PTI looks at some of India's brightest medal prospects in the quadrennial extravaganza starting September 23. *ATHLETICS ======== Men's Javelin Throw: Neeraj Chopra The 25-year-old Olympic and world champion is the best bet for a gold in athletics. Having achieved legendry status, defending the gold he won in 2018 could be a cakewalk for Neeraj. Pakistan's World Championships silver medallist Arshad Nadeem, who claimed a bronze in the 2018 Asian Games, will be his main rival i

Asiad 2023: India's golden generation of squash ready for one last dance

Saurav Ghosal, Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal, synonymous with Indian squash over the past two decades, have unfinished business going into what could be their last appearance at the Asian Games. Ghosal and Joshna, who both turned 37 recently, will be featuring in their sixth Asian Games, a testament to their remarkable longevity in a physically demanding sport like squash. A week way from celebrating her 32nd birthday, Dipika will be entering her fourth and in all probability last Asian Games. The mother of two, who doesn't play singles anymore, will be eyeing a mixed doubles gold alongside Harinder Pal Sandhu in Hangzhou. Ghosal and Joshna too are in the twilight or their careers and Hangzhou could be their one final chance to add a singles gold to the rich medal count at the continental event, having won seven and four medals respectively since their maiden outing in 2002. Though the level at Asian Games is not as high as the Commonwealth Games, the job for Ghosal and Joshn

Neeraj Chopra fails to defend his Diamond League title, finishes second

Jakub Vadlejch of Czech Republic became the Diamond League champion for the third time with a best throw of 84.24m in his sixth and final attempt

Diamond League final: Neeraj Chopra live javelin throw time streaming today

Neeraj Chopra will be in action in the javelin throw event in the 2023 Diamond League final on September 17, according to Indian Standard Time. But according to Europe time, it is on September 16.

Asia Cup 2023: Key takeaways for India after 41-run win over Sri Lanka

With India managing only 213 runs, it was a great test for the Indian bowling attack to eke out a victory for their team and defend the below-par total in ODI cricket. And they manage to eke out a win

Asia Cup, IND vs PAK: What happens if reserve day also gets washed out?

Incessant rain in Colombo might wash out the reserve day as well. In that case, India and Pakistan will both share one point each. But it will badly hamper India's chances in the tournament

US Open 2023: Medvedev beats Alcaraz, sets summit clash with Djokovic

The Men's singles final in 2023 US Open between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev will take place on September 11 (IST).

Bopanna again suffers heartbreak, loses US Open final with partner Ebden

Rohan Bopanna's agonising wait to win his maiden men's doubles Grand Slam title continued as he lost the hard-fought US Open final with partner Matthew Ebden to defending champions Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury here on Friday. Playing only his second men's doubles final at a Major tournament, Bopanna and his Australian teammate lost the title clash 6-2 3-6 4-6 after two hours and one minute. Ram and Sailsbury became the first team to win three straight US Open titles. Bopanna was playing the US Open final for the second time in his career and this time as the oldest player at 43. He had finished a runner-up with his Pakistani partner Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi way back in 2010, losing the title clash to the legendary Bryan brothers. Overall, it was third Grand Slam final for Bopanna, who won his first and only Major in 2017 when he lifted the French Open mixed doubles trophy with Canadian partner Gabriela Dabrowski. Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi are only two male tennis players from

US Open 2023, doubles final: Rohan Bopanna live match to begin at 9:30 PM

US Open 2023 men's doubles final live streaming will be available on the Sony LIV application and website

Indian men's TT team signs off with historic bronze at Asian Championships

The Indian men's table tennis team signed off with a bronze medal after going down 0-3 to Chinese Taipei in the Asian Championships semifinal here on Wednesday. In a disappointing display, both veteran Sharath Kamal and the experienced G Sathiyan surrendered meekly to their higher-ranked opponents while Harmeet Desai showed the stomach for a fight. Sharath was handed a 6-11, 6-11, 9-11 defeat by Chuang Chih-Yuan, ranked 26th, while Sathiyan went down 5-11, 6-11, 10-12 to world number 7 Lin Yun-Ju as the third-seeded Indian team trailed 0-2. Playing to stay alive in the tie, Harmeet, the country's highest-ranked player at 63, gave India some hope as he took a game off Kao Cheng-Jui. But the world number 33 sealed the tie for Chinese Taipei, seeded second, with a 11-6, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9 win. At the Asian Championships, the losing semifinalists are also awarded bronze medals.

Warner Bros Discovery plans to offer live sports on Max later this year

Customers will need to pay an added cost for sports on the platform starting next year, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter

IOA replaces all four deputy chefs de mission nominated by previous regime

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has replaced all the four deputy chefs de mission for the Hangzhou Asian Games appointed by the previous dispensation led by Narinder Batra. However, Wushu Association of India chief Bhupender Singh Bajwa, who was appointed chef de mission for the Games in January 2022 by Batra, has been retained. Batra had appointed Ajay Kumar Singhania (secretary-general, Badminton Association of India), Swapna Banerjee (president, Bengal Olympic Association), Gurudatta Bhakta (secretary-general, Goa Olympic Association) and Hariom Kaushik (executive board member, Netball Federation of India) as deputy chefs de mission. But the Hangzhou Asian Games, earlier scheduled in September 2022, got postponed by a year because of a surge in Covid-19 cases in China and the IOA too saw new office-bearers under legendary Indian sprinter PT Usha taking charge of the National Olympic Committee in December last year. The new deputy chefs de mission appointed for the Games, schedu

Former Zimbabwe cricket team captain Heath Streak dies at 49, wife confirms

Former Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak died on Sunday at the age of 49, his family confirmed on social media. Streak, who played 65 Tests and 189 ODIs for Zimbabwe from 1993-2005, was battling liver cancer for a long time. "In the early hours of this morning, Sunday the 3rd of September 2023, the greatest love of my life and the father of my beautiful children, was carried to be with the Angels from his home where he wished to spend his last days surrounded by his family and closest loved ones," wrote Streak's wife Nadine on Facebook. "He was covered in love and peace and did not walk off the Park alone. Our souls are joined for eternity Streaky. Till I hold you again," Nadine added. A few days ago, former Zimbabwe fast bowler Henry Olonga announced the demise of Streak on social media, only to deny it hours later after a message from his captain, but by then condolence messages by several former cricketers had surfaced. "RIP Streaky," Olonga wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday.