India miss shooting
bronze by whisker
NEW DELHI, Aug 11 — Indian trio of Mansher Singh, Manavjit Singh and Anwar Sultan missed the team bronze by an agonising single point to finish fourth in the Pre-Asian Trap Shooting Competition at Bangkok on August 8 and 9.

Atherton in one-day squad

Sports festival

Jagbir cycle polo body chief

Raminder defends govt policy

Gavaskar, Kapil likely for training camp

MUMBAI, Aug 11 (PTI) — There are plans to invite former India captains Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev for a short while during the fortnight-long training camp at Chennai for the 22 probables picked by the national cricket selectors here on Sunday.

Exactly what role the duo would be requested to perform is as yet unknown, but indications are that both the Indian legends’ inputs about the campers and team strategies to be adopted during the forthcoming season would be seriously considered by the Indian think tank and consultant Bobby Simpson, the former Australian captain and coach.

The players would be taken through various drills during the camp, set to commence on August 21, and special emphasis is expected to be placed on the correct way of running between the wickets which is one area where the Indians are lagging far behind most other teams, a fact often conceded in public by Indian skipper Mohd Azharuddin himself.

Fielding is the other grey area of the Indians and needs to be toned up considerably and here Simpson’s expertise in having guided Australia to the pinnacle of one-day glory in 1987 would come in handy, according to sources close to the Indian think tank.

The Australian cricketers usually undergo a punishing fielding drill, including picking up the ball and throwing at the stumps on the run or off balance, during each day’s nets in order to make them almost every player’s second nature. These are also expected to be adopted at the Chennai camp, the sources said.

The right methods to be adopted during fielding, an area ignored generally by a number of Indian players at all levels of the game, are also expected to be emphasised upon during the camp.

The services of a qualified sprint coach may also be summoned, if necessary, the sources said.

The departments of batting, the strongest point of the current Indian team, and bowling are also to be discussed in detail with special attention to be paid to the tactical aspects of these like placement of shots during the camp, which is the first to be held under Simpson’s watchful eyes.

Simpson was appointed as a consultant in February by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) but is yet to take up his latest assignment in serious vein. The shrewd Aussie is scheduled to reach Chennai on August 20.

The Indian squads for the Sahara Cup series at Toronto against Pakistan and the Commonwealth Games at Kuala Lumpur, to be held at the same time in September, would be selected on the last day of the camp - September 4.

India miss shooting bronze by whisker

NEW DELHI, Aug 11 (PTI) — Indian trio of Mansher Singh, Manavjit Singh and Anwar Sultan missed the team bronze by an agonising single point to finish fourth in the Pre-Asian Trap Shooting Competition at Bangkok on August 8 and 9.

In a field of 30 shooters, who had to contend with bad background in the same range slated to host the event at the Asiad in December, an unfit Mansher Singh’s ninth place was the best among Indians with young Manavjit Singh and Anwar Sultan taking the next two spots.

Mansher Singh, who will be defending his title at the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games next month, produced a subdued effort of 108 out of a possible 125. Manavjit shot 105 and Anwar returned 102. The shooters returned yesterday.

The experienced Mansher said he could not come anywhere near the 116, he shot in the recent Barcelona World Championship as he was suffering from viral fever throughout the event and was too drained. The shooters who left here on August 5 also had very little practice time.

"But we will reach there well in advance for Asiad and we now know the range conditions. But things are going to be unpredictable as the background is hardly conducive for high scores," Mansher Singh said on return.

Indian hopes for a better performance were thwarted by torrential rain on the second day as they were at their second series of shots which resulted in scores dip to 21 (Mansher), 19 (Manavjit), and 19 (Anwar) out of 25.

Singapore’s Lee (112 + 25/25 in the final = 137/150) took the individual gold with China’s Atlanta Olympic bronze winner Zang Bing (135) and countryman Le Hui (132) winning silver and bronze.

Mansher Singh shot 64 out of 75 on the first day followed by 43/50 on the second day. Manavjit (62 + 43) and Anwar (61 + 41) also found it tough.

The team title went to Japan with Singapore and Chinese Taipei taking silver and bronze.

The bronze was well within India’s grasp as they were five points behind on day one and after the first series on the second day just one point behind the third placed country. But bad conditions and poor visibility affected their scores.

"We were hopeful of a team medal and would have got it but for the rains," the 21-year-old Manavjit said.

Mansher said that but for the viral fever, he would have definitely managed to make the final of the top six shooters.

The Indian shooters were also hampered by the contrasting fast and slow "birds" they had for targets. "We have been practicing only on fast birds as we face them in Europe. But in Bangkok the trajectory of the `birds’ were different from the different types of machines," Manavjit Singh added.

But Indian trap shooters are going full steam ahead with their programme as Mansher, Manavjit, Anwar Sultan, Moraad Ali, Zoravar Singh and juniors Faizal and Ronjan Sodhi begin a 20-day intensive training-cum-competition stint in Italy under Italian coach Marcello Dradi’s supervision.

In Italy, they will take part in the August 1 to 16 Dednarik Memorial Tournament, named after the late Czech trap prodigy who died at the age of 24 in a road accident.

The Italian federation in a fine gesture will host them for five days at their sports institute for shooting where the national trainer will supervise a physical and psychological check up and specify programmes for better efforts.

Uzma, Shruti rally to record wins

CHENNAI, Aug 11 (UNI) — Top seeded and defending champion Uzma Khan of Andhra Pradesh shrugged off her initial lethargy to down a spirited challenge from qualifier Shareen Yusuf of Karnataka to enter the girls singles pre-quarterfinals in the IOB-MCC National Junior Hard Court Tennis Championship here today.

After losing the opening set 3-6, Uzma, looking for her third straight title in a row, slowed down the pace of the game in the second and allowed her lesser-known rival to commit errors before winning 6-2, 6-3 under hot and humid conditions to make further progress.

In other matches, third seeded Shruti Dawan of Delhi looked clueless in the first set against local lass Rekha Mohan losing 0-6. But the Delhi star came back on her own winning the next two sets to enter the last 16 stage.
However, qualifier B. Nishella of Andhra Pradesh caused a mild flutter getting the better of her better-rated rival unseeded Jhanvi Sundararjan of Maharashtra 6-4, 6-2 in a one-sided encounter.

Unseeded S.K. Tara of Karnataka put paid to the hopes of wild card entrant Sonali Phadke of Maharashtra 6-3, 6-4, while Tamil Nadu’s Vishnu Preetam accounted for Delhi’s Pornima Narayanan 6-4, 6-4. Sandhya Kannuri (Tamil Nadu), who won a double crown in the Tamil Nadu Players and Parents Association (TNPPA) Tournament here yesterday, continued her fine form putting it across Anisha Shellar of Maharashtra 6-4, 6-3 and Samrita Sekar (TN) had to bring off her best in the second set before winning against Varsha Reddy of Andhra Pradesh 6-4, 7-5.

In an all Tamil Nadu affair T. Yamini fought back strongly after losing the opening set against P. Anujapathy, but the latter conceded the match in the deciding third set with Yamini leading 3-0 after both players shared the first two sets.

Richest athletic meet at Zurich today

ZURICH, Aug 11 (Reuters)— Haile Gebrselassie may be torn between a world record and a US $ 1 million jackpot at the richest meeting in athletics, starting tomorrow.

Faced with some of the world’s leading distance runners in Kenyan Paul Tergat, Morocco’s Khalid Boulami and Germany’s Dieter Baumann, the Ethiopian holder of the 5,000 m and 10,000 m world marks knows record bids can be risky.

Gebrselassie, who smashed the 5,000 m mark in a pulsating night of action in Zurich last year, cannot afford to take too many chances chasing the clock and may have to concentrate on just beating his rivals.

That is because he is one of five athletes still in the hunt for the US $ 1 million prize to be shared between anyone who wins all seven rounds of their event in the golden league series.

American 400m hurdler Bryan Bronson, middle-distance runner Hicham el Guerroui, sprinter Marion Jones and women’s 400 m specialist Charity Opara are the others in contention for the bonus in this fourth and most glamorous leg.

Last year, Zurich witnessed an historic few hours of athletics with world records from Kenya’s Wilson Boit Kipketer in the steeplechase, a brilliant 800 m record from Denmark’s Wilson Kipketer and Gebrselassie’s 5,000 m best of 12:41.86.

Gebrselassie, who improved his record to 12:39.36 in Helsinki in June, was pushed all the way in one of the greatest 5,000 m races of all time by Kenyan world champion Daniel Koemen, Tergat, Boulami and Baumann.

Meanwhile, it wasn’t a lack of respect that caused world champion sprinters Ato Boldon and Maurice Greene to walk away from the Zurich golden league athletics meeting but a lack of cash, the meeting’s organiser have claimed.

Greene, the American 100 m world champion and Trinidad’s Boldon, the 200m world champion whose 9.86 is the world’s fastest time this season, were to form part of an all-star sprint lineup that included Olympic champion and world record holder Donovan Bailey of Canada, Namibia’s Frankie Fredericks and in-form Canadian Bruny Surin.

But the two men returned to their training base in California on Sunday following the golden league meeting in Monaco when last-minute negotiations failed to settle their dispute, which Greene said revolved around respect.

"We don’t run just for money", said Greene, who watched Saturday’s meet from the stands as Boldon beat Bailey with a time of 9.92. "We run for the fans and because we love to do it but the negotiations weren’t acceptable.

We are the show. We are the people who make their meet what it is and they’re not taking care of the athletes. They’re not showing us respect so why should we take care of them by going to their meets?"

Zurich meet director Andreas Bruegger, however, claimed the dispute was strictly about money.

"The figures we offered were fair but maybe they thought because they were in good shape they could ask higher fees. You have to have a balance to be fair to the other athletes.

They had this idea that we are incredibly rich but they didn’t believe me that we aren’t. I even suggested they look at our books but they were not interested", he said.

"We wanted to pay them the golden league contract and they wanted more."

Gazza 'went berserk' after he was axed

LONDON, Aug 11 (AFP) — Controversial midfielder Paul Gascoigne began smashing up a hotel room after being told he would not be in England’s World Cup squad, reveals coach Glen Hoddle in his autobiography.

Hoddle claims Gascoigne acted like a man possessed.

According to Hoddle, Gascoigne repeatedly swore, kicked over a chair and smashed a lamp in the Spanish hotel room where the squad were staying prior to France 98.

The England coach said he thought the Middlesbrough midfielder was drunk and he realised he would be unable to communicate with the wayward star.

Hoddle, who has not previously gone into detail about Gascoigne’s reaction, reveals all in his new autobiography which is being serialised in ‘The Sun’.

He said: "I thought about trying to talk to him but knew I couldn’t, not while he was in this state. He would never take it in.

"He had snapped. He was ranting, swearing and slurring his words. He was acting like a man possessed.

"He seemed to be dealing with it quite well. Then he stopped, turned and flew into a rage, kicking a nearby chair."

"It was a full-blooded volley and I was concerned because he had bare feet. The kick was so hard I thought he must have broken his foot.

"He was a different person now. He had snapped. I stood there and he turned as if to go again, then cameback with a barrage of abuse," Hoddle wrote.

Hoddle described how ever since the friendly defeat to Chile at Wembley in February, Gascoigne’s attitude had given him cause for concern, and by the time of the match with Belgium in Casablanca, the coach was having serious doubts.

"I started to seriously doubt he could do a job for us in France," Hoddle admitted. "Physically he wasn’t 100 per cent, mentally he was also over the place and he hadn’t pulled up any trees in the games."

"So I sat there on the opposite side of the dressing room from him thinking, ‘this is a very big game for you son, a very big game.’

"I don’t think he realised just how big it was. I think he was complacent, never dreamed in a million years that his place was on the line.

"Gazza had to come off after five minutes of the second half. He had a dead leg and a cut on the head."

"And it was at that moment, after all I’d seen of him physically and mentally that day, that I knew deep down he’d run out of time — I couldn’t take Gazza to France."

But Hoddle still holds out a glimmer of hope for Gascoigne, insisting that his England career is not finished under him, despite leaving him out of the working squad last week for the forthcoming European Championship programme.

Hoddle said: "There are five things he needs to do — stop drinking, get fitter than ever before, change his diet, learn to control his emotions and stay injury-free."

Ramesh, Parveen too strong
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Aug 11 — Sohan Rana, a student of the Sector 10 Haryana Model High School, pounded Manoj of Sonepat in D-9 (13-14 years) of 39-42 kg class in the semifinal bout on second day of the sub-junior, junior and senior Haryana Boxing Championship being held at Panchkula, near here this evening.

In senior section of the quarterfinal bout in flyweight (51 kg) class Fatehabad's pugilist Ramesh took 40 second to knock out Panchkula's Vinod, a student of Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 7. Rival boxer Vinod could not stand the left and right powerful punches of Ramesh and after he fell down again the referee declared him knocked out.

In bantamweight quarterfinal bout the referee hand to stop to contest in first round in less than a minute when rival boxer Dheeraj Lakra of Bhiwani was unable to bear the power but punches of Parveen (Faridabad) and fell down twice.

The results: Senior section (q-final): flyweight (48 kg); Varinder (Hisar) b Sohan Lal (Fatehabad) on pts; Ashok (Faridabad) b Jai Bhagwan (Rohtak) disqualified-II; Flyweight (51 kg): Naveen (Bhiwani) b Varinder (Hisar) RSC-IV, Jatinder (Rohtak) b Rakesh (Ambala) RSC-II; Ramesh (Fatehabad) b Vinod (Pkl) KO-II; Vijay (Faridabad) b Ramchander (Jind) RSC-IV.

Bantamweight; (54 kg) Ashok (Y. Nagar) b Vikas (Fatehabad) w/o; Parveen (Faridabad) b Dheeraj Lakra (Bhiwani) RSC-I Sushil (Sirsa) b Sanjeet (Jind) disqualified.

Featherweight (57 kg); Sultan Singh (Fatehabad) b Shamsher Yadav (Faridabad) RSC-I; D.S. Negi (Panchkula) b Vijay (Sirsa) RSC-I; Iqbal Singh (Ambala) b Rajesh (Y. Nagar) RSC-I; Jitender (Bhiwani) b Jaipal (Hisar) on pts.

Lightweight (60 kg); Subodh (Bhiwani) b Arvind (PKL) on pts, Rajesh (Rohtak) b Mohinder (Faridabad) Retd; Davender (Sonepat) b Avtar (Fatehabad) RSC-I.

Light Welterweight (63.5 kg); Rakesh Rohan (Sonepat) b Tek Chand (Faridabad) RS (H)-II; Virender Dangi (PKL) b Mandeep Gaur (Ambala) retd; Harpreet (Fatehabad) b Rohtash (Hisar) retd; Bhupinder (Biwani) b Jatinder (Kaithal) RSC- III.

Sub-junior section (semifinals) G-3 (10-11 years) 24-26 kg; Jasbir (Fatehabad) b Rabinder (Rohtak) on pts; Manjit (Panipat) b Aditya (PKL) RSC I; G-4 (26-28 kg) Om Bir (Hisar) b Sandeep (Bhiwani) on pts; G-6 (30-33 kg) Amit (MNSS, Rai) b Ruchit (Hisar) on pts; F-5 (11-12 years) 28-30 kg; Manoj (Kaithal) b Hitesh (Hisar) RSC-III, F-7 (33-36 kg) Himanshu (Hisar) b Sunil Kumar (Kaithal) on pts; F-8 (36-39 kg) Azad (Pkl) b Lokesh (Faridabad) RSC-I, E-8 (12-13 years) 36-39 kg-Sanjit (Rai) b Vivek (Hisar) on pts; E-9 (39-42 kg) Sanjiv (Pkl) b Vikas Kala (Kaithal) on pts; Pawan (Bhiwani) b Parmod (Faridabad) on pts. E-10 (12-13 years) 42-45 kg Jivesh (Rai) b Ranbir (Gurgaon) RSC-II, D-8 (13-14 years) 36-39 kg; Pawan (Panipat) b Sandeep (Fatehabad) on pts; D-9 (39-42 kg) Sohan Rana (Pkl) b Manoj (Sonepat) on pts; Jai Bhagwan (Hisar) b Jagvinder (Kaithal) retd-III, D-10 (42-45 kg) Robin (Hisar) b Vasudev (Y. Nagar) retd-I; Parvinder (Bhiwani) b Naginder (Jind) retd-I.

Pak to send 'best' team to Toronto

MUMBAI, Aug 11 (PTI) — Pakistan cricket board chief executive Majid Khan has repeated his commitment to send the country’s best side for the Sahara Cup, following reports that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will make its final decision on the make-up of its teams to be sent to Sahara Cup and Commonwealth Games not before September 4.

According to the International Management Group (IMG), who are organising the Sahara Cup at Toronto, Khan has said: "We have never been in any doubt but that the best side to represent Pakistan will be playing against India in the Sahara Cup this year.

The Sahara Cup gives both countries a chance to field its best players in a competition that has quickly established itself as one of the most important in our cricketing year."
Khan pointed out that the Sahara Cup is an event jointly owned by the BCCI, the PCB and the IMG. He expressed confidence that the BCCI would act only in the best interests of the Sahara Cup, an IMG release said here.
The agreement amongst the three parties provides an absolute commitment from both India and Pakistan to send their "best available players to the Sahara Cup", Khan was quoted as saying.
Neither England nor the West Indies are sending teams to the Commonwealth Games and most of the other major cricketing nations, including Pakistan have expressed their intention to send a second strength team to Kuala Lumpur, and only subject to clarification of the condition of the recently laid turf wickets, the IMG release said.

National sports fund to be set up
From Our Sports Reporter

PATIALA, Aug 11 — The union government has decided to set up a national sports fund (NSF) the purpose of which will be to provide for sound financial background for the promotion of sports activities in the country.

This was stated here by the Union Human Resources Development (HRD) Minister Mr M.M. Joshi while addressing mediapersons at the NIS here today. Mr Joshi said all donations made by individuals or business houses would be exempted from income tax. The proposed fund to be set up will be in addition to the union government’s earlier decision to levy a tax of one per cent on the total profits made by industrial houses. The proceeds of which will be utilised to develop sports infrastructure and for the promotion of sports.

Replying to the vexed issue of giving suitable jobs to those sports persons who had become coaches after completing the diploma in sports coaching from various centres of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Mr Joshi said that it was the job of SAI to provide employment to coaches. The state sports departments all over the country should also be ready to absorb these coaches. At present SAI has produced more than 12,000 coaches out of which only half are in the coaching profession, while others are either unemployed or have joined other professions. However, Mr Joshi, did not clarify as to when the ban on recruitment of fresh coaches would be lifted.

It may be recalled here that although the sports ministry had slapped an official ban on the recruitment and promotion of coaches and other staff of SAI since November 1996, no coach has officially been recruited by the government for the past more than five years.

Mr Joshi stated that the government had decided, in principle, to open 20 sports schools in different parts of the country. The main aim of these schools will be to provide training to youngsters after identifying talent as per local conditions.

The minister, when queried about the non-existence of a uniform national sports policy, said that the groundwork for preparing the modalities of a national sports policy was being done by his ministry.

The minister, while expressing optimism of India’s performance on the sports field in future international meets, laid emphasis on the import of foreign coaches to train Indian sports persons for various international meets. He said in order to achieve results the help of foreign coaches was necessary, while in the same breath admitted that there were also some brilliant Indian coaches who had done the country proud by producing some renowned sportspersons.

Butcher, Fraser head ratings
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 11 — England's Mark Butcher is placed atop the batting standings in the start-of-the-season Pepsi world cricket ratings for Test matches, while veteran pace bowler Angus Fraser heads the bowling list following England's remarkable series victory over South Africa.

Butcher's good batting form helped him log 6569 points to take the first position, leaving South Africa captain Hansie Cronje (6450 points) in second place.

New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming (6129 points) was lying third, following by Sri Lanka's D.P.M. Jayawardene (6036 points) and South African Jonty Rhodes (5681 points).

South Africa headed the country-wise break-up with eight batsmen among the top 20, following by England's five batsmen, four Sri Lankans and three New Zealanders. The remaining countries, including India, are yet to play any Tests in the current season.

Fraser's deadly bowling against the South Africans saw him log 8107 points to take the top berth in the bowling standings, with Sri Lankan Kumara Dharmasena (8075 points) and South Africa's Allan Donald (8068 points) close behind the second and third places, respectively.

Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (8047 points) was in the fourth place, followed by New Zealander Daniel Vettori (7923 points).

South Africa, with six bowlers making the select group of 16, headed the country-wise break-up. Four New Zealander, and three bowlers each from England and Sri Lanka complete the list of bowlers meeting the qualifying mark.

BATTING:
(Mean score of 100 runs acts as qualifying condition)

SN Player Team Points
1. Butcher Eng 6569
2. Cronje SA 6450
3. Fleming Nzl 6129
4. Jayawardene Sri 6036
5. Rhodes.J SA 5681
6. Atherton Eng 5680
7. Klusener.L SA 5461
8. Stewart Eng 5383
9. Kaluwitharana Sri 4139
10. Hussain Eng 4106
11. Cullinan SA 3828
12. J. Kallis SA 3769
13. Kirsten G. SA 3309
14. Ramprakash Eng 3183
15. Ranatunga Sri 2985
16. Pollock SA 2723
17. Parore Nzl 2380
18. Astle Nzl 2195
19. Atapattu Sri 1994
20. McMillan SA 1946

Bowling:
(Mean score of 5 wickets acts as qualifying condition)

SN Player Team Points
1. Fraser Eng 8107
2. Dharmasena Sri 8075
3. Donald SA 8068
4. Muralitharan Sri 8047
5. Vettori Nzl 7923
6. Bandaratilake Sri 7717
7. Gough Eng 7589
8. J. Kallis SA 7573
9. Cairns Nzl 7457
10. Wisema Nzl 7552
11. Pollock SA 7243
12. McMillan Nzl 7157
13. P. Adams Eng 7117
14. Cork Eng 7040
15. Klusener SA 6922
16. Ntini SA 6447

India bag silver in world jr wrestling

NEW DELHI, Aug 11 (UNI) — Manoj Kumar did India proud by winning a silver medal in the 52kg category event at the World Freestyle Junior (up to 20 years) Wrestling Championship which concluded in Primm, Neveda (USA) yesterday.

According to information received here today, Sanjay Kumar finished fourth in the 56 kg category. Other Indian grapplers ended between fifth to eighth places.

A 10-member Indian team represented the country in the championship in which 33 nations took part.

Atherton recalled to one-day squad

LONDON, Aug 11 (Reuters) — Michael Atherton, England’s Man of the Series in the 2-1 win over South Africa, was today recalled to the one-day squad for next week’s triangular tournament with South Africa and Sri Lanka.
Atherton has not played in a one-day international since leading England to a 3-0 win over Australia last year.
Chris Lewis, Darren Maddy, Chris Adams and Matthew Fleming have been dropped from the squad who lost 2-1 to South Africa in May.
England — Alec Stewart (captain), Michael Atherton, Alistair Brown, Robert Croft, Mark Ealham, Angus Fraser, Ashley Giles, Darren Gough, Graeme Hick, Adam Hollioake, Nasser Hussain, Nick Knight, Peter Martin, Alan Mullally.

Sports festival
From Our Sports Reporter

LUDHIANA, Aug 11 — Shree Gurunanak Devji Sports Club will organise the 52nd annual sports festival at the Gurdial Singh Stadium of Kot Gangurai village, near here, from August 18 to 21. Competition in kabaddi, tug of war, bullock cart races and athletics will be conducted in this four-day meet.

Trials

CHANDIGARH (TNS): The Chandigarh Amateur Athletic Association will hold trials to select athletes for participation in the National Games to be held at Manipur from October 4 to 14, according to an association press note. The men and women teams will be selected on the basis of these trials. Participants should report to the athletic coach, at the Sports Complex, Sector 7, Chandigarh, on August 16 at 3 p.m.

Jagbir cycle polo association chief
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Aug 11 — Jagbir Singh and Raj Kumar have been unanimously elected president and secretary of the Chandigarh Cycle Polo Association.

Other office-bearers are: Vice-presidents — B.M. Kalia, Ravinder Talwar, V.P. Paul; joint-secretary — Finesh Talwar; treasurer — Rakesh Mohindru.

The association has decided to hold the Chandigarh Cycle Polo Championship in October. During the championship, city probables will be chosen for the forthcoming National Cycle Polo Championship.

Raminder defends govt policy
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Aug 11 — The Punjab Government is making all out efforts to make sports schemes effective and meaningful despite the financial crunch it is facing.

The Director (Sports) Punjab, Col Raminder Singh, defended the government policy concerning the criteria for the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award the highest sports award of the Punjab state, which is given to the sportsmen who have represented the state of Punjab in the national and international competitions. That was the reason the POA awarded cash incentives to sportspersons who represented Punjab and not to all Punjabis who won the medals in the National Games. The Sports Department is not averse to giving incentives to all Punjabis irrespective from which unit they have played provided funds are available.

About the gradation policy, incentives and awards a well thought-out and documented policy has been evolved where only genuine sportspersons with performance are to be given benefit.

Col Raminder Singh further mentioned that important projects like astroturf at Ludhiana, 16 block-level stadia and purchase of more equipment from the council have already been cleared by the Chief Minister, Punjab, who is the president of the council. He is also concerned that the work on these projects starts immediately.