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| Tuesday, August 29, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Shakti, Neelam claim gold Top sportspersons to miss function JOHNNESBURG, Aug 28 — The United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) today banned Herschelle Gibbs and Henry Williams from international cricket until December 31 for their role in the Hansie Cronje scandal. American old guard looks haggard AITA to organise 145 meets England recall Salisbury |
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CALCUTTA, Aug 28 — At least 13 top teams from Latin America, Euorpe, Africa and Asia have confirmed their participation in the Millennium Soccer Cup to be held in India between January 10 and 25 next year. PCB sets 1-month deadline
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JAKARTA, Aug 28 (PTI) — National shot put champion Shakti Singh heaved the iron ball to 19.77 metres to win a deserving gold and compatriot woman discuss thrower Neelam J. Singh followed him in winning another as India took the first day’s honours at the Asian Track and Field Meet here today. Though both returned with performances well below their personal bests, the effort was an impressive start to the championship being held with next month’s Sydney Olympic Games in sight. India with two gold and two silver medals led the medals chart followed by superpowers China (1 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze) and Japan (0-1-2). Shakti Singh struck gold with an effort below his national mark of 20.09 metres and tuned himself well for the coming games. Qatar’s Bilal Saad Mubarak (19.23m) settled for silver while China’s Wen Jili (18.18m) took the bronze. Neelam j
Singh hurled the discus to 60.75 metres in the women’s event to give much-deserved ‘kick start’ to the Indian athletes’ preparations. The Indian national champion was followed by Chinese pair of Gi Cao (58.71m) and Li Yanfeng (57.52m) in the second and third positions, respectively. The elegant thrower’s effort was though below her national mark of 61.41metres achieved in February this year. Distance runner l
Aruna Devi broke a long-standing national record in women’s 10,000 metres when she clinched the silver in 34 minutes 31.15 seconds. Supriyati Supono of the host country, won the gold with a time of 33:47.27 seconds. In the men’s 10,000 metres Ahmed Ibrahim of Qatar won easily in 29:52.99 seconds. Gulab Chand won a silver medal. Km Beenamol, who broke pt Usha’s 400 m record at Keiv recently, won her heat in 52.79 seconds to qualify as the second fastest runner for the women’s 400 m final. Paramjeet Kaur also qualified for the finals with a time of 53.75 seconds. India’s hopes in men’s 400 m heats — Parmjeet Singh and
P Ramachandran — qualified for the 400 m finals with timings of 46.46 and 46.62, respectively. The fastest qualifier was the veteran Ibrahim Ismail of Qatar with 45.79 seconds. |
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Top sportspersons to miss function NEW DELHI, Aug 28 (PTI) — With top sportspersons named for the prestigious national sports honours busy with the preparations for the Sydney Olympic Games, this year’s Arjuna Awards function will in all probability be marked by many abstentions. Mercurial striker Dhanraj Pillay, who is with the Indian hockey team at the western Australian suburb of Murwillinbah, is to receive highest award in sports — Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. Pillay’s mother Andal Amma will receive the award on his behalf from President K.R. Narayanan at the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan here tomorrow. The function will be the highlight of the national sports day celebrated to coincide with the birth anniversary of hockey wizard Dhyan Chand. Distance runner Gulab Chand and thrower Gurmeet Kaur are away in Jakarta participating in the Asian Track and Field Athletic Meet while national badminton champion P. Gopichand, who moved to career high ranking of 17 in the world, is in Bangalore and may turn up for the function. Interestingly, no cricketers figure in the list of awardees for the year 1999, a sad commentary on the current plight of the most popular game in the country. Mid-fielder Ramandeep Singh, the captain of hockey team, will also be missing, leaving the field a depleted one. Given the situation, swimmer Nisha Millet and pugilists Gurcharan Singh and Jitender Kumar — all headed for Sydney —will be the star attractions at the ceremony. Sadly, Dronacharya awardee Hawa Singh, who won back-to-back Asian Games gold medals in 1966 and 1970, will also be missed as the boxer died in Bhiwani earlier this month. As the nation celebrates Sports Day, 14 sportspersons will be given Arjuna Awards, three coaches will receive Dronacharya awards and one Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. The Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy, in all-round performance in sports, will be given to Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. The award carries a rolling trophy and cash prize of Rs 1 lakh which will be utilised for acquiring sports equipment. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has lined up several competitions in different disciplines in Delhi and across the country to mark the occasion. Besides mass runs and competitions in hockey, football, basketball at various centres, the SAI will conduct National Handball Championship (August 28-31) in Imphal, a release said here today. The Jawaharlal Nehru Hockey Society and the Indian Hockey Federation are organising a benefit match for ailing Olympian Joginder Singh. The match will be played between Army XI and Railways XI at the National Stadium tomorrow. |
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Gibbs, Williams banned till December 31 JOHNNESBURG, Aug 28 (UNI) — The United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) today banned Herschelle Gibbs and Henry Williams from international cricket until December 31 for their role in the Hansie Cronje scandal. In addition, the two men were fined for agreeing to a proposal by Cronje, then South Africa’s captain, to underperform in the Nagpur one-day match against India in March. Michael Kuper, a member of the three-man UCBSA disciplinary committee, said the sentences were designed to balance the interests of the players and of the game. He said the panel took account of the influence Cronje had over the younger players and of the fact that they did not deliver the promised performance and were never paid. A third player, Pieter Strydom, was acquitted of conspiring to bet on the outcome of the Centurion Park Test against England in January. “The reason that they were not banned from provincial cricket is that in the case of Gibbs he was on the threshold of a glittering international career which has now been disrupted by his own action,’’ Mr Kuper said. “We have given proper consideration to the rules of the ICC (International Cricket Council), but felt that the imposition of a life ban would go beyond what is fair and proper under these circumstances. “We tried to strike a balance between taking into account the interests of cricket and of the players,’’ he said. Gibbs was ordered to pay a 60,000 rand ($ 8,645) fine by October 31 and Williams was fined 10,000 rand ($ 1,439). UCBSA Managing Director Ali Bacher said after the penalties were announced that the mitigating factors were important. “The ultimate findings were unanimous by three top legal experts in South Africa. Who are we to dispute this?’’ he added. Dr Bacher said he spoke to the two players, who did not attend today’s announcement. “Henry Williams found the sentence fair and also said it was a very stressful period in his life and that he was looking forward to starting afresh,’’ Dr Bacher said. Gibbs said in a statement he was grateful both to be allowed to continue to play cricket at a provincial level and to be able to hope for selection for the national side next year. “I am obviously bitterly disappointed,’’ he said. “Since April, my life has been in complete turmoil and I believe the past four months have been the worst of my life. “I have obviously had an opportunity of reflecting on my actions in Nagpur and have come to appreciate fully my stupidity. “I can but once again apologise to the South African public in general and in particular to my team-mates, the United Cricket Board and its Managing Director Dr Ali Bacher. He added: “I have learned my lesson and I hope sincerely that my experience will serve as a reminder to anyone who finds himself in a similar situation,’’ he said. If Gibbs and Williams pay their fines they could be eligible for selection for a South African tour to the West Indies next year, but they will miss series against New Zealand and Sri Lanka later this year. Cronje has been suspended from the game, but will hear what formal penalties he will face after the end of a government-appointed inquiry into his activities as captain. |
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American old guard looks haggard NEW YORK, Aug 28 (DPA) — With Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras looking a bit worn around the edges at the end of a mixed-bag summer, there may be an invitation for some fresh-faced challengers to seize the moment In the $ 15-million US Open. Sampras, whose seventh win at Wimbledon for a record 13th Grand Slam titles and a place in history was the peak of his year, has been practising all week with British mate Tim Henman at the Grand Slam venue. He starts with Czech Martin Damm. The 29-year-old American missed the tournament a year ago with a herniated disc in his back which flared the day before the start during a
practice session. The mid-year north American hard-court campaign was nothing special for Sampras. It was the first time in six years that he had failed to reach a pre-Open final. “It’s disappointing to go in without a victory,” He admitted. “Winning gives you a certain aura that can help in a Slam.” Fourth seed Sampras skipped his usual stop in Indianapolis this month after disappointments at the back-to-back masters series events in Toronto and Cincinnati. Agassi, the holder and top seed, has been equally sluggish. His last outing was a disappointing loss to inspired Spaniard Alex Corretja for the Washington title. In the previous weeks, the 30-year-old from Las Vegas tried and failed to find competitive traction after hurting his back in a post-Wimbledon car smash. Agassi’s last serious Grand Slam showing was his Australian Open title in January. As holder, he crashed out of the French Open and lost a heart-break Wimbledon semifinal to Australian Patrick Rafter. Agassi is a showman whose best reviews often come from the boisterous new york crowd. “If I had to miss any tournament, the US Open would be the last one,” he said. “It’s the one above all else I want to win.” Just waiting in the wings to pounce on north American Grand Slam glory are a pair of dangerous contenders, Brazil’s ATP points race leader Gustavo Kuerten and Magnus Norman of Sweden. The wiry, perhaps fragile-looking second seed Kuerten may not look strong enough to swing a racket, but that can hardly be true for a two-time French Open champion and winner of a first career Grand Slam title last week at Indianapolis. Kuerten begins play against Australian qualifier Wayne Arthurs and is full of hope concerning his overall chances during the fortnight. “I think I’m going to be well-prepared I have a lot of confidence because I just won a tournament. I’ll try to enjoy the atmosphere that is the Open,” said Kuerten. Third seed Norman contested the long island title on Sunday against compatriot Thomas Enqvist, winner of the Cincinnati title. Norman appears to be back on form after first and second-round losses in Toronto and Cincinnati this month. Two-time New York winner Patrick Rafter has to be classified as a dangerous unseeded floater. The Aussie is back in action after resting his chronic right shoulder problem for nearly three weeks. “I’m feeling pretty positive about the shoulder at the moment, but it’s important to remember things can change very quickly,’’ he told an Australian paper. “For that reason I’m not going to get my hopes up too much at the moment.” Last year’s finalist Todd Martin is still off-form after a string of injuries and is not seeded. |
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AITA to organise 145 meets MUMBAI, Aug 28 (UNI) — All-India Tennis Association (AITA) will host a record number of 145 international championships for men and women in the next eight months making India the biggest organising country in Asia. This was announced by AITA’s new president Anil Khanna while taking to newspersons here yesterday. He said the International Tennis Federation had taken note of India’s achievement and will now look at AITA more favourably. Mr Khanna said starting from October, men will get an opportunity to play in six ITF future tournaments, four challenger events, eight satellite tournaments apart from numerous AITA ranking series. Similarly the women’s schedule, packed with 15 International Tennis Federation circuits, will commence with $ 10,000 worth ITF circuit at Delhi followed by other such circuits with same amount of prize money at Bangalore, Guwahati and Delhi. This will be followed by the master circuit of $ 25,000 at Delhi. Another round of the ITF circuit will follow in February with Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai staging $ 5,000 worth circuit events. Chandigarh and Delhi will organise two more ITF circuits of $ 10,000 each. The season’s highlight for women is likely to be the Federation Cup in April followed by four more ITF circuits at Mumbai, Indore, Delhi and Haryana. Mr Khanna said AITA was not lagging in junior events for under-14, under-16 and under-18. The under-18 juniors will have six ITF tournaments on the calendar plus four Adidas series. The under-14 boys and girls will have plenty of tennis in the 28 AITA ranking tournaments while 20 similarly ranked tournaments have been kept for under-16 players. India has also successfully initiated a move to bring women’s tennis in the Asia Cup Championship. In the next cup at Delhi starting on December 18 there will be four men’s teams instead of eight making way for best four women’s teams from the continent. The DSCL nationals for under-18 and also men and women will be hosted by Delhi from October 9 and under-14 and 16 nationals will be played at the same venue from October 16. Nationals on grass for men and women will be played at Calcutta from October 27. Nationals for veterans will be at Hyderabad from November 27. In the same month former Swedish great Bjorn Borg is likely to be seen in action in the Legends event at Bangalore to be followed by World Doubles Championship. The new year will start with the Gold Flake Open at Chennai from January 1. The tennis calendar till June 2001: Women: September 4 ITF Delhi; September 11 ITF Bangalore; October 16 and 23 ITF at Guwahati and Delhi; October 30 ITF Masters Delhi; February 12, 19, 26 and March 5, ITF at Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi respectively. April 9 and 16 ITF at Chandigarh and Delhi, respectively; June 4, 11, 18 and 25 ITF at Mumbai, Indore, Delhi and Hyderabad, respectively. Men: November 6, 13, and 20-ITF future at Chandigarh, Lucknow and Mumbai respectively. January 8, 15, and 22 ITF future at Guwahati, Calcutta and Hyderabad respectively. February 12, 19, 26, and March 5 challenger series at Mumbai, Jaipur, Lucknow, and Calcutta respectively March 5, 12, 19 satellite legs at Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur respectively and March 26 satellite masters at Mumbai. May 7, 14 and 21 satellite legs at Kerala, Bangalore and Delhi respectively and May 28 masters at Chandigarh. |
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England recall Salisbury LONDON, Aug 28 (Reuters) — Surrey leg-spinner Ian Salisbury was recalled today to the England Test squad to tour Pakistan and Sri Lanka after a two-year absence.
Kent wicketkeeper Paul Nixon is the only uncapped player in the 16-man party which also features Yorkshire seamer Matthew Hoggard who made his England debut in the second Test against the West Indies in June. A 14-man one-day squad, which will also play in the
ICC Trophy in Kenya, contained no surprises. “Our decision to announce the touring parties ahead of the last Test match reflects the fact that we have played good cricket this summer and are developing a settled side,’’ chairman of selectors David Graveney said. “We were also keen to ensure that players chosen for the final Test at The Oval did not have to play with the added pressure of worrying about their tour place.’’ England play the fifth Test against West Indies this week, leading the series 2-1, and chose left-arm spinner Ashley Giles instead of veteran Phil Tufnell for the game at The Oval. “The choice of spinners for the (tour) Test squad was a difficult one and involved the most discussion between the selectors,’’ said Graveney. |
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Why can’t Aussies look beyond their noses HOW would you as an Indian react to a news story on the Australian Olympic hockey team which claimed that Michael York was about to become the only hockey player ever to play in four Olympic Games? As a patriot you would cry foul! That’s what this correspondent did the other day when a story in The West Australian newspaper made that claim. There was no way any Indian hockey fan worth his salt would take that lying down. Don’t they know that India had a rich tradition in hockey? Don’t they look beyond their noses and their shores to others who may have achieved? Haven’t they ever heard of Leslie Claudius and Udham Singh who both played (and won medals) in four consecutive Olympics? This correspondent sent a letter to the newspaper setting the record straight … not that they bothered to carry the letter and set it straight. This for those of you making the trip to the Sydney Games, is the Aussie way. If it doesn’t involve Australia, the Aussie are not bothered. We are aware that India’s glory days of hockey are long past, but at least give us the credit we deserve for our past Olympic laurels. To show that we are concerned of what is happening with others especially because they are our competition at next months Games, we provide an update of the Australia Olympic hockey team which is under pressure to break its jinx of never having won Olympic gold. The team has had a setback to its preparations. The question is can Daniel Sproule and Michael York beat injury in time for the start of the Olympic hockey competition on September 16. Sproule has missed critical weeks in the lead-up to the Games, first with a broken hand and a debilitating back injury. York injured an ankle during a Test series against Pakistan less than two weeks ago, jeopardising his chances of captaining the team at his fourth Olympics. The team will continue its Olympic preparation in Perth until leaving for the Games on September 11. Australian coach Terry Walsh said, they were pivotal to Australia’s success at the Games, and the race was on for them to regain peak form and maintain it throughout the two weeks of the competition. Sproule’s role contributes to much of Australia’s success in the midfield where his defensive and attacking qualities are unique. “He has the ability to tear an opposition defence apart,” Walsh said. “He causes teams all sorts of problems because he has the ability to move into the attack from a defensive role. At full speed he can run through a team.” Apparently, York’s recovery will be slower because there has not been much time for the injured ankle ligaments to heal. Sharks, kangaroos and that big red rock Louise Evans is the athletics correspondent of The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald and she has just returned from the European Grand Prix circuit. Of course Louise was the centre of a lot of attention because so many of her fellow journalists who were headed to Sydney for the Olympics wanted to know what to expect of Australia and the Games. And she has some hilarious stories to tell. Louise recalls how this colleague from an African nation asked her: “Do you have cell phones in Australia?” Louise answered: “No mate, but we are hoping to have flushing toilets installed for the Olympics. “Will I be able to hire a car with the steering wheel on the left side?” No, we drive on the left in Australia and the wheel’s on the right. “But will I be able to hire a left-hand drive car?” No, all the cars are right-hand drive. “Even all the hire cars for us visitors coming down for the Olympics?” These were some of the dumb questions she encountered while covering the athletics across Europe this summer. Louise says being an Australian attending overseas sporting events in the lead-up to the Olympics makes you a target for every jock heading to Sydney next month with a head full of questions. “The queries range from the amusing to the inane and are fuelled by the fact that despite our success in international fashion and film and sport, Australia largely remains an enigma to the rest of the world,” she says. “The thousands heading down under have fallen for the sun, surf and Chardonnay image and now they want the book, the Black+White Sydney Dream book which features an array of naked athletes. ‘Are all Australians that liberal? You have topless bathing at Bondi, right?’ You don’t want to shatter their illusions but ... A bunch of Americans thought they would be able to drive to Uluru (Ayres Rock which is in the centre of Australia) for lunch after watching the morning heats of the athletics and be back in time for the finals in the evenings. “How far is the drive from Sydney to that red rock?” A few days. “A few hours?” No, a few days. “How about those coral gardens — how far outside Sydney are they?” The Great Barrier Reef is a two-hour plane ride away. “You sure got a big country there.” Another American thought Australia had summer all year round. He was looking forward to sitting in the Olympic stadium with his shirt off, getting a suntan while the Star Spangled Banner rang out over Homebush Bay. “Oh, you mean it gets cold down there, but you don’t get any snow?” Louise says Olympic stories that make headlines at in Australia also have a way of being distorted as they cross the equator. “Are they still rioting at Bondi?” One Italian journalist wanted to know. Louise answered: “Only if the pubs run out of beer.” And she was probably right! Then there was the German who wanted to know where he could park his hire car so it wouldn’t get torched by native protesters. But she says from the feedback she has received, the biggest dilemma facing international competitors is the distance and time difference. “Tell a Russian coach he’s going to sit in a plane for 30 hours to get from Moscow to Sydney and he reacts like he’s just been sentenced to a lifetime in the salt mines.” She says. “The longest flight most Americans and Europeans have taken is across the Atlantic. Across the Pacific is unfathomable. You almost feel sorry for them. The athletes are also desperate to see a kangaroo. ‘Will there be any at the athletes’ village?’ Well, only on the menu. “An education of Crocodile Dundee has taught them that Australia is crawling with life-threatening fauna. They freak out when you confirm that the snakes and spiders are killers and the international triathletes are deeply spooked by any talk of sharks. ‘Are there really sharks in the harbour?’ “With one eye on Australia’s medal tally, you look them straight in the eye and say: ‘No, the crocodiles ate all the sharks.” Now you know what kind of publicity an Olympics can give a nation. —
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13 top teams for Millennium Cup CALCUTTA, Aug 28 (UNI) — At least 13 top teams from Latin America, Euorpe, Africa and Asia have confirmed their participation in the Millennium Soccer Cup to be held in India between January 10 and 25 next year. Mr K.S. Juneja, Managing Director, Studio 2001, negotiating with the foreign teams on behalf of the All-India Football Federation, said here today that his company had also been trying to get either Australia or New Zealand and one more team from Europe. Mr Juneja said Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, Jamaica, South Africa, Cameroon, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Japan, Qatar, Baharin, Jordan and the Czech Republic had already confirmed their participation in the event. “Never before have so many top teams played together in India. We are also trying to get either Croatia or Scotland or Bulgaria,’’ Mr Juneja, who came here to inspect the facilities at the Salt Lake Stadium, said. He said the participating teams would be divided into four groups and the matches would played in Goa, Cochin and Calcutta. Mr Juneja said Cameroon soccer star Roger Milla is all set to come here to be present at the inaugural Press conference to be held in mid-September. He said efforts were also being made for interaction between Roger Milla and budding soccer players in all the three centres. President of South African Soccer Association Moleti Oliphant will lead a 40-member delegation comprising players, officials and technical people for the tournament. Besides, Colombian soccer star Asprilla would accompany the national side for the mega tournament. Mr Juneja said as per the agreement with the All-India Football Federation, the Indian soccer body will get 30 per cent of the total profit made from the tournament. He, however, suggested certain modifications in the Salt Lake Stadium to ensure availability of international facilities for the top teams of the world. He also urged the West Bengal Government to waive the amusement tax for the tournament to make the millennium matches more
profitable. “There is no amusement tax for sporting events in Goa and Kerala and we expect the same treatment from the West Bengal Government,’’ he added. |
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PCB sets 1-month deadline MUMBAI, Aug 28 (UNI) — The Pakistan Cricket Board today set a one-month deadline for India to decide on the Pakistan tour early next month.
In an online chat from Karachi, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Tauqir Zia said he would need a definite answer when he goes to Sharjah next for the Asian Cricket Council meeting. “We cannot wait for them (BCCI and Indian Government) and will make arrangements for someone else to visit Pakistan,” he said. Mr Zia emphatically announced that PCB would not heed the International Management Group’s request to consider next year as part of the five-year contract for the Sahara Cup played at Toronto. “As far as we are concerned the contract is over and if the next one has to be signed, then a condition of penalising the country who buck the tour must be included,” he added and pointed out that it was India, which had violated the contract for political reasons. |
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