 |
Tuesday,
September 18, 2001, Chandigarh, India
  
|
AFRO-ASIAN GAMES S. Africa dominate
Laxman
pulls out, Badani included DP Azad writes
to Uma Bharati on Arjuna Award |
 Jan Vacek of the Czech Republic holds up his trophy after winning the Brazil Open in Sauipe, Brazil on Sunday. — AP/PTI
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Champions
Trophy shifted from Pak
Charanjeet
for fencing course Mixed
luck for Indians Tejaswini
wins gold, Mandeep silver Gulzar dominates swimming
meet
|
|
AFRO-ASIAN
GAMES New Delhi, September 17 The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had advised the government to postpone the games due to security concerns arising out of terrorist attacks on the USA, and the impending retaliatory attacks by the USA on terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan to smoke out Osama bin Laden. Now that the games stand officially postponed, the IOA was making a fire fighting operation to salvage the games, to be held at a later date, possibly in January or the last week of March, 2002. Holding the games in February is ruled out as it would clash with the Winter Olympics. While Mr Kalmadi was keeping in touch with various sports federations in India, to work out the modalities due to the postponement of the games, IOA Secretary-General Randhir Singh, in his capacity as the Secretary-General of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), was in constant touch with the Secretary-General of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) Tomy Sithole to secure fresh dates from the African as well as Asian federations for the games. There was a pall of gloom in the IOA and the Afro-Asian Games secretariat at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at the postponement of the games as the momentum had really picked up during the past few days, and the games could have been held well on time. But the situation changed dramatically following the terrorist attacks on the USA. The IOA had to fall in line once the government made it clear that the games could not be held in the prevailing situation. Mr Randhir Singh said the IOA could not have defied the government decision “as it concerns national security”. The fate of games had been sealed when Ms Uma Bharati said earlier in the day that the CCS had decided to postpone the games as the country’s security was paramount and “we cannot compromise on national security”. Meanwhile, Mr Kalmadi and Mr Randhir Singh, along with some other IOA office-bearers, had a brief interaction with former Chief Executive Officer of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG), Sandy Hollway. Mr Hollway said one of the reasons for the runaway success of the Sydney Olympic Games was the involvement of around 60,000 volunteers, who did a splendid job without receiving any remuneration. Mr Hollway said the involvement of the volunteers “saved a lot of money as otherwise, we would have had to shell out more than $ 60 million just for hiring volunteers alone”. Mr Hollway passed on some of the tips for the successful conduct of the Sydney Olympics to Mr Kalmadi and Mr Randhir Singh for them to implement during the Afro-Asian Games. |
|
S. Africa dominate Bulawayo, September 17 South Africa reached the close on the fourth day at 300 for two in reply to Zimbabwe’s 419 for nine declared, with Kallis unbeaten on 81 and McKenzie 74 not out. The rain-hit match is headed for a draw, which would give South Africa the short series after they won the first Test by nine wickets. Kallis has made his runs from 259 balls, with six fours and a six, while McKenzie has faced 176 balls and struck eight fours and a six. They methodically ground out their third wicket stand that took South Africa past the follow on target of 220 in the third over after tea. Kallis batted in fits and starts, going from 50 to 60 in 12 deliveries, but requiring 58 balls to move from 60 to 74. McKenzie was the more fluent of the two, but also failed to make the most of his opportunities to attack the largely unthreatening Zimbabwe bowling. Zimbabwe: (1st innings) 419-9 dec South Africa: (1st innings) (overnight 26-0) Gibbs c A. Flower b Price 74 Kirsten st A. Flower b Price 65 Kallis not out 81 McKenzie not out 74 Extras: (b-2, lb-4) 6 Total: (for 2 wkts,123 overs) 300 Fall of wickets: 1-117, 2-162 Bowling: streak 21-8-45-0, Friend 20-7-53-0, Strang 14.2-2-52-0, Price 47-10-105-2, Whittall 16.4-3-30-0, G. Flower 4-0-9-0.
AFP |
|
Laxman pulls out, Badani included Mumbai, September 17 Cricket board secretary Jaywant Lele told PTI over phone from Baroda today that coach John Wright had informed him in the morning that Laxman, who underwent a knee operation in Australia after pulling out of the Test series in Sri Lanka, had not recovered completely and would like to rest for some more time. “Though Laxman has not spoken to me directly, the selectors have named Hemang Badani of Tamil Nadu as his replacement in the 15-member squad for the triangular series,” Lele said. Kenya is the third team in the triangular series. “Other players like Sachin Tendulkar, medium-pacer Zaheer Khan, Javagal Srinath and Ashish Nehra are well on road to total recovery,” Lele said. Laxman is, however expected to play in the three match Test series starting from November 3. The players bound for South Africa will undergo fitness test under the watchful eyes of physio Andrew Leipus and sports medicine expert Dr Anant Joshi on September 22 and 23 at the Wankhede Stadium here. The Indians will play a three-match Test series in South Africa after the triangular series and the 66-day tour is expected to end on November 28.
PTI |
|
DP Azad writes
to Uma Bharati on Arjuna Award Chandigarh, September 17 The main suggestion put forth by him was not to ask the respective eligible sportspersons to apply for the award. He said the achievements in various sports disciplines were self explanatory so the deserving persons should not be ignored. Azad, who had trained a number of cricketers, including Kapil Dev, Ashok Malhotra, Chetan Sharma, Yograj Singh, said that the lucrative incentives involved with the awards was another point of attraction which lead to manipulations at different levels. He said asking for the award the players deserved, amounted to begging. Azad further said the achievements in the recognised international meets such as Asian, Commonwealth Games/World Cup should only be the main basis of selection of these awards. He said the winning of medals at the SAF Games must not be the sole criteria as only a few countries participate in these Games. He said a representative of the Dronacharya Awardees Forum should also be associated with the selection procedure. He further said the lifetime achievement award introduced from this year should be renamed from present Arjuna to any other such as
Bhishampitamha. |
|
Events, tributes continue in Europe Paris, September 17 No champagne corks popped on the podium at the Italian Grand Prix, won by Colombian rookie Pablo Montoya, after racing chiefs had sent a defiant message to terrorists. “We should never make concessions to terrorism,” said Max Mosley International Automobile Federation (FIA) president, explaining why the sport’s ruling body had refused to cancel. Formula One financial supremo Bernie Ecclestone mirrored that view. “These people did this to terrorise the world and if we are terrorised and stop what we are doing they have achieved their aim,” he said. “It wasn’t a hard decision. You cannot bow to terrorism.” Several of the racing stables paid their own tributes to New York’s and Washington’s victims and their loved ones. The Jordan-Honda team raced with the American flag painted on their two cars’ hoods and Ferrari stripped their cars of sponsors’ logos, painting the nose of their cars black as a mark of respect. European league football went ahead after the mid-week cancellations, but in perhaps the weekend’s most beautiful tribute Bayern Munich’s Brazilian striker Giovane Elber sent out a message of peace. After scoring the winning goal in Saturday’s Bundesliga match against Freiburg, Elber drew his hands together to mime a dove of peace. Video clips of the gesture are being shown widely on Europe’s sports channels, with pretty much every event dedicated to victims of Tuesday’s attacks. In soccer-mad Italy all matches started 15 minutes late after a one-minute silence following which spectators respectfully applauded. At the Lazio v Torino match in Roma the home supporters, who in the past have acquired a reputation for xenophobic and racist demonstrations, were respectfully silent and waved white handkerchiefs. One banner said: “No conquerors, no vanquished, we have all been defeated.” Many American sports stars still feel it is way too early to be playing games, though. Australian and French Open champion Jennifer Capriati and defending champion Serena Williams have pulled out of this week’s Princess Cup tennis tournament in Tokyo but Andre Agassi will take part in the Shanghai Open which starts today. The fate of this month’s Ryder Cup, golf’s Europe versus America event in Birmingham, England was thrown into doubt yesterday and the Americans have said they will not travel unless all 12 of the team agreed to do so. “To be frank about it a golf tournament would be an easy place to commit mass murder,” said Steve Loy, manager of several of America’s top golfers. “If I were a gambling man I’d wager that the tournament would not take place,” he told English weekly the Sunday Times.
AFP |
|
Champions Trophy shifted from Pak Lahore, September 17 Leading daily “The Dawn” quoting unnamed sources said the Brussels-based sport’s international ruling body has asked the other five nations who have qualified for the trophy — Holland, Germany, South Korea, Australia and England — whether they are in a position to hold the event. The FIH has set September 28 as deadline for these countries to give their consent whether they can hold the trophy. Ironically Champions Trophy was set up by Pakistan in 1978 and was automatic right to host the tournament every third year. Altogether Pakistan has staged the tournament 10 times. The FIH has taken the decision citing security as the main reason for shifting the venue. The paper said though defending champion Holland are being tipped to host the 23rd edition of the tournament there was a possibility that the event may be held next year if the five countries are not able to stage it this year. Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has confirmed that the FIH had asked the other participating teams to confirm their availability by September 28. The paper quoted PHF secretary, Brigadier Musaratullah Khan as saying that his federation received an e-mail from the FIH in which it has asked the participants to confirm their availability for the Champions Trophy.
UNI |
|
“Time to move on
after terror” Tokyo, September 17 The 565,000 dollars event at Ariake Tennis Forest Park has been hit by the withdrawal of defending champion Serena Williams and world number two Jennifer Capriati, who told the women’s WTA Tour of their decision to pull out on Saturday. But Navratilova, now 44 and exclusively a doubles player, said on Monday that athletes should “do what they can to help’’ by going back to work. “I want to offer my condolences to the thousands who perished.”
Reuters |
|
Charanjeet
for fencing course Chandigarh, September 17 Born in 1974, this exposure will stand the Patiala-based girl in good stead as India plans to field fencing squads in major fencing competitions abroad. According to a message received from the FIE, Charanjeet Kaur has been selected to undergo the course based on her best result obtained in the recently held Asian Fencing Championship at Bangkok in August last. All her expenses to undergo the training will be met by the international federation. Mr Arvind Khanna, President, Fencing Association of India, said that it was for the first time that an Indian fencer had been selected to undergo such a training course abroad. He also announced that an Indian fencing team would be participating in the World senior championship being held at Nimes (France) from October 26 to November 1, 2001, subject to the approval of the government If cleared, it would be for the first time that an Indian team would take part in the World Fencing Championships. |
|
Mixed luck for
Indians Chennai, September 17 Gajjar was seeded No 1, as Chandigarh’s Amanjot Singh ranked 98, could not arrive here from the USA, because of the current situation following the terrorist attacks in New York, tournament director Hiten Joshi said. Rohan Gajjar ousted unseeded Indian Kiran Kumar, 6-2, 6-2 while Rishi Behl downed Inder Deep Mitra 6-1, 6-4. Arun Prakash also accounted for another Indian Rewant Dutta in an one-sided match dropping just two games in the first set to win 6-2, 6-0 in straight sets.
UNI |
|
Tejaswini
wins gold, Mandeep silver New Delhi, September 17 According to information received here today, besides the lone gold, India lifters picked up three silver and two bronze medals in the six-day championship which concluded yesterday. B. Tejaswini lifted 82.5 kg in bench press in the 52kg class to emerge on the top of the field. In the 60kg class, Mandeep Kaur claimed silver and a bronze. Mandeep with a lift of 170kg, finished second for bronze in the squat event and she also picked up a bronze with an effort of 430kg aggregate lift. In the boys section, Parveen Kumar, with a lift of 225.5kg in the dead lift event in the 52kg category, earned a silver.
UNI |
|
Gulzar dominates swimming
meet Ambala, September 17 In mens 50m, 100 m, 200m freestyle and 50m and 100m backstroke, Gulzar Mehta stood first, Mukesh second and Shailendra was adjudged third. In boys 15 to 17 years yesterday 100m freestyle, Varun Sharma stood first, Ashish Bharadwaj was second and Abhishek was third. In 50 m backstroke, Varun Sharma was first, Ajit Pal second and Yadvindra was third. In boys 13 to 14 age group, 100 m group, 100 m freestyle, Shail Bhatia was first, Jodha Singh second and Karan Malhotra was third. In 100 m backstroke, Karan Malhotra stood first. Ankurit was second and Paigambar was third. In boys 11 to 12 year group 100 m freestyle, Varun Kanwar was adjudged first, Karan Kanwar was second and Atul Kataria was third. In 50 m freestyle, Varun Kanwar was first, Karan Kanwar was second and Atul Kataria was third. In boys 9 to 10 year group, 50 m freestyle, Karan Sharma was first, Ajay Kumar was second and Jagdeep Singh was third. In 50 m backstroke, Karan Sharma was first, Jagdeep Singh was second and Shashank Ahuja stood third. In girls, 13 to 14 year group 50m freestyle, Khyati Pal was first, Sanpreet Kocchar was second and Parminder Kaur was third. In 50 m backstroke, Harminder Kaur stood first, Pallavi Pathak was second and Khyati Pal was third. In girls 9 to 10 year group 50 m backstroke. Neelima stood first, Devika was second and Vasundhra was third. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 121 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
