 |
|
|
IHF power struggle reaches court
Politicians forge unity to thwart “dirty game”
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
India face Sweden in playoff
Indian colts blank UAE
Good showing by Chandhok
India win p’lifting tourney
Abhinav to fight for quota position
|
|
IHF power struggle reaches court New Delhi, May 3 Mr Batra, who had moved the court yesterday charging Mr Gill with financial irregularities and running the IHF
in an autocratic manner, filed an additional affidavit requesting the court not to allow Mr Gill and Mr Jothikumaran to participate in the Federation
elections. Mr Batra submitted that after filing of his writ petition, he was served with certain documents at 4 pm yesterday about holding of AGM for holding of election of office-bearers and that the minutes of the earlier meeting had been changed. He urged the court to pass an order that the IHF was "not entitled to hold any election to the post of Senior Vice-President which is being occupied by the petitioner having been elected in the year 2002 and whose term is going to expire on January 28, 2006." The petition is likely to come up for hearing tomorrow. The power struggle in the IHF reached the Court yesterday with Mr Batra filing a writ petition against Mr Gill and Mr Jothikumaran. Mr Batra, who has vowed to remove Mr Gill from the to post, alleged in his petition that the former Punjab Police Director-General committed financial irregularities and
demanded that Mr Gill and Mr Jothikumaran should not be allowed to contest the IHF's next elections. Mr Batra alleged that the two were continuing in office for a third term against the government guidelines which say that no office-bearer will have more than two terms or maximum of eight years in office. Facing a possible challenge from rival faction, Indian Hockey Federation President K P S Gill in a sudden and surprise move called for an early election to the post of president and other office-bearers in Kolkata on May 23. This has apparently been done to exploit the positive mood that exists among the members of the apex body to bid for another four-year
term in office. IHF sources said the term of the present set of the office-bearers expires only in February 2006 but Mr Gill has thought it fit to call for an early election seeking his fourth term in office after having enjoyed support from almost all the 33-member unit representatives at the last General Body Meeting held in Hyderabad. However, their detractors claimed that these two office-bearers — Gill and Secretary K Jothikumaran — have bypassed the executive members and failed to take the members into confidence. Even the executive committee members were surprised to receive the election notice yesterday, they said. It is premature to say whether Mr Gill will succeed in his bid for a fresh term but he feels that the majority of the 33-affiliated units are supporting him. "Even the Hyderabad General body meeting was summoned only after a senior Vice-President made public the non-transparent manner of functioning of the Federation. But it remains to be seen whether Mr Gill could succeed in his efforts to remain in power,"
the sources said. The sources explained that it was wrong on the part of Mr Gill to have called for early elections without the sanction of the IHF Executive
Committee. Some IHF members also did not agree with Senior Vice-President Narender Batra going to court citing Sports
Ministry's guideline, which is not followed by any affiliate of the Indian Olympic
Association. The sources said though the members supported Mr Gill in Hyderabad on the issue raised by Mr Batra that Mr Gill and Mr Jothikumaran have gone against the Ministry guidelines by exceeding their stay in office, the Executive Committee meeting that was held an hour prior to the general body was a stormy affair. "Members headed by K Krishnamurthy, Joint Secretary of the IHF, were vociferous in their demands to know as to how much money was received from sponsors and others and what was the expenditure. They are afraid to convene committee meetings. There has never been any transparency in the IHF," they alleged.
— PTI
|
|
Politicians forge unity to thwart “dirty game”
New Delhi, May 3 While in Uttar Pradesh Samajwadi Party's strongman and General Secretary Amar Singh has tried to gain control over the UP Cricket Association to clip the wings of the Congress Rajya Sabha MP Rajiv Shukla, in Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh wants to settle his scores with former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal whose son Anurag Thakur is heading the state' cricket association. Similarly, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje gained control over state's sports associations by passing an ordinance and once again cricket is the issue. Peeved over state's intervention in the functioning of sports bodies which till now have been operating in federative framework, politicians like BJP Deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Minister for Water Resources P R Dasmunshi, former Law and Justice Minister Arun Jaitely, BCCI President Ranbir Singh Mahendra and many others, who belong to different political parties, have decided to come together to oppose a move which "is going to ruin the chances of games" in the country. Informal contacts have been established, sources said adding that a delegation of presidents and office-bearers of sports associations and bodies is going to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seek his intervention in the sensitive issue. It was decided at the informal meeting to oppose the state's taking over sports organisations "tooth and nail" and "legal options" are being studied to take the states into legal arena, sources said. The Uttar Pradesh's move to take over the UP Cricket Association has already been challenged in a court in Allahabad and BJP leader Jaitley is the fighting the case. Talking to the Tribune, former Congress Minister K P Singh Deo, who has been associated with different sports association, said the move by different states to gain control over games is "fraught with serious consequences as it would mean an end to whatever we have achieved in cricket, hockey, tennis, athletes or shooting". "If India has made a place in the field of Information Technology then it is because the system allowed entrepreneurial freedom", Mr Singh Deo said. "What Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have done is to score personal scores", Mr Singh Deo said and added that "the move is definitely not going to help the future of sports in the country". |
|
Gayle hits memorable 317
St John’s, May 3 Gayle’s triple century, the 20th in test history and first against South Africa, ensured the home team trailed by 23 runs on the first innings yesterday. But with only one day remaining, the Test was set for a tame draw in a series already won by South Africa. “A lot of pressure was on me,” Gayle said. “I had played two Test matches and had not scored a lot of runs. In this one, I really had to dig deep, especially to take advantage of this pitch. I have been working hard with Sir Gary (Sobers) in the nets. It really paid off today.” Captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul was an unbeaten 82 at stumps, and on the verge of the seventh century of the Test. South Africa scored four in their innings on the batting paradise. Gayle, who started the day on 184 as the West Indies resumed at 299-1, went to his second Test double century after half an hour. He reached 300 right on tea, when he nudged his 462nd delivery on the on-side. The Jamaican left-hander, who had not passed double figures in four previous innings in this series, ended up smacking 37 fours and three sixes in 10-and-a-half hours. He was eventually out to a predictably tired stroke half hour after tea, his 483rd ball providing a slip catch off South Africa’s best bowler Monde Zondeki. Gayle walked off to a rapturous reception from the South African team, and a 6,000-strong crowd at Antigua Recreation Ground. His triple century was only the fifth by a West Indian, alongside Brian Lara (400 not out and 375, also at Antigua), Sir Gary (365 not out) and Lawrence Rowe (302). He also passed Sir Don Bradman’s 299 not out at Adelaide in 1932 as the highest score against South Africa. Gayle admitted he had his sights on Lara’s world record of 400 on a day that Lara fell for just four on his 36th birthday. “Yeah, definitely. I was looking to hopefully come tomorrow and build on it and try to get as close as possible to 400 on the final day,” Gayle said. “But it did not happen and I am thankful for what I got today.” Gayle was dropped on 80 by Graeme Smith off Jacques Kallis on Sunday, and his main scare yesterday came when he attempted a reverse sweep at Nicky Boje’s left-arm spin at 281 and survived a confident leg-before appeal. Scoreboard South Africa (1st innings): 588-6 decl. West Indies (1st innings): Gayle c Smith b Hinds c and b Ntini 0 Sarwan c Prince b Lara c Boucher b Chanderpaul batting 82 Deonarine c Boucher b Bravo batting 10 Extras: (4lb, 2w, 15nb) 21 Total:
(for 5 wickets, Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-345, 3-363, 4-512, 5-535. Bowling:
Pollock 29-4-94-0, Ntini 28-2-94-1, Zondeki 18-2-87-3, Kallis 32-5-86-0, Boje 30-6-76-0, Smith 29-2-98-1, De Villiers 5-1-6-0, Prince 7-0-20-0.
— AP |
|
Akram visits ancestral house
Chavinda Devi (Amritsar), May 3 Hundreds of residents came out on the streets to accord a rousing reception to their cricket hero. The town was decked up with banners, buntings and arches. Recalling his days of adolescence here, Mr Mohammad Akram said he had good memories of his childhood. He said these came alive on his first visit after he left in 1947, when he was 14 years old. He immediately remembered his contemporaries Gurcharan Lal, Jagdish Singh and Prem Nath and members of their families, with whom he played in childhood. Speaking at a reception hosted at the newly built stadium by the village panchayat, Mr Mohammad Akram described Partition as the most unfortunate incident. Unable to suppress his emotions, Wasim Akram said he had no words to express his happiness. He said he had been nursing a keen desire to visit his native town as had heard stories about it from his father. He said his dream of visiting it had finally come true. He said he had been touched at the emotional outburst of the people of this town, which he would cherish all his life. As a symbolic gesture, the current owner of Akram’s grandfather’s house, Mr Swarn Singh, handed over a brick and a piece of earth as a souvenir to Akram. Thanking the residents, Akram said he had no words to express his gratitude for the overwhelming reception and love received by him and his father. Akram said he would plan his next visit in advance so that he could provide tips to budding cricketers and spend more time with them. |
|
|
Roddick, Agassi advance
Rome, May 3 Roddick, who won the US Open two years ago, would play Albert Costa in round two after the vastly experienced Spaniard knocked out compatriot Albert
Montanes. The French 18-year-old barely broke sweat in the blazing sunshine in his 6-0, 6-2 thrashing of Thailand’s Paradorn Srichaphan. British fourth seed Tim Henman, a runner-up at the French Open last year, also won his first round match, cruising to a 6-3, 6-3, victory over Brazil’s Gustavo Kuerten, a three-time Roland Garros champion. Roddick, who reached the semifinals here on his debut in 2002, admitted it was a great relief to come through unscathed against 1997 US Open runner-up Rusedski. Roddick said he had prepared well for his European clay debut of 2005. Agassi, who saved a break point at 4-3 down in the first set before blowing Di Mauro away, admitted he started sluggishly. Two seeds fell on day one. Swedish 10th seed Joachim Johansson, who has won two singles this year in Marseilles and Adelaide, lost to Italy’s Andrea Seppi, a result that had the home crowd on their feet, and Russian 14th seed Nikolay Davydenko went out to Brazilian Fernando Verdasco. The Rome Masters, a warm-up for the French Open, which would start on May 23, was the fourth of nine ATP Masters Series tournaments and one of its three clay court events. There were four tournaments on hard courts and two were indoors.
— AFP |
|
India face Sweden in playoff
London, May 3 Pakistan would face Chile in another World Group playoff. Pakistan had beaten Chinese Taipei 4-1 in their Asia-Oceania Zone Group I tie at home. The winners in the World Group playoffs would secure places in the 2006 World Group, while the losers would compete in Zonal Group I in 2006. So far, India had lost all four Davis Cup ties to Sweden. In 2000, hosts Sweden blanked India 5-0 in the first round of the World Group qualifying round at Bastad. Four years earlier, they won by the same margin over India in the World Group quarterfinals in Kolkata. In 1987, the Vijay Amritraj-led Indian side went down 0-5 to the Swedes in the World Group final at the Scandinavium in Gothenburg. In 1985, Vijay led a three-member team that conceded the tie 1-4, the only consolation being Vijay’s 8-6, 9-7 win in the reverse singles against Mats Wilander in Bangalore.
— UNI |
|
Indian colts blank UAE
New Delhi, May 3 After Agnel Gladwin put them in the lead with a 6-2 6-1 win over Faisal Bastaki in the first singles, Kinshuk Sharma clinched the contest with a 6-4 6-0 defeat of Hamad Ismail in the second match yesterday. Sharma then paired with Navneetha Kannan to defeat Ismail and Khaled Al Hassani 6-2 6-0 in the inconsequential doubles rubber. India are seeded six in the 16 and age-group boys competition featuring 18 countries divided into five groups. The qualifying event is to be played till May 7 while the Junior Fed Cup for girls is scheduled to be held at Bangkok, Thailand, from May 9 to 16.
— PTI |
|
|
Good showing by Chandhok
Chennai, May 3 Forced to begin from the 22nd and 25th position in the starting grid due to a disappointing show during the Saturday qualifiers, the 21-year-old showed his grit to finally finish 12th and 11th. “To finish 11th after starting at the back is about as good as you can expect really and I passed more cars than any one else. I am ashamed about my qualifying because of which I was not able to gain points,” Chandhok said. “Still, at least the speed has been encouraging and it shows that I am moving in the right direction,” Chandhok, who drives for RC Motorsport, said. Chandhok was on course for a top six position in the qualifiers but a bump at the 135 km chicane unsettled his car, leading him to crash onto the wall before a record 52,000 spectators. In the opener, the Indian blasted from outside at the first turn to pass three cars and improved upon his position. After gaining speed once he passed Czech driver, Tomas Kotska, Chandhok caught up with Eurointernational’s Italian driver Matteo Meneghello and finally lunged down the inside, forcing the Italian wide to finish 12th, 10 places up from his starting position. “Karun has certainly shown very positive signs. I am looking forward to the rest of the year. He could become regular in the points and certainly showed very positive signs. I am looking forward to the rest of the year. He cold become regulars in the points and perhaps get some podium finishes as the season goes on,” Chandok’s team manager Francesco Rivera, who ran Indian Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan in the World Series in 2002, said in a press note today. At the start of the warm-up lap in the second race, Chandhok encountered an electronic problem with the new Formula One spec gearbox, which prevented him from selecting the gear and resulted in his starting at the back of the grid in 25th place. After a solid start, Chandhok was able to move to the 20th spot and disposed of Pastor Maldonado and Milos Pavlovic and went after the Italian, Damien Pasini. Here a risky pre-race strategy planned by his team management, making Chandhok stay out for longer than most of the other drivers before the mandatory pit stop paid off.
— PTI |
|
|
India win p’lifting tourney
Alappuzha, Kerala, May 3 Uzbekistan, with 174 points and 15 medals and Iran with 169 points and 14 medals, were placed second and third, respectively. While Uzbekistan bagged 11 gold, three silver and one bronze, Iran secured
eight gold, five silver and one bronze. A total of 12 new meet records were established. Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy presented the trophies. Tourism Minister K.C. Venugopal presided over the function, while the Asian Powerlifting Federation President Susumu Yoshitha released the Souvenir. Turkandu Dauranback of Kazhakhstan was adjudged the Strong Man of Asia-2005 in the senior-category and Malugina Nadeida of Uzbekistan emerged as the Strong Woman of Asia in the
senior-category. Balinder Singh of India was the Strong Boy of Asia, while Zinovyee Dimitri of Kazakhstan was the Junior Strong Man of Asia.
— UNI
|
|
Abhinav to fight for quota position
Chandigarh, May 3 Abhinav will also compete for a MQS (minimum qualifying score) in .22 rifle three positions, (prone, kneeling, standing events) other than his pet event, the .177 calibre air rifle in which he was a finalist in the 2004 Olympics. He will from now on participate in three events. The apex body for shooting, the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), has changed the rules for aspirants who aim to qualify for the Beijing Olympics. Now shooters who win gold medals in any of the four World Cups held each your could earn Olympics berths but the ISSF has decreased the quota slots to 45 from 65. Thus each World Cup is crucial for Olympics hopefuls. Abhinav had also participated in the first World Cup of 2005 at Changwan in Korea last month but failed to be among the medals. |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Video
