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Rajinder to be retained coach till World Cup
Men’s final rekindles equal prize money debate
Stage set for WFI elections
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Chappell sees India at number one position
Pathan fails to take Middlesex to victory
Jankovic shows
Sania the door
Ban on foreign players to top agenda
31 SAI officers transferred
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Rajinder to be retained coach till World Cup
New Delhi, June 7 Mr Gill said though no coach could be retained on a permanent basis, Rajinder would remain in his post till the end of next year. He said the federation was not looking for a foreign coach either, having burned its fingers dealing with German coach Gerhard Rach, who made an inglorious exit after India finished seventh in the Olympic Games at Athens, and fourth in the Champions Trophy at Lahore. Mr Gill cited the example of Pakistan, who spent over Rs 1 crore on a foreign coach without gaining much, and had to revert to home-bred coaches. He said Malaysia too had had the services of a foreign coach for long, but without gaining any tangible result. The IHF President said there was no need to press the panic button despite the Indian team going through a lean patch. “I do not feel desperate over the recent performance of the Indian team,” he emphasised. While announcing a three-year telecasting deal between the IHF and ESPN-Star Sports, Mr Gill said the Indian team for the Azlan Shah Cup was not in full strength, and if the team did not fare well, it was understandable. He said nine of the regular players could not be included in the team for various reasons. Elaborating further, Mr Gill said some of the senior players were injured, some could not be selected as they were under suspension for indiscipline, and some others were attending the junior national camp at Hyderabad in preparation for the Junior World Cup, to be held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, from June 29 to July 10. Before the Junior World Cup, India would play a four-nation tournament at Bilbao, Spain, from June 17 to 19, in which Spain, Chile and the Netherlands would also take part. He said the Azlan Shah Cup team had nine players who were making their international debut, and who took time to adjust, though India had given a close run to Australia, Pakistan and New Zealand before bowing out. He said the federation would evaluate the performance of the players and take necessary corrective measures so that they did not repeat the mistakes. Mr Gill, who refused to entertain any question on his re-election as IHF chief at the recent annual general body meeting in Kolkata as the matter was sub-judice, said more hockey academies, supported by the public and private sectors, were being set up to give a thrust to the game at the grassroot level. He said the bane of Indian hockey was the terribly inadequate infrastructure and he was not hopeful of the situation improving in the near future. He said Indian hockey would continue to stagnate unless more modern hockey stadiums with astroturfs were set up in the coming years. He said hockey on grass was a thing of the past, though the IHF was in favour of hockey being played both on astroturf and on grass. Mr Gill said the FIH was willing to allot a hockey tournament to India, to be held on grass, provided it attracted top teams of the world like Germany, Holland, Spain, New Zealand and Australia. He said India would not be able to regain its hockey ascendancy by merely playing the game on grass. “Hockey has really changed,” he asserted. The IHF President said the federation was in regular touch with the government in improving the infrastructure, but lack of funds was impeding the progress. He said the three-year sponsorship deal with ESPN-Star Sports, after the successful conduct of the inaugural Premier Hockey League at Hyderabad last year, would give major push to the game. Under the contract, ESPN-Star Sports would broadcast and market the ‘IHF hockey package’, including 102 international matches (a total of over 200 matches), over the next three years. He said the IHF was looking at the growing popularity of the game in a systematic manner. ESPN Managing Director R.C. Venkateish said the television channel would do more than telecasting the matches, as besides continuing to innovate on the current hockey telecast, it would market the players and the sport in an innovative manner. The teams expected to tour India in the coming months were South Korea, Malaysia, Spain, Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand and Germany. |
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Men’s final rekindles equal prize money debate
Paris, June 7 Twenty-four hours earlier, Belgium’s Justine Henin-Hardenne pocketed a cheque for 867,000 euros for a 6-1, 6-1 mismatch against a woeful Mary Pierce in a final which was all over in 62 minutes. Last year, Gaston Gaudio recovered from two sets down and saved two match points to beat Argentine compatriot Guillermo Coria over five sets taking up 3hr 31 min. In the women’s final, Anastasia Myskina had brushed aside Russian team-mate Elena Dementieva 6-1, 6-2 in 58 minutes. At the moment, only the US Open, the Australian Open as well as the tour event in Dubai pay their men and women champions the same money. Wimbledon and the French Open maintain the women’s prize funds fractionally below that of the men’s. At Wimbledon this year, the men’s champion will receive 933,500 euros; the women’s winner will take home 890,000. In the women’s semifinals here, Henin-Hardenne beat Nadia Petrova 6-2, 6-3 and Pierce brushed past Elena Likhovtseva 6-1, 6-1. In the men’s section, Nadal beat world number one Roger Federer in four sets while Puerta came from behind to Nikolay Davydenko in five sets, spending another three and a half hours on the court. Mats Wilander, who won three French Open titles, including a 4hr 42min battle to subdue Guillermo Vilas in 1982, lashed out at the lack of quality in Saturday’s women’s final. “I am sad for women’s tennis. After the semifinals, I thought we could not go any lower,” said the Swede. “But the best thing about Mary Pierce in the final was her speech. She hit the ball for the pleasure of hitting the ball and didn’t think about the means of hitting the ball to win the match. “It is time to sound the alarm bell.” World number one Lindsay Davenport has long campaigned for equal prize money. “People believe what they believe. You hear about women playing only three sets while men play five,” said Davenport earlier this year. “And the best women are never going to beat the best men. But it’s a different game you go to watch with the women — it doesn’t make it better or worse. “Hopefully we will be able to change people’s minds who are against it (equal prize money). We will try to persuade them. We still have to get women’s tennis more popular and we have the players to do that.” After her capitulation here, the 30-year-old Pierce refused to be drawn on the thorny subject. “I think the best people to talk to are the people who are actually dealing with that situation in the prize money area, the men’s side and the women’s side, and the tournament’s side,” said the Frenchwoman.
— AFP |
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Stage set for WFI elections
New Delhi, June 7 In case the election process, which the court has directed to be completed within three months, cannot be held in the stipulated time, the IOA will form an ad hoc committee to run the affairs of the WFI, the apex body said in a press note here today. The court had recently disposed of a petition filed by Jasram Singh, Delhi Amateur Wrestling Association (DAWA) honorary secretary, and two other petitions pertaining to the vote of no confidence against WFI President M.S. Malik in June, 2004. The DAWA had alleged in the petition that Malik had illegally altered the constitution of the WFI and had given voting rights to clubs and parallel bodies formed, ignoring the genuine associations recognised by state Olympic committees. The court ordered that the IOA committee for the purpose should ascertain the correct electroral colleges after verifying the authenticity of different state units. The court also ruled that the WFI was duty bound to obey the directives of the IOA and not take any decision which would violate the constitution of the IOA, failing which the WFI could face disaffiliation.
— PTI |
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Kingston, June 7 Scoreboard Pakistan (1st innnings): 374 West Indies (1st innings): 404 Pakistan (2nd innings): Malik c Browne b Hameed c Smith b Younis c and b Gayle 43 Kamal lbw b Collymore 0 Haq not out 117 Afridi c Smith b Best 43 Razzaq b Best 2 Akmal c Browne b Best 1 Naved b King 0 Ahmed c Browne b Best 0 Kaneria c and b Collymore 0 Extras:
(lb-2, w-3, nb-8) 13 Total: (all out) 309 Fall of wickets:
1-66, 2-119, 3-119, 4-294, 5-267, 6-273, 7-279, 8-280, 9-295, 10-309. Bowling:
Powell 22-0-100-0, Best 13-1-46-4, King 16-1-70-1, Collymore 16.5-2-56-4, Gayle 10-2-35-1. West Indies (2nd innings): Gayle c Hameed b Shabbir 15 Smith c Akmal b Kaneria 49 Sarwan hit wicket b Kaneria 8 Lara c Akmal b Kaneria 0 Chanderpaul lbw Kaneria 0 Hinds c Younis b Razzaq 19 Browne c Akmal b Shabbir 10 Powell c Hameed Best c Afridi b Shabbir 4 King c Akmal b Shabbir 4 Collymore not out 8 Extras:
(lb-4, nb-10) 14 Total: (all out) 143 Fall of wickets:
1-27, 2-48, 3-48, 4-56, 5-94, 6-100, 7-126, 8-126, 9-130, 10-143. Bowling:
Shabbir 18.5-3-56-4, Razzaq 14-5-37-1, Kaneria 20-8-46-5. — Reuters
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Chappell sees India at number one position
Sydney, June 7 ‘Sydney Morning Herald’ quotes the former Aussie captain observing, “With so many people, India is destined to dominate the world in many areas.”
Within a few decades, India will be home to 40 per cent of the world’s youth and hence, the potential is enormous, feels the renowned coach. While Chappell believes that India’s rise as the strongest cricketing nation — toppling mighty Australia — is almost inevitable, the batting great insists India will have to put the right system in place to ensure that. “It (India’s rise) will not happen of its own accord. The numbers can be a disadvantage as much as an asset. It is hard to organise so many people,” he warns. India’s rise to the top will be helped by the change in the Australian approach to hone the skills of a youngster, Chappell feels. After assuming charge of the Indian team, Chappell plans to bring in some new ideas on the playing skill. He and sports scientist and former Victoria batsman Ian Fraser have studied the methods legendary players like Don Bradman, Graeme Pollock, Viv Richards, Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar — to find out what they had in common.
— UNI |
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Pathan fails to take Middlesex to victory
London, June 7 Pathan was sent in at number three after Middlesex won the toss and were given a good start by Paul Weekes and Ed Smith who put on 101 runs for the first wicket in 23 overs before the latter was run out for 41. The Middlesex move to send the Indian as a pinch hitter, however, did not pay off as he could manage only three runs before being caught. Middlesex was tottering at 155 for five with eight more overs to go but Kiwi Scott Styris played a devastating 71-run knock that included seven sixes and three fours as Middlesex finished 243 for six in 45 overs. Defending the total, Pathan bowled a fiery first spell scalping two in seven overs that reduced Essex to 78 for four in 17 overs. The match later reached a thrilling phase with Essex on 196 for eight with six overs remaining to reach the target. After being awarded six penalty runs for Middlesex’s slow over-rate, Essex needed 10 from the last over and Pathan was called in to bowl. The Indian left-arm seamer could not do it for Middlesex and conceded three runs in his first two deliveries and then was hit for two consecutive boundaries that gave Essex an unlikely victory.
— UNI |
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Jankovic shows
Sania the door
New Delhi, June 7 Sania had her chances in the first set, but failed to convert three break points. After losing the first set, Sania came back strongly with two breaks and led 4-3 at one stage in the second set. But the Hyderabad Open winner soon surrendered her advantage as Jankovic broke back to make it 4-4 and then threatened to take the match when she had four match points in the 10th game. Sania survived the assault and made it 5-5, but Jankovic hit back, forcing two more match points in the 12th game. Though the Indian saved one more match point while serving at 5-6, Jankovic converted the next one.
— PTI
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Ban on foreign players to top agenda
New Delhi, June 7 The AIFF after having banned foreigners from the Second Division National Football League this year is contemplating to enforce a ban on the foreigners in the leagues and various all-India tournaments organised by the state associations. The issue has already become a bone of contention between the AIFF and the Indian Football Association (IFA) and Goa Football Association (GFA) ever since the apex body’s secretary general Albert Colaco asked for views of various affiliated bodies in this regard a month ago. Almost all the leading clubs from Kolkata and Goa have opposed the move and in fact the IFA and GFA on Saturday passed a resolution to defy the ban if it is passed by the executive committee. The suggestion to ban foreigners had first come up when the then Indian coach Stephen Constantine expressed his displeasure over the lack of strikers in India and said the only way to create world class strikers was to ban foreigners from playing domestic tournaments for a couple of years. At present, most of the top clubs and even the local league teams depend on their recruits from African countries to shoulder the responsibility of the team’s attack and apart from Bhaichung Bhutia India has failed to find a world class striker after I.M. Vijayan. But the clubs opposing the move point out the regulation which stipulates that the foreign players need to be signed for six months while the NFL runs for only three months, which would mean that the players would have to be paid for the remaining three months without utilising their services. They also do not buy the idea that it would improve the quality of Indian players.
— PTI |
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31 SAI officers transferred
Patiala, June 7 The SAI’s New Delhi-based Human Performance Laboratory (HPL) has virtually been wound up with the Corporate Office’s decision to effect transfers of JSO and SSOs from the lab to other places, including the
NIS, Patiala. Sunita Bharal, Assistant Director (Vigilance and Legal cell), SAI, New Delhi, has been posted as the new in charge of the SAI Training Centre, Chandigarh, in place of R.K. Saxena who goes to the NIS, Patiala. Suresh Harmilapi, Director (Co-ordination), SAI, New Delhi, has been posted as in charge of the Northern Centre, Sonepat. Dr Preet Rishi, JSO (Nutrition) at HPL, SAI head office, New Delhi, Lal has been transferred to the NIS, Patiala. Dr Pardeep H. Gupta, Scientific Officer (SO) at SAI, New Delhi, goes to the SAI Northern Centre, Sonepat. Dr Sanjeev P. Sahni, JSO (Psychology), SAI, New Delhi, goes to the NIS, Patiala. The other officials transferred are: Dr Meenu Dhingra, SO (Anthropometry), SAI, New Delhi, to Northern Centre, Sonepat; Dr G.L. Khanna, SSO (Physiology), SAI, New Delhi, to NIS; G. Issac, Assistant Director, SAI Training Centre, Kollam, to SAI, LNCPE, Thiruvananthapuram; R.K. Saxena, in charge, SAI Training Centre, Chandigarh, to NIS; Lalita Sharma, Deputy Director, SAI Training Centre, Dharamsala, to NIS; K. Ramachandran, Deputy Director (Personnel), SAI, New Delhi, to SAI Southern Centre, Bangalore; S.Budakoti, Assistant Director, Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range, New Delhi, to NIS; Parveen Suri, Assistant Director, NIS, Patiala, to Stadia Administrative Division, SAI, New Delhi; Mr V.S. Chouhan, Assistant Director, SAI, High Altitude Training Centre (HATC), Shillaru, to NIS, Patiala; Dr Reena Kaul, JSO (Psychology), NIS, Patiala, to Eastern Centre, Kolkata; V.K. Sharma, Assistant Director (Operations), SAI, New Delhi, to Vigilance and Legal Cell, SAI, New Delhi; Rachna Govil, Deputy Director (Co-ordination), SAI, New Delhi, to Personnel Division, SAI, New Delhi; P.K. Raghav, Assistant Director (Co-ordination), SAI, New Delhi, to Operations Division, SAI, New Delhi; Uma Dutta, Assistant Director, SAI, New Delhi, to SAI Regional Centre, Bhopal; S.C. Sharma, Deputy Director (Personnel), SAI, New Delhi, to Co-ordination Division, New Delhi; Sunita Bharal, Assistant Director (Vigilance and Legal Cell), SAI, New Delhi, to in charge, SAI Training Centre, Chandigarh; Amar Bhardwaj, Deputy Director (General Administration), SAI, New Delhi, to NIS, Patiala; Vineet Kumar, Assistant Director (General Administration), New Delhi, to NIS, Patiala; Dr Asis Goswami, SO (Physiology), Western Centre, Gandhinagar, to NIS, Patiala; Dr S.K. Dey, JSO (Physiology), Eastern Centre, to NIS; M.D. Ranga, JSO (Biomechanics), Southern Centre, Bangalore, to NIS; Mani Lal, JSO (GTMT), Bangalore, to NIS; and Dr Hardayal Singh, SSO (GTMT), NIS, to SAI, New Delhi.
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Vijay Kumar shoots gold
New Delhi, June 7 |
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