 |
|
|
The Oath |
PIC OF THE DAY
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Key Dates n
Opening Ceremony Aug 8 n Closing Ceremony Aug 24 n Olympic Village opens July 27 n Olympic Village closes Aug 27
Facts & Figures
Anil Kumble during a practice session in Colombo on Wednesday. — AP/PTI
Akhtar will have to prove fitness
Bhajji hopes to do better
‘It will be tough’
Inflation shadow on C’wealth Games
SAI slams Ric for ‘duress’ remark
Bopanna-Qureshi in quarters
|
|
Preview
Citius, Altius, Fortius Swifter, Higher, Stronger The games begin on August 8 The Olympic Creed “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” Stronger & better prepared Brazil women hope to end soccer final blues
Sao Paulo, July 16 ''The team is certainly stronger now and better prepared psychologically to play in a final,'' she told Reuters. ''Something positive has definitely come out of the competitions in which we've taken part, we are always gaining experience,'' added Marta, FIFA's Women's Player of the Year for the last two seasons. Brazil lost 2-1 to the USA in the final of the Athens Games four years ago when they were sunk by an Abby Wambach goal deep into extra-time. More frustration followed when they were beaten 2-0 by Germany, their opening opponents at the 2008 Games, in last year's World Cup final with Marta missing a penalty. ''We need to pay more attention to detail,'' said Marta, who also played in the 2004 final. ''When we have a clear chance, we have to score. We need to be more patient and not lose concentration.'' ''That is what happened against Germany. We took the game to them, we created a number of clearcut chances and we couldn't score a goal. ''That made us more and more frustrated, both physically and psychologically. It got to a point where we couldn't hit back.'' Marta said she would happily exchange her FIFA awards for an Olympic gold. ''Certainly, it would be the most important prize of my career,'' she said. ''I attach more value to something I have won in a group than an individual award. ''If you lose one year in an individual contest, you can get it back again next year. The Olympics come along every four years and you are representing your country.....it's something you can't explain.'' Marta plays for Swedish club Umea and is one of only five foreign-based players in the Brazil squad. Some of the other home-based players will go to Beijing following a long period of inactivity because the country has not had a national women's championship since 2001. Unlike her male counterparts, who tend to hide from the public behind dark glasses, the striker said she enjoyed the attention back home. ''Children come up to me and say 'I want to be you when I group up.''' ''That makes me very happy. It shows that people admire your work.'' — Reuters
|
|
Colombo, July 16 "Test cricket is here to stay and players really feel privileged to be a part of Test cricket. Personally I remember most of my milestones achieved in Test matches. It's very hard for me to go back and pull out my best one-day performances," Kumble said. Kumble felt the Twenty20 craze among the fans has a lot to do with media's frenzied coverage of the format. The veteran leg-spinner hoped that the media would give an equally exhaustive coverage to his side's Test series against Sri Lanka starting here July 23. "As a cricketer we value Test cricket than any other form. This series obviously will depend on how the media portrays it," Kumble said. "When you talk about results 90 per cent of Test matches have produced results. I don't see why there should be a decline in that issue, it's just that the talk and the success of the Twenty20 that has probably made Test cricket look as if it has taken a back seat. But I dont think so. Its just a perception," he added. Kumble's opposite number, Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene echoed his views and said a cricketer's success in Test cricket was the real indicator of his capability. "As cricketers the ultimate challenge for most us is Test cricket where we will be tested the most. Twenty20 cricket is a different challenge, so is one-day cricket. Test cricket is where the cricketers are really tested," Jayawardene said. Meanwhile former Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatunga once again stressed the need to rekindle the interest in the longer version of the game. Ranatunga, who once described the Twenty20 as "three-minute Maggie noodles. Bang, bang, and it is over" called for protecting Test cricket. "It is very important to protect Test cricket. That has been my view from day one. When it comes to Twenty20 it is more of a business. "You need Twenty20 to get more money but ultimately you've got to realize that Test cricket is the major concept. I feel that players should concentrate more on Test cricket and try and protect the game we all love," Ranatunga said here yesterday. — PTI
|
|
Milan seal $ 30m deal with Ronaldinho
Rome, July 16 "AC Milan and FC Barcelona have reached an agreement for the transfer of Ronaldinho," said a Milan statement released on the club's official website yesterday. "Tomorrow (Wednesday) the player will be in Milan for a medical and to sign the contract which will tie him to Milan until June 30, 2011." Barcelona and Milan officials held talks in the Catalan capital on Tuesday to thrash out the details of the 28-year-old's move. The Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Milan will pay Barcelona 18.5 million euros ($ 29.5 million) for the World Cup winner with the figure likely to be increased by performance-related bonuses. The news of the deal was a bodyblow to English Premier League side Manchester City who had offered 32 million euros for the two-time world player of the year. Ronaldinho, who was not wanted at the Nou Camp by new Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola following a dip in form last season, scored 70 goals in 145 appearances for the Spanish side. Meanwhile, Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti is looking forward to having Ronaldinho in his team as the San Siro giants aim to bounce back from their disappointing 2007/2008 season which saw them finish in fifth place in Serie A and miss out on Champions League qualification. "The important thing is to have quality players and Ronaldinho is without doubt one of those," Ancelotti told Gazzetta dello Sport earlier yesterday. He added that the team will line-up so as to make best use of the Brazilian and his international teammate Kaka, with the pair playing behind either veteran Italy international striker Filippo Inzaghi or teenage Brazilian sensation Alexander Pato. "We will play with a 4-3-2-1 formation. It's a model that has worked well for us and brought us great satisfaction. It's our trademark and it will be again this year, with or without Ronaldinho. Our only objective is to win playing good football. This is Milan," he added. — AFP
|
|
Akhtar will have to prove fitness
Karachi, July 16 The trial games would be held on August 5, 7 and 9 in Lahore after the 30 probables named for the Champions Trophy, including Akhtar, attend a fitness training camp in Kakul, a military base in the mountainous region of the Northern Areas, from July 22. Akhtar was picked in the preliminary squad for Champions Trophy in spite of the uncertainty over whether the PCB would clear him because of his ongoing legal battle with the Board. Chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed made it clear that like all other players, Akhtar would also have to prove his match fitness and form after the training camp at Kakul. — PTI
|
|
Bhajji hopes to do better
New Delhi, July 16 "The last three months have been tough. There have been lot of downs, I won't say ups. But I'm happy it's over and I'm looking forward to the Sri Lanka series," the spinner told CNN-IBN. Harbhajan had slapped India teammate S. Sreesanth during an Indian Premier League match which saw him being banned from the remainder of the IPL, apart from incurring a five-ODI ban from the BCCI. "I faced a lot but that is behind me and there is no point going back to what happened. Bad times are over and I just want to focus on my game and keep on playing the kind of cricket that I have been playing for the last 10 years.” "I want to bowl well and bat well and win games for my country and that's what is important to me," said the volatile spinner. Harbhajan lamented missing the tri-series in Bangladesh and the Asia Cup in Pakistan but said he was now looking forward to the Sri Lanka series.
— PTI |
|
‘It will be tough’
Colombo, July 16 “Every time we've played them, there has been some really good cricket played by both teams, who possess some good quality players,” Jayawardene said. “I am sure that the public will have a great series to watch. We thoroughly enjoy playing India, at home or away,” he added. “It's always been a tough challenge. There is good rivalry with our neighbours.” Recalling his past feats against India, the talented middle-order batsman was confident of playing some good innings this time also. “Personally, I have a couple of milestones against India. I made my debut against them and also scored my first double-hundred against them. It's a pretty good team for me to play against,” Jayawardene stated. When asked whether the Lankans have some special plans in mind for Sachin Tendulkar, the skipper said his team's focus was on winning the Test series. — UNI |
|
Hyderabad, July 16
India led 1-0 at the break through a reverse hit from Gurvinder Singh Chandi in the 15th minute. Playing a fast-paced game, India maintained its domination in the second half despite some hard tackling by the Pakistan players. Drag flicker Diwakar Ram converted a penalty corner within three minutes after the interval to put India 2-0 up. Pakistan reduced the margin after Khassif Ali converted a penalty corner in the 42nd minute. India got the third goal when Diwakar Ram sounded the post with a bullet shot off another penalty corner in the 47th minute. Korea defeated Japan 4-2 in the second semifinal. Korean drag flicker Nam Hyun Woo scored all the four goals for his team, including the second hat-trick of this year’s edition. India and Korea will meet in the final and Pakistan and Japan will clash for the bronze medal on Friday. — UNI
|
|
Inflation shadow on C’wealth Games
New Delhi, July 16 Inflationary pressures are casting their shadow on the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, and budget for the games has soared considerably. Current year’s allocation for the Games is Rs 624 crore, but projections are set to increase - even treble if global cost escalation trends are anything to go by. No wonder the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is working overtime to prepare fresh budget estimates for the Games. Sports minister M.S. Gill admitted to The Tribune that he had instructed IOA and affiliates to propose the enhanced budget as soon as possible. “Once the revised estimates are ready, we will get the necessary approval from the Planning Commission and the Cabinet,” Gill said, referring to massive cost escalation, after appreciation in steel and cement prices. In 2003, when India won the bid for the Games, estimated cost was about $230.7 million (Rs 2,000 crore). By 2006, the budget had soared, with projections touching Rs 5,165 crores, said the report of Standing Committee on Human Resource Development. Another spell of escalation is on the cards, sports ministry officials said, expressing hope of approval for revised estimates which Suresh Kalmadi and his men are preparing. Significant in this context is the recent visit of M.S. Gill to London, which is finding it hard to convince people to bear the increased cost of London Olympics. Gill met Olympics minister Tessa Jowell in London and discussed the issue of cost escalation. “In London, the cost has gone up from $2 billion to $9 billion,” Gill said, admitting that managing cost escalation is a challenge. Considering financial pressures on the government, the task will not be easy though it would have to be done considering India’s commitment to hosting a world-class sporting event. London is also not finding it easy, with many sections against footing the increased cost of Olympics. The cost has trebled since May 2003 when the government decided that London should bid at an estimated cost to the taxpayer of £2.375 billion. Next year in November, the bid had been submitted at £4.036 billion. A year later, the cost doubled and later trebled. Unofficially, the cost of hosting London Olympics is now up at $14 billion - four times more than original estimated cost. Interestingly, history has examples of some games being handed back to the IOC after countries found it hard to manage cost escalation. In 1970, Denver was awarded the 1976 Winter Olympics. By 1972, the estimated costs had trebled.
|
|
SAI slams Ric for ‘duress’ remark
New Delhi, July 16 A top SAI official shot off an e-mail to the Australian, expressing his shock at Charlesworth's claim, especially when there were four other signatories. "In the letter of resignation you have mentioned that you had signed the contract under duress. It is not understood how anybody can sign a contract with SAI under duress," the SAI official said in his mail. In his resignation letter, Charlesworth had written "On March 20, under duress I finally signed a contract that was far from adequate and from what was agreed earlier." The SAI official also reminded Charlesworth that as per his work schedule, the Australian was supposed to submit reports on each and every assignment. "...only two reports have been received which are sketchy and inadequate. The remaining six reports have not been received till date," he said. Even those two reports came after Charlesworth was challenged by senior officials, a SAI source told PTI. Accordingly, Charlesworth has been asked to submit reports on his three Chandigarh sojourns for different reasons, Junior National Championship in Chennai, Azlan Shah hockey tournament in Malaysia and a coaching workshop in Bangalore. "...having received your notice for resignation, it is expected that you will submit detailed reports which are required to be submitted by you as per terms of contract and agreed Work Schedule before your contract period expires," the SAI mail said. Charlesworth's decision to leave for Australia, purportedly to be with his ailing mother, also got a strong response from SAI. "As per Work Schedule you were supposed to be at Hyderabad for the entire period of Junior Asia Cup but you left for Australia...you didn't attend the tournament and, therefore, you are not in a position to offer your technical comments regarding the tournament," the official said. In Australia, Charlesworth attended the Hall of Fame dinner this week and is busy with some other assignments as well. Charlesworth's complaint about pending dues also came in for sharp criticism from the SAI, which said the Australian simply didn't care to complete the formalities. "You have from time to time raised the issue of SAI not clearing your travel and other sundry bills. Some of these bills were for the period prior to 20th March, 2008 where SAI is contractually bound to pay you...As regards your salary after 20th March 2008, it has been paid promptly by SAI and you have been paid till 30th June, 2008." On pending bills, SAI reminded Charlesworth that no organisation would entertain any such claim if it is not accompanied by relevant vouchers and bills. "This is the system we have adopted uniformly and there is no reason to make a departure in our procedure for any individual...I'm glad to say (that) you have, after considerable delay, submitted some of the necessary vouchers on 9th July. We are now processing these bills amounting to over Rs 3 lakhs (Rs 3.9 lakh). You will hear from us on these bills very soon and will be paid those amounts that are admissible," the mail said. — PTI
|
|
Bopanna-Qureshi in quarters
New Delhi, July 16 The unseeded Indo-Pakistani pair beat their Russian rivals 2-6, 7-5, 10-6. Sania bows out Sania Mirza's woeful run of form continued and she crashed out of the WTA Bank of the West Classic tournament with a straight-set opening round defeat at the hands of Anne Keothavong in Stanford, USA. The world number 33 Sania went down 6-7(4), 1-6 to number 83 Keothavong in a one-hour-20-minute contest of the tier II $600,000 event. However, Sania is still in contention in the doubles competition where she will pair up with Russian Anna Chakvetadze. Rohan upsets top seed Unseeded Rohan Gajjar toppled top seeded Riccardo Ghedin of Italy in straight sets to advance to the singles second round of the $15,000 ITF men's event in Damascus, Syria. Gajjar defeated Ghedin, who is placed 375 rungs above him in the ITF ranking charts, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 in the first round of the hard court event. Gajjar also advanced to the quarterfinals of the doubles event along with compatriot Ranjeet Virali-Murugesan after posting an easy straight sets win in the first round. They defeated Nigerian pair Sunday Emmanuel and Candy Idoko 6-3, 6-1.
— PTI |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Beijing
Preview
Pierre de Coubertin wrote an oath for the athletes to recite at each Olympic Games. During the opening ceremonies, one athlete recites the oath on behalf of all the athletes. The Olympic oath was first taken during the 1920 Olympic Games by Belgian fencer Victor Boin. The Olympic Oath states, “In the name of all competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules that govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams.” 
DO You Know?
