Johannesburg, June 8
Portuguese winger Nani became the latest big name to drop out of the World Cup on Tuesday, but there was no dampening the enthusiasm of fans pouring in and readying TV sets around the world. "I'm in Africa, I can't believe it. I'm just so sorry we're going to spoil their party on Friday!" said a laughing Victor Fernandez, coming off a long-haul flight with the green flag of Mexico who play hosts South Africa in Friday's opener.

Like many of the more than 300,000 foreign fans expected for the tournament, Fernandez's first purchase was a "vuvuzela", the ubiquitous trumpet blown by locals and variously likened to the noise made by a herd of elephants or swarm of bees. Fans, though, are aghast at an ever-growing injury list which is threatening to rob the tournament of some glamour on the pitch despite the exotic African backdrop. In a huge blow to Portugal's hopes of a first World Cup triumph, Nani was ruled out with a shoulder injury he picked up in training at home before flying to South Africa.

Other crowd-pullers like England's David Beckham, Germany's Michael Ballack and Ghana's Michael Essien pulled out long ago due to injuries. And Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba and the Netherlands' Arjen Robben are fighting not to join them. African Footballer of the Year Drogba needs surgery on a fractured arm, but it is unclear if the striker will then be able to play for Ivory Coast, arguably the continent's best hope but heavily reliant on their talisman.

Dutch winger Robben has hurt a hamstring but is hoping to join team-mates later in the tournament to help a nation that has never won the Cup despite its famously skilful teams. Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo, Australian winger Harry Kewell, Chilean striker Humberto Suazo, and South Korean forward Lee Dong-guk are others struggling to get fit.

Spain and Brazil are favourites for the world's most widely-watched sporting tournament, which has never produced a winner outside Europe or South America. Millions of Africans, though, are praying one of their six teams here can break that, or at least go further than Cameroon and Senegal's quarter-final showings in 1990 and 2002. Injuries and tough groups, however, mean there is a real risk all the Africans may fall at the first round hurdle. — Reuters

New Delhi, June 8
Twelve of the kabaddi players who participated in the Khel Utsav organised by the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committte at Sri Amrithsar Sahib on May 12 and 14 have been tested positive for banned substances. The National Association of Doping Authority (NADA) had taken 48 urine samples during the Khel Utsav out of which 42 have tested positive. The samples were tested at the National Dope Testing Laboratory in Delhi, and according the lab authorities, the results of the rest of the 6 samples would be out soon.

The NADA team was sent to the Khel Utsav at the instance of Union Sports Minister Dr M.S.Gill who is determined to cleanse of kabaddi of the scourge of doping.

Jagjit Singh

Dilshad Ali

Jitender Singh

Ranjit Singh

Siamrjit Singh

Avatar Singh

Gurpreet Singh

Manjit Singh Amli

Jagjit Singh

Jugvinder Singh

Mandeep Singh

Harjinder Singh

Johannesburg, June 8
Kaka has become almost a forgotten man in the World Cup, with the spotlight in the run-up to the World Cup centred around Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Fernando Torres and David Villa. Yet, lurking in the shadows and without the huge weight of expectation, there is every reason to believe that the former World Player of the Year could finally shine on the world's biggest stage.

Kaka suffered from niggling injury problems during a disappointing first season with Real Madrid, but that could easily work in his favour. Having made only 33 appearances for his club, Kaka is likely to be fresher than his rivals, many of whom have played upwards of 50 games this season. He is also freed of the weight of expectation which proved such a burden to Brazil's players four years ago.

As if to prove that he is peaking at the right time, Kaka scored his first international goal in a year in Monday's 5-1 friendly win away to Tanzania in their last match before the tournament in South Africa. He also produced some of his characteristic bursts from midfield, a nightmare for defenders as he picks up speed and runs directly at the centre of the defence.

"It gave me a lot of confidence," he told Brazilian reporters after the game in Dar es Salaam. "I felt really good, although still a little bit inhibited. I just need to let myself go." Coach Dunga said that the 28-year-old had to be held back in training, such was his enthusiasm. "He's improving little by little," said Dunga. "We have to put the brakes on him because sometimes he wants to train morning, noon and night."

Kaka will be playing at his third World Cup. In 2002, he made just one substitute appearance and four years ago, he floundered along with the rest of a disappointing Brazilian team. — Reuters 

Fabio Cannvaro is the symbol of Italy's 2006 World Cup triumph and the rock at the heart of the Azzurri defence. However, his powers faded somewhat after leaving Juventus' much vaunted back line to head to the graveyard of good defending at Real Madrid in 2006 and Italy faltered at Euro 2008 during his time at the Bernabeu. Cannavaro returned to Turin in 2009 and will be hoping to recapture his best form as Italy look to defend their world title.

The Naples-born defender emerged as a major talent for his home-town club Napoli in 1992 and was quickly snapped up by Parma, where he made over 200 appearances and won the Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup, before moving to Inter Milan for €23 million in 2002 and then to Juventus two years later. During two seasons in Turin, Cannavaro won two Scudetti, but both were stripped from the club following the caliopoli scandal. Juve were demoted to Serie B and the defender jumped ship to Madrid. Despite the quality of his defending being called into question during his time in Madrid, the 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year still won two La Liga titles (2006-07 and 2007-08) under Fabio Capello and Bernd Schuster.

Strengths: A great reader of the game, with exquisite positional sense.

Weaknesses: At 5'9" Cannavaro can suffer in an aerial battle.

Style: Prefers to use the art of anticipation to make interceptions rather than tackles, but that is not to say he doesn't relish a physical tussle.

Quotes: "Cannavaro has that unmistakable presence as a leader and in my impression, is exactly like that tough and cool-headed defence he shows on the pitch." Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

Trivia: Cannavaro was raised in the shadow of the Stadio San Paolo, in the Naples suburb of Fuorigrotta, and was a ballboy during Napoli's glory years.

BRIEFLY

Sehwag continues to be number one Test batsman
Dubai: Flamboyant Virender Sehwag maintained his number one position in the ICC rankings for Test batsmen and India also held on to its top spot in the latest chart. Sehwag is leading the list with 863 points and is followed by South Africa's Hashim Amla (842) and Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene (836). In the teams' list, India are at the top with 124 points followed by South Africa (120) and Australia (119). — PTI

Junior grapplers miss Asian C'ship
New Delhi: Caught between the federation and the Sports Ministry's tug-of-war over procedures, Indian junior wrestlers will miss the Asian Junior Wrestling Championship starting tomorrow in China. A 35-member contingent, including 24 wrestlers, was scheduled to leave for Hangzhou tonight but the Sports Ministry refused to sanction the trip, saying the Indian Wrestling Federation (IWF) was late in submitting the proposal. — PTI

Mallya optimistic on Renault overtake
New Delhi: Force India chairman Vijay Mallya is confident that his team can still overtake Renault in the constructors' championship and hopes Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix will mark the start of that process. Renault sits pretty on the fifth place with 73 points in kitty and with a 41-point lead over Force India but Mallya believes it's not too late yet. "We are fully focused on the task in hand, which is to score as many points as we can and to regain that fifth position in the championship," Mallya said. — PTI

Everest conquerer battled odds
Chandigarh: Conquering Mt Everest has brought 27-seven-year-old Mamta Sodha fame and glory but reaching there has been a story of steely grit that included battling a 40-foot free-fall and a bone fracture. Coming from a poor Dalit family in Haryana's Kaithal it was an arduous journey for Mamta who fulfilled her dream on May 22. — PTI

Bopanna's loses in Halle
New Delhi: Rohan Bopanna could not repeat the brilliant show of qualifying event as he exited from the ATP 250 event in Halle, Germany after suffering a straight-set defeat against Thiemo de Bakker of the Netherlands. The Indian qualifier fought hard but lost 4-6 6-7 (11) in the first round of the euro 750,000 grass court event -- Gerry Weber Open. Bopanna will now try his luck in the doubles event, where he has teamed up with Pakistan's Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi. — PTI