S P O R T S

Federer completes amazing fightback
Paris, June 5
Australian sixth seed Samantha Stosur had more tricks in her bag as she reached the semi-finals of the French Open for the third time in four years by outfoxing Slovakian 15th seed Dominika Cibulkova 6-4, 6-1 on Tuesday.

Samantha Stosur hits a return to Dominika Cibulkova during their quaterfinal match at the Roland Garros in Paris on Tuesday. Stosur won 6-4, 6-1. — AFP

Proposed WADA code spells serious trouble for Indian dope cheats
Patiala, June 5
The World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) is likely revise its code to include an Olympic ban for serious drug offenders, and this could have deep implications for India, which has seen over 290 positive doping cases in the past three years.

Euro 2012: Dutch in group of death, Russia have it little easier

Need to play tougher teams, says Nobbs Mumbai, June 5 Indian hockey team, which won the bronze medal at the Sultan Azlan cup hockey tournament in Malaysia on Sunday, returned home last night to a warm reception at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport. Indian hockey players being welcomed on their arrival at Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai on Monday night. The team returned after finishing third at the 2012 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia. — PTI

Make sports viable, says AIU president
Patiala, June 5
Urging all universities to contribute towards the uplift of sports by strengthening their Department of Extension Activity by dedicating it to sports activities, Dr Pankaj Chande, president of Association of Indian Universities, has said it is the only way to improve our performance at international level.

Yuvraj eyes comeback at Ranji pre-season tourneys
New Delhi, June 5
Yuvraj Singh, who has been recovering well after his cancer treatment, is eyeing to play in some of the pre-season tournaments like Moin-Ud Dowla Gold Cup and Buchi Babu Trophy later this year before making a comeback into first-class cricket.

India ‘A’ batting collapses as Test heads for tight finish
Bridgetown, June 5
India A's top order collapsed in the second innings as the unofficial Test against the West Indies A was heading for an exciting finish with visitors placed 22 for three, chasing 186 to win, here.

Federer completes amazing fightback

Paris, June 5
Australian sixth seed Samantha Stosur had more tricks in her bag as she reached the semi-finals of the French Open for the third time in four years by outfoxing Slovakian 15th seed Dominika Cibulkova 6-4, 6-1 on Tuesday.

The U.S. Open champion, who will face Italian Sara Errani, a 6-3, 7-6 winner over German 10th seed Angelique Kerber, for a place in Saturday's final, advanced into the last four without dropping a set.

Stosur, who reached the semi-finals in 2009 and the final in 2010 in the claycourt grand slam, prevailed on composure and tactical finesse, using her kick-serve to stave off nine of 10 break points.

Roger Federer reacts during his match against Juan Martin Del Potro in Paris on Tuesday. Federer won 3-6, 6-7, 6-2, 6-0, 6-3. — AFP

She struggled at first with her opponent's power but Cibulkova collapsed after losing the opening set, with Stosur winning six games in succession to wrap it up after 85 minutes. Stosur will start as favourite against 21st seed Errani, who had never beaten a top 10 players in 28 attempts before knocking out world number 10 Kerber. 
But Stosur was reluctant to forecast the outcome, telling a courtside interviewer: "It can be a great day or a bad day." A dejected Cibulkova conceded there was not much she could do.

She told a news conference: "She's putting the ball so high. Her kick-serve gets me out of the court so much that I cannot do anything. So if I want to go against the serve I go here, and if I want to go back I'm like three metres behind the baseline."

Stosur broke twice in the opening set and definitely stamped her authority on the contest when she saw off two break points in a hard-fought seventh game. She used her kick-serve to pull her opponent off the court, opening it up for a forehand winner as she claimed the first set after 54 minutes.

The same trick worked again in the second game of the second set, with Stosur saving another three break points en route to a straightforward victory.

Sara Errani showed no signs of ending her giant-killing run at the French Open as she cut 10th seed Angelique Kerber down to size. Errani had already dumped out former champions Ana Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova in the two previous rounds and she proved that those wins were no fluke as she recorded her first victory over a top 10 player following 28 failed attempts. Left-hander Kerber had been bidding to become the first German woman to reach the semis since Steffi Graf in 1999 but she was outwitted and out-punched by the 21st seed. — Reuters

Proposed WADA code spells serious trouble for Indian dope cheats
Aman Sood
Tribune News Service

Patiala, June 5
The World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) is likely revise its code to include an Olympic ban for serious drug offenders, and this could have deep implications for India, which has seen over 290 positive doping cases in the past three years. WADA is almost certain to revise the code following the completion of its Code Consultation Phase next year.

The Indian athletics scene is already under a serious cloud, with 25 positive cases coming to light in athletics alone in 2011. WADA has launched the second consultation phase of the Code Review Process and published the first draft of the revised World Anti-Doping Code. “The second consultation phase started on June 1, 2012, and offers WADA signatories, stakeholders and athletes worldwide a second opportunity to submit recommendations to strengthen the Code,” the draft reads.

India has seen a rising trend of dope positive cases in the past three years with 290 positive cases. While in 2009 there were 67 positive cases, 2010 saw 107 positive cases and the number rose to 116 the next year.

Though National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) has increased its sampling from 2331 in 2009 to 3,206 in 2011, the doping menace continues to dog Indian sport. While in 2011 kabaddi saw 21 positive cases, weightlifting had 20.

The new provision is due to be approved in the autumn next year and is expected to be followed by all member countries. Experts suggest that in simple terms it means that any first-time offender caught for serious doping would face a maximum four-year (instead of the standard two) sanction if there are aggravating circumstances. The offender will definitely miss the next Olympic Games. “Even if the athlete completes the ban months before the next scheduled Olympics, the new WADA code would prohibit such athletes from participating in the next summer or winter Olympics,” says the draft.

“The new code means that the reported Indian offenders would not be able to escape with lighter sentences,” said a former athlete. “But it is important, and necessary for India.”

Ever since India started following the WADA code, it has failed to press for a more than two-year sanction for first-time doping offenders under the ‘aggravating circumstances' rule. It hasn’t imposed a four-year ban on even those athletes caught with more than two steroids in their body.

Article 10.15 of the latest draft of the new WADA code now makes clear the provision for banning athletes from the next Olympic Games. NADA Director General Rahul Bhatnagar says that he’s aware of the code review and would follow all changes that are made by WADA. “We are their signatories and would follow their new code,” Bhatnagar told TNS.

Replying to allegations that NADA did not press for a four-year sanction against Indian athletes caught doping, Bhatnagar said that all such decisions were taken by the NADA Anti Disciplinary Panel.

New WADA Code Schedule

According to information collected from WADA, the first Code consultation phase ran from November 28, 2011 to March 15, 2012, after which submissions were reviewed by the WADA Executive Committee.

After a third consultation phase between December 1, 2012 and March 1, 2013, a final draft will be approved by the WADA Foundation Board at the World Conference on Doping in Sport in Johannesburg in November 2013. The new Code will come into force as of January 1, 2015.

Euro 2012: Dutch in group of death, Russia have it little easier

Need to play tougher teams, says Nobbs

Mumbai, June 5
Indian hockey team, which won the bronze medal at the Sultan Azlan cup hockey tournament in Malaysia on Sunday, returned home last night to a warm reception at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport.

Coach Michael Nobbs, who faces a Litmus test with the team at the July-August London Olympic Games, was cautious in his reaction about the team's mixed performance in Malaysia where they failed to defend their crown.

"We need to play more matches against tougher teams," said Nobbs on his arrival at the airport. India's best performance in Ipoh came in the bronze medal play-off when they defeated their higher ranked rivals Britain 3-1, after having been beaten by the latter earlier in the league stage of the tournament.

Some of the other teams in the fray were eventual champions New Zealand, South Korea, Argentina, Pakistan and hosts Malaysia. Absent were top outfits like Australia, Germany and The Netherlands.

"I'm obviously very pleased. It's a good win and a medal here is what we were aiming at. We would've loved to win the title, but we have done well to get on the podium," Nobbs had said at the post-match press conference in Malaysia.

The team is to have a two-day selection camp in Pune on June 6 and 7 at the Balewadi Complex and there are some issues Nobbs and the selectors have to address in Pune ahead of finalising the 16-strong team for the London Games, it was learnt.

Among those are whether the team needs a second goal-keeper – with Bharat Chhetri and P S Sreejesh in the running - and whether to include young striker Yuvraj Walmiki in the squad as he has reportedly not fully recovered from his hamstring injury sustained during the Olympic qualifiers in New Delhi in February.

Walmiki had gone to Malaysia as a late replacement for another injured player Gurwinder Singh Chandi.

"I think we are a little short on match practice against really tough teams. I would like to play against Germany, Holland and Australia more. If you want to be a best team at some point of time, you need to play against the best teams. You only learn by losing occasionally," said the former Australian player.

He conceded it was going to be a tough task to finalise the team for the Games. "It's going to be really tough. It would be one of the toughest things in my life. Everyone wants to be in the team for London Olympics but we can chose only 16," Nobbs said "Next few weeks at the camp will be crucial. We really need to work on our attack. Even against Argentina, we reached the circle so many times but we just blew the opportunity.

"We got to get better. When you play top teams, you have to learn a little bit of change in style. If you don't hit the ball then you are not going to win," he said.

He termed the reception at the airport from the fans as a bit "crazy". "It's crazy but we received the same appreciation after beating arch rivals Pakistan via tie-breaker in Asian Champions Trophy and winning a berth in Olympics during qualifiers," he pointed out. — PTI

Make sports viable, says AIU president
Gagan K. Teja
Tribune News Service

Patiala, June 5
Urging all universities to contribute towards the uplift of sports by strengthening their Department of Extension Activity by dedicating it to sports activities, Dr Pankaj Chande, president of Association of Indian Universities, has said it is the only way to improve our performance at international level.

He was speaking at the 23rd Annual General Meeting of Inter-University Sports Board of India and Sports Committee of AIU 2011-12 at Punjabi University, Patiala, .

He said unless sportspersons are given assurance of earning livelihood right from the grass-root level and “we generate earning sources for them right from the beginning, it is difficult to be at par with the best sporting nations of the world.”

Chande said that despite India’s huge population, we were way behind on the medal tally.

Terming university sports as the cradle and lifeline of Indian sports, Dr Gurdeep Singh, Deputy Secretary, Sports (AIU), said Punjabi University, Patiala, has formulated a strategic action plan with focus on development of sporting infrastructure, lucrative incentives and latest equipment to prepare for mega events.

Citing the IPL as an example, Dr Gurdeep Singh said there was a need to glamorize all sports in order to make them more popular and attract more players into these games.

Punjabi University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Jaspal Singh said: “We can certainly perform better at international level with little more care and concern by all of us, given the quality of talent available in our country. As far as sports in India are concerned, we have a chequered history, with rules and techniques of various games changing over a period of time posing new challenges to our sportspersons, Dr Singh added.

Dr. Raj Kumar Sharma, Director, Sports at the University, highlighted the sports activities and achievements of the University.

Yuvraj eyes comeback at Ranji pre-season tourneys

New Delhi, June 5
Yuvraj Singh, who has been recovering well after his cancer treatment, is eyeing to play in some of the pre-season tournaments like Moin-Ud Dowla Gold Cup and Buchi Babu Trophy later this year before making a comeback into first-class cricket.

"Yuvi's scan report shows that he is nearing complete recovery. For the first two years, the blood tests and scan needs to be done every three months. In the next three years, it will be every five months. He is a little bit weak but his rehab programme at the NCA is going pretty well," one of Yuvi's close friends told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

Asked about his return to competitive cricket, the source said, "It's difficult to pinpoint a particular date. He might just like to check himself out by playing in one of the Hot Weather tournaments in and around Delhi. But he will definitely play in the Ranji preparatory tournaments down south like the Buchi Babu Trophy or Moin-Ud Dowla Gold Cup." The 30-year-old right-handed batsman seemed to be in good frame of mind if his tweets are to go by.

"Good day today Got my blood report and scan report !! I'm in good condition !! I'm so happy to lead a normal healthy life time to celebrate," Yuvraj had tweeted yesterday. — PTI

India ‘A’ batting collapses as Test heads for tight finish

Bridgetown, June 5
India A's top order collapsed in the second innings as the unofficial Test against the West Indies A was heading for an exciting finish with visitors placed 22 for three, chasing 186 to win, here.

With a slender 25-lead in their hands, India A shot out West Indies A for 210 in their second innings with Rohit Sharma sizzling with a four-wicket haul and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar accounting for three batsmen, on the third day.

However, India A lost three wickets in the 10 overs they faced before the stumps were drawn on the penultimate day, making the contest more interesting at the Kensington Oval. — PTI