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‘New sports awards guidelines leave some loopholes’
End of the dream for Yuki
Yuki Bhambri couldn’t show the spark he had shown in his previous matches and went down without putting up much resistance against the fifth-seed Canadian. — PTI |
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Steve Smith celebrates after scoring a fighting hundred, his second in the series, in Sydney on Friday. — Reuters
Fans want Schumi to keep fighting
On Michael Schumacher’s 45th birthday on Friday, his fans stood in front the Grenoble hospital with Ferrari Flags to show their love and support to the racing legend. AFP
Serena Williams beat Maria Sharapova 6-2 7-6(9-7) in the semifinals of the Brisbane International on Friday. REUTERS
Walsh wants best out of his players in HWL final
Mathews ton gives SL edge
Jeev off to Dubai ahead of Middle-East swing Confident Paul aims big in his Danish sojourn
Punjabi varsity fencers win four gold on Day 2
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‘New sports awards guidelines leave some loopholes’
Patiala, January 3 The Ministry has decided to grant 90 per cent weightage to medal winners in various international championships and sports events that are part of the Olympics (Summer, Winter and Paralympics), Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. Winners of medals in the Olympics and Paralympics will automatically be considered for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna or Arjuna Awards, depending on the medal won. In terms of importance, next to the Olympics would be World Championship/World Cup (once in four years), followed by Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. Sportspersons getting maximum points in the World Championship/World Cup will get 90 marks. Ten per cent weightage would depend on the profile and standard of the event, and other factors like leadership, sportsmanship, team spirit, fair play, and sense of discipline of an athlete. For cricket and sports not part of the Olympics, Asian Games or Commonwealth Games, the selection committee will recommend up to two awards. It would recommend awards on the basis of individual performances and qualities of like sportsmanship, sense of discipline, etc. No more than one award will be given in each discipline in a particular year, and the principle of one award per discipline will not be applicable in case of team sports and across gender. These guidelines are being seen as a positive step by the sports fraternity, though there is a feeling that the guidelines don't completely remove the ambiguity about the selection criteria. This is so because the selection committee has been given the power to “recommend a very deserving sportsperson who may not get the Arjuna Award as per the given criteria”. This point has caused concern among many sportspersons. Ace discus thrower Krishna Poonia, who was ignored for the Khel Ratna last year, said: “The setting up of guidelines is a good move. But transparent guidelines should be ensured for the Khel Ratna and the award should be given to anyone having their best performance in the Olympics, depending on the standard of the sport.” Dronacharya Award-winner Virender Poonia believes that the number of years on the basis of which a particular award should be given should be five years. “Major events like the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games are held once in four years, so a player should get a proper opportunity to present their stake,” he said. One leading boxer, on the condition of anonymity, said that the fact that the selection committee retains subjective powers is a cause for concern.”There should be a provision to hold the selection committee accountable in case a player feels cheated or left out,” he said. “Moreover, the fact that not more than one award will be given in each discipline in a particular year as far as individual games is concerned is a very wrong. This is so because there are many times when two players deliver the same level of performance. Though the ministry has clarified that more than one sportsperson can be recommended from one discipline in respect of team sports and across genders, it often happens that two male or two female sportspersons deliver the same level of performance in an individual sport. So, deciding as to who should be chosen will be confusing.” |
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End of the dream for Yuki
Chennai, January 3 Yuki did set up points by opening up the court but couldn’t finish and his ground-strokes lacked power to counter his tall opponent, who was consistent with his serve and packed a lot of punch in his strokes. Yuki struggled to find his first serve and his forehands went soaring over the baseline as the Canadian world No 32 tightened his grip on the match. Yuki realised that the only way back into the match was by attacking Pospisil's backhand and it did bring him dividends. But overall, Yuki could not put up the fight that was expected from him against the Canadian. In his first match, Yuki had shown that he indeed has improved but today's match was a reminder that he still needs a lot of work on both the physical and mental aspects of his game if he has to succeed at this level. Pospisil will now fight it out with Swiss top seed Stanislas Wawrinka, who made short work of Slovakian Aljaz Bedene 6-2 6-1 in their quarterfinal, for a spot in the title match. Wawrinka recorded his 300th win on the Tour and also settled his score with Aljaz, who had beaten the Swiss in the quarterfinals last year. "My service was not amazing today but it was good enough to win the match," said Wawrinka. "Someone told me that I am on my 300th win. It is special since I have been on the tour for long. After a good last season, I wanted to stay focused and maintain that momentum in the new season. I wasn’t confident at the beginning of last year but this year I feel really good and confident." In the other quarterfinals, French seventh seed Edouard Roger Vasselin managed to get the better of Israeli Dudi Sela 7-5 6-7(6) 6-0 in two hours and six minutes, while sixth seed Marcel Granollers of Spain beat Frenchman Benoit Paire 6-2 3-6 7-6(5) in a keenly contested three-setter. The Indian challenge in the tourney ended as Saketh Myneni, partnering Russian Karen Khachanov, lost their doubles semifinal to Johan Brunstrom and Frederik Nielsen in straight sets (6-4 6-3) in just under an hour. Earlier, the wild card Indian pair of Ramkumar Ramanathan and N Sriram Balaji put up a spirited fight against the Croatian pair of Marin Draganja and Mate Pavic before losing 3-6 3-6 in the quarterfinals.
— PTI Chennai Open results Quarterfinals:
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Stubborn Smith scripts rescue act
Sydney, January 3 England's nemesis Mitchell Johnson drove home the advantage in the final half hour by removing Michael Carberry for a duck to leave captain Alastair Cook (seven) and nightwatchman James Anderson (one) at the crease at eight for one at stumps. Smith was the final Australian wicket to fall for 115 and while his second century of the series put a thick layer of gloss on the day for the hosts, there was no doubt the momentum shifted with wicketkeeper Haddin's 90-ball 75. Looking to seal a 5-0 series sweep, Australia were well and truly on the ropes at 97 for five after England struck twice in the 15 minutes before lunch and then dismissed George Bailey for one within 10 minutes of the resumption. Haddin, as he has in all four previous tests when his team were in similarly precarious positions, came out oozing positivity and took the game to the bowlers with a barrage of aggressive strokes. “Brad was great out there,” said Smith. “He was great to bat with. I sort of took a back seat and just watched him go. It was brilliant to form a partnership with him and get us in the position we are now. “When you get sent in and get 326, you'd take that and to have them one-for overnight as well, we're in a good position.” England contributed to their own misery by bowling short to a batsman who was clearly happy to pull and hook to the boundary all day with Ben Stokes (6-99) suffering particular punishment. The torment for the tourists only deepened when paceman Boyd Rankin, one of three new caps in the side, hobbled off the field after lunch with what looked like a hamstring injury. The tall Irishman returned to bowl in the final session but lasted just one delivery before
having to limp back. Brief scores: Australia 326 (Smith 115, Haddin 75, Stokes 6-99; England 1 for 8 (Cook 7no, Anderson 1no)
— Reuters |
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Fans want Schumi to keep fighting
GRENOBLE January 3 “For us Ferrari fans, we are just like brothers, we are just one,” said one fan, Carlo Buschini, who raised his cap and blew kisses in the direction of Schumacher's hospital room. “We are here to celebrate and to celebrate his battle for life,” said Buschini, speaking in Italian. Supporters of the Scuderia Ferrari Club wore their team's red colours and carried a banner reading “Schumi, All our thoughts for you and your family.” In a blog post on its website, Ferrari said Schumacher was “tackling the most important fight of his life” and sent him “double wishes” for his birthday. Schumacher is the most successful Formula One driver of all time with a record 91 race victories in a career spanning more than two decades. The German won five successive titles with Ferrari before retiring from the team at the end of 2006. A less successful three-year comeback with Mercedes ended last year. Messages of support appeared on Twitter from Schumacher's former team mates. “Happy Birthday my brother Michael! Be strong!! Be strong!! Don't give up!! We are praying for you,” wrote Ferrari driver Felipe Massa. Another former team mate, Rubens Barrichello, wrote “Keep it up, man ... I know ur (sic) fighting.” On Wednesday, Schumacher's agent said Schumacher was in an artificial coma in stable condition, but no update has been given since then.
— Reuters |
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Serena overcomes misfiring serve to flatten Sharapova BRISBANE, January 3 Roger Federer, who like Williams will be chasing an 18th grand slam title at the Australian Open later this month, breezed through to the men’s semifinals with a 6-1 6-1 thumping of Australian Marinko Matosevic. Williams and Sharapova played down their animosity before the match but there was no eye contact during preliminaries and on a steamy night in Brisbane their body language remained distinctly frosty throughout. The result was a match with an intensity scarcely seen outside of a grand slam, something Williams feels is of great benefit to her. “(I) feel like I’m being pushed into the deep end straightaway,” she said. “I think it’s a good thing. In Melbourne if I have to face Maria again I’ll know a little bit more what to expect. I really didn’t know what to expect today.” Azarenka secured her place in the final with a see-saw victory over Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic 1-6 6-3 6-4. Federer will now meet eighth seed Jeremy Chardy in the semifinal after the Frenchman beat Australia’s Sam Groth 7-5 6-4. There is local interest in the other semifinal as Lleyton Hewitt faces number two seed Kei Nishikori of Japan. Hewitt beat Romania’s Marius Copi 6-4 6-2, while Nishikori topped Croatian Marin Cilic 6-4 5-7 6-2. — Reuters |
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Walsh wants best out of his players in HWL final
Walsh, who took the reigns of the team in November from fellow Australian Michael Nobbs, wants the best out of his players in the upcoming event, as, in all likelihood, it is India's last big-ticket tournament before the World Cup slated to be held at The Hague, Netherlands from May 31 to June 15. "The boys are confident for the tournament. This is the final of the Hockey World League and is a clash amongst the top eight hockey countries. This in itself is a motivating factor for the entire team and we are looking forward to our game against England next Friday," Walsh said after a practice session at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium. "This is the last big tournament (for India) before the World Cup and hence becomes all the more important that we play our best game during the league," he added. India captain Sardar Singh said the players were working hard on their grey areas under the coaching staff and could not wait to take on England in their tournament opener on January 10. "It will be a completely new tournament and a new experience for this team and we will be beginning from scratch," Sardar said. "While the boys are practicing hard, we are even holding regular meetings with the coaches to understand where we lack on the field and analysing this further by watching our videos. Presently we are working on every player's positioning and in the process putting huge emphasis on our passing. The boys are not under any pressure and are looking at their first clash against England," the mercurial mid-fielder said.
— PTI |
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Mathews ton gives SL edge
Abu Dhabi, January 3 Starting the penultimate day of the match with a slender lead of seven runs, Sri Lanka lost just a single wicket during the entire day to reach 420 for five at stumps, a second-innings lead of 241 runs. The wicket of Dinesh Chandimal (89) was the lone success for the Pakistan bowlers as their hard work proved futile on an unresponsive surface. Left-arm seamer Junaid Khan, who took five wickets in the first innings, picked up his third scalp in the second by dismissing Chandimal. Brief scores: Sri Lanka 204 and 420 for 5 (Mathews 116*, Chandimal 89); Pakistan 383.
— Reuters |
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Jeev off to Dubai ahead of Middle-East swing Chandigarh, January 3 “My shoulder is not a hundred percent as yet but I am heading to a warmer climate to acclimatise, play and practise at a new European Tour facility in Dubai for five days before heading off to Abu Dhabi,” Jeev said today. “The golf courses which I will be playing really suit my game so I want to be fully prepared heading into the Middle East swing as all the events are of great stature and it is the 25th Anniversary of the Dubai Desert Classic,” he added. “All these tournaments carry world ranking points and it is my main priority at the moment to improve my world ranking as the 2016 Olympics are drawing nearer and I would like to be at the top of my game and injury free to prepare for it.” The Middle East swing starts with the Abu Dhabi Open, which is followed by the Qatar Open, and concludes with the Dubai Desert Classic. Henrik Stenson, who has been a resident of Dubai and won the money title on both sides of the Atlantic — the Fed Ex Cup on the PGA Tour as well as the Race to Dubai on the European Tour — will lead the charge. World No. 1 Tiger Woods has also committed to play the Dubai Desert Classic and join in the festivities.
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Confident Paul aims big in his Danish sojourn
Kolkata, January 3 “As a kid, I always dreamt of playing in Europe... So it’s a step in the right direction,” the 26-year-old said. “It’s a first step but the real challenge lies ahead and I’m confident to overcome it. I’ve full faith in my ability to prove myself among the best.” After landing a six-month contract with the Slagelse based Superliga football team FC Vestsjaelland in east Denmark, Paul has a tall order to achieve — to impress the team think tank and make the cut. He has already achieved the first goal during his 28-day stint in October-November as goalkeeping coach Claus Fallentin was “impressed” by Paul’s reflexes. “He was quite impressed with my reflexes under the bar and offered to take me.” “Even if I’m able to play one match during the tournament, it will be a big achievement. I’ll give my best,” Paul added. The first Indian to play in Europe was Kolkata’s Mohammed
Salim, who played for Mohammedan Sporting before switching to Celtic in 1936.
— PTI |
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Punjabi varsity fencers win four gold on Day 2 Patiala, January 3 While the host men won gold in all the three events – Foil, Epee and Sabre – the women won gold in Sabre and silver in Foil and
Epee. Panjab University, Chandigarh, won two bronze medals – both in the women’s section – in the Foil and Sabre categories, while Kurukshetra University won bronze in the women’s Epee event.
Results Men: Foil (team): Punjabi (gold), Manipur University (silver), Osmania University and Jammu University (bronze); Epee (team): Punjabi, Jain University,
Chennai, TN University and MGU, Kerala; Sabre (team): Punjabi, Anna University,
Chennai, Jain University, Bangalore, and PEC, Chandigarh. Women: Foil (team): Kannur University,
Kerala, Punjabi, Punjab University and Anna University; Epee (team): Kannur University, Punjabi, Kurukshetra University and University of Madras; Sabre (team): Punjabi, Kannur University, Panjab University and University of
Pune.
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Yuki Bhambri’s dream run came to an end at the Chennai Open as the Delhi youngster lost his quarterfinal to fifth seed Canadian Vasek Pospisil here today.
Yuki couldn’t show the form he displayed in his earlier matches and succumbed 6-3 6-3 without a fight in 69 minute.
Ferrari fans held a vigil for Michael Schumacher on his 45th birthday on Friday, gathering outside the French hospital where the seven times world champion continued to fight for his life after a skiing accident.
A few dozen fans assembled outside the Grenoble hospital where Schumacher has been undergoing treatment since Sunday's accident in the resort town of Meribel, in which his head hit a rock when he fell while skiing off
piste.
Kolkata, January 3
New Delhi, January 3
New Delhi: