SAI decides to appoint CEOs
New Delhi: The Sports Authority of India has decided to appoint qualified CEOs to professionalise the management of the National Sports Federations (NSFs). The decision was taken at the 42nd governing body meeting of the SAI chaired by Sports Minister Jitendra Singh. The remuneration of the CEOs will be borne by the SAI. It was also decided during the meeting that the government would not interfere in the recruitment of the chosen professionals. The sports ministry had in October sent out letters to the top NSFs seeking their views on the appointment of CEOs to run their affairs more professionally. The letters went out to 13 federations - archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, football, canoeing/kayaking, gymnastics, hockey, rowing, shooting, swimming, wrestling and wushu - and School Games Federation of India. Only badminton, canoeing/kayaking, wrestling and SGFI got back. The NSFs turned down the ministry’s proposal on the pretext that they already run the federations professionally and don’t feel the need to appoint a CEO. Currently, only hockey and basketball have CEOs as administrative heads. Elena Norman, an Australian with her wealth of experience in sports management, is working as Hockey India’s CEO.
Somdev gets main draw berth
Chennai: India’s top singles tennis player Somdev Devvarman has been handed a direct entry in the main draw of the ATP Chennai Open tennis tournament after Estonia’s Jurgen Zopp pulled out of the event due to a back injury. World number 90 Somdev was to play in the qualifying round of the tournament but Zopp’s withdrawal ensured that the Indian will get a berth in the main round. He will be spearheading India’s challenge at the USD 450,000 tournament, to be held here from December 30 to January 5. The tournament will witness top stars like world number eight Stanislas Wawrinka, world number 15 Mikhail Youzhny, world number 16 Fabio Fognini and defending singles champion Janko Tipsarevic.
UEFA punishes Olympiakos, Zenit
Nyon: UEFA has punished Champions league participants Olympiakos and Zenit St. Petersburg for the racist behavior of their fans by ordering stadium sections closed at last-16 matches. UEFA said the lower tier of the north stand at Karaiskakis Stadium will be empty when Olympiakos hosts Manchester United on Feb. 25. The section of Zenit’s Petrovsky Stadium where ultras gather will be closed when Borussia Dortmund visits the same day. Olympiakos was punished for “racist conduct of supporters” and setting off fireworks during a Dec. 10 group match against Anderlecht. UEFA fined the Greek club 30,000 euros ($41,250). UEFA had charged Zenit for fans displaying a racist banner, throwing fireworks and crowd disturbances at Austria Vienna on Dec. 11. Zenit was fined 40,000 euros ($55,000). Zenit said in a statement that the club was threatened with a stronger sanction because of the poor reputation of its fans. “Due to the numerous violations by the club’s fans in other UEFA matches, the commission considered the possibility of implementing even more severe sanctions against Zenit, namely the complete closure of the stadium,” the Russian club said. The clubs can appeal the sanctions.
bcci award for Kapil dev
New Delhi: India’s first World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev will be conferred the Col C K Nayudu lifetime Achievement award for the year 2013 at the annual BCCI awards function, the Board’s announced on Wednesday. The award’s committee comprising BCCI President N Srinivasan, Sanjay Patel (Hony. Secretary) and Ayaz Memon (Senior Journalist) met in Chennai today to nominate a winner and unanimously zeroed in on the legendary all-rounder’s name. “Mr. Kapil Dev Nikhanj will receive the Col C K Nayudu lifetime Achievement Award, which comprises a trophy, citation and a cheque for Rs 25 lakhs, at the BCCI Awards Ceremony for the year 2012-13, the details of which will be announced soon,” BCCI’s secretary Sanjay Patel said in a release.
Seeded Sinha reaches quarters
Mumbai: Seeded Maharashtra player Abhihav Sinha reached the men’s open quarter-finals of the 38th Bombay Gymkhana Maharashtra State Open Senior Squash Championship here after scoring back to back straight-game wins in the previous two rounds. Sinha, seeded 5/8, got the better of state rival Sumeet Yadav in round three and then got past Abhishek Agarwal with a hard-fought 11-9, 11-8, 11-9 scoreline to enter the last eight stage. Young Shanay Sanghavi, from hosts Bombay Gymkhana, went down fighting in the second round against professional Ganesh Kadam. He lost 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, 10-12. Shah siblings Abhimanyu and Chaitanya, also of Bombay Gymkhana, scored impressive wins to make the pre-quarters. While Abhimanyu had an easy outing, Chaitanya rallied after losing a tight opening set to prevail over Harshvardhan Wadhwa of suburban Otters Club 9-11, 11-3, 11-3, 11-7.
eU’s probe into Spanish soccer
Brussels: The European Union announced a probe Wednesday targeting Real Madrid, Barcelona and five other top Spanish soccer clubs that it says may have received possible illegal state aid. The EU also said it might widen its investigation to include soccer teams’ outstanding tax debts to the Spanish government, which total in the hundreds of millions. EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said clubs should use sound financial management rather than live “at the expense of the taxpayer.” Almunia’s office is responsible for making sure that businesses across the 28-country EU face a level playing field - including multi-billion, immensely popular soccer industry. PNS/Agencies