Football, TT teams MAY NOT GO
New Delhi: A cloud of doubt hangs over the Indian football and table tennis teams’ participation in the upcoming Asian Games at government cost, with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Wednesday hinting at dropping the two disciplines owing to slim medal hopes. SAI Director General Jiji Thomson said dropping of some disciplines was necessary after the the Indian Olympic Association came up with a jumbo list of 935 athletes and officials for the September 19-October 4 Games in Incheon, South Korea. The IOA list has 662 athletes (373 men and 289 women) and 270 coach/officials with track and field athletes and shooters making up the highest number of representation. India is not sending teams in baseball, bowling, fencing, karate, modern pentathlon, rugby, softball, soft tennis and triathlon. There is a bright chance of a medal in cricket but the BCCI has decided against sending a team.
Murali jumps to sole lead
Abu Dhabi: Murali Karthikeyan remained on course to create history after he defeated Grandmaster Sergey Volkov of Russia in the seventh round of Abu Dhabi Masters chess tournament here on Wednesday . The victory took 15-year old Karthikeyan to six points out of a possible seven and it is in fact a complete Indian domination with Grandmaster Vidit Santosh Gujrathi and G N Gopal sharing the second spot a half point behind. Karthikeyan’s performance rating hit another high as it registered 2830 according to FIDE charts. This effectively means that in this tournament, Karthikeyan is giving a performance which is better than the rating of world number two levon Aronian of Armenia. The fourth Grandmaster scalp on the trot also effectively sealed what would be Karthikeyan’s third and final Grandmaster norm and the Chennai-based is now in line to enter the elite list of Grandmasters.
NEW HOCKEY STADIUM IN Raipur
New Delhi: The city of Raipur will become the latest hockey destination as a new international stadium will be inaugurated at the capital of Chhattisgarh on the occasion of National Sports Day on August 29, the birth anniversary of legendary Major Dhyanchand. With a capacity of 4000 spectators, this is the second international hockey stadium with a blue astroturf to come up in Chhattisgarh after the stadium in Rajnandgaon which was inaugurated earlier this year. The stadium will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Raman Singh and Speaker of Chhattisgarh legislative Assembly, Gauri Shankar Agarwal.
Kabaddi bug bites cricketers
Bangalore: Popular sports broadcaster and Mashal Sports managing director today said the Star Sports Pro Kabaddi league bug has not only “bitten” all ages of people world over, but also international cricket players. “The Star Sports Pro Kabaddi league bug has not only bitten all ages of people world over, but also international cricket players,” he said on the sidelines of an event pertaining to Pro Kabaddi league here.