Probe on sexual harassment
New Delhi: Investigators on Wednesday did not rule out calling back a gymnast and his coach from Incheon in South Korea, where they have gone to participate in the Asian Games, to join probe into allegations of a woman gymnast that they sexually harassed her during a training camp here earlier this month. Police have booked the duo based on allegations by the woman gymnast that they had passed obscene comments and made vulgar gestures at her during a practice session at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on the evening of September 2. In her complaint lodged last night, the trainee-level woman gymnast alleged that the coach and the player passed vulgar remarks about her clothes and made indecent gestures. The investigators said the the coach and gymnast, who have left for Incheon last night, may be called back to Delhi, if required. “We have intensified our investigation. If needed, police will ask both accused to return to India soon. Both are scheduled to come back in the first week of October. We will take a decision on whether to call them back soon or wait for their schedule arrival,” said a senior police official.
Iranian official kicked out
Incheon: Asian Games organisers on Wednesday kicked out an Iranian official for sexually harassing a female volunteer and issued strong warnings after two alleged cases in two days. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) banned football equipment manager Amereh Ahmad from Games sites and asked the Iranian team to send him home for verbally harassing the volunteer on Monday. Also on Wednesday, police were investigating a Palestinian footballer who was accused of groping a female worker in an athletes’ village laundry room the day before. The player was banned from leaving the country. The incidents prompted the organising committee to put up signs in Games accommodation warning against harassment, while the OCA said it had “zero tolerance” for such cases. “It was not a matter of a physical attack; it was verbal sexual harassment,” OCA director general Husain Al-Musallam said in a statement, referring to the Iranian official.
Result on officials’ future at meet
New Delhi: The future of India’s bowling coach Joe Dawes and fielding consultant Trevor Penny will be decided at the all-important Working Committee meeting of the BCCI scheduled in Chennai on September 26. While the fate of annual AGM will be one of the primary agendas but the fate of the Australian bowling coach and Zimbabwean fielding coach will also be decided at the same meeting. “Yes, the working committee will discuss about the appointments of the support staff. Dawes’ and Penny’s case will also come up for discussion,” BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said.
Bengal team mauls sl school 20-0
New Delhi: Krishnadevpur High School from West Bengal mauled Sri lanka Defence School from Colombo 20-0 in a Pool A match in the 55th Subroto Cup international football tournament here on Wednesday. From the same pool, NCC Maharashtra found a whipping horse in NNM High Secondary School from Kerala at Dr Ambedkar Stadium here. The Maharashtra team thrashed the schoolboys from Chelembra 5-0 to share the top slot with KDP school from West Bengal. They both have same number points each from one win and one draw. Though Mohammad Shabaz opened the account for the West Bengal school, it was Amit Dey who struck six times to be the top goal-scorer for the team. The next best efforts came from Robin Yadav who scored four goals, followed by Noren Tudu (3), Rahul Chandha (3), Tushar (2) and Sougata Dey (1) to complete the rout against the Sri lankan team.
BFI hails new FIBA move
New Delhi: Welcoming the new move by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) to allow Sikh players to wear head coverings for a two-year test period, the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) on Wednesday said that it is sure the temporary ruling will soon become permanent. In a meeting held over the weekend, basketball’s world governing body announced that a two-year test phase has been put into place in which exceptions for headgear will be allowed under some circumstances. “FIBA has allowed players to wear head coverings in its 3-on-3 competitions unless it presents a direct threat to the safety of players on the court. After evaluation of the rule in 2015, it will be decided whether it will become a permanent rule change post the 2016 Olympics and we are sure that this will happen,” BFI joint secretary Ashok Rangeen told PTI. Though many Sikh organisations have said that the latest ruling ‘falls short’ of expectations, the BFI feels that the international body’s intentions are in the right place. “The newly-elected board of FIBA has addressed this issue in its first meeting and that in itself is a signal that the officials are looking to help out the Sikh, Muslim and orthodox Jew players, who are required a head covering while playing the game,” said Rangeen.
Court dismisses BCCI plea
Jaipur: The Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) on Wednesday received some sort of relief as the District Judge (Jaipur City) has dismissed the transfer application filed by BCCI seeking transfer of RCA suit from ADJ -4 Jaipur. In another move, the suspended RCA is all set to file a PIl on behalf of the state cricketers against the BCCI, who has kept RCA away from the domestic calendar. Despite this, the impasse between the Rajasthan Cricket Association and BCCI is likely to continue but as a consequence of this order pronounced on Wednesday, the suit filed by RCA against suspension by BCCI of the state association and its consequential allied issues will now proceed in the court of the learned ADJ -4. The matter came up for hearings during the lawyers strike in Jaipur. However, RCA deputy president Mehmood Abdi appeared in person for RCA and argued the case of RCA. “The BCCI’s attempt to delay the matter through this transfer application on totally unsubstantiated grounds of alleged bias to brow beat the judge proved futile. The intimidation trick of BCCI miserably failed as it could not meet the requirements to prove its allegations,” alleged Abdi, who is lalit Modi’s trusted lieutenant.
Advani enters qualifiers knockout
Pune: Ace Indian cueist Pankaj Advani once again mesmerised the green baize to top the league round and enter the knockout phase of the Indian Open snooker qualifier, here on Wednesday. The Bangalore cueist registered a second century break in a span of two days with a 115 clearance to outplay Manish Jain of Bengal in a Group A encounter.