Want to improve doubles: Jwala on new role as coach
Hyderabad: Not too pleased with the state of doubles' players in Indian badminton, recently-appointed women's doubles coach Jwala Gutta said she would use her new role to bring the focus on them. "I would like to see the betterment of the game. I always spoke for doubles. The new administration (in BAI) is keen on taking me on board. I am happy and pleased. The new president Himanta sir (BAI president Himanta Biswa Sarma) is open-minded (to the views of all). That makes a lot of difference," she told PTI here. Jwala, a bronze-medallist from the 2011 World Championship, has been named a coach for women's doubles by the Badminton Association of India (BAI). "Singles (in badminton) is doing extremely well. Doubles is nowhere. I want to promote doubles, educate people and media about doubles," she said.
Questions raised over Inzamam's 10 million cash award
Karachi: Questions are being raised in Pakistan cricket circle on the logic behind awarding 10 million rupees to chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq for Pakistan's victorious Champions Trophy campaign. The rest of the selectors including Tauseef Ahmed, Wasim Haider and Wajahatullah Wasti were given one million each at the Prime Minister's reception held for the Champions Trophy winning squad in Islamabad on Tuesday. "It makes no sense to give the chief selector such a huge amount while the head coach and other coaching staff have got five million rupees each for the Champions Trophy win," former chief selector, Iqbal Qasim said. "Then why this disparity between the money given to the chief selector and other selectors," he questioned. Another former chief selector and ex-head coach, Mohsin Hasan Khan said, "And when have chief selector's ever been rewarded with cash prizes if the team has done well. The same money could have been used for better development purposes."
PCB likely to release batting coach Flower
Karachi: Former Zimbabwe batsman Grant Flower is unlikely to get an extension of his contract as batting coach when the performance of the national team support staff is reviewed by the Pakistan Cricket Board later this month. Flower, who is with the Pakistan team for the last three and a half years, is the only member of the support staff who is likely to be released by the PCB since it is believed he has not produced desired results. "A review committee which includes former Test players Haroon Rasheed, Mudassar Nazar and the PCB's chief operating officer Subhan Ahmad will submit a report on the performances of the coaches. It will be discussed at the Governing board meeting on July 29 after which a decision will be made on retaining or releasing the support staff," a source said.
Sports to be moved to concurrent list: Goel
New delhi: Union sports minister Vijay Goel on Thursday revealed that his government intends to make sports a part of the concurrent list thereby giving Central government more jurisdiction over sports at the state level. Speaking at the inaugural session of the CII Scorecard event here, Goel put forward the reasons behind this move. "Developing sporting infrastructure and promoting sports at the grass-root level falls currently under the responsibility of state government. We have now decided to move sports to the concurrent list to enable the Central government to intervene more effectively." The sports minister also praised the performance of his ministry under his tenure. "Today I am completing one year as the sports minister and I can rightfully claim that the ministry works 24x7. In the last one year, there hasn't been a single sporting facility under my ministry that I have not visited. I can confidently say that among all the sportspersons that represented India at the 2016 Olympics, you won't find even one who will complain that he hasn't received proper support in terms of infrastructure or other types of help."