(Basketball news) Denver Nuggets have extended the reigning MVP Nikola Jokic’s contract for five years on a contract which makes the Serbian recipient of the largest and most expensive contract in the history of the NBA. The team signed Nikola Jokic on a five-year extension worth $264 million. His contract begins in the 2023-24 NBA season and will continue through 2027-28 when Jokic has the option where he could earn roughly $60 million. The Serbian star has undergone a meteoric rise in his seven NBA seasons with the Nuggets.

He came into the league in 2012 and became an All-Star in his fourth season and since then he has stayed at that level. He has gone on to win the MVP trophy in each of the last two seasons after averaging 26.4 points in 2020-21 and 27.1 points this past season. This season he won MVP votes that haven't exactly been close; Jokic was atop roughly 75% of the ballots cast for that award over the last two seasons. The 27-year-old is coming off one of his finest seasons and created a new category as he became the first NBA player to eclipse 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in a season. Jokic also averaged 13.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists for a Denver team that was missing two stars in Jamal Murray (ACL recovery) and Michael Porter Jr. (back).

Jokic helped the Nuggets to a 48-34 record and the No. 6 seed in the West, where they eventually lost to the NBA champion Golden State Warriors in the first round. The organization has undergone extensive changes since the end of the season, with the departure of the president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, to the Timberwolves. Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth, who orchestrated a trade that sent guards Will Barton and Monte Morris to the Wizards for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith. The team also traded away JaMychal Green and a 2027 protected first-round Draft pick to Oklahoma City for Peyton Watson and two future second-round picks. Provided everyone’s healthy, it means a starting five of Murray, Caldwell-Pope, Jokic, Aaron Gordon and Porter could well be on the cards. 

Also read: Kevin Durant requested a trade out of the Brooklyn Nets
 

(Sports news) Swimming world governing body Fina has voted to stop transgender athletes who have undergone male puberty to compete in women’s elite races. They have also decided to introduce an ‘open’ category for swimmers whose gender identity is different from that with which they were born in. The new policy received 71% votes from 152 Fina members and was described as "only a first step towards full inclusion" for transgender athletes. 

According to a 34 page policy document, it says that  male-to-female transgender athletes could compete in the women's category - but only "provided they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 [which marks the start of physical development], or before age 12, whichever is later". The decision was made in an extraordinary general congress at the ongoing World Championships in Budapest. This means that transgender athlete Lia Thomas will not be allowed to compete in the female category at the Paris Olympics.

In an interview, Brent Nowicki, the governing body's executive director said “Fina's approach in drafting this policy was comprehensive, science-based and inclusive, and, importantly, Fina's approach emphasised competitive fairness.” Fina president Husain Al-Musallam said the organisation was trying to "protect the rights of our athletes to compete" but also "protect competitive fairness".

He said: "Fina will always welcome every athlete. The creation of an open category will mean that everybody has the opportunity to compete at an elite level. This has not been done before, so Fina will need to lead the way. I want all athletes to feel included in being able to develop ideas during this process."

Speaking to BBC Sport, former Great Britain swimmer Sharron Davies said “Four years ago, along with 60 other Olympic medallists, I wrote to the IOC and said 'Please just do the science first' and no governing body has done the science until now. That is what Fina has done. They've done the science, they've got the right people on board, they've spoken to the athletes, and coaches. Swimming is a very inclusive sport, we love everyone to come and swim and be involved. But the cornerstone of sport is that it has to be fair and it has to be fair for both sexes. 

“Sport by definition is exclusionary - we don't have 15-year-old boys racing in the under-12s, we don't have heavyweight boxers in with the bantamweights, the whole reason we have lots of different classes in the Paralympics is so that we can create fair opportunities for everybody," she said. “So that is the whole point of having classifications in sports and the only people who were going to be losing out were females - they were losing their right to fair sport."

In contrast, an LGBTQ advocacy group called 'Athlete Ally' called the policy “discriminatory, harmful, unscientific and not in line with the 2021 IOC principles". Anne Lieberman, the group's director of policy and programmes said “The eligibility criteria for the women's category as it is laid out in the policy polices the bodies of all women, and will not be enforceable without seriously violating the privacy and human rights of any athlete looking to compete in the women's category.” 

Also read: Neeraj Chopra marks his return with a national record throw

New Delhi, May 26 (Boxing News) Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain has been elected as the chair and a voting member on the Board of Directors for the Athletes' Committee, the International Boxing Association (IBA) said on Thursday.

Borgohain received the highest number of votes during the election held at the 2022 Women's World Championships.

"I feel honoured to have been elected as the chair of IBA’s Athlete’s Committee, I expected to become a member, but never thought that I will also become the chair of the committee, this will help me promote Indian boxing and especially women boxing to other boxers of the world," Borgohain said in a release.

"This is a huge opportunity for me to promote boxing and I plan to first discuss what all needs to be addressed in Boxing this year with other members and boxers of the world and then take those suggestions and grievances to the Board of Director’s committee." Indian boxer Shiva Thapa has also been elected as a member of the IBA Athletes Committee following the election held during the 2021 IBA Men's World Championships.

Borgohain and Thapa were elected by the boxers that participated during the men and women's world championships that were held in October 2021 and May 2022 respectively. 

Also Read : BFI and SAI felicitate 12th World Championships medallists

News Source : PTI

(Basketball news) The Serbian center becomes the 13th player selected as Kia MVP in consecutive seasons. Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić was named the 2021-22 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player. This is his second Kia NBA MVP Award for Jokić, who also won it last season. He becomes the 13th player to win the award in consecutive seasons, and joining some legendary players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, Stephen Curry, Tim Duncan, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Moses Malone, Steve Nash and Bill Russell.

Jokić received a total of 875 points (65 first-place votes) from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. 76ers center Joel Embiid finished in second place with 706 points (26 first-place votes) and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo came third with 595 points (nine first-place votes), followed by Suns guard Devin Booker in fourth place with 216 points Mavericks guard Luka Dončić in fifth place with 146 points. Players received 10 points for each first-place vote, seven points for a second-place vote, five points for third-place, three points for each fourth-place vote and one point for each fifth-place vote.

This was the first time in NBA history that the top four out of the top five finishers in MVP race were international players, with Jokić from Serbia, Embiid from Cameroon and Antetokounmpo  from Greece as they comprised the top three and Dončić from Slovenia joined them in the top five. Jokić is only the second European player to win the award twice, joining Giannis Antetokounmpo, who won the MVP in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons.

In his seventh NBA season, Jokić this season averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 1.47 steals and 0.85 blocks per game, setting career highs in each category except assists .  Jokić had played 74 games and averaged 33.5 minutes, he ranked sixth in the NBA in points, second in rebounds, eighth in assists, 12th for steals and 33rd in blocks per game. He led the league in total rebounds (1,019) and total defensive rebounds (813) in this remarkable season.  He set a career-high in field goal percentage with 58.3. Jokić also became the first player in NBA history to record at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in a season and the first player to average at least 25.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in a season.  He led the NBA this year in triple-doubles with 19 and double-doubles with 66, both were single-season records for a Nuggets player.

Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams won the Red Auerbach Trophy as the 2021-22 NBA Coach of the Year. Monty Williams wins his first NBA coach of the year as he joins Cotton Fitzsimmons (1988-89) and Mike D’Antoni (2004-05) as the head coaches of Suns to earn this award. Williams received 458 points (81 first-place votes) from a global panel as Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins finished in second place with 270 points (17 first-place votes) and Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra finished in third place with 72 points. Williams guided the Suns to the best NBA record this season with a 64-18 record, his team had the most victories and the highest winning percentage (.780) in a season in franchise history. The Suns had an identical at home as well on the road (32-9).  The Suns tied for the third-most wins on the road and fifth-best road winning percentage (.780) in a season in NBA history.

Also read: NBA: The Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks make the Conference finals

(Boxing news) The International Boxing Association (IBA) Extraordinary Congress concluded two days of meetings in Istanbul earlier today. Of all eligible National Federations, 145 were in attendance in person in Istanbul, while ten joined online. The election for the position of President saw Umar Kremlev elected by acclamation to serve a second term.

 “Athletes and their coaches are the most important part of boxing and we must all work to support them. For me, the most important thing is the trust of the boxers, the trainers and you, the National Federations,” Kremlev told delegates after his election. “Thank you for your trust. We have much to do: let’s do it as a united team. We must help each other without discrimination.” 

“A year and a half ago, I made bold promises: to settle IBA’s debts and build our best future with governance reform, financial integrity and sporting integrity,” added President Kremlev. “We have made huge progress and I am determined to make sure IBA keeps its promises, by implementing the reforms that are now well under way.”  

The election for the Board of Directors saw the following candidates elected: 

Elise Seignolle (USA) - 106 votes 

Pearl Dlamini (Eswatini) - 88 votes 

Belhaj Abdeljaouad (Morocco) - 82 votes 

Kristy Harris (Australia) - 84 votes 

Zsuzsanna Toth (Hungary) - 71 votes 

Marta Forcen Celaya (Spain) - 63 votes 

Volodymyr Prodyvus (Ukraine) - 76 votes 

Yousuf Al-Kazim (Qatar) - 71 votes 

Jinquiang Zhou (China) - 69 votes 

Dian Gomez (Sri Lanka) - 69 votes 

“Women’s boxing has only been part of IBA events for 21 years. And here we are at a record-breaking IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Istanbul, where women have taken the top three places in IBA elections,” continued President Kremlev. “With this result, IBA has sent a clear message to the world that women are performing at the highest level both in the ring and outside it as leaders of our sport.” 

The election was conducted by Mr Jacques Blondin, Head of Regulatory Enforcement at FIFA, with the voting technology having been provided by Lumi.

Also read: Nikhat, Parveen and Anamika storm into quarterfinals of World Boxing Championships

(Basketball news) Tyler Herro won the 2021-22 Sixth Man of the Year award. Herro edged out fellow Suns player Cam Johnson and Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is the first member of the Miami Heat ever to win the award, and the first Heat player to win any of the major awards since LeBron James won MVP in the 2012-13 season.

Herro has averaged 20.7 points per game for the Heat, with 44.7 percent shooting from the field and 39.9 percent shooting from the 3 point line. Among teammates, only Jimmy Butler has averaged more points for the season, and no other player has even averaged 18 points per game. Herro is the first sixth man to average more than 20 points per game since Lou Williams did so during the 2018-19 season. Herro may have come off the bench for the Heat this season, but he consistently has been the most clutch player in the squad and was one of their main fourth-quarter scoring options. He led the team in both fourth-quarter points per game (5.6) and clutch points per game (2.3)

Marcus Smart was up against some tough centres for the Defensive Player of the Year award this year but he received just 37% of votes, which was more than the Suns forward Mikal Bridges and Jazz centre Rudy Gobert. Smart became just the second point guard to ever win the title since Gary Payton won it in 1996 when he played for the Seattle SuperSonics. Other names on the list included Bam Adebayo (Heat), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Robert Williams II (Celtics), Jrue Holiday (Bucks), Al Horford (Celtics), Draymond Green (Warriors), and Matisse Thybulle (76ers).

In the NBA it is very difficult for a guard to win the DPOY. Typically, it’s the centres and forwards who dominate this award because of their size. While Smart and Payton are the only two point guards to have won it, it tells us a story about how difficult it is for a point guard to win this award. It’s been even longer since a shooting guard won it as the last one was the great Michael Jordan in 1988. Smart finished the regular season tied for 10th in deflections (106) and charges drawn (16), seventh in steals per game (1.68), fifth among guards in the NBA (105.2 defensive rating), and first in the league in loose balls recovered per game (1.1).

Also read: NBA: Suns beat the Mavs as Heat take a 2-0 lead against the Sixers
 

(Football news) Manchester United’s #ILOVEUNITED is back for it’s seventh season and it will be giving fans in India the opportunity to decide which city in the country will play host to the next event. With the restrictions in international travel, the latest iteration will be in the form of a interactive virtual experience with World Cup winners Paul Pogba and Jofra Archer uniting for an in-depth discussion while Scott McTominay will provide some behind the scenes coverage  for a ‘Day in the Life’ of a United player and Yuvraj Singh is set to be amongst a number of star names joining the live event.

The 90 minute pre-match show will take place ahead of Manchester United’s fixture against Leeds on Sunday, 20th February and fans will be given an opportunity to vote for which city will be the host to the next #ILOVEUNITED event. Six fans from across India will be representatives of their respective cities in the very first ‘Fan Panel’ and make their case as to why their city should be selected. The audience will be invited to cast their votes on the club’s official app for one of the six cities, namely Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore. 

The show will be streamed across Manchester United’s web, app and MUTV channels, Facebook and YouTube. The event will also feature content exclusively for Indian fans with exclusive behind-the-scenes access and insight into the first team as well as special appearances from some familiar faces. Fans will also be able to interact, ask questions and participate in competitions to win prizes.

Manchester United’s Director of Partnerships, Sean Jefferson, comments: “We enjoyed tremendous success last season with the evolution of #ILOVEUNITED from a purely physical event to an interactive virtual experience and we can’t wait to share with fans this latest edition. We recognise the importance of being able to provide our overseas fans with face to face, in person engagement. As travel restrictions begin to ease, we are looking forward to one day returning to India with a physical #ILOVEUNITED event, and are excited to offer our fans the opportunity to choose the city we visit.”

Fans who register for the event before Tuesday, 15th February 2022 also have the chance to take part in a virtual meet and greet with former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov and would automatically qualify for the competition to win prizes from the club’s commercial partners. To know more about the event, visit: www.manutd.com/iloveunitedindia

Also read: Manchester United look to get back to winning ways against Burnley

New Delhi, Jan 31 (Hockey News) Veteran India hockey goalkeeper PR Srejeesh on Monday won the prestigious World Games Athlete of the Year for his 2021 performances, becoming only the second Indian to receive the accolade.

In 2020, Indian women's hockey captain Rani Rampal became the first Indian to win the honour for her performances in 2019.

Sreejsh beat competition from sport climber Alberto Ginés López of Spain and Italy's wushu player Michele Giordano for the award.

"I'm very honoured to win this award. First of all, a big thank you to FIH for nominating me for this award, and secondly thanks to all the Indian hockey lovers around the world, who voted for me," Sreejesh said in a statement.

Sreejesh, a former India hockey captain and part of the Tokyo Olympics-bronze medal winning side, received 1,27,647 votes, whereas Lopez and Giordane accumulated 67,428 and 52,046 votes respectively.

Sreejesh was the only Indian nominated and was recommended by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

In the FIH Stars Awards in October, Sreejesh was named the goalkeeper of the year for 2021. 

Also Read : India will look to build on their recent showings in FIH Pro League, say coach and captain

News Source : PTI

(Motorsport) Former rally driver Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been elected as the new FIA president, after collecting 61.62% of the votes at the FIA General Assembly. The UAE national is the first non-European president of motorsport’s world governing body and replaces Jean Todt who had served in the role for 12 years and three terms.

Having been born in Dubai, Mohammed Ben Sulayem is a 14 time Middle East rally champion and has also served as vice-president at the FIA along with being a member of the World Motor Sport Council. Speaking after being elected, the 60 year old said “I am very honored to have been elected FIA President at the conclusion of the Annual General Assembly in Paris today. I thank all the Member Clubs for their esteem and trust.

“I congratulate Graham for his campaign and his engagement to the Federation. I wish to express my infinite gratitude in the name of the FIA and that of its Members to Jean Todt for all that has been achieved over the past 12 years. I am committed to pursuing the important work and make motor sport and mobility take further steps forward."

Amongst his election promises during his four year term has been to put the best practice governance structures, double motorsport participation and strengthen diversity and inclusion. Ben Sulayem has his work cut out for him as he takes over the role just five days after the controversy surrounding the Abu Dhabi GP. Following the events of the weekend, the FIA promised Mercedes to conduct a full analysis and review to understand the events around the Safety Car in the final laps at the Yas Marina Circuit and implement learning into the 2022 season.

Also read: Max Verstappen formally crowned F1 2021 World Champion

A statement released by the FIA said “The FIA's primary responsibility at any event is to ensure the safety of everyone involved and the integrity of the sport. The circumstances surrounding the use of the Safety Car following the incident of driver Nicholas Latifi, and the related communications between the FIA Race Direction team and the Formula 1 teams, have notably generated significant misunderstanding and reactions from Formula 1 teams, drivers and fans, an argument that is currently tarnishing the image of the Championship and the due celebration of the first Drivers' World Championship title won by Max Verstappen and the eighth consecutive Constructors' World Championship title won by Mercedes.

“Following the presentation of a report regarding the sequence of events that took place following the incident on Lap 53 of the Grand Prix and in a constant drive for improvement, the FIA President proposed to the World Motor Sport Council that a detailed analysis and clarification exercise for the future with all relevant parties will now take place.

"This matter will be discussed and addressed with all the teams and drivers to draw any lessons from this situation and clarity to be provided to the participants, media, and fans about the current regulations to preserve the competitive nature of our sport while ensuring the safety of the drivers and officials. It is not only Formula 1 that may benefit from this analysis, but also more generally all the other FIA circuit championships."

Dubai, Dec 13 (Cricket News) Explosive Australia opener David Warner and West Indies all-rounder Hayley Matthews were on Monday adjudged the men's and women's ICC Players of the Month of November after their superlative performances.

Warner's crucial efforts in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup which Australia won for the first time helped him pip Pakistan opener Abid Ali and New Zealand seam bowler Tim Southee to grab the men’s award.

Matthews' all-round show in the ODIs won her the women’s award ahead of left-arm spinners Anam Amin of Pakistan and Nahida Akter of Bangladesh.

Warner won the award on his maiden nomination following his Player of the Tournament show at the recent T20 World Cup, in which he smashed 53 in the final against New Zealand after 49 in the semifinal against Pakistan.

He was also named Player of the Match in an earlier Super 12 match against the West Indies for a blistering 89 not out off 56 balls. Warner aggregated 209 runs at an average of 69.66 and a strike rate of 151.44 in four T20Is during the period.

“David was back to his scintillating best during the T20 World Cup and his aggression at the top of the order was outstanding. His 209 runs at a strike rate of 151 in four innings simply tells the story," Jury member Russel Arnold said about Warner.

"There was no recovering from the early onslaught by Warner and his stroke play was pleasing to the eye.” Matthews won the award on her second nomination. She was earlier nominated in July along with her captain Stafanie Taylor, who was the winner then.

Matthews scored 141 runs and grabbed nine wickets at an average of 13.11 during the period. She starred in a series win over Pakistan, scoring 57 runs and taking three for 31 in the first match before a four for 26 runs in the second.

"Hayley was the star, performing with both bat and ball. Her all-round performance was one of the reasons the West Indies won against Pakistan, and she deserves to be the women's Player of the Month," jury member Irfan Pathan said about Matthews.

The selection process for the monthly awards, which were instituted in January, combines votes cast by former players, prominent journalists and global cricket fans. 

Also Read : A series like India can set the ball rolling in right direction for SA cricket: Lungi Ngidi

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Dec 7 (Cricket news) Explosive Australia opener David Warner, Pakistan batter Abid Ali and New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee were on Tuesday shortlisted for the ICC men's player of the month award for November.

Left-arm spinners Anam Amin of Pakistan and Nahida Akter of Bangladesh are in the running to scoop the women's award, alongside West Indies all-rounder Haley Matthews, who is nominated for the second time.

The nominations for the month of November were announced based on performances across formats and including matches from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

An independent ICC Voting Academy and fans around the world can vote to decide the winners, which will be announced next week. Fans are invited to cast their votes until Sunday.

Warner, who was Player of the Tournament at the T20 World Cup, had standout performances of 49 in the semifinal against Pakistan and 53 in the final against New Zealand.

In four T20Is during the period, he aggregated 209 runs at an average of 69.66 and a strike rate of 151.44, proving to be a crucial figure as his team secured their first ICC Men's T20 World Cup trophy.

Pakistan opener Abid Ali was named Player of the Match after scores of 133 and 91 in the first match of their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) series against Bangladesh in Chittagong.

Southee took eight wickets in the drawn opening Test of the WTC series against India in Kanpur, soon after excelling in the shortest format.

He had taken seven wickets during his November matches at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, helping guide his team to the summit clash in Dubai. In between these two milestones, he took three more T20I wickets against India in Ranchi.

Among the nominees for the women's award, Bangladesh's Nahida grabbed 13 wickets in four ODIs during the period at an economy rate of 2.22.

Pakistan's Anam accounted for 13 ODI scalps in November at an economy rate of 3.00. She was the leading wicket-taker in the ODI series against the West Indies with nine wickets and followed that up with four wickets in two matches during the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2021.

West Indies all-rounder Hayley Matthews, who was shortlisted alongside her captain Stafanie Taylor in July, wins her second nomination after some consistent performances in four ODIs in which she scored 141 runs and grabbed nine wickets at an average of 13.11.

Also Read : England gear up to take on the Gabba challenge without Jimmy Anderson and Johnny Bairstow

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Oct 29 (Cricket news) Rohan Jaitley defeated senior advocate Vikas Singh by a massive margin to be re-elected as president of the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) while former state Chief Minister late Sahib Singh Verma's youngest son and first-class player Siddharth Verma claimed the secretary's post.

Siddharth defeated the corruption-tainted Vinod Tihara for the position. The counting concluded well after Thursday midnight.

Gautam Gambhir's maternal uncle Pawan Ghulati will be the new treasurer of DDCA.

Former BCCI acting president CK Khanna's wife Shashi Khanna retained her vice-president's post.

For the president's post, Jaitley got 1658 votes while Singh could only get 662.

It was the second time that Singh encountered a humiliating defeat for the president's post. Last time, Singh had lost to senior journalist Rajat Sharma.

However, the biggest upset was Verma, who fought as an independent candidate and upstaged the notorious Tihara by 618 votes.

Verma, who got 1322 votes to Tihara's 704, is a former Railways and Delhi cricketer.

The other tainted candidate Rakesh Bansal, younger brother of former BCCI vice-president Sneh Bansal, finished a distant third in election for the secretary's post, polling in just 248 votes.

"It is a great victory for me personally. I would like to extend all my co-operation towards Rohan and work for betterment of Delhi cricket. I have been a cricketer and working for their cause would be priority," Verma, a former DDCA senior selector and BCCI sub-committee member, told PTI.

It was learnt that Tihara and his supporters left the Feroz Shah Kotla premises once they knew that they wouldn't be able to surpass Verma.

For the treasurer's post, it was a walk in the park for Ghulati, who is an advocate himself and has been a close ally of the late Arun Jaitley.

Also Read : Global interest for new teams shows IPL is biggest 'Make in India' brand: Dhumal

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Oct 13 (Hockey news) Hockey India (HI) has asserted that Belgium's public expression of displeasure on Indians sweeping the FIH annual awards is nothing short of "racial discrimination" and the world body should initiate a thorough investigation into the matter.

In a strongly-worded letter to International Hockey Federation (FIH) CEO Thierry Weil, HI President Gyanendro Ningombam said that Belgium and its players questioning the voting system was disrespectful towards the Indian winners and demeaning their achievements.

"The public statements of displeasure at the announcement of the Indian winners is highly disrespectful and not in the spirit of sportsmanship and the sport of hockey," Ningombam wrote in the letter.

"The objections on behalf of Belgium Federation for 2021 winners needs to be carefully examined by the FIH Governance Panel for what is considered by myself as a case of discrimination/racial discrimination." Ningombam said the lndian players and coaches have legitimately won the polls in most cases across all categories but the achievement has been totally undermined by negative comments by fellow athletes and national associations.

"... how humiliating, mentally traumatic and insulting it is to the Indian athletes and coaches. Hockey India cannot stand by and allow the efforts and achievements of Indian athletes and coaches to be questioned in this manner...," he said.

"ls it fair that the hard work and efforts of these athletes are being scrutinised and they are being put through such harassment and mental intimidation?" he asked.

India swept the FIH annual awards on October 6, claiming all the top honours based on a voting system which was lambasted as a "failure" by men's Olympic champions Belgium, prompting the FIH to say that it would try to figure why some associations did not cast their ballot.

Five Indian players and the head coaches of both the men's and women's teams in Tokyo claimed the top honours across different categories after fetching the maximum votes. The men's hockey team had won a bronze, its first in 41 years, in the Tokyo Olympics, while the women's side had finished an unprecedented fourth in the showpiece.

The HI president asked Weil to request the Belgium federation to issue an official public apology for the "demeaning" comments on the achievements of the lndian players and coaches on social media.

"If not, refer this matter to the FIH Governance Panel for thorough investigation into what is discrimination/racial discrimination against the lndian athletes and coaches." After Belgium questioned the voting system, the FIH had pointed out that the Indian award winners topped each of the voting groups that also involved the national associations and media.

It had also said that only 19 associations from the 42-strong European bloc cast their votes, compared to 29 out of 33 in Asia.

Votes from National Associations -- represented by their respective captains and coaches -- accounted for 50 per cent of the overall result, while fans and players (25 per cent) as well as media (25 per cent) made the other half of the votes.

"Hockey lndia made great efforts to ensure good participation across all categories from our country and now feel publicly penalised for the full hearted participation and support of the lndian nominees.

"It is disappointing that the Belgium Federation would prefer to question the voting system and the legitimacy of the lndian winners then actually take responsibility for not encouraging more voting and supporting their athletes in the first place.

"The core of the matter is that these national associations need to first introspect to see their actual level of participation and interest right from the start instead of now questioning the system once results are announced not in their favour." He also pointed out that Belgium federation had secured winners after the 2016 Rio Olympics even though they finished second and gold medal winning Argentine team did not get a single award.

"All awards in men (after 2016 Olympics) went to Belgium, then there was no questioning of the voting system," he said.

Ningombam also said "it's shameful that European Hockey Federation is sitting quiet and not taking responsibility for the lack of activation and seriousness in voting by their Member Associations while also allowing their athletes and Member Associations undermine the results and showing disrespect to the winners".

Weil had on Monday said that the FIH would create a task force to work on its global awards selection process but asserted that the winners wouldn't have been different even without fans' votes.

Also Read : Hockey India can't unilaterally pull out of CWG, must consult with Govt: Thakur

News source : PTI

New Delhi, Oct 7 (Hockey news) Indian men's hockey team chief coach Graham Reid on Thursday steered clear of the controversy surrounding the FIH annual awards, saying the honour which he and his players received were a recognition of their sacrifices in the last one-and-half years.

India swept the International Hockey Federation's annual awards on Wednesday, claiming all the top honours based on a voting system which was lambasted as a "failure" by men's Olympic champions Belgium, prompting the FIH to say that it would try to figure why some associations did not cast their ballot.

Five Indian players and the head coaches of both the men's and women's teams in Tokyo claimed the top honours across different categories after fetching the maximum votes. The men's hockey team had won a bronze, its first in 41 years, in the Tokyo Olympics, while the women's side had finished an unprecedented fourth in the showpiece.

Asked about the controversy that erupted, the Australian said: "Look, as coaches and players we have nothing do with how things are chosen or the system. We just go out there and play to our best. It is a recognition of the work put by this team, including the support staff.

"There is a lot of work gone into this. I see this as a reflection of the sacrifices and work put in for the last 16-18 months by this team during lockdown. I haven't seen my kids for 2 years.

"It is great to get some recognition for the group and it is also a reflection of hockey in India. It is a great thing for world hockey." Harmanpreet Singh won the men's 'Player of the Year' award and Gurjit Kaur was recognised as the best player in the women's section. Veteran P R Sreejesh and Savita Punia won the best goalkeeper awards in the men's and women's section, while young striker Sharmila Devi (women) and Vivek Sagar Prasad (men) were adjudged best rising stars.

Reid also refused to be drawn into the debate whether India should have participated in the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, only stating that next year's Asian Games hockey competition is of paramount importance to the country in terms of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"We have Asian Champions Trophy from 24th December. In new year, we start with the FIH Pro League and after that we have Asian Games which is important for our qualification for the next Olympics in Paris.

"Hopefully, we will have time to prepare for that and then we have the World Cup, it will be a big 16-18 months for us," he said.

The coach lauded the contributions of recently retired Rupinder Pal Singh, Birendra Lakra and SV Sunil, saying the trio had set an example for the rest of the world to follow.

He said pumping in young blood was the need of the hour for Indian hockey, keeping future tournaments in mind. "I think it is pretty normal after the Olympic Games. You have to look forward towards the youth, you need a good mixture of players and that is what we are tying to do, bring in youth along side experienced players.

"It was nice to see these three guys make the announcements and that's what is always to be celebrated. It is fantastic to see the accolades that they got," Reid said.

He said the longevity of veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh was a reflection of his ability to keep changing and getting better.

"That is what we are looking forward to. The message is to get better," the coach said.

Reid said with the Junior World Cup a month away, he will be working with the Indian youngsters in their preparations to defend the title.

"There is always pressure when you are the reigning champions. It is exciting to get this opportunity to see the young talent. They will get a lot of belief from how we performed in Tokyo.

"I am working with them since I got back from Tokyo. I am happy that Sreejesh was also involved. This group will form part of future." Reid said the bronze medal in Tokyo is a thing of the past now and the players need to refocus on their next goal.

"Keep your ego at the door, that's what I told the boys on the first day of camp after Tokyo. Sometimes we can get carried away by what we read about ourselves or written about you. It is the refocus part which is difficult." Veteran India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh emphasised on the need to start afresh after Tokyo.

"After winning a medal, refocussing is really tough. Being a senior player it is a first experience how the world is treating us but this is the nature of sport and there are always new challenges.

"It is important to get the focus back. When we rejoin in November we can be more focussed for upcoming big events," he said.

Also Read : Hockey: India sweeps FIH annual awards; men's Olympic champion Belgium says this is not normal

News Source : PTI

Lausanne, Oct 6 (Hockey news) India swept the International Hockey Federation's (FIH) annual awards on Wednesday, claiming the top honours in all the categories based on a system of voting which was lambasted as a "failure" by men's Olympic champions Belgium.

Five Indian players and the head coaches of both the men's and women's teams in Tokyo claimed the top honours across different categories after fetching the maximum votes. The men's hockey team had won a bronze, its first in 41 years, in the Tokyo Olympics, while the women's side had finished an unprecedented fourth in the showpiece.

Harmanpreet Singh won the men's 'Player of the Year' award and Gurjit Kaur was recognised as the best player in the women's section. Veteran P R Sreejesh and Savita Punia won the best goalkeeper awards in the men's and women's section, while young striker Sharmila Devi (women) and Vivek Sagar Prasad (men) were adjudged best rising stars.

The drag-click duo of Harmanpreet and Gurjit were the top-scorers in their respective team's stellar run at the Games.

Men's team coach Graham Reid and women's coach Sjoerd Marijne were also voted the best. While Reid is still with the team, Marijne's tenure ended after the Tokyo Games.

Hockey Belgium reacted sharply to the announcement of the winners and questioned the process as none of their Tokyo Games champions managed to win an award.

"Hockey Belgium is very disappointed with the outcome of @FIH_Hockey Star Awards. A gold winning team with multiple nominees in all categories but doesn't win a single award demonstrates failure of the voting system. We will work with FIH to ensure a fairer system in the future," it tweeted.

The sentiment was shared by the team's official handle as well.

"We fully agree! This is not normal! The credibility and image of our sport is once again facing hard times. It's a pitty (sic) @FIH," stated the Red Lions.

Votes from National Associations -- represented by their respective national captains and coaches -- accounted for 50 per cent of the overall result, while fans and players (25 per cent) as well as media (25 per cent) made the other half of the votes.

In all, 79 National Associations voted (Africa: 11 out of 25 Member Associations; Asia: 29 out of 33; Europe: 19 out of 42; Oceania: 3 out of 8; Pan America: 17 out of 30), said a statement from FIH.

"And with a record number of almost 300,000 fans casting their votes, fan participation in the FIH Hockey Stars Awards has been exceptional," it added.

The nominations from Belgium (men) and the Netherlands (women), who were not only crowned Olympic Champions but also won the 2020-21 FIH Hockey Pro League, finished behind the Indians once the votes were counted.

Belgium duo of Alexander Hendrickx and Arthur van Doren were voted second and third best players respectively among men, with Vincent Vanasch (Belgium) named second best goalkeeper and Shane McLeod of New Zealand second best coach.

Among women, Eva de Goede and Frederique Matla of the Netherlands clinched the respective second and third places in the Player of the Year awards while Alyson Annan of Australia finished second for the FIH Coach of the Year Award.

Great Britain goalkeeper Maddie Hinch, rising star Fiona Crackles and coach Mark Hager of Australia all were third in their respective categories.

With the FIH Hockey Stars Awards skipped in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 global health pandemic on the international calendar, this year's awards covered the period from January 2020 through to the conclusion of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the FIH said.

"The voting process started on 23 August and concluded on 15 September 2021. Votes from National Associations - represented by their respective national captains and coaches - counted for 50 pe cent of the overall result, while fans and players (25 per cent) as well as media (25 per cent) made the other half of the votes," it added.

Hockey India President Gyanendro Ningombam congratulated the winners.

"This is a great moment for Indian hockey as all our Indian nominees for the FIH Stars Awards have been announced winners.

"After the historic performances in Tokyo by both Indian Men and Women's Hockey teams, the support from Indian fans from across the globe has been overwhelming," he said.

Also Read : Hockey India withdraws from 2022 Birmingham CWG; cites COVID concerns, discriminatory quarantine rules

News Source : PTI

Lausanne, Oct 6 (Hockey news) India swept the International Hockey Federation's (FIH) annual awards on Wednesday with five players and head coaches of both the men's and women's teams claiming the top honours across different categories.

After a historic bronze medal-winning feat for the Indian men's team as well as the outstanding performance of the women's team, which reached the last four in Tokyo, Indian athletes and coaches dominated the FIH Hockey Stars Awards 2020-21. Gurjit Kaur (Women) and Harmanpreet Singh (Men) fetched 'Player of the Year' honour in their respective categories.

Savita Punia (Best Goalkeeper, Women), PR Sreejesh (Best Goalkeeper, Men), Sharmila Devi (Best Rising Star, Women) and Vivek Prasad (Best Rising Star, Men) as well as the coaches of India's women's team Sjoerd Marijne and men's team chief coach Graham Reid also grabbed the highest number of votes to finish on top.

While Reid is still with the team, Marijne's tenure ended after the Tokyo Games.

Votes from National Associations -- represented by their respective national captains and coaches -- counted for 50 per cent of the overall result, while fans and players (25per cent) as well as media (25 percent) made the other half of the votes.

In all, 79 National Associations voted (Africa: 11 out of 25 Member Associations; Asia: 29 out of 33; Europe: 19 out of 42; Oceania: 3 out of 8; Pan America: 17 out of 30), said a statement from FIH.

"And with a record number of almost 300,000 fans casting their votes, fan participation in the FIH Hockey Stars Awards has been exceptional," it added.

Also Read : National hockey camp resumes, focus on future engagements

News Source : PTI

Lausanne, Aug 23 (Hockey news): The Indian men's hockey team drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh and his female counterpart Gurjit Kaur were on Monday nominated for the FIH Player of the Year awards as the country made the short-list of all the categories on the back of its stupendous performance in the Tokyo Olympics.

Veteran India custodian P R Sreejesh was among three short-listed for Goalkeeper of the Year award for men while Savita Punia was among three short-listed in the women's category.

The Indian men's team head coach Graham Reid and women's team counterpart Sjoerd Marijne were among three nominees for FIH Coach of the Year award for men and women.

Harmanpreet had scored a whopping six goals from eight matches from his drag-flick to help the Indian men's team clinch a historic bronze, its first Olympic medal in 41 years.

Gurjit was also a pivotal member of the Indian women's team that reached the semifinals for the first time before losing to Great Britain in the bronze medal play-off.

The 25-year-old from Punjab had scored the decisive goal from the penalty corner in India's stunning 1-0 win over Australia in the quarterfinals.

Argentine players Agustina Albertarrio and Agustina Gorzelany and Dutchwomen Eva de Goede, Frederique Matla and Maria Verschoor were the others nominated for the FIH Player of the Year for women.

Besides Harmanpreet, Arthur van Doren and Alexander Hendrickx from gold winners Belgium and Jake Whetton, Aran Zalewski and Tim Brand of silver winners Australia were nominated for FIH Player of the Year for men.

Apart from Sreejesh, Vincent Vanasch of Belgium and Andrew Charter of Australia were nominated for Goalkeeper of the Year Award for Men.

Among women, Maddie Hinch of Great Britain and Belen Succi of Argentina were nominated for the Goalkeeper of the Year Award, along with Savita.

India's Sharmila Devi was nominated for FIH Rising Star of the Year Award for women along with Fiona Crackles (Great Britain) and Valentina Raposo (Argentina) while Vivek Prasad was named along with Mustaphaa Cassiem (South Africa) and Sean Findlay (New Zealand) among men.

Reid was nominated along with Shane McLeod (Belgium team) and Colin Batch (Australia) while Sjoerd Marijne was shotlisted along with Alyson Annan (Netherlands team) and Mark Hager (Great Britain team) for their roles in charge of their respective women's teams.

Players, coaches, media and fans can register their votes for the nominees in the respective women’s and men’s player, goalkeeper, rising star and coach of the year categories from Monday (August 23) to September 15, the FIH said in a release.

Also read: Mizoram Govt appoints Olympian Lalremsiami as hockey chief coach

Votes from National Associations count for 50 per cent of the overall result. Each NA will be granted two votes per gender, which will come from the national team captain and head coach.

Votes from the media counts for 25 per cent of the overall result, while votes from fans/players counts for 25 per cent of the overall result.

The winners will be announced either next month or early October.

With no Hockey Stars Awards in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 global health pandemic on the international calendar, this year's awards cover the period from January 2020 through to the conclusion of the Tokyo Olympics.

This means that the 2020-21 edition of the FIH Hockey Pro League has been taken into consideration.

News source:PTI

Dubai, Aug 11 (Cricket news) Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and West Indies skipper Stafanie Taylor were on Wednesday named the ICC Player of the Month for July in men's and women's categories respectively.

Shakib's contributions in all three formats of the game helped Bangladesh win their series against Zimbabwe last month.

He had scored an unbeaten 96 in Bangladesh's three-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the second ODI at the Harare Sports Club.

In the T20Is, Hasan took three wickets at an economy rate of seven, leading his country to a series win against Zimbabwe. He is also the top all-rounder in the latest ICC men's T20 Rankings.

"It is very humbling to be voted ICC Men's Player of the Month for July 2021. There have been many outstanding performances during the month and that is why this is special for me," said Shakib, who edged out Australia's Mitchell Marsh and West Indies' Hayden Walsh Jr, in an ICC release.

Also read: ICC update Test Players rankings as Jasprit Bumrah returns to top 10 while Virat Kohli slips to 5th

"I find most pleasure and satisfaction when I contribute to wins and therefore, I am very happy to have helped in Bangladesh’s successes over the last few weeks." West Indies all-rounder Taylor, who led her team in the ODI and T20I series win against Pakistan in July, was nominated for the award alongside teammate Hayley Matthews and Pakistan's Fatima Sana but her all-round performance in the series helped her claim the most votes.

"This is a bit surprising to me, winning ICC Player of the Month award for July, but I'm happy. It shows that the hard work you put in, will pay off and it did, against Pakistan, to help us win that series. We played well in both formats," Taylor said.

"I'm over in England now playing in The Hundred, which is a different kind of competition, played at a faster pace, but I’m still working hard. We’re also looking forward to the series against South Africa at home, and we will be looking to win that as well. I want to thank the fans for all their support, as it is always appreciated." In the four ODIs against Pakistan, Taylor scored 175 runs with a strike rate of 79.18 and took three wickets with an economy rate of 3.72. She was also on top of the rankings for batters and all-rounders in the ICC Women's ODI Rankings earlier in July.

News source: PTI

(Cricket news) The newest competition in the cricketing world, The Hundred has been a platform to unearth new cricketing talent and give them a stage to show their ability to the world. Let’s have a look at how the numbers stack up of The Hundred so far.

103,650 - The number of people that have been in attendance at the stadiums in the last week.

13,537 - The attendance of a professional women’s domestic game between London Spirit vs Oval Invincibles at Lord’s that set a new record.

496,000 – The number of tickets sold and issued for The Hundred comprising 89,000 for kids and 109,000 for female buyers.

100,000 – Number of tickets sold in the first week of The Hundred out of which 21% has been for kids and 24% buyers were female.

The Hundred was also broadcasted on Sky Sports and the BBC in the last week for those who were not in attendance at the stadiums.

8,540,000 - The number of people who watched The Hundred on tv out of which 3.33m had not seen any other live ECB cricket on TV this year.

2,500,000 – The number of people who saw the opening match of the men’s competition between Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals. Sky’s first exclusive match between Birmingham Phoenix vs London Spirit had an audience of more than 1 million.

1,950,000 – The number of people who saw a women’s fixture across Sky and BBC in the opening game.

Also read: Sri Lanka beat depleted India by 4 wickets to keep series alive

The Hundred app is also a way for fans to engage with the competition, buy tickets, play fan games and more!

6,700,000 - The total number of video views online so far across The Hundred.

46,000 – The number of votes in the polls on The Hundred app. Fans can vote for their Match Hero, Fanfare Music and more.

3,700 – The number of fans who have voted for Northern Superchargers’ Jemimah Rodrigues as player of The Hundred so far.

The Hundred is also giving a platform for new talent to showcase their skills to the rest of the world.

16 – The age of Oval Invincibles’ Alice Capsey who hit a half-century and won Match Hero on her debut at Lord’s.

24 – The number of runs that rookie Chris Benjamin smashed from 15 balls, taking his Birmingham Phoenix side to victory against London Spirit, in only his fourth first class game.

152 – The number of runs that leading scorer Jemimah Rodrigues has smashed in the competition so far. She’s also the current leader of the favourite player vote in The Hundred app.

Sanjay Patel, Managing Director, The Hundred, said: “The opening week of The Hundred has seen world class cricket and millions of fans enjoying the action live at games, from home or online. To see over 8 million people tuning in and so many families and children going to games so far shows how the competition can support cricket in future.

“There’s still a long way to go if The Hundred is to truly achieve its aim of throwing open cricket’s doors. But this is a promising start, thanks to the amazing talents of the men and women we have the privilege of watching on the pitch, as well as those bringing the entertainment off it, and I hope fans continue to be wowed with the show we’re putting on for the rest of the competition.”

In Olympics news, members of the International Olympic Committee decided today to choose Brisbane as the host city for the XXXV Olympiad in 2032.

Under tight COVID-19 rules, the secret ballot was held at the 138th Session in Tokyo, two days before the Olympic Games' Opening Ceremony. Brisbane 2032 gave a presentation, which included a video link-up from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, as well as a final report from Kristin Kloster, Chair of the Future Host Commission for the Games of the Olympiad – the IOC body in charge of monitoring and analysing interest in hosting the Olympic Games and the Youth Olympic Games.

From a total of 77 valid ballots, Brisbane received 72 yes votes and 5 no votes.

IOC Members had the opportunity to ask Mrs Kloster questions about the election process and Brisbane 2032 questions about their plan to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane and South-East Queensland prior to the voting.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “We encourage Olympic Games projects which are sustainable and economically responsible, which deliver the best possible Games experience for athletes and fans, and which leave solid legacies for local communities.

Also read: Fractured skull and broken bones later, teenage skateboarder Sky Brown ready to be Britain's youngest Summer Olympian

“The Brisbane 2032 vision and Games plan fit into long-term regional and national strategies for social and economic development in Queensland and Australia, and complement the goals for the Olympic Movement outlined in Olympic Agenda 2020 and 2020+5, while focusing on providing memorable sports experiences for athletes and fans.”

“Today’s vote is a vote of trust that Brisbane and Queensland will stage magnificent Olympic and Paralympic Games 2032. We have heard a lot of positive feedback from IOC Members and International Federations in the past few months.”

Brisbane 2032 is the first prospective host to be chosen under the new flexible system to elect Olympic hosts, and to have fully benefited from it. The revisions allow the IOC to collaborate with cities, regions, and countries to promote Olympic programmes that make extensive use of current and temporary venues, are in line with long-term development goals, and have a clear vision for sports and local communities.

President Bach said: “This new approach is lighter, more collaborative, more compact, and has a positive impact. Now we always have a significant pool of Interested Parties for 2036, and even for 2040, which is almost 20 years from now. I can’t remember that we have ever been in such a favourable position 20 years before an Olympic Games.

“We enter Tokyo 2020 with full confidence for the future of the Olympic Movement.”

Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Scott Morrison MP, said: “The 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Queensland will forge an enduring legacy for our entire nation. They will support economic growth and investment, deliver lasting community benefits and inspire the next generation of Australian athletes.

“I am proud of Australia, proud of Queensland and proud of our team that secured this win for our country.

“The Commonwealth Government has supported Brisbane’s candidacy for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games right from the very start. We believe in this bid.

“We know it’s a huge opportunity for our nation, just like the Melbourne Games in 1956 and the Sydney Olympics in 2000.”

Following the election, the Premier of Queensland and Minister for Trade, Annastacia Palaszczuk MP, Councillor Adrian Schrinner, the Right Honourable Lord Mayor of Brisbane, and Mr John Coates AC, President of the Australian Olympic Committee, signed the Host Contract 2032.

Ms Palaszczuk said: “Queensland’s fundamental approach is to align Games legacy with long-term plans.

“We will work with all three levels of government to embed Games legacy opportunities in existing programmes and will create a special Games Legacy Fund.

“This is to ensure the effective delivery of legacy over the next 10 years – and the 10 years after that.

“That means we develop not just a new generation of Olympic athletes, but we give our small businesses the opportunity to participate too, grow their business and export to the world.”

Councillor Schrinner added: “Local government leaders began this incredible journey, and now it is our job to ensure that Brisbane 2032 delivers a legacy to everyone who calls South-East Queensland home.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for the fastest growing capital city in Australia, and a successful Olympic and Paralympic Games will help our region cater for the growth to come and guarantee Brisbane will get even better.”

IOC Members have been involved and consulted throughout the process since June 2019, when the new approach to electing was approved.

Mrs Kloster has previously presented three reports to the Session, the most recent of which was a thorough Future Host Commission report and Feasibility Assessment in March of this year. The Session supported the decision to have a Targeted Dialogue with Brisbane 2032 after receiving the report in March of this year.

In June, as part of the IOC's monthly discussions with Members, a second in-camera meeting with IOC Members took place. The Members' technical briefing was replaced by this meeting, which included a detailed presentation from the Brisbane 2032 team and the Australian Olympic Committee.

Mrs Kloster also informed members on the project's in-depth study conducted through Targeted Dialogue, following which Brisbane 2032 submitted a Final Submission in response to the IOC's Future Host Questionnaire, outlining its vision and technical ambitions for hosting the Games. This resulted in the Future Host Commission Report, which recommended that Brisbane 2032 be put forward for election, which was backed up by an IOC Executive Board decision.

According to early sources, Brisbane 2032 spent about 80% less than the average candidate city budgets for the Games in 2020, 2024, and 2028. Audited accounts, which are a requirement of the election process, will corroborate this in due time. The Olympic Games Organising Committee (OCOG) will be constituted in the coming months.

New Delhi, May 28 India's Nagraj Adiga has been elected as the Asia-Oceania representative at the 2021 International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) Congress.

The Congress was held virtually on May 22 and 23 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the Asia-Oceania representative, voting was held over a 24-hour period on where a total of 10 countries from Asia and Oceania region casted their votes online, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) said in a statement.

Adiga, who was nominated AFI, won by a margin of 7-3 against South Korea's Gilsoo Park.

Adiga works closely with AFI and with various government bodies to promote health, fitness, and encourage budding sportspersons.

"My sincere thanks to AFI for giving me this opportunity to represent India at the highest level in ultra running world. I will give my best to promote the sport of ultra running across Asia and Oceania region and help form new partnerships within Asia and Oceania regions," he said. New source PTI

London: Extreme E on Tuesday launched FanWorld – a virtual experience for fans at home to bring them closer to the Extreme E action. In this virtual zone, fans will be provided exclusive access to the Command Centre, driver’s on-board cameras along with a chance to bag a spot in a live Q&A with the championship’s  drivers.

Fans are encouraged to share their experience using the hashtag #XEFanWorld and the finest content will be hosted in the virtual world bringing fans from all over the world together to experience the Championship. In addition to this, there will also be an opportunity for them to access virtual autograph cards.

Ali Russell, Chief Marketing Officer, said: “I think this new initiative is going to excite fans and give them new ways to engage with Extreme E.

“We saw a huge appetite for the series from the Desert X Prix and I hope this will continue to grow throughout Season 1. FanWorld brings all the action to the homes of people that enjoy our sport and brings them closer to the racing.”

The GridPlay vote opens on Wednesday 26 May at 0900 GMT and closes 30 minutes into Semi-Final 2 on 30 May, Sunday. This gives the fans an opportunity to choose their favourite side and influence the starting line-up for the Final. 

Teams that don’t progress into the final can gift votes to their preferred competitors. In Saudi Arabia, Andretti United were able to pick its starting position in the closing race, which indeed highlights the importance of every vote.

The Ocean X Prix will take place this weekend from 29-30 May in Lac Rose, Dakar, Senegal.
   

New Delhi, May 22 Incumbent Narinder Batra of India was on Saturday re-elected as the International Hockey Federation (FIH) President for a second term during the virtual 47th Congress of the sport's global governing body.

Batra, who is also the President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, narrowly defeated his rival Marc Coudron, chief of Belgium Hockey Federation, by a margin of two votes.

Batra secured 63 votes as against his rival's 61 to emerge as the winner in the online voting process, in which 124 member associations participated.

Batra will held the office until 2024. News source: PTI 

The inaugural Extreme E race in the Saudi Arabian deserts of AlUla last month had Rosberg X Racing (RXR) clinch both the race title and the top spot in the overall standings, with 35 points. Although X44 crossed the finish at the final third, they are currently positioned at the second place in the overall table with 30 points after picking more points in qualifying than Andretti United, who eventually came second in the final and now sit on the third place with 28 points.

With just seven points separating the three teams, the table toppers in a conversation with Extreme E shared insights as to how they’re preparing for the upcoming Ocean X Prix at Lac Rose, Dakar, Senegal from 29-30 May.



Molly Taylor, from RXR says: “To take victory in the first-ever Extreme E event was an amazing achievement. Everyone in the team had worked so hard in the build-up to the event, so for me and Johan to repay them all with the victory felt so special. The beauty of Extreme E is the extra buzz you get from racing for purpose, too, and it’s an even better feeling when you win for purpose!”

After a great victory, the side has spent the last few weeks studying the data taken from the dunes in Saudi Arabia in order to prepare for Extreme E's second X Prix in Senegal, where RXR will attempt to clinch two wins on the trot.

Taylor’s RXR teammate, Johan Kristoffersson, says: “Senegal will be a brand-new challenge for everyone, but that’s one of the greatest things about Extreme E: every event is so unique! Despite the differences, we’ll do our best to improve on our performance in AlUla and aim to be competitive once again.”

When asked if RXR thinks it can keep its position at the top of the table, its Founder Nico Rosberg enthused: “The team did an incredible job in Saudi Arabia to get the win and we’re very proud to be the first X Prix winners in Extreme E history, but we know we need to stay focused if we are to remain at the front. The series is already so competitive, but this team loves a challenge, and we can’t wait to go racing again in Senegal.”

X44 driver pairing Cristina Gutiérrez and Sébastien Loeb had an impressive  weekend in Saudi Arabia as they topped the qualifying standings and headed straight through to the first Semi-Final, and by finishing in second place, advanced to the Final. But the side is hoping to win in Senegal.

Sébastien says: “I’m looking forward to racing again in Senegal with Cristina. In the last race obviously there were things that didn’t go our way, but we showed that we’re a very competitive team and that we’re able to get results under pressure.” He continues: “The Ocean X Prix will be a totally new terrain and we have an incredible group of people working with us, so I’m excited to go to Senegal and fight again for a win.”



They have been putting a lot of hard work behind the scenes, analysing the data from the last race to ensure its drivers are well prepared for  Lac Rose. The team has been focusing on the all-important start in particular, which proved crucial  for the final race position, although Senegal will throw a very different challenge of course.

Cristina added: “I’m really excited to get back in the car and race again in Senegal. Obviously the final race in Saudi didn’t go exactly as planned but we got a great result overall and it put us in a good position in the championship. We learned a lot from the last race and we’re going to take those learnings and make sure that we’re as competitive as possible.” When asked about the programmes off the track, she says: “I’m excited too to visit Extreme E’s legacy projects, and make a positive impact on the planet while we’re there.”

Andretti United is at the third position, who advanced to the Final after clinching the Crazy Race. Catie Munnings certainly proved herself to be a tough competitor after her amazing three-wheel drive after enduring a slow puncture in qualifying.

Catie says: “Saudi Arabia certainly wasn’t plain sailing for us, especially with the puncture but Timmy and I learned so much and to finish second in the Final after a tricky start to the event was just awesome. Now we go into Senegal third in the standings, which is a really strong position to be in. We definitely feel well prepared and ready to apply what we learned from Saudi at the Ocean X Prix – and hopefully score another podium!”

In the final, Andretti was able to choose its starting position as it managed to win the fan-led GridPlay vote after getting support not only from its fans, but also from teams that didn’t qualify for the final, as per the rules that state they can gift their votes.

Ahead of the Senegal event, Timmy Hansen has been busy with his fitness routine, through lots of running, even finishing the Wings for Life Run alongside 160,000 others, virtually to raise funds for spinal cord research. Hansen has also completed  some off-road training in the Polaris and supported Catie in her RallyX Nordic debut in Höljes. He also took some time off to celebrate his son Sam’s third birthday.

He says: “I’ve had a productive few weeks continuing with my training, fulfilling some sponsor obligations and also spending a bit of time with my family too. It feels good to strike the right balance. It’s been great having Catie over in Sweden again too - we’ve done a full debrief from Saudi and know the areas where we can improve. We’re both feeling confident going into Senegal with a refreshed state of mind.”

The Ocean X Prix commences on 29 May, and as the all-electric SUVs have been at sea travelling the world on Extreme E's floating centrepiece – the St. Helena; teams won’t be able to start preparing for the race with the cars themselves until they touch down in Senegal.

New Delhi, May 18 Replacing the current three-game format with a best of five scoring system will once again be put to vote by the Badminton World Federation (NEF) during its AGM on Saturday.

The game's governing body, under president Poul Erik Hoyer Larsen, had floated the idea in 2014 for the first time but it didn't receive the support.

The 11x5 system, which was criticised by players and coaches alike, couldn't gather enough votes in last year's AGM.

This time, a joint proposal to "amend the Laws of Badminton relating to the Scoring System" came from Badminton Indonesia and Badminton Maldives, and was seconded by Badminton Asia, and associations from Korea and Chinese Taipei.

"One of the key topics that will be voted on by the Membership is the proposal ... to amend the Laws of Badminton relating to the Scoring System," BWF said on Tuesday.

"BWF Council decided to express its support for this proposal as it aligns with the objectives of the BWF Strategic Plan 2020-2024...." According to the BWF strategic plan, it wants to "include new and innovative elements of the game to ensure this continues to evolve over time and excite, engage and enhance global fan base through inspirational performances at world-class events." During the meeting, "related changes regarding change of ends and continuous play" will also be motioned.

However, BWF made it clear that it "not to be introduced until after the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games." India chief national coach Pullela Gopichand and former coach and current director at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy (PPBA) Vimal Kumar have been in favour of the current 21x3 system which requires a player to win a minimum of 42 points. The BWF council, however, had articulated the proposal for a new scoring system in March 2014 as "it was felt that matches were getting longer, while the shuttle was in play for much shorter periods than earlier." News Source : PTI

As per a press release by International Olympic Committee (IOC), The second IOC Coordination Commission held a virtual meeting with Milano Cortina 2026 on Monday, 19 April 2021.

In spite of the ongoing difficulties pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee could showcase the significant progress it made since the last Coordination Commission meeting in September 2020.

Speaking after the meeting, Commission Chair Sari Essayah said, “Since our last meeting in September 2020, the Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee has made great progress despite the ongoing pandemic. The most visible highlight was the selection process for the new Milano Cortina 2026 emblem, which saw over 871,000 votes cast. Futura, the winning emblem, will become one of the most recognisable symbols in Italy over the next five years. I am confident that it will also be one of the most loved.”

She continued, “It is not just in the high-profile areas like the official emblem that Milano Cortina has progressed but also behind the scenes, with a lot of groundwork being laid in areas like engagement, marketing, operations and venue planning. This hard work has allowed the Milano Cortina organisers to set themselves up to deliver superb Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2026. I congratulate the whole Italian team for their efforts despite the challenging circumstances.”

Milano Cortina 2026 Presidente Giovanni Malagò commented, “I am very pleased with the positive view expressed by the IOC Coordination Commission about Milano Cortina 2026. I would like to thank Chair Sari Essayah and all the members of the Commission for their judgement. My appreciation also goes to the Milano Cortina 2026 team who, in these difficult months of the pandemic, carried on their work with great enthusiasm. Let’s continue on this path: many challenges await us, but I am sure that we will be ready for them with the professionalism that we are known for by everyone.”

The successful emblem selection procedure  featured over 871,000 votes cast from 169 countries around the globe. Around 75% of entries selected “Futura” as their favourite. This was a major engagement activity for Milano Cortina this year, as is just the start of its engagement plans for the nation and beyond.

Milano Cortina 2026 demonstrated to the Commission an exciting outline of its engagement strategy that will be followed in near future that will engage all generations with a view to promote the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 along with spreading the Olympic and Paralympic values. It will also be a crucial component when Milano Cortina’s commercial programme gets underway in the near future.

The observation programme held by the Milano Cortina team enabled the Italian organisers not only to visualise what the elite event would look like in 2026 but also to understand the abilities of the local organisers. 

Discussions regarding the Venues were also held during the meeting, and a consortium has been picked to craft the blueprint for the Milan Olympic Village.

Concerning Cortina d'Ampezzo sliding track and the endeavours of the Working Group formed by the IOC Executive Board to look after this subject, the Coordination Commission yet again pointed out its concerns regarding the legacy of the track. It was stated that the IOC had several  proposals for alternative tracks but none of them were accepted.

Besides, the Commission also noted that the final plans for the venue will not be an investment in a sliding track for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter events but form a part of a broader entertainment park project, that has no relation to the Games. 

It has been confirmed to the IOC and the Organising Committee that this will not be a part of the investment budget for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Milano Cortina 2026. The track will thus be only  used out to the Organising Committee during the course of the Games. 

Discussions on the Speed Skating Oval, which was also underlined by the IOC’s Evaluation Commission in its pre-election report, are continuing.
 

According to a press release by the International Olympic Committee, Olympic champion Thomas Bach has been re-elected for another four-year tenure as the President of the IOC.

The 67 year old German got 93 yes and 1 no vote out of 94 valid votes at the 137th IOC Session that took place virtually on Monday.

Thomas Bach, who clinched gold with the German foil fencing team at the Olympic Games held at Montreal in 1976, was elected as IOC President at the IOC Session that took place in Buenos Aires in 2013 for a first eight-year term. The tenure will end on the closing day of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 this year on 8 August and his second tenure will immediately commence thereafter and conclude in 2025.

“Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for this overwhelming vote of confidence and trust. For me, this is even more overwhelming considering the many reforms and the many difficult decisions we had to take, which affected all of us,” said President Bach after the election.

Bach, as an athlete, was a brilliant Olympic gold winning fencer. During his first term as the IOC President, he pioneered the Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms for the future of the IOC and the Olympic Movement that were adopted in 2014. The Agenda significantly reformed the Olympic Games, the IOC and Olympic Movement.

Thomas Bach, during his premiership was honoured with the glorious Seoul Peace Prize in October 2020. He also received the Cem - Papandreou Peace Award in Athens, the acknowledgement given to individuals and groups who have made “an outstanding contribution to peace”.

Dubai, Mar 9 (PTI) India's premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was on Tuesday named the ICC men's Player of the Month (February) for his stellar show against England in a four-match Test series at home which his side won to qualify for the World Test Championship final. England's Tammy Beaumont was adjudged the women's Player of the Month. In the three Tests he played, Ashwin scored a 106 in the second innings of India's second Test victory over England at Chennai and took his 400th Test wicket in the third Test victory at Ahmedabad. Besides the century, Ashwin scalped a staggering 24 wickets against England in February to help India pocket the four-match Test series 3-1 and help his team secure its spot in the WTC final against New Zealand at the iconic Lord's in June. Scoring a total of 176 runs across these games and taking 24 wickets, Ashwin was the unanimous choice to win in the men's category for February and garnered the most votes in the fan vote, the ICC said in a statement. England Test captain Joe Root (333 runs and 6 wickets in 3 Tests against India), and West Indies Test debutant Kyle Mayers, who scored a match-winning 210 to help his team successfully chase 395 and win the first Test against Bangladesh, were nominated alongside Ashwin for the honour. Beaumont played three ODIs in February against New Zealand where she passed fifty in each of these, totalling 231 runs. Commenting on Ashwin's performance in February, Ian Bishop, representing the ICC Voting Academy said: "Ashwins consistent wicket taking, even in helpful conditions have helped to put his team ahead in a very important series. His century in the second Test was as critical as it came when England were trying to claw their way back into the match." On Beaumont, Bishop said, "Three half centuries of which two were in helping her team win the match was outstanding from Beaumont."

Melbourne, Feb 6 (PTI) Former captain Steve Smith claimed his third Allan Border Medal while Beth Mooney bagged her maiden Belinda Clarke Award, the top two honours of the Australian Cricket Awards. Smith was honoured for his performances in all three formats of the game, while Mooney bagged the recognition in the Australian women's game for the first time. The awards were decided by a voting process for the period 2020-21. Smith was surprised to receive the honour, insisting that he felt his poor outing in the Test series against India had ruined his chances of winning the award. "It's a great thrill, plenty of hard work has gone into it (but) I didn't expect it; I thought Marnus (Labuschagne) or Pat Cummins were the front runners because they both had exceptional years," he said. "I didn't feel I had the biggest Test summer, which normally holds the most votes. I think my one-day cricket was pretty good last summer. "I'm just really honoured to have won my third AB Medal and hopefully I can keep producing results for Australia," he added. It was double celebration for Smith as he also won the men's ODI Player of the Year with 28 votes ahead of Finch (23) and leg-spinner Adam Zampa (19). Smith amassed 568 runs at 63.11 with centuries in Bengaluru and twice at the SCG within three days, as well as a knock of 98 in Rajkot. Ashton Agar bagged the men's T20 Player of the Year, beating fellow leg-spinner Zampa and Finch. Flamboyant open David Warner won the Allan Border Medal last year, while all-rounder Ellyse Perry had claimed the Belinda Clark Award. Smith scored 1,098 runs at an average of 45.75 across all three formats during the period 2020-21, which was severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Smith hit four fifties and four centuries, with a top score of 131 in an ODI against India. With 126 votes in his kitty, the right-hander He edged out Pat Cummins (117 votes) and limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch (97). Mooney, who polled 60 votes, edged out Meg Lanning (58) by just two votes to take the honour, with Georgia Wareham (50) finishing third. Due to logistical challenges posed by the pandemic, this year's awards were not presented at the usual gala event, but were announced on Friday during a televised show ahead of the KFC BBL10 Final. The duo received their medals at home -- Mooney on the Gold Coast and Smith in Sydney. Money is the ninth Australian woman cricketer to win the award since its introduction in 2002. The 27-year-old left-hander batswoman also won the women's T20 Player of the Year award. Cummins won the Test player of the year award with 16 votes ahead of Josh Hazlewood's and Marnus Labuschagne. List of 2021 Australian Cricket Awards: Belinda Clark Award: Beth Mooney. Votes: Beth Mooney 60, Meg Lanning 58, Georgia Wareham 50. Allan Border Medal: Steve Smith. Votes: Steve Smith 126, Pat Cummins 114, Aaron Finch 97. Men's Test Player of the Year: Pat Cummins. Votes: Pat Cummins 16, Josh Hazlewood 9, Marnus Labuschagne 8. Women's One Day International Player of the Year: Rachel Haynes. Votes: Rachel Haynes 11, Meg Lanning 10, Georgia Wareham 6. Male One Day International Player of the Year: Steve Smith. Votes: Steve Smith 28, Aaron Finch 23, Adam Zampa 19. Female International Twenty20 Player of the Year: Beth Mooney. Votes: Beth Mooney 30, Alyssa Healy 18, Ash Gardner, Megan Schutt and Georgia Wareham 16. Male International Twenty20 Player of the Year: Ashton Agar. Votes: Ashton Agar 19, Aaron Finch 14, David Warner 13. Female Domestic Player of the Year: Elyse Villani. Male Domestic Player of the Year: Shaun Marsh. Betty Wilson Young Cricketer of the Year: Hannah Darlington. Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year: Will Sutherland. Community Impact Award: Joshua Lalor. Hall of Fame inductions: Johnny Mullagh, Merv Hughes, Lisa Sthalekar.

Dubai, Feb 2 (PTI) One of the architects of India's historic win in Australia, wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant was on Tuesday nominated for the ICC Men's Player of the Month award along with England skipper Joe Root and Ireland's Paul Stirling. The International Cricket Council announced the nominees for the inaugural Player of the Month Awards which will "recognise and celebrate the best performances from both male and female cricketers across all forms of international cricket throughout the year". The 23-year-old Pant played two Tests against Australia where he scored a 97 at Sydney to ensure a draw before an unbeaten 89 at Brisbane that led India to a historic series-clinching win. In January, Root played two Tests against Sri Lanka, where he scored a 228 and 186 and led his team to a 2-0 Test series victory. The third nominee in the category, Stirling played two ODIs against the UAE and three ODIs vs Afghanistan, where he scored three centuries. Among women cricketers, Pakistan Diana Baig and the South African duo of Shabnim Ismail and Marizanne Kapp were nominated for the onthly honours. Baig played three ODIs and two T20Is against South Africa, where she led the wicket-takers with nine wickets in the three-match ODI series against South Africa. Ismail also played three ODIs and two T20Is against Pakistan and took seven wickets in the victorious ODI series against Pakistan, before taking five wickets in the second T20I against the same opposition. Her compatriot all-rounder Marizanne played two ODIs and two T20Is against Pakistan where she made 115 runs at a strike rate of 110.57 and added three wickets in the ODI series against Pakistan. Explaining the voting process, ICC said its Voting Academy, comprising prominent members of the cricket family including senior journalists, former players, and broadcasters and some members of the ICC Hall of Fame, will primarily decide the winner. "The Voting Academy will submit their votes by email and will retain a 90% share of the vote. "Additionally, fans registered with the ICC will be able to vote via the ICC website once the shortlisted players are announced and will have a 10 per cent share of the vote. "Winners will be announced every second Monday of the month on the ICC's digital channels."

According to a press release by the NBA, the NBA All Star Voting 2021 presented by AT&T will commence from today, Jan 28th to Tuesday, Feb 16th. It will give the fans the chance to vote for the NBA All-Star starters. Discussions about a potential NBA All-Star game are ongoing. In the duration of the voting period, fans can submit one full ballot everyday using the NBA App and NBA.com as well as vote for 10 different players per day on Twitter. Every current NBA player is available for selection. NBA players and media will join the fans in selection of the NBA All - Star starters. Fans will have 50% of the vote whereas current players and a media panel will account for 25% each. After tallying all the votes, the players will be ranked in each conference by position (guard and front court) within each of the 3 voting groups - the fans, players and media votes. The NBA All Star starters will be announced from the two guards and three frontcourt players with the top score in each conference. Fan voting will serve as the tie breaker for a player in case of a position group with the same score. The fan voting updates will be shared on Thursday, 4th Feb and Thursday Feb 11. This season’s NBA All Star starters will be revealed on Thursday, Feb. 18th during the TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax.

Dubai, Jan 27 (PTI) India's senior off-spinner R Ashwin and swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant would be in contention for the newly-introduced player of the month awards announced by the International Cricket Council on Wednesday. Besides Ashwin and Pant, two other Indians -- Mohammed Siraj and T Natarajan -- are also in the fray. All of them played a stellar role in India's recent historic Test series win against Australia. The world body said the awards will recognise the best performances of both male and female cricketers across all forms of international cricket throughout the year. Other players named for the awards for January are England captain Joe Root, star Australia batsman Steve Smith, Rahmanullah Gurbaz of Afghanistan, Marizanne Kapp and Nadine de Klerk of South Africa and Nida Dar of Pakistan. Fans are invited to vote online every month to award their favourite male and female cricketers across all formats of international cricket played in that month, the ICC said in a release. An independent ICC Voting Academy comprising former players, broadcasters and journalists from around the world will team up with fans to vote for the winners. Geoff Allardice, ICC General Manager – Cricket said: "The ICC Player of the Month is a great way to connect with fans of the sport and celebrate performances of their favourite players through the year. "It gives us all an opportunity to acknowledge world class performances on the field by male and female cricketers and they have been in abundance throughout January." The three nominees for each of the categories will be determined by the ICC Awards Nominations Committee based on on-field performances and overall achievements during the period of that month (the first to the last day of each calendar month.) The Voting Academy will submit its votes by email and will retain a 90 per cent share of the vote. Subsequently, on the first day of each month, fans registered with the ICC will be able to submit votes via the ICC website and will have a 10 per cent share of the vote. Winners will be announced every second Monday of the month on the ICC's digital channels.