Liverpool’s Coutinho out for 6 weeks
LONDON: Liverpool’s Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho has been ruled out until late October after injuring his shoulder in their 2-2 draw at Swansea City in the Premier League on Monday. Liverpool said the 21-year-old will require surgery following the injury that forced him off in the second half after a challenge by Ashley Williams at the Liberty Stadium. “After being assessed by the Reds medical staff, it’s been decided that Coutinho will now have surgical stabilisation on the AC joint in his shoulder,” the club said on their website on Tuesday. (Reuters)
Davis Cup: Ind face Taiwan in 1st rd
New Delhi: India were on Wednesday drawn to play Taiwan in the first round of their Davis Cup match in Asia/Oceania Group I. The tie will held from January 31-February 2. India will have the chance to play at home as Taiwan were the hosts last time in 2009. India had won 3-2 then. “… the tie will be held in India, the venue for which will be decided at a later date by the Executive Committee of AITA,” All India Tennis Association secretary general Bharat N Oza said in a statement on Wednesday. The draw took place in London. Uzbekistan and South Korea are the seeded teams in Group I, and they have been given a bye in the first round. India will play South Korea in the second round if they overcome Taiwan. Indonesia, Thailand, Pakistan and the Philippines are seeded in Group II. AITA President Anil Khanna said they will decide on the venue shortly. “It is a good draw for us. We will discuss the venue and announce that shortly,” Khanna said. After a players’ revolt early this year, AITA had agreed to consult players before deciding on the venue and surface for the Davis Cup home ties. AITA is also to decide a new captain as SP Misra had his farewell tie against Indonesia in Bangalore. (Agencies)
Airtel not to renew India sponsorship
Mumbai: Telecom major Airtel has decided against renewing the title sponsorship contract with the BCCI for India’s international matches at home leading to BCCI calling a marketing committee meeting here on Thursday. The BCCI marketing committee headed by Union Minister Farooq Abdullah will meet to decide on the new title sponsors and will be inviting new tender bid documents from corporate houses who are willing to become series sponsor for India’s next round of home fixtures. Airtel had won the rights as series sponsors for all international and domestic matches played in India from September 1, 2010 to March 31, 2013 for a consideration of Rs 3.33 crore per match. As existing sponsors, BCCI gave Airtel three months’ grace period to renew its contract. With the company opting not to renew its contract, a 23-member BCCI panel under chairmanship of Abdullah will now decide on the modalities of the tender invitation process. Airtel bid for series sponsorship after they lost out on the team’s title sponsorship in July 2010. When the bid documents for the team’s title sponsorship were opened for the period from July 1, 2010 to December 31, 2013, Sahara India Pariwar bagged the rights for the 42-month window at Rs 3.34 crore per match. Airtel, the other bidder, had quoted Rs 2.89 crore per match. (PTI)
Narsingh slips in Wrestling C’ships
Budapest: India’s Narsingh Yadav missed out on a bronze medal after going down 1-6 to Ali Shabanau of Belarus in the repechage final of the 74kg category at the World Wrestling Championships here on Wednesday. The freestyle wrestler had an opportunity to create history for India by bagging record third medal at the ongoing championships after Amit Kumar and Bajrang in the 55kg and 60kg respectively earlier in the tournament. In other contests on Wednesday, Nirmala Devi (48kg) and Vinesh (51kg) made early exits from the women’s competition here. Yadav’s opponent emerged more technically superior in the bronze-medal contest and made it a one-sided affair. Shabanau first collected two points on a back hold and followed it up with counter exposure when Yadav trying hard to get back into the match. Trailing 0-4 at the end of first period, Yadav got one penalty point but the Belarusian added more to his kitty to clinch the issue. Earlier in the day, Yadav ran into the reigning champion Jordan Burroughs of USA in the second round where he was summarily matted 0-7, halting the Commonwealth Games gold medallist’s progress in the tournament. (PTI)