HIL launch new team, Kalinga Lancers
Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the second edition of the Hockey India League (HIL), Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik formally launched the Kalinga Lancers, on Tuesday, the latest franchise to join the tournament. Patnaik also unveiled Kalinga Lancers’ logo and jersey for the members of the Odisha team. The Lancers will be the sixth team in the tournament, which is scheduled to start from January 23 next year. The state-owned Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation and Mahanadi Coalfield Limited have joined hands and formed Odisha Sports Development and Promotion Company to own the franchise. (PTI)
Red Bull trumpet record pitstop
LONDON: Amid all the champagne celebrations for Sebastian Vettel’s eighth win in a row in Austin on Sunday, Red Bull still found time to claim another Formula One record for the quickest ever pitstop. The team said after the US Grand Prix that Australian Mark Webber had stopped in the pits for less than two seconds. “The team’s car data recorded Mark as being stationary for just 1.923 seconds, an incredible feat,” Red Bull said on their website. Teams have been shaving fractions off pitstop times all season, with lightning-fast changes of tyres becoming a part of the show now that the more time-consuming process of refuelling is banned. When McLaren set a record of 2.3 seconds at the 2012 German Grand Prix it seemed close to the limit but Red Bull said in Malaysia this year that they had done a 2.05 turnaround on Webber’s second stop. (Reuters)
I’m not untouchable at Chelsea: Oscar
Rio de Janeiro: Chelsea and Brazil midfielder Oscar insists he is not “untouchable” at Chelsea, despite having won steadfast support from Blues coach Jose Mourinho. Earlier this year Mourinho declared Oscar was his first-choice No 10 and the 22-year-old has not disappointed with five goals and two assists from 11 matches this season. But Oscar says he does not take his starting place for granted, either with Chelsea or the Luiz Felipe Scolari-coached Selecao. “I don’t feel untouchable. I always try to give my best and for that reason they (the coaches) like me,” Oscar said on Monday. The former Sao Paulo and Internacional prodigy said both coaches were “winners”, bringing different qualities to their respective teams. “They have different styles,” Oscar said. “Scolari is used to coaching national teams and Mourinho clubs. Both are very successful. They are professionals as well as winners.” (IANS)
Germany squad take train to beat traffic
Berlin: Joachim Loew’s Germany squad decided to beat the London traffic by taking the Underground to their final training session ahead of Tuesday’s friendly against England. The German Football federation (DFB) revealed Loew’s squad opted not to take the team bus and joined the 315,000, who use the London Underground every hour, to travel from their city centre hotel to Wembley Stadium in north London by tube. The DFB insist the journey was not a PR stunt, but was simply a novelty way to ensure the Germans, who are one of the favourites for the 2014 World Cup, arrived for Monday’s training session on time. The squad received a few curious looks from fellow Tube passengers, before a short walk to the stadium down the famous Wembley walkway. (AFP)
Armstrong doping suit likely to proceed
WASHINGTON: A federal judge said on Monday that he likely will allow a lawsuit to move forward accusing cyclist Lance Armstrong and his business partners of defrauding the US Postal Service of endorsement money through Armstrong’s use of performance-enhancing drugs. US District Judge Robert Wilkins said at a court hearing here that he planned to rule in writing within 30 days on requests by Armstrong and the other defendants to dismiss the suit. (Reuters)