SSCB leads in Junior National Archery
Kokrajhar: Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) are leading the medals’ tally with five gold and two bronze medals in the 36th Junior National Archery Championship here on Tuesday. Punjab are in second position with three gold, one silver and a bronze medal while hosts Assam are third with two gold, seven silver and two bronze medals. Among the gold medal winners, Raj Govind Swansi of SSCB had the highest haul of three medals in the 90m, 70m and 30m boys recurve event. The other gold winners in the boys category included Abhishek Singh of Uttar Pradesh in the 40m, Mohit of Punjab in 30m, Ranjit Naik of Odisha in 50m and Ch Jigna of SSCB in 50+50 metres compound events. In the girls’ category, gold medal winners included Gahela Boro of Assam in 40m and Maneesha MB of Kerala (30m). In the recurve events, Madhu of Punjab won two gold – 70m and 50m, Himani Boro of Assam in 60m and Padyawati Sardar of Jharkhand in 30m while in compound 50+50m Dudhwal Swati of Rajasthan captured a gold. The four-day tournament is organised by Kokrajhar District Sports Association under the aegis of Archery Association of Assam and will conclude on Wednesday. (PTI)
Villa rally to draw at West Brom
WEST BROMWICH: Aston Villa fought back after conceding two goals in the opening 11 minutes to grab a 2-2 draw at Midlands derby rivals West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Monday. Ireland international Shane Long put Albion in front after three minutes, controlling Chris Brunt’s long ball superbly as it dropped over his shoulder before turning to fire past keeper Brad Guzan. Eight minutes later Long seized on a misplaced midfield pass from Villa’s Leandro Bacuna to charge through the defence and chip the ball home for his second goal. Stephane Sessegnon then missed from four metres for West Brom before Villa turned round a different side after the break. Karim El Ahmadi reduced the deficit from close range and Ashley Westwood produced a fierce long-range drive – his first goal for Villa – to level in the 76th minute. (Reuters)
Blatter slams European media over Qatar
Kuala Lumpur: FIFA boss Sepp Blatter condemned European media for “attacking” 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar today, days after slamming European countries and companies over the controversial tournament. The veteran Swiss said media had been unfair to Qatar as he made an impassioned defence of the event to delegates at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) awards in Kuala Lumpur. “It is not fair when the international media and especially European media are taking up the focus of an Arab country here in Asia, and attacking, criticising this country,” Blatter said. “We are defending it. We have taken the decision to play a World Cup in the Arab world and we have taken the decision to play in Qatar and we will go and play this… in 2022 in Qatar,” he added, to loud applause at the gala dinner. The comments come just a few days after Blatter accused France and Germany of pushing Qatar’s bid to host the World Cup to suit their “economic interests”. He also blamed European construction companies after Amnesty International said migrant workers at World Cup venues were being treated like “animals”. (Reuters)
Pak’s Abdul Razzaq robbed at gun point
Karachi: Senior Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq was robbed at gun point of his valuables in his home in Lahore on Tuesday. Razzaq told PTI that masked men had broken into his home early in the morning and robbed him of his passport, gold and cash. “The matter has been reported to the police but it was a traumatic experience for me and my family members as the robbers tied us up while they robbed the valuables,” he said. Razzaq, 33, was recalled to the national side for the Twenty20 series against South Africa in the UAE after one year on the sidelines but had to return home from the tour to South Africa because of a hamstring injury. He said the robbers had entered his home through the washroom window and took away the locker from a room, which had his passport, around 38 ounces of gold, US$8,000 and 2,500 British pounds. (PTI)