Assam venue for 20th Women’s Nat’l footy
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Assam will play host to 20 states in the 20th edition of the Women’s National Championship football from April 27-May 11 in Dibrugarh and Golaghat, according to the All India Football Federation on Tuesday. Meghalaya, however, is not one of the competing teams, but the North East will be represented by Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura and hosts Assam. The 20 states have been divided into four groups of five, with defending champions Orissa in Group B along with Karnataka, Goa, Mizoram and Gujarat. Manipur, who are the most accomplished team in the tournament’s history, have been clubbed in Group A with Railways, Chhatisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. Group C will have two-time champions West Bengal, Delhi, Kerala, Bihar and Tripura, while Group D will comprise Assam, Jharkhand, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand.
Gavaskar wants feedback on IPL COO
New Delhi: Interim BCCI chief for IPL, Sunil Gavaskar, has reached out to the team owners to take their feedback on whether to continue with the services of Sundar Raman, the Chief Operating Officer of the T20 league. While the Supreme Court ordered the removal of all India Cements employees, except the players and commentators, from the BCCI, it left the decision on keeping Raman in the job to Gavaskar, who was made the interim President of the Board for conducting the upcoming IPL. Gavaskar had a meeting on Monday with the franchise owners and briefed them about the preparations. According to a report in NDTV, the issue of Raman figured prominently during Monday’s discussion. Gavaskar also consulted Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan, Royal Challengers Bangalore owner Vijay Mallya and the Mumbai Indians owner Mukesh Ambani. The Supreme Court-appointed probepanel into the IPL betting and fixing scandal had mentioned in its report that Raman had a role in passing on information for betting to Gurunath Meiyappan, indicted son-in-law of ousted BCCI chief N Srinivasan. (PTI)
Sports Ministry derecognises IABF
New Delhi: Livid with the suspended Indian Amateur Boxing Federation’s refusal to comply with its directives, the Sports Ministry derecognised the IABF with immediate effect on Tuesday. It comes as another massive jolt to the IABF, which has already been terminated by its international parent body, AIBA. “The matter has been considered in totality and keeping in view all relevant facts including the fact that the International Federation of the boxing sport has withdrawn its recognition to IABF, it has been decided to withdraw the recognition granted by Government of India to IABF with immediate effect,” a source in the Ministry said. The IABF was provisionally suspended by the Ministry in December 2012. The Ministry had asked the IABF to hold fresh elections and make its constitution compliant with the National Sports Code. The source also said that recognition to any National Sports Federation would rely on the current legal status of the organisation, recognition by the International Federation, the Asian Federation and the IOA in respect of Olympic Sports. (PTI)
IAAF ratifies Anju’s 2005 top finish
New Delhi: Star Indian long jumper Anju Bobby George has officially become the gold medal winner at the World Athletics Final held at Monte Carlo in 2005 after the International Association of Athletics Federation ratified the result. The IAAF upgraded Anju to the top place in the IAAF World Athletics Final long jump event after the disqualification of Russia’s Tatyana Kotova, who had finished ahead of the Indian in the meet, but later failed to clear a dope test. Anju’s 6.75 metres leap had landed her with the silver then, behind the Russian’s 6.83 metres effort. “It’s a great privilege for Indian athletics and I am humbled with the gold medal. As an Indian athlete, I’m indebted to my fans, coaches and the Athletic Federation of India for all their support,” said an overwhelmed Anju. With this achievement, Anju became the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal in World Athletics Final. (PTI)