Indian hockey team working on defence
New Delhi: The Indian hockey team is working on its defence and penalty conversions besides trying to get used to the surface, as it prepares for the upcoming World Cup starting at The Hague, Netherlands. The team had a two-hour rigorous training session at the Klein Zwitserland Club. “With just six days left for the World Cup, we started our training sessions yesterday and the focus was to get used to surface, defence in own 25 yards, decision making, goal scoring and attacking during penalty corners,” Roelant Oltmans, Director, High Performance, said after the session. “The atmosphere in the group is good and everyone is fully focused. We all feel the competition is close now but we will stay relaxed and focus on the first match without the pressure getting on to us.” Defender V R Raghunath felt the interaction with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has brought a positive change in the team. Raghunath said the weather in the host city is ideal for hosting the tournament. “The weather is very good in The Hague and looks ideal for the World Cup. We all are excited for the World Cup to start and the team is shaping up very nicely in the last few practice sessions. We all are trying to relax and concentrate on the first game. We will go game by game in this tournament. We have worked a lot in improving our defence and penalty corner conversions in the past few training sessions and I am sure that we will deliver better results.” India will play their first practice match against Argentina on Sunday. (PTI)
Brazil mobilizes 157,000 security force
Brasilia: Brazil said it is mobilizing 157,000 soldiers and police to ensure security during the World Cup, which opens in 20 days against a backdrop of violent protests and strikes. The defence ministry yesterday said it would provide 57,000 navy, army and air force personnel for the event, including 21,000 who will be on a state of alert for situations requiring immediate intervention. The ministry has invested 709 million reais (USD 322 million) since 2012 in modernizing its forces and preparing them for the tournament, which runs from June 12 to July 13. Justice Minister Jose Eduardo Cardozo said he did not believe the recent string of demonstrations and strikes across Brazil would escalate to the level of protests that gripped the country last year during the Confederations Cup, a World Cup dress rehearsal. (AP)