Bhanot elected Asian Athletics Association vice-president
New Delhi: Scam-tainted former IOA Secretary General Lalit Bhanot on Monday was elected vice-President of the Asian Athletics Association (AAA) in polls held in Wuhan, China. Recommended by the Athletics Federation of India, Bhanot fought through a 14-strong challenge in the elections to be picked as one of the five vice-Presidents during the AAA council on the eve of the Asian Championships in Wuhan. “Mr Bhanot has been elected as AAA vice-President with a comfortable win,” AFI Director M L Dogra told PTI. Tainted in the corruption scandal that engulfed the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Bhanot served as secretary of AFI for more than a decade and was the Secretary General of the IOA when it served a 14-month suspension by the IOC. He is currently the chairman of AFI’s Planning Committee. Though Bhanot was not allowed to contest IOA elections last year by the International Olympic Committee after being jailed for some months in connection with Commonwealth Games scandal, there was no such bar on him to contest the AAA polls. Former IOA and AAA chief Suresh Kalmadi, who was also jailed along with Bhanot in the same case, contested the continental body’s presidential elections in 2013 though he lost the polls. Kalmadi was recently made life president of the AAA for his contribution in Asian athletics as its head for 13 years from 2000 to 2013. (PTI)
92-year-old becomes oldest woman to finish marathon
San Diego: A 92-year-old cancer survivor rocked her way into the record books Sunday, becoming the oldest woman to finish a marathon. Harriette Thompson of Charlotte, North Carolina, completed Sunday’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in San Diego in 7 hours, 24 minutes, 36 seconds. She was mobbed by well-wishers as she crossed the finish line. “I’m fine, they’re really pampering me here,” Thompson said in a firm, joyful voice as people all around her shouted congratulations. This was her 17th Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon and, by far, the hardest. “It’s always harder but this year has been a bad year for me,” she said, adding her husband died in January, following a lingering illness and she battled a staph infection in one of her legs. “I couldn’t train very well because my husband was very ill and I had to be with him for some time and then when he died in January I had some treatments on my leg,” she said. “I was just really thrilled that I could finish today.” The oldest woman to previously complete a marathon was Gladys Burrill, who was 92 years and 19 days old when she completed the 2010 Honolulu Marathon. Thompson is 92 years, 65 days old, according to race organizers. (AP)
Star India to telecast Bundesliga soccer league
Mumbai: Media conglomerate Star India on Monday announced a five-year deal with DFL Sports Enterprises that owns the commercial rights over German Bundesliga football, to broadcast the matches in the country. The Bundesliga is Germany’s primary football competition contested by 18 teams. “Star India has teamed up with DFL Sports Enterprises, which is the sales entity of DFL (German football league) to bring Bundesliga football to India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Under the new agreement covering five seasons upto 2019-20, Bundesliga will be aired on Star Sports network for the Subcontinent,” Star India said in a statement. The contract grants exclusive media rights to Star India across all platforms (TV, Internet, mobile) in the region. Star Sports will broadcast the Bundesliga matches live or on a delayed basis across the subcontinent, apart from providing live streaming on its website.
“This agreement is a reflection of the success we have had in seeing the Bundesliga recognised as a premium product among leading international markets. Star India provides us the ideal environment to grow in India which is one of our key strategic markets,” DFL Sports Enterprises managing director Jorg Daubitzer said. (PTI)
Pele’s son sacked as coach of Brazilian club
Rio de Janeiro: One of the sons of football legend Pele has been sacked as coach of Brazilian second tier club Mogi Mirim after just four matches in charge. Edinho, 44, was told the news by Mogi Mirim president and Brazil World Cup winner Rivaldo on Sunday, just hours after the club’s 0-0 draw with Oeste, reports Xinhua. “Unfortunately, professional football is about results,” Rivaldo said in a statement. “Edinho showed qualities in his day-to-day work but the team hasn’t performed as we’d hoped. I believe it’s necessary to make the change now so that we don’t regret anything later.” Edinho led Mogi Mirim to two draws and two losses. The club is currently second last in Brazil’s 20-team Serie B standings. Before accepting the Mogi Mirim job, Edinho was an assistant coach for Santos, where his father scored 1,091 goals from 1,116 matches from 1956 to 1974. (IANS)
