2 football players die in mishap, 20 injured
Tezpur: Two football players were killed and 20 others seriously injured when the truck they were travelling in collided with a lorry near Dipota Bridge on NH 15 in Assam’s Sonitpur district today. Over 20-member football team, consisting of players and supporters from Tinigharia Tea garden in Tezpur, was returning in a truck from a Bindukuri playground when it collided with another lorry at around 7.15 pm, a police officer said. The deceased were identified as Sukram Bhuyan and Dhiraj Ekka. The injured were rushed to Tezpur Medical College and three of them had to be shifted to the Gauhati Medical College Hospital, the officer said. (PTI)
Yuki Bhambri wins ATP Shanghai Challenger
SHANGHAI: Yuki Bhambri geared up for India’s Davis Cup tie against Czech Republic by annexing his first Challenger level singles title of the season as he defeated local favourite Di Wu in the final of the $50,000 tournament opn Sunday. Fourth seed Yuki came back from behind to overcame the home boy 3-6, 6-0, 7-6(3) in a gruelling two-hour contest. It was Yuki’s fourth Challenger level title. “It was quite battle and see saw in the end. I am looking forward to playing in Delhi for the country now,” he said. Yuki lost his serve twice but managed to break his rival four times in the match. (PTI)
Air India to be ‘preferred carrier’ for Team India
New Delhi: Air India will be Indian cricket team’s ‘preferred airline’ for travel from now on with the national carrier signing an MoU with the BCCI in this regard. The deal, which comes into effect from September 1, has been signed for a period of one year. Air India shall also fly Indian cricketers of both the National and other state cricket teams on domestic and International network across the Globe. Under the agreement Air India shall offer ‘Special fares’ and ‘Free Baggage Allowance’ to the Indian cricket team who travel with their kits. The MoU also encapsulates the travel of umpires, match referee and national selectors on official duty, TV crew, BCCI officials for various committee meetings, Annual General Meetings and any other official travel. (PTI)
Blatter accused of under-selling TV rights
Geneva: FIFA president Sepp Blatter sold World Cup television rights to the Caribbean for much less than their market value, according to a report by Swiss television station SRF. Blatter, who will step down as president after new elections in February, allegedly sold the TV rights to Caribbean Football Union (CFU) president Jack Warner for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa for just USD 250,000 and those for the next World Cup in Brazil for USD 350,000, claimed SRF. The TV station showed the relevant contracts from 2005 on screen during its ’10 vor 10′ programme, claiming this was “around five percent of the market value”. Warner, the former president of the North and Central American federation CONCACAF, has been accused of corruption several times in his career and is currently under investigation by the United States Department of Justice for wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering. By comparison, the TV rights for Brazil 2014 in France alone were bought in 2005 by TF1 for $147m. In total, TV rights fetched 2.1 billion euros across the world. (AFP)
