Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri tests positive for COVID-19
NEW DELHI, March 11: Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri on Thursday confirmed that he has tested positive for COVID-19. “In a not-so-happy update, I’ve tested positive for COVID-19. In better news, I feel fine as I continue my recovery from the virus and should be back on a football pitch soon,” the 36-year-old Bengaluru FC skipper tweeted. “No better time to keep reminding everyone to continue taking all the safety precautions always,” he added. Last week, he was named in the 25-member probables list for friendlies against Oman and UAE, which will be held in Dubai on March 25 and 29 respectively. The final list of 28 players will be announced after the Indian Super League (ISL) final, which is slated to take place on March 13. (UNI)
Spain informs Kosovo it will respect UEFA rules for qualifier
PRISTINA, March 11: Kosovo’s soccer federation said Wednesday its Spanish counterpart has expressed regret for referring to the Balkan country as a “territory” and promised to host an upcoming World Cup qualifier between the teams in accordance with all UEFA rules. The Kosovo federation had earlier warned that it wouldn’t play the March 31 game in Seville unless Spain pledged to respect the Balkan country’s sovereignty, including its anthem and flag. Spain does not recognize Kosovo’s 2008 independence from Serbia. Agim Ademi, head of the Kosovo federation, said in a statement that he had a phone call on Wednesday with Spanish federation officials who promised that the game “will be held in line with the FIFA and UEFA rules and protocol.” Ademi said UEFA officials also gave the same assurances. The federation had taken issue with the Spanish national team’s references, in a press release and on Twitter, to Kosovo as a “territory”, calling them “unacceptable.” Kosovo and Spain are in Group B together with Sweden, Greece and Georgia. Greece and Georgia also do not recognize Kosovo as an independent nation. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a decade after a brutal 1998-1999 war between separatist ethnic Albanian rebels and Serb forces ended. Kosovo became a UEFA and FIFA member in 2016. (AP)
Investigation on as Wales without manager Ryan Giggs
CARDIFF, March 11: Wales manager Ryan Giggs will miss the start of his team’s World Cup qualifying campaign while he remains on police bail following his arrest on suspicion of assault last year. Giggs was arrested in November and last month had his bail extended until May 1 during the investigation. The 47-year-old former Manchester United winger missed the Nations League fixtures in November. Former Wales captain Robert Page replaced him then as coach and he will remain in temporary charge again. Wales plays Belgium and the Czech Republic in World Cup qualifiers this month and a friendly against Mexico. Wales’ preparations for the delayed European Championship in June have also been disrupted by the departure of chief executive Jonathan Ford after a vote of no confidence was passed by the Football Association of Wales council. (AP)
Payas Jain shines in Junior and Youth TT Nationals
Indore, March 11: Delhi’s Payas Jain outclassed Haryana’s Jeet Chandra 4-3 to claim the youth boys title and complete a double in the UTT 82nd Junior and Youth National Table Tennis Championships here on Thursday.
Payas retained the junior boys crown and completed a double. Payas earned a prize purse of Rs. 1.32 lakh for both wins. He also becomes only the second paddler to achieve a rare double in the same Nationals in recent times. After winning the junior boys final, he hardly had a 10-minute break before the youth final’s start. But he was never in trouble as he went 3-2 up to eventually managew a win. (PTI)