12 Indians make finals of ISSF Junior World Championship
New Delhi, Sep 30: Twelve Indian shooters qualified for the final round in their respective events on the opening day of the Junior World Championship in Lima, Peru. Qualification rounds of six individual events, all Olympic disciplines, took place on on Wednesday and the finals are scheduled to be held later on Thursday, where India is expected to fetch at least four gold medals in the corresponding team events. In the junior men’s and women’s skeet competition, two round of qualification are yet to be played before the top six move into the finals. (PTI)
Tokyo Olympic hockey stars Rupinder, Birendra retire
New Delhi, Sep 30: Drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh and defender Birendra Lakra, who played starring roles in the Indian hockey team’s historic bronze medal-winning Tokyo Olympics campaign, on Thursday announced their international retirements within hours of each other. While Rupinder quit “to make way for youngsters” and announced his decision by posting a statement on his twitter page, Lakra’s retirement was confirmed by Hockey India. It has been learnt from sources that both players decided to quit after they were informed that they will be ignored for the national camp in Bengaluru next week. (PTI)
Beijing Olympics will not allow foreign spectators: IOC
Beijing, Sep 30: A 21-day quarantine for non-fully vaccinated athletes, officials and workers will be in force at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, the IOC said. Daily testing will be done and no tickets will be sold to anyone living outside China. Restrictions imposed to control the COVID-19 pandemic at the next Winter Games in February were announced on Wednesday by the International Olympic Committee. While not imposing a vaccine mandate, organizers in Beijing plan stricter rules than applied at the Tokyo Olympics. (AP)
China beat Aus to reach FIBA Women’s Asia Cup semifinals
Amman, Sep 30: China recorded their third straight win in the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2021 with an 82-64 victory over Australia. With the win, the top-ranked Chinese team topped Group B with six points to qualify for the semifinals. China have been unstoppable since the start of the tournament and during Wednesday’s game, they accelerated their performance during the last quarter to ease to victory. In Group A games on Wednesday, Japan beat South Korea 67-62, New Zealand crushed India 109-49, while in Group B Chinese Taipei beat the Philippines 93-52. (UNI)
Qatar to host F1 race for first time in November
QATAR, Sep 30: Qatar will host a Formula One race for the first time in November and for 10 years from 2023. Qatar takes the remaining slot left vacant on this year’s reshuffled calendar. The race will start under floodlights at 6 p.m. local time on November 21 at the Losail International Circuit. As the 20th of 22 races this season, it will be followed by the inaugural Saudi Arabian GP in Jeddah on December 5 and the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP on December 12. The 5.4-kilometer (3.4-mile) circuit is north of Doha and has hosted the MotoGP series since 2004. (AP)
Inter reports Serie A record losses of 245.6 million euros
MILAN, Sep 30: Inter Milan reported a record loss of 245.6 million euros ($285 million) for the 2020-21 financial year on Thursday, the highest ever for a Serie A club. Inter won its first Serie A title in 11 years last season but its finances were hit badly by the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the club’s early elimination from European football. It attributed its losses mainly “due to the complete lack of matchday income” because of shuttered stadiums, despite revenue of 364.7 million euros ($423 million). (AP)
Brazilian football head suspended amid sexual harassment case
RIO DE JANEIRO, Sep 30: The president of the Brazilian football confederation was suspended for 21 months on Wednesday as a sexual harassment case against him proceeds. The body’s general assembly voted 27-0 to keep Rogério Caboclo out until one month before his term ends in March 2023. The 48-year-old Caboclo was first suspended by the confederation’s ethics committee in June after a former secretary formally made accusations against him. That decision was extended until the general assembly’s vote. (AP)