Argentina coach to miss WC qualifier after testing positive
Buenos Aires, Jan 27: Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni will not travel for Thursday’s World Cup qualifying match against Chile after testing positive for COVID-19. Scaloni told a news conference Wednesday that his assistants Walter Samuel and Roberto Ayala will be in charge for the match. Argentina has already secured a spot at the tournament in Qatar, while Chile is still in contention. (AP)
Venues for 3 African Cup knockout games changed
Yaounde (Cameroon), Jan 27: African Cup of Nations organizers announced that they were changing the venues for two quarterfinal games and one of the semifinals. One of the quarterfinals scheduled for Sunday was moved from the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde across town to the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium after eight people were killed in a crush outside the Olembe during the round-of-16 game between host Cameroon and Comoros on Monday. The Confederation of African Football also said it was moving another quarterfinal and a semifinal from the Japoma Stadium in Douala to Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium. (AP)
German football coaches using fake vaccine passes banned
Frankfurt, Jan 27: Two German football coaches have been suspended from working in the sport after it was ruled they used fake coronavirus vaccination records. A disciplinary panel at the German football federation ruled former Werder Bremen head coach Markus Anfang and his assistant Florian Junge had obtained fake passes last year identifying them as being fully vaccinated. The federation said Anfang and Junge used the passes to be exempt from virus testing at the club and presented them to local health authorities to avoid going into isolation after contact with an infected player. Anfang was banned for a year and fined 20,000 euros and Junge for 10 months and fined 3,000 euros. (AP)
Ghana fire coach after early exit at African Cup
Accra (Ghana), Jan 27: Ghana fired coach Milovan Rajevac after its exit form the group stage at the African Cup of Nations. The Black Stars will look to hire a replacement before its two-leg World Cup playoff against Nigeria in March. The decision to remove Rajevac from his post was taken late on Wednesday. Ghana finished in last place in its group at the African Cup after collecting one point from games against Morocco, Gabon and Comoros. (AP)
Hockey legend Charanjit Singh passes away aged 92
New Delhi, Jan 27: Two-time Olympic medallist and Padma Shri award winner Charanjit Singh passed away on Thursday in Una district, Himachal Pradesh, due to age-related complications. He was 92. The Arjuna Award winner was part of India’s glorious days. A charismatic halfback, Charanjit Singh had led the Indian team to a historic gold medal in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, beating Pakistan in the final and was also part of the Indian team that won silver in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. (IANS)
AIFF condoles former India player Nagendra’s death
New Delhi, Jan 27: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Thursday condoled the death of former India player AD Nagendra, who was a part of the squad for the Merdeka Cup in 1969. Nagendra, a former Indian defender, was also a member of the then Mysore state Santosh Trophy team from 1966 to 1975, and featured in the triumphant squad in 1967 and 1968. He scored four goals in the process. Nagendra died on Wednesday. He was 79. (PTI)
F1 sign 7-year extension of contract with Singapore GP
Paris, Jan 27: Formula One signed a seven-year contract extension on Thursday with the Singapore Grand Prix. F1 said in a statement that a deal to continue racing at the Marina Bay street circuit until 2028 was agreed with the Singapore GP and Singapore’s tourism board. Singapore held F1’s first night race in 2008 and the venue has proved popular with fans from around the world. This year’s race is scheduled for October 2. (AP)
F1 confirm pre-season testing dates in Spain and Bahrain
Paris, Jan 27: Formula One has confirmed that preseason testing will begin in Spain next month followed by a session in Bahrain in early March. The oft-used Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on the outskirts Barcelona will host the first test from Feb. 22-25. The second test will be held in Bahrain from March 10-12 – ahead of the season-opening race there on March 20. (AP)