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KALMADI
RE-ELECTED
Suresh Kalmadi has been re-elected president of the Asian
Athletics Association (AAA) for a second consecutive term
(2005-2009), according to the AAA secretariat in Singapore.
An Athletics Federation of India statement said that of the
44 nations affiliated to the AAA, 36 unanimously supported
Kalmadi’s candidature. His re-election is in recognition
of the work he has done in his last term to develop athletics
in the continent. He was also instrumental in initiating the
Asian Grand Prix and taking it to several nations in the region
besides India and Sri Lanka.
Another appointment is of Tarlochan Singh who is to head the
publicity committee of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Tarlochan
Singh, associate vice-president of the Indian Olympic Association,
was nominated as the chairman of the publicity committee and
member, organising committee, by IOA president and chairman
of the organising committee, Suresh Kalmadi. The big-ticket
Commonwealth Games, to be held in India for the first time,
are scheduled to be conducted from October 3-14, 2010.
IHF TEAMS WITH ESPN-STAR SPORTS
The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) has signed a three-year
contract with ESPN-Star Sports for the telecast of all international
hockey matches, under the aegis of the IHF, to be played out
of India. Under the contract IHF hockey package, the ESPN-Star
Sports envisages the telecast of 102 international matches
over next three years. “Any other hockey tournament,
which the IHF may launch in this period, will also fall under
the purview of this contract and will be telecast exclusively
by the ESPN-Star Sports,” said the IHF President K.
P. S. Gill.
“We are looking at growing the game’s popularity
in a very systematic manner. Last year we launched the Premier
Hockey League (PHL). This year we are taking a holistic approach
to market the national team and international hockey better,”
the IHF president said.
VIJAY WINS GOLD IN SPORT PISTOL
Indian youngster Vijay Kumar won the gold medal in Sport Pistol
at the 15th Meeting of Shooting Hopes tournament held in Plezen,
Czech Republic. Kumar recorded a score of 583/600 to bag the
gold. He, along with Kanchan Gurung and Rommel Pandit, also
won India the team gold with a total of 1,708 points out of
a possible 1,800.
In the girls’ Air Pistol, Harveen Saro won the silver
medal with an effort of 384/400. The Indian was leading after
the qualifying round but failed to maintain her form in the
final to eventually finish second. Overall, the 27-member
Indian team won three gold, five silver and seven bronze medals.
COACH CHAPPELL FOR KINESIOLOGY
India’s new coach Greg Chappell has requested the Board
of Control for Cricket in India to enlist two experts—Ian
Frazer and Charles Krebs—as part of his support staff.
Frazer, a former Victoria player, is an expert in the biomechanics
of bowling, while Krebs is a specialist in Kinesiology, a
system that evaluates structural, chemical and mental aspects
of health using manual muscle-testing with other standard
methods of diagnosis. BCCI has asked Chappell to furnish details
of their experience and expertise as well as the remuneration
they expect.
Chappell has been appointed till June 2007, covering the World
Cup in the West Indies that year. His annual remuneration
is $175,000 plus other allowances.
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INDIA EYES 2011 CRICKET WORLD CUP
After a two-day meeting recently, the BCCI decided to stake
its claim to stage the 2011 cricket World Cup. BCCI president
Ranbir Singh Mahendra told reporters the board also decided
to set up a committee to examine the award of television
rights for games played in the country, to file a Rs 100
million suit against Chennai’s Netaji Cricket Club,
and to oppose moves by some state governments to control
their cricket associations. “We have decided that
tenders be invited (for the TV rights). A committee would
make its recommendations and the final decision would be
taken by the BCCI,” he said.
TAG GOLF TOURNEY
A day-long TAG Heuer Precision Golf Tournament in Srinagar
was recently the scene of much glamour. At the Royal Springs
Golf Course on the banks of the Dal Lake in Srinagar, former
Miss Universe and actress Sushmita Sen teed off the tournament.
The corporate event also had the likes of Chief Minister
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, his predecessor Farooq Abdullah,
Jammu & Kashmir Police chief Gopal Sharma and former
prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s foster son-in-law
Ranjan Bhattacharya in attendance. The international brand
name also introduced the Tiger Woods designed Golf Watch
at the tournament for its Indian patrons. The professional
golf watch is available in a limited edition of 8,000 pieces
worldwide. Only 250 will be sold in India.
VAULTING TO VICTORY
Chetna Solanki recently created a new national pole-vault
record of 3.80 metres in the women pole vault final. Chetna
stood against close friend V.S. Sureka who had beaten her
in the last two showdowns of the season. The girls have
been training hard to the Asian championships where the
bronze last time had gone for 3.90 metres. Chetna created
her new national record at the ONGC Federation Cup athletics
meet at the Nehru Stadium this June.
RAJINDER SINGH Jr. IS IHF COACH
Despite India’s poor performance at the Sultan Azlan
Shah hockey tournament in Kuala Lumpur, the Indian Hockey
Federation President, K.P.S. Gill, scoffed at the idea of
a foreign coach for the national team. Therefore, Rajinder
Singh Jr, who was given charge of the Indian team a month
before the Azlan Shah tournament, is to stay. He will be
coach till the 2006 World Cup in Monchengladbach, Germany
(Sept 6-17).
“Rajinder Jr will be the coach of Indian team till
the 2006 World Cup and for all the tournaments prior to
that. He is the right man,” said Gill. He, however,
warned, “No coach can be permanent.” The Champions
Trophy in Chennai and the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne
are two major events before the World Cup.
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