एशियाई बॉक्सिंग चैंपियनशिप में भारत का बेस्ट प्रदर्शन, विजेंदर सिंह बोले-तोक्यो ओलिंपिक में पदक के हैं कई दावेदार

नई दिल्ली प्रो स्टार बॉक्सर विजेंदर सिंह ने एशियाई बॉक्सिंग चैंपियनशिप में भारतीय बॉक्सर्स के प्रदर्शन पर खुशी जताई है। विजेंदर ने कहा कि जिन हालात में हमारे मुक्केबाजों ने विदेश में जाकर देश का मान बढ़ाया है वो काबिलेतारीफ है। भारत ने दुबई में आयोजित इस चैंपियनशिप में अपना अब तक सर्वश्रेष्ठ प्रदर्शन किया। भारतीय मुक्केबाजों ने कुल 18 पदक अपने नाम किए जिनमें 2 गोल्ड मेडल शामिल हैं। इससे पहले भारतीय टीम ने सबसे अधिक 13 पदक जीते थे जिनमें 2 गोल्ड, 4 सिल्वर और 7 ब्रॉन्ज शामिल थे। बीजिंग ओलंपिक के कांस्य पदकधारी विजेंदर (Vijender Singh) ने नवभारत टाइम्स ऑनलाइन को दिए इंटरव्यू में कहा, 'मैं अपने मुक्केबाजों के प्रदर्शन से संतुष्ट हूं। सभी ने बेहतर खेल दिखाया। हैवीवेट कैटेगरी में संजीत का गोल्ड जीतना अन्य मुक्केबाजों के लिए टॉनिक का काम करेगा। महिलाओं ने भी कमाल का प्रदर्शन किया। 15 में से 10 मेडल जीतना महिला टीम के लिए शानदार प्रदर्शन है।' भारतीय महिला मुक्केबाजों ने 1 गोल्ड, 3 सिल्वर और 6 ब्रॉन्ज मेडल के साथ कुल 10 पदक अपने नाम किए। महिलाओं में पूजा ने पूजा रानी (Pooja Rani) ने रविवार को 75 किलोग्राम कैटेगरी में मावलुदा मोवलोनोवा को हराकर गोल्ड पर पंच जड़ा। 'तोक्यो ओलिंपिक में पदक की जताई उम्मीद' साल 2015 में पेशेवर सर्किट में उतरने वाले विजेंदर ने लगातार 12 मुकाबले जीते। बकौल विजेंदर, ' देखिए, तोक्यो ओलिंपिक का आयोजन यदि होता है तो मुझे उम्मीद है कि हमें पदक जरूर मिलेगा। मैं किसी एक खिलाड़ी पर दांव नहीं लगाना चाहता हूं, क्योंकि हमारे सभी बॉक्सर्स बहुत टैलेंटेड हैं और सभी पदक जीतने का माद्दा रखते हैं। इसके लिए कई दावेदार हैं। आपने संजीत का उदाहरण ले सकते हैं। जब मैं भी गया था बीजिंग ओलंपिक में तब किसी ने उम्मीद नहीं की थी।' हार के बावजूद शिव थापा ने रचा इतिहास शिव थापा (Shiva Thapa) भले फाइनल में हार गए हों बावजूद इसके वह इतिहास रचने में सफल रहे। थापा का एशियाई चैंपियनशिप में यह लगातार पांचवां पदक रहा। थापा ने 2013 में सोना जीता था, इसके बाद 2015 में बैंकाक में वह कांस्य जीतने में सफल रहे थे। इसी तरह 2015 में थापा ने रजत पदक जीता था। 2019 में बैंकाक मे थापा के हिस्से कांस्य आया था। 150 मुक्केबाजों ने हिस्सा लिया था इंटरनेशनल बॉक्सिंग एसोसिएशन (AIBA) ने इस चैंपियनशिप के लिए 4,00,000 अमेरिकी डॉलर की पुरस्कार राशि आवंटित की है। पुरुषों और महिलाओं की श्रेणियों के स्वर्ण पदक विजेताओं को 10,000 अमेरीकी डॉलर से सम्मानित किया गया जबकि रजत और कांस्य पदक विजेताओं को क्रमश: 5,000 अमेरीकी डॉलर और 2,500 अमेरीकी डॉलर का पुरस्कार दिया गया। टूर्नामेंट में भारत, उज्बेकिस्तान, मंगोलिया, फिलीपींस और कजाकिस्तान जैसे मजबूत मुक्केबाजी राष्ट्रों सहित 17 देशों के 150 मुक्केबाजों ने हिस्सा लिया था।

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विराट कोहली ने बताया अपना 'सीक्रेट' डायट प्लान, लोगों ने उठाए सवाल

नई दिल्ली भारतीय क्रिकेट टीम के कप्तान विराट कोहली (Virat Kohli) का सोशल मीडिया पर दिए गए एक जवाब से विवाद खड़ा हो गया है। दरअसल, कोहली (Kohli) से किसी फैन ने उनकी डाइट पूछी। तो कोहली ने इसका खुशी-खुशी इसका जवाब दिया। उन्होंने लिखा, 'बहुत सारी सब्जियां, कुछ अंडे, 2 कप कॉफी, क्विंनोआ और बहुत सारा पालक। मुझे डोसा भी पसंद है। लेकिन सब नियंत्रित मात्रा में।' एक ओर जहां कुछ लोगों ने उनकी इस हेल्थी डायट की तारीफ की वहीं कुछ ऐसे भी थे जिन्होंने इसमें अंडे का जिक्र देखकर हैरान रह गए। दरअसल, विराट कोहली ने एक पुराने वीडियो में इस बात का जिक्र किया था वह वीगन (ऐसे लोग जो आहार में मांस व डेयरी उत्पाद इस्तेमाल नहीं करते) हो गए हैं। कोहली ने कहा था, 'मुझे सरवाइकल स्पाइन का ईशू हुआ था। इस वजह से मेरे हाथ की छोटी उंगली में झनझनाहट होने लगती थी। मेरे लिए बैट पकड़ना मुश्किल हो गया था। यह 2018 में सेंचुरियन टेस्ट के दौरान हुआ। साउथ अफ्रीका के खिलाफ। और तो और मेरे पेट में एसिड बनने लगा था। मेरा यूरिक एसिड बढ़ गया था और मेरे पेट से हड्डियों से कैल्शियम लेना शुरू कर दिया था। जिसका नतीजा यह हुआ कि मेरी रीढ़ की हड्डी में समस्या होने लगी। तो मुझे मांस छोड़ना पड़ा और अब मैं बेहतर महसूस कर रहा हूं।'

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NBA: Unruly spectator runs out on court during 76ers-Wizards playoff game

Washington: A fan was tackled after running onto the court during an NBA playoff game between the Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night, the latest example of unruly behaviour as teams let more spectators in the stands during the pandemic.

"You can tell those people have been in some sort of captivity for the last year, year and change, right?" Wizards center Robin Lopez said. "It's kind of wild to see the liberties people are taking."

The players were heading toward Washington's basket in the third quarter of the home team's 122-114 victory in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first-round series when the action was halted because of the intruder, who jumped as if pretending to try to dunk.

A security guard grabbed and held down the person near the baseline as 76ers center Dwight Howard stood nearby.

The fan was escorted away from the court and play resumed after a brief interruption.

Here’s another angle of what the fan did from @WorldWideWob pic.twitter.com/v9lXIoYxaH

— Pub Sports Radio ™ (@PubSportsRadio) June 1, 2021

"I don't know what he was trying to do," Washington forward Rui Hachimura said. "I think they're just excited to come back. But they've got to be more respectful of us as players. They think they can do whatever they want."

After beginning this season with zero spectators allowed at its arena, Washington has steadily increased the capacity to the point where Monday's contest had an announced attendance of 10,665, roughly 50% of what the place holds.

"The stuff that's been happening over the last week — we all know that fans shouldn't be doing that stuff. That shouldn't happen during the game," Wizards All-Star Bradley Beal said. "Just sit there and enjoy the game or stay home and watch it on TV. We're fortunate nobody got hurt."

During this series, Washington guard Russell Westbrook had popcorn dumped on him as he walked to the locker room after getting injured in Game 2 at Philadelphia.

"I don't know what's going on with these fans right now," Sixers coach Doc Rivers said. "We've just got to have safety."

On Sunday in the Celtics-Nets series, Brooklyn guard Kyrie Irving was nearly hit by a bottle thrown from the stands during a game in Boston.

Earlier, in New York, a spectator spit at Atlanta's Trae Young as he prepared to inbound the ball during the Knicks-Hawks series.

Three fans were banned in Utah after Grizzlies guard Ja Morant said they "just went too far" with him or his family.

"NBA has great fans. I played in Philadelphia; they have great fans. They had one knucklehead that decided to throw popcorn.

"Boston has great fans. One knucklehead decided to throw a water bottle. New York has great fans; one knucklehead decided to spit on somebody. We have great fans. One knucklehead decided to come into the arena," Wizards coach Scott Brooks said.

"It's unacceptable," Brooks said. "I'm tired of it. We all deserve better."

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Tokyo Olympics 2020: Japanese sponsors count costs as public opposition intensifies

Tokyo: Tokyo 2020 was supposed to be a marketing bonanza, but public opposition and a possible spectator ban over virus fears have left some Japanese sponsors with an Olympic headache.

Around 60 Japanese companies ploughed a record $3.3 billion into the event, which was postponed for a year over the pandemic, and leading firms such as Toyota, Bridgestone, and Panasonic have multi-year Olympic partnerships.

Polls show a majority in Japan want the Olympics cancelled or postponed further, making Games-linked advertising difficult. And spectator-free stadiums would deprive local firms of tickets and hospitality for clients, a key sponsor perk.

If the Tokyo Games open as planned on 23 July, sponsors can still expect global exposure from international broadcasters. But as Japan battle a fourth coronavirus wave, some are watching the situation uncomfortably.

Toyota last month acknowledged public "concern" and said it was worried that "some people's frustration is directed towards athletes".

"As a sponsor, we are truly distressed by that," said communications director Jun Nagata.

"We are agonising every day about what should be done."

And in a sign of the rising disquiet, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper - itself a sponsor of the Games - last week broke ranks to call for cancellation.

In an editorial, the left-leaning daily warned Japan were in no place to host the Olympics, given current infection levels and a sluggish vaccine rollout.

It also slammed the "self-righteous" leadership of the International Olympic Committee, which it said appeared committed to holding the Games at any price, and despite public concerns.

Some business leaders who are not involved with the Games have been even more forthright, with e-commerce giant Rakuten's CEO Hiroshi Mikitani calling the event a "suicide mission".

Local sponsors now find themselves in a "very tough" position, said Norm O'Reilly, director of the International Institute for Sport Business and Leadership at the University of Guelph.

"I would advise staying focussed on support of the athletes," he told AFP.

'Public backlash'

Organisers have taken the unprecedented decision to ban overseas fans at the Games, and will decide later this month how many local spectators will be permitted, if any.

While a Games behind closed doors would hit organisers through lost ticket sales, O'Reilly said big sponsors could still benefit from the global audience.

"They are very much focussed on the global platform of billions who will engage with the Games via television and streaming," he said.

"People in most countries are desperate for an end to the pandemic and a return to some semblance of normal life," he added.

"So from that perspective, I think there'll be high interest and following of the Games, which is what sponsors want and need."

It may be smaller local sponsors who are the worst hit, according to Taisuke Matsumoto, a lawyer and sports law specialist at Waseda University.

Before the pandemic, many were running Olympic-related adverts almost daily, "but from last year, they have stopped because of customer sentiment," he said.

Still, Matsumoto doesn't expect a mass defection of local sponsors, seeing the Asahi's editorial as "really exceptional".

Firms are largely keen to avoid stirring things up and "will not oppose the Tokyo 2020 Games individually", he said.

Local sponsors "can see the public backlash and the risk", added John Davis, an expert on strategy, branding and sports who heads consulting firm Brand New View.

"I suspect that sponsors are still trying to figure out how to convey recognition of Covid-19 while also communicating the inspirational sports stories," he told AFP.

"It's not an easy mix of messages to accomplish. But that doesn't mean it should be avoided."

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Inter Milan and Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal tests positive for COVID-19

Inter Milan's Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal is receiving hospital treatment after testing positive for coronavirus, his national team said Monday.

The diagnosis means the 34-year-old will miss Thursday's World Cup qualifier between Chile and Argentina.

"The medical team of the Chilean national team emphasises that at the request of the player Arturo Vidal, it is announced that he has been diagnosed positive for Covid," the national team said on its official website.

It said no other players in the squad had tested positive for the virus.

Vidal was initially hospitalised with severe tonsilitis, but tested positive for coronavirus on Monday, the team statement said.

The former Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus star, who was vaccinated against the virus on Friday, will now miss the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifier with Argentina and another qualifier against Bolivia next week in Santiago.

COVID-19 infections in Chile remain above 6,000 daily cases and the health system is overwhelmed.

The virus has killed more than 29,000 people out of a total 1.3 million cases in the country.

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French Open 2021: Having COVID-19 was tough for five to six weeks, says Daniil Medvedev

Daniil Medvedev said on Monday he struggled from the effects of Covid-19 for "five to six weeks" after testing positive for the virus in April.

The Russian second seed reached the French Open second round for the first time in his career after four straight opening-round defeats at Roland Garros, beating Alexander Bublik 6-3, 6-3, 7-5.

The 25-year-old, a two-time Grand Slam runner-up, said afterwards that he only recently felt back to 100 percent fitness after recovering from coronavirus.

"Coming to Madrid (earlier this month), I was like at maybe 70 percent or 60 percent. I think that's how Covid affects your body," said Medvedev.

"It's always tough to say because sometimes during the year you're going to have these down moments.

"So maybe it was just one of them. Yeah, I feel like Covid was tough for maybe five, six weeks since I got it. Now I feel 100 percent."

Medvedev had to withdraw from the Monte Carlo Masters when he tested positive on 13 April and only won one match in his next two tournaments ahead of the French Open.

"It's never easy to talk about this because coming with Covid is also isolation straight away, which meant that 10 days I was at home, basically almost all the time lying on the sofa," he added.

"Even if I tried to do some physical, I was also not feeling that well so I couldn't do much. And I have a small apartment.

"The toughest moment was during the 10 days, I think on the second or third day after I knew that I was positive, that's where I felt not so good.

"But nothing too serious either because I was able to leave. I was not laying down having hallucinations or anything."

Medvedev, whose 10 ATP titles have all come on hard courts, is looking to take advantage of being in the opposite part of the draw from Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

It was only his 12th win on clay out of 180 career matches.

"The most important (thing) is the level of tennis I've been showing, as I said before the tournament, it was not mind games," Medvedev said.

"My opponent can see I was really feeling good. I managed to play consistent today. I actually played much better in practice still than today, so there is room for improvement."

He will face Tommy Paul of the United States for a place in the third round.

Medvedev, who lost to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final in February, has no Grand Slam champions in his half of the draw after fourth seed Dominic Thiem's shock loss to Pablo Andujar on Sunday.

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French Open 2021: Roger Federer wins on Paris return, eyes Wimbledon's 'light at end of tunnel'

Roger Federer marked his return to the French Open with a straight sets defeat of Uzbekistan qualifier Denis Istomin on Monday with "the measuring stick" remaining a delayed assault on a ninth Wimbledon title.

The 39-year-old Federer, the champion in Paris in 2009 but playing the event for only the second time since 2015, won 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 over 204th-ranked Istomin.

It was his eighth win in eight meetings with the Uzbek and gave him a second round clash against Marin Cilic, another familiar foe he has met 10 times.

Federer, who skipped the 2020 French Open, was playing just his fourth match of 2021 and first at a Slam since losing to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semi-finals last year, 487 days ago.

The need to recover from two knee surgeries plus the suspension of the tour due to the pandemic - which also saw Wimbledon cancelled - kept Federer sidelined until Qatar in March this year where he won one match.

He then stayed off tour until Geneva earlier this month where he lost first up to Pablo Andujar.

"The light at the end of the tunnel or the measuring stick was always can I come back to a good level against good players. I hope Wimbledon is going to be that place.

"Maybe there's going to be even something here in Paris. We'll see," said Federer who made the semi-finals on his last appearance in Paris in 2019.

He certainly looked the part on Monday, blasting 48 winners past Istomin without facing a single break point.

"I'll just be happy that I get another opportunity to play (at Wimbledon). So I hope I can stay healthy from now on forward.

"I'm quite confident that's going to stay that way. I've also been getting better every month that went by, which has been really positive. I didn't have any setbacks in a year."

However, he admitted there was still a degree of frustration: "It's been really slow progress. I can't deny the fact."

Federer, who is currently locked on 20 Grand Slam titles with Rafael Nadal, repeated that he still plans to play the Olympics in Tokyo but is "waiting to see how things are going to develop the next couple of weeks and month".

"I feel two ways. I would love to play. I wish things were better around the world that we wouldn't even have to debate the thought of is it going to happen, am I going to play or not.

"My wish and hope and dream is that I can play it. But it needs to make sense for me, my team, my family, my country."

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LaLiga: 'It will be a pleasure if we play together' Sergio Aguero hoping to team up with Lionel Messi at Barcelona

Barcelona: Sergio Aguero said on Monday that he was hoping to have the "pleasure" of playing alongside Lionel Messi after signing a two-year deal with Barcelona.

Aguero will become a Barca player once his contract with Manchester City expires at the end of June, bringing an end to a decade at the Premier League champions, and his new team have slapped a €100-million ($122 million) buy-out clause on the 32-year-old.

However, he is still not sure that Messi will be his teammate next season as the club captain is yet to sign an extension to his current contract which expires next month.

"Let's hope we play together ... what happens with Leo is down to decisions that he will make with the club," Aguero told reporters at the Camp Nou after he was unveiled on the famous pitch.

"Obviously it will be a pleasure if we play together. If he continues here, which I think he will, we will try to do our best for the club as he always has done."

Barca will hope Aguero's arrival in Catalonia helps to convince his friend and fellow Argentine Messi to stay, as the club faces up to declining performances on the pitch and a worrying financial situation.

Ronald Koeman's side finished third in LaLiga this past season and have debts of €1.2 billion ($1.46 billion).

They were knocked out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage by Paris Saint-Germain, and could yet face sanctions from UEFA for refusing to back out of the short-lived European Super League project.

Last week, club president Joan Laporta said that talks for Messi's new contract were "going well", and on Monday insisted that Aguero's signing was part of a broader Barca rebuild.

"The signing of Aguero is for Aguero. We want to build a competitive team and obviously we also want Leo to stay, we have already told him this," Laporta said.

Aguero's signing for Barca comes two days after he missed out on winning the Champions League with City, Pep Guardiola's side losing this season's final to Chelsea at the end of a season disrupted by injury.

His final appearance for City was as a substitute for Raheem Sterling late in the final in Porto as the newly-crowned Premier League champions tried in vain to win Europe's top prize for the first time.

He leaves City as their all-time record goal-scorer with 260 goals, and with the most goals scored for a single club in Premier League history — 184 goals in 275 appearances.

"Leaving aside last season, I had nine very good years at City," said Aguero.

"A knee issue kept me out for a few months, I recovered, I got Covid ... but in the last four months I've felt very good physically."

His move to Barcelona had been long in the offing, with Guardiola saying a week ago that he was close to a deal with the Catalan giants.

He will participate in this year's Copa America, which on Monday was moved from Colombia and his home country Argentina to Brazil.

"If they have made that decision it is because things are not going well in Argentina, there have been a lot of infections over the last few days and many deaths. I think it was a good decision," said Aguero.

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French Open 2021: Organisers' lack of empathy for Naomi Osaka disconcerting as tennis star withdraws from Roland Garros

French Tennis Federation (FFT) president Gilles Moretton took a seat in the press conference room in Paris on Monday. Neatly dressed in a white shirt and black blazer, he read out a statement in French, then English and made way for the exit door. 85 words in English and 94 in French for a combined less than five minutes. Surprisingly, he took no questions from the media joining in virtually – even those on site. The irony wasn’t lost on anyone.

On Sunday – day 1 of the second major of the year - Naomi Osaka took court and won in straight sets over Patricia Maria Tig at the French Open. Thereafter, she skipped the mandatory press conference – as she said she would. Not long after, Roland Garros authorities fined her $15,000 as per the code of conduct. The statement, signed by Tennis Australia, FFT, All England Club, and United States Tennis Association, threatened bigger fines, default, and suspensions from future Grand Slams if she continued to miss her contractual obligations.

On Monday, in a social media post, Osaka stated she was pulling out from the tournament. “I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focussing on the tennis going on in Paris. I never wanted to be a distraction and I accept that my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer,” Osaka wrote. “More important I would never trivialize mental health or use the term lightly. The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that.”

pic.twitter.com/LN2ANnoAYD

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 31, 2021

She explained her thought process over deciding to skip media interactions. “So here in Paris I was already feeling vulnerable and anxious so I thought it was better to exercise self-care and skip the press conferences. I announced it pre-emptively because I do feel like the rules are quite outdated in parts and I wanted to highlight that. I wrote privately to the tournament apologising and saying that I would be more than happy to speak with them after the tournament as the slams are intense.”

The final paragraph said she would take time off court which could very well result in her skipping Wimbledon which gets underway on 28 June. The Japanese player hasn’t made it past the third round of either the French Open or Wimbledon while winning twice at the US Open and Australian Open each.

Osaka’s decision to withdraw from the French Open and possibly skip Wimbledon is not good news for a sport that is still reeling from COVID-19 induced financial strain. Moreover, this strong-arming, near-bullying, and menacing statement by all four Slams hampers one of the most charismatic players the sport has seen recently over… press conferences? Bear in mind, the 23-year-old didn’t go for a blanket ban. She spoke to Fabrice Santoro courtside and took a few queries off-court from Japanese outlet Wowow.

Naomi isn’t your entitled, showboat-y, overconfident star. She keeps her head down, wears headphones while entering the court, and has been shy when the limelight has been on her. And yet she has shone when seeking change.

Last year, she pulled out of the Western & Southern Open to draw attention towards police brutality against Black people following the shooting of Jacob Blake. The tournament buckled under growing pressure and suspended play for a day. And at the US Open, which she won, she had names of Black people who died due to police brutality on her masks. In Paris, she wanted to highlight the mental health concerns and the need to avoid press conferences, if required.

“If the organisations think they can keep saying, ‘do press or you’re going to get fined,’ and continue to ignore the mental health of the athletes that are the centerpiece of their cooperation then I just gotta laugh,” Osaka, a four-time major winner, wrote.

To further highlight that her heart was in the right place, she said the funds from fines collected be donated to a charity dedicated to mental health. Except, the Slams were having none of it.

You shouldnt ever have to make a decison like this-but so damn impressive taking the high road when the powers that be dont protect their own. major respect @naomiosaka https://t.co/OcRd95MqCn

— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) May 31, 2021

"We have advised Naomi Osaka that should she continue to ignore her media obligations during the tournament, she would be exposing herself to possible further Code of Conduct infringement consequences. As might be expected, repeat violations attract tougher sanctions including default from the tournament (Code of Conduct article III T.) and the trigger of a major offence investigation that could lead to more substantial fines and future Grand Slam suspensions (Code of Conduct article IV A.3.)," read the statement.

"We want to underline that rules are in place to ensure all players are treated exactly the same, no matter their stature, beliefs, or achievement. As a sport, there is nothing more important than ensuring no player has an unfair advantage over another, which unfortunately is the case in this situation if one player refuses to dedicate time to participate in media commitments while the others all honour their commitments," it added.

If the Grand Slams and the tours are bereft of challenges and concerns, presenting a couple: Alexander Zverev has been accused of domestic violence by ex-girlfriend Olga Sharypova; Nikoloz Basilashvili was arrested and awaits trial for assaulting his former wife; Giulio Zeppieri threatened "to kill" an umpire over line calls; Damir Dzumhur walked off court in anger over a line call in Acapulco and Sam Querrey violated COVID-19 protocols in fleeing Russia despite testing positive. And if that wasn’t enough, Benoit Paire has repeatedly spit on court which would have been a problem pre-pandemic, is only criminal now. If the tennis authorities and Slams were looking to rein in on trouble makers, they have quite a few to work with and for far worse reasons than skipping a press conference.

To lump Osaka’s desire to skip press conferences over her mental health and well-being with a Novak Djokovic, after being defaulted, is a gross miscalculation by the FFT. When something as complex as mental health needed to be treated with kid gloves and empathy, the organisers’ heavy-handed approach made things significantly worse.

This tweet, now deleted, took a dig on Naomi Osaka for declining to engage with press. Is this how you address a mental health concern @rolandgarros ?
You are nothing but one giant bully. And I bet you'd have tweeted praises had a top white male player said the same thing. Shame! pic.twitter.com/Oh2cd14E4D

— Zoya Rasul (@zoyarasul) May 31, 2021

An example of their brash approach came to the fore in a now-deleted tweet with the caption of “They understood the assignment” alongside images of Kei Nishikori, Aryna Sabalenka, Rafael Nadal, and Coco Gauff.

Moretton’s statement on Monday highlighted how far the tournaments and tours have to go in dealing with mental health. “First and foremost, we are sorry and sad for Naomi Osaka. The outcome of Naomi withdrawing from Roland-Garros is unfortunate. We wish her the best and the quickest possible recovery, and we look forward to having Naomi at our Tournament next year,” he said. “Recovery” as if she was dealing with a twisted ankle injury. On an issue that needed to be dealt with smartly and cautiously, the organisers royally dropped the ball and no one comes out looking pretty.

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Criticism, jokes as Copa America 2021 moved from Argentina to Brazil over COVID-19

When Covid-19 overwhelmed Argentina too badly to host the South American football championships, officials decided to move the tournament to pandemic-battered Brazil of all places, drawing criticism from epidemiologists and a flurry of jokes.

Already forced to delay the Copa America by a year, organisers are struggling to pull off the world's oldest running international football competition in a region still reeling from Covid-19 and - in the case of original co-hosts Colombia - violent unrest.

With its huge economy and wealth of stadiums from the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, Brazil looked in some ways like a good last-minute fix after officials pulled the plug Sunday on would-be hosts Argentina two weeks from kickoff on 13 June.

But there is one glaring problem with Monday's announcement that Brazil would step in: Covid-19 is devastating the country, where the death toll stands at more than 460,000, second only to the United States.

And experts warn a third wave is coming.

"An event of that size moves countless people, even if the matches are held in empty stadiums. And moving people increases the spread of the virus. It's going to contribute to a new flare-up," said infectious disease specialist Jose David Urbaez, of Brasilia's pandemic response committee.

"The tournament should have been cancelled, full stop," he told AFP.

'Championship of death'

The news quickly turned political in a Brazil deeply divided over far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's unorthodox pandemic response.

Bolsonaro has fought lockdowns, snubbed face masks and refused offers of vaccines, instead touting ineffective medications such as chloroquine against Covid-19.

When the South American Football Confederation, Conmebol, thanked him for "opening his country's doors" to the tournament, critics pounced.

It will be the "championship of death," said Senator Renan Calheiros, rapporteur of a Senate commission investigating accusations of criminal negligence in the government's pandemic management.

"Offers of vaccines sat gathering mold in officials' drawers, but the tournament got a speedy OK. Ridiculous," he wrote on Twitter.

The deputy chair of the investigative commission, opposition Senator Randolfe Rodrigues, said the head of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), Rogerio Caboclo, should be called to testify on "what safety measures have been planned to guarantee Brazilians' safety" during the tournament.

Another opposition lawmaker, Congressman Julio Delgado, vowed to go to the Supreme Court to block the tournament.

At least three governors in states tipped as likely hosts of matches have already said they would refuse because of the health situation.

But Vice President Hamilton Mourao argued there would be less risk holding the tournament in Brazil than Argentina.

Mascot: 'Little Covid'

Football-mad Brazil has mostly been holding matches without fans, though several hundred were allowed in for the Copa Libertadores final in Rio de Janeiro in January.

The Copa America was due to be held in empty stadiums if Argentina and Colombia had hosted. But speculation swirled that Conmebol would try to hold at least the final with fans present in Brazil.

The Covid-19 curve in Brazil has declined recently, from a weekly average of more than 3,000 deaths a day in April to about 1,800 last week.

But the country remains one of those hit hardest. Experts say state and local officials lifted restrictions too soon, with just 11 percent of Brazil's 212 million people fully vaccinated.

They warn rising infections and hospital occupancy rates indicate a new surge is coming.

Hosting the Copa America now is "reckless," said epidemiologist Pedro Hallal of the Federal University of Pelotas.

"Many other countries... have the pandemic much more under control. It's hard to understand where this decision came from," he said.

Social media wits were quick to upload a flood of jokes.

"Suggestions for the Copa America mascot? How about 'Little Covid'?" quipped sports commentator Alexandre Lozetti on Twitter.

Sugestões de mascote para a Copa América no Brasil? Que tal Covidinho?

⚽️

— Alexandre Lozetti (@Ale_Lozetti) May 31, 2021

"Little Chloroquine" was also popular, as well as a proposal to rename the tournament the "Cepa America" - the "America variant."

"I don't think we should be holding such a big sporting event here now. It's very risky," said businessman Guilherme Beserra da Silva in Sao Paulo.

"It's good for the economy, but Covid cases are going to increase for sure. I love football, but I'm against this."

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French Open 2021: French Tennis Federation president 'sorry and sad' over Naomi Osaka withdrawal

French tennis federation president Gilles Moretton admitted Monday he "was sorry and sad" that Naomi Osaka had decided to withdraw from Roland Garros.

"We are sorry and sad for Naomi Osaka. The outcome of Naomi withdrawing from Roland Garros is unfortunate," said Moretton.

The 23-year-old Japanese star was fined $15,000 on Sunday and threatened with disqualification after she refused to carry out a mandatory news conference following her first round win.

Osaka said she had decided against taking part in any media activity to safeguard her mental health.

Moretton had said on the eve of the tournament that Osaka's decision not to attend mandatory press conferences was a "phenomenal error".

"We wish her the best and the quickest possible recovery," Moretton added as he read out a prepared statement without taking questions.

"We look forward to having Naomi in our tournament next year.

"As all the Grand Slams, the WTA, the ATP, and the ITF, we remain very committed to all athletes' well-being and to continually improving every aspect of players' experience in our tournament, including with the media, like we have always strived to do."

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French Open 2021: Serena Williams 'feels for' Naomi Osaka, has also experienced 'very difficult' press conferences

Serena Williams said she "feels for" Naomi Osaka and has also experienced "very difficult" press conferences in her career after her rival's shock withdrawal from the French Open on Monday.

Japanese star Osaka pulled out of the tournament after being threatened with disqualification for declining to speak to the media, saying she suffers from "bouts of depression".

Williams, who famously lost to Osaka in the controversial 2018 US Open final, said she sympathises with Osaka.

"The only thing I feel is that I feel for Naomi. I feel like I wish I could give her a hug because I know what it's like," said the 39-year-old, after her first-round 7-6 (8/6), 6-2 win over Irina-Camelia Begu in the first ever night match at Roland Garros.

"We have different personalities, and people are different. Not everyone is the same. I'm thick. Other people are thin.

"Everyone is different and everyone handles things differently. You just have to let her handle it the way she wants to...

"I've been where I've been very difficult to walk in (to press conferences) in those moments. But, you know, it made me stronger."

Williams, seeded seventh this year, saved two set points in a first-set tie-break as she started her latest bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title.

Williams, who has lost four major finals since her last Slam success at the 2017 Australian Open, will take on Begu's compatriot Mihaela Buzarnescu in the second round.

"It wasn't easy in that first set. I was up and I felt like I had some opportunities. She's a really good player, she's had some really good wins so I was really happy I was able to get that first set and the match," said the three-time Roland Garros champion.

The first official night match under the lights on Court Philippe Chatrier was played behind closed doors due to a 9pm curfew imposed by the French government due to Covid-19.

Williams, who had suffered early defeats in both Roma and Parma earlier this month, improved as the match progressed.

Begu fought back from 5-2 down in the opening set, but failed to serve it out when leading 6-5 and then saw two set points come and go when leading the breaker 6-4.

Williams needed only one opportunity, driving a forehand volley into the corner to take control.

The former world number one strengthened her grip on the tie by breaking 74th-ranked Begu in the first game of the second set.

She moved through the gears on her own serve from there and broke again in the seventh game before wrapping up victory after an hour and 42 minutes.

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French Open 2021: 'You are strong for standing up and speaking out', Sports stars react to Naomi Osaka's withdrawal

Paris: Naomi Osaka stunned tennis on Monday when she withdrew from the French Open after refusing to hold press conferences during the tournament.

Here, AFP Sport looks at some of the reactions to the announcement, in which Osaka said she has suffered from "bouts of depression" for nearly three years:

"The truth is I have suffered bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that," Osaka says she has struggled since her maiden Grand Slam win.

pic.twitter.com/LN2ANnoAYD

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 31, 2021

"In Paris, I was already feeling vulnerable and anxious so I thought it was better to exercise self-care and skip the press conferences," the world number two explained why she wanted to avoid the usual media obligations. "The only thing I feel is that I feel for Naomi. I feel like I wish I could give her a hug because I know what it's like," said former world number one Serena Williams.

"I am so sad about Naomi Osaka. I truly hope she will be ok. As athletes we are taught to take care of our body, and perhaps the mental & emotional aspect gets short shrift. This is about more than doing or not doing a press conference. Good luck Naomi- we are all pulling for you!" 18-time Grand Slam singles winner Martina Navratilova responds to the news on Twitter.

I am so sad about Naomi Osaka.I truly hope she will be ok. As athletes we are taught to take care of our body, and perhaps the mental & emotional aspect gets short shrift. This is about more than doing or not doing a press conference. Good luck Naomi- we are all pulling for you! — Martina Navratilova (@Martina) May 31, 2021

"We are sorry and sad for Naomi Osaka that she has withdrawn from the tournament."

—French tennis federation president Gilles Moretton.

"Stay strong. I admire your vulnerability," teenage American player Coco Gauff.

stay strong ❤️ I admire your vulnerability

— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) May 31, 2021

"I respect her decision. I respect what she does. I can't really comment on that. I feel like everyone's dealing with their own stuff," American fourth seed Sofia Kenin. "You shouldnt ever have to make a decison like this-but so damn impressive taking the high road when the powers that be dont protect their own. major respect @naomiosaka," NBA star Stephen Curry on Twitter.

You shouldnt ever have to make a decison like this-but so damn impressive taking the high road when the powers that be dont protect their own. major respect @naomiosaka https://t.co/OcRd95MqCn — Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) May 31, 2021

"The challenge today is to convince people of the value of truth, honesty, compassion and a concern for others," two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka.

"Mental Health is nothing to criticize. Nothing to joke about. Pls take your mental health seriously. Without my support system, I truly believe I would not be here today. Here for you @naomiosaka," former top-10 ATP player Mardy Fish.

Mental Health is nothing to criticize. Nothing to joke about. Pls take your mental health seriously. Without my support system, I truly believe I would not be here today. Here for you @naomiosaka https://t.co/8UdJexQPVj

— Mardy Fish (@MardyFish) May 31, 2021

"Everyone talks about mental health after someone commits suicide but ridicules everyone who tries to protect their mental health. You are strong for standing up and speaking out and even giving up the game you love to protect your mental health. I salute you young queen," West Indies cricket international Carlos Brathwaite.

Everyone talks about mental health after someone commits suicide but ridicules everyone who tries to protect their mental health. You are strong for standing up and speaking out and even giving up the game you love to protect your mental health. I salute you young queen 👸🏾 https://t.co/Anhz8DWtla — Carlos Brathwaite (@TridentSportsX) May 31, 2021

"Just a question for the tennis authorities — is it better for your sport to have Naomi Osaka playing and not speaking to the media or not playing at all?" Stan Van Gundy, head coach of NBA team the New Orleans Pelicans.

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राहुल द्रविड़ हमेशा मुझे अच्छी सलाह देते रहते हैं: प्रियम गर्ग

नई दिल्ली भारतीय अंडर-19 टीम के पूर्व कप्तान प्रियम गर्ग () ने अपने खेल को संवारने में राहुल द्रविड़ () की भूमिका की तारीफ की है। उन्होंने बताया कि कैसे द्रविड़ (Dravid) की कोचिंग ने उन्हें एक खिलाड़ी के रूप में संवरने का मौका दिया। गर्ग की कप्तानी में भारतीय अंडर-19 टीम (Indian Under-19 Team) पिछले साल वर्ल्ड कप के फाइनल (U19 World Cup) तक पहुंची थी। उन्होंने बताया कि कैसे पूर्व अंडर-19 और इंडिया-ए कोच ने यह सोच विकसित करने में मदद की आखिर उनके लिए क्या सही और क्या गलत है। इंडियन प्रीमियर लीग (Indian Premier League) में सनराइजर्स हैदराबाद (Sunrisers Hyderabad) का हिस्सा गर्ग ने कहा, 'बेशक उनकी सलाह ने हमेशा मेरी बहुत मदद की। राहुल द्रविड़ (Rahul Dravid) बहुत बड़े खिलाड़ी हैं और साथ ही बहुत अच्छे इनसान भी हैं। वह हमेशा आपकी मदद करते हैं, चाहे आप मैदान पर हों या उससे बाहर। वह आपको हमेशा आपको बताते रहते हैं कि आपके लिए क्या सही है।' उन्होंने इंडिया टीवी के साथ बातचीत में कहा, 'जब मैं उनके साथ इंग्लैंड और साउथ अफ्रीका गया तो उन्होंने अपना अनुभव मेरे साथ साझा किया। इससे मुझे काफी मदद मिली। उन्होंने मुझे समझाया कि वहां की परिस्थितियों का सामना कैसे करना है। इन विकेटों पर किस तरह की बल्लेबाजी करनी है। गेंदबाजों को कैसे खेलना है। इसके अलावा कई अन्य चुनौतियों के बारे में उन्होंने मुझे समझाया। इसने मुझे उन विकेटों पर बल्लेबाजी करने में काफी मदद की।' गर्ग ने युवा तेज गेंदबाज कार्तिक त्यागी (Kartik Tyagi) के साथ अपनी दोस्ती का भी जिक्र किया। कार्तिक भी 2020 अंडर-19 वर्ल्ड कप टीम का हिस्सा थे। गर्ग ने कहा, 'बीते करीब दो साल से मैं और कार्तिक काफी साथ खेल रहे हैं। हमारे अंडर-19 के कोच अब भी हमारे संपर्क में हैं। हम एक-दूसरे से बात करते रहते हैं। हम सबको पता है कार्तिक त्यागी में कितनी क्षमता है।' उन्होंने आगे कहा, 'वह बहुत मेहनती क्रिकेटर हैं। मैं पिछले 6-7 साल से उन्हें देख रहा हूं और वह अपने करियर को लेकर काफी फोकस हैं।'

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Euro 2020: Granit Xhaka, Xherdan Shaqiri lead Switzerland's final 26-man squad; striker Andi Zeqiri left out

Lausanne: Arsenal's Granit Xhaka and Liverpool's Xherdan Shaqiri headed up the final 26-man Euro 2020 squad announced by Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic on Monday.

But there was no place in the squad for Brighton striker Andi Zeqiri, the goalkeeper Gregor Kobel who joined Dortmund on Monday and Nice midfielder Dan Ndoye, the trio that had been included in an extended first squad.

Switzerland kick off their tournament against Wales in Baku on 12 June before taking on Italy four days later and rounding off pool play against Turkey on 20 June.

The Euro, postponed a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, runs from 11 June to 11 July.

Swiss Euro 2020 squad

Goalkeepers (3): Yvon Mvogo (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Jonas Omlin (Montpellier/FRA), Yann Sommer (Borussia Moenchengladbach/GER)

Defenders (10): Manuel Akanji (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Loris Benito (Bordeaux/FRA), Eray Coemert (Basel), Nico Elvedi (Borussia Moenchengladbach/GER), Jordan Lotomba (Nice/FRA), Kevin Mbabu (Wolfsburg/GER), Becir Omeragic (FC Zurich), Ricardo Rodriguez (Torino/ITA), Fabian Schaer (Newcastle/ENG), Silvan Widmer (Basel)

Midfielders (9): Christian Fassnacht (Young Boys Berne), Edimilson Fernandes (Mainz 05/GER), Remo Freuler (Atalanta/ITA), Mario Gavranovic (Dinamo Zagreb/CRO), Admir Mehmedi (Wolfsburg/GER), Granit Xhaka (Arsenal/ENG), Denis Zakaria (Borussia Moenchengladbach/GER), Djibril Sow (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER), Ruben Vargas (Augsburg/GER)

Forwards (4): Breel Embolo (Borussia Moenchengladbach/GER), Xherdan Shaqiri (Liverpool/ENG), Haris Seferovic (Benfica/POR), Steven Zuber (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER)

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Tokyo Olympics 2020: Australia's softball team becomes first to arrive in Japan for Games

Narita: Australia's softball team on Tuesday became the first athletes to land in Japan for the Olympics, in a major milestone for the pandemic-postponed Games, which continue to face controversy.

The "Aussie Spirit" squad touched down in Narita airport outside Tokyo along with their support staff and were immediately ushered off for coronavirus testing.

Sporting facemasks and wearing their green and gold uniforms, they were met by greeters sporting hats decorated with Olympic and Paralympic mascots. They waved to cameras and snapped selfies as they filled out paperwork before testing.

Everyone in the delegation have been vaccinated but they still faced testing before departure and on arrival, and will also be subject to stringent restrictions during their stay.

The arrival will be a boost for organisers who are battling persistent public opposition and doubts about whether the Games can, or should go ahead.

Much of Japan, including Tokyo, is under a virus state of emergency, and polls largely show a majority of Japanese want the Games further delayed or cancelled altogether.

But organisers say detailed virus rulebooks will keep participants and the public safe and note that around 80 percent of those in the Olympic Village will be vaccinated.

Australia's softball team said they were prepared for the rules and happy to be getting back to play after pandemic disruption. For some, Tokyo 2020 could be their last shot at Olympic glory, with softball not featuring at Paris 2024.

"We know it's going to be a bit of a long trip over, we know we're going to go through lots and lots of Covid testing," said player Jade Wall, as the squad prepared to leave Sydney.

"But look, we're all prepared for it, we want to do everything that we can to make sure that we're safe when we get there and we're safe while we're in Japan as well."

Vaccines for Japan athletes

The team will head from the airport straight to their training base in Ota city, around 100 kilometres (about 60 miles) north of Tokyo.

The rules will be strict. No family members are allowed, with just 10 staff members travelling with the squad.

And the entire delegation will be kept to a single hotel floor for sleeping, eating and working out at the gym.

"The only reason why (they) would be leaving the hotel is to go to the ballpark and back. They will be having less daily contact with the public than they would in Australia," Softball Australia CEO David Pryles said.

But the trip is still a "huge" moment for the team, who had their Olympic preparations interrupted by the pandemic and have not played together since February 2020, he told AFP.

The squad will be playing local teams and winnowing down athletes to a 15-woman side before moving into the Olympic Village on 17 July.

Their first fixture— against the hosts— will kick off Olympic competition on 21 July, two days before the opening ceremony.

Many cities around Japan have scrapped training camps for Olympic athletes over virus fears.

But Ota's Mayor Masayoshi Shimizu told reporters on Monday that the city was proud to "offer support to show our friendship" and maintain long-running ties with Australia.

In another sign of momentum towards the Games, vaccinations of Japanese Olympic athletes begin later on Tuesday.

They'll be jumping the queue as Japan's comparatively slow vaccine rollout so far only applies to medical workers and the elderly.

Just over seven percent of people in Japan have so far received a first dose, with around 2.5 percent fully vaccinated, though the pace has picked up in recent days.

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मिशन फाइनल...होटल में 14 दिन क्वारंटीन, ट्रेडमिल पर दौड़ते कोहली-रहाणे, ऐसे हो रही टीम इंडिया की तैयारी

नई दिल्ली भारतीय क्रिकेट टीम इंग्लैंड दौरे पर रवाना होने से पहले अपनी तैयारियों में कोई कोर कसर नहीं छोड़ना चाहती है। इस समय टीम इंडिया के खिलाड़ी मुंबई में होटल के बायो बबल में अनिवार्य क्वारंटीन पूरा कर रहे हैं। विराट कोहली की कप्तानी वाली टीम इंडिया के साउथैम्प्टन में 3 जून को पहुंचने की खबर है। भारतीय टीम आईसीसी वर्ल्ड टेस्ट चैंपियनशिप (World Test Championship Final) के फाइनल में न्यूजीलैंड (IND v NZ WTC FINAL) से भिड़ेगी। यह मुकाबला साउथैम्प्टन के रोज बाउल स्टेडियम में 18 से 22 जून तक खेला जाएगा। फाइनल से पहले टीम इंडिया अपनी तैयारी जमकर कर रही है। विराट कोहली (Virat Kohli) की अगुआई में टेस्ट टीम के उप कप्तान अजिंक्य रहाणे (Ajinkya Rahane), चेतेश्वर पुजारा और जसप्रीत बुमराह ने सोमवार को जिम में जमकर पसीना बहाया। बीसीसीआई (BCCI) ने सोशल मीडिया प्लेटफॉर्म के अपने इंस्टाग्राम पेज पर एक वीडियो शेयर किया है जिसमें टीम इंडिया (Team India) के खिलाड़ी जिम सेशन के दौरान पसीना बहाते हुए नजर आ रहे हैं। इस दौरान कोहली और रहाणे ट्रेडमिल पर दौड़ते हुए नजर आ रहे हैं। स्ट्रेंथ एंड कंडीशनिंग कोच सोहम देसाई ने कही ये बात वीडियो में स्ट्रेंथ एंड कंडीशनिंग कोच सोहम देसाई यह कहते हुए नजर आ रहे हैं कि इंग्लैंड दौरे से पहले टीम इंडिया के लिए 3 सप्ताह का ब्रेक फायदेमंद रहा। इससे खिलाड़ियों को तरोताजा होने का मौका मिला जिसका परिणाम हमें इंग्लैंड दौरे पर देखने को मिल सकता है। क्वारंटीन के दौरान खिलाड़ी भी लगातार अपने सोशल मीडिया अकाउंट पर वर्कआउट का फोटो और वीडियो अपडेट कर रहे हैं जिसमें फैंस खूब पसंद कर रहे हैं। अक्षर पटेल ने बुमराह और केएल राहुल के साथ फोटो शेयर की थी भारतीय स्पिन ऑलराउंडर अक्षर पटेल (Axar Patel) ने रविवार को जिम का वर्कआउट का फोटो सोशल मीडिया पर शेयर किया था। लेफ्ट आर्म स्पिनर अक्षर ने इस साल इंग्लैंड के खिलाफ टेस्ट में डेब्यू किया था। अक्षर को तेज गेंदबाज जसप्रीत बुमराह और केएल राहुल के साथ वर्कआउट करते हुए देखा गया था। मुंबई में क्वारंटीन है टीम इंडिया 20 सदस्यीय भारतीय टीम सपोर्ट स्टाफ के साथ 19 मई से 14 दिन के लिए मुंबई में क्वारंटीन है। भारतीय टीम 2 जून को चार्टर्ड विमान से इंग्लैंड के लिए रवाना होंगे।

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जब जरा सी बात पर इतना उखड़े राशिद पटेल, हाथ में स्टंप लहराता हुआ दौड़े रमन लांबा के पीछे, दर्शकों ने भी बरसाए पत्थर

नई दिल्ली राशिद पटेल ने भारत के लिए सिर्फ एक टेस्ट मैच खेला। और उनका एकदिवसीय करियर भी इतने ही मैच का रहा। लेकिन उन्हें किसी और घटना के लिए याद किया जाता है। वह घटना थी मैदान पर विपक्षी टीम के खिलाड़ी से भिड़ जाना। और वह भी ऐसा कि स्टंप लेकर उसके पीछे दौड़ पड़ना। वड़ोदरा के इस गेंदबाज का 57वां जन्मदिन है लेकिन यहां कहानी उस घटना की जो उनकी पहचान के साथ जुड़ गई। बाएं हाथ के इस मीडियम पेसर को 1988 में न्यूजीलैंड के खिलाफ मुंबई (तब बॉम्बे) टेस्ट मैच के लिए भारतीय टीम में शामिल किया गया। यह फैसला थोड़ा हैरान करने वाला था। बड़ौदा के लिए उनके बीते दो सीजन बहुत अच्छे नहीं रहे थे। लेकिन चयनकर्ताओं ने जुआ खेलने का फैसला किया। हालांकि यह सही साबित नहीं हुआ। दोनों पारियों में पटेल बल्ले से खाता भी नहीं खोल पाए। रिचर्ड हैडली ने दोनों बार उन्हें पविलियन की राह दिखाई। गेंदबाजी में भी वह कुछ खास नहीं कर पाए और 14 ओवर बोलिंग करने के बाद भी उनके हाथ खाली रहे। यह उनके करियर का पहला और आखिरी टेस्ट मैच साबित हुआ। हालांकि उन्हें तीन हफ्ते बाद वनडे इंटरनैशनल में मौका मिला। सामने फिर न्यूजीलैंड थी। यहां भी उन्होंने बिना कोई विकेट लिए 58 रन दिए। और बल्लेबाजी का तो मौका ही नहीं मिला। फिर आया वह शर्मनाक लम्हा दलीप ट्रोफी में नॉर्थ जोन और वेस्ट जोन का मैच चल रहा था। साल 1990-91 का सीजन था। पटेल की किसी बात को लेकर रमन लांबा से बहस हो गई। इसके बाद वह स्टंप लेकर रमन लांबा के पीछे भागने लगे। लांबा बाउंड्री तक भागे। इस घटना के बाद पटेल पर 13 महीने का बैन लगा दिया गया। वह लौटे लेकिन वह अपने बीते प्रदर्शन के कहीं आसपास भी नहीं थे। अगले पांच सीजन में उन्होंने 13 मैच खेले। घरेलू करियर उन्होंने 42 फर्स्ट क्लास मैचों में 113 विकेट लिए। उनका औसत 34.80 का रहा और इकॉनमी 3.49 की। वहीं 18 लिस्ट ए मैचों में 16 विकेट उनके नाम थे। क्या हुआ था तब इस मैच में नॉर्थ जोन ने मनोज प्रभाकर, रमन लांबा और कपिल देव की सेंचुरी की मदद से 729 का बड़ा स्कोर बनाया। जवाब में रवि शास्त्री, संजय मांजरेकर और दिलीप वेंगसरकर ने भी शतक लगाए और वेस्ट जोन ने 561 रन बनाए। 29 जनवरी को मैच का आखिरी दिन था और लांबा अजय जडेजा के साथ पारी की शुरुआत करने आए। 10वें ओवर में स्कोर 59 रन था। पटेल राउंड द विकेट आए और गेंदबाजी फॉलो थ्रू में विकेट के डेंजर एरिया में पहुंच गए। लांबा ने इस पर नाराजगी जाहिर की। पटेल ने अगली गेंद बीमर फेंकी। जानबूझकर 'एक नोबॉल' थी। इसके बाद पटेल ने स्टंप निकाला और लांबा के पीछे दौड़े। लांबा ने खुद को जडेजा के पीछे छुपाया। पटेल पर 13 और लांबा पर 10 महीने का बैन लगा। मैदान पर मौजूद दर्शकों ने भी पत्थरबाजी शुरू कर दी और इससे विनोद कांबली को चोट लग गई। अंपायर ने बाद में एक इंटरव्यू में कहा था कि पटेल हवा में स्टंप लहरा रहे थे। हम उन्हें मैदान से बाहर भेजना चाहते थे लेकिन यह सब इतना जल्दी हुआ कि कुछ समझ नहीं आया। क्या कहा था पटेल ने बाद में मिड-डे को दिए एक इंटरव्यू में पटेल ने कहा, 'देखिए आमतौर पर क्रिकेटर अच्छे लोग होते हैं लेकिन यह गर्मागर्मी में हो गया था। जब दबाव होता है तो कई बार ऐसा हो जाता है। मेरे मामले में ऐसा था कि नॉर्थ जोन ने 700 से ज्यादा रन बनाए। मेरी नजर में वह बहुत डिफेंसिव क्रिकेट खेल रहे थे। रमन ने मुझे उकसाया और मैं बहुत गुस्सा हो गया।'

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Euro 2020: UEFA betting on successful hosting of tournament despite coronavirus challenge

Paris: The pan-European format has been derided, the tournament postponed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, host cities have been dropped and matches moved, but Euro 2020 finally gets underway next week when Italy face Turkey in Rome on Friday, 11 June.

Following the unprecedented decision to postpone the competition in March last year at the start of the pandemic, the health crisis is not over and COVID-19 will continue to cast a shadow over this European Championship.

However, five years after Portugal overcame an injury to Cristiano Ronaldo to defeat France and win Euro 2016 in Paris, and three years after the French won the World Cup in Russia, anticipation in Europe is now building towards another major tournament summer.

There is no shortage of candidates among the 24 nations, not least France as they look to repeat their feat of two decades ago, when they followed winning the 1998 World Cup with victory at Euro 2000.

That this Euro is taking place in 11 cities across 11 different countries is down to a Frenchman— it was the "zany" idea of Michel Platini during his time as president of UEFA.

Venue changes, crowd limits

There were initially 13 host cities before Brussels was sidelined and before the pandemic intervened. In April, Dublin and Bilbao were dropped too.

Neither the Irish government nor authorities in the Basque Country were able to assure UEFA that fans could attend. Seville replaced Bilbao while Dublin's games went to London and Saint-Petersburg.

The remaining venues— Amsterdam, Baku, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Glasgow, London, Munich, Rome, Saint-Petersburg and Seville— have all confirmed fans will be allowed to fill between 25 and 100 percent of capacity, with the exception of Munich, which said it aims to host at least 14,500 fans at the Allianz Arena.

The UEFA have insisted on having spectators despite ongoing challenges for governments, the different health situation from one country to the next and the threat of more contagious variants.

That is why Munich's mayor Dieter Reiter said in April there had been "no promises, of any kind, to guarantee spectators".

Despite it all, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has been bullish, insisting Euro 2020 will be safe.

"It will be the perfect opportunity to show the world that Europe is adapting. Europe is alive and celebrating life. Europe is back," he said recently.

However, no travel exemptions are necessarily being made for ticket-holders, meaning those entering countries from abroad could have to quarantine on arrival. They may simply not be allowed in at all. Fans who are able to get in will be assigned time slots to arrive at stadiums.

Croatia and the Czech Republic have abandoned plans to base themselves in Scotland because the Scottish government's coronavirus quarantine rules meant their entire squad risked having to isolate if one player tested positive.

Concerns over possible virus clusters led to UEFA allowing nations to name expanded squads of 26 players.

Fatigue after a long season may also impact on the quality of football, but competition for the title will be fierce.

The contenders

France have Karim Benzema back after a long international exile and they look a fearsome proposition as they target a tournament double.

"There are obviously big expectations after the success we have had and that is the aim of this squad, of this generation," coach Didier Deschamps told AFP recently.

An England side who have the carrot of knowing both semi-finals and the final will be played at home are a genuine threat, and then there are the usual contenders like Spain, Italy, Germany and Belgium, as well as a revitalised Netherlands.

There is also the holders. "For a long time now we have gone into tournaments not just to compete but to win," Portugal coach Fernando Santos told A Bola.

They won't be going into many more tournaments with Ronaldo, who is 36 now.

Portugal's group, also containing France and Germany as well as Hungary, will focus much attention in the first round, along with England's clash with Scotland at Wembley.

Scotland are just delighted to be at a major tournament for the first time in 23 years.

England, meanwhile, are yet again going into a summer dreaming of a first title since winning the 1966 World Cup at Wembley, where this year's final will take place on Sunday, 11 July.

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नाओमी ओसाका ने फ्रेंच ओपन से नाम वापस लिया, बोलीं-3 साल से डिप्रेशन में हूं

नई दिल्ली दुनिया की नंबर दो जापान की महिला टेनिस खिलाड़ी नाओमी ओसाका (Naomi Osaka) ने साल के दूसरे ग्रैंड स्लैम फ्रेंच ओपन से हटने का फैसला किया है। ओसाका अपने वादे के मुताबिक रविवार को फ्रेंच ओपन के पहले दौर में जीत दर्ज करने के बाद प्रेस कॉन्फ्रेंस में नहीं आईं, जिसके बाद उन पर 15,000 डॉलर (10 लाख रुपये से अधिक) का जुर्माना लगाया गया और आगे से ऐसा करने पर कठोर सजा की चेतावनी दी गई थी। ओसाका ने पहले ही कहा था कि वह फ्रेंच ओपन के दौरान मीडियाकर्मियों से बात नहीं करेंगी। पिछले साल रोलां गैरों टूर्नामेंट से दूर रहने वाली ओसाका ने रैंकिंग में 63वें स्थान पर काबिज पैट्रिसिया मारिया टिग को 6-4, 7-6 से हराकर दूसरे में प्रवेश किया था। नाओमी ने अपने ऑफिशियल ट्विटर हैंडल पर लिखा, ' मुझे लगता है कि मेरे इस फैसले के बाद अन्य सभी खिलाड़ी अपना ध्यान अच्छी तरह से खेल पर लगा पाएंगे। मैं कभी रूकावट नहीं बनना चाहती। मैं यह स्वीकार करती हूं कि मेरी टाइमिंग सही नहीं थी और मेरा मेसेज और भी स्पष्ट तरीके से दिया जा सकता था। सच्चाई यह है कि मैं साल 2018 यूएस ओपन से ही डिप्रेशन में हूं। इससे उबरने में मुझे मुश्किलों का सामना करना पड़ रहा है।' ओसाका को दूसरे दौर में 102वें स्थान पर काबिज एना बोगडन के खिलाफ कोर्ट में उतरना था। बोगडन ने क्वॉलिफायर एलिसबेटा कोकियारेटो को 6-1, 6-3 से शिकस्त दी। पिछले साल कोरोना वायरस महामारी के कारण टूर्नामेंट का आयोजन सितंबर में 1000 दर्शकों के साथ हुआ था। इस बार इसे महज एक सप्ताह की देरी से खेला जा रहा है जबकि 5000 से अधिक दर्शकों को मंजूरी दी गई है। जापान की सुपरस्टार नाओमी ने ट्वीट किया, ' मैं पेरिस में पहले से ही खुद को असुरक्षित और चिंतित महसूस कर रही थी। इसलिए मुझे लगा की प्रेस कॉन्फ्रेंस छोड़ने में ही मेरी भलाई है। मैंने इसकी घोषणा पहले ही कर दी थी। मुझे लगता है कि इसके नियम के कुछ हिस्से पुराने हैं और मैं इसे सबके सामने लाना चाहती थी।' नाओमी कमाई के मामले में दुनिया की टॉप महिला एथलीट हैं।

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Asian Boxing Championships: India women's coach says gold count could've been higher if COVID-19 didn't disrupt training

New Delhi It was a 10 on 10 for Indian women boxers as far as clinching medals at the Asian Championship was concerned but national head coach Mohammed Ali Qamar believes the gold count could have been higher than one if their training had not been disrupted by COVID-19.

The Indian women's boxing team will be returning with one gold, three silver and six bronze medals from the event in Dubai, ensuring that all 10 weight categories featured an Indian medallist.

Seven of these medals were secured on the day of draws itself thanks to the small size of competition.

"I am very satisfied with the performance overall. Yes, we could have got more gold medals but given that we hardly got to train before the championships, I cannot complain," Ali Qamar told PTI.

"All the silver-winners lost very close bouts and gave it their best. As a coach there is nothing more I can ask for," he added.

Ali Qamar was referring to the 2-3 losses endured by the Olympic-bound MC Mary Kom (51kg), and tournament debutants Lalbuatsaihi (64kg) and Anupama (81+kg). All three of them fought draining contests and fell short only marginally.

Olympic-bound defending champion Pooja Rani (75kg) was the lone Indian to clinch a gold.

Interestingly the championship bout was her first and only outing of the competition as she got a bye into the semifinals and a walkover into the finals.

The tournament proper might not have been all that taxing but women boxers had a tough time preparing for the event, which was to be held in India originally but shifted to Dubai because of the escalating COVID-19 crisis.

Their national camp in Delhi's Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium was halted after several COVID cases came to light.

Those infected included Ali Qamar and women's boxing's High Performance Director Rafaelle Bergamasco.

Training was subsequently organised in Pune's Army Sports Institute a couple of weeks before the team's departure for Dubai and only a handful of Olympic-bound boxers, including Mary Kom, turned up for it.

"Mary had a very good tournament overall. She lost in the final but in my view the final round had been won by her but that's sport, you can't do much. With limited training, her performance is really praiseworthy," said Ali Qamar, who also became a 3 star coach by completing his course during the tournament.

Among the Olympic-bound group Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) and Simranjit Kaur (60kg) lost in their opening bouts.

Kaur had entered the competition days after recovering from COVID-19 which had come in the way of her resuming training in Pune.

The national camp will now stay in Pune once the team comes back from Dubai.

"Training will be held in Pune only till Olympics. There is no other plan. It is an excellent facility," Ali Qamar said.

Pooja had been training at Bengaluru's Inspire Institute of Sports (IIS) before the tournament. It remains to be seen whether she heads back there or joins the others in Pune.

"I am very happy because this tournament has also helped us prepare for the Olympics. It was a crucial tournament for us," said Pooja, whose tally of medals at the event has now gone up to four.

Apart from the successive gold medals, she had won a silver in 2012 and a bronze in the 2015 edition of the showpiece.

It has been quite a journey for the Bhiwani-boxer, who battled injuries and "a feeling of being finished" between 2016 and 2018.

The setbacks of that phase included a burnt hand, and a career-threatening shoulder problem for which she was recommended surgery.

The 30-year-old decided against it and relied on physiotherapy to fight her way back to the Asian gold in 2019.

She didn't look back after that and qualified for her maiden Olympic appearance last year.

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कोलकाता नाइट राइडर्स को ज्यादा नहीं खलेगी पैट कमिंस की गेंदबाजी: आकाश चोपड़ा

नई दिल्ली आकाश चोपड़ा का मानना है कि कोलकाता नाइट राइडर्स को इंडियन प्रीमियर लीग के बाकी बचे मैचों के लिए कोलकाता नाइट राइडर्स को पैट कमिंस की ज्यादा कमी महसूस नहीं होगी। खबरों के अनुसार पैट कमिंस ने आईपीएल 2021 के बाकी बचे मैचों में खेलने की संभावना से इनकार किया है। हालांकि इसका कोई कारण उन्होंने नहीं बताया है। लेकिन माना जा रहा है कि कड़े अंतरराष्ट्रीय अनुबंधों के कारण कमिंस ने ऐसा फैसला किया है। अपने यूट्यूब चैनल पर शेयर किए गए एक वीडियो में आकाश चोपड़ा ने कहा कि शायद पैट कमिंस का जाना कोलकाता नाइट राइडर्स के लिए ज्यादा बड़ा नुकसान हो। उन्होंने कहा कि अगर लॉकी फर्ग्युसन उपलब्ध रहते हैं तो केकेआर को ज्यादा चिंता नहीं होगी। चोपड़ा की नजर में फर्ग्युसन टी20 के बेहतर गेंदबाज माने जाते हैं। चोपड़ा ने कहा, 'केकेआर के पास पहले से ही लॉकी फर्ग्युसन हैं। और मेरी राय में अगर आपके पास दोनों में से किसी एक को टी20 गेंदबाज चुनने का विकल्प हो, तो मैं लॉकी फर्ग्युसन को कमिंस पर तरजीह दूंगा। अगर लॉकी उपलब्ध है और वह खेलते हैं तो सब ठीक है। मुझे नहीं लगता कि वह पैट कमिंस को एक गेंदबाज के रूप में ज्यादा मिस करेंगे।' क्रिकेटर से कॉमेंटेटर बने चोपड़ा ने कहा कि आईपीएल के बीते दो सीजन से पैट कमिंस के गेंदबाजी आंकड़े काफी औसत रहे हैं। उन्होंने कहा, 'कमिंस का प्रदर्शन एक महान गेंदबाज का नहीं रहा है। अगर हम पिछले साल की बात करें तो उन्होंने 14 मैचों में 12 विकेट लिए। पिछला सीजन यूएई में खेला गया था और इस साल भी बाकी बचे हुए मैच वहीं पर होने हैं। उनकी इकॉनमी 8 के करीब रही थी जो सही कही जा सकती है। इस ला भी उन्होंने सात मैचों में नौ विकेट लिए हैं। वह काफी महंगे भी साबित हुए हैं। उन्होंने लगभग नौ रन प्रति ओवर के हिसाब से गेंदबाजी की है।' हालांकि चोपड़ा ने माना कि पैट कमिंस ने एक बल्लेबाज के रूप में अपनी पहचान साबित की है, जिसे शायद फर्ग्युसन न कर पाएं। उनका मानना है कि फर्ग्युसन बल्ले से उतना योगदान नहीं दे पाएंगे। चोपड़ा ने कहा, 'एक बल्लेबाज के रूप में उनका प्रदर्शन ठीक-ठाक रहा है। यूएई में हालांकि यह उतना अच्छा नहीं था। उन्होंने एक हाफ सेंचुरी लगाई थी लेकिन उनका बल्लेबाजी औसत करीब 20 का ही रहा था। इस बार हालांकि उन्होंने एक हाफ सेंचुरी लगाई और उनका बल्लेबाजी औसत 31 का रहा। उनका स्ट्राइक रेट 66 का था।'

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VIDEO : क्वारंटीन के बाद घर पहुंचे डेविड वॉर्नर, बेटियों ने कहा-वेलकम होम डैडी

नई दिल्ली आईपीएल 2021 सस्पेंड होने के बाद ऑस्ट्रेलियाई क्रिकेटर्स क्वारंटीन समय पूरा करने के बाद अपने अपने घर पहुंच गए हैं। मालदीव के रास्ते सिडनी पहुंचे कंगारू खिलाड़ियों को होटल रूम में 14 दिन क्वारंटीन रहना पड़ा। इसके बाद सोमवार को उन्हें घर भेज दिया गया। इनमें डेविड वॉर्नर (David Warner) और पैट कमिंस (Pat Cummins) सहित कई खिलाड़ी, कोच और अधिकारी शामिल थे जो मालदीव से चार्टर्ड फ्लाइट से ऑस्ट्रेलिया पहुंचे थे। ऑस्ट्रेलियाई खिलाड़ियों को मालदीव में भी क्वारंटीन में समय गुजारना पड़ा था। वॉर्नर ने घर पहुंचने पर अपने इंस्टाग्राम स्टोरी में एक वीडियो शेयर किया जिसमें उनकी तीन बेटियां डैडी की स्वागत करती हुई नजर आ रही हैं। वॉर्नर ने कैप्शन लिखा, ' घर पहुंचकर अच्छा लगा।' वीडियो में वॉर्नर छोटी बेटी को गोद में उठाकर प्यार करते हुए नजर आए। पेसर जेसन बेहरेनडोर्फ ने एबीसी से कहा, ' क्वारंटीन के बाद ताजी हवा शानदार थी।' ऑस्ट्रेलिया का 38 सदस्यीय दल आईपीएल 2021 का हिस्सा था जिसमें खिलाड़ी, कोचिंग स्टाफ आदि शामिल थे। आईपीएल 2021 को 4 मई को सस्पेंड कर दिया गया था कड़े बायो बबल में कोरोना की सेंधमारी के बाद आईपीएल 2021 को 4 मई को निलंबित कर दिया गया था। इसके बाद ऑस्ट्रेलियाई दल को 10 दिन के लिए मालदीव में क्वारंटीन रहना पड़ा था क्योंकि ऑस्ट्रेलियाई सरकार ने 15 मई तक भारत से सभी उड़ानों को निलंबित कर दिया था। आईपीएल 14 के दूसरे चरण का आयोजन यूएई में बीसीसीआई (BCCI) ने हाल में घोषणा की है कि आईपीएल 2021 के बचे मुकाबले यूएई (IPL 2021 In UAE) में खेले जाएंगे। सितंबर अक्टूबर में इसके आयोजन की उम्मीद है। पहले चरण में 29 मुकाबले खेले गए थे। अभी 31 मुकाबले खेले जाने बाकी हैं।

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IPL 2021: RCB's Kyle Jamieson recalls 'interesting' experience of leaving tournament abruptly

London: New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson says leaving the IPL amid the raging pandemic in India was an "interesting" experience but he remained confident that the "good people" around him would ensure a safe passage to England for his first UK tour.

Jamieson, along with New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, chose to fly to Maldives from Delhi before they were to take a flight to the UK as they felt unsafe in India's national capital, then the hotspot of COVID-19 in the country.

"It was an interesting one. It is not something that you could plan for. We were sort of informed right through. We had some pretty good people around us, the BCCI and IPL teams," said Jamieson in a media interaction on Sunday.

The lanky pacer plays for RCB in the IPL. The tournament was suspended after multiple cases of COVID-19 were found in its bio-bubble.

"We just had to do the right thing by ourselves. Obviously the situation in India was pretty dire and we were mindful of that what is going outside our bubble. Once it (the virus) got inside it was the right decision to postpone it.

"We just had to keep trusting in those people and control we can control and we had some pretty good people around us to help us get to England."

Jamieson is excited about his maiden UK tour which begins with the first Test against England at Lord's before culminating with the World Test Championship final against India, which is scheduled to be held from 18-22 June.

Asked if it is hard not to have one eye on the  WTC final before the two Tests against England, Jamieson said: "Not really at all. If you look too far ahead you can get caught in the bounce a little but.

"It is my first trip to England. I am playing cricket for first time at Lord's. If I get distracted by something in two three weeks time then I would end up not being in great shape.

"I am just trying to be as mindful as I can around this Test and enjoy. Who knows if it ever happens again for me. So just focusing on this Test and Edgbaston and then the final (against India). It is not going to go away or come any closer so I will take care of this one first."

The IPL will resume in September in the UAE. Asked if he would be available for that, Jamieson added: "To be fair I have no idea really. That news came out couple of days ago, we have not had any conversation about it. Our mind is on the Test gainst England and the final against India. Don't want to look too far ahead."

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Euro 2020: Gareth Bale says he 'would love to replicate' 2016 display as Wales announce squad

London: Robert Page's Wales confirmed their 26-man squad for the European Championships, which begin on 11 June.

Captain Gareth Bale said they "would love to replicate" the side from four years ago, which reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016 in France.

Wales have been drawn in Group A along with Italy, Slovakia, and Switzerland.

They begin their group campaign against Switzerland in Baku, Azerbaijan on 12 June, before they take on Slovakia at the same venue four days later.

Wales then face a daunting trip to the Stadio Olimpico in Rome to face Roberto Mancini's Italy on 20 June.

Uncapped Cardiff City youngster Rubin Colwill is the surprise inclusion in Wales' squad for Euro 2020.

Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey (Crystal Palace), Danny Ward (Leicester City), Adam Davies (Stoke City).

Defenders: Chris Gunter (Charlton Athletic), Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Connor Roberts (Swansea City), Ethan Ampadu (Chelsea), Chris Mepham (AFC Bournemouth), Joe Rodon (Tottenham Hotspur), James Lawrence (St Pauli), Neco Williams (Liverpool), Rhys Norrington-Davies (Sheffield United), Ben Cabango (Swansea City).

Midfielders: Aaron Ramsey (Juventus), Joe Allen (Stoke City), Jonny Williams (Cardiff City, Harry Wilson (Liverpool), Daniel James (Manchester United), David Brooks (AFC Bournemouth), Joe Morrell (Luton Town), Matt Smith (Manchester City), Dylan Levitt (Manchester United), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City).

Forwards: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Kieffer Moore (Cardiff City), Tyler Roberts (Leeds United). (AP)

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NBA: Suns beat Lakers to tie series; Nets rout Celtics, Boston fan arrested for throwing bottle

Los Angeles: Chris Paul had 18 points and nine assists, Devin Booker and Jae Crowder added 17 points apiece and the Phoenix Suns beat the Los Angeles Lakers 100-92 on Sunday in Game 4 to even the first-round series.

Deandre Ayton had 14 points and 17 rebounds, and the second-seeded Suns took advantage of Anthony Davis' absence from the second half with a groin injury to reclaim home-court advantage after two straight losses.

LeBron James had 25 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers. Before a last-minute surge, Los Angeles struggled in the absence of starters Davis and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who injured his knee in Game 3.

Game 5 is Tuesday night in Phoenix.

Davis scored six points on 2-for-9 shooting in the first half, then didn't return after halftime. The superstar big man scored 34 points in each of the Lakers' two victories in the series, but he hyperextended his leg in Game 3 and appeared to aggravate his accumulated injury woes in the second quarter of Game 4, falling awkwardly and grabbing his leg after a layup attempt defended by Crowder.

CLIPPERS 106, MAVERICKS 81

Dallas: Kawhi Leonard had 29 points and 10 rebounds, Paul George scored 20 points and Los Angeles manhandled Dallas in Game 4 to tie the series.

Reggie Jackson added 15 points, and the Clippers are headed home for Game 5 on Wednesday night much more sure of themselves than when they left LA in a two-game hole.

Luka Doncic started slowly after being listed as questionable because of cervical strain, the diagnosis for the Dallas sensation after he said following Game 3 that he felt pain in his neck and down his left arm.

Playing with medical strips on his left shoulder, and wearing a large pad in that area when he wasn't playing, Doncic scored 19 points after averaging 38 in the first three games. He was 9 of 24 with series lows in rebounds and assists with six apiece.

NETS 141, CELTICS 126

Boston: Kyrie Irving Irving had 39 points and 11 rebounds to quiet the first post-pandemic full house at the TD Garden, Kevin Durant scored 42 points and Brooklyn beat Boston to take a 3-1 series lead.

Afterward, as Irving walked off the court he was nearly hit by a bottle thrown from the stands. Irving and Nets guard Tyler Johnson turned to the stands and pointed; police surrounded a man in a Kevin Garnett jersey before leading him out in handcuffs. A spokeswoman for the TD Garden said Boston Police arrested one person Sunday night "for throwing an object" and that the fans was "subject to a lifetime ban from TD Garden."

James Harden added 23 points and a career postseason-high 18 assists for Brooklyn. Game 5 is in New York on Tuesday night, when the Nets will try to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time since 2014.

Jayson Tatum scored 40 points for the Celtics, following up his 50-point effort in a Game 3 victory. But with Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker out with injuries, Tatum couldn't save the season on his own.

HAWKS 113, KNICKS 96

Atlanta: Trae Young scored 27 points, John Collins added 22 despite a smack to the lip and Atlanta frustrated Julius Randle and New York once again, pulling away in the second half for a 3-1 series lead.

The Hawks will look to wrap up their first playoff series victory since 2016 when they travel to Madison Square Garden for Game 5 on Wednesday night.

Randle was serenaded again by chants of "Overrated! Overrated! Overrated!" every time he put one up. The roars were deafening after a sequence in the third when Randle missed on a drive and had a put-back rim out before the Knicks knocked the ball out of bounds.

Randle's frustration boiled over less than a minute later when he slammed Collins to the court on another drive. Nothing was called initially, but Randle was assessed an offensive foul after a video review prompted by a challenge from Hawks coach Nate McMillan.

Randle did have his highest-scoring game of the series with 23 points, but he was just 7 of 19 from the field.

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Nick Hockley appointed as CEO of Cricket Australia on permanent basis

Melbourne: Cricket Australia on Monday appointed Nick Hockley as its new chief executive officer almost a year after he was recruited on an interim basis, during which he oversaw the conduct of the high-profile tour by India amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Besides the India tour of Australia, he was also in charge of successfully delivering the domestic competitions in a complex situation brought about by the global health crisis, which badly affected CA's original cricket calendar.

CA said Hockley has served with distinction as its interim CEO since his appointment last June after the departure of Kevin Roberts.

Wiser after his experience as the cricket body's acting CEO, Hockley is hoping to build on the momentum.

"I am under no illusion about the importance of cricket to the lives of so many Australians, nor the magnitude and responsibility of this role," Hockley said in a release issued by CA.

"Leading Cricket Australia is the greatest privilege of my working life and I am committed to doing all I can to making a positive contribution to the game and the community."

Raised in Birmingham, Hockley held senior positions in the organising committee of the ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia in 2015 and 2012 London Olympics and Paralympic Games.

"Over the past 12 months, I have learnt first-hand about the breadth, scale and importance of the role. My approach has been and will continue to be to bring people across the game together, as I believe this is fundamental to achieving our full potential.

"I look forward to building on this momentum and playing my role in deepening those relationships further, as well as playing a leading role in growing the game internationally alongside fellow ICC members."

Hockey was born in the UK and represented England in rugby at student level before relocating to Australia between 2002 and 2005 to pursue a career in corporate finance.

"The change and complexity brought about by Covid-19 has created lots of challenges, but also plenty of opportunities," Hockley said.

"By working together with our partners across the game, I feel confident and optimistic about cricket's ability to rise to the challenges of the modern world and thrive."

CA chairman Earl Eddings congratulated Hockley on his unanimous appointment.

"From delivering the historic T20 Women's World Cup to ensuring a safe and successful 2020-21 season, Nick has already proven himself to be in the very top echelon of sports administrators both in Australia and around the world."

That Hockley was dealing with a host of complex issues was not lost on Eddings.

"...through his leadership, resolve, worth ethic and vision for the game, Australian Cricket emerged stronger than ever. For that, Nick deserves enormous credit," he said.

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सुशील कुमार को लेकर हरिद्वार गई दिल्ली पुलिस, कई राज से हट सकता है पर्दा

नई दिल्ली पहलवान सागर राणा की हत्या में आरोपी ओलिंपियन को दिल्ली पुलिस की क्राइम ब्रांच की टीम हरिद्वार लेकर गई है। आरोप है कि सुशील सागर की हत्या के बाद कथित रूप से यहां भी छुपा था। सोमवार को क्राइम ब्रांच की टीम 23 वर्षीय पहलवान सागर राणा की हत्या के आरोप में गिरफ्तार दो बार के ओलिंपिक पदक विजेता सुशील कुमार को लेकर हरिद्वार पहुंची। खबरों के मुताबिक सुशील कुमार जांच में सहयोग नहीं कर रहा है और उसका मोबाइल भी अभी तक नहीं मिला है। पुलिस को संदेह है कि सुशील का फोन भी हरिद्वार में ही है। सागर की हत्या 4 मई को दिल्ली के छत्रसाल स्टेडियम में हुई थी। इससे पहले इस मामले में कोर्ट ने सुशील कुमार और अजय कुमार सहरावत की पुलिस हिरासत शनिवार को और चार दिन के लिए बढ़ा दी थी। सुशील कुमार और उसके साथियों ने पहलवान सागर धनखड़ और उसके दो मित्रों के साथ दिल्ली के छत्रसाल स्टेडियम में कथित तौर पर मारपीट की थी। सागर ने बाद में दम तोड़ दिया था।

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समंदर किनारे पत्नी और बेटे अगस्त्य के साथ मस्ती करते नजर आए हार्दिक पंड्या, नताशा का दिखा ग्लैमरस अवतार

नई दिल्ली भारतीय क्रिकेट टीम के ऑलराउंडर हार्दिक पंड्या (Hardik Pandya) आईपीएल 2021 सस्पेंड होने के बाद इस समय अपनी फैमिली के साथ क्वालिटी टाइम बिता रहे हैं। हार्दिक और उनकी पत्नी नताशा स्टेनकोविक (Natasa Stankovic) सोशल मीडिया पर काफी ऐक्टिव रहते हैं। नताशा ने रविवार को अपने इंस्टाग्राम पर हार्दिक और बेटे अगस्त्य के साथ दो फोटो शेयर की। समंदर के किनारे कि इस फोटो में हार्दिक और नताशा हाथ में हाथ डाले नजर आ रहे हैं। नताशा ने बेटे को एक हाथ से गोद में पकड़ा हुआ है। पिछले लॉकडाउन में शादी के बंधन में बंधा ये कपल बीच पर इंज्वॉय करते हुए दिखाई दे रहा है। नताशा दोनों तस्वीरों में नंगे पैर हैं जबकि हार्दिक ने प्लोरल प्रिंटेड शॉर्टस के साथ स्लीवलेस टी-शर्ट और काले रंग के स्लिपर्स पहने हुए हैं। इस सयम हार्दिक और नताशा ज्यादा से ज्यादा बेटे के साथ टाइम स्पेंड कर रहे हैं। हार्दिक ने कॉमेंट बॉक्स में लाल रंग के दो हार्ट वाला इमोजी पोस्ट कर अपनी खुशी जाहिर की है। नताशा ने फोटो के कैप्शन में अर्थ और लाल रंग के हार्ट वाला इमोजी पोस्ट किया है। हार्दिक ने हाल में अगस्त्य के साथ एक फोटो शेयर की थी जिसमें वह बेटे को अपने पेट पर बैठा रखा था और अगस्त्य बच्चों की किताब की ओर देख रहे थे। सप्ताह की शुरुआत में नताशा ने अगस्त्य के साथ वीडियो शेयर किया था जिसमें मां बेटे गले मिल रहे थे। नताशा ने कैप्शन लिखा था, ' मेरा फेवरेट हग (गले मिलना) ।' कोरोनावायरस के कारण आईपीएल 2021 टलने के बाद हार्दिक को बेटे और पत्नी के साथ समय बिताने का मौका मिल गया। हार्दिक को इंग्लैंड दौरे के लिए टीम इंडिया में जगह नहीं मिली है। अगस्तय का जन्म पिछले साल 30 जुलाई को हुआ था।

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Tokyo Olympics 2020 Latest Updates: As 'Games like no other' appear on horizon, a daily look at noteworthy developments

10:16 (IST)

Fans need to be vaccinated or provide COVID-19 negative test to enter venues, says report

Tokyo Olympics fans may have to be vaccinated or test negative for the coronavirus before being allowed into venues, a Japanese newspaper report said on Monday.

Cheering, eating, high-fives and drinking alcohol would also be banned under controls now being considered, the Yomiuri Shimbun daily said, citing unnamed government officials.

Organisers are set to decide in June how many spectators— if any— will be allowed to attend the pandemic-postponed Games.

Overseas fans are already barred, and the report warned domestic spectators may be denied entrance or kicked out for breaking the rules.

"The plan is to stop the spread of infections during Games time with strict countermeasures," the paper said.

Click here to read more on the development

16:47 (IST)

Japanese physician warns of 'dangerous' implications if Games are held amid coronavirus

A physician representing a Japanese medical body warned on Thursday that holding the postponed Tokyo Olympics in two months could lead to the spread of variants of the coronavirus .

Dr Naoto Ueyama, chairman of the Japan Doctors Union, said the International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government had underestimated the risks of bringing 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes into the country, joined by tens of thousands of officials, judges, media and broadcasters from more than 200 countries and territories.

“Since the emergence of COVID-19 , there has not been such a dangerous gathering of people coming together in one place from so many different places around the world,” he said, speaking in Tokyo at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan. “It’s very difficult to predict what this could lead to," he added. 

Click here to read more on that

10:52 (IST)

US CDC, State department warn against travel to Japan

US health officials and the State Department warned Americans against travel to Japan because of a surge in coronavirus cases in the country. "Because of the current situation in Japan even fully vaccinated travellers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants and should avoid all travel to Japan," the CDC have said. The twin alerts don't ban US citizens from visiting the country, but they could have an impact on insurance rates for travellers and may factor into decisions by Olympic athletes and spectators on whether to compete in or attend the games.

More: US authorities warn against travel to Japan

12:06 (IST)

Games-bound athletes among 148 to receive first dose of COVID-19 vaccine

As many as 148 athletes across all sports, including those who have qualified for the upcoming Tokyo Games, have already received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccination, according to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

Out of these 148 athletes, 17 have got both the doses and 131 have received their first shot, IOA president Narinder Batra said.

These 148 include potential athletes who can make it to the Tokyo Olympics which open on 23 July.

Besides this, 13 Tokyo Paralympic-bound athletes have got their first vaccine shot while two have received both doses. The Tokyo Paralympics opens on 24 August.

Click here to read the full story 

 

22:28 (IST)

Games will go ahead ‘whether there’s a state of emergency or not’: IOC's John Coates

The IOC vice president in charge of the postponed Tokyo Olympics said Friday the games would open in just over two months even if the city and other parts of Japan were under a state of emergency because of rising COVID-19 cases.

John Coates, speaking from Australia in a virtual news conference with Tokyo organisers at the end of three days of meetings, said this would be the case even if local medical experts advised against holding the Olympics.

Click here to read the full story

11:18 (IST)

Tokyo Medical body urges Summer Games organisers to cancel event

In one of the strongest statements so far, the 6,000-member Tokyo Medical Practitioners’ Association called for the Olympics 2020 to be canceled in a letter sent last week to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, and Seiko Hashimoto, the head of the organizing committee.

Read more on the letter

13:59 (IST)

State of emergency to grow

With 10 weeks left to Tokyo Olympics, three more regions in Japan will go into a state of emergency to combat COVID-19 cases. Meanwhile, the petition calling for Games to be scrapped has now reached 350,000 signatures. Kenji Utsunomiya, a former candidate for Tokyo governor, submitted the petition to city authorities, IOC and IOC.

Read more on the latest development

10:18 (IST)

USA track and field team scraps pre-Games camp over coronavirus concerns

The US track and field team have scrapped plans for pre-Olympic training in Japan over concerns about safety during the pandemic, Japanese officials said.

US athletes were supposed to train in Chiba, outside Tokyo, before the pandemic-postponed Games open on 23 July.

But the Chiba regional authority said in a statement the team cancelled "because of concerns over athlete safety as the coronavirus pandemic continues around the world with no prospects of winding down".

"Although the cancellation is extremely regrettable, we think it is the best decision... given the current situation," the region said.

Click here to read the detailed story

16:16 (IST)

IOC president Thomas Bach cancels Japan visit

IOC president Thomas Bach has canceled a trip to Japan because of surging cases of COVID-19 in the country, the Tokyo Olympic organising committee said Monday in a statement. Bach was to visit Hiroshima next Monday and meet the torch relay and then probably travel to Tokyo.

Organising committee president Seiko Hashimoto said last week that the trip would be “tough” for Bach to make, which was interpreted in Japan as meaning it was canceled.

Click here to read the full story

19:06 (IST)

Pfizer, BioNTech to donate vaccines for athletes and officials, confirms IOC

Vaccine developers Pfizer and BioNTech will donate doses to inoculate athletes and officials preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, the IOC said Thursday. Delivery of doses is set to begin this month to give Olympic delegations time to be fully vaccinated with a second shot before arriving in Tokyo for the games, which open on 23 July.

It’s the second major vaccination deal for the International Olympic Committee (IOC). An agreement was announced in March between the IOC and Olympic officials in China to buy and distribute Chinese vaccines ahead of the Tokyo Games and next year's Beijing Winter Games.

Click here to read the full story

13:44 (IST)

Anti-Olympic petition gains tens of thousands of signatures

An online petition calling for the Tokyo Olympics to be canceled has gained ten of thousands of signatures since being launched in Japan just days ago.

The rollout of the petition comes with Tokyo, Osaka and several other areas under a state of emergency with coronavirus infections rising — particularly new variants. The state of emergency is to expire on 11 May, but some reports in Japan say it is likely to be extended.

The postponed Olympic are to open in just under three months on 23 July.

Although 70 to 80 per cent of Japanese citizens in polls say they want the Olympics canceled or postponed, there is no indication this will happen. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Tokyo organizing committee President Seiko Hashimoto, and International Olympic President Thomas Bach have repeatedly said the games will go on as scheduled.

Click here to read more about this news

15:39 (IST)

Olympics might have no fans: Games chief

In a big development, Tokyo 2020 chief has said the games might have to go ahead without fans in order to protect the athletes and the general population. "There might be a situation where we can't allow any spectators to attend," Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto conceded in an interview. "The only way that we can call the Games a success is if we completely protect the lives and health of athletes and the people of Japan."

More: Games could be held without fans, says Games chief Seiko Hashimoto

16:48 (IST)

Three months before they host the Olympics - the biggest international event since the pandemic began - Japan have fully vaccinated less than one percent of their population in a cautious, slow-moving programme.

Olympic organisers and local officials stress vaccines are not a prerequisite for the Games. Participants will not have to be inoculated before arrival and there are no plans to prioritise vaccination of Japanese athletes or volunteers.

But the slow rollout in the world's third-largest economy, which experts say is driven by a mixture of caution and entrenched bureaucratic hurdles, is starting to weigh on public opinion.

The government has emphasised caution to build trust in the vaccine, said Takakazu Yamagishi, director of the Center for International Affairs at Nanzan University, who researches health policy.

Read more:  Less than one percent of Japanese population vaccinated with Games under 100 days away

16:25 (IST)

Brazil, Germany in same group in football

Reigning champions Brazil were on Wednesday drawn with 2016 runners-up Germany, the Ivory Coast and Saudi Arabia in the Tokyo Olympics men's football group stages.

The draw was conducted on Wednesday for the event that gets underway on 22 July, a day before the opening ceremony.

Read: Holders Brazil to face Germany in football group stages

13:49 (IST)

Decision over fans attendance to be delayed till June

Japanese media reports that the decision over how many fans can attend Tokyo Olympics will be taken in June, possibly just a month before the Games open on July 23. The move would further delay ticket sales, which were put on hold when the Olympics were postponed last year.

The organising committee said the timing of the decision needed to stay "flexible" as the coronavirus situation develops.

Organisers have already barred overseas fans from the pandemic-delayed Games, and were first expected to announce an upper limit on domestic spectators sometime in April.

Read: Tokyo Olympics 2020 organisers to delay fans attendance decision till June

13:08 (IST)

100 days to go: What happened the last time Tokyo hosted the Olympics?

The 1964 summer Olympic Games were Japan's great return to the world stage after defeat and destruction two decades earlier in World War II. The first ever Games in Asia were also a chance to trumpet the rebuilding of post-war Tokyo and the country's emergence as a high-tech giant with the infrastructure to match.

Read:  How the first Tokyo Olympics, in 1964, changed the face of Japan

13:05 (IST)

100 days to go: Which are the venues to be used in Tokyo?

From a state-of-the-art aquatics centre to a historic martial arts arena whose roof resembles Mount Fuji, Japan's Olympic sites are ready for action after a year's coronavirus delay.

With 100 days until the opening ceremony, take a tour of the key venues

13:03 (IST)

100 days to go: What has happened since the Games were awarded to Tokyo?

The Tokyo Olympics are now exactly 100 days to go. What started as reason to celebrate, collective joy in Tokyo when the Games were awarded to sexism scandal, postponement for the first-time ever and ban on overseas fans. Amidst all this, people's joy has paved way for concern.

READ: A timeline of events for a turbulent, pandemic-postponed Games

12:27 (IST)

Any update on the test events?

The Diving World Cup, which serves as an Olympic qualifier and test event, will be held in Tokyo around two weeks later than planned, organisers have said. It had been scheduled for 18-23 April but will now be held on 1-6 May, Tokyo 2020 organisers and International Swimming Federation (FINA) said. But the Olympic marathon swim qualifier, originally planned for next month in Japan's Fukuoka, will be moved to Setubal in Portugal.

Read more: Diving World Cup to be held in Tokyo in May, confirm organisers

18:00 (IST)

How's the torch relay going?

The Olympic torch relay will be barred from public roads across Japan's Osaka region, the governor said Wednesday, after a spike in virus cases there prompted officials to declare a medical emergency. A decision to keep the flame away from public view had already been taken for Osaka city, but Wednesday's announcement extends the measure to the entire prefecture.

Read more: Torch relay barred from public roads across Japan's Osaka

14:16 (IST)

What is the status of test events?

A water polo test event has been reportedly cancelled because sport officials cannot enter Japan due to coronavirus restrictions. The restrictions mean time-keepers and record-keepers who were due to travel to Japan cannot take part in the event. Although local media said it may be rescheduled to a later date.

Read more: Water polo test event cancelled over coronavirus restrictions, says report

13:06 (IST)

Will North Korea be present at the Olympics?

No. North Korea will not attend this year's Tokyo Olympics because of the coronavirus pandemic, Pyongyang's sports ministry said. The two countries have a strained relationship marked by tension and hostility. But Pyongyang's announcement puts an end to Seoul's hopes of using the Games to kick off a reset in the now deadlocked talks process.

Read more: North Korea won't participate in Games over COVID-19 fears, says country's sports ministry

18:06 (IST)

Diving World Cup moved out of Tokyo

FINA is moving its Diving World Cup, which was to serve as an Olympic test event later this month, from Tokyo. The global body said it had not yet decided where the competition, which is also an Olympic qualifying event, would be held.

The Diving World Cup was originally scheduled to take place in April 2020 but had been postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, as had the Olympics.

Full story: FINA moves Diving World Cup out of Tokyo, undecided on new hosts of Olympic qualifying event

16:24 (IST)

No torch relay on Osaka’s public roads

The Olympic torch relay will not be run on public roads in Osaka city given rising virus cases, the Japanese region's governor said Friday, but a cancellation has not yet been decided. His comments came a day after he and the city's mayor called for the torch relay leg to be cancelled given a recent spike in COVID-19 infections in the region.

Read more: No torch relay on Osaka’s public roads, says prefecture governor

09:46 (IST)

Will overseas fans get ticket refunds?

Partially, yes. And it is going to be a lot of wait it appears. Tickets bought through brokers, called Authorised Ticket Resellers, will only see refunds to the tune of the face value and shipping costs. Any additional charges will not be refunded. Additionally, one has to apply in advance, on very short notice, by 9 April, to get their refunds in the future.

Read more: Overseas ticket holders may get only partial refunds

14:28 (IST)

Olympic torch relay kicks off amid COVID-19 pandemic

The torch relay for the postponed Tokyo Olympics began its 121-day journey across Japan on Thursday (25 July) and is headed toward the opening ceremony in Tokyo on 23 July.

The relay began in northeastern Fukushima prefecture, the area that was devastated by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and the meltdown of three nuclear reactors. About 18,000 died in the tragedy,

The first runner with the torch was Azusa Iwashimizu, a key player in the Japan team that won the Women’s World Cup in 2011.

The ceremony was closed to the public because of the fear of spreading COVID-19 but was streamed live.

Read more: 121-day torch relay kicks off countdown to delayed Olympics

11:54 (IST)

Is the torch relay a big deal?

Normally? No. But these are different times. These are COVID-19 times. The relay will highlight how ready or not ready Tokyo is to host the Olympics in four months time. Social distancing, mask-wearing and limited crowds are the rules in place. It is a big deal for the organisers and IOC in order to change public opinion on the Olympics.

Read more: Torch relay not just a sideshow in time of COVID-19

13:46 (IST)

Japan spend billions on technology for absent overseas fans

Japan’s top telecommunications company is getting 7.3 billion yen — about $67 million — in taxpayer money to design mobile tracking software to curb the spread of coronavirus infections during the Tokyo Olympics. There's one catch: Few Olympic fans from abroad will be around to use it.

Click here to read the full story

10:34 (IST)

Chief of ceremonies quits over derogatory comments on female comedian

The creative director for Tokyo's Olympic ceremonies will resign after making derogatory comments about a female Japanese comedian, in the latest headache for organisers of the virus-delayed Games.

Hiroshi Sasaki announced his decision after a report late Wednesday revealed he had proposed that popular plus-size entertainer Naomi Watanabe appear at the opening ceremony as a pig.

Click here to read the full story

19:35 (IST)

M Sreesankar qualifies for Games after bettering own national record

Long jumper Murli Sreeshankar on Tuesday qualified for the Tokyo Olympics by bettering his own national record with a leap of 8.26m on the second day of the Federation Cup Senior National Athletics Championships in Patiala.

The Olympic qualification mark in men's long jump event is 8.22m. The 21-year-old Kerala athlete's 8.26m jump came in his fifth attempt as he improved his earlier national record of 8.20m which he had registered in 2018.

Full story: Long jumper Murli Sreeshankar qualifies for Tokyo Olympics with 8.26m leap

15:04 (IST)

Will there be spectators for the torch relay?

No. Organisers announced there will be no spectators to follow along the route to the Tokyo Olympics torch relay. The heavily sponsored relay, however, will be available to stream. "The Grand Start ceremony and the first section of the Fukushima Torch Relay... will not be open to the public, but it will be broadcast live via a Tokyo 2020 official channel," Tokyo 2020 said in a statement.

READ MORE:  Spectators barred from torch relay start, confirm organisers

19:33 (IST)

Memorable milestone for India as CA Bhavani Devi becomes first-ever Indian fencer to qualify for Olympics

Tamil Nadu's CA Bhavani Devi has become the first-ever Indian fencer to qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games. The sabre fencer secured a spot in the World Cup in Hungary after the hosts lost in the quarter-finals of the team event, allowing South Korea to progress to the semi-final.

Bhavani Devi qualifies through the Adjusted Official Ranking (AOR) Method. Two individual spots were up for grabs for the Asia and Oceania region based on the World Rankings as of 5 April, 2021. She is ranked 45th and occupies one of the two available slots based on the ranking.

The 27-year-old's qualification will be confirmed when the rankings are made official on the aforementioned date.

READ MORE: Bhavani Devi becomes first-ever Indian fencer to qualify for an Olympics

10:30 (IST)

Will athletes jump the queue in vaccination bid?

A question that wasn't posed to IOC president Thomas Bach by his peers as he announced that vaccinations will be made available to athletes for the Tokyo Olympics/Paralympics & Beijing Winter Games next year. Chinese Olympic Committee have offered to vaccinate the thousands of athletes that would be making the trip to Japan and China. IOC have offered to foot the bill for this process not just in Japan and China but also in athletes' home country. Now that's a shot in the arm for the Olympics - excuse the pun.

READ MORE: Summer Games get IOC-funded Chinese coronavirus jab offer

00:21 (IST)

LeBron James among 57 NBA players in USA basketball Olympics squad

Two-time Olympic champions LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul were among 57 NBA players named on Thursday by USA Basketball as finalists for the Tokyo Olympic men's basketball squad. The list added 15 players to a group of 42 finalists named in February 2020 who have confirmed interest in trying to bring the Americans a fourth consecutive gold medal and 16th overall next August in Japan.

A final 12-man Olympic roster will be announced later this year.

James, who helped the Los Angeles Lakers win last year's NBA crown, and Paul, with the Phoenix Suns, helped spark the USA to Olympic gold in 2008 at Beijing and 2012 in London.

James, who was also on the US 2004 bronze medal squad, could match Carmelo Anthony as the only four-time US men's basketball Olympians.

READ MORE: LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul among 57 NBA players named in USA basketball squad

19:36 (IST)

Any stumble at the Olympic torch relay could sow more doubts about the risk of holding the Olympics in a pandemic. So why are Tokyo 2020 organisers taking this risk?

Tokyo 2020 organisers and the IOC are going ahead with the torch relay because of the large sponsorship deals with Coca-Cola and Toyota. There was talk of doing away with the relay, but that was quickly nixed. The Olympic relay dates back to the 1936 Berlin Games.

Organisers hope this time it will drive enthusiasm for the Olympics. Surveys show about 80% of the Japanese public say the games should be postponed or canceled.

The success of the relay is so important that Toshiro Muto, CEO of the Tokyo organising committee, has been put in charge. Any slip, of course, would raise more questions about risks around the Olympics.

READ MORE: Tokyo Olympics 2020 torch relay among final hurdles for postponed games

10:28 (IST)

Will international spectators be allowed at the Olympics?

It looks increasingly unlikely that foreign spectators will be allowed at the Tokyo Olympics. Local media quoted government officials as saying that the Summer Games would go ahead but without the influx of international visitors - a step that will impact the Games' and Japan's economic projections. A formal announcement on this regard could be made next week.

READ MORE: Japan to keep foreign spectators away from Summer Games, reports local media

02:45 (IST)

Torch relay for Tokyo Olympics 2020 likely to be held without fans, says report

The starting ceremony for this month's Olympic torch relay will likely be held without spectators, a Japanese newspaper reported Tuesday, but fans will still be able to line the route.

The Yomiuri Shimbun daily reported that organisers fear crowding at the 25 March event in Fukushima, and will probably bar the 3,000 spectators initially planned.

Tokyo 2020 organisers did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report, which cited an unnamed source.

READ MORE: Tokyo Olympics 2020: Torch relay likely to be held without fans, says report

15:53 (IST)

Over three-quarters of Japanese don't want foreign fans at Tokyo Games, says survey

More than 75 percent of Japanese oppose overseas fans attending the Tokyo Olympics, a poll showed Monday, as organisers prepare to make a decision on foreign spectators.

The poll, by the Yomiuri Shimbun daily, found that only 18 percent of people who responded were in favour of foreign spectators being allowed into Japan for the coronavirus -delayed Games, with 77 percent against.

Games organisers said last week that they plan to rule on the matter this month, likely before the nationwide torch relay begins on 25 March.

But Japanese media say Games chiefs have already decided to bar foreign fans.

READ MORE: Most Japanese people don't want foreign spectators to be allowed in Tokyo for the Olympics

00:58 (IST)

Japan extended the coronavirus emergency for two more weeks for Tokyo area. What does that mean?

Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced on Friday that his government is extending a state of emergency in the Tokyo region for another two weeks because its medical systems are still strained by COVID-19 patients. 

The state of emergency, which is a non-binding request, centers around asking restaurants, bars and other businesses to voluntarily close at 8 pm. Japan has never had a mandatory lockdown, but has managed to keep infections relatively low with social distancing and such voluntary measures.

Suga declared a monthlong emergency on 7 January for Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba that was later extended through 7 March. An emergency that applied to other urban prefectures was lifted last week, underscoring the government’s eagerness to allow businesses to return to normal as soon as possible.

Suga sought understanding for a two-week extension he said will be the last.

READ MORE: Japan extends coronavirus emergency for two more weeks for Tokyo area

00:24 (IST)

Will Japan allow foreign fans at Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics?

Tokyo Olympics organisers will decide this month whether to allow overseas fans, the Games president said on Wednesday, while the number of spectators allowed in venues will be set by April.

Tokyo 2020 chief Seiko Hashimoto told reporters that the safety of Japanese citizens "is the priority", after holding talks with top officials from the International Olympic and Paralympic Committees, the Japanese government and the Tokyo metropolitan government.

The meeting came as a local media report claimed Japanese authorities are planning to hold the Games without overseas fans, although Hashimoto said a decision would come later this month, ideally before the delayed torch relay begins on 25 March.

"We really need to think long and hard about mutant strains of the virus," she said.

READ MORE: Decision on foreign fans at Games to be made this month, say Tokyo 2020 organisers

18:07 (IST)

12 women appointed into Tokyo 2020 executive board

The Tokyo Olympics made a symbolic gesture toward gender equality on Tuesday by appointing 12 women to the body’s executive board. The board will now have 19 women among its 45 members, or 42 percent.

To accommodate the new women, the size of the board was increased from 35 to 45. Several resignations on Tuesday also created more space.

Read more: Tokyo Olympics 2020: Games moves towards gender equality, appoints 12 women into executive board

16:42 (IST)

USA begin men's basketball campaign against France

Chasing a fourth straight gold medal and 16th overall, the USA men's basketball team begin their Tokyo 2020 campaign against France at the Saitama Stadium — north of the Japanese capital — on 25 July, three days after the conclusion of the NBA Finals.

The American women's team, on the other hand, begin their quest for a seventh consecutive gold, and ninth overall, against Nigeria on 27 July. The women's competition is slated to start a day earlier with South Korea taking on Spain.

Read more: Tokyo Olympics 2020: USA to begin quest for fourth straight men’s basketball gold against France

13:10 (IST)

Will foreign spectators be allowed?

IOC chief Thomas Bach expects a decision only by May. "The ticketing programme has to be organised, the logistics have to be taken into consideration," said Bach. "It's about immigration rules and so on, so I would say, maybe April, early May, we would have to take this decision."

Meanwhile, IOC sports director Christophe Dubi said there may be two separate decisions over the attendance of foreign fans and Japanese supporters.

Read more

10:38 (IST)

Is Olympic torch relay happening?

Yes, it is. 

Despite persistent concerns about the safety of holding the Games this summer, organisers say the massive event can go ahead and the torch relay will kick off as planned on 25 March.

Spectators will be allowed to line the route when the Olympic flame begins its delayed relay across Japan next month, organisers said on 25 February, but cheering will be strictly banned.

The torch relay was scrapped just days before it was due to kick off last year when Japanese and Olympic officials took the unprecedented decision to postpone Tokyo 2020 over the coronavirus pandemic.

READ MORE: Fans allowed to attend torch relay with masks, social distancing, and no cheering

03:20 (IST)

Will Indian athletes be vaccinated before they fly out for Tokyo?

Yes! India's sports minister Kiren Rijuju has said earlier this month that all Indian athletes who will compete at Tokyo 2020 will be vaccinated before leaving the country. 

On the same day, sports secretary Ravi Mittal said that athletes headed to Tokyo will receive vaccination before the Games. “They will all be vaccinated before they go for the Olympics, whoever goes. We will also take into account the time between two doses and everything else,” said Mittal.

The Indian Olympic Association has also written to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, requesting him to consider vaccinating the Tokyo Olympics-bound athletes on a priority basis to give them sufficient time before leaving for the Games.

READ MORE: With or without COVID-19 vaccine, India’s top athletes ready for Games

02:46 (IST)

Will athletes travelling to Tokyo for the Olympics/Paralympics be required to be vaccinated?

No! IOC President Thomas Bach has said that it will not be mandatory for athletes travelling to Tokyo for the Games to be vaccinated. In fact, none of the scenarios the IOC and Tokyo 2020 organisers have considered in planning for the deferred Games involve vaccines being widely available. 

Bach has also spoken out against athletes jumping to the head of the queue for vaccines. He has said that IOC was of the opinion that the first priority for vaccines should be doctors and medical professionals, high-risk groups, ‘people in need’, and those ‘keeping our societies alive’. 

READ MORE: 'Are elite athletes a priority?': Sports face vaccine dilemma ahead of Tokyo Olympics, Euros

01:35 (IST)

What can athletes expect the new normal to be at the Olympics and Paralympics?

No socialising, no handshakes and definitely no hugs — that's what athletes at the coronavirus -postponed Tokyo Olympics can expect this summer, according to a virus rulebook released on Tuesday by organisers.

The 33-page document — the last in a series of "playbooks" drawn up in a bid to ensure the Games can go ahead safely — also warns athletes they could be kicked out of their events if they break strict anti-virus rules, as per a report by Agence France-Presse.

Under the guidelines, athletes will be tested for the virus at least once every four days, and will be barred from competing if they return a confirmed positive test.

Their time in Japan will be "minimised to reduce the risk of infection," and those staying at the Olympic Village will be expected to "avoid unnecessary forms of physical contact."

READ MORE: Tokyo Olympics 2020: No hugs or high-fives, organisers tell athletes in playbook

01:28 (IST)

Welcome to our liveblog in the build-up to the Tokyo Olympics. 150 days are all that remain before the deferred Tokyo Olympics will begin with a muted Opening Ceremony in the capital of Japan. 

These Olympics promise to be unlike any other. Tokyo 2020 was postponed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Even after several vaccines have arrived on the horizon, the shadow of the virus will loom over the Games. 

This liveblog will help you keep track of the latest development as an unprecedented Games appear on the horizon.

In January this month, US Olympic and Paralympic Committee chief executive officer Sarah Hirshland wrote a letter to Team USA athletes preparing for Tokyo Olympics.

“Our expectation today is that the Games will go forward,” Hirshland wrote. “They will look and feel different than any previous Games, as we will all be asked to continue to make sacrifices and adaptations to protect the health of our community.”

As the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics grow larger on the horizon, adaptation and sacrifice will become the motto for an Olympics and Paralympics like no other.

Deferred by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, which brought all sporting action to a grinding halt for over half a year in 2020, the Olympics will start with a muted Opening Ceremony on 23 July.

With just 58 days left on the clock for the Games, there are as many questions as answers. How frequently will athletes be tested? What happens when an athlete tests positive?

The IOC and Tokyo 2020 organisers have sought to clarify some doubts and allay fears about a cancellation. The IOC and Tokyo 2020 organisers have tried to answer some of these questions, and allay fears of cancellation of the Games, by releasing four ‘Playbooks’ for different stakeholders of the Games. Two more versions of the Playbooks are expected, which will break down in minutiae what athletes, fans, National Olympic Committees and Federations can expect.

As of now, the Playbooks suggest that athletes will be asked to come to Tokyo only five days before their events, and leave within 48 hours of their events ending. Other measures will prohibit athletes from socialising, shaking hands or hugging others. Under the guidelines, athletes will be tested for the virus at least once every four days, and will be barred from competing if they return a confirmed positive test.

Meanwhile, fans, should they be allowed in arenas, will be asked not to cheer loudly, and stay masked at all times when in arenas.

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