Singapore Asian Games Team Squad against Myanmar

Name	Club	Position	DOB
Jasper Chan	Young Lions	GK	7-Nov-1988
Izwan Mahbud	Young Lions	GK	14-Jul-1990
Hidhir Hasbiallah	Gombak United	DF	25-Mar-1989
Shahir Hamzah	Sengkang Punggol	DF	17-Mar-1992
Eddie Affendy Chang	Young Lions	DF	10-May-1990
Madhu Mohana	Young Lions	DF	6-Mar-1991
Afiq Yunos	Young Lions	DF	10-Dec-1990
Safuwan Baharudin	Young Lions	DF	22-Sep-1991
Shahfiq Ghani	NFA U18	MF	17-Mar-1992
Faritz Abdul Hameed	Young Lions	MF	16-Jan-1990
Hafiz Abu Sujad	Young Lions	MF	1-Nov-1990
Izzdin Shafiq	Young Lions	MF	14-Dec-1990
Nazrul Ahmad Nazari	Young Lions	MF	11-Feb-1991
Zulfahmi Arifin	Young Lions	MF	5-Oct-1991
Gabriel Quak	Young Lions	MF	22-Dec-1990
Rizawan Abdullah	Woodlands Wellington	FW	4-Aug-1987
Eugene Luo	Young Lions	FW	20-Jan-1991
Fadhil Noh	Young Lions	FW	4-Mar-1989
Shakir Hamzah	NFA U18	DF	20 Oct 1992
Fazli Ayob	Young Lions	FW	24-Jan-1990
Khairul Nizam	Young Lions	FW	25-Jun-1991
Khalili D'cruz	Young Lions	FW	14-Aug-1991

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No change of heart on Asian Games: Shashank Manohar

It’s not always that the much-maligned Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) takes wrong decisions. There are times when they also take good decisions. However, when a wrong decision is taken, they seldom review it.

BCCI president categorically denied any likelihood of reviewing the decision of not sending a team to Guangzhou Asian Games in China. © AFP

It seems the decision on not sending a team to the Guangzhou Asian Games in November is going to be no exception. After a couple of BCCI officials came up with a ‘no comment’ remark, including the honorary secretary N Srinivasan, the president Shashank Manohar clarified in his signature straight-forward style.

“The issue was discussed in the last working committee meeting where it was decided not to send the team to the Asian Games. All I can say is there is no change in the decision. I’ve nothing more to add,” said Manohar.

Ironically, it was the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), of which India is an integral member, which had lobbied hard and successfully for the inclusion of cricket into the folds of Asian Games.

Earlier, president of the ACC, Ijaz Butt expressed his surprise at India’s decision, “It has come as a surprise for us. To pull out at the eleventh hour without any notice or information is surprising to say the least.” Incidentally, both Pakistan and Sri Lanka have expressed their intent of sending their teams for the Asian Games.

Anil Kumble, who was part of the Indian team that played in the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, had expressed his disappointment to a TV channel by saying, “It is definitely disappointing… As an Indian player, I would definitely like to play in events like Asian Games or Olympics or Commonwealth Games.” Kumble, perhaps, was voicing the sentiments of many Indian cricketers, who would have liked to be a part of the Indian contingent to the Asian Games.

Perhaps, what the Indian board needs to consider is why undo the good work of having sent a team to the Commonwealth Games back in 1998 by not sending one to Guangzhou in China. A second-string team along with the women’s team shouldn’t be a difficult proposition for the board. Why let go two certain medal prospects? In this nation of billion people, where medals are hard to come by, two medals would have surely brought immense joy and the adrenaline rush that go with it.

Mr President, it’s still not late for a review on the decision

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Ahmadinejad Likely to Attend Asian Games

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will likely attend the Asian Games due to be held in China in December, an official announced.

Head of Physical Education Organization Ali Saeedlou said on Wednesday that planning has been made for Ahmadinejad to possibly attend Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. He noted that the president's presence will promote the spirits of the athletes. Some 185 Iranian athletes will compete at Asian Paralympic Games 2010 in Guangzhou, China. This is the first ever edition of the Asian Paralympic Games, designed to highlight the achievements of the disabled community within the Asian sporting world. The event will be inaugurated on December 12 and will continue for eight days

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EADS Defence & Security – Solutions that secure high profile events

Security is essential to ensure the safety of people and the smooth running of any event

• Communication network set up in time for the 2010 G8 summit in Canada
• Communication solutions help secure the World Football Cup in South Africa and the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou

EADS Defence & Security (DS)products and solutions play an important role in several major sports and political events in 2010. The reliable communication systems help those responsible for event security to deliver end-to-end protection for participants, observers and organisers, as well as discreet protection for VIPs.

In 2010, communication products and solutions from EADS Defence & Security (DS) are key players at the G8 summit in Canada, the Soccer World Cup in South Africa and the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, for example.

In 2009, the same products and solutions contributed to the smooth running of the week-long People's Republic of China's 60^th Anniversary as well as the Tour de France bicycle race.

"We are delighted that our communication systems play their part in ensuring security for so many great events this year. These are very high-profile events, and we are confident that the success of our digital trunked network during the Beijing Games in 2008 and during the 60^th Anniversary celebration of the People's Republic of China in 2009 can be repeated in other occasions," said Dirk Borchardt, Head of Security & Communication Solutions at EADS Defence & Security.

Whether it's a major sporting spectacle, a pop concert or a political summit, security is essential to ensure the safety of people and the smooth running of the event. Achieving real security is about more than guns, gates, and guards. It also requires the best possible organisation, and that calls for special communications - more than just radio communications. Data from various sources, such as video cameras, biometric recognition systems, airborne platforms, patrol cars, command vehicles, must be processed, linked, and securely transmitted to control centres.

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Hong Kong Looks to Host 2019/2023 Asian Games

The Hong Kong government has backed the city’s bid to host the 2019 or 2023 Asian Games.

The government is expected to submit a letter of intent to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) by June 30. The city favors a bid for the 2023 Asian Games, according to Xinhua. 

“There are clear advantages in hosting the Asian Games in 2023,” Tsang Tak-sing, Secretary for Home Affairs, told the publication.
“This would give us more time to develop good quality venues that would meet the needs of sports development in Hong Kong and that would also be suitable for hosting Asian Games events.”

U.S. Track & Field Coach Given Lifetime Suspension

A U.S. Track & Field coach has been suspended for life for violating sport anti-doping rules.

An independent American Arbitration Association (AAA) decision suspended Raymond Stewart, a four-time Olympic sprinter, after receiving information from the USADA. Stewart is accused of trafficking and giving a performance-enhancing drug.

“As necessary as appropriate sanctions are in cases of athletes using performance-enhancing substances, it is important that the most stringent penalties be applied when coaches participate in assisting and encouraging athletes to dope,” USADA CEO Travis Tygart said.

Stewart won silver in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics for Jamaica. He went on to coach several sprinters.

Bach Running for Re-Election

Thomas Bach announced he will run for re-election as DOSB president. (ATR)

Thomas Bach will run for re-election as president of the German Olympic Sports Federation (DOSB). 

The IOC vice president made the announcement at a meeting of the DOSB on Monday in Berlin. Elections will take place at the Dec. 4 DOSB General Assembly in Munich. 

Rumours circulated that Bach would not run for the DOSB presidency to allow him to run for IOC president in 2013.

Bach reportedly decided to run for re-election in order to have stability for the Munich bid for the 2018 Olympics. 

Bach is the first president of the DOSB. The union was formed in 2006 with the merger of the German National Olympic Committee and the German Sports Union. 

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Ladies First – Pakistani Sportswomen to Reckon with

Remember Sania? Remember Shoaib? Well of course you do, who doesn’t. But don’t worry; I am not going to talk about them here. The personal lives of our cricket team have been deliberated more than necessary as it is. Rest assured I am not to indulge in any more petty gossip about them. The only reason I mention Shoaib & Sania is that at the time of their upcoming nuptials, there was considerable discussion going on about whether Sania would change her national representation. She is a world-class player indubitably and would be a great asset. But she also has a strong sense of patriotism, and she emphatically declared that her loyalties would always lie with India and an Indian tennis player she would remain forever.

Obviously many felt a personal offence at this declaration. Vey absurd of course—wouldn’t we have wanted the same attitude if the situation had been reversed? Well anyways, the best of wishes to Sania Mirza. She is a world-class player, and even though Pakistan doesn’t have any woman to match her in the sport of tennis, it surely does not lack in women sports stars. Here is a list—and by no means an exhaustive one—of some women who have earned great pride for our nation.

Shabana Akhtar (born April 5, 1972) appeared on the Pakistan National Athletics scene in 1989 when she became the national champion in 100M and 200M. She also became the national champion in 4×100M Relay, 4×400 Relay, 400M, long jump and high jump during 1992 and maintains her record even today. She won a total number of 42 gold medals.

She is also the first Pakistani female athlete to participate at the Olympics, when she competed in the women’s long jump at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Naseem Hamid comes from an impoverished slum in Pakistan’s biggest city of Karachi. The 22-year-old became South Asia’s fastest woman by winning the 100-metre in the 11^th South Asian Federation Games (SAF) in Dhaka on February 8^th 2010. She clocked 11.81 seconds to clinch gold in the 100-metre sprint, becoming Pakistan’s first female athlete to win the race in the competition’s 26-year history.

Naseem Hamid & Sara Nasir

Sara Nasir (born July 18^th, 1990) belongs to a small village in a Tehsil of Rawalpindi. She is currently a B.Com student. She took training in martial arts from army coach Riaz and became a participant in the Under 55kg weight category at the 11^th SAF games and returned with a gold medal in Karate.

Our so-called head of state appointed gold-winning Pakistan women athletes Naseem Hamid and Sara Nasir sports ambassadors to honour their extraordinary success.

“President Zardari has appointed Naseem and Sara as ‘ambassadors of sports’ in recognition of their successes at the SAF Games and gave them one million rupees (11,777 dollars) each,” Sports Minister Ijaz Jakhrani told reporters.

Kiran Baloch - Cricketer

Kiran Baloch (born February 23^rd, 1978) is a Right-hand batswoman from Karachi. She is the record holder of the highest individual score in the international game. She scored a 242 in the first cricket Test against the West Indies at the National Stadium.

Anmaar Habib is a 20-year old Pakistani who lives and trains in the mountains of Northern California, at Sugar Bowl, an exclusive ski academy. Anmaar is the first women skier to represent Pakistan at an international level and she is now training for 2010 winter Olympics.

Anmaar Habib - Skier

“I want to be the first person, as well as the first woman,” responding to those she encounters who wonder about a Pakistani skier—let alone a female Pakistani skier.

Carla Khan (born August 18^th, 1981) in London, is from the great line of squash champions, her grandfather being Azam Khan, great uncle Hashim Khan known as the godfather of squash. She started playing squash in England at age 12. In her early life, her father Wasil Khan (a junior world champion) coached her in squash. She represented England and was a top junior player having won various junior titles including being European junior number one.  At the age of 19 she changed to represent Pakistan, Carla then made history as she was the first female from the direct line of champions to pursue a career in the game.

Carla Khan - Squash

She has won five titles in her career, which are: El Salvador Open 2002, Ottawa Open 2003, Pakistan Open 2005 and Iranian Open 2007 and Austrian Open in 2008. Her highest ranking has been 21st.

Through her achievements she gained media coverage around the world and has been recognized as the Squash Queen of Pakistan

Rubab Raza - Swimmer

Rubab Raza (born January 15, 1991) is a Pakistani swimmerfrom Lahore. She has won a number of national titles, and has seen success at Asian swimming tournaments. She also became the youngest sportswoman to represent Pakistan in any Olympics event when she took part in the 2004 Olympics at the age of 13. She won a wild card entry for the 2004 Olympics due to her performances in swimming championships around the world.

Kiran Khan (born December 21^st, 1989) is a swimmingchampion from Lahore. She has represented Pakistan on many International forums namely Asian games at a very young age.

Kiran Khan - Swimmer

Kiran Khan has swum for the Pakistani team in the Asian Games as well as the Commonwealth Games, in addition to several other international swimming meets including the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Khan has been quite successful at the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games, which are now known simply as the South Asian Games. These are competed in by the eight member nations of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation. Khan has picked up as many as 16 medals in just two editions of the Games.

Khan won six silver and two bronze medals at Islamabad 2004 and another two silver and six bronze at Colombo 2006.

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Toroman plans to keep import

MARCUS Douthit is it.

Douthit earned the nod of Smart-Gilas Pilipinas head coach Rajko Toroman and will formally join the team in the Asian Games as soon as he is naturalized as a Filipino citizen in the next few months.

The 6’10” American had an impressive performance in the recent Philippine Invitational Challenge, which Smart-Gilas won at the expense of the Jordan national team.

‘’We decided to keep him. He will stay,’’ Toroman said of Douthit. “His papers for naturalization will be processed in the coming days.’’

Toroman said Douthit has the necessary tools to help the nationals in their future international stints.

Prior to the tournament, Toroman said that they will quickly fix his (Douthit) papers if he impresses.

Since he did, Toroman hopes to see Douthit in action in the team’s coming tournaments, starting with the 32nd Jones Cup in Taipei next month and in the Asian Games in November if his papers would be processed in time for the tourney.

Douthit, a former Los Angeles Lakers draftee, is the fourth prospect for naturalization for the team after CJ Giles, Jamal Sampson and Milan Vucicevic failed to make the grade.

Toroman said the 30-year-old Douthit is the right fit for a team in need of a solid inside presence.

‘’He fits the system well and his game is what we need. After seeing first hand what he can do, I believe he’s going to help us in a big way,” said Toroman.

In his debut game last Thursday against Donguan New Century, Douthit scored 26 points and had nine rebounds in a 74-64 win and had a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds in their title game against Jordan last Sunday.

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Naseer, Kashif join volleyball camp after Iranian stint

ISLAMABAD: Two leading professional volleyball players from Sialkot have joined the national volleyball training camp after completing their stint with an Iranian volleyball club. 
Naseer Ahmed, who had a six-month contract of $60,000, and Kashif Mansoor who had played for a local Iranian club with a contract of $50,000 were among the 22 national players being trained by Brazilian coach Augsto Sibatini at the Pakistan Sports Complex for the upcoming Asian Games. 

The 16th Asian Games, also known as the XVI Asiad, are slated to be held in Guangzhou, China, from November 12 to 27. 

“It was a good season there [Iran] and I am quite confident to put in my best for winning a medal for the Pakistan team in the Asian Games,” claimed Naseer, 26, who had represented Pakistan in 80 international matches. 

Kashif, on the other hand, who played 90 international matches, said: “I am in good form after playing six-month volleyball league in Iran and hopefully the combination of young and experienced players can confirm better results in the upcoming mega event.” 

Both the players are six-feet three-inches tall and play for Gol Gohar Volleyball Club which participates in the Super League in Iran. 

“Money matters but our top priority is to play for Pakistan,” asserted both the players. 

The federation officials were also hopeful of a good show in the upcoming mega event and have high hopes from the current players. Pakistan however, did not appear in the 15th Asian Games held in Doha, Qatar, in 2006. 

“All we need is competitive matches against high-rated international volleyball teams besides good incentives as we have the much needed young talent in remote cities and towns,” added Naseer, who represents Wapda in national events. 

Kashif, who play for Pakistan Police, added that he was trying to get a contract in Italian volleyball league as “it is an opportunity to play with leading players of top ranking volleyball teams like Brazil, Argentina, USA, Russia and many others.”

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WHERE ARE WE HEADING?

Just because it is the World Cup, that does not mean that the hockey scenario has nothing to offer. Well other then the fact that  the coaches of the national team have opted to do some "PR" work via other means, running down others, and  applying for a job with a club in France, we have an important issue at hand, what is the preparation like for the team that has two major assignments this year, the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

The team will be participating in the Four Nation Tournament in China next week and after that  it seems plan are afoot to have the team play some matches in Australia, against the AIS and club sides. After that there is still this unconfirmed Five Nation Tournament in France or maybe some matches in India. And yes before I forget, we turned down an invite from Pakistan and are still deciding whether to accept an invite for a Four Nation Tournament in Mongolia.

Consider those options to what India, Pakistan, China and South Korea are doing for their preparations.

India will be playing in the Four Nations Hamburg Masters where they are set to take on The Netherlands, Germany and Japan.That tournament will be followed by a Test series each in Belgium, France and The Netherlands.

The Pakistan hockey team will be play six matches during their 9-day trip to Spain and the Netherlands next month. After playing four matches in Spain on double round robin league against hosts Spain and France from July 10 to 15, Pakistan will play two back-to-back matches against the Dutch in Netherlands on July 17-18. 

China and South Korea too are in Europe, both preparing well for the Asian Games this November, since they are not in the Commonwealth Games. 

So who is to blame? The coaches...nope as they were only formally appointed in March this year and had to wait till early April to find out that Roelant Oltmans was a  no-show. 

It boils down to MHF, lack of contacts, lack of initiative and lack of administration ability that failed to ensure adequate preparation for the team. But if they fail at the two events, then only the coaches are to be blamed, not the MHF.

And what more with this posting by the Project 2013 Team Manager on his Facebook this morning:

 

Mirnawan Nawawi Last minute packing for Europe Trip...team attire belum terima lagi ni..tencheeenn betul if some people just been ignorant and doing things last minute!!@!!

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New fillip for Indian sportspersons

New Delhi The growing profile of boxing in the country and raised medal hopes for India from the sport in the Asian Games was reflected in a new corporate sponsorship programme launched on Tuesday that aims at providing training facilities and scholarships for prospective winners in the continental games.
The Sports Ratna programme by Samsung features four shooters and boxers each, besides two wrestlers, who will be taken care of in the run-up to the November Games. And while only six were present at the launch — the shooters are all training in different parts of Europe — those present hoped the upcoming Commonwealth and Asian games would return better results than the previous editions. Samsung are also the team sponsors for the Indian contingent at the November 12-27 Asian Games in Guangzhou.
“Our practice is going on well at the NIS, Patiala, and we are working hard for the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games,” Olympic bronze medallist and World number one Vijender Singh said. “The fact that the Commonwealth Games will be held in Delhi will also be a motivating factor because competing in front of home crowd always pumps you up,” he added.
Hoping to hit form
Akhil Kumar, hoping to hit form ahead of the two big events after recovering from a wrist injury, said he was confident of doing better this time around. “Not only has the practice been good, but I am also taking good care of my injuries. I know recovery is a slow process and I don’t want anything to affect my participation in the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. I won’t let the country down this time around,” said the gold medallist at the 2006 CWG. The injury has seen his form dip in the last two years, though Akhil is ranked 9th in the world in the 57kg category.
Besides these two, Youth World Championship winner Nanao Singh and Junior World Cup bronze medalist Suranjoy Singh are also part of the programme.
Olympic bronze medallist in wrestling, Sushil Kumar said the recent good performance by Indians in the Asian championships — India won seven medals — was a good indication that the country would do better than ever before in the upcoming events. “The kind of training that we are going through and the support we are getting, we should win a lot of medals,” he said.
Ramesh Kumar, the first Indian to win a medal at the World Championships in over 40 years, said the training would only get tougher in the days to come. “Right now we are training for six hours a day but as the Games come closer the number will go up,” he said.
The signings: Abhinav Bindra, Manavjit Singh Sandhu, Gagan Narang and Ronjan Sodhi (all shooters); Vijender Singh, Akhil Kumar, Thokchom Nanao Singh and Mayengbam Suranjoy Singh (all boxers) and wrestlers Sushil Kumar and Ramesh Kumar.
No word on facilities
While boxing continues to rise in popularity, the infrastructure and facilities available in the country has not developed at the same pace. World no. 1 Vijender had recently complained about the lack of air-conditioned training facilities. But the pugilists present at the function on Tuesday refrained from talking about it. “As far as I am concerned, air-conditioners are secondary. For a boxer — or any sportsperson — the most important things during training are those that help him improve. Good physios who help in faster recovery from injuries, good and prompt medical facilities, modern technology and training apparatus like oxygen chamber, ice-bath rooms etc — these are things that make a difference,” said Akhil Kumar.
But he refused to comment on whether Indian boxers were getting the best facilities. “I can’t say about being the best; I have not seen the world. But I am satisfied, I can make do with what I get,” he said.

Suranjoy Singh said though the sport’s profile had increased, money always remained a problem. “Boxing is increasing in popularity but getting funds remains an issue. The funds that are sanctioned are not enough specially given the level of training we require to match the best in the world,” he said.

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Make way for the ladies

Saina Nehwal’s rise to the top of the world badminton rankings is yet another landmark in the history of women in Indian sports and comes on the 40th anniversary of their first significant international achievement.

It was at the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok that Kanwaljit Sandhu won the first international gold medal for an Indian sportswoman in the 400 metres. This was followed by the PT Usha era of the 1980s while this decade saw the emergence of Sania Mirza and world amateur boxing champion MC Mary Kom.

It was an uphill struggle for sportswomen from the time of Independence till the 60s, with just a handful of sports like tennis, badminton, table tennis, athletics and hockey open to them.

The tiny Parsi and Anglo-Indian communities led the way in those early years and it was in the matter of clothing that sportswomen in India saw their progress stifled. A girl seen in public in shorts or skirts was considered scandalous and it was a common sight to see them competing in salwar-kameez and even saris.

Among the early stars were Roshan Mistry (a Parsi), 100m silver medalist in the first Asian Games in Delhi in 1951; and Stephie D’Souza, the first woman to receive the Arjuna Award in 1963. D’Souza was part of the relay team that won gold in the 4x100m at the 1954 Asian Games and also represented India in hockey. Geeta Zutshi also struck gold in the 800m  in the 1978 Asian Games. But by now the Kerala era in women’s athletics was beginning to unfold. This was thanks to the sports hostel concept in the state, under which the government funded the education and training of promising young athletes.

When the Asian Games returned to New Delhi in 1982, M.D. Valsamma was one of the stars with her gold in the 400m hurdles. The Indian women’s hockey team also made up for the ignominy suffered by the men who were trounced 7-1 in the final by Pakistan. Angel Mary Joseph, Valsamma, Usha and Shiny Abraham were at the forefront of the Kerala surge while Karnataka produced the first glamour girls of Indian sport in Ashwini Nachappa, Reeth Abraham and Vandana Rao. This trio could not match the medal-winning feats of their Kerala counterparts but captured the media glare with their good looks and daring outfits.

Usha won silver in the 100m and 200m in 1982. For the rest of the decade there was no one to challenge her supremacy in Asia. But Usha’s greatest,   and saddest, moment came at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics when she became the first Indian woman to reach an Olympics track and field final in the 400m hurdles, but was edged into fourth place.

Since then only Anju Bobby George has matched Usha’s feat when she reached the final of the women’s long jump in the 2004 Olympics, having won silver in the world championship at Paris the previous year. That remains the lone medal won by an Indian athlete — male or female — at the world event.

By 1986 Usha was unstoppable. The Seoul Asian Games were an all-time low for Indian sport as they brought India just five gold medals. Four were Usha’s, and the fifth was won in kabaddi.

The rapid strides taken by women on the sports field saw them shift their focus, from the 1990s onwards, to the traditionally masculine preserves of weightlifting, boxing and wrestling. Karnam Malleswari and Kunjarani Devi bagged international weightlifting medals galore and when Malleswari won the bronze in the 69kg division at the Sydney Olympics, she set yet another landmark — the first Olympic medal for an Indian woman.

Sania Mirza burst onto the scene spectacularly in 2005 by rising in the world tennis rankings while at the same time turning heads and raising eyebrows. She broke down barriers of gender and religion and had the world media turning its attention to India. Her glam appeal meant that endorsement deals for the Hyderabadi heartthrob were now rivaling those of India’s top cricketers.

But the shift from the sports pages to front page news, and then to the glamour of Page 3 — combined with injuries and various controversies — saw Mirza lose focus, rankings and popularity. Today she has been reduced to an also-ran on the world tennis circuit. Her comet-like career has sent warning signs to Saina who, no doubt, has learnt some important life lessons from her fellow-Hyderabadi’s sudden rise and equally rapid fall.

In sports as varied as archery, shooting, chess — Koneru Humpy is ranked world number two — to boxing, where M.C. Mary Kom is the four-time amateur world champion in the 46 kg category, women have made impressive strides since Kanwaljit Sandhu’s breakthrough feat four decades ago.

Today, thanks to the courageous pioneers who defied the oppressive constraints of a patriarchal society, the sky is the limit for women’s sports in India. The forthcoming Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and the 2012 Olympics in London should see this movement reach its pinnacle and bring more glory to Indian sports.

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Hockey India to hold election July 28

2010-06-29 21:20:00

Hockey India (HI) will hold the election of office-bearers July 28 following a stern warning from the International Hockey Federation (FIH) that India will be barred from playing in the women's World Cup in August if an elected federation is not in place by July 31. HI elections have been postponed thrice and the sports ministry has asked it not to go ahead with the poll process in the wake of the Delhi High Court order lifting the suspension on the Indian Hockey Federation imposed by the Indian Olympic Association. HI secretary general Narinder Batra, however, said it was necessary for them to hold the election before July 31st. 'FIH has set July 31 as deadline for the election, failing which the Indian women's team will be barred from taking part in the World Cup in Rosario, Argentina, from Aug 29,' Batra told IANS. 'In any case we have nothing to do with the High Court judgement. The IHF has been disaffiliated by the international body way back in 2000. We are an independent society and we are free to hold the election. We have taken legal advice in the matter. Now there are no legal hassles and so the date for election has been fixed.' 'We have told the ministry about the FIH letter. We are not in confrontation with the ministry. The election will be held in conformity with the government guidelines.' 'If elections are not held now then the Indian team will not be able to participate in the women's World Cup and we may be barred from participating even in the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.' The sports ministry, however, maintained that it has not given a green signal for the HI election. 'Following the High Court order, we have referred the matter to the law ministry, seeking their opinion. We are waiting for the response before taking a decision. The government has not given permission for holding the election,' a sports ministry spokesperson told IANS. HI said it has appointed Justice R.C. Chopra (retd) as returning officer while S. K. Mendiratta will be the government observer. FIH vice president Antonio von Ondarza will be the observer from the world body. Mendiratta, however, told IANS that without government's approval he can't attend the election. 'It is for the government to decide. I am no longer part of it and I have no role to play, unless the sports ministry asks me to do so,' Mendiratta told IANS from Srinagar. Indian Women's Hockey Association secretary general Amrit Bose termed the election 'illegal.' 'How can HI conduct the election when the government has asked them to wait. It is an illegal election. We will soon decide on the future course of action.' The 30 affiliated units, comprising of 26 states/union territories and four institutional board members, are entitled to take part in the election.

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