Brazil wrestles chaos 100 days before Olympics

April 26, 2016

Rio De Janeiro, Apr 26: Brazil promises a roaring Rio Olympics party, but with 100 days to go before the sporting mega bash, the hosts are battling nightmarish political and economic gate crashers.

rioStunning scenery and traditional Brazilian warmth mean the 10,500 athletes from 206 countries and 450,000 tourists should have a spectacular time.

Officials say the stadiums are 98 percent ready and International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach has promised "an excellent Games."

But the first Olympics ever staged in South America is threatened by an almighty hangover before it even gets under way.

The revelation by officials Monday that 11 people have died on Olympic construction sites -- compared to eight across all Brazil for the 2014 World Cup -- cast a grim shadow.

Then there is the major turmoil on the political stage where President Dilma Rousseff faces impeachment.

Usually, Rousseff would be the one in Rio's Maracana stadium announcing the Games open on August 5. However, with impeachment proceedings -- that she claims are a coup d'etat -- about to start, Rousseff is likely to be replaced by her vice president, Michel Temer.

And the fact that Temer also faces possible impeachment illustrates how volatile Latin America's biggest country has become -- a fact that could point to turmoil, including street protests, just when the international spotlight is on Brazil.

Throw in a tanking economy, high crime and the Zika virus and some start asking whether Brazilians will even want to turn up to Rio's $11 billion show.

"The Games are a huge party," says Pedro Trengrouse, a sports expert at the Fundacao Getulio Vargas think tank in Rio. "But we only party when we're happy."

When an ecstatic Rio won the hosting rights back in 2009, Brazil was a samba-dancing economic wonder.

Today the economy is in steep decline, with a second successive 3.8 percent contraction forecast this year. Unemployment has shot up to 10.2 percent and rating agencies have downgraded the country's credit status to junk.

Money is so tight that the state of Rio can't even pay government employees, including many medical staff, on time.

Olympic organizers have also had to slash their budget, cutting back on everything from printer ink to seating at the rowing venue.

Officials insist that nothing important will be missing. But the deadlines are -- perhaps in typical Brazilian last-minute style -- getting awfully tight.

A metro extension considered vital to moving people between the south of Rio and the major hub at Barra da Tijuca on the outskirts is only on schedule for opening July 1, five weeks before the Games. A leaked letter from the city mayor, Eduardo Paes, in February warned of "high risk" that even this wouldn't be met.

Then last week a panoramic new cycling path -- part of the so-called Olympic legacy improvements to Rio's creaking infrastructure -- collapsed into the sea, killing at least two people.

In perhaps the biggest fail of all, little has been done to stop the raw sewage and garbage pouring into the bay where sailing and windsurfing events will take place.

"It's very polluted there. Once you fall sick, you're done," Hong Kong's gold medal winning windsurfer Lee Lai-shan told the South China Morning Post.

Tourists and athletes might not even notice the political and financial upheaval.

But they've been told to watch out for mosquitoes carrying Zika, a virus that causes flu-like symptoms and in the case of pregnant women can lead to birth defects.

Apart from fumigating sites, the authorities are counting on August's typically lower mosquito population to prevent embarrassment.

Violence is also a big worry in a city with almost four murders a day.

Just last week a man was shot dead while walking his dog in daylight right by the city's most famous hotel, the Copacabana Palace. Drug gangs have used hand grenades in a recent shootout in the ultra-chic Ipanema neighborhood.

Rio will deploy 85,000 police and soldiers -- double the number used in the 2012 London Games -- to try to keep a lid on crime. But with Brazil's security forces having no direct experience of fighting terrorism, questions have been raised over the potential threat from violent Islamists.

Counter-terrorism chief Luiz Alberto Sallaberry told G1 news site this year that there was a "heightened" risk after deadly attacks on civilians in Europe.

Still, US water polo veteran Olympian Tony Azevedo predicts the Brazilians' "love (of) throwing a good party" will win in the end.

"I think this Olympics could go down for them as a changing point in the history of Brazil," he said.

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News Network
April 12,2020

New Delhi, Apr 12: As devotees across the world celebrate Easter today, former Sri Lanka skipper and current Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) president Kumar Sangakkara on Sunday condoled the demise of people who lost their lives during last year's Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka and said someone must seek answers to the questions which still remain unresolved.

"A year on we all share the pain of the families grieving lives lost, we stand with you and for you. We remember. So many questions still unanswered, but answer them someone must," Sangakkara tweeted.

On April 21, 2019, multiple blasts ripped through Sri Lanka when the Christian community was celebrating Easter Sunday.
The explosions rattled churches and high-end hotels across the country, killing 258 people and injuring over 500.

A local terror group called National Thowheeth Jama'ath had claimed responsibility for the devastating attacks.

The island nation was put under a state of emergency for a period of four months from April to August.

The Sri Lankan police had then said that 293 suspects were arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday bombings in the island country in April.

This year, most of the devotees would be offering the prayers from their homes as mass gatherings have been suspended in most countries due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Easter marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ following his crucifixion on Good Friday. It also marks the culmination of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and penance.

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May 6,2020

May 6: They have similar impact on their teams but Virat Kohli is driven by sheer passion to subdue the rivals while Steve Smith just enjoys batting, says Australia opener David Warner.

India skipper Kohli and top Australian batsman Smith are arguably the top two cricketers of the current era. They achieve new milestones consistently, invoking debates, who is better between them.

"Virat's passion and drive to score runs is different to what Steve's would be," Warner said while speaking to Harsha Bhogle on 'Cricbuzz in Conversation'.

"Steve is going out there for a hit in the middle, that's how he sees things. He's hitting them out in the middle, he's having fun, he's enjoying himself, just does not want to get out."

Warner feels, while Kohli is batting he is aware that if he sticks around the middle his team will be on top of the proceedings.

"Virat obviously doesn't want to get out but he knows if he spends a certain amount of time out there, he's going to score plenty of runs at a rapid rate. He's going to get on top of you. That allows the guys coming in, especially in the Indian team you've got a lot of players who can be flamboyant as well."

The Australian opener added that both men are mentally strong and a good knock by them boosts the morale of the entire team.

"When it comes to cricket, they both have got the mental strength, the mental capacity to score runs. They both love spending time in the middle.

"They stabilise, they boost morale - if they score runs, everyone else's moral is up. If they are out cheaply you almost sense that on the field that everyone is (down on morale and thinking) 'now we all have to step up'. It's a very bizarre situation," he added.

Asked about the similarities between himself and Kohli, who are both live wires on the field, Warner said the passion to do better than the opponent keeps him going.

"I can't speak for Virat, obviously, but it's almost like we got this thing in us when we go (out to the middle) we need to prove people wrong, prove someone wrong."

"If you're in that contest, and if I'm going at him for example, you're thinking, 'Alright, I'm going to score more runs than him, I'm going to take a quick single on him'. You are trying to better that person in that game. That's where the passion comes from."

Warner also explained how he breaks down a match into smaller competitions.

"Obviously you want to win the game but you almost break it down to: If I can score more runs than Virat, or if Pujara scores more runs than Steve Smith, you have these little contests and that's how you try to narrow the game in the sense that if we do these little things, we can be ahead of the game or we can be behind the game.

"The passion is driven by...I know my sense - one, the will to win and two, wanting to do better than that person in the opposition," said Warner.

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March 10,2020

New Delhi, Mar 10: Six-time world champion M C Mary Kom (51kg) and world number one Amit Panghal (52kg) were among three Indian boxers who secured Olympic berths by advancing to semifinals of the Asian Qualifiers here on Monday, taking the total number of the country's Tokyo-bound pugilists to eight.

Second-seeded Mary Kom notched up a comfortable 5-0 win over Philippines' Irish Magno in her quarterfinal bout for a ticket to her second Olympic Games. She won a bronze in the 2012 London Olympics when women's boxing was first introduced at the showpiece.

The 37-year-old will square off against China's Yuan Chang in the semifinals. Chang is a former Youth Olympics champion.

Earlier, world silver-medallist and top seed Panghal edged out familiar foe Carlo Paalam of Philippines in a 4-1 split verdict to be assured of his maiden Olympic appearance and a medal at the qualifiers.

In the last Indian bout of the day, world bronze-medallist Simranjit Kaur (60kg) upstaged second seed Namuun Monkhor of Mongolia 5-0 to secure her first Olympic place.

With this, the number of Indian boxers securing Olympic berths went up to eight after Satish Kumar (+91kg), Pooja Rani (75kg), Vikas Krishan (69kg), Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) and Ashish Kumar (75kg) advanced to the semifinals on Sunday.

"I dedicate my Olympic quota to my uncle Raj Narayan, it's his birthday and he is someone who gives me a lot of courage," said Panghal after his bout.

World bronze-winner and Commonwealth Games silver-medallist Manish Kaushik, however, lost 2-3 to third seed Chinzorig Baatarsukh of Mongolia after an intense battle but is not out of contention for an Olympic berth just yet.

Kaushik has to win the box-off between losing quarterfinalists as the top six boxers will claim Tokyo tickets in the 63kg category. He will face Australia's Commonwealth Games champion Harrison Garside in the box-off. The two clashed in the CWG final in 2018 with Garside ending up on the winning side.

Panghal started India's winning run on Monday by managing to pull off a close win.

The 23-year-old, who is the reigning Asian Games and Asian Championships gold-medallist, had earlier beaten Paalam in the semifinals of the 2018 Asian Games and the quarterfinals of 2019 world championships, which were also split decisions.

"I followed the instructions given by my coaches. I ensured that he didn't get on top of me. I think I was pretty consistent in all three rounds," Panghal said.

Next up for Panghal is China's Jianguan Hu, who stunned world bronze-medallist and fourth seed Kazakh Saken Bibossinov 5-0.

"I have beaten him in the Asian Championships and I know how to get the better of him," Panghal said of his next opponent.

The Haryana lad didn't exactly look at his best during the bout but his trademark counter-attacking game fetched him the desired result against a rival, who is challenging him more with every fresh encounter.

Mary Kom, on the other hand, put out a near-perfect performance against the very spirited Magno. The Manipuri dictated the pace of the bout, drawing from her huge reservoir of experience to put Magno on the backfoot with a very effective counter-attacking strategy.

Simranjjit, also an Asian silver-medallist, will face third seed Shih-Yi Wu of Taiwan in the semifinals after a fine performance against Monkhor. Simranjit's right hand connected accurately all through.

Kaushik, who was up against an Asian Games silver-medallist, started well but lost steam in the face of relentless body shots by Baatarsukh, a two-time podium finisher at the Asian Championships.

Baatarsukh had lost to Kaushik in the second round of the world championships last year and he exacted revenge with an aggressive takedown of the Indian, especially in the final three minutes.

However, former junior world champion Sakshi Chaudhary (57kg) failed to secure an Olympic berth after going down to Korea's Im Aeji in the quarterfinals.

The 19-year-old Chaudhary lost 0-5 to Im, who is also a former world youth champion. Only the semifinalists are entitled to an Olympic berth in the women's 57kg category of the ongoing event.

Her next shot at Tokyo qualification would be the world qualifiers in May, provided she is selected for it.

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