Irate Rohan Bopanna blasts AITA for Arjuna snub

Agencies
August 5, 2017

New Delhi, Aug 5: Venting his anger at missing out on the Arjuna award yet again, Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna today lambasted AITA for not nominating him within the deadline but the Federation said there was no point sending his application since he did not meet the requisite criteria.

The deadline to send applications expired on April 28 but the All India Tennis Association (AITA) made up its mind to send his name only on June 14 after he won the French Open mixed doubles title with Canadian partner Gabriela Dabrowski.

AITA had chosen Saketh Myneni, winner of two medals at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, for nomination and the awards selection committee stuck to the deadline.

In the past, Bopanna has been nominated several times but his application has always been rejected.

"We professional tennis players put in a lot to bring laurels to our country. And no one could question otherwise. However, it is when the system (the Tennis Association in this case) functions sloppily that is not only disrespectful but also robs one of the hope of a deserving acknowledgment," Bopanna said in a scathing statement.

"I am calling out to the lack of professionalism and efficiency by AITA for not sending my nomination for the Arjuna Award before the deadline. I have witnessed many such excuses for the past decade (while I was eligible and my record didn't falter) and then too, have never stood for it."

However, the All India Tennis Association (AITA) Secretary General Hironmoy Chatterjee said they had a reason for not sending his application this year.

"AITA did not send Rohan Bopanna's application for Arjuna award this year since his application was getting rejected all these years because he has not won any medals for the country at the Asian Games," Chatterjee told PTI from Cambodia, where he reached after attending the International Tennis Federation AGM in Vietnam.

"We knew why it was being rejected all the time."

Asked why AITA decided to send his entry in June, Chatterjee claimed, "I took a chance since it was a Grand Slam. It's like winning a world championship. So, we thought let's send it now."

Points are given for winning medals at the World Championship/World Cup, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Championships (biennial) and Commonwealth championships (biennial) while evaluating the applications by the committee.

Bopanna had skipped the Incheon Asian Games along with Somdev Devvarman and veteran Leander Paes as the Coorgi had points to defend on the professional tour.

AITA had allowed all senior players to miss the Games even though Sania Mirza decided to turn up for country after initially expressing her wish to skip the continental event.

Myneni had won the mixed doubles gold with Sania.The AITA official said he understands Bopanna's frustration. "I do understand Rohan is disappointed for not getting the award, but it was because he did not meet the criteria for the award in 2016. He should see the criteria before making any comment," he said.

Chatterjee said winning the Grand Slam title at Roland Garros makes him eligible for next year and they will certainly nominate him.

"We do feel he now meets the criteria after winning the mixed doubles of the French Open. AITA will again try for him next year," he said.

The selection committee considered performances between January 2013 and December 2016 and Bopanna has achieved some tremendous results in this period but only on the Pro Circuit, not while representing India in a multi-disciplinary events.

He reached a career-high rank of three in the world in July 2013 and bagged nine ATP titles, including two Master series (Madrid, 2015 and Monte Carlo, 2017).

He finished fourth at the Rio Olympic Games with Sania Mirza in the mixed doubles and that could have given some weightage to his nomination had AITA sent his application.

Compared to Bopanna, Myneni may not have been very successful on the Tour but has logged enough points for his medal-winning performances at Incheon Games.

Bopanna also chose to congratulate Myneni.

"I want to take this platform to congratulate Saketh Myneni on receiving this award. I couldn't be more proud as I have seen him grow into the player and the man he is today," Bopanna mentioned in his statement.

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News Network
February 10,2020

Potchefstroom, Feb 10: India's under-19 cricket team manager Anil Patel says the ICC has taken a serious view of the aggressive celebrations by Bangladesh players after their World Cup triumph and will be reviewing the footage of the final game's "last few minutes".

Some Bangladeshi players got carried away while celebrating their historic three-wicket win over India in the final on Sunday. While their captain Akbar Ali apologised for the "unfortunate incident", his Indian counterpart Priyam Garg said their reaction was "dirty".

"We don't know what actually happened," Patel told 'ESPNCricinfo' on Sunday.

"Everybody was in a shock, absolutely, but we don't know what happened exactly. The ICC officials are going to watch the footage of the last few minutes and they are going to let us know," he said.

Even when the match was on, the Bangladesh players were overly aggressive while fielding and their lead pacer Shoriful Islam sledged the Indian batsmen after every delivery.

As soon as the match ended, it became tense with Bangladeshi players rushing to the ground and displaying aggressive body language. The two teams nearly came to blows before the situation was defused by the coaching staff and on-field officials.

Patel claimed that match referee Graeme Labrooy met him and expressed regret at what transpired on the field.

"The referee came to me. He was sorry about the incident. He clarified the ICC is going to take very seriously what has happened during the match and the last session. They are going to witness the footage and they will tell us in the morning (Monday)."

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News Network
June 13,2020

Mumbai, Jun 13: Vasant Raiji, who was India's oldest first-class cricketer at 100, died in Mumbai in the wee hours of Saturday.

Raiji was 100 years old and is survived by his wife and two daughters.

"He (Raiji) passed away at 2.20 am in his sleep at his residence in Walkeshwar in South Mumbai due to old-age," his son-in-law Sudarshan Nanavati told PTI.

Raiji, a right-handed batsman, played nine first-class matches in the 1940s, scoring 277 runs with 68 being his highest score.

He made his debut for a Cricket Club of India team that played Central Provinces and Berar in Nagpur in 1939.

His Mumbai debut happened in 1941 when the team played Western India under the leadership of Vijay Merchant.

Raiji, also a cricket historian and chartered accountant, was 13 when India played its first Test match at the Bombay Gymkhana in South Mumbai.

Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar and former Australian skipper Steve Waugh had paid a courtesy visit to Raiji at his residence in January when he had turned 100.

It has been learnt that the cremation will take place at the Chandanwadi crematorium in South Mumbai on Saturday afternoon.

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News Network
June 25,2020

Jun 25: After asserting that the 2011 World Cup final was "sold" by "certain parties" in Sri Lanka to India, the island nation's former sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has now called his claim a "suspicion" that he wants investigated.

The Lankan government has ordered an enquiry into the matter and a special Police investigation unit recorded Aluthgamage's statement on Wednesday. He told the team that he was only suspicious of fixing.

"I want my suspicion investigated," Aluthgamage told reporters.

"I gave to the Police, a copy of the complaint I lodged with the International Cricket Council (ICC) on 30 October 2011 regarding the said allegation as then Sports Minister," he said.

Aluthgamage has alleged that his country "sold" the game to India, a claim that was ridiculed by former captains Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene who demanded evidence from him.

Set a target of 275, India clinched the trophy thanks to the brilliance of Gautam Gambhir (97) and then skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (91).

"Today I am telling you that we sold the 2011 world cup, I said this when I was the sports minister," Aluthgamage, who was the sports minister at the time, had stated.

Sangakkara, the captain of Sri Lanka at that time, asked him to produce evidence for an anti-corruption probe.

"He needs to take his 'evidence' to the ICC and the Anti corruption and Security Unit so the claims can be investigated thoroughly," he tweeted.

Jayawardene, also a former captain who scored a hundred in that game, ridiculed the charge.

"Is the elections around the corner...like the circus has started...names and evidence?" he asked in a tweet.

Aluthgamage said that in his opinion no players were involved in fixing the result, "but certain parties were."

Both Aluthgamage and the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa were among the invitees at the final played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Following his allegations, Aravinda de Silva, the former great who was the then chairman of selectors, has urged the BCCI to conduct its own investigation.

De Silva has said he is willing to travel to India to take part in such an investigation despite the current COVID-19 threat.

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