Ganesh ready for London run as athletes await clarity on cash awards

July 4, 2012

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Bangalore/Kochi, July 4: His travel file cleared and other formalities completed, Kerala sports minister KB Ganesh Kumar is set for the London Olympics. So are sports secretary M Sivasankaran and Kerala sports council president Padmini Thomas. Kerala's top athletes, meanwhile, are yet to receive cash awards promised by the state, most as far back as 2008.

Though the London itinerary of Ganesh and others is yet to be drawn up, sources said each delegate will enjoy a daily allowance of 400 (around Rs 27,500). The three-member delegation is expected to be in London for at least for 10 days and the expense on allowances alone would amount to 12,000 euros, or Rs 8,23,000.

The Kerala government's move to splurge public money on a London Olympics junket of Kerala sports minister KB Ganesh Kumar and two babus has left athletes and sports lovers fuming.

"Karnataka is giving Rs 5 lakh to each London-bound sportsperson. Punjab and Haryana are giving more. But the Kerala government has not given anything to us," a top athlete who has qualified for the Olympics told TOI.

"At the last National Games I won a silver representing Jharkhand. As promised, the government gave me Rs 5 lakh within six months. Those who won medals for Kerala are yet to get a single penny," said an athlete who hails from Kerala.

In a move to stem such criticism, the minister, at a hurriedly convened press meet on Tuesday, announced that the government will disburse cash awards on Thursday to all athletes who have won medals since 2008.

A few athletes greeted this delayed gesture with disbelief. "They always come up with some or the other excuse to justify delays. Only Preeja Sreedharan, Mayookha Johny and Sajeesh have got the awards till now. The others have been cold-shouldered. Why should we believe them when they say the cash awards would be disbursed on Thursday?" an athlete said.

According to sources even Tuesday's announcement came after sustained pressure. "At the Patiala Federation Cup athletics held in April, several top athletes refused to represent Kerala. They all represented Chhattisgarh to register their protest," sources said.

According to sources in the Union sports ministry, several states - including Haryana, Jharkhand and Punjab - have made plans to send contingents at their own cost after the Indian Olympic Association rejected their requests for accreditation.




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News Network
January 10,2020

Karachi, Jan 10: Former Pakistan batsman and current U-19 head coach Ejaz Ahmed feels that his side can beat defending champions and arch-rivals India in the forthcoming ICC Youth World Cup beginning in South Africa on January 17.

"India has a very good cricket system and it is organized but I know that we have more passion than them when we play against each other and that is how we also beat them in the semi-finals of the recent Asian Emerging Nations Cup," Ejaz said.

Ejaz, who has played 60 Test and 250 ODIs, was head coach of the Pakistan Emerging side which beat India before eventually winning the title in Bangladesh last year.

"Even in the past, we beat India because of our greater passion and this time also I know the passion of our players will prevail over them although they have a very strong outfit," he added.

The 51-year-old Ejaz, however, said at the end of the day it would be all about how a team plays on that particular day.

"It is the same in the World Cup it does not matter which team is number one or defending champions what will matter is how a team plays on a given day. I personally feel our team is well balanced," he said.

Ejaz did not believe that India would get advantage of having played a four-nation tournament with South Africa, New Zealand and Zimbabwe in South Africa before the World Cup.

"Our players have also trained hard in Lahore and we have played around 11 matches. We will also reach South Africa nine days before the World Cup and we have some practice games and I think our preparations are also very good for the tournament," he said.

The former batsman also said the absence of fast bowler Naseem Shah will not impact much on the team's performance. Naseem was withdrawn from the Pakistan U-19 squad after he played for the senior team in three Test matches against Australia and Sri Lanka.

"Look there was no controversy at all. The way we now see things is that you can't expect a MBA to go and take BA exams. That is how we look at Naseem Shah, he has made the grade for Pakistan and now he should be performing for the senior team," said the head coach.

"We have a couple of exciting young talent in the ranks. I expect Rohail and Haider to play for the senior team in two to three year's time, they are that good."

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Agencies
July 30,2020

New Delhi Jul 30: After Pakistan cricketer Umar Akmal's ban was reduced to 18 months, Danish Kaneria criticised Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) policies and said that the 'zero tolerance policy' applies only to him.

"Zero Tolerance policy only apply on Danish Kaneria not on others, can anybody answer the reason why I get life ban not others, Are policy applies only on cast, colour, and powerful background. I am Hindu and proud of it that's my background and my dharma," Kaneria tweeted.

Earlier on Wednesday, Akmal's three-year suspension was reduced to 18 months by an independent adjudicator, former Pakistan Supreme Court judge, Faqir Mohammad Khokhar.

On April 27, the Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel, Justice (retd) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan, had banned the wicketkeeper-batsman for three years after finding him guilty of breaching the PCB's Anti-Corruption Code in two separate incidents.

Akmal, on May 19, filed an appeal against the three-year ban imposed on him, seeking a reduction in the duration of the sanction. He will remain suspended effectively from February 2020 till August 2021.

The batsman said he might appeal again to get the ban "reduced further".

"I am thankful to the judge for listening to my lawyers properly. I will decide about the remaining sentence and try to get it reduced further. For now I am not satisfied and will consult my lawyers and family how to take this ahead," ESPNcricinfo had quoted Akmal as saying.

"There are many players before me who made mistakes and just look at what they got and what I got. So all I say right now is thank you very much," he had added.

On the other hand, Kaneria was found guilty of spot-fixing while playing for English club Essex and was banned from the sport.

Earlier this month, Pakistan's cricket governing body 'advised' Kaneria to approach England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) if he wants to play domestic cricket after the cricketer had appealed to the PCB, seeking permission to play domestic cricket. 

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Agencies
May 9,2020

Tokyo, May 9: As the world continues to grapple with coronavirus pandemic, the organisers of Tokyo Game Show have cancelled 2020 showpiece event.

TGS 2020 was slated to be played from September 24 to September 27 at the Makuhari Messe convention center. However, there now talks going on for holding an online event instead.

According to the Verge, this is the first time that TGS has ever been cancelled since it started in 1996.

TGS 2020 gained more attention because of its status as the last major trade show before the launch of the upcoming next-gen consoles, the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.

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