Indian fencers not allowed to take part under national flag

February 22, 2013

Indian-fencers

New Delhi, Feb 22: India's junior fencing team will not be able to participate in the Asian Junior & Cadet Championship scheduled to be held in Thailand under national flag owing to IOC's ban on India and this move could also hit the progress of the game as government may stop funding.

Following IOC's ban on India in December last year, the International Fencing Federation (FIE) had suspended the national body but the Indian fencers have been allowed to take part in the March 2-11 Asian event in Thailand under the banner of Fencing Confederation of Asia.

If the fencers take part in the Asian Junior and Cadet Championships under the FCA banner, it will be the first time in India's sports history to represent an international entity.

The fencers are also still uncertain to take part even under the FCA banner as they have to find private sponsors as the government have not responded to their request for financial help with just a week left for the event.

Even in normal times, the fencers have been given help on case by case basis as the Fencing Association of India does not get government grant as the sport is now in the 'other sport' category of the ministry.

"The international fencing federation has assured the suspension will be lifted but that can happen only by a decision of its Executive Committee and its meeting is coming up only in April and so there will be no lifting of the suspension till that time.

"But the FCA has allowed Indian fencers to participate under its banner in Thailand," Fencing Association of India (FAI) secretary general Sanjay Pradhan said.

"But the problem is FAI does not have fund because we no longer get government grant as fencing has been placed in other category by sports ministry and we do not have private sponsors.

"So the fencers will have to spend from their own pockets. We have asked the fencers who won medals in last National Junior Championships last year to tell us if they have their own resources and after that we will send their entry for the event," he said.

Pradhan said that the Asian body has given extension of the deadline of sending entry up to the end of this month.

He said anybody among the first four-finishing fencers in the last Nationals in Gwalior in the men's and women's sections in the three categories of sabre, foil and epee can take part in Thailand if they have the individual resources.

Among these, eight fencers -- all girls -- are from the Sports Authority of India Centre at Kannur in Kerala but they are uncertain about their participation in the Asian event.

Their coach Sagar Suresh Lagu said that they had written to SAI and Kerala government for help but yet to get any response. He said each fencer will need Rs 80,000-85,000 to take part in the Asian event

"SAI had provided us the fund in 2010 and 2011 in an Asian event and Commonwealth event where my wards had done exceedingly well by winning medals. This time also we had written a letter to SAI and state government also for financial help but we have not got any response as yet," he said.

"We have to leave for the event by February 28 and it's just a week left from now. We are trying to get some money from friends and private individuals and don't know how we would go," he said.

Out of these eight girls, six will take part in the junior (under 20) category while two will participate in Cadet (under 17).

The six in the junior category are Bhavani Devi (sabre), Stefitha Chalil (epee), Neha Khare (sabre), Radhika Awati (foil), Aswathy Raj (epee) and S G Aarcha (foil), all from Kerala.

Sagar said according to the amount of money he can gather, the number of participants will be decided.

"We have to see how much money we can collect and accordingly decide how many from these eight fencers from SAI Centre Kannur will take part. And if course we will have to take into account the medal prospect," he said.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
May 9,2020

May 9: Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has donated an undisclosed amount to financially help 4,000 underprivileged people, including children from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) schools, amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tendulkar made the donation to the Hi5 Foundation, a non-profit organisation based out of Mumbai.

“Best wishes to team Hi5 for your efforts in supporting families of daily wage earners,” Tendulkar tweeted.

The organisation, through a tweet, thanked Tendulkar for doing his bit for the needy.

“Thanks @sachin_rt for proving once again that #sports encourages compassion! Your generous donation towards our #COVID19 fund enables us to financially aid 4000 underprivileged people, including children from @mybmc schools. Our budding sportspersons thank you, Little Master!”

The legendary batsman had earlier contributed Rs 25 lakh each to Prime Minister’s Relief Fund and Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the country’s fight against COVID-19. Tendulkar had earlier pledged to bear the cost of feeding 5,000 people for a month in a couple of areas in Mumbai.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 2,2020

Mar 2: Indian captain Virat Kohli was left frustrated and deflated as New Zealand won the second Test inside three days in Christchurch on Monday to sweep the series.

India started the day at 90 for six and were all out for 124, before New Zealand chased down the required 132 to win for the loss of three wickets in 36 overs.

It ended a disappointing tour for India and Kohli as New Zealand, who won the first Test by 10 wickets early on day four, wrapped up the series with ease.

New Zealand are now unbeaten in their last 13 home Tests, winning nine of them, and in the past decade their record as hosts is played 39, won 20, drawn 13 and lost five.

In the latest series, on traditional New Zealand green wickets, India managed scores of 165, 191, 242 and 124, reflecting the low contributions from Kohli of 2, 19, 3 and 14.

Kohli came to New Zealand as the world's top Test batsman and oozing charm as he described New Zealand as the “nice guys” of cricket.

But during the series he lost his top ranking to Australian Steve Smith and when Kane Williamson went for three in the first innings of the second Test the pressure showed when he gave the New Zealand skipper a very animated send-off.

There was further evidence of frustration when he was caught on camera yelling an obscenity at a group of New Zealand supporters on Sunday.

The end came quickly for India on day three as Tim Southee and Trent Boult tormented the batsmen with their variety of inswing and outswing deliveries targeting both sides of the stumps.

Hanuma Vihari was the first to fall, in Southee's second over, when he turned a legside delivery too fine and was caught by BJ Watling diving to his left.

Five balls later and with no addition to the score, India's other overnight batsman Rishabh Pant was caught behind off a Boult delivery that swung away.

Mohammed Shami was caught for five by Tom Blundell at deep mid-wicket and Jasprit Bumrah was run out when trying to give the strike to Ravindra Jadeja, who was unbeaten on 16.

Boult and Southee signed for most of the dismissals with Boult taking four for 28 and Southee three for 36. The swing pair accounted for 25 of the 40 Indian wickets in the series.

There was enough seam and swing available for India to keep the New Zealand batsmen guessing but Bumrah and Umesh Yadav were unable to apply consistent pressure and Mohammed Shami was troubled by a sore shoulder.

New Zealand coasted through a century opening stand by Tom Latham and Blundell before losing three quick wickets.

Latham notched his 18th half-century and second of the Test before he was caught behind off Yadav for 52, Kane Williamson had a short stay for five, and Blundell went for 55.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 15,2020

Jan 15: Australia openers David Warner and Aaron Finch both struck superb centuries to complement their bowlers’ inspired display as the touring side handed out a 10-wicket thrashing to India in the opening one-day international in Mumbai.

India, world-ranked No 2 in ODIs, suffered a middle-order collapse on their way to being bundled out for 255 in the final over of their innings after Australia captain Finch won the toss and opted to field in the first of the three-match series.

Warner and Finch then smashed the Indian bowlers to all corners of the ground, picking up boundaries seemingly at will to chase down the target with 74 balls to spare at the Wankhede Stadium.

Left-handed Warner successfully used the decision review system twice to overturn the umpire’s decision on his way to his 18th ODI century, hitting three sixes and 17 fours in his unbeaten knock of 128, from 112 balls. Finch completed his 16th century in the format, his unbeaten innings 110 from 114 features two sixes and 13 fours.

Earlier, Australia’s left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who made his ODI debut in India 10 years ago, picked up three wickets to set up Australia’s victory. He struck the first blow with the new ball when he sent back Rohit Sharma for 10.

India managed to recover from that early loss through a second-wicket stand of 121 between opener Shikhar Dhawan, who top-scored for the hosts with 74, and KL Rahul. However left-arm spinner Ashton Agar broke the stand by dismissing Rahul for 47 before Agar caught Dhawan off Pat Cummins in the next over.

The hosts were hoping for a solid innings from captain Virat Kohli, who batted a position lower than his usual No 3 spot to accommodate Rahul, to get them out of trouble. However, he lasted only 14 balls, hitting leg-spinner Adam Zampa for a six before offering a return catch to the bowler on the very next delivery to be out for 16.

Starc then returned to the attack, removing Shreyas Iyer cheaply as India lost four wickets for 30 runs to be reduced to 164 for five. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja then fell just short of a half-century partnership, before the remaining four wickets falling for 42 runs, with Cummins and fast bowler Kane Richardson picking up two wickets apiece for Australia.

To compound India’s woes, wicketkeeper Pant suffered a concussion after being hit on his helmet by a short-pitched delivery from Cummins. The Indian cricket board said Pant, who did not come out to keep wicket and was replaced behind the stumps by Rahul, was under observation. The two sides will meet in Rajkot for the second ODI on Friday.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.