Sania Mirza wants AITA to look into Venus Williams issue but AITA won’t rush

September 16, 2016

New Delhi, Sep 16: As reports have emerged that Rio Olympics silver medallist Venus Williams had allegedly been allowed to use prohibited substances under Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs), Sania Mirza has demanded that AITA takes up the matter with the appropriate authorities but the national body says it won’t rush into the matter.

Sania‘Fancy Bears’, a Russian hackers group, has claimed that it has uncovered files which showed that several American athletes, including Venus and her younger sister Serena Williams were allowed to take banned substances by the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) under the TUEs procedure.

Sania and Rohan Bopanna had lost their mixed doubles semifinals in the Rio Olympics to American combo of Venus and Rajeev Ram, who ended up as silver medallists. If any medallist is caught in the dope net, he or she will be stripped of the medal. Then, the medal may be given to the athletes who finished behind the original medallist.

According to sources, Sania’s mother Naseema had called up AITA Life President and ITF Vice President Anil Khanna this morning asking him to look into matter. “She informed that Williams sisters have failed WADA dope test and we should take it up with the IOA and IOC,” a source said.

It has also been learnt that even Ashok Kumar, who is from AITA affiliated unit of Telangana has requested AITA to take up the matter.

A senior AITA functionary confirmed the development but said they can’t rush into the matter since it still needs to be established if Venus is actually at fault. “Based on just some news we can’t make a claim, the process has to be followed. We need to approach IOA, IOA will then take it up to IOC because the Olympics is their purview. We can’t jump the gun,” the office-bearer said.

He cited the example of Russian diva Maria Sharapova, who was recently banned for using banned meldonium. “Something has surfaced. Someone is going to establish the truth, till the truth is established we can’t make a claim. We will have to wait. Whatever needs to be done, we will do it. We are waiting for actual facts to be revealed officially. Like it happened with Sharapova. In this case it is just a news,” he said.

“If the news prove wrong, we will lose face. This is the perfect stand that we have taken. We are not going to rush it.” According to documents released by the Fancy Bears hackers’ team, Venus was allowed to take prednisone, prednisolone and triamcinolone, among others, in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Under WADA Rules, athletes may take substances for which they will procure a Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE) – waivers that allow them to treat medical conditions with medications that may appear on WADA’s prohibited items list.

It has also been reported that ITF has confirmed that the Williams sisters had permission for the therapeutic use of banned drugs. ITF has also come out in favour of the Williams sisters.

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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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News Network
February 16,2020

Feb 16: Mayank Agarwal finally found some form going his way and Rishabh Pant mixed caution with his customary aggression as India's warm-up fixture against New Zealand XI ended in a draw in Hamilton on Sunday. The match was called off an hour after lunch with India reaching 252 for four just 48 overs into their second innings. Agarwal, who had gone through a wretched period since the second Test against Bangladesh, retired on 81 off 99 balls with 10 fours and three sixes to his name. To the relief of the Indian team management, Pant played in his customary manner to reach 70 off 65 balls, but also showed discretion when the opposition bowlers were in the midst of a good spell.

There were four sixes -- two each off leg-spinner Ish Sodhi and off-spinner Henry Cooper. While Sodhi was hit down the ground, Cooper was dispatched over extra cover on a couple of occasions.

He didn't curb his aggression though; there were times when he was ready defend against the spinners and also leave some of the deliveries that the Kiwi pacers bowled.

Even though Pant is easily the better batsman compared to his senior Wriddhiman Saha, the innings might have come too late in the day considering that the latter is a better keeper and possibly a more responsible batsman in pressure situations.

The biggest positive to have emerged from the second innings is Agarwal's poor run coming to an end.

The Seddon Park track easing out was definitely a factor but Agarwal's footwork was more assured as he played some glorious on-drives and pull-shots off fast bowlers.

Before this game, Agarwal had played 10 competitive games including first-class, ODIs and List A matches and couldn't cross the 40-run mark in 11 completed innings.

He even bagged a pair against New Zealand A in an unofficial Test match. Once he had got his form back, he didn't come out to bat after lunch giving Saha an opportunity to score an unbeaten 30, his runs coming mostly against non-regular bowlers.

The Agarwal-Pant pair added 100 runs in 14.3 overs and it also helped that part-timers like Cooper was introduced into the action. In the morning, Prithvi Shaw (39 off 31 balls) was bowled through the gate by Daryl Mitchell as the batsman left a gaping hole between his bat and pad.

Shaw, though, seemed to have done enough during his brisk 72-run stand with Agarwal, which could put an end to the debate around the opening slot even though the tracks in Wellington and Christchurch could be a test of technique for the flamboyant Mumbaikar.

It was a match that Shubman Gill would perhaps like to forget in a hurry as he was dismissed cheaply for the second time in a row. He scored 8 before Daryl Mitchell trapped him leg before.

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News Network
February 19,2020

New Delhi, Feb 19: An Indian wrestler whose family story was immortalised by Bollywood is hoping to create a blockbuster of her own by becoming her country's first world champion in the high-octane sport of mixed martial arts.

Ritu Phogat, who initially followed her father and two elder sisters into wrestling, is now charting a new path after making an explosive MMA debut in November.

Phogat's father Mahavir, and her sisters Geeta and Babita were the subject of 2016 movie "Dangal", telling the story of the wrestling coach who raised his daughters to become Commonwealth champions.

But Ritu, 25, is forging a different career. After winning her first MMA fight in less than three minutes, she will face China's Wu Chiao Chen at this month's ONE Championship fight night in Singapore, which will be held behind closed doors because of the coronavirus.

The youngest Phogat daughter is trading an attempt at an Olympic medal to tackle MMA, but she said she was attracted by the lure of making history in her new sport.

"I got a chance to train with the best in Singapore and there was no looking back," she told AFP during a promotional event in New Delhi.

"There was the 2020 Olympic Games but I thought that I would do well in mixed martial arts. I have come with an aim of becoming the first girl from India to become a world champion in mixed martial art."

The nimble but strongly built Phogat said wrestlers were a good fit for the fast-growing contact sport, which is yet to take off in India.

"Top seven champions in mixed martial arts are wrestlers, so I believe that wrestlers have an edge in this sport with their ability to take down the opponent," she said.

"It is all a matter of skill. You just have to practise hard. I think MMA is not much different from wrestling in terms of preparation.

"One has to take risks to do something new and as an athlete I am ready to embrace every challenge."

She added: "Without the support of my father and sisters I would not have been where I am. My father always taught me to be far-sighted, hard-working and with strong resolve. Three traits will take you a long way."

Phogat won 48kg gold at the 2016 Commonwealth Wrestling Championship and followed it up with a silver in the under-23 world championships the next year.

"She used to watch a lot MMA and one day told me that I will win a gold in this game. So we all backed her and the result is there for everyone to see," he said.

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