Satire dents Putin's dream of Sochi glory

February 8, 2014

Sochi_glory2014Moscow, Feb 8: Vladimir Putin's dreams of glory at the Sochi Winter Olympics are drowning in a sea of online satire poking fun at everything from the toilets to threats of a bomb attack.

The Twitter account @SochiProblems, with comments on issues ranging from supposed spray-painting of the grass to signs banning fishing in the toilets in Sochi, is vying for attention with official feeds from the Russian organisers.

The Internet is also full of jokes drawing on a wealth of material – reports of corruption around the Games, the Russian president's stance on gay rights and widely circulated photos from the Games facilities showing two toilets in one cubicle.

One post shows a drawing of five coloured toilet seats in the shape of the five interlocking rings of the Olympic Games symbol. In a play on words, it says Srochi 2014 underneath – which roughly translates as Crap 2014.

Three days after it was set up, @SochiProblems has 190,000 followers.

That is not good news for Putin as he tries to use the Games to enhance Russia's image and show the progress it has made since the end of the Soviet Union in 1991.

A cartoon on Facebook shows a worried Putin running with an Olympic torch which, instead of a flame, has a burning fuse as if it were a bomb.

One tweet declares: "Putin has personally guaranteed security for sexual minorities during the Olympic Games in Sochi." Attached is a cartoon of a ski jumper in mid-air with skis in the colours of the rainbow Gay Pride flag, surrounded by four security guards also in mid-air, pointing their rifles.

Despite Olympic chiefs' high praise for Russia's Games preparations, Moscow and Putin have attracted mostly negative publicity abroad on everything from unfinished Sochi hotels to reports that stray dogs are being poisoned in the host city.

Although he won a third term as president in an election in March 2012, Putin is a constant target on the Internet for Russians who are fed up with his 14-year domination of the country as president or prime minister. Mocking the threat posed by Islamist militants who have warned of an attack on the Games, one photoshopped picture shows what looks like a group of bearded men in camouflage posing with the silver-and-red Olympic torches.

Putin has dismissed talk of widespread corruption around the Games. But a popular online joke plays on the accusations that some of the funding for the Games has been stolen or misspent, asking why a person refuses to watch the Olympics on TV.

The answer goes: "Imagine you get your salary and some dudes beat you up in a back street and take the money. Then they email you a video of the great time they had spending the money in a casino, on Blackjack and on prostitutes. Would you watch and root for them?"

A cartoon of the athletes' Olympic village in Sochi shows a sign reading "Gay athletes' quarters" being nailed to a closet door – the implication being that they are expected to stay in the closet, or not go public with their sexual preferences.

The satire has touched a raw nerve among some Russians who, like Putin, believe national pride is at stake at the Games.

"Enough is enough. This is beyond the boundaries of decency. It's a sporting event and that's what it should remain, not another excuse to have a go at Russia," one Russian official complained, but asked not to be identified.

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Agencies
February 5,2020

Hamilton, Feb 5: Talented Shreyas Iyer hit his maiden century while KL Rahul and skipper Virat Kohli carried on their fine form as India dished out a clinical batting effort to post 347 for four against New Zealand in the first ODI here on Wednesday.

Iyer showed why he is considered as the next big thing in Indian cricket, scoring 103 off 107 balls, his first ODI ton. Besides, Rahul continued his purple patch, smashing unbeaten 88 off 64 balls while Kohli made 51 off 63 deliveries.

Iyer's knock was laced with 11 fours and a six and together with Rahul shared 136 runs for the fourth wicket as India scored 96 runs in the last 10 overs after being sent into bat.

This was after Tom Blundell featured his maiden ODI for the Black Caps, while India gave debuts to two openers -- Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal.

It was the fourth such instance in Indian history with Rahul-Karun Nair being the last such pair in 2016 against Zimbabwe.

Shaw and Agarwal got the innings off to quick start, adding 50 off 48 balls for the opening stand.

But both Shaw and Agarwal fell in the space of five balls as India were reduced to 54 for 2.

Shaw was the first to go, nicking behind a Colin de Grandhomme (1/41) delivery, while Agarwal was caught at point by Blundell off Southee (2/85).

It brought Kohli and Iyer together, and they dominated the middle overs with a 102-run stand for the third wicket. They manoeuvred the field well and kept the scorecard ticking as India crossed 150 in the 28th over.

Kohli fell against the run of play as a wrong one from Ish Sodhi (1/27) got through his defence to clip the leg stump.

Rahul though didn't let the innings lose any momentum as he smacked six sixes along with three fours.

But the day belonged to Iyer, who, despite a scratchy start, had crossed 50 off 66 balls. Once he passed the 50-run mark, the stylish right-hander batted fluently to notch up his first century in 16 ODIs.

The centurion fell shortly afterwards, caught off Southee even as Rahul took control.

He reached his half-century off 41 balls as India eased past 300 in the 47th over.

Rahul's carnage meant that New Zealand conceded 191 runs in the last 20 overs. Kedar Jadhav remained unbeaten on 26 off 15 balls, stitching 55 off 27 balls with Rahul.

Brief Scores:

India: 347 for 4 in 50 overs (Shreyas Iyer 103, KL Rahul 88 not out, Virat Kohli 51; Tim Southee 2/85).

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News Network
January 23,2020

Melbourne, Jan 23: Sania Mirza's return to her first Grand Slam after a two-year break was cut short on Thursday when the former world number one was forced to retire midway through her first round match in women's doubles at the Australian Open due to a calf injury.

India's Mirza, who won six Grand Slam doubles titles, took a break from the game after the China Open in October 2017 and gave birth to her son a year later.

The 33-year-old made a winning return to the WTA Tour at this month's Hobart International with Ukrainian Nadiia Kichenok, picking up her 42nd WTA doubles title and the first since winning the women's doubles in Brisbane in 2017.

Mirza said she strained her calf muscle in her right leg during the Hobart final.

"It just got worse in the match. It was bit of a bad strain, but I had a few days off," she told reporters. "So I obviously had to try to do whatever I could to try to get on the court.

"It felt okay when I went on the court, but it was tough to move right. I just felt like I'm gonna tear it or something pretty bad."

Mirza won her first Grand Slam in mixed doubles at the Australian Open in 2009 and also bagged the women's doubles in 2016.

Mirza always believed there was tennis left in her which inspired her comeback, she told Reuters on Sunday.

She had already pulled out of the Australian Open mixed doubles, where she was to partner compatriot Rohan Bopanna.

Mirza and Kichenok were trailing the Chinese pair of Xinyun Han and Lin Zhu 6-2 1-0 on Thursday when the Indian had to call it quits due to the injury.

"As a tennis player you want to compete, it is the Grand Slam. If it's any other tournament, you would probably take a call and be like 'I don't want to risk it'," she said.

Mirza, who is married to former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, said she would take two weeks to recover and was hoping to play at next month's Dubai championships.

"When you play a professional sport, injuries are really part of it. And it's something that you have to accept," she said. "Sometimes the timing is really not ideal, it's tough that it happened in a Grand Slam, or just before a Grand Slam."

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News Network
March 3,2020

Sydney, Mar 3: Former Australia pacer Brett Lee foresees a "different" looking India making their maiden T20 Women's World Cup final and attributed their rise to the emergence of star players like 16-year-old Shafali Verma.

Besides opener Shafali, experienced leg-spinner Poonam Yadav has been the other match-winner for India in the competition. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side topped the group stage with four wins in as many games and play their semifinal here on Thursday.

"They've never reached the final but this is a different India team from the one they’ve seen before. They've combined match-winners in Shafali Verma and Poonam Yadav with consistent players with both bat and ball," Lee was quoted as saying by ICC.

"We've always known they have some of the best players in the world but now Harmanpreet Kaur has a team around her that can support the big players, and fill in the gaps when they have an off day."

Only a special effort from their opponents can stop India from reaching their maiden final, feels Lee.

They'll go into the semi-finals full of confidence and it will take an excellent team to stop them from reaching the Final."

Talking more about Shafali, who has got 47, 46, 39, and 29 so far, Lee backed the teen sensation to make a bigger score in the semifinal.

"Shafali Verma has been excellent at the top of the order, she’s brought a fearless energy to India’s batting and been brilliant to watch.

"You feel she can go even bigger as well – she hasn't reached 50 yet, which is both exciting for those watching and worrying for the bowlers.

"We saw from the opener against Australia just how good India can be, and it’s no surprise they’ve continued that form to top Group A," he added.

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