Media locked out of Dhyanchand National Stadium

Published>Wed, Feb 03 10 06:29 PM

New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS) Sports Minister M.S.Gill wants media to promote hockey, but national camp at the Dhyanchand National Stadium was out of bounds for journalists.
Barely a week after Gill inaugurated the venue for the World Cup starting Feb 28, the
reporters, who had gathered here Wednesday morning to cover the first training session of the Indian team after their return from Pune, were locked out of the stadium.
The official version is that Sports Authority of India (SAI) has taken the decision to bar media's entry for security reasons and so the training sessions can't be reported. It will be the same for the other participating teams in the World Cup.
'The decision has been taken because of security reasons. The police said they would require a large posse to manage the media persons and expressed their inability to provide adequate security,' sports ministry spokesman told IANS.
'The same will apply for other teams also when they will practice. We will later appoint one spokesperson from the participating teams to brief the media.'
The ministry, however, had no answer as to how an important training camp can be covered without watching the players playing.
It was not only media, but even hockey officials were stopped from entering the stadium.
Hockey India (HI) said that the diktat of the ministry has come as a shock to it.
'We were surprised when we came to know about the development. How can you not allow media inside and expect coverage of World Cup hockey. It will only show the tournament in a poor light. We are going to talk to SAI and ask them to make some arrangement so that at least one player from the team can be present to brief the media everyday,' said a top HI official.
Even as the media persons were protesting at the main gate, some photographers and reporters slipped from other entry points, making a mockery of the security arrangements.
It has also been learnt that chief coach Jose Brasa has been gagged from talking to the media.
'I do not want to say anything,' Brasa said with folded hands when questioned by the media while the Spaniard was coming out of the stadium.

Source: Web Search

IPL ready to share security plan, says ACA

Published>Wed, Feb 03 10 05:59 PM

Melbourne, Feb 3 (IANS) The Australian participation in the third edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) is almost certain as an agreement between the Twenty20 league organisers and the players' union over security arrangements looks imminent.
The Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) chief executive Paul Marsh Wednesday said the players' body was close to being handed security plans, allowing it to go on with the process of assessing safety and briefing players.
IPL chairman Lalit Modi had earlier refused to spell out security arrangements for cricketers, saying they are in touch with the Australian cricket board, following which the ACA had warned it may recommend its players not to take part in IPL.

Hockey camp begins in Delhi

Published>Wed, Feb 03 10 05:49 PM

As the Indian hockey team began getting a feel of the National Stadium on Wednesday, ruckus erupted outside the World Cup venue with authorities shunting out media on the pretext of security.
A lensman desperate to get a peek inside jumped the gates only to be caught by the policemen, a handful of journalists sneaked in through unguarded gates while the rest fumed in frustration. And all this while the hockey team practiced inside.
Incidentally, the stadium was inaugurated barely 10 days ago by Sports Minister M S Gill amid huge presence of media.

India in handball semifinals

Published Wed, Feb 03 10 05:23 PM

Dhaka, Feb 3 (PTI) Indian men handball team lost to Pakistan 31-34 in their final Group A match but ensured themselves a semifinal berth as they finished second in the group in the 11th South Asian Games today. India will take on Group B winners Bangladesh while Group A toppers Pakistan face Nepal in their last four matches tomorrow. Down 9-17 at the break, India fought back strongly in the second session but the gap proved to be too much as Pakistan edged them out by three goals in a thrilling finish. Leading from the front, captain Binu Vasu scored eight goals for India while Naya Singh Chaudhary banged in six. For Pakistan, Nasrullah scored seven goals while Mohammad Shahid Pervez, Azhar Khan and Naseer Ahmed netted six each. India, who had beaten Sri Lanka in their earlier group match, finished second behind Pakistan who had two wins in Group A. In another match, Bangladesh thrashed Afghanistan 26-5 to finish on top of Group B. They had earlier beaten Nepal. Nepal, who had just a win over Afghanistan to their credit, finished second in Group B.

Source: Web Search

Pink ball not exactly every Oz cricketer's cup of tea

Published>Wed, Feb 03 10 05:09 PM

Brisbane, Feb. 3 (ANI): After a mixed review by Australian players, the plan to introduce pink balls to facilitate day night Test matches is likely go back to the drawing board.
On Tuesday, Cricket Australia stepped up its push to stage day-night Tests by commencing a trial of pink balls made by English manufacturer Dukes in Futures League matches in Brisbane.
The trial was part of a nationwide experiment to test pink and white balls made by Dukes and Australian manufacturer Kookaburra in the hope of finding one suited to night Test matches.
While the pink ball seemed more spectator-friendly, players from both sides expressed reservations about how the balls aged.

Ball tampering prevalent in world cricket: Tait

Published>Wed, Feb 03 10 05:03 PM

Melbourne, Feb 3 (ANI): Australian paceman Shaun Tait suspects that ball tampering is prevalent in world cricket, although he has never seen it.
Tait's Redbacks teammate Shahid Afridi was banned for two Twenty20 matches, after television cameras caught him attempting to bite the seam of the ball at the beginning of the 46th over of Australia's innings at the WACA on Sunday night.
"It probably goes on, but I have never seen it with my own eyes. I am sure there could be players that do it, but not that I have seen. I have never engaged in biting the ball," Tait said.

John Terry's 'mistress had flings with 5 Chelsea stars'

Published>Wed, Feb 03 10 04:55 PM

London, February 3 (ANI): Vanessa Perroncel, the woman alleged to be the mistress of married football star John Terry, has had flings with other Chelsea stars in the past, according to reports.

The French lingerie model, who previously dated Wayne Bridge, was said to have romanced five men in the club including England Captain Terry.

"To say she's a Chelsea Girl is a bit of an understatement. Wayne knows that he was one of several Chelsea players who were close to Vanessa," the Sun quoted a source close to the model as saying.

"Vanessa has always had a thing for footballers and set her heart on becoming a kind of super-WAG.

"During each affair she was always a single girl. But by the time she got to John Terry she'd achieved her own five-a-side football team," the source added. (ANI)

Source: Web Search