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Injury forces Bindra out of Games

A rifleman takes aim - but India's Bindra will not be shooting for gold in Doha

India’s first ever shooting world champion Abhinav Bindra will miss the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006 after doctors advised him that his troublesome back injury requires a minimum of six weeks to recover.

Bindra suffered the career-threatening back injury during the Commonwealth Games in March, but was able to return to win his historic title in the 10m air rifle category at the World Championships in Croatia in July.

He was forced to miss the Indian National Championships because he was receiving treatment from doctors in Munich, Germany, but was selected for the Games squad on the back of his form and would have been a strong contender for gold.

“It’s needless to say I’m very disappointed,” Bindra, who is ranked second in the International Shooting Sport Federation's world rankings for his event, said in a statement. “I’m going to give my recovery 100 percent so that there are no hindrances during the 2008 Olympics.”

'Imported athletes' can dampen India's Doha medal hopes: AFI

Chennai, Nov 05: Indian athletes competing at next month's Doha Asian Games have been cautioned that their medal prospects could be dampened by 'imported athletes' representing some countries in the games.

"Like Indian athletes, athletes from other countries have also shown improved performance but the 'imported' athletes competing for mere financial gains for few countries will be the major problems." Athletic Federation of India Secretary Lalit Kumar Bhanot today told a press conference here.

He also assured that Indian athletes will not be caught in doping charges this time.

"We have kept a full vigil on dope issues and we could guarantee that none of the athletes going from India will have any problem on this count," he said.

"Every athlete has been tested at least three times during the last six months. We will continue to monitor the athletes but at the same time, I cannot talk of athletes coming from outside India to represent the country," he said.

However, he said India's chances of winning medals were bright considering the athletes' improved performances and the federation was sending only the best ones, who could find success in the games.

"We are deputing athletes, who are in the medal bracket and no one will be sent for mere participation. Likewise, the AFI has decided not to field a relay team in men's 100 metres going by the advice of the selection committee. India will be represented by a 41-member contingent in athletics," Bhanot said.

The team would be finalised before the month's end, he said, adding "the federation will have a final trial in new Delhi on November 11."

The federation decided to run the ongoing nationals for more than the normal two days, but the incessant rains had put the schedule and plans in disarray, Bhanot said.

Pointing out that there was no point in sending a men's relay team without K M Binu, Bhanot revealed that the women's 100m relay team would be Chitra K Soman, Anju B George and G C Pramila, besides Poonam Tomar.

As for the 4x400m relay for women, the AFI has almost decided on Manjit Kaur, Pinki Pramanik, Chitra Soman while the fourth athlete would be decided at the New Delhi trials.

Shiv Shankar Yadav of Uttar Pradesh is also a likely entry in the long jump event, Bhanot said.

On selection of athletes, he said "national record or India's best is not a concern. The criteria for selection of athletes for Asian Games will be a comparison to the timings or distances of top athletes in the region and whether India has any chances of winning a medal among the top notchers."

On the number of medals likely to be won by India at the games, he said "I cannot predict the number but I am confident that it will be good show by our athletes," he said.

India had won 17 medals, including seven golds, at the 2002 Busan Games

Pakistan name hockey squad for Doha

Pakistan sacked five senior players from its Asian Games hockey squad after they skipped a training camp to stay with their clubs and warned them they might never play for their country again.

Captain Mohammad Saqlain, half back Dilawar Hussain, penalty corner expert Sohail Abbas, Mohammad Waseem and Ghazanfar Ali were not put up for selection after missing the camp, Pakistan Hockey Federation President Zafarullah Jamali said.


South Korea, currently Asia’s best team, finished fourth in the World Cup 2006.

Pakistan will also face tough opposition from arch-rivals India, emerging power Japan, and Malaysia, who defeated them in the third-fourth play-off four years ago.

Former Olympian Shahnaz Shaikh is the coach of the team.

Squad: Salman Akbar, Nasir Ahmad, Imran Warsi, Ehsanullah, Zeeshan Ashraf, Imran Khan, Adnan Maqsood, Sajjad Anwar, Mohammad Imran, Rehan Butt, Rashid Imran, Shakil Abbasi, Tariq Aziz, Mohammad Zubair, Waqas Sharif, Mudassar Khan.

Indian Fencers in Doubt

Elite fencer Rupaya Langojam’s disappearance and the subsequent asylum request in the United Kingdom has had an immediate fallout, with the sports ministry putting the Indian camp for the Doha 2006 Asian Games on hold. We mut remember that Rupaya disappeared during the Senior Commonwealth Fencing Championships last month at Belfast.

Indeed, it is learnt that the sports ministry has also questioned the officials of the Fencing Association of India (FAI) about Rupaya’s deserting the team. FAI secretary Arun Vij had requested the government (read SAI) to let them conduct the camp at Patiala, but no clearance has been forthcoming.

Vij expressed that he was yet to reply to the sports ministry on the issue. “Since I was away at Doha as an Indian Olympic Association (IOA) delegate, I couldn’t respond to the message. But will do it shortly,” he told a local media.

It's important to mention that the FAI has forwarded the list of players for Doha to the IOA, but it is not certain if the clearance will be available from the ministry. Vij, though, said that all fencers must not suffer because of the folly of one.

In fact, FAI president Arvind Khanna, it is learnt, has set up one-man committee to look into the disappearance episode. So far, elite fencers, in their build up for the Doha Games, have had at least three exposure trips including the Belfast Commonwealth Fencing Tournament.

According to unofficial sources, the World Cup in Italy and Asian Championships in Qatar were the other two competitions the fencers participated in. there was also a Bangkok trip. In none of the tournaments has the team’s showing been encouraging.

Gagan Ajit, Ignace, Vikram Pillay omitted for Asian Games

Experienced striker Gagan Ajit Singh and midfielders Ignace Tirkey and Vikram Pillay have failed to find a place in the list of 23 probables declared today for the men's hockey team at the Doha Asian Games.

Apart from these three players, defender Kanwalpreet Singh and midfielder Nitin Kumar are the other two who were left out in the first phase of the camp at Rourkela.


Meanwhile, full-backs William Xalxo and Harpal Singh and forward Adam Sinclair have boosted their chances of comeback into the Indian team for the Asiad.


The camp will continue till November 24.


Probables:
Goal-keepers: Adrian D' Souza, Bharat Kumar Chetri, Sreejesh, Sanmugasundram - TN Full

Backs: Harpal Singh, William Xalxo, Raghunath, Dilip Tirkey

Midfielders: V.S. Vinaya, Prabodh Tirkey, Gurbaj Singh, Ajmer Singh, Senthil, Viren Rasquinha, Vikramjeet Singh

Forwards: Tushar Khandekar, Shivendra Singh, Rajpal Singh, Tejbir Singh, Adam Sinclair, Arjun Halappa, Hari Prasad, Gurwinder Singh Chandi

Chief coach: V. Baskaran,

Coach: Harendra Singh,

Goal-keeping Coach: Edward Alloysius,

SAI Coach: Madukaran,

Physio: Ravi Kankamedala,

Physical Trainer: Gunasekharan.

V Anand to skip Asian Games

World number two Viswanathan Anand will not take part in the Doha Asian Games where chess will figure as a medal sport for the first time in the event's history.

All India Chess Federation Secretary D V Sundar revealed this but did not divulge the reason for Anand's unavailability.

But it is speculated that Anand is apprehensive about taking part in team championship after he lost around 20 ELO points in the Chess Olympiad despite being a part of the second-seeded Indian team early this year.

It is believed that Anand had no problems taking part in the individual competition as it would be played in his favourite Rapid format. But according to the rules of the Games, one has to take part in both categories. The team championship would be played in the Classical format.

Anand's absence notwithstanding, the Indians would still be among the top favourites to clinch the three gold medals at stake for the first time for Asian chess players.

Sundar was confident about Indians picking four medals with top Grandmasters Krishnan Sasikiran, P Harikrishna and Koneru Humpy comprising the Indian team.

"I am sure we will win four medals, one in the team, and three for individual performances. Three out of these four medals could possibly be gold. We will be among the top teams and surely our players will deliver," Sundar said.

The Indian camp is upbeat and is planning well for the event to be held in December, he added. "We will have a camp for the players and make sure that they are able to deliver their best for the country."

Pay fine of $50,000 and go to the Doha Asian Games, IWF tells India


India’s weightlifters can take part in the Asian Games in December provided they pay a fine of $50,000 , the sport’s world governing body said yesterday.

India was banned from all international weightlifting competitions for a year, until next March, following four positive dope tests before and during the Commonwealth Games in Australia earlier this year.

But the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) now says it is willing to waive the ban and allow India’s participation in the Asian Games in Qatar—if it coughs up the money. “India shall pay the fine of $50,000 and remain suspended from membership of the IWF only until the whole amount of the fine is duly paid to the IWF,” the federation said in a statement.

“The IWF executive board declares that the fine shall be used for the purpose of anti-doping activities.”

Indian weightlifting chief H.J. Dora welcomed the IWF decision and said he was making efforts to raise the money.

“We don’t have that kind of money, but we will tap all resources to see if $50,000 can be arranged,” he said.

“We will try our best, otherwise innocent athletes will continue to suffer through no fault of their own.”

Two male Indian weightlifters, Edwin Raju and Tejinder Singh, tested positive during the Commonwealth Games. Two women, Prameelavalli Bodari and Shailaja Pujari, failed pre-Games tests and were banned by India from making the trip to Australia.

India’s own weightlifting federation banned all four for life.

Dora said he was not concerned about the short time available to

prepare the team for the Asian Games, to be held in Doha from December 1-15. “Let us raise the money first,” he said. “We can send a young team and look ahead to the Beijing Olympics in 2008.”

Basketball Draw made for Doha Asian Games

First Phase
Group A: India, Macau, Bahrain
Group B: Uzbekistan, Palestine, Mongolia
Group C: Hong Kong, Syria, Afghanistan
Group D: Kuwait, Kazakhstan, UAE

Second Phase
Group A: Qatar, South Korea, Jordan, Iran, A1, C1
Group B: China, Lebanon, Japan, Taiwan, B1, D1

Team India sponsors lock horns over logo

Team India's most generous sponsor, Sahara India, has locked horns with its apparel sponsor, Nike, for merchandising team T-shirts with a diminished size of the Sahara logo.