Kazakh businessman Timur Turlov has been elected the new president of the world chess governing body FIDE, succeeding Arkady Dvorkovich. Turlov won a closely contested election against German entrepreneurs Wadim Rosenstein and Jan Henric Buettner, securing a four-year term. His victory comes amidst scrutiny over Russian influence and FIDE's financial independence, with Turlov campaigning on expanding digital reach and supporting smaller federations. He also addressed concerns about his ties to the outgoing administration and FIDE's commercial partner, Freedom Holding Corp.
Kerala's Ancy Sojan clinched the women's long jump title at the Indian Athletics Series Final, expressing strong confidence for the upcoming Asian Games where she aims to win gold and experience the national anthem on the podium.
Wushu player Divyanshi Choudhary has alleged physical and mental harassment by the national federation after being dropped from the Asian Games squad on medical grounds. Choudhary claims she was replaced despite doctor's clearance, while the Wushu Association of India maintains she had an ACL tear. The athlete, who defeated her replacement in trials, expressed distress and even threatened self-harm in a video.
The accommodation troubles around the Indian contingent in Nagoya took another bizarre turn, with gymnast Pranati Nayak and her coach Ashok Mishra assigned the same room and forced to wait until the early hours before the issue was sorted.
Greco Roman wrestler Deepak has failed a dope test, leading to his withdrawal from the Asian Games contingent. This marks the third doping case for Indian wrestling ahead of the continental event, further reducing India's representation. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) found clomifene in his sample, a prohibited substance. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) decided to withdraw him to avoid potential penalties from the world governing body.
Legendary Indian hockey player Harbinder Singh reminisces about India's historic first Asian Games gold medal in 1966, defeating arch-rivals Pakistan. He shares insights into the team's motivation, the challenging final match played with 10 men, and the evolution of hockey over the decades, including concerns about declining domestic spectator interest and India's prospects for future Asian Games.
The Sports Ministry has approved a 492-member contingent of athletes, including 265 men and 227 women, for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan. The squad features prominent athletes like Neeraj Chopra, PV Sindhu, and Lovlina Borgohain across various disciplines, with athletics having the largest representation.
Almost all of India's Asian Games-bound track and field athletes, including star steeplechaser Avinash Sable and javelin thrower Yashvir Singh, will participate in the Indian Athletics Series Final. This invitational event, featuring a total prize fund of Rs 65 lakh, serves as a crucial tune-up for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, with most of the 77-member squad competing.
Indian 100m hurdler Jyothi Yarraji, a silver medallist from the last edition, withdrew from her first-round heat race in Nagoya after experiencing pain during warm-up, despite having received last-minute fitness clearance for a minor knee stress.
Wushu player Divyanshi Choudhary, dropped from the Asian Games squad due to an alleged ACL tear, has accused the national federation of physical and mental harassment, claiming she was medically cleared to compete. The Wushu Association of India maintains she was replaced due to a high-grade ACL tear confirmed by MRI, while Divyanshi alleges foul play to favour another athlete.
The Sports Ministry has approved a 492-member Indian contingent, comprising 265 male and 227 female athletes, for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Athletics forms the largest group with 73 participants, including star athletes like Neeraj Chopra and Jyothi Yarraji. Other prominent sports like shooting, weightlifting, badminton, boxing, and wrestling also feature strong teams, with some adjustments made due to doping violations.
Indian kabaddi player Brijendra Singh Choudhary has been stripped of his silver medal from the Asian Beach Games after testing positive for a prohibited diuretic. The International Testing Agency (ITA) confirmed the anti-doping rule violation, which Choudhary has accepted.
Wushu player Divyanshi Choudhary, dropped from the Asian Games squad due to an alleged ACL tear, has accused the national federation of physical and mental harassment, claiming she was cleared by doctors to compete and was replaced unfairly.
Two-time Olympic gold medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo has been announced as the International Event Ambassador for the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. The Bahamian sprinter, known for her explosive finishes and consistent performance, will visit New Delhi to be part of the event, aiming to inspire runners with her journey of progress and consistency.
Naib Subedar Kedarling Balakrishna Uchaganve, a 27-year-old from a farming village in Karnataka, is set to represent India at the Asian Games in shooting, a sport he discovered only after joining the Indian Army in 2018 with no prior sporting ambition.
The Indian men's football team, led by head coach Khalid Jamil, will play high-profile friendlies against Panama, five-time world champions Brazil, and two-time world champions Uruguay in September and October.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) are reportedly dissatisfied with the arrangements and facilities for the upcoming Asian Games cricket tournament in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Concerns include inadequate dressing rooms, distant washrooms, and small hotel rooms. As a result, India might send a 'B' team instead of the previously announced full-strength squad, pending a report from a BCCI observer.
The Indian athletics team for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan has undergone significant changes. Commonwealth Games medallist Yashvir Singh replaces an injured Neeraj Chopra, while long-distance runner Abhishek Pal has been dropped due to an alleged doping offence. Tejas Shirse is also out due to injury. The final team comprises 77 members, with six new additions. The Athletics Federation of India is aiming for 25-30 medals.
Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf has expressed his strong desire to play Test cricket, aiming for a spot in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, as the team grapples with significant struggles in its pace department.
Five Indian tennis players were excluded from the Asian Games squad because they did not meet the Sports Ministry's stringent international ranking criteria, a decision that has drawn criticism from veteran players like Rohan Bopanna but is being upheld by authorities to maintain administrative integrity.
Rudrankksh Patil embraces pressure ahead of Asian Games 2026, saying it helps him stay focused as he targets strong performances in two events.
Former Asian Games gold-winning heptathlete Swapna Barman has been provisionally suspended by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) after testing positive for the banned anabolic-androgenic steroid Boldenone. Barman, who recently announced her retirement, won gold at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games and represented India in the 2016 Olympics.
England secured a dominant six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Cardiff, clinching the T20 series 2-0. Jos Buttler made history by becoming the first player to reach 15,000 career T20 runs, while Liam Dawson's three-wicket haul and Tom Banton's unbeaten fifty guided England to an easy win.
Former India international and coach Soumyadeep Roy is set to join the national table tennis squad for the upcoming Asian Games as a personal coach, five years after being embroiled in a match-fixing controversy at the Tokyo Olympics. Despite the past issues and the suspension of the TTFI, Roy aims to guide his players and contribute to India's medal prospects.
SAI has defended the exclusion of five Indian tennis players from the Asian Games squad, saying they failed to meet the prescribed continental ranking criteria.
Jasprit Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Harshit Rana have been included in India's T20I squad for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan, pending fitness clearance from the BCCI's Centre of Excellence.
India's wrestling campaign at the Asian Games will be spearheaded by Sujeet Kalkal, Antim Panghal, and Aman Sehrawat, all of whom face challenging draws. Sujeet is in red-hot form but could meet Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka, while Antim Panghal eyes a strong performance against Zhang Jin. Olympic medallist Aman Sehrawat also has a tough path, potentially facing another Olympic medallist early on. The wider Indian contingent also features medal hopefuls across freestyle, women's, and Greco-Roman categories.
The OCA has asked India and other national Olympic bodies not to seek late additions to their Asian Games contingents as Japan struggles to accommodate more than 15,000 participants.
Veteran athletics coach Parveer Singh, who guided athletes like Seema Punia, Tajinderpal Singh Toor, and Annu Rani to international medals, has been named for the prestigious Dronacharya Award. The article details his extensive career spanning over two decades, his role as a coach educator, and his academic contributions to sports coaching.
Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has become the first woman cricketer to reach 11,000 international runs, achieving the milestone during the Asian Games final against Sri Lanka.
Indian women's cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues has been ruled out of the upcoming Asia Cup and Asian Games due to a high-grade hamstring tear sustained during The Hundred tournament in England. Pratika Rawal has been named as her replacement for the Asia Cup.
Actor Prakash Raj has claimed his name was deleted from Bengaluru's electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision process, affecting 6.5 million voters. He expressed frustration and questioned the ruling dispensation, while reports indicate his name was marked as "permanently shifted" due to a previous case involving multiple voter IDs.
Mairaj Ahmad Khan, a 50-year-old Indian skeet shooter, is set to compete in his fourth Asian Games, showcasing remarkable longevity. The article traces his unique journey from a promising cricketer, who even played with Virender Sehwag, to becoming a decorated shooter with Olympic appearances and World Cup medals. Despite past disappointments, Khan approaches the upcoming games with renewed spirit, embodying wisdom gained over decades in sport.
Tejaswin Shankar, a two-time Commonwealth Games medalist, is targeting an Asian Games decathlon gold with a personal best, while building towards Olympic-level performances and longevity.
Pincky Balhara secured a bronze medal in the women's 78kg Kurash event at the Asian Games, making her the first Indian to win two medals in the sport at the continental showpiece. Despite battling a knee injury sustained in the quarterfinals, Balhara fought valiantly before losing to South Korea's Sumin Mo in the semifinals. This achievement adds to her silver medal from the 2018 Jakarta Games.
Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant were not picked in Indian team for the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies, while Ruturaj Gaikwad made a return to the one-day team.
Prachiti Nagpurkar, a former chartered accountant, has made history as the first Indian to referee a mixed martial arts (MMA) bout at the Asian Games in Nagoya. She left her lucrative profession to pursue her passion for MMA, where she also owns a gym and trains fighters. Nagpurkar advocates for women in male-dominated sports, expressing pride in her role as a female official in the cage.
Indian kurash athlete Pincky Balhara secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games despite suffering a knee injury during her quarterfinal bout. She revealed that the injury hampered her performance in the semifinal, preventing a higher finish. Balhara, a two-time Asian Games medallist, also highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by Indian kurash athletes due to the lack of a recognised national federation and reliance on private support.
Baranica Elangovan has won a historic bronze medal for India in the women's pole vault event at the Asian Games, marking the country's first-ever medal in the discipline. She cleared 4.15m, sharing the bronze with Kazakhstan's Polina Ivanova.
Indian shooting star Manu Bhaker, a flagbearer at the Asian Games, has called upon her fellow athletes to concentrate on their performance and not be distracted by the organisational challenges and logistical issues marring the event's build-up. She emphasised that the opportunity is rare and should be seized with full dedication.
