Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya led a cycling rally in Glasgow, engaging the Indian community to promote healthy living and encourage support for the 'Cheer for Bharat' initiative at the Commonwealth Games. He urged participation in the Fit India Movement and highlighted cycling's benefits for health and environment, as India prepared to compete in a scaled-down CWG focusing on boxing, weightlifting, and athletics.
A comprehensive schedule detailing the events and timings for Indian athletes participating in various sports at the Asian Games, including badminton, boxing, canoeing, equestrian, fencing, hockey, kabaddi, rowing, soft tennis, sepaktakraw, shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis, weightlifting, and wushu.
The 20th Asian Games have officially commenced in Nagoya with a high-tech opening ceremony. India's 501-member contingent is led by flag bearers Manu Bhaker and Pawan Sehrawat, with some events already underway, including India's women's cricket team reaching the semifinals and a teqball bronze medal opportunity.
South Korean male professional tennis players face a unique challenge: mandatory military service, which interrupts their careers for 18 months. This article explores how players like Seong-chan Hong, Hyeon Chung, and Soonwoo Kwon adapt to this obligation, with some earning exemptions through sporting achievements while others navigate a return to the professional circuit after their service.
The 20th Asian Games have officially commenced in Nagoya with a high-tech Opening Ceremony. India's 503-member contingent is being led by Manu Bhaker and Pawan Sehrawat. Early events have seen India's women's cricket team reach the semifinals and a medal opportunity in debutant sport teqball, building on India's record performance at the previous Games.
The Sports Ministry has granted conditional recognition to the interim Executive Committee of the Judo Federation of India (JFI), which was elected following a Delhi High Court order. The recognition is subject to the outcome of ongoing court cases and strict compliance with the National Sports Governance Act, with warnings of suspension or revocation for irregularities. The JFI is required to amend its constitution, conduct final elections, and submit monthly compliance reports.
Nairobi, Kenya, has been selected to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, marking the first time an African city will stage the prestigious event. World Athletics also announced Munich as the host for the 2031 championships. This decision follows Nairobi's previous unsuccessful bid for 2025 and highlights Kenya's strong connection to athletics.
India's men's and women's kabaddi teams marched into the Asian Games finals with comfortable semifinal wins over Thailand and Nepal respectively on Friday, keeping their hopes of defending their gold medals alive.
Veteran Indian shuttler H S Prannoy discusses his likely final Asian Games appearance and his long-term Olympic aspirations for LA 2028. Doubles specialist Chirag Shetty urges the Indian men's badminton team to go for gold, reflecting on their previous silver medal and the team's strong cohesion.
Gurucharan Singh Hora, current Joint Secretary (Interim) of the All India Tennis Association (AITA), has announced his candidature for the Secretary General post. His decision comes amidst ongoing legal challenges and governance reforms within the AITA, with fresh elections mandated by the Delhi High Court.
Kolkata's iconic Salt Lake Stadium is undergoing extensive renovations to prepare for upcoming international football matches featuring five-time world champions Brazil and two-time world champions Uruguay against India. The upgrades include fresh paint, renovated seating, improved spectator facilities, re-turfing of pitches, and enhanced security measures.
Japan hosted a vibrant opening ceremony for the Asian Games in Nagoya, showcasing its technological advancements and cultural heritage. The event, themed 'Harmonic Heart Beat', welcomed 11,000 athletes from 45 nations, despite prior logistical challenges.
French football superstar Kylian Mbappe has ended his long-standing partnership with Nike to join the rapidly expanding Swiss sportswear brand On, a move that provides On with a high-profile figure for its entry into football and marks another significant defection for the US giant.
World junior champion Anahat Singh, now 18, is returning to the Asian Games with significantly higher stakes, as the women's singles gold medal offers direct Olympic qualification. Ranked world number 20, she is a strong medal contender and is embracing the pressure of competing for her country. Anahat faces formidable opponents like Satomi Watanbe and Sivasangari Subramaniam but is focused on refining her game and physical strength to achieve her goals.
Indian MMA fighter Varun Sanyal was forced to withdraw from the Asian Games after suffering exhaustion and dehydration during a sauna session while cutting weight. He was declared medically unfit, though another Indian MMA athlete, Suchika Tariyal, secured India's first medal.
Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh assured themselves of singles medals at the Asian Games by advancing to the semi-finals in their respective events at the Asian Games on Friday.
Naorem Roshibina Devi secured a silver medal in the women's 60kg wushu at the Asian Games, marking her third consecutive medal at the event.
Organisers of the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya are preparing for potential disruptions as Tropical Storm Dujuan, with maximum sustained winds of 90 kph, heads towards central Japan, threatening events already underway.
The state-run Pakistan Sports Board is only funding a fraction of the country's 248-member Asian Games contingent, with many athletes and officials relying on federations, the POA, or self-financing. The Pakistan Olympic Association secretary, Khalid Mahmood, confirmed that self-funded medal winners would be compensated and highlighted Pakistan's medal hopes across various disciplines.
India's Asian Games soft tennis campaign came to an end on Friday after the men's team suffered a 0-2 defeat to Indonesia in the quarterfinals.
A 20-member Indian fencing squad, led by Olympian C A Bhavani Devi, has departed for Japan to participate in the Asian Games.
Roshibina Devi Naorem has secured a medal for India in the women's 60kg wushu category at the Asian Games by reaching the semifinals. She defeated Chu Man Sin of Macau. Other Indian wushu athletes, Hanjabam Langlentombi Devi and Aryan, did not advance as far in their respective events.
Michel Arkhangelskiy, whose family fled Russia as political opponents, clinched his first major title at the Asian Games, winning the 50-metre butterfly gold for Bahrain.
Indian dressage rider Anush Agarwalla has voiced profound disappointment and hurt after being excluded from the upcoming Asian Games, despite being a gold medalist in the previous edition. He criticised the selection process as "unfair" and a "betrayal," stating he was never given a chance to compete, and called for a more transparent system in Indian sports.
The Indian men's cricket team has advanced to the Asian Games semi-final after their quarter-final match against Afghanistan was abandoned due to rain, with India progressing based on their superior ICC T20I ranking.
India's men's and women's kabaddi teams have both secured their spots in the finals of the Asian Games, continuing their unbeaten run. The women's team defeated Nepal 48-24, while the men's team triumphed over Thailand 66-28 in their respective semi-final matches, setting the stage for a potential double gold medal defence.
Teqball has made its Asian Games debut in Nagoya, bringing together football skills, acrobatics and the fast-paced rallies of table tennis.
The Czech Republic secured their 12th Billie Jean King Cup title by defeating Ukraine 2-0 in the final. Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova delivered dominant singles victories, with Muchova sweeping Anhelina Kalinina and Noskova overcoming Elina Svitolina. This victory marks the Czechs' first title since 2018, solidifying their position as the second-most successful nation in the competition's history.
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.
Vidarsa K Vinod has made history by becoming the first woman from Keralam to win an Asian Games medal in shooting, securing a silver in the women's 10m air rifle team event in Japan.
The Ministry of External Affairs stated that India's participation in the 2027 SAF Games in Pakistan will be guided by the sports ministry's policy, which permits Indian athletes to compete in events with Pakistani participants and vice-versa. Separately, the MEA also commented on the ongoing legal proceedings for seven foreign nationals, including a US citizen and six Ukrainians, who were recently chargesheeted by the NIA for illegal entry and movement, though not under UAPA at this stage.
Pakistan has formally requested the Asian Hockey Federation to move its Asian Champions Trophy matches from India to a neutral venue, citing a "sensitive bilateral situation" and security concerns. The tournament is scheduled for October 27 to November 5 in Mohali and Jalandhar. This request follows earlier claims of Pakistan's participation and past withdrawals from events in India.
Indian shooters Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Mane have successfully qualified for the 10m air rifle mixed team final at the Asian Games, securing their place among the top four teams. They will compete for a medal later today.
Indian wushu athlete Nyeman Wangsu secured the 15th position in the women's Changquan final at the Asian Games, scoring 9.573 points. Hong Kong's Hui Yu Lydia Sham won gold, with Macau and Indonesia taking silver and bronze respectively.
India's men's and women's kabaddi teams have secured their spots in the Asian Games finals, maintaining their unbeaten run. Both teams will face Iran in their respective gold medal matches, aiming to defend their titles.
India has opened its Asian Games medal tally with two silvers in shooting, driven by Elavenil Valarivan's performance, and secured an unexpected podium finish in Mixed Martial Arts. The women's cricket team also advanced to the finals, aiming for a second consecutive gold.
The Sports Ministry has approved a 191-member Indian contingent for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, comprising 126 athletes and 51 officials. The Ministry has stipulated that expenses for Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Executive Committee members will not be covered by the government. Additionally, National Sports Federations are required to conduct background checks on their contingents, and a performance report must be submitted post-Games.
Olympic silver medallist Vijay Kumar has called for an independent review of the National Rifle Association of India's (NRAI) coaching appointments, citing concerns about transparency, eligibility criteria, and potential conflicts of interest. The NRAI, however, asserts that appointments are merit-based and views Kumar's concerns as 'sour grapes' after his own non-selection.
Wushu player Divyanshi Choudhary has accepted the national federation's decision to drop her from the Asian Games squad due to an ACL tear.
The Delhi Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label Race, has unveiled its Finisher's Medal for its 21st edition.
