Yao said he and Peng had known each other for nearly 20 years. However, he did not comment directly on the controversy that flared up last year after Peng, a former world No. 1 doubles player, appeared to allege that a former vice premier, Zhang Gaoli, had sexually assaulted her in the past.
Batra's comment has come after critics from Japan on Friday submitted a petition, calling for the Games to be cancelled as the host nation fights a fourth wave of coronavirus infections.
Brazil soccer great Pele died on Thursday, aged 82, after a long battle with cancer.
The 24-year from Assam, going by her strategy of using her long hands to reach the opponent from afar, was unable to penetrate Ngamba defence.
India won four gold at the IBA Women's World Championships in a depleted field. To put things in perspective, five of the boycotting nations -- USA, Ireland, Canada, Poland and Netherlands -- had finished in the top-10 in the last two editions of the tournament.
Wrestler Bajrang Punia will be the flag bearer at closing ceremony at Tokyo Games on August 8.
The Congress on Thursday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government over a scuffle between the Delhi Police and the wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, with Rahul Gandhi condemning such 'shameful' behaviour with sportspersons and alleging the ruling party has 'never shied away' from committing atrocities on the daughters of the country.
The athletes on the US magazine's list have enjoyed sporting success as well as promoting other causes.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday
'A change we have seen after the Russia-Ukraine war is the energy crisis in Europe.' 'Earlier, in Europe, people used to change their clothes after 5 washes, now they are using it till 15-20 washes.' 'They used to change their entire wardrobe after 2 months or so, but because of the economic conditions, it has changed.' 'It has affected exports as 40% of our exports is to Europe, 30% to the US and 10% to the UK.' 'The war has to end for better days to come.'
The protesting wrestlers refrained from immersing their medals in the river Ganges after being convinced by Khap and farmer leaders who sought five days to address their grievances.
The government decided to form an oversight committee which will investigate the allegations of sexual harassment of women wresters by WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Wani is a part of the six-member Indian delegation at the Winter Olympics where Jammu and Kashmir skier Arif Khan is the only athlete from the country to have qualified this time.
Aussies Cate Campbell and Patty Mills are both attending their fourth Olympics. Mills, a basketballer who plays for the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA, will be the first indigenous Australian selected to carry the flag for the Opening Ceremony.
He thanked Rahman and Ananya for composing the song in such difficult times of COVID-19 pandemic.
Terming the Tokyo Olympics as 'different from the normal Games', FIH CEO Thierry Weil said a team can still keep on playing even when multiple cases are reported within the group.
All athletes and staff took daily PCR tests during their time in Japan and their movements were heavily restricted.
Lamine Diack, the former head of athletics' governing body, arrived in court in Paris on Monday to stand trial on charges of corruption, money laundering and breach of trust linked to a Russian doping scandal. Prosecutors allege he solicited 3.45 million euros ($3.9 million) from athletes suspected of doping to cover up the allegations and allow them to continue competing, including in the 2012 London Olympics.
Stakeholders are confident the Spanish league season can resume in mid-June in closed stadiums without spectators, with fans not expected to be able to return to grounds until 2021.
Professional athletes across the world should not be rushed back to action once the coronavirus pandemic subsides, and they must have a strong say in determining the conditions for their return, the World Players Association said on Tuesday. Sports competitions around the world have come to a screeching halt this year as the virus spreads across the globe, starving clubs, leagues and federations of revenues and putting tens of thousands of professional athletes on hold.
The IOC had stripped the IBA in 2019 of its involvement in last year's Tokyo Olympics due to governance, finance, refereeing and ethical issues. The sport was also not included in the initial programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
'Whoever is going to stop me from running is going to have to drag me out of the track'
The Delhi Police on Friday registered two FIRs in connection with sexual harassment allegations levelled by women wrestlers against Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The Indians clinched the boys' and girls' singles titles in tennis through Sasi Kumar Mukund and Dhruthi Tatachar Venugopal, following their mixed doubles success together earlier.
'The ability for players of any nationality to enter tournaments based on merit, and without discrimination, is fundamental to our Tour.'
Athletes and officials from eight disciplines of archery, badminton, table tennis, hockey, judo, gymnastics, swimming and weightlifting landed in Tokyo
Six-time world champion MC Mary Kom has decided to join the rest of India's Olympic-bound boxing team in Italy for training to avoid the added restrictions on those travelling to Tokyo from India amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
A jump in infections has stoked alarm amid a shortage of medical staff and hospital beds in some areas of Tokyo
Frenchman Bassa Mawem scaled close to the world record in the speed section of the Tokyo Games climbing competition, as more than a third of the 20-man field posted personal bests in a sensational start to the sport's Olympic debut on Tuesday.
Demand disbanding of WFI
Sports Ministry asks IOA to allow Lovlina's coach into CWG Village: Sources
Russia has been suspended from international athletics since November 2015 after the McLaren report discovered widespread doping.
Harmanpreet Kaur got back among the runs with a 63-run knock in the fifth ODI against New Zealand and followed that up with a century (104) in the World Cup warm-up match against South Africa.
Naomi Osaka pulled out of the semi-finals of the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament on Wednesday in New York City, in protest at racial injustice. Her decision follows protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in the city of Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday.
Sports Awards could to be delayed: Ministry official
Pullela Gopichand says a good mix of foreign and Indian coaches is important for the development of the system but strongly believes that 'second best' overseas recruits will only produce the second best players.
Chief National coach Pullela Gopichand, who guided India to two Olympic medals, has opted out of India's Olympics-bound badminton contingent to create space for Indonesia's Agus Dwi Santosa, who trains singles shuttler B Sai Praneeth.
'This was due to some issue over time slots as athletes from all competing nations train at the same venue'
French Tennis Federation (FFT) President Gilles Moretton described Osaka's action as a "phenomenal mistake".
Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain will look to find their footing in new weight categories with the 2024 Paris Olympic Games approaching.
