'Most of our elite athletes are in national camps so they are safer.' 'They don't have to go out to buy vegetables or groceries; they are not as exposed as we are.' 'Most of them work for government organisations, they get salaries and stipends.'
After a stunning dance performance celebrating India, and highlighting the vibrant and colourful culture of the country, the athletes of the participating nations paraded around the stadium.
A pre-tournament medal contender, the 23-year-old Neeraj Chopra fuelled the country's expectations by topping the qualification round with a stunning first round throw of 86.59 metres.
It has been 18 years since arch-rivals India and Pakistan have locked horns in a bilateral hockey Test series.
India's Ram Baboo on Saturday achieved the Paris Olympics men's 20km race qualification standard, clocking a personal best time of 1:20:00 at the Dudinska 50 Meet in Slovakia.
The 27-year-old gold medallist in the 20km race-walk event at the National Inter-State Championships in June, has been asked to return home from Budapest after Athletics Federation of India (AFI) received a notification from NADA regarding the athlete's "whereabouts failure".
Seema Punia hurled the disc to a distance of 57.35m to claim a silver medal at the Qosanov Memorial athletics meet.
Bindra admitted that hopes will be high on the Indian shooting contingent in Paris after having notched up seven medals - India's best-ever tally - at the Tokyo Olympics.
If approved, yoga could debut as a demonstration sport in the 2026 Games in Nagoya, Japan, marking a significant milestone in its journey from a spiritual practice to a recognised competitive discipline.
Doping is more rampant among junior athletes than top ranked ones and the National Anti-Doping Agency should "tighten the screws" to curb the menace, Athletics Federation of India president Adille J Sumariwalla said on Sunday.
The conclave drew valuable insights from former athletes and Olympians, including celebrated ones such as Anju Bobby George, Mary Kom, and Tarundeep Rai, all of whom shared their personal experiences and perspectives on what it takes to excel at the highest levels of sports.
Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha feels the axing of medal-yielding sports such as wrestling, hockey and badminton from the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games programme is "disappointing" for the country but the approach to reduce cost would ensure that the event continues to find hosts in future.
Coaching crisis, heartbreaks and Olympic setbacks mark a disastrous year for Indian boxing
The International Olympic Committee should investigate India's wrestling federation and bolster its tools to report cases of sexual harassment, the Sport and Rights Alliance (SRA) said
The Athletics Federation of India announced a 43-member contingent, comprising 21 men and 22 women athletes, for the Games.
Indian Olympic Association's acting president Anil Khanna called it a 'gender-neutral contingent' with 108 men and 107 women being part of the touring party.
Sharath will be honoured with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, the country's highest sports recognition, later this month.
Kalyani Alapati and Jagdish Basak, who tested positive for nandrolone were handed two-year bans.
Tamil Nadu's Asian Games-bound R Vithya Ramraj came agonisingly close to breaking the legendary PT Usha's 39-year-old women's 400m hurdles record.
Responding to a petition filed by three boxers over their non-selection for the upcoming Asian Games, the Union Sports Ministry on Monday told the Punjab and Haryana High Court it has no role in the selection of athletes.
Race walker Suraj Panwar gears up for debut within debut at Olympics
Athletics Federation of India (AFI) pruned down the number of track and field participants in the upcoming Glasgow Commonwealth Games from the original 41 to 33, leaving out controversial triple jumper Renjith Maheswary and the six-member men's 4x100m relay team.
Along with Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, Kishore Jena, Rohit Yadav and D P Manu have also qualified for the August 19-27 World Championships in Budapest.
In a body blow to India's medal prospects in the Commonwealth Games, key sports such as hockey, badminton, wrestling, cricket and shooting have been dropped from the 2026 edition by host city Glasgow, which unveiled a pruned roster of 10 disciplines to keep the event budget-friendly.
The Athletes Commission of the IOA has recommended the national Olympic body to put systems in place to deal with issues of the players "with respect and dignity" in the light of the protest by India's top wrestlers.
Four athletes, including three national champions preparing for 2010 Commonwealth Games, have failed dope tests conducted by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA). There is no official word from Athletics Federation of India (AFI) but sources say the athletes, alleged to have used drugs banned by the International Olympic Committee, were training at a camp for the Games at the National Institute of Sports.
The All India Tennis Association claimed that Sumit Nagal demanded an annual fee of $50,000 to play Davis Cup ties for India.
Two athletes, who are in contention for the Olympic Games, have failed dope tests conducted at the Indian Grand Prix in Patiala last month, the National Anti Doping Agency's director general Navin Agarwal said on Saturday.
The Indian athletics team probables for the Commonwealth will be sent for advanced training to the two cities
India's Amit Khatri won the silver medal in the 10km race walk at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Nairobi on Saturday.
Achanta Sharath Kamal said the ongoing protest by the wrestlers has shown the importance of an athletes' body in all National Sports Federations.
The absence of top stars took some sheen away but India's record-breaking medal haul and a maiden top-of-the-table finish made the just-concluded 22nd Asian Athletics Championship here a memorable one.
The Athletics Federation of India announced a 25-member contingent.
If reports are to be believed, a renowned track and field athlete from Haryana has failed a dope test conducted by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) last month.
Powell rose to claim the sprint double in the inaugural National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Allahabad in February 1963, winning the 100m race in 10.8 seconds and the 200m in 22.0 seconds.
The duo met at the IOC's headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland and discussed about cricket's future in the Olympic programme.
Khelo India Games were first organised in 2018 as part of the Modi government's initiative to revitalise sports culture at the grassroots level.
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday said a team has been formed to draw up a post-lockdown Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to be followed by athletes, coaches and other staff during outdoor training that will resume in a "planned manner". He assured the athletes that their training will resume soon but given the risks the coronavirus pandemic poses, the process will involve consultations with home and health ministries.
A chunk of athletes, including Asian Games medallist Kiran and badminton player Krishna Prasad Garaga have been suspended by NADA
Delhi HC open to IOA reconstituting ad hoc panel for WFI's functioning
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