Boxing India (BI) on Thursday refuted allegations that junior women pugilists were subjected to pregnancy tests ahead of the upcoming World Championships, stating that only the eligible senior girls went through the tests as required by the International Boxing Association (AIBA).
Swaraj was admitted to All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) following a deterioration in her health. She passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Ms Usha may soon discover that winning four gold medals at the Asian Games and qualifying for the Los Angeles Olympics is a walk in the park compared with the challenges of stabilising governance at the IOA, observes Kanika Datta.
Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain will look to find their footing in new weight categories with the 2024 Paris Olympic Games approaching.
A tough draw will put their grit to test when the three-member Indian boxing team begins its Olympic campaign, aiming to lift the gloom that pervades the sport back home owing to the long-standing administrative mess.
PTI introduces the team, who is aiming for medals when India's campaign at the Tokyo Games commences on July 24.
As the one-year ban for the tearful outburst at the Asian Games ends on Thursday, former World champion Laishram Sarita Devi says the forced sabbatical proved a blessing in disguise and helped her become a thinking boxer and calmer person.
Borgohain (69kg) signed off with a bronze medal in the Olympic Games after a comprehensive 0-5 loss to reigning world champion Busenaz Surmeneli.
It turned out to be a largely disappointing day for Indian boxers at the Asian Games with former World Championship bronze-medallist Vikas Krishan (75kg) being the only one to advance, making the quarter-final, while three others fell by the wayside.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday.
Bollywood actor Salman Khan lived up to his promise of paying Rs 1.01 lakh to all the participants of Rio Olympic Games and has requested the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to send him details of the athletes. Salman, who was the goodwill ambassador of the Indian contingent at this year's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, had earlier this month pledged to present a cheque of Rs 1,01,000 to each of the athletes.
'Keeping in view all the factors and in the interest of promotion and development of boxing in India, I would urge you to take a very sympathetic view of the matter'
It was a stunning loss for Panghal, who had won a gold medal in the Cologne World Cup a couple of months back. The 23-year-old ended up paying for his rather weak defence in the bout against Escobar.
'My one recommendation would be to first quell the violence and then encourage dialogue and build the trust among the different communities.' 'This is not easy but necessary, for violence cannot be the way forward.'
Gopalkrishna Gandhi could only manage 244 votes.
L Sarita Devi (64kg) and Sonia Lather (57kg) advanced to the semifinals and assured themselves of medals at the Asian women's Boxing Championships.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday
Indian boxing got the first glimpse of Dingko's talent at the 1989 sub-junior nationals in Ambala where he became a champion as a 10-year-old.
Star India shuttler Saina Nehwal has signed a two-year deal with leading sports management group, IOS Sports & Entertainment. IOS will now manage Saina's endorsements, appearances, brand profiling, patents, licensing and digital rights, images and visibility on social networking sites.
Delhi's toxic air has left some of the women boxers, gathered in the city for the AIBA World Championship, gasping for breath but Indian people's renowned hospitality is providing some comfort.
In front of a packed arena, in his first pro bout that lasted all ten rounds, Vijender Singh beat Kerry Hopes 98-92-98-92 and 100-92 in a close contest to win the WBO Asia Pacific super middleweight title fight in New Delhi on Saturday.
With Simranjit (60kg), Sakshi (54kg), and Jaismine (57kg) progressing into the last-4 stage, the women's team has confirmed India a medal in each weight category.
Another gold medal in Paris would further elevate Neeraj Chopra's status as the greatest ever athlete in the history of Indian sport.
India's Simranjit Kaur made an early exit from the Olympics after losing to Thailand's Sudaporn Seesondee in the pre-quarter-finals of the women's lightweight (57-60kg) boxing, in Tokyo, on Friday.
Former Asian Games gold medallist Vikas Krishan took a pounding from second seed Bektemir Melikuziev of Uzbekistan in the quarter-finals of the men's middleweight (75 kg) and bowed out of the Rio Olympic Games on Monday night.
Long-distance runner Kavita Raut's Olympic qualification was the icing on the cake on yet another impressive day for India at the 12th South Asian Games, in Guwahati, on Friday. Firmly entrenched atop the overall standings, India increased their medal tally to 248 -- including 146 gold, 79 silver and 23 bronze.
India's regional supremacy at the South Asian Games went unchallenged. The hosts were crowned overall champions for the 12th consecutive time after a record-breaking haul of 308 medals.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday
Long-serving archery coach Purnima Mahato and women's hockey coach Narendra Singh Saini were among five sporting personalities who were recommended for the prestigious Dronacharya award this year.
India's tennis star Sania Mirza says she does not want a biopic made on her life but if something like this ever happens, she would like Deepika Padukone to play her on-screen.
The CAB has promised to also work out a mechanism for refund of tickets sold offline once its offices reopen on Tuesday.
Athletes and officials from eight disciplines of archery, badminton, table tennis, hockey, judo, gymnastics, swimming and weightlifting landed in Tokyo
Boxer L Sarita Devi has escaped with a warning after apologising for her petulant display at the Asian Games when she refused to accept her bronze medal.
Jai Bhagwan has been without a job for six years. When we ask him how he managed to run his house without a job, he says matter of factly, 'I sold my wife's jewels.'
Also ending with a bronze was tournament debutant and national champion Varinder Singh (60kg) after a high-intensity clash against Iran's Daniyal Shahbakhsh. The Indian lost 2-3 after fighting his heart out.
Vikas Krishan returned to amateur fold in December last and having qualified for the Tokyo Games, will head back to the pro circuit in the USA, most likely next month.
These athletes made India proud four years ago.
Asian Games gold-winning former boxer Dingko Singh has recovered from COVID-19, testing negative for the deadly virus on Friday over a month after the cancer-stricken legend was hospitalised in Imphal. Back at his home, but in isolation for the next fortnight, Singh spoke about the ordeal he endured, including five positive tests since his hospitalisation in the last week of May.
Sports Minister Vijay Goel on Tuesday said that the government will provide all support to help dope-cleared wrestler Narsingh Yadav represent the country at the forthcoming 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Indian sports had a lot to celebrate despite a decrease in the medal count at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon.
