Human rights and sports advocacy groups are urging the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reconsider reported plans for universal genetic sex testing for female athletes and a blanket ban on transgender and intersex competitors, warning of potential harm to gender equity in sports.
The refereeing at the ongoing National Boxing Championships has come under scrutiny, prompting the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) to order a review after Olympian Ashish Chaudhary was disqualified from his opening-round bout.
The Games had to be postponed from last July and August as the coronavirus spread around the world and are now scheduled for July 23-Aug. 8.
A jump in infections has stoked alarm amid a shortage of medical staff and hospital beds in some areas of Tokyo
Atanu Biswas explains the economics behind hosting a Games in pandemic times.
'I believe there will be some treatment (of coronavirus) by September or October this year. We (India) have to plan ourselves thinking that Olympics will be held.'
The Tokyo Olympics had originally been scheduled for 2020 but were postponed by a year because of the pandemic.
Last month, the Tokyo 2020 Games were postponed to July 2021 due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
'Mood is upbeat as first teams arrive in the Olympic Village,' says India's Chef-de-Mission Gagan Narang
The sports ministry cleared the final contingent that also features 140 support staff and officials, of which 72 "have been approved at cost to the Government" to meet the "requirements" of the travelling sportspersons.
Earlier, the advisory from the Tokyo Games organisers had said that athletes from Group 1 countries, including India, must be tested every day, for seven days, prior to departure to Japan.
"The proposed visit of High Level Indian Delegation to Tokyo consisting of Govt Officials and Indian Olympic Association to review India's #Tokyo2020 preparation on 25th March is temporarily postponed," Rijiju tweeted.
Japan's Asahi Shimbun, an official partner of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, called for the Summer Games to be cancelled in an editorial
Several countries, including Israel and Denmark, said they would vaccinate their athletes and staff against COVID-19 ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, amid global debate over whether athletes should be given priority access in the rollout.
If CAS rules in Vinesh's favour, she will be awarded a joint-silver in the women's 50kg freestyle category.
In this pandemic, why can't we have multiple locations for various disciplines, all of it then merged into a virtual convergence called the Olympics instead of one massive event in one city, asks Shyam G Menon.
The postponed Olympic Games will now begin on July 23 next year and run until August 8, the head of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee said on Monday, as the coronavirus pandemic made it impossible to plan and prepare for them properly this year. The Games were postponed last week - the first such delay in the 124-year history of the modern Olympics. The move was a huge blow for Japan, which invested $13 billion in the run-up to the event and raised $3 billion from domestic sponsors.
Double Olympic champion Caster Semenya's future was in doubt on Friday after she said she would not take medication to lower her testosterone levels to comply with new rules for the 800 metres.
The government is targeting 1,200 technical collaborations between Japanese companies and Indian investors for over Rs 42,000 crore, 200 joint ventures with overseas investors for Rs 14,000 crore, and another Rs 14,000-crore investment from about 50 multinational companies.
The Tokyo Olympics are not contingent on the development of a vaccine for the coronavirus, International Olympic Committee member John Coates said. Australian Coates, the head of the IOC's Coordination Commission for the Olympics, said JMA president Yoshitake Yokokura's comment was an 'opinion'.
'Without vaccine, Tokyo Olympics in 2021 is difficult'
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.
Tokyo-bound AFI medical commission chairman AK Mendiratta dies of COVID-19.
Organisers reported 10 new cases connected to the Olympics including media, contractors and other personnel, down from 15 on Saturday.
According to a Sports Ministry official, they had already prepared a blue-print and if given a go-ahead by the health ministry, they plan to start the vaccination for Olympic-bound athletes from next month.
'Both India and Japan can find themselves in a win-win situation if they draw some lessons from each other's strengths,' says Dr Rajaram Panda.
The world's most prestigious marathon, which is now due to take place on September 14, generally draws more than 30,000 runners from all over the world ranging from decorated professionals and Olympians to amateur runners.
'The Olympics postponement may not be a political body blow to Abe Shinzo, but it is no denying that the economic cost of the postponement of the Games will be heavy for Japan,' observes Dr Rajaram Panda.
The National Rifle Association of India has postponed the compulsory training camp for its Olympic core group planned in New Delhi from Saturday after taking into the account the situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Thursday, a shooting coach at the camp's venue -- Dr. Karni Singh Range -- tested positive for COVID-19 but the development will not force a closure of the facility.
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has received a request from the chief coaches in rifle, pistol and shotgun disciplines to organise a one-month camp for the Olympic core group to ensure better preparation.
The entrepreneur in Abhinav Bindra reckons the economies of sport will have taken a beating by the time the novel coronavirus ceases to spread its ugly tentacles, leaving the athletes in an uncertain world full of challenges. The champion athlete in him sees sport playing a "large role" on the other side of the pandemic, healing the wounds of a world ravaged by its seismic effects.
'We don't know the cause of death. We will know it later after post mortem'
In the midst of rising global concern over China's military expansionism, India and three other member nations of the Quad on Thursday vowed to uphold a rules-based international order underpinned by respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of disputes.
Stand together and overcome these challenging times: Chhetri
Last week, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju held a series of video conferences to take the athletes' view on the matter.
From her battle against the IAAF gender testing rules to coming out as a lesbian in what is still a highly conservative country, Chand is used to making headlines but she hopes over the next year they will mainly be about her sporting prowess.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday
Para-archer Ankit hospitalised after testing positive for COVID: SAI
Forced out of grounds, tracks and courts by the coronavirus pandemic, sports events may help in the long run, but medical experts on Wednesday warned that resuming anything this year could mean putting lives at risk. When sporting events do eventually make a comeback, which some of the region's top doctors believe is not going to happen until at least the next six months or may be nine, it may not be the same initially.
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