The Tokyo 2020 Olympics torch was lit by the rays of the sun in ancient Olympia on Thursday to mark the final step towards the July 24-Aug 9 Games, currently in question because of the coronavirus pandemic. Actress Xanthi Georgiou, in the role of high priestess, used a parabolic mirror in a scaled-down ceremony closed to spectators at the site of the ancient Greek Olympics to ignite the torch and mark the start of a torch relay. The torch will be handed over to Tokyo Games organisers in Athens on March 19.
Swiss court rejects Russia's appeal against Olympic doping ban. The Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said the sanctions, which also bar Russia from hosting or bidding for major sporting events during a two-year period, would come into force on Thursday and end on December 16, 2022.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has invited Dutch hockey legend Floris Jan Bovelander to help strengthen hockey in the state, particularly ahead of the Asian Champions Trophy. Mann emphasised the government's commitment to restoring the sport's glory and highlighted Punjab's rich hockey legacy.
India's top track and field athletes will compete in Ranchi for a chance to represent the country at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The event marks the first time the Athletics Federation of India will conduct SRY Gene Tests at the national level to ensure fair competition in the women's category. The meet will also serve as trials for the inaugural Asian U23 Championships.
Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen and coach Vimal Kumar have paid tribute to Viktor Axelsen after the two-time Olympic champion announced his retirement due to ongoing back problems.
Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra became the first Indian pairing to qualify for the mega event in Tokyo, beating World No. 8 duo of Sang-Su Lee and Jihee Jeon 4-2 in the final of the Asian Qualification Tournament in Doha.
Six-time World champion M C Mary Kom's (51kg) pursuit of a second Olympic medal ended in the pre-quarterfinals of the Tokyo Games as she went down to 2016 edition's bronze-medallist Ingrit Valencia in a fiercely-fought showdown.
After the Sports Ministry withdrew the recognition of 54 National Sports Federations (NSFs), Indian Olympic Association president Narinder Batra raised concerns saying that if things will continue to go ahead like this then India should not be hoping for any medal in the Tokyo Olympics next year. Following a High Court order, the Sports Ministry withdrew the recognition of 54 NSFs, including the All India Football Federation, Hockey India, and Athletics Federation of India.
Japan will hold the Summer Olympics regardless of the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic
Paralympic gold medallist Sumit Antil, supported by Neeraj Chopra, has filed a complaint with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) accusing coach Naval Singh of mental harassment and verbal abuse.
Tokyo Olympics organisers added that they are working on more than 200 ideas to simplify and reduce costs for the rescheduled Games.
The Indian Olympic Association on Thursday backed the International Olympic Committee's assertion that the upcoming Tokyo Olympics will weather the coronavirus pandemic and be held on time without a glitch. The IOC and the Tokyo Games organisers are adamant that the Games will start on July 24 as scheduled despite the coronavirus pandemic crippling health care systems and destroying economies across the world.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu is likely to miss the All England Championships due to travel disruptions caused by airspace closures in the Gulf region.
'Coaches have been trying to create match situations like when it is 18-all or 19-all. I am focusing on how I have to play and win those moments, so I hope it will help.'
Japan has largely avoided the kind of explosive coronavirus outbreaks that have devastated other countries
Back as chief coach of the Indian women's hockey team after a four-year hiatus, Sjoerd Marijne is focussed on bringing back unity, discipline and culture in the side, with eyes firmly set on creating a group to qualify for 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
India, having already secured a World Cup berth, will compete against Italy in the semi-final of the FIH Women's Hockey World Cup Qualifiers, aiming to win the tournament.
Indian women's hockey team chief coach Harendra Singh has resigned from the post with immediate effect citing 'personal reasons'.
No spectators were present in the stadium, where the Games' opening and closing ceremonies will be held,
The torch was designed with input from children from the areas most severely damaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
India's skeet shooters are set to compete against a strong international field at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Tangier, Morocco. The event features Olympic and world champions, marking a competitive start to the season as athletes begin their journey towards Olympic qualification.
The Indian contingent was largely satisfied with the food and facilities provided at the Olympic Games Village, but a request has gone out to the Indian Embassy for 100 plus electric kettles to meet the athletes' requirement of warm water.
India's ace weightlifter Mirabai Chanu stated that she has been competing in the 48-49kg category and will need to move to the 53kg category for the 2028 Olympics due to a change in weight classes. She expressed confidence in her ability to participate in the 2028 event.
"Athletes' health and well-being are always at the heart of our concerns," IOC President Thomas Bach said in a statement.
The team has only one goalkeeper in Sreejesh, which means promising Krishan Bahadur Pathak missed out on an Olympic berth
Star Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Friday said she does not have much time to grieve over her Tokyo Games debacle and is gearing up for future challenges while young Anshu Malik suggested that a sports psychologist should be attached with the team to help them overcome nerves at big stage like the Olympics.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Thomas Bach says the Tokyo Games would have to be scrapped if the event cannot be held next year due to the COVID-19 crisis. In March, the IOC and Japanese government took the unprecedented decision to delay the Games, which had been due to start in July, for a year due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The six people, who included a man in his 20s and another man in his 30s, helped on the relay in the southern prefecture of Kagoshima on April 27.
The COVID-19 lockdown had wreaked havoc on her mental health to such an extent that discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur had started trying her hand in cricket to handle the psychological toll of the shutdown.
The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) has terminated the services of coach Naval Singh after Paralympic gold medallist Sumit Antil accused him of mental harassment and verbal abuse.
'But looking at our current performance, I'm confident that a medal in the World Cup is not far off.'
Tokyo 2020 Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori attended a meeting on March 10 that included the deputy head of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) who tested positive for the new coronavirus this week, officials said. Mori, 82, has not been tested because he has no symptoms of the virus and does not meet testing requirements, an official from Mori's office said. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met Mori on March 16, without providing details.
Nearly 80% of the Japanese public are now opposed to holding the Summer Games as scheduled this year, recent polls show.
At 14 she represented India for the first time and scored a scintillating goal. Since then there has been no looking back for this striker with electric speed and agility.
India will be a threat and a strong contender for a podium finish at next year's Hockey World Cup, said Belgium's star drag-flicker Alexander Hendrickx
Gopichand, who shaped Sindhu and Olympic bronze-medallist Saina Nehwal among others, believes it will take some time for the next big star to emerge.
It's been well over two decades but missing an Olympic medal after coming reasonably close to it rankles Mohammed Riaz to this date even though some of his regret has eased after seeing the national team claim podium finishes in the mega-event's last two editions.
Manpreet Singh, the second-most capped player in Indian hockey, has found a second wind by tweaking his lifestyle and diet.
The Tokyo Games are scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 8.
From a side that promised much after a fourth-place finish in the Tokyo Olympics, the Indian women's team has collapsed into a seemingly direction-less outfit.
