For Africa's Test-playing nations, administrative turmoil has defined the dying days of the 2010s.
Former India captain Dhanraj Pillay on Monday batted for participation of Pakistan's players in the Hockey India League (HIL) tournament and urged Hockey India to take up the issue with politicians to ensure their presence in the future editions of the franchise-based league.
The 71st Republic Day was celebrated in Kashmir amidst tight security. Lieutenant Governor's advisor presided over the main function. However most mainstream politicians stayed away.
'We can see kids wearing a Barcelona or Spain jersey. I want to see them wearing a Pune Football Club or Dempo jersey.' The All India Football Federation's Technical Director Scott O'Donnell tells Rediff.com's Laxmi Negi about his plans for Indian soccer.
New Zealand football coach Fritz Schmid, on Tuesday, dubbed India lying somewhere between 'a sleeping giant and a rising competitor'.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
The left-handed batsman shared an opening stand of 123 with his captain Aaron Finch as the defending champions beat hosts and pre-tournament favourites England at Lord's on Tuesday to book a place in the semi-finals.
The jury is still out on whether the Indian Super League (ISL) can wake the world's second most populous nation from its football slumber but the first week of the eight-team competition has at least made people sit up and take notice.
Former wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist has broken ranks with current and former players by backing Cricket Australia's pay offer and terming it as a `very fair deal`.
Indian football team coach Wim Koevermans's contract will be extended till the end of next year's Asian Games in October, the AIFF's technical committee, headed by former captain Bhaichung Bhutia, decided in New Delhi on Monday.
Unstoppable so far, star Indian boxer Vijender Singh will now gun for his maiden title in the professional circuit when he fights for the WBO Asia belt come June in front of home fans in the national capital. The middleweight boxer, who earned worldwide fame by becoming India's first Olympic and World Championships medallist at the amateur level, has exhibited rampaging form even in the pro arena. Since his debut in the circuit last October, the 30-year-old from Haryana has won all his three pro contests via knockouts. His next bout is scheduled for March 12 in Liverpool, the opponent for which is yet to be named. "I am already excited. My first title fight, that too in front of my own people, in my own country. It cannot get better than this. I have no idea who my opponent is going to be but I am sure I will carry on the way I have so far," Vijender told PTI from Manchester where he is currently training for the March 12 showpiece.
'Boxing is a sport and sometimes one punch can make a difference.'
Bindra realistic after the Haryanvi takes a set off Federer in US Open first round.
Double Olympic champion swimmer Rebecca Adlington has retired from competition to concentrate on grassroots coaching, the 23-year-old said on Tuesday.
A bronze medal in wrestling gets brands talking about a potential endorser joining the ranks of past Olympics stars from India, Abhinav Bindra and Vijender Singh
Manchester United's Spanish international Juan Mata has promised to give 1 per cent of his earnings to charity and wants all fellow professional footballers to do the same.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Sachin Tendulkar has no hesitation in terming India as favourites going into the World Cup but what makes him happier is the team's ability to be competitive 'in any part of the world and on any surface'.
Spanish football giants FC Barcelona on Thursday said that they want to scout talent at the grassroot level in India and will soon hold training camps across the country.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
All India Football Federation president Praful Patel was elected on Saturday as a FIFA Council member. He is the first Indian to make it to the prestigious panel.
Stump Vision Ltd, in which Indian leg spinner Anil Kumble is a promoter, has launched three products to cash in on the World Cup fever and tap a huge market at the grassroots level.
Indian football's technical director Rob Baan said the country should be ashamed of its 168th place in FIFA rankings and work hard to plug the gaping holes in various aspects of the game.
Folk artist from Chhattisgarh Teejan Bai, Guelleh, Naik and theatre actor from Maharashtra Balwant Moreshwar Purandare will be honoured with Padma Vibushan.
#TheRealKashmir celebrates the beauty of Jammu and Kashmir through the lens of football, highlighting the wave of positive change brought about by the beautiful game in the state.
India's tennis great Mahesh Bhupathi on Saturday said his former Grand Slam winning partner Leander Paes is still playing well and can continue for another year. Terming it as 'The Last Roar', Olympics bronze-medallist Paes is in his last year of professional tennis career.
Formula One might have made its debut in the cricket-crazy nation with the inaugural Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit but the country needs to build more motorsports infrastructure to produce world champions, feels legendary driver Sir Jackie Stewart.
Copa America kicks off in Chile on Thursday as a widening US-led investigation lifts the lid on rampant corruption among the sport's top officials.
War-torn Afghanistan, playing only their third match after being inducted as a Test-playing nation two years ago, completed a famous victory by defeating Bangladesh by 224 runs with 3.2 overs left on the final day on Monday.
Earlier this month, ECB managing director Ashley Giles had said that cricketers will be provided "mental health screening" before they commit to any further tours.
Aleksander Ceferin, the president of Slovenia's football federation, was overwhelmingly elected as the new head of European soccer's governing body UEFA at an extraordinary Congress on Wednesday.
Legendary sprinter Milkha Singh criticised boxer Sarita Devi for refusing to accept the bronze medal during the Incheon Asian Games victory ceremony last year, saying it was not proper to protest that way.
Asked about the popularity of the Indian Super League, and whether FIFA will recognize it, secretary-general Jerome Valcke was quick to point out that for the world body there is only one league and that's the I-League. Manu Shankar reports
Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag are among the nominees for the 'ESPNcricinfo@20 Cricketer of the Generation' award, after the cricket news website announcing two more categories to its seventh annual awards.
'I think for the next generation to come up, we need to put a system in place which actually identifies and nurtures talent. We have grown exponentially but there is lot more which needs to be done' 'It's not only my academy, all academies across the country are running full. There are many, many parents who want their kids to give up everything and concentrate on badminton'
In a massive reprieve for FC Goa, the Appeals Panel of Indian Super League, on Friday, revoked the 15-point penalty imposed on the club for "bringing disrepute" to the event following last year's final besides reducing the Rs 11 crore fine and lifting the ban on the franchise owners.
The 29-year-old next-gen Thackeray, whom his party wants to be the deputy chief minister in the BJP-Sena alliance government, won with a thumping majority from Mumbai's Worli constituency.
The long road to Russia 2018 kicks off in the outposts of Asia on Thursday with the world's worst international team, Bhutan, making their World Cup qualifying debut and eyeing a first win of any sorts since 2008.
Whoever is in charge of and is interested in building a fan base for football in India, should concentrate primarily on getting more people to actually play.
