Champions Aizawl FC threaten 'fast unto death'
They might be the surprise I-League champions but Aizawl FC is fighting to keep its place in the top tier of the domestic club structure next season. If the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has its way, the domestic football will have three tiers from next season, with the top-tier having the existing eight teams of the Indian Super League and two-three clubs from the I-League (probably, Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Bengaluru FC). There will be no promotion to the top tier from the lower tiers for at least another seven years. Aizawl FC have threatened to go on a "fast-unto-death" if they are not allowed to play in the top tier. The side was on the verge of relegation from the I-League last season but managed to stay afloat after a few Goan sides pulled out.
CoA warns BCCI against taking unilateral decision
The Committee of Administrators has threatened to move the Supreme Court if the BCCI takes any decision which is "against the interest of Indian cricket" at its special general meeting on May 7. The intimation comes at a time when the BCCI is mulling to pull out from the Champions Trophy in England next month. In a letter to the state units, the CoA made it clear that the BCCI cannot take such a decision without its consent. It said that the ICC may be ready to negotiate but the Indian board's demand for $570 million "will not be accepted".
Mixed day for Indian hockey
India came from behind to beat Japan 4-3 at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament in Malaysia. Mandeep Singh struck a hat-trick, with goals in the 45th, 51st and 58th minutes after defender Rupinder Pal Singh handed India an early lead in the sixth minute with a penalty corner goal. Japan fought back through Kazuma Murata (10th minute), Heita Yoshihara (43rd minute) and Genki Mitani (45th minute). India now have seven points from four matches.
But, captain and goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh has been ruled out of the tournament due to a knee injury he suffered in the match against defending champions Australia.
The purse got bigger
This year, the singles champion—both men's and women's—at the Wimbledon will be laughing all the way to the bank. The prize money will be 2.2 million pounds ($2.84 million) each—a hike of 200,000 pounds. The overall prize money, too, has been increased to 31.6 million—it was 28.1 million pounds last year. The grass court Grand Slam tournament will be played between July 3 and July 16.
Paris's 2024 Olympics bid gets a boost
The French capital's bid for the 2024 Olympics got a shot in the arm when European Athletics threw its weight behind it. Paris will be competing with Los Angeles, and the International Olympic Committee will select the winner in September in Peru. European Athletics president Svein Arne Hansen said in a statement, "European Athletics has looked at both bids and we believe that Paris is the best from an overall perspective and specifically with regards to our sport."
Shiva, Sumit book World Championship berths
Three Indian boxers qualified for the World Championships by advancing to the semifinals of the Asian Championships. Sumit Sangwan (91kg) and Amit Phangal (49kg) and Shiva Thapa (60kg) also assured themselves of a medal in the Asian meet. While Sumit defeated Chinese Fengkai Yu 4-1, Amit punched Cornelis Kwangu Langu of Indonesia into submission with an identical scoreline. Shiva guaranteed a third successive Asian Championships medal by beating Chinese Taipei's Chu-En Lai.
The World Championship will be held in August-September.
ABBA to debut in football
A new penalty shootout system will be tested at the European under-17 tournament, currently underway in Croatia. Known as ABBA, the system is similar to the tennis tie-break and is designed to prevent the second team from being at a psychological disadvantage. Currently, both teams take five penalties each alternately, with sudden death deciding the outcome if the scores are level. Football's rule making body, IFAB, wants to replicate the switch of serve between tennis players in a tie-break. As a result, one team will take the first penalty, while the other will take the second and third, and the first team returning to take the fourth and fifth and so on until each team had taken five. A similar sequence would be followed for sudden death, too.
