India file

IOA to fight Govt sports policy tooth and nail'NEW DELHI: The Indian Olympic Association described the proposed government's sports poli...

IOA to fight Govt sports policy tooth and nail8217;
NEW DELHI: The Indian Olympic Association described the proposed government8217;s sports policy as an attempt to take control of sports bodies and said 8220;the entire sports fraternity would oppose it tooth and nail.8221; 8220;The proposal brought forward to introduce a new sports policy is a coup of the government to take control of sports bodies,8221; IOA President Suresh Kalmadi said. Kalmadi was reacting to Sports Minister Ananth Kumar8217;s bid to launch a nationwide census of sportspersons to provide them with recognition and eventually help them seek jobs.

Kabaddi dropped from Pusan Asiad
NEW DELHI: India lost a near-certain Asian Games gold medal as the 2002 Pusan Games Organising Committee excluded kabaddi from the competition list in which India has been champion since it8217;s introduction in 1990 Beijing Games. 8220;We strongly objected to it and have the support of Pakistan and Bangladesh,8221; Indian Olympic Association IOA president SureshKalmadi said.

India A cricket team off to UAE
MUMBAI: Nayan Mongia led an Indian A team for Abu Dhabi today to take part in a three nation one-day cricket tournament from Nov 30-Dec two. India A one, Pakistan A and Sri Lankan A teams have been invited to play the tourney to mark the United Arab Emirates uae National Day celebrations.
The squad: Nayan Mongia Baroda, capt., Gyanendra Pandey UP, vice-capt., RR Parida Orissa, Rohan Gavaskar, Nikhil Haldipur both Bengal, A Vijay Karnataka, Pritam Gandhe Vidarbha, Shiv Sunder Das Orissa, Abbas Ali MP, Vinod Kambli Mumbai, Connor Williams Baroda, Sarandeep Singh Punjab, Zaheer Khan Baroda, Sanjay Bangar Railways and Sachin Nair Maharashtra

Girinath, Venkataramana share lead
KOZHIKODE: PDS Girinath took a full point to join the lead with Venkata Ramanan 5.5 points at the end of the 8th round of the Fide-rating Chess Championship for Brio Trophy on Monday.

The leaders are followed half a pointbehind by IM Varghese Koshy and Orissa8217;s Soumya Ranjan Mishra. With 4.5 points each, MB Muralidharan and TJ Suresh Kumar are in joint third spot.

Results: MB Muralidharan 4.5 drew with TJ Suresh Kumar 4.5, Abdul Majeed 3.5 drew with D Ganesh 1.5, V Koshy 5 drew with K Ratnakaran 0.5, K Haridas 1 lost to PDS Girinath 5.5, Soumya Ranjan Mishra 5 bt KR Madhusoodanan 3, J Venkata Ramanan 5.5 bye

Mekhala beaten in first round
CHENNAI: The Indian challenge in the women8217;s International Squash Association World Circuit Championship ended in the 1st round pre-quarters itself with lone entrant, National champion Mekhala Subedar, crashing out to sixth-seeded Daphne Jelleger Netherlands 2-9, 2-9, 4-9. In other matches, Scotland8217;s unseeded Wendy Maitland trounced world No 43 and fifth seed Elin Blikra Norway 9-6, 9-6, 5-9, 5-9, 9-2 and top seed and world No 11 Claire Nitch SA trounced Malaysia8217;s Sharon Wee, 9-0, 9-1, 9-3.

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Tanasugarn to play in itfwomen8217;s
NEW DELHI: Top-ranked Thai tennis sensation Tamarine Tanasugarm has confirmed her participation in the 25,000 ITF Women8217;s tennis tournament here from December 13-18. Also competing for top honours would be Amanda Hopmans Netherlands, italy8217;s Tatiana Garbin and Japanese Rika Hiraki. Representing India will be Nirupama Vaidyanathan and Manisha Malhotra. Sai Jayalakshmy, Rushmi Chakravorthy and Archana Venkatraman have been awarded wild cards.

Central, W Railway in women8217;s final
HYDERABAD: Western Railway men defeated ICF Perambur 72-52, while South-Central Railway beat Southern Railway 74-49 to enter the final of the All-India Inter-railway basketball Championship. In the women8217;s semi-final, Central Railway beat Southern Railway 50-46, while Western Railway triumphed over Northern Railway 62-51.