Category: Sports

Categories
-Top News Sports USA

US Lawmakers urge IOC to find alternative locations for Olympics

olympics

This comes as legislators in nine other countries took similar action in a coordinated international effort….reports Asian Lite News

Top US lawmakers from the House Foreign Affairs Committee introduced a resolution on Monday (local time), urging the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to move the 2022 Winter Games, citing human rights violation against Uyghur by the Chinese government.

This comes as legislators in nine other countries — United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Lithuania, Italy, Czech Republic — and the EU Parliament took similar action in a coordinated international effort.

The resolution introduced on Monday in the US Congress urges the IOC to publicly clarify its policies on association of the games with gross human rights violations in Xinjiang province.

It initiates an emergency search process for alternative replacement facilities for the 2022 games should persecution of the Uyghurs and other grave abuses continue. Moreover, the resolution offers a public set of actionable recourses should the IOC note infringements on the freedom of expression during Olympics games.

“In the face of genocide, Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are looking to the world for support. By turning a blind eye to the PRC’s gross human rights violations in Xinjiang, the IOC is betraying its own charter and legitimizing the PRC’s actions at a time when the international community should be lock-step in condemnation,” said Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Meeks.

“The CCP’s genocide against Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minorities is the moral test of our time. By granting the CCP an opportunity to cover up its atrocities and improve its image on the global stage, the IOC is violating its own principles and tarnishing its own brand. I’m proud to stand with Members on both sides of aisle, alongside allies from other democratic countries, in holding the IOC and CCP accountable,” said Foreign Affairs Ranking Member McCaul.

In May, a bipartisan bill was introduced pressing American corporate sponsors of the IOC to urge the international committee to move the games–and cutting off US government contracts to companies that continue to subsidize the games if they remain in Beijing.

Chair Meeks and Ranking Member McCaul previously led a bipartisan bill pushing the State Department to urgently ensure American athletes are fully informed of ongoing human right abuses in China and risks to freedom of expression for athletes and participants in the 2022 Olympics.

Ranking Member McCaul and Chair Meeks also led a bipartisan resolution that advanced through the House Foreign Affairs Committee condemning the ongoing abuses in Xinjiang as genocide and urging urgent action by the United States government.

Despite numerous reports and mounting evidence, China continues to deny allegations of human rights violations in Xinjiang province. (ANI)

ALSO READ: More than 10,000 Tokyo Olympic volunteers quit
Categories
-Top News Asia News Sports

European leaders call for ‘diplomatic boycott’ of Beijing Olympics

Last month, a coalition of human rights groups had called for a complete boycott of the Winter Olympics, saying that participating in the games would be tantamount to endorsing China’s genocide against the Uyghur people”…reports Asian Lite News.

Amid the growing calls for shunning 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, a group of politicians from countries across Europe and North America launched coordinated legislative actions on Monday, calling for a diplomatic boycott of games citing “gross violations of human rights” by the Chinese government.

This action is aimed to mount pressure on governments, elected officials, and heads of state, to decline invitations to next year’s Olympics, South China Morning Post reported.

“This coordinated effort by legislators in multiple democratic countries sends a message the IOC cannot ignore: if it can discuss postponing the Tokyo Games over public health concerns, it can certainly move the China games over the mass incarceration of millions in concentration camps,” said Tom Malinowski, vice-chair of the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, in a statement.

Last month, a coalition of human rights groups had called for a complete boycott of the Winter Olympics, saying that participating in the games would be tantamount to endorsing China’s genocide against the Uyghur people”.

In a joint statement, a coalition representing Uyghurs, Tibetans, residents of Hong Kong and others had said that the Chinese government is committing genocide against the Uyghur people and waging an unprecedented campaign of repression in East Turkistan, Tibet and Southern Mongolia, as well as an all-out assault on democracy in Hong Kong.

“Participating in the Beijing Olympic Games at this time would be tantamount to endorsing China’s genocide against the Uyghur people, and legitimising the increasingly repressive policies of the totalitarian Chinese regime,” the coalition said in a statement.

Demands for some form of boycott of the Beijing Games are continuously growing.

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi has also called for a “diplomatic boycott” of the Winter Olympics that are scheduled to take place in Beijing next year, over the human rights violations of Uyghurs in China.

Speaking at a hearing of Congress’ Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Pelosi last month had advocated for the United States to withhold any official delegation from traveling to the Games but allowing for athletes to compete in Beijing in 2022, reported The Hill.

China has been rebuked globally for cracking down on Uyghur Muslims by sending them to mass detention camps and sending members of the community to undergo some form of forcible re-education or indoctrination.

Early this year, the United States became the first country in the world to declare the Chinese actions in Xinjiang as “genocide”.

In February, both the Canadian and Dutch parliaments adopted motions recognising the Uyghur crisis as genocide. The latter became the first parliament in Europe to do so. In April, the United Kingdom also declared China’s ongoing crackdown in Xinjiang a “genocide”. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Covid-19: Olympics may be cancelled

READ MORE-Brisbane hopeful of getting 2032 Olympics

Categories
-Top News Sports UK News

Boris agrees Robinson ban went ‘over the top’

Dowden said the tweets were “offensive and wrong” but “also a decade old and written by a teenager”…reports Asian Lite News.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has backed comments made by the Culture Secretary that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) went “over the top” in suspending bowler England pace bowler Ollie Robinson for historical racist and sexist tweets.

Robinson, 27, has been dropped for the second Test, which begins at Edgbaston on Thursday, pending an investigation, the BBC reported.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden asked the ECB to “think again”, it was reported.

Dowden said the tweets were “offensive and wrong” but “also a decade old and written by a teenager”.

Prime Minister’s spokesperson said the Johnson was “supportive” of Oliver Dowden’s comments. “As Dowden set out, these were comments made more than a decade ago written by someone as a teenager and for which they’ve rightly apologised.”

A statement from the ECB reads: “England and Sussex bowler Ollie Robinson has been suspended from all international cricket pending the outcome of a disciplinary investigation following historic tweets he posted in 2012 and 2013.”

“He will not be available for selection for the LV= Insurance second Test against New Zealand starting at Edgbaston on Thursday 10 June. Robinson will leave the England camp immediately and return to his county,” added the statement.

Robinson, who plays for Sussex, took seven wickets against New Zealand at Lord’s in the first Test that ended in a draw on Sunday. Robinson also scored 42.

England skipper Joe Root said after the match, “From a performance point of view, on the field, he has had an exceptional debut. With regards to the stuff that has happened off the field, it is not acceptable within our game — we all know that.

Root added, “He has dealt with a huge array of emotions over this last week and he has got to learn some hard lessons.”

Robinson had last week apologised for his tweets between 2012 and 2014 that led to controversy.

“On the biggest day of my career so far, I am embarrassed by the racist and sexist tweets that I posted over eight years ago, which have today become public. I want to make it clear that I’m not racist and I’m not sexist,” he had said in a statement.

“I deeply regret my actions, and I am ashamed of making such remarks. I was thoughtless and irresponsible, and regardless of my state of mind at the time, my actions were inexcusable. Since that period, I have matured as a person and fully regret the tweets,” added the right-arm bowler Robinson in the statement.

ALSO READ-1st England-NewZealand Test ends in a draw

READ MORE-Oman Cricket in talks with BCCI to host T20 WC matches

Categories
-Top News Sports UAE News

IPL to resume on Sep 19 in UAE

BCCI official says remaining IPL games will be held in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, reports Asian Lite News

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has zeroed in on the date for the resumption of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League to be held in UAE.

The first game on resumption will be played on September 19 while the final will be hosted on October 15 — the day India will be celebrating Dussehra this year.

A BCCI official in the know of developments of the recent meetings between the BCCI and the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) said the discussions went well and the Indian board is confident that the remaining IPL games will be held successfully in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.

IPL

“The discussions went really well and with ECB already giving us the oral nod to host the event ahead of the BCCI SGM, it was about closing the deal over the last week. The first game after the season resumes will be held on September 19 while we will have the final on October 15. The BCCI was always keen on a 25-day window to finish the remaining matches,” the official said.

ALSO READ: 1st England-NewZealand Test ends in a draw

Asked about the situation with regards to availability of the foreign players, the official said talks are on and the Indian board expects positive outcomes.

“The discussions have started and we are keeping fingers crossed that the foreign players will be mostly available. If a couple of them do not manage to turn up, we shall then decide on the future course of action. But keeping fingers crossed for now and hoping to have an action-packed end to the 14th edition in UAE,” the official said.

In fact, franchises are also confident that the BCCI will engage in positive discussions with the foreign boards and make players available for the remaining games.

“What we were made aware after the BCCI SGM is that the board will be speaking to the foreign boards and check on the availability of the foreign cricketers. We are confident that the BCCI will find the best possible solution and honestly it is a matter of the BCCI officials speaking to the respective board officials, so we should wait to hear from the board on this. Yes, if we do end up missing some of the foreign stars, that is an area which would need some attention when it comes to picking replacements as the foreign players are also integral to the teams. Team balance can go for a toss, so keeping fingers crossed on that one,” the franchise official told ANI.

ALSO READ: IPL 2021 shifted to UAE

Categories
India News Sports

‘WTC final a clash of two styles of captaincy’

Virat Kohli

The last time the two had faced off in an ICC tournament was in the 50-over 2019 World Cup semi-final. Williamson trumped his India rival as he used his bowlers well to defend a 239-run total…reports Asian Lite News

When India captain Virat Kohli and New Zealand counterpart Kane Williamson take field for the World Test Championship (WTC) final on June 18, they will renew a captaincy rivalry that goes back 13 years, to the 2008 under-19 World Cup semi-final.

Kohli came out winner in that duel, and India eventually won the World Cup by beating South Africa in the final.

Since then, however, Williamson has grown in experience and earned accolades for his leadership whereas Kohli has earned honours as well as brickbats at the helm.

The last time the two had faced off in an ICC tournament was in the 50-over 2019 World Cup semi-final. Williamson trumped his India rival as he used his bowlers well to defend a 239-run total.

Former Australia speedster Brett Lee has said in an interview with the International Cricket Council (ICC) that the WTC final would be a clash of two styles of captaincy. He said that while Williamson is calm, Kohli is all aggression.

On Monday, former India skipper Mohammed Azharuddin echoed Lee’s views.

“I don’t like to compare captains or players. Both Kohli and Williamson are different and have been successful. Both have done well for their countries,” Azharuddin told IANS on Monday.

“Williamson has done well for himself and his team with whatever resources he has had. He has got a lot of class. He is magnanimous. Even when he loses the game, he is always generous like we saw in the 2019 World Cup final loss to England. Any other captain would have lost cool and lashed out but he stayed calm and accepted the defeat,” he said.

New Zealand lost to England in a thriller during the World Cup final. With even the Super Over ending as a tie, England won the final and trophy on boundary count.

virat kohli

England had taken the game to Super Over, thanks to a piece of luck when a throw from Martin Guptill in the last over hit Ben Stokes and was deflected to the boundary for four.

Williamson, however, stayed calm and did not lash out in anger after the final.

“He is not aggressive like Kohli but he gets the job done,” said Azhar.

Azhar said that while both have used their resources well, Kohli is different in his style and has the advantage of a very good side.

ALSO READ: Oman Cricket in talks with BCCI to host T20 WC matches

“Kohli is different. He has got the team he knows. He has got good bowlers. Both have done well for their countries,” said Azhar further.

The 32-year-old current skipper is already India’s most successful captain having led the country to 36 wins in 60 Tests. That is a winning percentage of 60, a shade better than Williamson’s 58.33 as captain.

Kane Williamson(wikipedia)

Despite the record, critics have questioned Kohli’s selections in playing XI especially in overseas Tests. His penchant for changing the playing XI regularly has been blamed for often letting India down.

In South Africa in 2018 and in England 2018, some of the selections are believed to have led to crucial defeats for India.

Conversely, his backing of some of the youngsters has fired up players to perform. He had led India to their first-ever Test series win in Australia 2018-19 and although Ajinkya Rahane repeated the feat earlier this year, coach Ravi Shastri said Kohli had played a key role in instilling self-belief.

Williamson, on the other hand, has led his country in 36 Tests and won 21 of those. The Kiwis have lost eight Tests under him. Except for one, all the losses under him have come overseas.

Although the 21 Tests he has won for New Zealand are second to 28 under Stephen Fleming, his winning percentage of 58.33 is by far the best for any Kiwi captain. Fleming’s win percentage was just 35.

Kohli though has a better record as batsman in England. He has scored 727 across 20 innings at 36.35 while Williamson has 261 runs in 10 innings at an average of 26.1 in England. In fact, in the first Test against England that ended on Sunday, Williamson got 14 across two innings.

ALSO READ: 1st England-NewZealand Test ends in a draw

Categories
Sport Sports UK News

1st England-NewZealand Test ends in a draw

First England-New Zealand Test ends in a draw(IANS)

England were 170 for three wickets in their second innings in 70 overs on the fifth and final day when the match ended at Lord’s…reports Asian Lite News

All the efforts of the New Zealand bowlers to dismiss the England batsmen came to nought as the home team preferred to play out time while chasing 273 runs in 75 overs for a win, and it resulted in the first Test ending in a draw here on Sunday.

England were 170 for three wickets in their second innings in 70 overs on the fifth and final day when the match ended at Lord’s. Earlier, they were 56 for two wickets at tea, and they probably decided to hang out there and kill time.

Dominic Sibley with 60 (207 balls, 3x4s), scored in over five hours, and Ollie Pope (20 in 66 minutes, 41 balls, 3x4s) remained unbeaten at stumps. Captain Joe Root made 40 in 109 minutes.

For New Zealand, Neil Wagner bagged two wickets.

Devon Conway, who scored a superb double century on his Test debut, was declared the man of the Match.

First England-New Zealand Test ends in a draw(IANS)

Earlier, chasing the target, England were reduced to 56 for two wickets in 32 overs at the tea, and still needed 217 runs in the final session of play. At the break, Root was batting without a run and Sibley was on 19.

Earlier in the day New Zealand declared their second innings at 169 for six wickets, and asked England to score an average of 3.64 runs per over for victory.

Tom Latham was the top scorer of New Zealand’s second innings with 36 while Ross Taylor scored 33. For England, Ollie Robinson was the top wicket taker with three for 26.

Brief scores:

New Zealand: 378 all out and 169 for 6 wkts declared (Tom Lathan 36, Ross Taylor 33, Ollie Robinson 3/26); England 275 all out and 56/2 wkts (Dominic Sibley 60, Joe Root 40, Rory Burns 25, Neil Wagner 2/27)

ALSO READ: Oman Cricket in talks with BCCI to host T20 WC matches

Categories
Arab News Sport Sports

Oman Cricket in talks with BCCI to host T20 WC matches

Oman is one of 16 participating nations at this year’s T20 World Cup and cricket in the country is run entirely by a business conglomerate…reports Asian Lite News

International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are in talks with Oman Cricket over hosting of some of the T20 World Cup matches later this year in the gulf nation, a top Oman Cricket official has confirmed.

The ICC had, earlier this week, given BCCI a month’s time to show its readiness to host the tournament in October-November. With India’s chances to host it unlikely due to an expected third wave of Covid-19 pandemic, and things not improving drastically over the last few days, the world body has started to look at a venue besides United Arab Emirates (UAE) which is already on standby.

“We have been approached by ICC and the chairman of Oman Cricket, Pankaj Khimji, is in talks with the BCCI which is due to host the tournament,” Madhu Jesrani, the Oman Cricket secretary, said from Muscat.

“The talks with BCCI have just started. The ICC asked us for certain things that they are looking at in a hosting venue and we have given them the details. We have told them that we are ready. We have two turf pitch grounds, including one with floodlights,” added Jesrani.

Oman is one of 16 participating nations at this year’s T20 World Cup and cricket in the country is run entirely by a business conglomerate, Khimji Ramdas, which is an Indian-origin business family.

Jesrani said both the grounds are inside Muscat.

“The Al Amerat Cricket Stadium has floodlights and it is 15-20 km from the airport,” he added.

The ground was established in 2012 and has hosted ICC’s lower-division matches.

The BCCI has already announced that the remaining Indian Premier League (IPL) matches will be held in the UAE from mid-September to mid-October, which is the time when the T20 World Cup will start.

While there are concerns the pitches at the three UAE venues won’t last two tournaments (76 matches in total), the burden would be eased by shifting some games to another country like Oman.

On Tuesday, the ICC issued a statement saying, “The ICC Board has requested management [to] focus its planning efforts for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 on the event being staged in the UAE with the possibility of including another venue in the Middle East.”

Jesrani says they will wait until June 28 when ICC’s deadline to BCCI expires.

“We are waiting till June 28 when the ICC deadline ends and a final decision will be made,” he said.

ALSO READ: Russian Fm due in Saudi, Qatar

Categories
-Top News Sport Sports

Federer withdraws from French Open

Roger Federer.

“After discussions with my team, I’ve decided I will need to pull out of Roland Garros today,” Federer wrote on Twitter….reports Asian Lite News

Roger Federer withdrew from French Open tennis ahead of his fourth-round match against Matteo Berrettini, the tournament announced on Sunday.

“After discussions with my team, I’ve decided I will need to pull out of Roland Garros today,” Federer wrote on Twitter.

“After two knee surgeries and over a year of rehabilitation, it’s important that I listen to my body and make sure I don’t push myself too quickly on my road to recovery. I am thrilled to have gotten three matches under my belt. There is no greater feeling than being back on court.”

ALSO READ: Gavaskar in love with T20 cricket

Categories
-Top News Sports

On this day: Lara rewrote history with his 501

Lara’s big first-class score in a high-scoring match came off 427 deliveries in 474 minutes….reports Asian Lite News

Exactly 27 years ago to this day, former West Indies captain Brian Lara hammered 501 not out against Durham in a County Championship match for Warwickshire here at Edgbaston. It remains the highest first-class score until today.

Lara’s big first-class score in a high-scoring match came off 427 deliveries in 474 minutes. He hit 10 sixes and 62 boundaries during the world record innings.

Lara, who also holds the record for highest individual score in a Test innings as well, had surpassed former Pakistan batsman Hanif Mohammad’s score of 499, scored 35 years prior, in 1959.

Mohammed had played that innings for Karachi against Bahawalpur in a first-class game in Pakistan.

Durham had hit 556 for eight declared in their first innings, with John Morris scoring 204. In response, Warwickshire lost an early wicket, which exposed Lara to the new ball. The West Indian settled down and added 115 for the second wicket with New Zealander Roger Twose (51 off 35 balls) and dominated the 314-run third wicket partnership with Trevor Penney (44).

Brian Lara
ALSO READ: Sharjah based Dr Bichu creates Sachin Tendulkar cricket Museum

Lara added unbeaten 332 for the fourth wicket with Keith Piper before Warwickshire declared their innings at 810 for four.

Lara, who was 111 not out at stumps on Day 3, hammered 390 runs on the fourth day, which had followed a rest day.

He reached the milestone with a drive through off-side that went for a four and lifted his arms in the air. Penney ran up to him to hug him. Durham players congratulated him and some of the spectators also walked in to congratulate him.

A few days before the innings for Warwickshire, Lara had scored the then highest individual Test score of 375 against England in Antigua on April 16, 1994.

Australian Matthew Hayden broke that record by scoring 380 against Zimbabwe on October 9, 2003.

But Lara reclaimed the Test record on April 10, 2004, almost 10 years after he had hit 375, scoring 400 not out again against England in Antigua.

ALSO READ: Gavaskar in love with T20 cricket

Categories
Cricket Sport Sports

Gavaskar in love with T20 cricket

The T20 format game has attracted lot of criticism from some past cricketers who have blamed it for Test cricket losing relevance and players spoiling technique….reports Asian Lite News

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar says he is fond of T20 format unlike most other cricketers of his era since the shortest format involves more action than others.

The T20 format game has attracted lot of criticism from some past cricketers who have blamed it for Test cricket losing relevance and players spoiling technique.

The demise of West Indies Test team due to players from the Caribbean preferring T20 franchise leagues has especially led to criticism of the format.

“I know a lot of people who played around my time, they’re not happy with the T20 format, but I actually love it. I love it for the simple reason that you know it’s a three-hour game, and you get a result, and you get to see so much action,” said Gavaskar on The Analyst Inside podcast.

Gavaskar, who was the first batsman to score 10,000 runs in Test matches, said that innovative strokes attracted him.

ALSO READ: Sharjah based Dr Bichu creates Sachin Tendulkar cricket Museum