New Delhi, May 17 (PTI) In an unprecedented incident, Services' wrestler Satender Malik launched a physical assault on referee Jagbir Singh after losing the 125kg final during the Commonwealth Games trials, prompting the national federation to impose a life ban on him, here on Tuesday. The Air Force wrestler was leading 3-0 with just a 18 seconds left in the deciding bout when Mohit effected a 'take-down' move and also pushed Satender out of the mat for another point. However, referee Virender Malik did not award two points to Mohit for the 'takedown' move and gave only one point for the pushout. The decision upset Mohit, who requested for a challenge. Satyadev Malik, the jury for the bout, excused himself from the decision for the sake of impartiality, since he belonged to the Mokhra village from where Satender also comes. Senior referee Jagbir Singh was requested to look into the challenge and with the help of TV replays, he ruled that Mohit should be given three points. The score became 3-3 and remained like that till the end, and eventually Mohit was declared winner on criteria since he had scored the last point of the bout. Satender lost his cool, walked across to Mat A where Ravi Dahiya and Aman were locked in the 57kg final, went straight to Jagbir, and began to assault him. He first abused Jagbir and then slapped him, who lost his balance and fell on the ground. The 57kg bout was stopped as the incident created a furore inside the KD Jadhav hall at the IG stadium. Hundreds of fans, officials and participants were shocked to witness a scene like that. Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) officials managed to send Satender out of the hall and restarted the bout. Everything was happening right before the eyes of WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was sitting on the dias. We have imposed life ban on Satender Malik. The decision was taken by WFI President, WFI's assistant secretary Vinod Tomar told PTI. The referees officiating that bout will also be called for an explanation that why points were not awarded to Mohit when it was clear that the take-down move was clean. Why did they let the situation go out of hand. A visibly shaken Jagbir Singh said, I had no inkling that he would do something like that. A Class One referee since 2013, Jagbir added, I had nothing to do with this bout. I had officiated the 97kg and 65kg finals and gave the ruling only after I was asked to do it. It's up to WFI what action it wants to take against him. Satyadev Malik told PTI, I wanted to stay away from the decision making since we live close by. In international wrestling also, if the wrestler is from India, a jury from India can't officiate that bout. So to avoid any situation where I am accused of bias, I stayed away. This is really unexpected because Satender is usually a very calm guy, Satyadev, who was also jury of appeal for the tournament, said.

Wrestler Satender Malik assaults referee Jagbir Singh during CWG trials, gets life ban

India

NewDelhi

CommonwealthGames

AirForce

Bangkok, May 15 (PTI) One of the architects of Indian badminton team's historic Thomas Cup triumph, Kidambi Srikanth described it as one of the best achievements in his career. An unheralded Indian men's team notched up a dominating 3-0 win over 14-time champions Indonesia to lift the Thomas Cup for the first time with Srikanth playing a crucial role as he stayed unbeaten in the tournament. Individual events are always different to team events and we hardly get to play team events and Thomas Cup finals are the biggest team events. So to win such a big event is a really big moment. It will actually take a while, before you know what has actually happened, Srikanth said during a virtual press conference. I will rate this one of my biggest wins and I am happy that everyone played extremely well. I dont think this is one individual's win, it is about all 10 players, Everyone stepped up when it mattered. Srikanth, who had claimed a silver medal at the World Championships in Spain last December, said he can't compare his wins but it was one of his biggest in his career. I did well at world championships in December as well, this is another event where I did well. I just can't compare any of my wins, I don't want to rank any of my wins, all of them are important. It is definitely one of the biggest wins, best in in terms of tournaments and one of my best performances. Srikanth said winning for the country was a big motivating factor for the team. In any major event be it Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Thomas and Uber Cup, world championships, none of them have prize money. But when you win, in this tournament, this is for the country, After we won, people said India won Thomas Cup, it was not Srikanth or Prannoy, so it itself was a special feeling, he said. I don't think every one will have the privilege to experience it, it is us 10 players and coaching staff who have experienced it now and it will motivate others to do well. So the motivating factor was that we won this for the country. Coming into the match after two defeats against Jonatan Christie, Srikanth produced a superb show to notch up a 21-15 23-21 win over the Asian Games gold medallist. Asked if he was under pressure in the final moments of the second game, Srikanth said: There were nerves, also because of the fact that I was leading for most part of the second game. He also played very good, he has done extremely well, so can't really write off, that too in the final. I was just taking him on, trying to play consistently, but he played well after the 11 point break in the second game. I am just happy that I could play whatever I thought of playing, I could finish off the match and give that win to the country. HS Prannoy, 29, also produced some sensational performance, winning the deciding third singles to take India home in the quarterfinals and semifinals. There were criticisms when he was exempted from the selection trials and directly included in the squad. Asked if he had shut the critics with his performance, Prannoy said: Defintely, I would say I did. I have always performed under pressure and to be part of this kind of team I am really proud of.I am really thankful to association for choosing me as third singles. I always wanted to be a part of Thomas Cup and I would have regretted if I was not chosen. I am extremely happy. Thanks to everyone for supporting me and I think I have done justice with my performance. Nothing has sunk in yet, it will take couple of days more, we have to celebrate it big time. Prannoy said they always had the self belief to go the distance and all they needed was the support of each other. I think the feeling was always there, before coming also, we had that belief this is the team which can contend for the title but the quarterfinal match was a crucial one because it was a big pressure because we knew we still didn't have the medal at hand. But all of us stepped up at right time, after that the belief started getting better and we were playing 25 per cent more than the previous matches.

I will rate this one of my biggest wins: Srikanth

ThomasCup

Bangkok

KidambiSrikanth

Indonesia

Spain

Lucknow, May 10 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to appoint international sports medal winners, including those who won them in Olympics, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games, on 24 posts in nine departments of the state. The state cabinet also gave its consent to hold the session of the UP Legislature from May 23. Briefing reporters here, UP's Finance minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said, “The sportspersons, who have a domicile of Uttar Pradesh, and have won medals in international sports events, will be posted on gazetted posts on 24 posts in nine departments”. A committee under the chief secretary will select these sportspersons, the minister said. This will help in developing a sports culture in the state, he said. The nine departments where these appointments will be made are rural development, secondary education, basic education, home department, panchayati raj department, youth welfare department, transport department, forest department, and revenue department. Girish Chandra Yadav, minister of state (independent charge) Sports and Youth Welfare, called the step historic. “This will help promote sports in the state, and will give a boost to the sportspersons. The medal winners of the Paralympic Games are also covered under the decision. Similar scheme is currently operational in other states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Bihar,” he said. Yadav said the decision will be implemented by September 1, 2022. The posts been kept outside the ambit of the Public Service Commission by the department of Personnel, the government said in a statement here. Khanna also said the session of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature will commence on May 23 and its duration will be decided by the business advisory committee. In all, 13 proposals were cleared by the UP Cabinet. Khanna told reporters that Ajay Kumar Mishra has been appointed as the new Advocate General of UP. Mishra started practising at the Allahabad High Court in 1981, and for the past 10 years, he is practising at the Supreme Court. In 1995, he became the youngest additional advocate general of the state. The state Cabinet also gave its approval to the Operation and Management Agreement signed with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for development, operation, and management of smaller airports in Aligarh, Azamgarh, Shravasti, Chitrakoot and Muirpur (Sonbhadra). “Under the MoU signed with the AAI, we will give Rs 7 crore per airport to them. The MoU is for 30 years,” Khanna said.

Olympics, Asian Games medal winners to be appointed in UP govt: Cabinet

New Delhi, May 6 (PTI) From disappointment to relief, Indian athletes showed a range of emotions after finding about the indefinite postponement of the 2022 Asian Games owing to a spike in COVID-19 cases in China. In a year of Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, the athletes need to be more meticulous with their planning as they look to peak at the right time. For some, the delayed Asian Games means more time to rest and prepare, for others the postponement has messed up their planning. Veteran archer Tarundeep Rai, who was looking to retire after the Asian Games, is now left clueless. It's a big, big blow to me. I am already 38 and I was planning to retire after the Asian Games this year. I'm clueless now, this is a really massive setback to my preparations, the three-time Olympian told PTI. I feel I was reaching the peak in my career again after the disappointment of the Olympics last year. I recently won the World Cup mixed gold for the first time (with Ridhi Phor) at Antalya. Everything was planned and on track for me and now I've to take a fresh call. While the postponements comes as a shock for Tarundeep, it has also given hope to star women archer Deepaka Kumari who had failed to make the Asian Games squad. No doubt it's good news for us (husband Atanu Das who also could not clear the trials) and we've got a new lifeline to come back strongly this time. Missing out from trials was a big setback in both of our careers. But now we can start it all over again and look to bounce back strongly.But at the same time, I feel sad for so many of our fellow athletes who have been training so hard to do well. It's so unfortunate that they won't be able to wait till the next announcement, she said. Since squash is not an Olympic sport, players wait for CWG and Asian Games every four years to perform at the big stage.Dipika Pallikal, who recently won the World Doubles Championship alongside Joshna Chinappa six months after giving birth to twins, said her planning for for CWG and Asian Games started four years ago but now she is forced to review her long term plans. It is quite sad to be honest. It takes a lot to try and be mentally and physically ready for the Games. And when you have been planning for the last four years it makes it even harder. But it is what it is. We have the CWG to focus on which is our next goal. We have another year to go for Asian Games which means we will all train harder, get better at what we need to, she told PTI. Top paddler G Sathiyan had it all figured out for the two multi-sporting events but now needs to sit down with his coaches and rejig his plans. We had Commonwealth Games, we had Asian Games and then the World Championships was also in China, which also might get postponed now. So, the planning has to completely change. So you know, we will review fitness programme, tournaments, with my team, whatever we planned was was till the Asian Games. The entire structure what we planned has to change. Like what happened in Tokyo Olympics we will have to restructure the programme and make it accordingly. In one sense, yes, it's a big disappointment that we were looking at something big, things were coming back to normal. We wanted more and more events to have big events but hopefully at least it will happen in 2023, said the world number 34. But for the Indian swimmers, peaking in back-to-back events was always going to be struggle, now they have more time to prepare for the Asiad. It is good and bad. We have more time to prepare but bad because we know have to replan everything. Now we do the whole thing then wait a few more months, Srihari Nataraj said.CWG and Asian Games were back to back so it was good. Next year we didn't really have any big meets except for the world championships so it gives us time to prepare. National record holder long jumper M Sreeshankar also felt that the postponement of the Asian Games will lessen his workload. This will lessen the workload. It's difficult to peak again and again in a short span of time. I can now focus on CWG and World Championships, he said. India's weightlifitng head coach Vijay Sharma was disappointed by the posponement. India's last medal in weightlifting at the continental event came at the 1998 games with Karnam Malleswariclinching a silver.An Asian Games medal is the only major silverware missing in Tokyo Olympic medallist and former world champion Mirabai Chanu's cabinet. It is disappointing. We have to change all the planning now, we were planning with Asian Games in mind. We were hoping for a good show in the Asian Games. India hasn't won a medal since overs 20 years.We were preparing for the Asian Games only. The lifters are doing good, they preparation was going good. For this year, our main focus was Asian Games, we wanted a medal, said Sharma.We'll plan after the CWG now change it, starting from the World Championships. Esport is also part of the Asian Games roster and gamer Tanya Palta could not hide her disappointment but understood that it was best solution in given circumstances. It feels very bad that the game has been postponed because of the Covid outbreak. But nothing we can do as the situation is bad. Human lives are the most important thing and I have to keep patience and practice every day till the game happens, she said.

Indian athletes have mixed emotions after postponement of Asian Games

AtanuDas

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New Delhi, May 6 (PTI) The postponement of the Asian Games has come as a ray of hope for London Olympics bronze medallist Saina Nehwal with the Badminton Association of India set to conduct another selection trials to pick the team for the continental championships, expected to be held next year. The Hangzhou Asian Games, which were scheduled to take place from September 10 to 25, were on Friday postponed indefinitely amid a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in China. The new dates will be announced in near future. It is still one year to go so it is really difficult to say right now. But of course the performance of the players will have to be assessed again. So we will try to find a window to have the trials again, BAI secretary Sanjay Mishra told PTI.The selection trials for the major events, including Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Thomas and Uber Cup, were held at the K D Jadhav Indoor stadium here from April 15 to 20.However, Saina's decision to skip the event to manage workload triggered a controversy.Asked if the two-time CWG gold medallist still has a chance to make it to the Asian Games, Mishra said: Of course, one year is a lot of time and if someone is performing well, whether it is Saina or an upcoming player, they should get a chance to represent the country. The 32-year-old from Hyderabad had questioned the timing of selection trials and slammed BAI for putting her out out CWG and Asiad later this year.While Saina couldn't be reached, her husband and fellow player Parupalli Kashyap said the way the trials were conducted it didn't make sense and players will need to be given more time and also a better format will have to be chalked out.Asian Games has been postponed but I think performance of the players in the tournament should be considered instead of having a trial, Kashyap said.I think the schedule of the trial was bad this time. No need to give preference but the seniors need to be intimidated at least 4-6 weeks before. I think Saina can still achieve a lot but she can't be prepared for a trial in a 10 day window. Kashyap is still recovering from a hamstring injury and is targeting a return at the Indonesia Super 500 in June.

Ray of hope for Saina with BAI set to conduct another selection trials for postponed Asiad

Saina

SainaNehwal

New Delhi, May 6 (PTI) The indefinite postponement of the Hangzhou Asian Games has come as a big disappointment for majority of country's athletes but the Indian hockey team players have taken the deferment positively, saying it will give them additional time to prepare for the continental showpiece. The Hangzhou Asian Games, which were scheduled to take place from September 10 to 25, were on Friday postponed indefinitely amid a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in China. The new dates of the event will be announced in near future. Reacting to the development, veteran Indian men's hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh said they were not taken aback by the announcement. Yes, it's a disappointment but somewhere down the line we were expecting it considering the situation in China, he told PTI. But we want to look at it (postponement) from positive point of view because the postponement means we will get more time to prepare for the Asian Games. The lanky custodian hopes the postponement will bring good luck for them, the way it did during the Tokyo Games, where India won a historic Olympic bronze medal after 41 years. We already have the experience of playing in a postponed Games (Tokyo Olympics), so we know what it takes to remain in shape. The positive part is that there are plenty of tournaments lined-up for us like the Asia Cup, away Pro League matches, Commonwealth Games and World Cup next year. The dates of the postponed Asian Games are yet to be announced, so we will get enough time to prepare our best for the Asian Games, Sreejesh said. A senior women's team player, who did not wished to be named, said the postponement has both positive and negative consequences. It is really sad that the Asian Games are postponed. After the Tokyo Olympics success and some fine performances in the Pro League matches, we are determined to qualify for the Paris Games through the Asian Games, said the player, who was a member of the Tokyo squad. We have been growing from strength to strength under Janekke Schopman and the team looked in good rhythm. Now there is uncertainty when the Games will happen but we will continue to put in the hard yards in our training. Just like Tokyo, it is important for us not to lose focus. The Asian Games postponement also opened up the doors for members of both the senior men and women teams to participate in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, where India had earlier decided to send its reserve hockey sides due to short turnaround between the two events. A Hockey India official said now that the Asian Games had been postponed, the main team players can be considered for the Birmingham CWG as the squads are yet to be announced. We still don't know what will happen because the postponement came as a shock to us. Earlier, we decided to send separate teams for CWG and Asiad because of just 32 days turnaround between the two events and we wanted our main team to peak in Asian Games, which is a qualifier for Paris Olympics, the official told PTI. But now that the Asian Games are postponed we can include players from the senior teams in CWG. It is too early to say anything because we will need to look at the fresh dates of the Asian Games and then adjust our calendar accordingly.

Asian Games postponement: Indian hockey players disappointed but count on positives

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New Delhi, May 5 (PTI) Stars such as Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya will not get direct entries into the final of their respective categories when the national federation holds selection trials for Commonwealth Games and Asian Games owing to the unrest among upcoming grapplers during the recent Asian Championship trials. During the trials for the Mongolia event, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) had given direct entries to Bajrang and Dahiya for the spot-clinching final in their respective weight categories, while the others slogged through the draw. Bajrang faced stiff competition from Rohit in the only bout he fought in the 65kg while an annoyed Aman gave a walkover to Ravi in the 57kg final after battling his way to the summit clash. Both Aman and Ravi train at Chhatrasal Stadium. Deepak Punia (86kg) was also given a direct entry to the final, a move which the other wrestlers termed as unfair. No one complained officially but the decision was criticised and the WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was seen assuring the wrestlers that they would see better arrangement next time. The WFI is now set to conduct the trials for men (May 17, in New Delhi) and women (May 16, in Lucknow) to pick teams for the CWG and Asian Games. No one will get direct entry to final this time. All will have to come through draw for the CWG and Asiad trials. We have not received any request for special treatment as of today but if star wrestlers want some benefit, given their status, the committee can consider but definitely they will not get direct entry into final, said a WFI source. Will it be fair on a wrestler who wins four bouts and still sits at home? It is expected that the WFI will ask star wrestlers to compete from the semifinals stage during the trials. Ravi has been dominant since returning to competition after grabbing a silver medal at the Tokyo Games. He is miles ahead of wrestlers in his category, even as Bajrang struggles to get back his touch. While Bajrang escaped the trial bout against Rohit, the 28-year-old Tokyo Games bronze medallist was far from his usual self at the Asian Championship in Ulaanbaatar, where he won a silver after losing to 19-year-old Iranian junior world champion Rahman Mousa Amouzadkhalili. His recent struggles must have raised hopes of wrestlers who are eyeing a spot in the Indian team in the 65kg category, which Bajrang has made his own with his dominating show in the past few years. A section in the fraternity believes that there is nothing wrong in giving special treatment to special athletes like Bajrang, Ravi and Deepak, since protecting them from injuries is also a responsibility of the federation. If you have four wrestlers whose capability to win international medals is beyond doubt, they must be protected from injuries. Why ask them to play full draw. They are there because they have proved their worth, opined Sujeet Maan, personal coach of Bajrang. I personally feel wrestlers who won either gold or silver at the Asian Championship can be asked to play just one bout, the final against the winner of the draw. No one plays to lose. The new wrestlers just want to defeat these stars but our second line is still not mature enough to win medals at global events. So why risk injuries to our real medal contenders, said Maan, adding that eventually they would follow whatever the WFI decides. Respected coach Virender Singh also said that the WFI must keep in mind the overall benefit of the sport. Look, main thing is to win medal, not just participation. These 3-4 guys go for medals. Others have competed in the past in same categories but did they win medals? These boys are doing well and again asked to appear in trials, why?, asked Virender. By consistently managing weight, their muscle go weak, kidneys get affected. They have to stay empty stomach and then sweat it out to maintain weight for trials, it affects body adversely. Doing it again and again is not good for their health. Their recovery is very important since they do same weight lose drill ahead of competitions. If at all the federation wants to encourage the second line, what they can do is to have trials of other wrestlers on one day and the winner can compete with the established one on the next day, so they are fresh for the tough bout, he suggested. The winners of the trials will book their berths in the Indian team for the CWG and Asian Games while the finalists will get to compete in the World Championship, which will be held in Serbia in September.

Bajrang, Ravi not to get direct entry into finals of CWG and Asian Games selection trials

BajrangPunia

Exclusive partnership to create campus communities in 3000 colleges over 3 years; to include coaching and career opportunities to top performers MUMBAI, India, April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Viral Fission, Asia's largest GenZ community, today announced that it has signed a multi-year contract with GoodGameNation (GG Nation), India's first and only esports-as-a-service platform, to create India's largest esports championship and transform gaming from a hobby to a lucrative career option for millions of Indian student gamers by creating gaming clubs and gamer communities across campuses in India. Esports is the fastest-growing sport globally and is the competitive format of video gaming, and is now a medal sport in Asian Games and Commonwealth Games; esports are also under consideration for the Olympics. To unearth and attract gaming talent that can represent India on the world stage, GoodGameNation has also announced its plans to disburse INR 3 crores in cash prizes. Over the course of three years, this tie-up envisions attracting 100 million gamers and hosting over 16,000 intra-college and 10 national-level college esports tournaments. Speaking on the vision for the partnership, Animesh Pande, Head of Marketing, Community & Content from GoodGameNation, said, We are excited to partner with Viral Fission to amplify our efforts in campus esports in India. Viral Fission's track record of delivering youth activation for some of the biggest brands globally was an important factor in GoodGameNation picking them to amplify our efforts in campus esports. At GoodGameNation, we truly believe in the power of esports and its ability to bring communities together. The Federation of Electronic Sports Associations of India (FEAI), the country's apex body for esports, states that India's esports industry will touch INR 1100 crore by FY25. This association will present the student gamers across the nation with unique opportunities to upskill themselves in the gaming arena through mentorship programs and engagement with their peers. With this partnership, we endeavor to further our mission to build the most holistic and well-rounded ecosystem of gamers in the country by creating a platform for them to compete at multiple levels, upskill themselves and potentially even explore a full-time career in this fast-growing industry. Our dream, though, is to create esports athletes that could represent India at international tournaments and bring glory to Bharat, he further added. Under the partnership, campus-based gaming clubs and gamer communities will be created across campuses to provide an opportunity for student gamers to compete in domestic and national-level esports competitions. These clubs will also be an inclusive space for gaming enthusiasts, game developers, and game streamers, to cultivate a sense of belonging. They will further act as a catalyst for brands to host various mobile, console, and PC games competitions in over 3000 colleges across the country. Speaking on this partnership, Umang Gandhi, Product Head from Viral Fission, said, We believe in fostering communities and in creating community first experiences in order to foster and nurture the next generation. Gaming is one of the fastest-growing industries globally, providing ample opportunities for young minds. With our partnership with GG Nation, we are glad to be a part of the global gaming boom and to bring gaming-first nano-communities within the campus ecosystems. This truly will create a unique experience for the youth and will foster the culture of gaming at the grassroots level. We aim at unlocking unique opportunities for the youth to get on board this wagon and build lucrative futures for themselves in the gaming industry. About Viral Fission Viral Fission was founded in November 2019 with a vision to bridge the gap between India's energetic youth and the brands they love. The core thought is an inspiration drawn by the founders from their own academic experience and learning. The company aims at redefining brand salience metrics with/for the youth. Viral Fission offers a community-based youth network that co-creates unparalleled brand experiences. Website: https://www.viralfission.com/ About GoodGameNation GoodGameNation (GGNation) is India's first and only esports-as-a-service provider for student gamers in high schools and colleges. GGNation offers a holistic and structured program in esports that includes competitions at an institutional, domestic, regional and national levels, coaching from professional players and teams, and career opportunities for the best performers every annual calendar. GGNation was founded in 2021 by Abhinandan Balasubramanian, ex-founder of Racing Promotions which was majority acquired in 2021, and Hariansh Nagpal, Director of Rosmerta Group of Companies. GGNation already has campus gaming clubs in 100 colleges across India, and has conducted over 500 tournaments till date. Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube PWR PWR

GoodGameNation signs Viral Fission to drive India's largest college esports competition with INR 3 Crores in cash prizes

Mumbai

marketing

New Delhi, Apr 22 (PTI) The Indian women's doubles pair of Sikki Reddy and Ashwini Ponappa on Friday withdrew from the forthcoming Uber Cup tournament due to the former's injury, Badminton Association of India (BAI) said. The tournament is scheduled to be held in Bangkok from May 8 to 15. Sikki Reddy has suffered a Grade 2 Tear of the Abdomen (abdominus rectus) as confirmed by an MRI and has been advised 4-6 week rest by the doctor, the BAI said in a statement. Under the circumstances the said pair has withdrawn from from the Uber Cup as well as the upcoming BATC and the selectors have decided to include Simran Singh and Ritika Thakkar in their place as they were fourth in the ranking during the selection trials, said BAI general secretary Sanjay Mishra. The development comes a day after the BAI announced Indian teams for the upcoming Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Thomas and Uber Cup. The teams were named by BAI following six days of selection trials at the Indira Gandhi Stadium here. Besides Sikki Reddy and Ashwini Ponappa, the 10-member women's team for the Asian Games and Uber Cup comprised PV Sindhu, Parupalli Kashyap, Ashmita Chaliha, Hooda, alongside the other two doubles pairs from the trials -- Treesa Jolly-Gayatri P and Tanisha Crasto-Shruti Mishra.

Sikki Reddy, Ashwini Ponappa withdraw from Uber Cup due to injury

New Delhi, Apr 22 (PTI) In a bid to strengthen Asian Games and Commonwealth Games preparations, the Target Olympic Podium Scheme has approved financial assistance of Rs 7 lakh per month to re-hire Mathias Boe as the doubles badminton coach of India. He will specifically be looking after the men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty and also other members of the doubles team. Boe's hiring has been done until Asian Games 2022. In a Mission Olympic Cell meeting on Thursday, proposals from the Badminton Association of India (BAI) to assist in the participation of shuttlers at the Asian Championships in Philippines scheduled to start April 26, were also approved. The support has been extended to women's singles player Aakarshi Kashyap, women's doubles pair Ashwini Bhat and Shikha Gautam, mixed doubles pairing of Tanisha Crasto and Ishaan Bhatnagar, men's doubles pair Vishnuvardhan Goud P and Krishna Prasad as well as Arjun M R and Dhruv Kapila. Currently ranked 52 in the world, Aakarshi has been included in the CWG and the Asian Games squad. Looking forward to the tournament in Philippines scheduled for next week, Aakarshi said, I am very thankful to TOPS because they accepted my request for assistance at the last minute. I have a tough draw there as I'm playing Akane Yamaguchi in the first round. I'll try my best but the more matches I play, the more exposure I get and it all helps for the bigger cause. Revealing her ambitions for the upcoming tournaments, the B.A. 3rd year student added, I feel proud to have played many tournaments in the international circuit and I have the much-needed exposure. I really feel I can get a medal for India from the CWG and I'm also looking forward to giving my best at the Asian Games. The Target Olympic Podium Scheme meanwhile also accepted the request from Olympics double medallist PV Sindhu to provide assistance to Vidhi Chaudhary, who will accompany the player at the Asian Championship in Philippines, in the place of existing coach Park Tae Sang. The Korean coach is currently on annual leave till May. Chaudhary is a NIS qualified coach who is training Sindhu at the Suchitra Academy Hyderabad.

TOPS approves financial assistance to re-hire Mathias Boe as badminton doubles coach

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SatwiksairajRankireddy

ChiragShetty

New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) Aakarshi Kashyap and Priyanshu Rajawat are set to be picked for the upcoming Commonwealth Games and Asian Games respectively after emerging as winners in women's and men's singles at Badminton Association of India's (BAI) selection trials here on Wednesday. While Aakarshi prevailed over Ashmita Chaliha 21-10 17-21 21-15, Priyanshu saw off Odisha Open winner Kiran George 21-15 18-21 21-10 to top the rankings at the national trials at the IG Stadium Complex here. While Aakarshi, who stayed unbeaten in the tournament, is set to join double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu in the CWG team as the second women's singles player, Priyanshu will get a chance to represent the country at the Asian Games and Thomas Cup. With Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth given direct selection due to their top 15 world ranking, Priyanshu, however, won't get a place in the CWG team. Priyanshu has been in good form, losing just one match in the entire event at Stage 2B to Sai Charan Koya. Priyanshu, Kiran, Ravi and Sameer Verma emerged as the men's singles players ranked 1 to 4 in the trials, while Aakarshi was followed by Ashmita, Unnati Hooda and Aditi Bhatt in women's singles. The top three women's singles players will get a chance to represent the country as three positions are available for the Asian Games and Uber Cup teams. In mixed doubles, B Sumeeth Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa staved off challenge from Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto 11-21 22-20 21-18 to grab the top position. The duo are likely to be picked for all the three major events. Ishaan and Tanisha finished second, followed by Pratik Ranade and Akshaya Warnag, and N Sikki Reddy and K Sai Pratheek. According to the selection procedure of the BAI, the winner of the mixed doubles will be selected for the third slot in the CWG team. In women's doubles, Commonwealth Games bronze medallists Ashwini and Sikki will fight it out with All England semifinalists Tressa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand to decide the top position. While both the pairs are assured of berths in the Asian Games and Uber Cup teams, where three positions are up for grabs, only the winner will be picked for CWG. The winner of the match between Simran Singhi and Ritika Thaker, and Tanisha and Shruti Mishra later in the day will decide the third spot. Fast-rising men's doubles pair of MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila also finished at the top. The duo first beat Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy 21-6 25-23 and later K Sai Pratheek retired following an injury, paving their way to the top. Manu and Sumeeth will take on Krishna Prasad G and Vishnuvardhan Goud P to decide the number 2 and 3 rankings, while Ishaan and Sai Pratheek finished at the fourth place. According to the BAI selection policy, the top two men's pairs will be picked for Asian Games and Thomas Cup. The selection committee will meet later in the evening to take a final call on the players.

BAI trials: Aakarshi, Priyanshu emerge winners in singles; Ashwini-Sumeeth win mixed doubles

New Delhi, Apr 18 (PTI) Former world No. 11 Sameer Verma pulled out following a back injury as Kiran George and Priyanshu Rajawat remained in contention for the pole position in men's singles on day 4 of BAI's selection trials here on Monday.In women's singles, Aakarshi Kashyap and Ashmita Chaliha took the lead in the fight for 1 to 4 position after claiming easy wins over their respective opponents at the K. D. Jadhav Hall inside Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex. The national trials are being conducted to pick the team for the upcoming Thomas & Uber Cup (May 8-15, Bangkok), Commonwealth Games (July 28-August 8, Birmingham) and Asian Games (Hangzhou, September 10-25).While Odisha Open champion George defeated Ravi 21-9 21-15, Priyanshu got a walkover from Sameer, whose decision to withdraw has made it a three-way battle for 1 to 4 position.While Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth have already booked their tickets due to their top 15 world ranking, one position is still up for grabs for the Thomas Cup and Asian Games.For Aakarshi, it was an easy outing as she beat Aditi Bhatt 21-15 21-13, while Ashmita prevailed 21-13 21-16 over Unnati Hooda.The winner of the trials in the women's singles will be selected as the second player for the CWG team, while three positions are available for the Uber Cup and Asian Games teams.In women's doubles, Commonwealth Games bronze medallists N Sikki Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa and All England Championships semi-finalists Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand topped their respective women's doubles groups to stay in contention for the top ranking.Sikki and Ashwini beat Simran Singhi and Ritika Thaker 21-15 21-15 to notch up their third win in Stage 2A, while Treesa and Gayatri survived a scare against Mehreen Riza and Shailja Shukla 16-21 21-18 26-24 to complete a hat-trick of victories in Stage 2B.Tanisha Crasto and Shruti Mishra finished second in Stage 2B, while Simran and Ritika secured the second spot in Stage 2A. The duo along with the winners of the two groups will now play for positions 1 to 4.The winner of the women's doubles will be selected for the Commonwealth Games, while three positions will be up for grabs for the Asian Games and Uber Cup.With Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty already selected, owing to their world number 7 ranking, only one position will be filled up from the trials for CWG team.However, two men's pairs will be picked for Asian Games and Thomas Cup.MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila, and Ishaan Bhatnagar and K Sai Pratheek are the two men's doubles pairs who topped their respective Stage 2A and Stage 2B groups.Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy, and Krishna Prasad G and Vishnuvardhan Goud P finished second best in their group and the two pairs along with the toppers will compete for 1 to 4 positions next.Ashwini and Sikki also emerged as winners of stage 2A and stage 2B in mixed doubles with their partners Sumeeth and Sai Pratheek respectively.Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto, and Pratik Ranade and Akshaya Warang are the two pairs which finished second in stage 2A and Stage 2B respectively to stay in contention for positions 1 to 4.The winner of the mixed doubles will be selected for the third position in CWG.

BAI's selection trials: Sameer pull out; George, Priyanshu & Aakarshi, Ashmita lead race for top position

New Delhi, Apr 16 (PTI) World No. 19 B Sai Praneeth continued his unbeaten run as he defeated Sourabh Verma in the stage 2 A men's singles group at BAI's selection trials for the upcoming major international team events here on Saturday. Praneeth, 2017 Singapore Open champion, saw off national champion Verma 21-14 15-21 21-13 in a thrilling match at the K. D. Jadhav Hall inside Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex. The Hyderabad shuttler will next take on Kiran George and Ansal Yadav, who also crossed the preliminary round and are clubbed in stage 2 A group, out of which the topper will play for rank 1 to 4 in a round-robin format. In another stage 2 A match, George beat Ansal Yadav 21-10 21-9 to also stay in contention for the top position. Sameer Verma and Raghu M also notched up wins in stage 2 D on the second day of the six-day trials. While Sameer beat Mithun Manjunath 21-14 21-10, Raghu edged out Maisnam Meriraba 21-14 12-21 21-17 in 51 minutes. In stage 2 B, Kartikey Gulshan Kumar got the better of Sai Charan Koya 21-16 21-9, while Priyanshu Rajawat defeated Sathish Kumar K 21-16 21-15 in 40 minutes. Alap Mishra trounced Arjun Rehani 21-11 21-13, while Ravi beat Shreyansh Jaiswal 21-19 21-10 in stage 2 C. In women's singles, Aakarshi Kashyap staved off a valiant effort from Tanya Hemanth to win 21-18 12-21 21-14 in an hour and nine minutes in stage 2 A, while Malvika Bansod beat Nivetha M 21-14 21-16 in stage 2 B. In stage 2 C, Aditi Bhatt thrashed Kavipriya S 21-14 21-11, while Odisha Open champion Unnati Hooda prevailed over Tara Shah 20-22 21-17 21-9 in 42 minutes. In other results, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand topped group B to qualify for the second stage, while N Sikki Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa topped group A to enter the next round. Gayatri, along with Dhruv Kapila, topped group C of mixed doubles to progress to the next stage. The national trials are being conducted to pick the team for the upcoming Thomas & Uber Cup (May 8-15, Bangkok), Commonwealth Games (July 28-August 8, Birmingham) and Asian Games (Hangzhou, September 10-25). Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, and PV Sindhu, alongside the men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, have been named as the automatic selection as they are ranked inside the top 15. World number 23 HS Prannoy has also been picked due to his recent form which saw him reach the finals of Swiss Open Super 300. However, two-time Commonwealth Games champion Saina Nehwal, ranked 23, wasn't considered for direct selection as she hasn't been in the best of form, having made a series of first-round exits in the last few months. The India ace had informed BAI about her decision to skip the trials and also slammed the association for not responding to her mail, besides questioning the logic of conducting the trials. The BAI is also to pick the core group from the trials -- eight singles players in men and women category, six pairs each from men's doubles, women's doubles and four mixed doubles combinations.

BAI's selection trials: Praneeth, George, Aakarshi and Malvika continue winning run

Hyderabad

New Delhi, Apr 15 (PTI) Saina Nehwal's decision to skip the selection trials for the CWG and the Asian Games could well be the beginning of an end to what has been an illustrious journey in international badminton for more than a decade and half.A former world No.1, Saina has been the torch-bearer of women's badminton in the international arena, having represented the country thrice at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow (2018), New Delhi (2010) and Melbourne (2006).While there shouldn't be an iota of doubt that the Hisar-born shuttler can still work her magic with some stunning performances in the professional circuit but her reluctance to appear for BAI trials could well end her chances of representing the flag at multi-discipline events like CWG, Asiad, Olympics and Uber Cup. A two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Saina did harbour hopes of defending her title at Birmingham but call it a hasty decision or a miscommunication, the dream is now looking like a distant one.On Thursday, an upset Saina took to twitter to slam the Badminton Association of India for not responding to her e-mail, also questioning the logic behind hosting the trials. The federation, however, has maintained radio silence, indicating that the transition phase in women's singles has started and the focus from now on will be solely on the younger crop of players, allowing them to showcase their talent at the international stage.She has achieved a lot for the country but in the last two years, she hasn't done anything worth mentioning. She has also not been able to sort out her injury issues, a former coach told PTI on condition of anonymity.It is tough to play at the international level with consistent niggles, so she needs to accept it and shouldn't get hyper over these issues. No one can deny her contribution to the game but I don't want to see her being so bitter about it, the acclaimed coach said.BAI seems to have set the wheels of change into motion when they called for the selection trials on April 2 to pick teams for Commonwealth Games, Thomas and Uber Cup and Asian Games.While the top 15 players were exempted from the trials, the rest of the top Indian players, including Tokyo Olympian B Sai Praneeth and three-time CWG medallist Ashwini Ponnappa, who are ranked from 16 to 50, agreed to participate in the trials which began here on Friday.But Saina, who is currently ranked 23rd, pulled out as she didn't want her body to go through the rigours since she had just returned after playing three-back-to-back events in Europe and Asian Championships is set to begin on April 26.Saina's reasons are valid as she hasn't been in the best physical shape of late. Recurring injuries played its part in delaying her return to peak fitness and it showed in the results as she made early exits from a series of tournaments.The 32-year-old did show signs of her old self during her narrow three-game loss to Japan's world no 2 Akane Yamaguchi in the opening round of All England Championships.Saina is still finding her way back and doesn't want to go through the rigours of playing 6-7 matches in the trials.But it is understood that BAI doesn't want to make any concession for the London Games bronze medallist and made it clear that participation in the trials is a must to be selected for the big-ticket team events.She could have taken it as just another week-long tournament and played. I understand two-week time is not ideal but where is the window in a crammed schedule?, the former coach said.It is a new administration and I don't think they are being unfair by hosting the trials, he added.Saina's decision to play India Open in January without achieving full fitness also backfired as she suffered a straight-game loss to fast-rising Malvika Bansod.This along with her recent poor show raised doubts on her ability of ensuring a medal at the multi-discipline games.On the other, BAI, also, is eagar to blood in the next generation of players -- the Malvika Bansods, Akarshi Kashyaps and Tasnim Mirs, who are waiting in the wings and are all almost in the same level.With COVID-19 disrupting the domestic and international circuit, a selection trials was the only way to find out where the players stand in terms of rankings, reasoned a BAI official.While Saina might not walk on to the court in team championships anymore, but her journey in international badminton is far from over.Make no mistakes, she can still be a formidable player. Now she should concentrate on the open events, and if she is pain free, she can still play well, the former coach added.She had a decent performance in the first round of the All England championship against Akane and it shows that she still has the hunger in her.

Latest face-off with BAI could well end Saina's 'India' journey at multi-discipline games and team events

glasgow

Melbourne

Birmingham

New Delhi, Apr 14 (PTI) The next generation of Indian shuttlers will aim to secure their places in the national team for the upcoming Commonwealth Games and Asian games when the selection trials begin here on Friday. The selection trials have attracted more attention after Saina Nehwal's decision to skip the event to manage workload.The trials will kick off at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here on Friday to pick the teams for the upcoming Thomas & Uber Cup, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.A total of 120 players will be participating in the five categories but not two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Saina, who questioned the governing body for the timing of the trials and also slammed it for putting her out of the major events. The six-day long selection trials will see shuttlers ranked between 16 to 50 in the latest world rankings, released on March 29, fighting it out even as BAI gave direct entry to players in the top 15.Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, and PV Sindhu alongside men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have been named as the automatic selection, while HS Prannoy has also been picked due to his recent form which saw him reach the finals of Swiss Open Super 300.Prannoy's name has also been included as all the selectors were of the unanimous view that he should be considered for direct selection as he has performed consistently at top events in the recent time and has beaten some top players, Sanjay Mishra, General Secretary of BAI, said in a release.With Saina making herself unavailable for the trials, it will be a golden opportunity for the likes of Malvika Bansod, Ashmita Chaliha, Akarshi Kashyap, Tasnim Mir and Anupama Upadhyaya to step up and get selected for the major events.In doubles, Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy are the Commonwealth Games bronze medallists and are ranked world no 20 but the likes of Tressa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand (ranked 36) have shown that their mettle with a semifinal finish at the All England Championships.In men's category, Tokyo Olympian B Sai Praneeth, who is ranked world number 19, will look to regain some form and grab a seat in the Thomas Cup squad and Asian Games contingent.Among others, Sameer Verma and his elder brother Sourabh, will also fancy their chances but they will face stiff resistance from the likes of Odisha Open winner Kiran George and Orleans Masters finalist Mithun Manjunath.In doubles, the pairings of MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapil, Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy, and Krishna Prasad Garaga and Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala, who had a second place finish at Syed Modi International and quarterfinals at German Open Super 300 and Odisha Open Super 100, will fancy their chances.The Commonwealth Games squad will consist of 10 members with equal number of men and women, while the Asian Games and Thomas and Uber Cup teams will have 20 members each, including 10 men and 10 women.For CWG, both men's and women's teams will consist of two singles players while the remaining three positions will be filled by two doubles and one mixed doubles player, BAI said.In the Thomas & Uber Cup and Asian Games squads, one singles and two doubles positions are available in the men's category while in the women's section three singles and the same number of doubles positions are up for grabs. Thomas Cup and Uber Cup are scheduled in Bangkok from May 8 to 15, while Commonwealth Games and Asian Games are slated in Birmingham and Hangzhou, China, from July 28 and September 10 respectively. Format of selection trials -------------------------- The trials will be held in league-cum-round robin format to decide the positions.The seedings in the trials draw will be decided on the basis of international rankings followed by national rankings while combined individual ranking points given by BWF will be considered in doubles, BAI said.According to the format, 25 men's singles players will be divided into eight groups as the Top-2 players will progress into the second stage where they will be divided into four groups.Winner of each group will play for 1 to 4 ranks in a round-robin format. Runners-up from each group will fight for 5-8 positions while third-placed players will aim for 9 to 12 positions. Women's singles will follow similar format with 19 players divided into six groups, five of three players each and one with four. Top-2 players will progress into the second stage and then four groups will be formed as they will fight for positions from 1-12 in a round-robin format. The men's and women's doubles will see participation of 13 and 11 pairs respectively, who will be divided into four groups.Top-2 pairs will then progress into the second stage and will be further divided into two groups before they will fight for eight positions in each category. Top-2 teams will play for positions 1 to 4 while bottom two teams will fight for positions 5 to 8. In mixed doubles, 14 pairs will be divided into four groups and Top-2 from each group will move into the second stage where two groups will be formed before final round-robin stage in which Top-2 pairs from each group will fight for first four positions while bottom two teams will play for positions 5 to 8.

Focus on youngsters as top spots up for grabs at BAI's selection trials

LakshyaSen

PVSindhu

New Delhi, Apr 14 (PTI) Two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Saina Nehwal on Thursday questioned the timing of selection trials and slammed the Badminton Association of India for putting her out the two mega sporting events later this year.The governing body had called for selection trials on April 2 to pick the Indian team for big-ticket events including the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the Asian Games in Hangzhou and Thomas Cup and Uber Cup in Bangkok from May 8 to 15.Saina, a former world no 1, said she had informed BAI about her decision to skip the trials which begins at the IG stadium on Friday but it did not mean that she was not eager to participate at the major events including the Commonwealth Games and Asiad.Surprised to see all the articles stating that I don't want to defend my CWG title and my Asiad medal. I'm just not participating in the trials because I just got back from 3 weeks of Europe events and according to the schedule there's Asian Championships, Saina tweeted.In 2 weeks time, as a senior player to participate in back to back events nonstop is impossible and it's risking injuries, such short notice is not possible. I've conveyed this to BAI but there has been no response from them. It seems like they're happy to put me out of CWG n Asiad. BAI has exempted players inside the top 15 in the BWF rankings from the trials but said shuttlers ranked between 16 to 50 in the latest world rankings, released on March 29, will have to participate in the trials to be selected for the team.Saina, 32, however, questioned the logic of having trials at this juncture. I wish we had better understanding about how to manage a schedule and not announce events with 10 days notice. I'm world no.23 currently and I almost beat the world no.1 Akane in All England. One loss at India open and BAI tries to pull me down. Shocking. Saina, a London Olympics bronze medallist, had participated at the German Open (March 8-13), All England Championships (March 16-20) and Swiss Open (March 22-27) before pulling out of the Korean Open (April 5-10). Saina has been battling injuries and poor form for the past couple of years, which saw see her ranking slip to 23rd but she did show signs of returning to form when she played a three-game match against Akane Yamaguchi at this year's All England Championships.Among the current crop of women's singles players, Malvika Bansod, Aakarshi Kashyap, Ashmita Chaliha and Anupama Upadhyaya have been in good form but none of them have beaten top international stars in the world stage.Saina had returned to the circuit after recovering from a groin and knee injury this year but she didn't have the desired results as her India Open campaign ended in the second round.After a gap of few weeks, she played three events last month -- German Open, All England and Swiss Open -- where she failed to cross the second round.

It seems like BAI is happy to put me out of CWG and Asiad: Saina

London,United Kingdom

LONDON (AP) — The Australian state of Victoria has been confirmed as the host of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.It will be the first-ever predominantly regional Commonwealth Games with events in several cities and regional hubs including Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland. Australia has hosted five other times.In Tuesday’s announcement, Commonwealth Games Federation president Louise Martin said Victoria and Commonwealth Games Australia “set out a bold and innovative vision for hosting our major multi-sport event. In Victoria, we believe we have found the perfect partner for the next stage of our journey.The opening ceremony will be at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.The Commonwealth Games are held every four years involving 70-plus countries from the British Commonwealth of nations. It was scheduled for Durban this year, but Birmingham, England stepped in when financial constraints forced the South African city to pull out.The Gold Coast in Queensland hosted in 2018. Melbourne hosted the games in 2006 while other Australian editions included Sydney (1938), Perth (1962) and Brisbane (1982).The Victoria proposal became the favorite in February when the state government entered into “exclusive negotiations” with the Commonwealth Games Federation.Sixteen sports have been confirmed on the initial program and up to seven more could be added.___More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Victoria state in Australia to host 2026 Commonwealth Games

Australia

Victoria

London

New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) Saina Nehwal's chances of defending her title at the Commonwealth Games looks bleak as she has decided to skip the selection trials for the upcoming multi-sport events. The big-ticket events include the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the Hangzhou Asian Games. The selection trials are scheduled here from April 15 to 20. The 32-year-old Hisar-born shuttler, a two-time CWG gold medallist and 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist, has informed the Badminton Association of India (BAI) about her decision to skip the trials. Saina has written to BAI, informing her decision to not play in the trials which will be the only tournament to pick players for CWG, Asiad and Thomas and Uber Cup, a BAI source told PTI. The CWG squad will consist of 10 members with equal number of men and women, while the Asian Games and Thomas & Uber Cup contingents will have 20 members each, including 10 men and 10 women. The BAI has made it clear that players inside the top 15 in the BWF rankings will be picked directly, while the rest will be chosen from the trials which will see participation of shuttlers ranked between 16 to 50 in the latest world rankings, released on March 29. The national governing body will also be finalising probables for the senior core group for the 2024 Olympic Games during the trials. Injuries and recent form =============== A former world number one, Saina has been battling a series of injuries and poor form for the past couple of years, which saw see her ranking slip to 23rd. Saina, who had won gold medals at the 2010 and 2018 CWG, had suffered a career-threatening knee injury ahead of the Rio Olympics. She had hurt her groin during the Thomas & Uber Cup Final in Aarhus, Denmark in October last year, and she was also forced to withdraw midway in the first round match at the French Open due to a knee injury. Her return to the circuit at the India Open ended in the second round when she lost to the fast-rising Malvika Bansod. After a gap of few weeks, she played three events last month -- German Open, All England and Swiss Open -- but failed to cross the second round. A semifinal finish at 2021 Orleans Masters Super 100 and quarterfinals at Barcelona Spain Masters Super 300 and Malaysia Masters in 2020 have been Saina's highlights in recent years.

Saina Nehwal decides to skip selection trials for CWG, Asian Games

Ajay Joseph

Sydney NSW, Australia

The Australian state of Victoria on Tuesday announced that it will host the 2026 Commonwealth Games with all sporting events taking place outside of its capital city of Melbourne. Daniel Andrews, the state's premier, praised the Commonwealth Games for embracing Victoria’s pitch for the event, admitting that it's a bit riskier than just running it in the middle of a large city. Also read: Olympic sailor Eya Guezguez dies at 17 in training accident, tributes pour in,According to reports, the Games will be held in four regional hubs across the towns of Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Gippsland, each with a separate athletes' village. After the 2006 event which was centred on Melbourne, this will be the sixth time that Australia has hosted the Commonwealth Games and the second time in Victoria. Also read: All eyes on Bradley Beal as big offseason begins for Washington Wizards,Premier Andrews said the 2026 Commonwealth Games were expected to bring a $3 billion boost to the Victorian economy, which had to weather long lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 Commonwealth Games are due to be held in Birmingham, England, from July 28 to August 8. Also read: Umran Malik's bouncer 'woke me up', admits GJ's Hardik Pandya after loss to SRH,The cost of running the event has yet to be revealed, but Andrews described it as an investment. An initial 16 sports have been put forward for the event, with further sports to be added later this year. Commonwealth Games Federation president, Louise Martin, said Commonwealth Games Australia and the Victorian government set out a bold and innovative vision for the event. Also read: IPL 2022: Warner dances on 'Pushpa's' Srivalli mid-match vs KKR,In a statement, Martin said, In Victoria, we believe we have found the perfect partner for the next stage of our journey. Commonwealth Games Australia president, Ben Houston, said the home games will provide immeasurable benefits for athletes in the lead up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games, describing them as three home games for athletes in six years.

{\"time\":1649730185738,\"strCount\":2842,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The Australian state of <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/victoria\\\">Victoria</a> on Tuesday announced that it will host the 2026 Commonwealth Games with all sporting events taking place outside of its capital city of <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/melbourne\\\">Melbourne</a>.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Daniel Andrews, the state's premier, praised the Commonwealth Games for embracing Victoria’s pitch for the event, admitting that \\\"it's a bit riskier than just running it in the middle of a large city\\\".\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/tunisian-olympic-sailor-eya-guezguez-dies-at-17-in-training-accident-tributes-pour-in\\\">Olympic sailor Eya Guezguez dies at 17 in training accident, tributes pour in</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"According to reports, the Games will be held in four regional \\\"hubs\\\" across the towns of Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Gippsland, each with a separate athletes' village.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"After the 2006 event which was centred on Melbourne, this will be the sixth time that <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/australia\\\">Australia</a> has hosted the Commonwealth Games and the second time in Victoria.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/all-eyes-on-bradley-beal-as-big-offseason-begins-for-washington-wizards\\\">All eyes on Bradley Beal as big offseason begins for Washington Wizards</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Premier Andrews said the 2026 Commonwealth Games were expected to bring a \\\"$3 billion boost to the Victorian economy\\\", which had to weather long lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The 2022 Commonwealth Games are due to be held in <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/birmingham\\\">Birmingham</a>, <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/england\\\">England</a>, from July 28 to August 8.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/umran-maliks-bouncer-woke-me-up-admits-gjs-hardik-pandya-after-loss-to-srh\\\">Umran Malik's bouncer 'woke me up', admits GJ's Hardik Pandya after loss to SRH</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The cost of running the event has yet to be revealed, but Andrews described it as an \\\"investment\\\".\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"An initial 16 sports have been put forward for the event, with further sports to be added later this year.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Commonwealth Games Federation president, Louise Martin, said Commonwealth Games Australia and the Victorian government set out a \\\"bold and innovative vision\\\" for the event.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/ipl-2022-delhi-capitals-david-warner-dances-on-pushpas-srivalli-mid-match-vs-kolkata-knight-riders\\\">IPL 2022: Warner dances on 'Pushpa's' Srivalli mid-match vs KKR</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In a statement, Martin said, \\\"In Victoria, we believe we have found the perfect partner for the next stage of our journey.\\\"\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Commonwealth Games Australia president, Ben Houston, said the home games will provide \\\"immeasurable benefits\\\" for athletes in the lead up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games, describing them as \\\"three home games\\\" for athletes in six years.\"}}]}

<ul>
  <li>Daniel Andrews praised the Commonwealth Games for embracing Victoria’s pitch for the event</li>
  <li>The Games will be held in four regional 'hubs'</li>
  <li>This will be the sixth time that Australia has hosted the Commonwealth Games</li>
</ul>

#CommonwealthGames