BCCI opposes Sports Ministry move to 'leash' it

Posted: August 30, 2011
Story Link: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bcci-opposes-sports-ministry-move-to-leash-it/839208/

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday vehemently opposed the move by the Union Sports Ministry to bring the cricket board under RTI.

BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla refused to comment on the specifics of the new sports Bill and said the BCCI is not keen to come under RTI.

Shukla also said only those organisations that take government grants should come under the Act and that the BCCI was surely not one of them.

The Bill is being seen as an important tool to control cricket in India and to curb any illegal practices involved.

The new sports bill, which was prepared after receiving comments and suggestions from various stakeholders and the public, seeks to have BCCI as a national sports federation (NSF) and wants it to function as a 'public authority' and 'comply with the requirements specified in the Right to Information Act'.

If BCCI becomes an NSF, it would be bound to provide information under the RTI and would also be forced to follow the anti-doping rules as specified by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

These proposals have been opposed by the BCCI and some sports bodies, including the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), which want to continue functioning in an autonomous manner, free from public scrutiny and accountability.

Former Indian cricket captains Kapil Dev and Mohammed Azharuddin favoured the BCCI becoming a National Sports Federation and falling under the purview of the RTI Act, as proposed in the National Sports (Development) Bill.

Edgbaston Test: Poor form apart, even history mocks Team India

Posted: August 11, 2011
Story Link: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/edgbaston-test-poor-form-apart-even-history-mocks-team-india/830444/

Birmingham: With two back-to-back defeats at Lord's and Trent Bridge, Team India is accustomed to bad news coming in almost every day. And if captain M S Dhoni is in search of motivation, then a winless record at Edgbaston should offer enough incentives.

Of the five Tests India have played on the Birmingham ground, four ended in defeat for the visitors, while the only occasion when they were able to save a defeat and manage a draw was way back in 1986.

On the other hand, England have a win percentage of above 51, having won 23 of the 45 matches they played at the same venue.

Chetan Sharma was the hero of India's only drawn game at Edgbaston when he took a match-haul of 10/188, which continues to be the best by an Indian bowler at this ground and in England.

As far as batting at Edgbaston is concerned, India have never managed to reach the 400-run mark, with the highest being 390 in 1986 when the Test ended in a draw.

Only Sachin Tendulkar in the current squad has played a Test at Edgbaston before -- way back in 1996. The batting maestro scored 122 in a losing cause as India were overwhelmed by Michael Atherton's men in the first Test of that series. The remaining two at Lord's and Trent Bridge were drawn.

And the task in 2011 remains as arduous as ever for the visitors. Zaheer Khan, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh have already been ruled out; Tendulkar hasn't been in his elements; and the batting line-up has failed to hit the 300-run mark in the two Tests so far. Moreover, the fatigue of back-to-back World Cup and IPL seems to be taking its toll on the players, with the injury list growing with every passing day.

Though the team has been reinforced with some young players, it remains to be seen whether India will be able to break the Edgbaston jinx and make their way back into the series.

Spanish Cup: Real defender drops Cup of joy?

Posted : April 21, 2011
Story link: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bcci-opposes-sports-ministry-move-to-leash-it/839208/

It may be a dirty tackle or sheer excitement that made Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos drop the 'Copa Del Rey' in front of the bus which was carrying the victorious team.

It all happened when the Real team in an open-top bus were about to reach the Plaza de Cibeles where a late night celebration awaited the team. After all, people had waited 18 years for this moment.

Sergio Ramos took hold of the Copa del Rey trophy and held it high above his head as the bus moved slowly through the streets and suddenly lost control over it which made the cup fall in front of the moving bus. The front right wheel of the bus rolled over the trophy before the driver stopped.

But the Spain defender made light of the incident on Twitter.

"The whole thing about the cup was a misunderstanding, it didn't fall... it jumped off when it reached Cibeles (the fountain in Madrid where the team celebrates its titles) and saw so many Madrid fans," Ramos tweeted.

Well, the crowd did not mind this probably due to the joy of a great victory and was in a forgiving mood.

Spanish reports said 60,000 fans gathered at Cibeles to celebrate the club’s first silverware under coach Jose Mourinho.