One may get
fascinated by the CLT20 that is about to begin …. ..but more important is the
Asian Games – the 2014 Asian Games,
officially ‘ XVII Asiad’ - the largest
sporting event in Asia governed by Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), scheduled to
take place in Incheon, South Korea from September 19 – October 4, 2014, with
439 events in 36 sports and disciplines set to feature in the Games.
The news is that Sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal, in
consultation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tuesday pruned the Indian
contingent for the Incheon Asian Games, to 679 from 942 that was proposed by
the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). The
total number of participants shall be 679, including 516 athletes and 163
coaches and support staff. The IOA had sent a list of 942 participants,
including 662 athletes and 280 officials. India will be participating in a
total of 28 disciplines as against 35 last time. "In Asiad 2010 in Guangzhou, China, we
had sent a contingent of 609 athletes plus 324 officials (933). It has also
been decided that 'No Cost to Government' shall not be a consideration for
finalizing the national contingent," the ministry said in a statement.
The disciplines cleared
for the Asian Games are aquatics (swimming), archery, athletics, badminton,
basketball, boxing, canoeing and kayaking, cycling, equestrian, football, golf,
gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, kabaddi, rowing, sepak takraw, shooting,
squash, taekwondo, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, wrestling, wushu,
weightlifting, and yachting …………… what would miss
the attention is the fact that India will field a second-string tennis
contingent in this month's Asian Games after allowing frontline players,
including Leander Paes and Sania Mirza, to play on the professional tours
instead to revive their rankings.
India's top singles player
Somdev Devvarman has already announced he will not defend the singles and men's
doubles gold medals he won four years ago in Guangzhou, China, citing the same
reason. Veteran Paes, winner of eight men's doubles and six mixed doubles Grand
Slam titles, has slipped to 35 in doubles rankings. "Special circumstances have developed
where it is necessary for the players to participate in ATP and WTA events to protect
their rankings and... qualify for the yearend World Masters," All India
Tennis Association (AITA) president Anil Khanna said in a statement on
Wednesday. Khanna did not elaborate on
any late replacements. AITA secretary Bharat Oza and coach Zeeshan Ali could
not be reached for comments either.
Sania Mirza, who won the US Open
mixed doubles title partnering Brazilian
Bruno Soares, pulled out to play in two WTA Tour events instead to keep alive
her and partner Cara Black's hopes of making the WTA season-ending championship
in Singapore.
Well you hear that across the Globe, Nation comes first for many …… one player who should not be criticised is
Leander Paes who has done consistently well in all Davis Cup matches
representing the Nation ………… he has recently stated that he was yet again ready to take the responsibility
of playing a crucial role in the Davis Cup World playoff tie against Serbia
which begins on Friday. Commenting on
Somdev Devvarman's comment that the tie could hinge on doubles outcome, Paes,
who will partner with Rohan Bopanna, said he was ready to take the pressure. He is quoted as stating - "Check the
stats. I think I have played with nine generations of Indians. Played with
Zeeshan (Ali) in my first tie, in February 1990………… the same cannot be said of
all others … !!!
The last Asiad took place in
Guangzhou, China from November 12 to 27, 2010. Guangzhou was the second Chinese
city to host the Games, after Beijing in 1990. Cricket made its debut at the 16th Asian Games
2010 ; in the men's event host nation China, were joined by three of the four
ICC Full Members in Asia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as well as Afghanistan
who played in the 2010 ICC World Twenty20. Due to other international
commitments, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan fielded understrength teams
whilst India did not participate. Bangladesh defeated Afghanistan in the final
event to win the gold medal while the latter won the silver. The bronze went to
Pakistan after they beat Sri Lanka in the third-place match. In the women's
event China played with ICC Women's Cricket Full Member Pakistan. India and Sri
Lanka did not participate. Pakistan won its first cricket gold in women's event
while Bangladesh gained a silver. Japan defeated China in the bronze medal
match, in what could be a boost for cricket in Japan. The photo at the start is
that of Japanse women's cricket team..
This year
too, Cricket is an event. Top Asian
associate members and full members taking part at the 2014 Asian Games. The
matches will be played under Twenty20 format.
The two Test teams (Bangladesh and Sri Lanka) and two ODI teams
(Afghanistan and Hong Kong) are seeded
and would be joined in the QF by qualifiers from out of China, Malaysia, South
Korea; Kuwait, Maldives and Nepal. ……. You
have not missed out anything …… this is no IPL or CLT20 – BCCI is not sending
any team – call it A .. B.. or C…
That is what
happens in the Cricket crazy country.
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar.
10th Sept.
2014.
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