Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday appointed James Siddons as the new batting coach. The decision came a day after Ashwell Prince tendered his resignation from the job, citing "family reasons".

"Jamie Siddons will be the national team's batting coach. We have heard from senior cricketers and board directors that he is a good coach, which is why we brought him here," said BCB president Nazmul Hassan, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.

"Maybe after Siddons'&nbsp;arrival, Prince thought we were thinking differently. But he could have stayed so that we could get him to work in a different capacity," he added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-one-expected-virat-kohli-to-resign-as-indias-test-captain-reveals-all-rounder-shardul-thakur-450380">No one expected Virat Kohli to resign as India's Test captain, reveals all-rounder Shardul Thakur</a>

Siddons, who worked as Bangladesh's head coach from 2007 to 2011 delivering several breakthroughs, was first contacted in May last year when Bangladesh was trying to replace Neil McKenzie with a permanent batting coach.

The BCB shortlisted Prince and Siddons, with the former being appointed in July ahead of the Zimbabwe series.BCB is also looking for specialist fast-bowling and fielding coaches but it is likely that they won't be having anyone from overseas in place ahead of the Afghanistan series that begins on February 23.

"We are looking for a pace-bowling coach who has experience working with international teams. Till then, Champaka (Ramanayake) can work with them," Hassan said.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday appointed James Siddons as the new batting coach. The decision came a day after Ashwell Prince tendered his resignation from the job, citing "family reasons".

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday appointed James Siddons as the new batting coach. The decision came a day after Ashwell Prince tendered his resignation from the job, citing "family reasons". "Jamie Siddons will be the national team's batting coach. We have heard from senior cricketers and board directors that he is a good coach, which is why we brought him here," said BCB president Nazmul Hassan, as reported by ESPNcricinfo. "Maybe after Siddons' arrival, Prince thought we were thinking differently. But he could have stayed so that we could get him to work in a different capacity," he added. ALSO READ: No one expected Virat Kohli to resign as India's Test captain, reveals all-rounder Shardul Thakur Siddons, who worked as Bangladesh's head coach from 2007 to 2011 delivering several breakthroughs, was first contacted in May last year when Bangladesh was trying to replace Neil McKenzie with a permanent batting coach. The BCB shortlisted Prince and Siddons, with the former being appointed in July ahead of the Zimbabwe series.BCB is also looking for specialist fast-bowling and fielding coaches but it is likely that they won't be having anyone from overseas in place ahead of the Afghanistan series that begins on February 23. "We are looking for a pace-bowling coach who has experience working with international teams. Till then, Champaka (Ramanayake) can work with them," Hassan said.

Bangladesh rope in Jamie Siddons as new batting coach

Multiple controversies have marred the ongoing Winter Olympics 2022 in Beijing, China. The mega event has been subjected to concerns related to human rights violation issues, cost, censorship, environmental impact, espionage, rising coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, sports washing.&nbsp;

Now, in an effort to remove "illegal" chatter around and abuses towards athletes, social media giants in China including Weibo and Douyin have deleted tens of thousands of posts.&nbsp;

In a post published by Weibo on Tuesday, it was mentioned that some internet users are "creating trouble". It added, "[These users] attacked athletes with irony and insulting language and spread false information ... we encourage internet users to watch the competition in a calm mood."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/beijing-olympics-2022-russian-figure-skater-kamila-valieva-at-practice-after-reports-of-failed-drug-test-451986">Beijing Olympics 2022: Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva at practice after reports of failed drug test</a>

A report by Reuters mentioned that China's Twitter-like platform Weibo has taken action against roughly 2,300 user accounts and deleted over 73,000 posts that were offensive since February 6.&nbsp;

Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, said on Wednesday it had intercepted or cleaned up 6,780 related videos or comments and banned 331 user accounts.

Other platforms such as social networking forum Douban and video sharing site Bilibili also put out similar statements on their efforts.&nbsp;

While Chinese netizens praises athletes such as Eileen Gu and Su Yiming, however, there has been criticism also.

Zhu Yi, the figure skater who gave up American citizenship in 2018 to compete for China after she fell during her Olympic programmes, faced backlash.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/how-the-garlic-girls-overcame-abuse-to-return-to-the-olympics-451795">How the ‘Garlic Girls’ overcame abuse to return to the Olympics</a>

South China Morning Post reported that the hashtag 'Zhu Yi has fallen' became the top trend on Weibo on Sunday after the 19-year-old US-born figure skater. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
"There are always winners and losers in competitive sports, but anyone who fights for it is a true hero. This platform urges everyone not to sarcastically attack athletes because of accidental mistakes," Weibo said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Multiple controversies have marred the ongoing Winter Olympics 2022 in Beijing, China. The mega event has been subjected to concerns related to human rights violation issues, cost, censorship, environmental impact, espionage, rising coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, sports washing.

Multiple controversies have marred the ongoing Winter Olympics 2022 in Beijing, China. The mega event has been subjected to concerns related to human rights violation issues, cost, censorship, environmental impact, espionage, rising coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, sports washing. Now, in an effort to remove "illegal" chatter around and abuses towards athletes, social media giants in China including Weibo and Douyin have deleted tens of thousands of posts. In a post published by Weibo on Tuesday, it was mentioned that some internet users are "creating trouble". It added, "[These users] attacked athletes with irony and insulting language and spread false information ... we encourage internet users to watch the competition in a calm mood." ALSO READ | Beijing Olympics 2022: Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva at practice after reports of failed drug test A report by Reuters mentioned that China's Twitter-like platform Weibo has taken action against roughly 2,300 user accounts and deleted over 73,000 posts that were offensive since February 6. Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, said on Wednesday it had intercepted or cleaned up 6,780 related videos or comments and banned 331 user accounts. Other platforms such as social networking forum Douban and video sharing site Bilibili also put out similar statements on their efforts. While Chinese netizens praises athletes such as Eileen Gu and Su Yiming, however, there has been criticism also. Zhu Yi, the figure skater who gave up American citizenship in 2018 to compete for China after she fell during her Olympic programmes, faced backlash. ALSO READ | How the ‘Garlic Girls’ overcame abuse to return to the Olympics South China Morning Post reported that the hashtag 'Zhu Yi has fallen' became the top trend on Weibo on Sunday after the 19-year-old US-born figure skater. "There are always winners and losers in competitive sports, but anyone who fights for it is a true hero. This platform urges everyone not to sarcastically attack athletes because of accidental mistakes," Weibo said on Wednesday. (With inputs from agencies)

Beijing Olympics: Posts on athletes abuse deleted from Chinese social media platforms

South Africa captain Dean Elgar says friendships will be put aside when they come up against in-form New Zealand batsman Devan Conway in the first of two tests at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Feb. 17.

Johannesburg-born Conway made his test bow against England at Lords last year and has been in sensational form since, with three hundreds and two fifties in his nine innings to date. That includes a double ton on debut.

Many of the touring South Africans have played with and against Conway in the country’s domestic cricket, so are well aware of his qualities.

"He is playing with a different badge on his chest now and has had a great start to test cricket. His numbers speak volumes and he is in a massive purple-patch," Elgar told reporters on Thursday.

ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/new-zealand-skipper-kane-williamson-ruled-out-of-south-africa-series-due-to-long-standing-elbow-injury-451331">New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson ruled out of South Africa series due to long-standing elbow injury</a>

"But we don’t see him as a South African guy anymore, he is living here and playing for another country."

"I am sure there will be some friendly chats off the field because a lot of guys know him and played with him and against him. But once match-day comes and you walk over that white line, it is all business, irrespective if he is your friend or not."

The South African side have begun to practice for a few hours each day having all returned negative COVID-19 results in the first three rounds of testing since their arrival in the country.

Elgar says they are thankful for the discussions between the respective cricket boards and New Zealand government to ease restrictions and "make life bearable".

"It is impossible to get guys to come and tour here if you are doing a straight 10 days where you can’t leave your room, basically living in jail without the opportunity to go outside and get some fresh air, practice or gym," Elgar says.

&nbsp;ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/english-born-wicketkeeper-batsman-josh-inglis-set-for-australia-debut-against-sri-lanka-451966">English-born wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis set for Australia debut against Sri Lanka</a>

"They have tried their utmost to make life bearable for us knowing that doing 10 days straight is absolutely not human for cricketers, let alone citizens.

"We do want to be here and play against New Zealand, no doubt, but you also have to meet the touring team halfway."

South Africa captain Dean Elgar says friendships will be put aside when they come up against in-form New Zealand batsman Devan Conway in the first of two tests at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Feb.

South Africa captain Dean Elgar says friendships will be put aside when they come up against in-form New Zealand batsman Devan Conway in the first of two tests at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Feb. 17. Johannesburg-born Conway made his test bow against England at Lords last year and has been in sensational form since, with three hundreds and two fifties in his nine innings to date. That includes a double ton on debut. Many of the touring South Africans have played with and against Conway in the country’s domestic cricket, so are well aware of his qualities. "He is playing with a different badge on his chest now and has had a great start to test cricket. His numbers speak volumes and he is in a massive purple-patch," Elgar told reporters on Thursday. ALSO READ: New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson ruled out of South Africa series due to long-standing elbow injury "But we don’t see him as a South African guy anymore, he is living here and playing for another country." "I am sure there will be some friendly chats off the field because a lot of guys know him and played with him and against him. But once match-day comes and you walk over that white line, it is all business, irrespective if he is your friend or not." The South African side have begun to practice for a few hours each day having all returned negative COVID-19 results in the first three rounds of testing since their arrival in the country. Elgar says they are thankful for the discussions between the respective cricket boards and New Zealand government to ease restrictions and "make life bearable". "It is impossible to get guys to come and tour here if you are doing a straight 10 days where you can’t leave your room, basically living in jail without the opportunity to go outside and get some fresh air, practice or gym," Elgar says. ALSO READ: English-born wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis set for Australia debut against Sri Lanka "They have tried their utmost to make life bearable for us knowing that doing 10 days straight is absolutely not human for cricketers, let alone citizens. "We do want to be here and play against New Zealand, no doubt, but you also have to meet the touring team halfway."

'We don’t see him as a South African guy anymore': South Africa captain Dean Elgar on Devon Conway

After having gained an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ongoing three-match series, Rohit Sharma-led Team India would look to win the final ODI to register a series sweep. India and West Indies will lock horns in the third and final ODI at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday.&nbsp;

Heading into the final game, all eyes would be on Virat Kohli's form. So far in the series, Virat has been below-par as he recorded scores of 8 and 18 and the wait for century number 71 is growing day by day. The batter needs to stay true to his instincts as in the ongoing series, the batter has looked to be in a rush.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-west-indies-2nd-odi-prasidh-krishna-takes-four-as-india-claim-series-win-451784">India vs West Indies, 2nd ODI: Prasidh Krishna takes four as India claim series win</a>

This has never been the case with Virat but probably lack of a big score is now getting to the former skipper as well.&nbsp;

A good talk with head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit might just be the need of the hour for Virat as the Men in Blue need their star batter at his best.&nbsp;

In the second ODI, India promoted Rishabh Pant as an opener, the move might not have worked, but it is a positive sign as the team finally showed an aggressive mindset.&nbsp;

KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav were impressed with the bat but the overall score remained below-par as Men in Blue posted just 237 on the board.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-a-permanent-thing-rohit-sharma-reacts-to-decision-to-let-rishabh-pant-open-innings-in-2nd-odi-vs-wi-451806">'Not a permanent thing': Rohit Sharma reacts to decision to let Rishabh Pant open innings in 2nd ODI vs WI</a>

The bowling side of things took care of itself and Prasidh Krishna bowled a probing spell and broke the back of Windies chase.&nbsp;

The hosts would expect the same to happen in the final ODI. West Indies'&nbsp;batting has been lacklustre so far in this series, and they have not been able to help out their bowlers.&nbsp;

Kieron Pollard missed the second game due to a niggle and it is not known whether he would return for the final ODI on Friday.&nbsp;

Squads: India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mayank Agarwal, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Shahrukh Khan.

West Indies: Kieron Pollard (c), Kemar Roach, Nkrumah Bonner, Brandon King, Fabien Allen, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shephard, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh Jr.

After having gained an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ongoing three-match series, Rohit Sharma-led Team India would look to win the final ODI to register a series sweep.

After having gained an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ongoing three-match series, Rohit Sharma-led Team India would look to win the final ODI to register a series sweep. India and West Indies will lock horns in the third and final ODI at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday. Heading into the final game, all eyes would be on Virat Kohli's form. So far in the series, Virat has been below-par as he recorded scores of 8 and 18 and the wait for century number 71 is growing day by day. The batter needs to stay true to his instincts as in the ongoing series, the batter has looked to be in a rush. ALSO READ: India vs West Indies, 2nd ODI: Prasidh Krishna takes four as India claim series win This has never been the case with Virat but probably lack of a big score is now getting to the former skipper as well. A good talk with head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit might just be the need of the hour for Virat as the Men in Blue need their star batter at his best. In the second ODI, India promoted Rishabh Pant as an opener, the move might not have worked, but it is a positive sign as the team finally showed an aggressive mindset. KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav were impressed with the bat but the overall score remained below-par as Men in Blue posted just 237 on the board. ALSO READ: 'Not a permanent thing': Rohit Sharma reacts to decision to let Rishabh Pant open innings in 2nd ODI vs WI The bowling side of things took care of itself and Prasidh Krishna bowled a probing spell and broke the back of Windies chase. The hosts would expect the same to happen in the final ODI. West Indies' batting has been lacklustre so far in this series, and they have not been able to help out their bowlers. Kieron Pollard missed the second game due to a niggle and it is not known whether he would return for the final ODI on Friday. Squads: India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mayank Agarwal, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Shahrukh Khan. West Indies: Kieron Pollard (c), Kemar Roach, Nkrumah Bonner, Brandon King, Fabien Allen, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shephard, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh Jr.

Rohit Sharma-led Team India look for ODI series sweep against West Indies, Virat Kohli's form in focus

They were the feel-good story of the Winter Olympics in 2018: young women from a remote farming county who catapulted South Korea to curling glory by winning its first Olympic medal in the sport.

Then, that same year, the team the Korean press had nicknamed the “Garlic Girls” (in a nod to the iconic produce of their region) shocked the country by accusing their coaches of verbal and psychological abuse.

Nine months after their victory at the Games, the team called a surprise news conference during which they aired their grievances against their two coaches and the father of one of the coaches, who was also the vice president of the Korean Curling Federation.

The Garlic Girls said the trio swore at them, berated them if they interacted with other athletes, banned them from using social media and withheld their prize money. They also tried to sideline the team captain, Kim Eun-jung, after learning of her plans to start a family.

“To be honest, I’m not completely sure if we’re over this yet,” Kim Kyeong-ae, a team member, wrote in an email to The New York Times as she prepared for the Beijing Winter Olympics this month.

While some of South Korea’s top athletes have grown used to decades of harsh training and abuse, a younger generation has started to push back, inspired at least in part by the Garlic Girls.

Their news conference helped revive painful discussions about the mistreatment of athletes in South Korea, where nepotism, exploitation and misconduct have been common for decades. Elite sports in the country are notoriously hierarchical, with men often on top and athletes told not to question orders.

In 2008, the government’s National Human Rights Commission said nearly 80% of student athletes in middle and high schools had been subjected to physical and verbal abuse from their coaches and older teammates.

After the Garlic Girls spoke out, there was an outpouring of other accounts of abuse, including from Shim Suk-hee, a member of South Korea’s national short-track speedskating team and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, who said she had been repeatedly raped by her former coach. (Last year he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.)

Several female athletes in judo, taekwondo and wrestling also came forward to accuse their male coaches of sexual abuse.

In February 2019, after an investigation, the government said that most of the allegations made by the Garlic Girls were true. The two coaches and Kim Kyung-doo, the curling official, were banned from the sport for life.

And for the first time, South Korea appointed three foreign coaches to lead the women’s, men’s and mixed double curling teams at the Olympics. The Garlic Girls are set to compete against Canada in Beijing on Thursday in a round-robin match.

“Although we can’t know of and change all the corruption in the sporting world, at least in this sport we can reveal what has been going on in the hopes that it won’t happen again,” Kim Kyeong-ae, 28, wrote in her email.

But those who speak out risk being sidelined or criticized. Coaches have immense control over their athletes, who are recruited at a young age and live in dormitories. Many of them are taken out of school and feel they have no career options if they fail.

Oh Ji-hoon, a former speedskater who has trained in both the United States and South Korea, said that Korean athletes typically don’t question their coaches’ methods of discipline and training because they get used to it from a young age.

“In Korea, training programs are way more intense than those of the U.S.,” Oh said. “There is less leeway, much less flexibility and, candidly, it’s fairly common for coaches to yell at skaters.”

After the curling team went public with their accusations, Peter Gallant, a Canadian coach who guided them to their silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics, backed the players.

Gallant is now the team’s head coach, and curling experts say his experience is likely to propel the Garlic Girls to greater heights. The team adores him, referring to him as “Appa,” or father in Korean. In an email, Gallant noted that the level of respect the curlers have for those who are older than them is so high that “nothing is really questioned” during practice.

That is not necessarily good.

“A coach wants his athletes to ask questions,” he added.

Four of the five Garlic Girls come from Uiseong, a farming community and a seemingly unlikely site for a sporting revolution. The rural town of 53,000 people uses a cartoon garlic bulb as the county mascot.

The Garlic Girls have said their previous coaches often made them feel ashamed for not coming from a major city.

“It’s useless training people from the countryside,” they recalled being told.

Uiseong, however, is home to one of South Korea’s first curling facilities, built in 2006 after a former government official saw the sport on a trip to Canada.

Kim Eun-jung, the captain, and currently ranked seventh in the world, fell in love with the sport after trying it during gym class in middle school. She encouraged classmate Kim Yeong-mi to join, followed by her younger sister, Kim Kyeong-ae.

Kim Cho-hi, the only team member not from Uiseong, also started curling in middle school, but in Gyeonggi province, just outside of Seoul.

Because they all have the same surname, the Garlic Girls are also known as Team Kim. To differentiate themselves, each chose a nickname honoring their favorite breakfast food. Kim Eun-jung is “Annie,” the name of a yogurt brand. Kim Yeong-mi is “Pancake,” while her sister, Kyeong-ae, is “Steak.” Kim Cho-hi is “ChoCho,” a nod to chocolate cookies, which she loves to eat for breakfast. Kim Seon-yeong is “Sunny,” for sunny-side-up eggs.

The team was an underdog going into the 2018 Winter Olympics but pulled off upsets against Canada and Switzerland, two curling powerhouses. Almost overnight, the Garlic Girls became a sensation in a country that knew little about curling.

In the past two years, the pandemic has made practice challenging. Several competitions were canceled. And unlike teams from countries where curling has long been popular, the Garlic Girls often must travel abroad for competitions and training, which has meant dealing with quarantines and spending more time away from home.

But Gallant said the team’s experience with their previous coaches prepared them for the future, even with the pandemic. In an interview with Rocks Across the Pond, a curling podcast, he said there was no question that “it created a kind of toughness in them.”

“To do what they did, to make everything public, took a lot of courage and effort,” he said. “No matter what they face now, it’s not going to be as bad as that.”

They were the feel-good story of the Winter Olympics in 2018: young women from a remote farming county who catapulted South Korea to curling glory by winning its first Olympic medal in the sport.

They were the feel-good story of the Winter Olympics in 2018: young women from a remote farming county who catapulted South Korea to curling glory by winning its first Olympic medal in the sport. Then, that same year, the team the Korean press had nicknamed the “Garlic Girls” (in a nod to the iconic produce of their region) shocked the country by accusing their coaches of verbal and psychological abuse. Nine months after their victory at the Games, the team called a surprise news conference during which they aired their grievances against their two coaches and the father of one of the coaches, who was also the vice president of the Korean Curling Federation. The Garlic Girls said the trio swore at them, berated them if they interacted with other athletes, banned them from using social media and withheld their prize money. They also tried to sideline the team captain, Kim Eun-jung, after learning of her plans to start a family. “To be honest, I’m not completely sure if we’re over this yet,” Kim Kyeong-ae, a team member, wrote in an email to The New York Times as she prepared for the Beijing Winter Olympics this month. While some of South Korea’s top athletes have grown used to decades of harsh training and abuse, a younger generation has started to push back, inspired at least in part by the Garlic Girls. Their news conference helped revive painful discussions about the mistreatment of athletes in South Korea, where nepotism, exploitation and misconduct have been common for decades. Elite sports in the country are notoriously hierarchical, with men often on top and athletes told not to question orders. In 2008, the government’s National Human Rights Commission said nearly 80% of student athletes in middle and high schools had been subjected to physical and verbal abuse from their coaches and older teammates. After the Garlic Girls spoke out, there was an outpouring of other accounts of abuse, including from Shim Suk-hee, a member of South Korea’s national short-track speedskating team and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, who said she had been repeatedly raped by her former coach. (Last year he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.) Several female athletes in judo, taekwondo and wrestling also came forward to accuse their male coaches of sexual abuse. In February 2019, after an investigation, the government said that most of the allegations made by the Garlic Girls were true. The two coaches and Kim Kyung-doo, the curling official, were banned from the sport for life. And for the first time, South Korea appointed three foreign coaches to lead the women’s, men’s and mixed double curling teams at the Olympics. The Garlic Girls are set to compete against Canada in Beijing on Thursday in a round-robin match. “Although we can’t know of and change all the corruption in the sporting world, at least in this sport we can reveal what has been going on in the hopes that it won’t happen again,” Kim Kyeong-ae, 28, wrote in her email. But those who speak out risk being sidelined or criticized. Coaches have immense control over their athletes, who are recruited at a young age and live in dormitories. Many of them are taken out of school and feel they have no career options if they fail. Oh Ji-hoon, a former speedskater who has trained in both the United States and South Korea, said that Korean athletes typically don’t question their coaches’ methods of discipline and training because they get used to it from a young age. “In Korea, training programs are way more intense than those of the U.S.,” Oh said. “There is less leeway, much less flexibility and, candidly, it’s fairly common for coaches to yell at skaters.” After the curling team went public with their accusations, Peter Gallant, a Canadian coach who guided them to their silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics, backed the players. Gallant is now the team’s head coach, and curling experts say his experience is likely to propel the Garlic Girls to greater heights. The team adores him, referring to him as “Appa,” or father in Korean. In an email, Gallant noted that the level of respect the curlers have for those who are older than them is so high that “nothing is really questioned” during practice. That is not necessarily good. “A coach wants his athletes to ask questions,” he added. Four of the five Garlic Girls come from Uiseong, a farming community and a seemingly unlikely site for a sporting revolution. The rural town of 53,000 people uses a cartoon garlic bulb as the county mascot. The Garlic Girls have said their previous coaches often made them feel ashamed for not coming from a major city. “It’s useless training people from the countryside,” they recalled being told. Uiseong, however, is home to one of South Korea’s first curling facilities, built in 2006 after a former government official saw the sport on a trip to Canada. Kim Eun-jung, the captain, and currently ranked seventh in the world, fell in love with the sport after trying it during gym class in middle school. She encouraged classmate Kim Yeong-mi to join, followed by her younger sister, Kim Kyeong-ae. Kim Cho-hi, the only team member not from Uiseong, also started curling in middle school, but in Gyeonggi province, just outside of Seoul. Because they all have the same surname, the Garlic Girls are also known as Team Kim. To differentiate themselves, each chose a nickname honoring their favorite breakfast food. Kim Eun-jung is “Annie,” the name of a yogurt brand. Kim Yeong-mi is “Pancake,” while her sister, Kyeong-ae, is “Steak.” Kim Cho-hi is “ChoCho,” a nod to chocolate cookies, which she loves to eat for breakfast. Kim Seon-yeong is “Sunny,” for sunny-side-up eggs. The team was an underdog going into the 2018 Winter Olympics but pulled off upsets against Canada and Switzerland, two curling powerhouses. Almost overnight, the Garlic Girls became a sensation in a country that knew little about curling. In the past two years, the pandemic has made practice challenging. Several competitions were canceled. And unlike teams from countries where curling has long been popular, the Garlic Girls often must travel abroad for competitions and training, which has meant dealing with quarantines and spending more time away from home. But Gallant said the team’s experience with their previous coaches prepared them for the future, even with the pandemic. In an interview with Rocks Across the Pond, a curling podcast, he said there was no question that “it created a kind of toughness in them.” “To do what they did, to make everything public, took a lot of courage and effort,” he said. “No matter what they face now, it’s not going to be as bad as that.”

How the ‘Garlic Girls’ overcame abuse to return to the Olympics

FIFA hopes the rolling out of its semi-automated offside technology being trialled at the Club World Cup will not only speed up decision-making but offer increased clarity for football supporters.

The optical tracking system was first tested at last year's Arab Cup in Qatar, and the ultimate goal is for it to be fully in use for the World Cup in the Gulf state later this year.

Pierluigi Collina, chairman of FIFA's referees committee, on Wednesday told reporters VAR had proved "very successful" since its introduction but conceded more consistency is needed.

"It's not yet at the very, very top... the same speed decision-making process. Being fast and being accurate don't work together," Collina said at the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-cristiano-ronaldos-girlfriend-gifts-him-luxurious-car-for-whopping-price-on-37th-birthday-451757">Cristiano Ronaldo's girlfriend gifts him luxurious car for WHOPPING price on 37th birthday</a>

"It's important the video officials get an accurate decision, but we are aware we need to reduce the time, particularly with offside."

"Sometimes it takes a bit longer to assess an offside decision, particularly in very tight incidents," he said.

"The goal is already celebrated, everybody is waiting and then there is a goal disallowed, or the other way round... and then after quite a long time there is the final decision."

The data-driven, limb-tracking technology relies on a series of dedicated cameras and broadcast cameras around the stadium to give the exact position of players on the pitch, offering referees precise information within seconds.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/unbelievable-man-uniteds-cristiano-ronaldo-becomes-first-ever-to-surpass-400m-followers-on-instagram-451207">UNBELIEVABLE! Man United's Cristiano Ronaldo becomes first-ever to surpass 400m followers on Instagram</a>

To provide improved accuracy, the system currently generates 18 data points per player -- tracking the various parts of the body to create a skeletal, three-dimensional model.

The aim is to increase that to 29 for the World Cup to provide further precision, according to the head of football technology at FIFA, Sebastian Runge.

Once a final decision is made, the artificial-intelligence driven technology turns the images into a 3D animation that can be displayed on the big screen at grounds.

"By taking that data, we can enter the 3D world and we can create animations, that can explain perfectly whether a player was onside, how much of that player was offside or onside," said Runge.&nbsp;

"We put that in an animation that will be shared with TV and our giant screen operators and we can inform the spectators in a clearer way on offside and onside decisions."

More than just a robot

Despite the ever-growing influence of technology, FIFA insisted the match officials will always make the final call.

A dedicated VAR assistant is responsible for monitoring offside, checking incidents as they happen rather than waiting for a stoppage in play.

The assistant notifies the main VAR official, who makes the decision and then speaks to the referee.

"I know that someone called it 'robot offside'; it's not. The technology is simply a tool used by human beings," said Collina.

"The referees and the assistant referees are still responsible for the decision on the field of play. The technology only gives them valued support to make more accurate and quicker decisions."

Collina used the example of a goal ruled out for offside in Palmeiras' 2-0 semi-final win over Al Ahly on Tuesday as an area where more can be done to keep fans fully informed.

"We were discussing before how to get the attention of the people in the stadium because if you don't know (the animation) is coming... you don't look at the giant screen," he said.

"It's not possible to get this image within the same stoppage of play. It takes roughly 30 seconds, that's why it's shown at the next stoppage of play.

FIFA hopes the rolling out of its semi-automated offside technology being trialled at the Club World Cup will not only speed up decision-making but offer increased clarity for football supporters.

FIFA hopes the rolling out of its semi-automated offside technology being trialled at the Club World Cup will not only speed up decision-making but offer increased clarity for football supporters. The optical tracking system was first tested at last year's Arab Cup in Qatar, and the ultimate goal is for it to be fully in use for the World Cup in the Gulf state later this year. Pierluigi Collina, chairman of FIFA's referees committee, on Wednesday told reporters VAR had proved "very successful" since its introduction but conceded more consistency is needed. "It's not yet at the very, very top... the same speed decision-making process. Being fast and being accurate don't work together," Collina said at the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi. ALSO READ | Cristiano Ronaldo's girlfriend gifts him luxurious car for WHOPPING price on 37th birthday "It's important the video officials get an accurate decision, but we are aware we need to reduce the time, particularly with offside." "Sometimes it takes a bit longer to assess an offside decision, particularly in very tight incidents," he said. "The goal is already celebrated, everybody is waiting and then there is a goal disallowed, or the other way round... and then after quite a long time there is the final decision." The data-driven, limb-tracking technology relies on a series of dedicated cameras and broadcast cameras around the stadium to give the exact position of players on the pitch, offering referees precise information within seconds. ALSO READ | UNBELIEVABLE! Man United's Cristiano Ronaldo becomes first-ever to surpass 400m followers on Instagram To provide improved accuracy, the system currently generates 18 data points per player -- tracking the various parts of the body to create a skeletal, three-dimensional model. The aim is to increase that to 29 for the World Cup to provide further precision, according to the head of football technology at FIFA, Sebastian Runge. Once a final decision is made, the artificial-intelligence driven technology turns the images into a 3D animation that can be displayed on the big screen at grounds. "By taking that data, we can enter the 3D world and we can create animations, that can explain perfectly whether a player was onside, how much of that player was offside or onside," said Runge. "We put that in an animation that will be shared with TV and our giant screen operators and we can inform the spectators in a clearer way on offside and onside decisions." More than just a robot Despite the ever-growing influence of technology, FIFA insisted the match officials will always make the final call. A dedicated VAR assistant is responsible for monitoring offside, checking incidents as they happen rather than waiting for a stoppage in play. The assistant notifies the main VAR official, who makes the decision and then speaks to the referee. "I know that someone called it 'robot offside'; it's not. The technology is simply a tool used by human beings," said Collina. "The referees and the assistant referees are still responsible for the decision on the field of play. The technology only gives them valued support to make more accurate and quicker decisions." Collina used the example of a goal ruled out for offside in Palmeiras' 2-0 semi-final win over Al Ahly on Tuesday as an area where more can be done to keep fans fully informed. "We were discussing before how to get the attention of the people in the stadium because if you don't know (the animation) is coming... you don't look at the giant screen," he said. "It's not possible to get this image within the same stoppage of play. It takes roughly 30 seconds, that's why it's shown at the next stoppage of play.

FIFA hopes semi-automated offside technology will boost VAR and offer clarity to fans

U-19 World Cup-winning skipper Yash Dhull on Wednesday was named in Delhi`s Ranji Trophy squad and the team will be led by Pradeep Sangwan.

Pacer Navdeep Saini has also been named in Delhi`s squad while Ishant Sharma is not a member of the Ranji Trophy team, Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) confirmed.

Delhi is grouped alongside Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand and all their Group H matches will be held in Guwahati.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/yash-dhull-led-u19-world-cup-winning-team-watches-2nd-odi-between-india-and-west-indies-watch-451716">Yash Dhull-led U19 World Cup-winning team watches 2nd ODI between India and West Indies - WATCH</a>

Round 1 of the Ranji Trophy would be held from February 17-20 and all teams will assemble at their base venues on February 10.

The second round will go ahead from February 24-27 while the third round will go ahead from March 3-6. On Tuesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sent out Ranji Trophy staging guidelines to all nine host associations.

The document which is in possession of ANI states that the players and support staff will have to undergo five-day quarantine before starting their training for the tournament.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shy-players-dont-open-up-pragyan-ojha-differentiates-captaincy-styles-of-virat-kohli-rohit-sharma-451198">'Shy players don't open up....' - Pragyan Ojha differentiates captaincy styles of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma</a>

Every team has been asked to keep the squad size to 30 which is inclusive of the support staff. The teams have also been asked to have a minimum of 20 players in the squad and the board has also allowed the states to carry two reserves looking at COVID-19.

All the teams have been asked to report at their base on February 10 and then they have to undergo a five-day quarantine. After testing negative for COVID-19, teams can train on February 15 and 16. The quarantine period for pre-quarters will be from March 7-10 and the pre-quarterfinal clash would be played from March 12-16.

Delhi squad: Pradeep Sangwan (C), Nitish Rana, Dhruv Shorey, Priyansh Arya, Yash Dhull, Kshitiz Sharma, Jonty Sindhu, Himmat Singh, Lalit Yadav, Vaibhav Kandpal, Anuj Rawat, Lakshay Thareja, Navdeep Saini, Simranjeet Singh, Mayank Yadav, Kuldip Yadav, Vikas Mishra, Shivank Vashishth, Shivam Sharma, Tejas Baroka, Hrithik Shokeen, Dev Lakra.

U-19 World Cup-winning skipper Yash Dhull on Wednesday was named in Delhi`s Ranji Trophy squad and the team will be led by Pradeep Sangwan. Pacer Navdeep Saini has also been named in Delhi`s squad while Ishant Sharma is not a member of the Ranji Trophy team, Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) confirmed.

U-19 World Cup-winning skipper Yash Dhull on Wednesday was named in Delhi`s Ranji Trophy squad and the team will be led by Pradeep Sangwan. Pacer Navdeep Saini has also been named in Delhi`s squad while Ishant Sharma is not a member of the Ranji Trophy team, Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) confirmed. Delhi is grouped alongside Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand and all their Group H matches will be held in Guwahati. ALSO READ | Yash Dhull-led U19 World Cup-winning team watches 2nd ODI between India and West Indies - WATCH Round 1 of the Ranji Trophy would be held from February 17-20 and all teams will assemble at their base venues on February 10. The second round will go ahead from February 24-27 while the third round will go ahead from March 3-6. On Tuesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sent out Ranji Trophy staging guidelines to all nine host associations. The document which is in possession of ANI states that the players and support staff will have to undergo five-day quarantine before starting their training for the tournament. ALSO READ | 'Shy players don't open up....' - Pragyan Ojha differentiates captaincy styles of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Every team has been asked to keep the squad size to 30 which is inclusive of the support staff. The teams have also been asked to have a minimum of 20 players in the squad and the board has also allowed the states to carry two reserves looking at COVID-19. All the teams have been asked to report at their base on February 10 and then they have to undergo a five-day quarantine. After testing negative for COVID-19, teams can train on February 15 and 16. The quarantine period for pre-quarters will be from March 7-10 and the pre-quarterfinal clash would be played from March 12-16. Delhi squad: Pradeep Sangwan (C), Nitish Rana, Dhruv Shorey, Priyansh Arya, Yash Dhull, Kshitiz Sharma, Jonty Sindhu, Himmat Singh, Lalit Yadav, Vaibhav Kandpal, Anuj Rawat, Lakshay Thareja, Navdeep Saini, Simranjeet Singh, Mayank Yadav, Kuldip Yadav, Vikas Mishra, Shivank Vashishth, Shivam Sharma, Tejas Baroka, Hrithik Shokeen, Dev Lakra.

Ranji Trophy: Pradeep Sangwan to lead Delhi, U-19 World Cup winning captain Yash Dhull also included

India clinched a series win over the West Indies after pacer Prasidh Krishna tore through the tourists' top order on Wednesday, taking four wickets to lead India to a 44-run victory in the second one-day international in Ahmedabad.

Building on their six-wicket win over the West Indies in the opening ODI on Sunday, India defended a modest total of 237-9 to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Put into bat, India set the West Indies a target of 238, with Suryakumar Yadav top scoring for the hosts with 64 runs from 83 balls.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-should-don-captaincy-hat-again-harbhajan-singh-urges-indian-star-to-lead-rcb-in-ipl-2022-451736">Virat Kohli should don captaincy hat again: Harbhajan Singh urges Indian star to lead RCB in IPL 2022</a>

Yadav put together a 90-run stand with KL Rahul (49), which came to an end when a mix-up between the batters led to Rahul being run out.

For the West Indies, Alzarri Joseph and Odean Smith took two wickets apiece, with captain Kieron Pollard missing out on the match due to a "niggle".

"There were some challenges. The partnership between Rahul and Surya had a lot of maturity," said Rohit Sharma, who oversaw his first series win as ODI captain since taking over from Virat Kohli in December.

"We got to a respectable total in the end. We knew we could fight it out. The entire unit came out and bowled superbly."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/that-will-be-the-easiest-solution-ajit-agarkar-urges-virat-kohli-to-reconsider-captaining-rcb-in-ipl-2022-451328">That will be the easiest solution: Ajit Agarkar urges Virat Kohli to reconsider captaining RCB in IPL 2022</a>

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9⃣ Overs 
3⃣ Maidens 
1⃣2⃣ Runs 
4⃣ Wickets<a href="https://twitter.com/prasidh43?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@prasidh43</a> put on a fantastic show with the ball &amp; played a key role in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a>'s win over West Indies in the 2nd <a href="https://twitter.com/Paytm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Paytm</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvWI</a> ODI. 👌 👌 
 
Watch his four-wicket haul 🎥 🔽
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1491458364177793024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
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For his outstanding match-winning bowling display in the 2nd <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvWI</a> ODI, <a href="https://twitter.com/prasidh43?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@prasidh43</a> bags the Man of the Match award. 👏 👏 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Paytm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Paytm</a> 
 
Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/yqSjTw302p">https://t.co/yqSjTw302p</a> <a href="https://t.co/3KMngyYGj9">pic.twitter.com/3KMngyYGj9</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1491451798544326656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The West Indies were jolted early in their reply after Krishna (4-12) dismissed opener Brandon King and Darren Bravo in successive overs, before getting the wicket of Nicholas Pooran (9) in the 20th over.

Shamarh Brooks (44) provided some resistance before he became Deepak Hooda's first wicket in international cricket, missing out on his fifty when he holed out to long on.

Smith then provided the West Indies a glimmer of hope towards the end of the innings with a knock of 24, which included a couple of sixes, but the West Indies were eventually bowled out for 193 inside 46 overs.

"I have been striving hard to do this for a long time. So, I am very happy that we won. I was just looking to hit the good areas," Krishna said.

"I wanted to keep it tight, keep it simple, and let the ball do the talking. I stuck to good lines and tried to be as consistent as possible."

The two sides meet in the third and final match of the series at the same venue on Friday.

India clinched a series win over the West Indies after pacer Prasidh Krishna tore through the tourists' top order on Wednesday, taking four wickets to lead India to a 44-run victory in the second one-day international in Ahmedabad.

India clinched a series win over the West Indies after pacer Prasidh Krishna tore through the tourists' top order on Wednesday, taking four wickets to lead India to a 44-run victory in the second one-day international in Ahmedabad. Building on their six-wicket win over the West Indies in the opening ODI on Sunday, India defended a modest total of 237-9 to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Put into bat, India set the West Indies a target of 238, with Suryakumar Yadav top scoring for the hosts with 64 runs from 83 balls. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli should don captaincy hat again: Harbhajan Singh urges Indian star to lead RCB in IPL 2022 Yadav put together a 90-run stand with KL Rahul (49), which came to an end when a mix-up between the batters led to Rahul being run out. For the West Indies, Alzarri Joseph and Odean Smith took two wickets apiece, with captain Kieron Pollard missing out on the match due to a "niggle". "There were some challenges. The partnership between Rahul and Surya had a lot of maturity," said Rohit Sharma, who oversaw his first series win as ODI captain since taking over from Virat Kohli in December. "We got to a respectable total in the end. We knew we could fight it out. The entire unit came out and bowled superbly." ALSO READ | That will be the easiest solution: Ajit Agarkar urges Virat Kohli to reconsider captaining RCB in IPL 2022 9⃣ Overs 3⃣ Maidens 1⃣2⃣ Runs 4⃣ Wickets@prasidh43 put on a fantastic show with the ball & played a key role in #TeamIndia's win over West Indies in the 2nd @Paytm #INDvWI ODI. 👌 👌 Watch his four-wicket haul 🎥 🔽 — BCCI (@BCCI) February 9, 2022 × For his outstanding match-winning bowling display in the 2nd #INDvWI ODI, @prasidh43 bags the Man of the Match award. 👏 👏 #TeamIndia @Paytm Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/yqSjTw302p pic.twitter.com/3KMngyYGj9 — BCCI (@BCCI) February 9, 2022 × The West Indies were jolted early in their reply after Krishna (4-12) dismissed opener Brandon King and Darren Bravo in successive overs, before getting the wicket of Nicholas Pooran (9) in the 20th over. Shamarh Brooks (44) provided some resistance before he became Deepak Hooda's first wicket in international cricket, missing out on his fifty when he holed out to long on. Smith then provided the West Indies a glimmer of hope towards the end of the innings with a knock of 24, which included a couple of sixes, but the West Indies were eventually bowled out for 193 inside 46 overs. "I have been striving hard to do this for a long time. So, I am very happy that we won. I was just looking to hit the good areas," Krishna said. "I wanted to keep it tight, keep it simple, and let the ball do the talking. I stuck to good lines and tried to be as consistent as possible." The two sides meet in the third and final match of the series at the same venue on Friday.

India vs West Indies, 2nd ODI: Prasidh Krishna takes four as India claim series win

Winter Olympics 2022, which is currently underway in Beijing, is marred by a range of issues. From the current coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Beijing to human rights violations, plenty of controversies have taken centre stage in the Games.&nbsp;

Among other controversies, China and South Korea have been embroiled in a cultural appropriation row after some South Koreans expressed frustration after seeing their traditional costume used in last week's opening ceremony of the event. Although, China has denied it.&nbsp;

During the opening ceremony, a woman was spotted wearing what appeared to be a Korean hanbok dress among those representing China's different ethnic groups during the ceremony.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ioc-president-claims-where-is-peng-shuai-answered-wta-still-concerned-451733">IOC president claims 'Where is Peng Shuai?' answered, WTA still concerned</a>

However, in response to that, some South Koreans have raised their voices against the recent alleged Chinese narrative that various aspects of Korean culture are of Chinese origin.&nbsp;

The topic became a matter of discussion on social media forums when the top US diplomat in Seoul donned Korean hanbok clothing while touring a historic palace and shared photos on social media on Tuesday with the hashtag #OriginalHanbokFromKorea.&nbsp;

"What comes to mind when you think of Korea? Kimchi, K-Pop, K-dramas ... and of course Hanbok #OriginalHanbokFromKorea," Chargé d’Affaires Christopher Del Corso tweeted.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/beijing-olympics-medals-ceremony-of-figure-skating-team-event-won-by-russia-delayed-over-legal-issue-451686">Beijing Olympics: Medals ceremony of figure skating team event won by Russia delayed over legal issue</a>

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Seoul released a statement saying the hanbok belongs to ethnic Koreans everywhere, including in China and on the Korean peninsula.&nbsp;

"It is not only their wish but also their right for representatives of all ethnic groups in China to wear national costumes to attend the Beijing Winter Olympics," the spokesperson said.&nbsp;

"The Korean people in China and the north and south of the Korean Peninsula share the same origin and have a common traditional culture including clothing," the statement added.&nbsp;

Winter Olympics 2022, which is currently underway in Beijing, is marred by a range of issues. From the current coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Beijing to human rights violations, plenty of controversies have taken centre stage in the Games.

Winter Olympics 2022, which is currently underway in Beijing, is marred by a range of issues. From the current coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Beijing to human rights violations, plenty of controversies have taken centre stage in the Games. Among other controversies, China and South Korea have been embroiled in a cultural appropriation row after some South Koreans expressed frustration after seeing their traditional costume used in last week's opening ceremony of the event. Although, China has denied it. During the opening ceremony, a woman was spotted wearing what appeared to be a Korean hanbok dress among those representing China's different ethnic groups during the ceremony. ALSO READ | IOC president claims 'Where is Peng Shuai?' answered, WTA still concerned However, in response to that, some South Koreans have raised their voices against the recent alleged Chinese narrative that various aspects of Korean culture are of Chinese origin. The topic became a matter of discussion on social media forums when the top US diplomat in Seoul donned Korean hanbok clothing while touring a historic palace and shared photos on social media on Tuesday with the hashtag #OriginalHanbokFromKorea. "What comes to mind when you think of Korea? Kimchi, K-Pop, K-dramas ... and of course Hanbok #OriginalHanbokFromKorea," Chargé d’Affaires Christopher Del Corso tweeted. ALSO READ | Beijing Olympics: Medals ceremony of figure skating team event won by Russia delayed over legal issue Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Seoul released a statement saying the hanbok belongs to ethnic Koreans everywhere, including in China and on the Korean peninsula. "It is not only their wish but also their right for representatives of all ethnic groups in China to wear national costumes to attend the Beijing Winter Olympics," the spokesperson said. "The Korean people in China and the north and south of the Korean Peninsula share the same origin and have a common traditional culture including clothing," the statement added.

Korean dress controversy at Beijing Olympics: China denies 'cultural appropriation' after row

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte was surprised by Christian Eriksen`s quick comeback after the Denmark midfielder`s cardiac arrest at last year`s European Championship and did not rule out a reunion with the midfielder in the close season.

Eriksen helped Conte`s Inter Milan win the Serie A title last term but had to leave the club as the Italian league does not permit players to play with a heart-starting device implant.

Eriksen spent seven years at Spurs before his move to Inter. The 29-year-old was a free agent when he joined Brentford last month, signing a contract until the end of the season.

"Honestly, I thought Christian needed more time before coming back to play in England. For sure, Eriksen is part of Tottenham`s story. To come back here would be a good opportunity for him, for me, for the club," Conte told reporters.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-cristiano-ronaldos-girlfriend-gifts-him-luxurious-car-for-whopping-price-on-37th-birthday-451757">WATCH: Cristiano Ronaldo's girlfriend gifts him luxurious car for WHOPPING price on 37th birthday</a>

"Now he`s signed for Brentford, only six months, we`ll see what happens." 
Eriksen spent two seasons at Inter under Conte.

"I`m the first person to be happy to see him again on the pitch because we spent a really good time at Inter Milan together," Conte added.

"We won the league, we spent two important seasons together. I wish him all the best for the future."

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte was surprised by Christian Eriksen`s quick comeback after the Denmark midfielder`s cardiac arrest at last year`s European Championship and did not rule out a reunion with the midfielder in the close season.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte was surprised by Christian Eriksen`s quick comeback after the Denmark midfielder`s cardiac arrest at last year`s European Championship and did not rule out a reunion with the midfielder in the close season. Eriksen helped Conte`s Inter Milan win the Serie A title last term but had to leave the club as the Italian league does not permit players to play with a heart-starting device implant. Eriksen spent seven years at Spurs before his move to Inter. The 29-year-old was a free agent when he joined Brentford last month, signing a contract until the end of the season. "Honestly, I thought Christian needed more time before coming back to play in England. For sure, Eriksen is part of Tottenham`s story. To come back here would be a good opportunity for him, for me, for the club," Conte told reporters. ALSO READ: WATCH: Cristiano Ronaldo's girlfriend gifts him luxurious car for WHOPPING price on 37th birthday "Now he`s signed for Brentford, only six months, we`ll see what happens." Eriksen spent two seasons at Inter under Conte. "I`m the first person to be happy to see him again on the pitch because we spent a really good time at Inter Milan together," Conte added. "We won the league, we spent two important seasons together. I wish him all the best for the future."

Christian Eriksen's comeback surprise for Tottenham boss Antonio Conte, eyes reunion with Danish midfielder

West Ham defender Kurt Zouma could face up to four years in prison in his native France over his abuse of his pet cat, reported Daily Mail.&nbsp;

The 27-year-old Premier League star has been condemned after a video emerged in which he was seen dropping, kicking and slapping the cat at his Essex home.&nbsp;

Now, the media outlet has reported&nbsp;that a legal complaint has been filed against the footballer in Paris.&nbsp;

More than 110,000 people signed an online petition calling for Zouma to be prosecuted.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-burnley-hold-man-utd-to-a-1-1-draw-newcastle-thrash-everton-451627">Premier League: Burnley hold Man Utd to a 1-1 draw, Newcastle thrash Everton</a>

A petition on Change.org reads: "In the UK we have laws against the abuse of animals, laws which should be applicable to everyone rich or poor, famous or not.&nbsp;

"We ask that the Metropolitan Police and RSPCA carry out an urgent investigation and prosecute the perpetrators of this heinous act." it added.&nbsp;

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) condemned the "very upsetting" video after it surfaced online and will be leading the investigation and cooperating with Essex Police.&nbsp;

"We cannot comment further at this time, but we're grateful to everyone who has brought this to our attention," said a statement from the charity.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/christian-eriksen-look-for-a-return-to-normal-life-with-brentford-as-he-returns-to-premier-league-451527">Christian Eriksen look for a return to 'normal life' with Brentford as he returns to Premier League</a>

Police have confirmed they are liaising with animal welfare charity the RSPCA as part of "urgent enquiries" into the case.&nbsp;

After the outrageous video, lawyers working for the La Fondation 30 Millions d’Amis contacted prosecutors. The mentioned foundation is the largest animal rights group in France.&nbsp;

"We condemn this heinous act, have asked that the player be suspended from the France team, and filed a legal complaint against him," a spokesman for the foundation said as quoted by Daily Mail.&nbsp;

A French citizen can be prosecuted for criminal acts carried out abroad as per article 113-6 of the French Penal Code.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Zouma has been fined the "maximum amount possible" for mistreating his pet cat, the Premier League club announced on Wednesday (February 9).&nbsp;

"West Ham United can confirm that Kurt Zouma has been fined the maximum amount possible following his actions in the video that circulated," the club said in a statement.

"The player has immediately accepted the fine and has requested that it is donated to animal welfare charities."

Watch the video here:

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Kurt Zouma volleying his cat 😱😱 
<a href="https://t.co/I7s3gpHpPf">pic.twitter.com/I7s3gpHpPf</a>
— The72 - We Love the #EFL (@_The72) <a href="https://twitter.com/_The72/status/1490811862975397894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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(With inputs from agencies)

West Ham defender Kurt Zouma could face up to four years in prison in his native France over his abuse of his pet cat, reported Daily Mail. The 27-year-old Premier League star has been condemned after a video emerged in which he was seen dropping, kicking and slapping the cat at his Essex home.

West Ham defender Kurt Zouma could face up to four years in prison in his native France over his abuse of his pet cat, reported Daily Mail. The 27-year-old Premier League star has been condemned after a video emerged in which he was seen dropping, kicking and slapping the cat at his Essex home. Now, the media outlet has reported that a legal complaint has been filed against the footballer in Paris. More than 110,000 people signed an online petition calling for Zouma to be prosecuted. ALSO READ | Premier League: Burnley hold Man Utd to a 1-1 draw, Newcastle thrash Everton A petition on Change.org reads: "In the UK we have laws against the abuse of animals, laws which should be applicable to everyone rich or poor, famous or not. "We ask that the Metropolitan Police and RSPCA carry out an urgent investigation and prosecute the perpetrators of this heinous act." it added. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) condemned the "very upsetting" video after it surfaced online and will be leading the investigation and cooperating with Essex Police. "We cannot comment further at this time, but we're grateful to everyone who has brought this to our attention," said a statement from the charity. ALSO READ | Christian Eriksen look for a return to 'normal life' with Brentford as he returns to Premier League Police have confirmed they are liaising with animal welfare charity the RSPCA as part of "urgent enquiries" into the case. After the outrageous video, lawyers working for the La Fondation 30 Millions d’Amis contacted prosecutors. The mentioned foundation is the largest animal rights group in France. "We condemn this heinous act, have asked that the player be suspended from the France team, and filed a legal complaint against him," a spokesman for the foundation said as quoted by Daily Mail. A French citizen can be prosecuted for criminal acts carried out abroad as per article 113-6 of the French Penal Code. Meanwhile, Zouma has been fined the "maximum amount possible" for mistreating his pet cat, the Premier League club announced on Wednesday (February 9). "West Ham United can confirm that Kurt Zouma has been fined the maximum amount possible following his actions in the video that circulated," the club said in a statement. "The player has immediately accepted the fine and has requested that it is donated to animal welfare charities." Watch the video here: Kurt Zouma volleying his cat 😱😱 pic.twitter.com/I7s3gpHpPf — The72 - We Love the #EFL (@_The72) February 7, 2022 × (With inputs from agencies)

Footballer Kurt Zouma could face up to four years in French prison for abusing pet cat; watch outrageous video

The International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Wednesday (February 9) said that IOC has answered the questions related to Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai's whereabouts.&nbsp;

Shuai remained in the headlines globally in November when she appeared to allege that a former Chinese vice premier, Zhang Gaoli, had sexually assaulted her in the past.&nbsp;

The accusations were made in a social media post, which was deleted within minutes. However, screenshots of the same were circulated on China's Twitter-like social media platform, Weibo.&nbsp;

Several tennis players raised concerns, asking "Where is Peng Shuai?" when she disappeared from public view for nearly three weeks.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/beijing-olympics-medals-ceremony-of-figure-skating-team-event-won-by-russia-delayed-over-legal-issue-451686">Beijing Olympics: Medals ceremony of figure skating team event won by Russia delayed over legal issue</a>

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) kept pressing China to reveal the whereabouts of Shuai and also suspended all tournaments in China over concerns regarding her safety and security.&nbsp;

Recently, IOC President held a face-to-face meeting with Shuai and he was joined by the former Chair of the Athletes' Commission and IOC member Kirsty Coventry. &nbsp;

Also, Peng attended several sports events at the Beijing Olympics 2022 including the Big Air competition and curling as well as figure skating. In the images and videos, she was seen smiling and waving at the spectators.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/zhu-yi-who-gave-up-us-citizenship-to-compete-for-china-slammed-after-poor-show-at-beijing-winter-olympics-451484">Zhu Yi, who gave up US citizenship to compete for China, slammed after poor show at Beijing Winter Olympics</a>&nbsp;

In a media interview on Sunday, Peng denied she had accused anyone of sexual assault and she had deleted her social media post in November that had appeared to make such a claim.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, IOC President told reporters as quoted by Reuters: "We were trying to answer the question everybody was asking: 'Where is Peng Shuai?' This is why we took this human-centred approach from the very beginning."&nbsp;

"This is why we invited her for a meeting here, to show everybody it is not just a one-off effort. We will keep this contact up. We answered the question 'where is Peng Shuai?' We are continuing by having invited her to come to Lausanne," he added.&nbsp;

Talking about her appearances during Winter Games 2022, Bach said, "You could see it in her appearances that she is enjoying the Games, enjoying being among athletes and the public and this is why we are continuing to have this contact."&nbsp;

"It is about caring for her. It is a human thing. It is about a person and the feelings, the emotions of one person. I hope I will meet her again in the summer in Lausanne to show that this caring is not finished with the Games. It is an ongoing effort," he added.

WTA&nbsp;concerned

Meanwhile, WTA is still concerned. As per a statement published on February 8, WTA noted: "It's always good to see Peng Shuai, whether in an interview or attending the Olympic Games."

"However, her recent in-person interview does not alleviate any of our concerns about her initial post from November 2nd," the statement added.&nbsp;

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“It’s always good to see Peng Shuai, whether in an interview or attending the Olympic Games. 
 
However, her recent in-person interview does not alleviate any of our concerns about her initial post from November 2nd. 
 
We continue to hold firm on our position."
— wta (@WTA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WTA/status/1490762744819240960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Wednesday (February 9) said that IOC has answered the questions related to Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai's whereabouts.

The International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Wednesday (February 9) said that IOC has answered the questions related to Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai's whereabouts. Shuai remained in the headlines globally in November when she appeared to allege that a former Chinese vice premier, Zhang Gaoli, had sexually assaulted her in the past. The accusations were made in a social media post, which was deleted within minutes. However, screenshots of the same were circulated on China's Twitter-like social media platform, Weibo. Several tennis players raised concerns, asking "Where is Peng Shuai?" when she disappeared from public view for nearly three weeks. ALSO READ | Beijing Olympics: Medals ceremony of figure skating team event won by Russia delayed over legal issue The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) kept pressing China to reveal the whereabouts of Shuai and also suspended all tournaments in China over concerns regarding her safety and security. Recently, IOC President held a face-to-face meeting with Shuai and he was joined by the former Chair of the Athletes' Commission and IOC member Kirsty Coventry. Also, Peng attended several sports events at the Beijing Olympics 2022 including the Big Air competition and curling as well as figure skating. In the images and videos, she was seen smiling and waving at the spectators. ALSO READ | Zhu Yi, who gave up US citizenship to compete for China, slammed after poor show at Beijing Winter Olympics In a media interview on Sunday, Peng denied she had accused anyone of sexual assault and she had deleted her social media post in November that had appeared to make such a claim. Meanwhile, IOC President told reporters as quoted by Reuters: "We were trying to answer the question everybody was asking: 'Where is Peng Shuai?' This is why we took this human-centred approach from the very beginning." "This is why we invited her for a meeting here, to show everybody it is not just a one-off effort. We will keep this contact up. We answered the question 'where is Peng Shuai?' We are continuing by having invited her to come to Lausanne," he added. Talking about her appearances during Winter Games 2022, Bach said, "You could see it in her appearances that she is enjoying the Games, enjoying being among athletes and the public and this is why we are continuing to have this contact." "It is about caring for her. It is a human thing. It is about a person and the feelings, the emotions of one person. I hope I will meet her again in the summer in Lausanne to show that this caring is not finished with the Games. It is an ongoing effort," he added. WTA concerned Meanwhile, WTA is still concerned. As per a statement published on February 8, WTA noted: "It's always good to see Peng Shuai, whether in an interview or attending the Olympic Games." "However, her recent in-person interview does not alleviate any of our concerns about her initial post from November 2nd," the statement added. “It’s always good to see Peng Shuai, whether in an interview or attending the Olympic Games. However, her recent in-person interview does not alleviate any of our concerns about her initial post from November 2nd. We continue to hold firm on our position." — wta (@WTA) February 7, 2022 ×

IOC president claims 'Where is Peng Shuai?' answered, WTA still concerned

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