The organisers of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 on Thursday said that they have reached “basic agreement” with all domestic sponsors to extend contracts by a year while securing the additional funds needed for the virus-postponed Games.

Keeping all 68 domestic sponsors intact for another year is crucial for Tokyo Olympics organisers as the cost of Games spiked because of the unprecedented delay and the need for COVID-19 countermeasures.

In a statement, Tokyo 2020 said the "basic agreement" meant they were now "proceeding with the conclusion of contracts with all partners."

However, the organisers refused to drawn on just when the final details would be locked in without providing details on how much individual contract extensions were worth.

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Overall, the organisers said the extensions were likely to provide another 22 billion yen ($212 million). 
Domestic sponsors are investing more money at the Tokyo Olympics than any previous Games.

Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori said sponsors had "spoken about the difficult situation that each of them are facing in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and the unprecedented economic crisis."

"At the same time, we received powerful messages from all partner companies... (saying) we definitely want you to hold the Games and we will support Tokyo 2020 as much as possible," he told reporters. 
Organisers insist that the Games can go ahead as scheduled, on July 23, 2021. However, new infections in Japan and abroad with slow roll-out of vaccines have some unconvinced that the Games can or should process.

Domestic support for the Tokyo Olympics has been limited with a poll hinting that majority support postponement or cancellation.&nbsp;

Organisers said this week the Games will now cost at least 1.64 trillion yen ($15.9 billion), almost $3 billion more than their revised budget produced last year.

The amount could make Tokyo 2020 the most expensive Summer Games in history with some suggesting the cost could balloon even higher.&nbsp;

Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto defended the price tag earlier this week, calling it a "positive investment."

"Whether you see this budget as expensive or not depends on how you look at it," he told reporters.

The organisers of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 on Thursday said that they have reached “basic agreement” with all domestic sponsors to extend contracts by a year while securing the additional funds needed for the virus-postponed Games.

The organisers of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 on Thursday said that they have reached “basic agreement” with all domestic sponsors to extend contracts by a year while securing the additional funds needed for the virus-postponed Games. Keeping all 68 domestic sponsors intact for another year is crucial for Tokyo Olympics organisers as the cost of Games spiked because of the unprecedented delay and the need for COVID-19 countermeasures. In a statement, Tokyo 2020 said the "basic agreement" meant they were now "proceeding with the conclusion of contracts with all partners." However, the organisers refused to drawn on just when the final details would be locked in without providing details on how much individual contract extensions were worth. ALSO READ: Swiss court overturns doping ban on Chinese swimmer Sun Yang Overall, the organisers said the extensions were likely to provide another 22 billion yen ($212 million). Domestic sponsors are investing more money at the Tokyo Olympics than any previous Games. Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori said sponsors had "spoken about the difficult situation that each of them are facing in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and the unprecedented economic crisis." "At the same time, we received powerful messages from all partner companies... (saying) we definitely want you to hold the Games and we will support Tokyo 2020 as much as possible," he told reporters. Organisers insist that the Games can go ahead as scheduled, on July 23, 2021. However, new infections in Japan and abroad with slow roll-out of vaccines have some unconvinced that the Games can or should process. Domestic support for the Tokyo Olympics has been limited with a poll hinting that majority support postponement or cancellation. Organisers said this week the Games will now cost at least 1.64 trillion yen ($15.9 billion), almost $3 billion more than their revised budget produced last year. The amount could make Tokyo 2020 the most expensive Summer Games in history with some suggesting the cost could balloon even higher. Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto defended the price tag earlier this week, calling it a "positive investment." "Whether you see this budget as expensive or not depends on how you look at it," he told reporters.

Postponed Tokyo Olympics sponsors to extend contracts, confirm organisers

Thomas Bach and the IOC should not be criticised for procrastination over the Tokyo Olympics as re-organising them is "mind-bogglingly complex", the movement's former head of marketing Michael Payne told AFP.

Payne, who in nearly two decades at the International Olympic Committee was widely credited with transforming its brand and finances through sponsorship, said Monday the IOC could have unilaterally cancelled the Games because of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, Payne believes that was never an option given Bach's experience as a sportsman of missing out on the 1980 Moscow Olympics due to the boycott by Western nations in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Payne said behind the scenes the IOC have been moving towards a postponement for a while.

"It is mind-bogglingly complex to make a sudden change after seven years of preparation for the biggest sporting event in the world," he told AFP in a phone interview.

"The IOC have been with increasing urgency looking to fall back on Plan B. The IOC remit allows them legally to cancel the Games unilaterally.

"Cancelling the Games though is not an option so to postpone the Games, you have to have your delivery partner (Japan) on board."

Payne said Japan would take its time to decide as until recently the local organisers had been enthusiastic about maintaining the Games in their scheduled slot.&nbsp;

"The Japanese have been holding out in the hope it might still be possible to hold the Games in July," he said.

"The cost to the Japanese of postponing them is loss of face and political capital to (Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo) Abe as this is very much his project.

"In the last few days Japan have been very up for them to go ahead but the problem is the rest of the world cannot get there."

Thomas Bach and the IOC should not be criticised for procrastination over the Tokyo Olympics as re-organising them is "mind-bogglingly complex", the movement's former head of marketing Michael Payne told AFP.

Thomas Bach and the IOC should not be criticised for procrastination over the Tokyo Olympics as re-organising them is "mind-bogglingly complex", the movement's former head of marketing Michael Payne told AFP. Payne, who in nearly two decades at the International Olympic Committee was widely credited with transforming its brand and finances through sponsorship, said Monday the IOC could have unilaterally cancelled the Games because of the coronavirus pandemic. However, Payne believes that was never an option given Bach's experience as a sportsman of missing out on the 1980 Moscow Olympics due to the boycott by Western nations in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Payne said behind the scenes the IOC have been moving towards a postponement for a while. "It is mind-bogglingly complex to make a sudden change after seven years of preparation for the biggest sporting event in the world," he told AFP in a phone interview. "The IOC have been with increasing urgency looking to fall back on Plan B. The IOC remit allows them legally to cancel the Games unilaterally. "Cancelling the Games though is not an option so to postpone the Games, you have to have your delivery partner (Japan) on board." Payne said Japan would take its time to decide as until recently the local organisers had been enthusiastic about maintaining the Games in their scheduled slot. "The Japanese have been holding out in the hope it might still be possible to hold the Games in July," he said. "The cost to the Japanese of postponing them is loss of face and political capital to (Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo) Abe as this is very much his project. "In the last few days Japan have been very up for them to go ahead but the problem is the rest of the world cannot get there."

Re-organising Olympics a Herculean task: former IOC marketing head

The Olympic flame arrived in Japan to a scaled-down welcoming ceremony Friday as doubts grew over whether the Tokyo Games will go ahead on schedule with the coronavirus pandemic causing chaos around the world.

As the flame, enclosed in a special lantern, landed on a charter flight, a Japanese Olympic Committee member broke ranks to call for a postponement and Olympics chief Thomas Bach admitted "different scenarios" were under consideration.

"Of course we are considering different scenarios, but we are contrary to many other sports organisations or professional leagues in that we are four-and-a-half months away from the Games," Bach, the International Olympic Committee president, told the New York Times.

"For us, (postponement) would not be responsible now and it would be premature to start speculation or make a decision at a time when we do not have any recommendation from the task force," he added.

Reflecting the uncertainty caused by COVID-19, the flame's arrival at Matsushima Air Base in Japan's north was a muted affair after organisers were forced to cancel plans to invite 200 schoolchildren.

Former Olympic judo champions Saori Yoshida and Tadahiro Nomura lit a ceremonial cauldron in front of a few dozen officials and guests.

"Children had planned to welcome the Olympic flame, but we decided to scale it down, giving priority to their safety," said Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori.

The nationwide torch relay begins on March 26, starting from the J-Village sports complex in Fukushima that was used as a base for workers during the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.

But organisers have been forced to scale back the relay, closing daily ceremonies to the public and urging spectators to "avoid forming crowds" along the route.

<h2>- Olympics 'should be postponed' -</h2>

Speculation has been growing over the Games, scheduled to start on July 24, after the COVID-19 outbreak closed sports competitions around the world and paralysed many countries, along with international travel.

The virus has already disrupted the early stages of the torch's journey in Greece, with the lighting ceremony in ancient Olympia taking place without spectators.

Organisers then had to scrap the Greek leg of the relay after large crowds mobbed Hollywood actor Gerard Butler as he lit a cauldron in the city of Sparta.

With borders shut in Europe -- which has become the epicentre of the crisis -- Tokyo officials did not travel to collect the torch, with former Olympic swimmer Naoko Imoto representing Japan at the official handover.

As the flame landed, there are increasing clouds over the Games, with some athletes attacking the IOC for insisting there's no need for "drastic" action such as postponement or cancellation.

Japanese Olympic Committee executive board member Kaori Yamaguchi, a former Olympic judoka, was the latest prominent figure to call for a postponement, citing the difficulties faced by athletes.

"It should be postponed under the current situation where athletes are not well prepared," Yamaguchi told the Nikkei daily.

"By asking them to train under these conditions, the IOC is opening itself up the criticism that it is not putting athletes first," she added.

Bach, under fire after the IOC advised athletes to continue training "as best they can", insisted health considerations were "first and foremost" -- and that the decision won't be driven by financial interest.

"What makes this crisis so unique and so difficult to overcome is the uncertainty. Nobody today can tell you what the developments are tomorrow, what they are in one month, not to mention in more than four months," he said.

"Therefore it would not be responsible in any way to set a date or take a decision right now, which would be based on the speculation about the future developments."

Bach said the IOC will act on advice from its own task force and the World Health Organization, but was optimistic about holding the Games on time. He added that there was no question of a cancellation.

The Olympic flame arrived in Japan to a scaled-down welcoming ceremony Friday as doubts grew over whether the Tokyo Games will go ahead on schedule with the coronavirus pandemic causing chaos around the world.

The Olympic flame arrived in Japan to a scaled-down welcoming ceremony Friday as doubts grew over whether the Tokyo Games will go ahead on schedule with the coronavirus pandemic causing chaos around the world. As the flame, enclosed in a special lantern, landed on a charter flight, a Japanese Olympic Committee member broke ranks to call for a postponement and Olympics chief Thomas Bach admitted "different scenarios" were under consideration. "Of course we are considering different scenarios, but we are contrary to many other sports organisations or professional leagues in that we are four-and-a-half months away from the Games," Bach, the International Olympic Committee president, told the New York Times. "For us, (postponement) would not be responsible now and it would be premature to start speculation or make a decision at a time when we do not have any recommendation from the task force," he added. Reflecting the uncertainty caused by COVID-19, the flame's arrival at Matsushima Air Base in Japan's north was a muted affair after organisers were forced to cancel plans to invite 200 schoolchildren. Former Olympic judo champions Saori Yoshida and Tadahiro Nomura lit a ceremonial cauldron in front of a few dozen officials and guests. "Children had planned to welcome the Olympic flame, but we decided to scale it down, giving priority to their safety," said Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori. The nationwide torch relay begins on March 26, starting from the J-Village sports complex in Fukushima that was used as a base for workers during the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster. But organisers have been forced to scale back the relay, closing daily ceremonies to the public and urging spectators to "avoid forming crowds" along the route. - Olympics 'should be postponed' - Speculation has been growing over the Games, scheduled to start on July 24, after the COVID-19 outbreak closed sports competitions around the world and paralysed many countries, along with international travel. The virus has already disrupted the early stages of the torch's journey in Greece, with the lighting ceremony in ancient Olympia taking place without spectators. Organisers then had to scrap the Greek leg of the relay after large crowds mobbed Hollywood actor Gerard Butler as he lit a cauldron in the city of Sparta. With borders shut in Europe -- which has become the epicentre of the crisis -- Tokyo officials did not travel to collect the torch, with former Olympic swimmer Naoko Imoto representing Japan at the official handover. As the flame landed, there are increasing clouds over the Games, with some athletes attacking the IOC for insisting there's no need for "drastic" action such as postponement or cancellation. Japanese Olympic Committee executive board member Kaori Yamaguchi, a former Olympic judoka, was the latest prominent figure to call for a postponement, citing the difficulties faced by athletes. "It should be postponed under the current situation where athletes are not well prepared," Yamaguchi told the Nikkei daily. "By asking them to train under these conditions, the IOC is opening itself up the criticism that it is not putting athletes first," she added. Bach, under fire after the IOC advised athletes to continue training "as best they can", insisted health considerations were "first and foremost" -- and that the decision won't be driven by financial interest. "What makes this crisis so unique and so difficult to overcome is the uncertainty. Nobody today can tell you what the developments are tomorrow, what they are in one month, not to mention in more than four months," he said. "Therefore it would not be responsible in any way to set a date or take a decision right now, which would be based on the speculation about the future developments." Bach said the IOC will act on advice from its own task force and the World Health Organization, but was optimistic about holding the Games on time. He added that there was no question of a cancellation.

Olympic flame gets muted welcome in Japan as Games doubts grow

A plan to use snow collected in Japan's mountains to cool 2020 Olympics venues this summer is being stymied by snowfalls on track to be the lowest on record, according to officials involved.

The Olympics are coming to Japan; So too is climate change

Neeraj Chopra has qualified for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The ace thrower managed to record a throw of 87.86m at the Athletics Central North East meeting in South Africa.

<img alt="Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="29ccb487-c152-40c2-bfcb-d06ff1c8e55b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29_64.jpg" /> 
[&nbsp;Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra (Courtesy: ANI) ]

With this throw, he crossed the benchmark of 85m. The thrower also uploaded a video of his feat and captioned the post as 87.86 meters.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
87.86 mtr 
Feeling super awesome to be back in the competition mode. 
Thank you everyone for your good wishes and supporting me always🙏जय हिंद 🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/gO8iCMG8Di">pic.twitter.com/gO8iCMG8Di</a>
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) <a href="https://twitter.com/Neeraj_chopra1/status/1222218574971965440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Chopra was bogged down by an elbow injury, and this event is the thrower's first competitive event after full recovery. The elbow injury had forced Neeraj to miss competitive action for the bulk of 2019.

Neeraj Chopra has qualified for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The ace thrower managed to record a throw of 87.86m at the Athletics Central North East meeting in South Africa.

Neeraj Chopra has qualified for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The ace thrower managed to record a throw of 87.86m at the Athletics Central North East meeting in South Africa. [ Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra (Courtesy: ANI) ] With this throw, he crossed the benchmark of 85m. The thrower also uploaded a video of his feat and captioned the post as 87.86 meters. 87.86 mtr Feeling super awesome to be back in the competition mode. Thank you everyone for your good wishes and supporting me always🙏जय हिंद 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/gO8iCMG8Di — Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) January 28, 2020 × Chopra was bogged down by an elbow injury, and this event is the thrower's first competitive event after full recovery. The elbow injury had forced Neeraj to miss competitive action for the bulk of 2019.

Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra qualifies for 2020 Tokyo Olympics

WION's sports editor Digvijay Singh speaks on Sindu's new game plan, her new coach and India's gold medal hopes in the 2020 Olympics.

'Sindhu always finds something within to raise her game'

The marathon race at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics will start 30 minutes earlier than originally scheduled, as part of the organisers' efforts to tackle the heat threat to athletes and fans in the Japanese capital.

With less than a year to go until the start of the Olympics, the Games' ability to contend with extreme heat is a key talking point, particularly after a worker at a Tokyo 2020 construction site died on Thursday, with heatstroke suspected as the cause.

Soaring temperatures have killed at least 57 people across Japan since late July, highlighting the possible health threat to athletes and fans.

While announcing the full schedule of the Paralympics, which runs from Aug. 25-Sept. 6, organisers said changes were being made to accommodate the high temperatures, including starting the marathon at 6.30 a.m. local time (2130GMT).

"As it has been discussed a lot, the heat countermeasures are something we must take into consideration. Even though it will be held at the end of August it will still be hot," said Games director Koji Murofushi.

"From the 'athletes first' point of view, the start time of marathon has been moved 30 minutes early from 7 a.m. to 6.30.

"For triathlon, we moved the start from 8 a.m. to 7.30 and for equestrian, by adding a day to the duration of the competition from four to five days, we avoid having the competition at the hottest time of the day."

Besides high temperatures, organisers may have to contend with Japan's notoriously devastating typhoon season, which usually runs from July to October.

Murofushi did not provide details of Tokyo 2020's measures should a huge typhoon hit during the Paralympics but said a contingency plan was in place.

"Basically, we aim to hand all the medals to athletes - this is what we aim to do foremost – by the closing ceremony," added the former Olympic gold medallist hammer thrower.

"Of course, there will be various situations where we cannot hold a competition and we aim to create the contingency plan accordingly.

"There is an extra day planned, but this is not something we will announce in advance."

Tickets for the Paralympics will go on sale for Japanese residents in a lottery starting on August 22, with ticket prices for groups and families starting for as little as 500 yen ($4.75).

The low-priced tickets are aimed at under-12 children and those with disabilities in a bid to boost attendance and interest in the Games.

The most expensive tickets are for the opening ceremony on Aug. 25. The highest category will cost 150,000 yen (about $1,427) while the costliest sports are the finals of the swimming and wheelchair basketball.

Men's wheelchair basketball - one of the most popular events at any Paralympics - is the final medal event and will be held before the closing ceremony on Sept. 6.

The marathon race at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics will start 30 minutes earlier than originally scheduled, as part of the organisers' efforts to tackle the heat threat to athletes and fans in the Japanese capital.

The marathon race at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics will start 30 minutes earlier than originally scheduled, as part of the organisers' efforts to tackle the heat threat to athletes and fans in the Japanese capital. With less than a year to go until the start of the Olympics, the Games' ability to contend with extreme heat is a key talking point, particularly after a worker at a Tokyo 2020 construction site died on Thursday, with heatstroke suspected as the cause. Soaring temperatures have killed at least 57 people across Japan since late July, highlighting the possible health threat to athletes and fans. While announcing the full schedule of the Paralympics, which runs from Aug. 25-Sept. 6, organisers said changes were being made to accommodate the high temperatures, including starting the marathon at 6.30 a.m. local time (2130GMT). "As it has been discussed a lot, the heat countermeasures are something we must take into consideration. Even though it will be held at the end of August it will still be hot," said Games director Koji Murofushi. "From the 'athletes first' point of view, the start time of marathon has been moved 30 minutes early from 7 a.m. to 6.30. "For triathlon, we moved the start from 8 a.m. to 7.30 and for equestrian, by adding a day to the duration of the competition from four to five days, we avoid having the competition at the hottest time of the day." Besides high temperatures, organisers may have to contend with Japan's notoriously devastating typhoon season, which usually runs from July to October. Murofushi did not provide details of Tokyo 2020's measures should a huge typhoon hit during the Paralympics but said a contingency plan was in place. "Basically, we aim to hand all the medals to athletes - this is what we aim to do foremost – by the closing ceremony," added the former Olympic gold medallist hammer thrower. "Of course, there will be various situations where we cannot hold a competition and we aim to create the contingency plan accordingly. "There is an extra day planned, but this is not something we will announce in advance." Tickets for the Paralympics will go on sale for Japanese residents in a lottery starting on August 22, with ticket prices for groups and families starting for as little as 500 yen ($4.75). The low-priced tickets are aimed at under-12 children and those with disabilities in a bid to boost attendance and interest in the Games. The most expensive tickets are for the opening ceremony on Aug. 25. The highest category will cost 150,000 yen (about $1,427) while the costliest sports are the finals of the swimming and wheelchair basketball. Men's wheelchair basketball - one of the most popular events at any Paralympics - is the final medal event and will be held before the closing ceremony on Sept. 6.

Tokyo paralympics marathon to start earlier due to heat fears

Japan at the G20 Summit venue had displayed the Olympics torch which will be used in the relay when the country hosts the 2020 Summer Olympics.

The Olympic flame will be carried from Greece to Japan in March of 2020 and will be the showstopper of the relay that will happen across the country. The torch will be displayed in Miyagi Prefecture, Iwate Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture for two days each.

The torch is being called as the "fame of recovery" and begins the relay from Fukushima from March 26 and ends on July 24, 2020, in Tokyo. The aim of starting from Fukushima is to send a signal that the area has recovered.&nbsp;

The region was devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Tens of thousands of people died in the disaster, the worst in Japan's modern history and also caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

The torch will be carried across Japan for 121 days including travel days.

Part of the material from which the Olympic torch is made by recycled aluminium that was originally used in the construction of prefabricated housing units in the aftermath of 2011 earthquake.&nbsp;

The torch is produced from a single sheet of metal and has been created by using the aluminium extrusion manufacturing technology, the same technology that is used in the production of Shinkansen bullet train.&nbsp;

The design of the torch has been inspired by a cherry blossom motif--Sakura, the flower that represents Japan. The torch relay coincides with cherry blossom season of Japan.

The para Olympic relay will happen from August 13 to 25, 2020.

Japan at the G20 Summit venue had displayed the Olympics torch which will be used in the relay when the country hosts the 2020 Summer Olympics. The Olympic flame will be carried from Greece to Japan in March of 2020 and will be the showstopper of the relay that will happen across the country.

Japan at the G20 Summit venue had displayed the Olympics torch which will be used in the relay when the country hosts the 2020 Summer Olympics. The Olympic flame will be carried from Greece to Japan in March of 2020 and will be the showstopper of the relay that will happen across the country. The torch will be displayed in Miyagi Prefecture, Iwate Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture for two days each. The torch is being called as the "fame of recovery" and begins the relay from Fukushima from March 26 and ends on July 24, 2020, in Tokyo. The aim of starting from Fukushima is to send a signal that the area has recovered. The region was devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Tens of thousands of people died in the disaster, the worst in Japan's modern history and also caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The torch will be carried across Japan for 121 days including travel days. Part of the material from which the Olympic torch is made by recycled aluminium that was originally used in the construction of prefabricated housing units in the aftermath of 2011 earthquake. The torch is produced from a single sheet of metal and has been created by using the aluminium extrusion manufacturing technology, the same technology that is used in the production of Shinkansen bullet train. The design of the torch has been inspired by a cherry blossom motif--Sakura, the flower that represents Japan. The torch relay coincides with cherry blossom season of Japan. The para Olympic relay will happen from August 13 to 25, 2020.

Japan displays 2020 Olympics torch at G20 Summit venue

The archery venue for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games was officially unveiled on Sunday (April 28), becoming the first of the Games' new venues to be completed. Yumenoshima Park Archery Field, located on a former landfill site, was set for completion in May.

Tokyo 2020 archery venue unveiled

Olympics: From budget battles to boxing blues, the rocky path to Tokyo 2020

Financial woes&nbsp;continued to trouble Pakistan hockey with the sport's national body now considering withdrawing from the FIH Pro Hockey League, a qualifying event for the 2020 Olympics.&nbsp;

The Pakistan team, which almost missed the 2018 hockey World Cup in India last December due to lack of funds, is scheduled to play its first phase matches of Pro Hockey League next month, starting with the game against Argentina in Buenos Aires on February 2.&nbsp;

The team will have to travel to Australia and New Zealand to play the matches there in the later part of next month.&nbsp;

For the second leg matches, the Pakistan team will have to travel to Europe.&nbsp;

An official source told PTI that PHF was seriously considering withdrawing from the Pro-League because of the fund crunch and this could lead to a two-year suspension of Pakistan from international competitions.&nbsp;

"The PHF has set up a training camp in Lahore for the matches against Argentina, Australia and New Zealand. 45 players have been invited but until now no arrangements have been made to cover the expenses of the tours," the official source said.&nbsp;

He said at least 25 million rupees will be required to send the team to Buenos Aires and then to Australia and New Zealand for six matches while the entire 16 matches of the Pro League Hockey (by including the Europe leg) would cost around 70 million rupees.&nbsp;

"The government is not responding to the PHF pleas for funds as was the case when the squad was going to the World Cup in India which was managed through sponsors and some private donations," he said.&nbsp;

Pakistan was earlier on the verge of pulling out of the World Cup held in Bhubaneswar in December due to lack of funds but was ultimately saved by a Pakistan Super League franchise owner-businessman who signed a sponsorship deal at the last minute.&nbsp;

A camp attendee in Lahore told PTI that the facilities there were in shambles. He said to cut down costs in the extremely cold weather, the PHF had converted changing halls into rooms and around 12 to 14 players were staying in one hall.&nbsp;

"It is a sorry situation for hockey and most of the players are now considering just returning to their homes as there appears little chances of them getting any daily allowances as well," he said.&nbsp;

Shahbaz Ahmed has resigned as PHF Secretary after the World Cup debacle, as did the team's manager and chief coach. But, PHF President Brigadier (retd.) Khalid Khokar has stubbornly refused to resign despite pressure on him to do so.&nbsp;

"No one knows what Khokar is thinking but apparently he has got a message from the government quarters to resign as they want to appoint a serving top military official as PHF President and bring in a new team to manage hockey affairs," a reliable source said.&nbsp;

Khokar, in the meantime, has appointed Ayaz Mahmood as a caretaker associate secretary and made a former international Saeed Khan as head coach with Danish Kaleem and Rehan Butt to assist him.&nbsp;

Financial woes continued to trouble Pakistan hockey with the sport's national body now considering withdrawing from the FIH Pro Hockey League, a qualifying event for the 2020 Olympics.

Financial woes continued to trouble Pakistan hockey with the sport's national body now considering withdrawing from the FIH Pro Hockey League, a qualifying event for the 2020 Olympics. The Pakistan team, which almost missed the 2018 hockey World Cup in India last December due to lack of funds, is scheduled to play its first phase matches of Pro Hockey League next month, starting with the game against Argentina in Buenos Aires on February 2. The team will have to travel to Australia and New Zealand to play the matches there in the later part of next month. For the second leg matches, the Pakistan team will have to travel to Europe. An official source told PTI that PHF was seriously considering withdrawing from the Pro-League because of the fund crunch and this could lead to a two-year suspension of Pakistan from international competitions. "The PHF has set up a training camp in Lahore for the matches against Argentina, Australia and New Zealand. 45 players have been invited but until now no arrangements have been made to cover the expenses of the tours," the official source said. He said at least 25 million rupees will be required to send the team to Buenos Aires and then to Australia and New Zealand for six matches while the entire 16 matches of the Pro League Hockey (by including the Europe leg) would cost around 70 million rupees. "The government is not responding to the PHF pleas for funds as was the case when the squad was going to the World Cup in India which was managed through sponsors and some private donations," he said. Pakistan was earlier on the verge of pulling out of the World Cup held in Bhubaneswar in December due to lack of funds but was ultimately saved by a Pakistan Super League franchise owner-businessman who signed a sponsorship deal at the last minute. A camp attendee in Lahore told PTI that the facilities there were in shambles. He said to cut down costs in the extremely cold weather, the PHF had converted changing halls into rooms and around 12 to 14 players were staying in one hall. "It is a sorry situation for hockey and most of the players are now considering just returning to their homes as there appears little chances of them getting any daily allowances as well," he said. Shahbaz Ahmed has resigned as PHF Secretary after the World Cup debacle, as did the team's manager and chief coach. But, PHF President Brigadier (retd.) Khalid Khokar has stubbornly refused to resign despite pressure on him to do so. "No one knows what Khokar is thinking but apparently he has got a message from the government quarters to resign as they want to appoint a serving top military official as PHF President and bring in a new team to manage hockey affairs," a reliable source said. Khokar, in the meantime, has appointed Ayaz Mahmood as a caretaker associate secretary and made a former international Saeed Khan as head coach with Danish Kaleem and Rehan Butt to assist him.

Fund crunch hits Pakistan hockey yet again, team mulls withdrawing from Olympic qualifier

Teen shooting sensation Manu Bhaker says her aim is to secure a quota place for the 2020 Olympics.

Having left her mark in almost all the top events, the 16-year-old Bhaker is now focussed on making the cut for the Tokyo Games.

Bhaker, who started the year with gold medals in her maiden senior World Cup, added two more yellow metals at the Commonwealth Games and the Youth Olympics, the first by an Indian shooter.

"My aim now is to win Olympic quota," Bhaker told PTI.

The year saw a string of young shooters including Saurabh Chaudhary and Bhaker scale great heights in the sport. The youngsters came out on top at the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, the Youth Olympics and the Senior Nationals.

"We saw the youth power this year, it feels really good that teenagers are doing so well and achieving their goals. We have set our goals and are working hard, it is very surprising that suddenly all of us are doing so well. I feel very nice when I see youngsters performer," Bhaker said.

Indian shooting has a bright future with the abundance of young talent at its disposal. The recently-concluded National Shooting Championship saw 13-year-old Esha Singh upstage big names like Bhaker and Heena Sidhu in the women's air pistol events to win three gold medals.

Unlike other sports, shooting allows the youngster to participate in both the senior and junior events. Such exposure has benefitted the younger generation.

"Even in the senior events most of the competitors are from juniors and it helps us. In shooting we juniors get the opportunity to participate in the senior events that is not the case in wrestling and boxing," the World Cup gold medallist said.&nbsp;

Teen shooting sensation Manu Bhaker says her aim is to secure a quota place for the 2020 Olympics. Having left her mark in almost all the top events, the 16-year-old Bhaker is now focussed on making the cut for the Tokyo Games.

Teen shooting sensation Manu Bhaker says her aim is to secure a quota place for the 2020 Olympics. Having left her mark in almost all the top events, the 16-year-old Bhaker is now focussed on making the cut for the Tokyo Games. Bhaker, who started the year with gold medals in her maiden senior World Cup, added two more yellow metals at the Commonwealth Games and the Youth Olympics, the first by an Indian shooter. "My aim now is to win Olympic quota," Bhaker told PTI. The year saw a string of young shooters including Saurabh Chaudhary and Bhaker scale great heights in the sport. The youngsters came out on top at the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, the Youth Olympics and the Senior Nationals. "We saw the youth power this year, it feels really good that teenagers are doing so well and achieving their goals. We have set our goals and are working hard, it is very surprising that suddenly all of us are doing so well. I feel very nice when I see youngsters performer," Bhaker said. Indian shooting has a bright future with the abundance of young talent at its disposal. The recently-concluded National Shooting Championship saw 13-year-old Esha Singh upstage big names like Bhaker and Heena Sidhu in the women's air pistol events to win three gold medals. Unlike other sports, shooting allows the youngster to participate in both the senior and junior events. Such exposure has benefitted the younger generation. "Even in the senior events most of the competitors are from juniors and it helps us. In shooting we juniors get the opportunity to participate in the senior events that is not the case in wrestling and boxing," the World Cup gold medallist said.

Aim is to secure 2020 Olympic quota place: Manu Bhaker

Ask a teenager... Do you have dreams for your life? Do you believe you can achieve them? The teen in all probability will snap back, saying: “Let me follow my dreams. Don’t get so obsessed with what I can achieve.” &nbsp;

The Indian Olympic dream is full of such stories. With no past glory to fall back upon, Indian society has constantly pursued any teenager who makes the headlines. This time, it is no different.

The moment one talks about 18-year-old sprinter Hima Das or 15-year-old weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga or shooters Saurabh Chaudhary (16), Shardul Vihan (15), Anish Bhanwala (15) and Manu Bhaker (16), the first question is this: can they win India a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games?&nbsp;

The Indian athletics arena has never promised so much. Hima, nicknamed the 'Dhing Express’, holds the current Indian national record in 400 metres with a timing of 50.79, which she clocked at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.&nbsp;

Till 2016, the youngest of five children of a rice farmer Ronjit Das and Jonali, Hima had no intention of being an athlete. In fact, she was playing in the mud fields of her village Dhing. It was her coach Nipon Das who first took her to state championship in Guwahati, where she won a bronze without any training or proper practice.

Hima’s story is akin to many teenagers across India who have been deprived of proper facilities while growing up. Now that she has access to real scientific training, she is living the Olympic dream. &nbsp;

The story of a 15-year-old boy from Mizoram runs on similar lines. The latest Indian weightlifting sensation, Jeremy Lalrinnunga, has bigger things to achieve in less than two years.&nbsp;

The Mizo teen is being touted as the next best thing in Indian weightlifting. His recent herculean effort in the 62 kg category to help India clinch its first-ever gold medal at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, has not just revived the dead weigh-lifting federation of our country, but has also made him a certain hope of a medal at Japan and beyond, because age is on his side. &nbsp;

Son of national-level boxer Lalneihtluanga, Lalrinnunga aspired to don the gloves too, but shifted to weightlifting at the tender age of eight, as the power involved in it attracted him more than any other sport.&nbsp;

Shooting probably gives India’s sports fans most hopes of a medal. In fact, there seems to be an air of certainty around it, something not enjoyed thus far by any Indian sports squad ahead of 2020 Olympics, since the halcyon golden days of Indian hockey three decades ago, in the 1980s.

With the rise of teenage young guns at the recent Asian Games in Jakarta, jokes are doing the rounds that the Indian government has diluted the 1959 Arms Act and the 1962 Arms Rules, among other things, where a citizen needed to be 21 to get a gun licence.

Four teenage sensations --- 16-year-old Saurabh Chaudhary, 15-year-olds Shardul Vihan and Anish Bhanwala, and 16-year-old Manu Bhaker --- now have the firepower to kill their opponents to bring in gold medals for India.&nbsp;

Apart from child prodigy Abhinav Bindra, what has helped is the formulation of a robust junior programme by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), which has ensured a steady supply of ‘finished products’, when it comes to competing internationally in various ranges and conditions.&nbsp;

That is why this fabulous four were picked to train with senior shooters with an eye on Youth Olympics held in Buenos Aires recently. Meerut boy Chaudhary scripted history by winning gold in the 10m Air Pistol shooting event not just in Argentina, but before that at the Jakarta Asian Games.&nbsp;

Born to an engineer from the Merchant Navy and a school principal, Bhaker has always been a natural. The girl added the Commonwealth gold medal in the 10m Air Pistol to the glowing list of achievements in her relatively nascent career. Though it was a heartbreak for her at Jakarta, finishing 6th out of eight qualifiers in the final, her double gold at the ISSF Junior World Cup came good to keep her in high spirits.&nbsp;

Vihan and Bhanwala are others in this growing list of youngsters, post-2012, led by NRAI’s system of appointing personalised coaches. For example, Bhaker herself is mentored by multiple CWG gold medallist Jaspal Rana.

The most critical thing now is to find ways to protect these teens from the lure of money and petty politics. Hima’s coaches are praying that their prodigy keep her level-head after the kind of reception she got on her return from Jakarta, while Bhanwala has already been under scanner for disciplinary issues.&nbsp;

In a nation starved of sporting glory, it is important to put a tag of “handle with care” around these young prodigies. The sudden flow of money may turn these “fearless souls” into “careless waste”, if not handled properly! 
&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-fearless-souls-in-line-for-2020-tokyo-olympic-glory-2680687">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Ask a teenager... Do you have dreams for your life? Do you believe you can achieve them? The teen in all probability will snap back, saying: “Let me follow my dreams.

Ask a teenager... Do you have dreams for your life? Do you believe you can achieve them? The teen in all probability will snap back, saying: “Let me follow my dreams. Don’t get so obsessed with what I can achieve.” The Indian Olympic dream is full of such stories. With no past glory to fall back upon, Indian society has constantly pursued any teenager who makes the headlines. This time, it is no different. The moment one talks about 18-year-old sprinter Hima Das or 15-year-old weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga or shooters Saurabh Chaudhary (16), Shardul Vihan (15), Anish Bhanwala (15) and Manu Bhaker (16), the first question is this: can they win India a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games? The Indian athletics arena has never promised so much. Hima, nicknamed the 'Dhing Express’, holds the current Indian national record in 400 metres with a timing of 50.79, which she clocked at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. Till 2016, the youngest of five children of a rice farmer Ronjit Das and Jonali, Hima had no intention of being an athlete. In fact, she was playing in the mud fields of her village Dhing. It was her coach Nipon Das who first took her to state championship in Guwahati, where she won a bronze without any training or proper practice. Hima’s story is akin to many teenagers across India who have been deprived of proper facilities while growing up. Now that she has access to real scientific training, she is living the Olympic dream. The story of a 15-year-old boy from Mizoram runs on similar lines. The latest Indian weightlifting sensation, Jeremy Lalrinnunga, has bigger things to achieve in less than two years. The Mizo teen is being touted as the next best thing in Indian weightlifting. His recent herculean effort in the 62 kg category to help India clinch its first-ever gold medal at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, has not just revived the dead weigh-lifting federation of our country, but has also made him a certain hope of a medal at Japan and beyond, because age is on his side. Son of national-level boxer Lalneihtluanga, Lalrinnunga aspired to don the gloves too, but shifted to weightlifting at the tender age of eight, as the power involved in it attracted him more than any other sport. Shooting probably gives India’s sports fans most hopes of a medal. In fact, there seems to be an air of certainty around it, something not enjoyed thus far by any Indian sports squad ahead of 2020 Olympics, since the halcyon golden days of Indian hockey three decades ago, in the 1980s. With the rise of teenage young guns at the recent Asian Games in Jakarta, jokes are doing the rounds that the Indian government has diluted the 1959 Arms Act and the 1962 Arms Rules, among other things, where a citizen needed to be 21 to get a gun licence. Four teenage sensations --- 16-year-old Saurabh Chaudhary, 15-year-olds Shardul Vihan and Anish Bhanwala, and 16-year-old Manu Bhaker --- now have the firepower to kill their opponents to bring in gold medals for India. Apart from child prodigy Abhinav Bindra, what has helped is the formulation of a robust junior programme by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), which has ensured a steady supply of ‘finished products’, when it comes to competing internationally in various ranges and conditions. That is why this fabulous four were picked to train with senior shooters with an eye on Youth Olympics held in Buenos Aires recently. Meerut boy Chaudhary scripted history by winning gold in the 10m Air Pistol shooting event not just in Argentina, but before that at the Jakarta Asian Games. Born to an engineer from the Merchant Navy and a school principal, Bhaker has always been a natural. The girl added the Commonwealth gold medal in the 10m Air Pistol to the glowing list of achievements in her relatively nascent career. Though it was a heartbreak for her at Jakarta, finishing 6th out of eight qualifiers in the final, her double gold at the ISSF Junior World Cup came good to keep her in high spirits. Vihan and Bhanwala are others in this growing list of youngsters, post-2012, led by NRAI’s system of appointing personalised coaches. For example, Bhaker herself is mentored by multiple CWG gold medallist Jaspal Rana. The most critical thing now is to find ways to protect these teens from the lure of money and petty politics. Hima’s coaches are praying that their prodigy keep her level-head after the kind of reception she got on her return from Jakarta, while Bhanwala has already been under scanner for disciplinary issues. In a nation starved of sporting glory, it is important to put a tag of “handle with care” around these young prodigies. The sudden flow of money may turn these “fearless souls” into “careless waste”, if not handled properly! (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Fearless souls in line for 2020 Tokyo Olympic glory

Tokyo 2020 organisers on Friday unveiled a &quot;significant&quot; cut in their budget for hosting the games, as the city comes under pressure to keep a lid on spiralling costs. 
The overall games budget now stands at a total of 1.35 trillion yen ($12.6 billion), organisers said in a statement.

This represented a cut of $1.4 billion compared to the previous version of the budget unveiled last December and $0.3 billion compared to an interim figure agreed in May.

&quot;Going forward, Tokyo 2020 will continue to seek further cost reductions, particularly in the areas of event operations, transport, accommodation and security,&quot; organisers said in a statement.

They hailed a &quot;significant reduction in costs&quot; resulting from &quot;sustained efforts ... to avoid recourse to public funds.&quot;

&quot;This will not be the end of the cost reduction efforts,&quot; vowed Hidemasa Nakamura, chief financial officer of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, at a press conference.

The IOC&#39;s Games coordination commission chairman John Coates said in October Tokyo should aim to cut overall costs by $1 billion from the interim figure.

&quot;We hope to draft (budget) plans so that Coates will say `good job` at the end,&quot; Nakamura said.The Tokyo 2020 organising committee will cover $5.6 billion of the costs, with the Tokyo city authorities and the Japanese government stumping up a further $7.0 billion between them.

The $5.6 billion organising committee budget is covered by ticket sales, licensing and sponsorship and the statement hailed an increase of $0.9 billion in sponsorship revenue.

However, Tokyo 2020 admitted it still needed to find $0.2 billion in &quot;expected additional revenue&quot; to balance the books and vowed it would &quot;continue to look at ways&quot; to secure the extra funding.

Tokyo organisers are under pressure to keep costs down, with the International Olympic Committee worried that ballooning price tags for hosting the games will deter cities from bidding for the showcase event.

The rollout of the centrepiece Olympic stadium turned into a fiasco when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tore up the blueprints amid public anger over its price tag.

In 2016, an expert panel warned the total costs could exceed an eye-watering $25 billion.

In its bid, Tokyo estimated the bill for the Games at a little over $7 billion.

Tokyo organisers are under pressure to keep costs down, with the International Olympic Committee worried that ballooning price tags for hosting the games will deter cities from bidding for the showcase event.

Tokyo 2020 organisers on Friday unveiled a "significant" cut in their budget for hosting the games, as the city comes under pressure to keep a lid on spiralling costs. The overall games budget now stands at a total of 1.35 trillion yen ($12.6 billion), organisers said in a statement. This represented a cut of $1.4 billion compared to the previous version of the budget unveiled last December and $0.3 billion compared to an interim figure agreed in May. "Going forward, Tokyo 2020 will continue to seek further cost reductions, particularly in the areas of event operations, transport, accommodation and security," organisers said in a statement. They hailed a "significant reduction in costs" resulting from "sustained efforts ... to avoid recourse to public funds." "This will not be the end of the cost reduction efforts," vowed Hidemasa Nakamura, chief financial officer of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, at a press conference. The IOC's Games coordination commission chairman John Coates said in October Tokyo should aim to cut overall costs by $1 billion from the interim figure. "We hope to draft (budget) plans so that Coates will say `good job` at the end," Nakamura said.The Tokyo 2020 organising committee will cover $5.6 billion of the costs, with the Tokyo city authorities and the Japanese government stumping up a further $7.0 billion between them. The $5.6 billion organising committee budget is covered by ticket sales, licensing and sponsorship and the statement hailed an increase of $0.9 billion in sponsorship revenue. However, Tokyo 2020 admitted it still needed to find $0.2 billion in "expected additional revenue" to balance the books and vowed it would "continue to look at ways" to secure the extra funding. Tokyo organisers are under pressure to keep costs down, with the International Olympic Committee worried that ballooning price tags for hosting the games will deter cities from bidding for the showcase event. The rollout of the centrepiece Olympic stadium turned into a fiasco when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tore up the blueprints amid public anger over its price tag. In 2016, an expert panel warned the total costs could exceed an eye-watering $25 billion. In its bid, Tokyo estimated the bill for the Games at a little over $7 billion.

Tokyo 2020 unveils budget cuts

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