India recently won 39 medals in the Commonwealth Games 2026, finishing fourth on the medal tally despite multiple games being dropped in the edition for the shortened version. The countries, which finished ahead of India were Canada (63 medals), England (110 medals), and Australia (171 medals) - all of them combined have less population than India but each has more medals. To make sure India realises its potential in the world sports, the things which need to be made top class are - infrastructure, facilities, coaches, nutrition, and opportunities to help the budding athletes grow.Aazaz Khan, who serves as Director of Mumbai-based Somaiya Sports Academy is doing his part to ensure all that at the Somaiya Vidyavihar University. WION recently spoke to Khan about his inspiration, plans, and strategy to help make India a global power in sports apart from cricket and he emphasised on "providing top class infra and facilities to students, identifying talent, and nurturing" them as the things to focus upon for his goal.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pondicherry-u-19-coach-venkataraman-faces-fir-in-alleged-attack-on-players-1786433585300">Pondicherry U-19 coach Venkataraman faces FIR in alleged attack on players</a>"I was just an accidental sportsman in school but when I joined Grassroot Development of Youngsters community program during my stay in the UK, I realised that the matches at such starting level also get treated like international matches and that is my aim to reprise in India," Khan noted.Khan is helping build the structure with top class coaches as well who, as the said, are "not PE teachers but understand the science behind the sports as well."On things apart from coaches required to build an ecosystm, Khan said: "Data collection is very important so we made sure that every coach, every sport should have their own station. That's how it happenes in US and Europe also. We make sure that the data is maintained that tomorrow it should not be a case where somebody comes up with the certificate for lying or not."The Somaiya Sports Academy, under Khan as director, also focusses upon nuturing children in all aspects and keep them pressure free. For this, the Academy, as Khan says, "involves parents as they are required to provide the support of sending them (athletes) every day. They are the one who support athletes when required, in case of an injury, diet plan, etc."Currently, Somaiya has 70 coaches across sports and has given multiple athletes to India including Suraj Chand in squash who will be representing India in Asian Games as well. Somaiya is also building universities and schools around Mumbai including in Nashik to help identify talent from every area and “offer underprivileged kids means to succeed.”

Aazaz Khan, Sports Director at Somaiya Sports Academy, aims to make India a global sports power. Inspired by UK grassroots programs, he builds science-backed coaching, top infra, and data systems.

India recently won 39 medals in the Commonwealth Games 2026, finishing fourth on the medal tally despite multiple games being dropped in the edition for the shortened version. The countries, which finished ahead of India were Canada (63 medals), England (110 medals), and Australia (171 medals) - all of them combined have less population than India but each has more medals. To make sure India realises its potential in the world sports, the things which need to be made top class are - infrastructure, facilities, coaches, nutrition, and opportunities to help the budding athletes grow. Aazaz Khan, who serves as Director of Mumbai-based Somaiya Sports Academy is doing his part to ensure all that at the Somaiya Vidyavihar University. WION recently spoke to Khan about his inspiration, plans, and strategy to help make India a global power in sports apart from cricket and he emphasised on "providing top class infra and facilities to students, identifying talent, and nurturing" them as the things to focus upon for his goal. Also Read - Pondicherry U-19 coach Venkataraman faces FIR in alleged attack on players "I was just an accidental sportsman in school but when I joined Grassroot Development of Youngsters community program during my stay in the UK, I realised that the matches at such starting level also get treated like international matches and that is my aim to reprise in India," Khan noted. Khan is helping build the structure with top class coaches as well who, as the said, are "not PE teachers but understand the science behind the sports as well." On things apart from coaches required to build an ecosystm, Khan said: "Data collection is very important so we made sure that every coach, every sport should have their own station. That's how it happenes in US and Europe also. We make sure that the data is maintained that tomorrow it should not be a case where somebody comes up with the certificate for lying or not." The Somaiya Sports Academy, under Khan as director, also focusses upon nuturing children in all aspects and keep them pressure free. For this, the Academy, as Khan says, "involves parents as they are required to provide the support of sending them (athletes) every day. They are the one who support athletes when required, in case of an injury, diet plan, etc." Currently, Somaiya has 70 coaches across sports and has given multiple athletes to India including Suraj Chand in squash who will be representing India in Asian Games as well. Somaiya is also building universities and schools around Mumbai including in Nashik to help identify talent from every area and “offer underprivileged kids means to succeed.”

Aazaz Khan, Director, Somaiya Sports Academy, aims to make India a global sports power. Inspired by UK grassroots programs, he builds science-backed coaching, top infra, and data systems.

World-class infra, science-backed coaching, and data: Blueprint for making India sports powerhouse

Nirmayee Ambetkar is just 17-year-old and has been swimming for past 10 years with an aim of representing India at the LA 2028 Olympic games. India has not won a single individual medal in swimming at the Olympics ever and Nirmayee has eyes set on the podium to change that piece of history. She trains at Somaiya Sports Academy under Somaiya Vidyavihar University in Mumbai and recently broke a 13-year-old record at 69th National School Games in 200m butterfly event. WION recently had a conversation with the teen swimmer about her journey, training, goals and inspiration behind all the hard work she puts in.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/recovery-management-and-no-prehab-strength-and-conditioning-expert-shares-reason-behind-injuries-in-indian-cricket-1786085111228">Strength and conditioning expert shares reason behind injuries in Indian cricket</a><h2>Tell us about your swimming journey?</h2>I started swimming at the age of 5 and my parents enrolled me just to have safely learn the skill and gradually I developed a passion and have been consistently doing it for more than for 10 years. I have reached to international level with participation in Singapore National Age Group Championship earlier in March. There it was a wonderful exposure with the strong athletes.Also in the month of June, I was in Ahmedabad for my Junior Nationals. It was very tough as swimming is something where you need to focus on a lot of techniques which makes it one of the hardest sports.Last year, at the National School Games was one of my best milestones I have achieved because I broke the 13-year-old record with my personal best which was 2:24.Before joining Somaiya Sports Academy, I trained under Arjuna awardee and Olympic swimming coach Mr. Virdhawal Khade. Every morning 5 to 7.30 am I practice and then again in evening as per my schedule, sometimes alternately we have gym or maybe again swimming at Somaiya Sports Academy.<h2>Can you talk about the technical aspects of your specific event which is 200m butterfly?</h2>My event is kind of one of the most difficult event in the whole swimming. It's 200 meters butterfly in which you have to do 4 laps continuous which is very tiring and your muscles get fatigued. And for that event, I have trained for almost five to six years continuously. 2.17 seconds is the India best time and my time is 2.24. I have to reduce my timing and that's the main goal.During training, we have race-based training. we have pull, we have drills, and I have to work on that every single day to achieve my aim.Also, fly is a stroke that you have to work on a lot of techniques because if you are just ruining up your techniques, you might get DQ also. Also those little technique things like working on your turns, your starts, keep practicing, doing short rest workouts, checking up heart rates so that's the main whole criteria of fly swimming.<h2>When you went to Singapore, you met with a lot of athletes of your age group, what were the similarities or the gaps you found and how being at Somaiya Sports Academy with the facilities and the coaches you have, those gaps are being bridged?</h2>I have been to many foreign countries in swimming for training and I have seen their structure and Somaiya has a similar structure. As in, as a swimmer we just don't swim, we also need gym and strength training.When I was in France for training, we used to swim and they used to check our heart rate, they used to shoot our videos underwater to keep an eye on what kind of techniques are we doing. In gym training they check that what's the strength of your muscles and at what end are you lacking, or if you are not pulling properly and all that is here in Somaiya Sports Academy performance lab as well.<h2>What is your goal or aspirations about yourself in the sport?</h2>I'm aiming for the 2028 Olympics. The Chinese and Japanese girls of my age are doing way much better than us and if they can achieve such a good timing so we can do it. That's what my aim is - to represent India. India has not achieved an Olympic medal in swimming and I have to go there at least.

17-year-old Nirmayee Ambetkar, eyeing LA 2028, broke a 13-year-old national school record in 200m butterfly. Training at Somaiya Sports Academy, she aims to end India's medal drought in Olympic swimming.

Nirmayee Ambetkar is just 17-year-old and has been swimming for past 10 years with an aim of representing India at the LA 2028 Olympic games. India has not won a single individual medal in swimming at the Olympics ever and Nirmayee has eyes set on the podium to change that piece of history. She trains at Somaiya Sports Academy under Somaiya Vidyavihar University in Mumbai and recently broke a 13-year-old record at 69th National School Games in 200m butterfly event. WION recently had a conversation with the teen swimmer about her journey, training, goals and inspiration behind all the hard work she puts in. Also Read - Strength and conditioning expert shares reason behind injuries in Indian cricket Tell us about your swimming journey? I started swimming at the age of 5 and my parents enrolled me just to have safely learn the skill and gradually I developed a passion and have been consistently doing it for more than for 10 years. I have reached to international level with participation in Singapore National Age Group Championship earlier in March. There it was a wonderful exposure with the strong athletes. Also in the month of June, I was in Ahmedabad for my Junior Nationals. It was very tough as swimming is something where you need to focus on a lot of techniques which makes it one of the hardest sports. Last year, at the National School Games was one of my best milestones I have achieved because I broke the 13-year-old record with my personal best which was 2:24. Before joining Somaiya Sports Academy, I trained under Arjuna awardee and Olympic swimming coach Mr. Virdhawal Khade. Every morning 5 to 7.30 am I practice and then again in evening as per my schedule, sometimes alternately we have gym or maybe again swimming at Somaiya Sports Academy. Can you talk about the technical aspects of your specific event which is 200m butterfly? My event is kind of one of the most difficult event in the whole swimming. It's 200 meters butterfly in which you have to do 4 laps continuous which is very tiring and your muscles get fatigued. And for that event, I have trained for almost five to six years continuously. 2.17 seconds is the India best time and my time is 2.24. I have to reduce my timing and that's the main goal. During training, we have race-based training. we have pull, we have drills, and I have to work on that every single day to achieve my aim. Also, fly is a stroke that you have to work on a lot of techniques because if you are just ruining up your techniques, you might get DQ also. Also those little technique things like working on your turns, your starts, keep practicing, doing short rest workouts, checking up heart rates so that's the main whole criteria of fly swimming. When you went to Singapore, you met with a lot of athletes of your age group, what were the similarities or the gaps you found and how being at Somaiya Sports Academy with the facilities and the coaches you have, those gaps are being bridged? I have been to many foreign countries in swimming for training and I have seen their structure and Somaiya has a similar structure. As in, as a swimmer we just don't swim, we also need gym and strength training. When I was in France for training, we used to swim and they used to check our heart rate, they used to shoot our videos underwater to keep an eye on what kind of techniques are we doing. In gym training they check that what's the strength of your muscles and at what end are you lacking, or if you are not pulling properly and all that is here in Somaiya Sports Academy performance lab as well. What is your goal or aspirations about yourself in the sport? I'm aiming for the 2028 Olympics. The Chinese and Japanese girls of my age are doing way much better than us and if they can achieve such a good timing so we can do it. That's what my aim is - to represent India. India has not achieved an Olympic medal in swimming and I have to go there at least.

17-year-old Nirmayee Ambetkar, eyeing LA 2028, broke a 13-year-old national school record in 200m butterfly. Training at Somaiya Sports Academy, she aims to end India's medal drought in Olympic swimming.

Meet Nirmayee Ambetkar: The 17-year-old butterfly star chasing India's first Olympic swimming medal

The International Fencing Federation (FIE) and the Fencing Association of India (FAI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation and support the continued growth and promotion of fencing in India in the lead-up to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.The MoU was signed by Abdelmoniem El Husseiny, Interim President of the International Fencing Federation (FIE), and Rajeev Mehta, Secretary General of the Fencing Association of India (FAI) and Secretary General of the Fencing Confederation of Asia (FCA), on the sidelines of the Asian Fencing Championships 2026 in New Delhi.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-regulator-drops-investigation-into-ben-stokes-gus-atkinson-london-nightclub-incident-ecb-eng-vs-nz-3rd-test-trent-bridge-1782140545839">Cricket Regulator drops investigation into Stokes, Atkinson nightclub incident</a>The partnership establishes a framework for collaboration across key areas including athlete promotion, fan engagement, communications, stakeholder outreach, and initiatives aimed at increasing the visibility and appeal of fencing. Through this collaboration, the International Fencing Federation (FIE) and the Fencing Association of India (FAI) will work together to create opportunities that support athletes, engage new audiences, and contribute to the long-term development of the sport.Elated on the occasion Mr. Abdelmoniem El Husseiny, Interim President, International Fencing Federation (FIE), said: “India represents one of the most exciting growth opportunities for fencing. We are delighted to strengthen our relationship with the Fencing Association of India through this agreement and look forward to working together to increase the sport’s visibility, inspire young athletes, and build momentum on the road to Los Angeles 2028.”Speaking about the opportunity Mr. Rajeev Mehta, Secretary General, Fencing Association of India (FAI) and Secretary General, Fencing Confederation of Asia (FCA), said: “This MoU marks an important step in the growth journey of fencing in India. The collaboration with the International Fencing Federation will help us further strengthen the sport’s ecosystem, create greater awareness, and provide enhanced opportunities for athletes to excel. Together, we are committed to building a stronger future for fencing and inspiring the next generation of fencers as we look ahead to LA28.”The signing of the MoU reflects the shared vision of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) and the Fencing Association of India (FAI) to accelerate the growth of fencing, enhance its visibility among fans and stakeholders, and create a lasting legacy for the sport in India and beyond.

The partnership establishes a framework for collaboration across key areas including athlete promotion, fan engagement, communications, stakeholder outreach, and initiatives aimed at increasing the visibility and appeal of fencing.

The International Fencing Federation (FIE) and the Fencing Association of India (FAI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation and support the continued growth and promotion of fencing in India in the lead-up to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The MoU was signed by Abdelmoniem El Husseiny, Interim President of the International Fencing Federation (FIE), and Rajeev Mehta, Secretary General of the Fencing Association of India (FAI) and Secretary General of the Fencing Confederation of Asia (FCA), on the sidelines of the Asian Fencing Championships 2026 in New Delhi. Also Read - Cricket Regulator drops investigation into Stokes, Atkinson nightclub incident The partnership establishes a framework for collaboration across key areas including athlete promotion, fan engagement, communications, stakeholder outreach, and initiatives aimed at increasing the visibility and appeal of fencing. Through this collaboration, the International Fencing Federation (FIE) and the Fencing Association of India (FAI) will work together to create opportunities that support athletes, engage new audiences, and contribute to the long-term development of the sport. Elated on the occasion Mr. Abdelmoniem El Husseiny, Interim President, International Fencing Federation (FIE), said: “India represents one of the most exciting growth opportunities for fencing. We are delighted to strengthen our relationship with the Fencing Association of India through this agreement and look forward to working together to increase the sport’s visibility, inspire young athletes, and build momentum on the road to Los Angeles 2028.” Speaking about the opportunity Mr. Rajeev Mehta, Secretary General, Fencing Association of India (FAI) and Secretary General, Fencing Confederation of Asia (FCA), said: “This MoU marks an important step in the growth journey of fencing in India. The collaboration with the International Fencing Federation will help us further strengthen the sport’s ecosystem, create greater awareness, and provide enhanced opportunities for athletes to excel. Together, we are committed to building a stronger future for fencing and inspiring the next generation of fencers as we look ahead to LA28.” The signing of the MoU reflects the shared vision of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) and the Fencing Association of India (FAI) to accelerate the growth of fencing, enhance its visibility among fans and stakeholders, and create a lasting legacy for the sport in India and beyond.

The partnership establishes a framework for collaboration across key areas including athlete promotion, fan engagement, communications, stakeholder outreach, and initiatives aimed at increasing the visibility and appeal of fencing.

Fencing Association of India signs MoU with international body with LA28 in sight

India recently won gold Asian Lacrosse Games 2025 held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from Feb 1-5 with Anudeep Reddy leading the team to win 9-2 against Iraq in the final. The game, played in lacrosse sixes format, is an Olympic sport in the same format and India winning its first major title win in the sport will surely help with the popularity and more athletes taking it up in the near future.We had a detailed chat with India skipper Anudeep Reddy about the game, format, his journey and future of lacrosse in India. Reddy, buoyed by India's gold at the continental event, was hopeful of the team doing well in the upcoming Olympic qualifiers as well.<h3>What prompted you to choose lacrosse?</h3>I would say COVID was a turning point, to be honest. I've had a bit of hockey and football background back in my school days. I did play it in my university days as well, but not on a professional level. So once COVID hit, a lot of people started hitting the gyms taking care of their the physique.But then I was not really a gym sort of guy, so I thought, 'why not go back to sports?' Which is when I started doing a bit of research. I was searching about new sports that have come up, especially in the Olympics, which is when I came across lacrosse. Which did seem pretty similar to hockey and the kind of skills that I've had seemed pretty similar. So yeah, I just found it out, then reached out to the state federation and then that's how things started moving.<h3>You reached out to the state federation with what requests, as in you wanted to play or you wanted facilities, or wanted to know what is out there?</h3>I think I'll have to give you a bit of a history of how lacrosse has come to India and how it has grown. Basically the Lacrosse Association of India, which is the highest authority that takes care of lacrosse in India, was recognized by World Lacrosse back in 2021, and it took about a year or a year and a half to form these state associations.When I reached out to the Telangana Lacrosse Association - my home state - they were pretty new at that time. Back in 2023, they just formed the body, and they were just starting regular practice sessions. When I reached out to them, told them about my prior hockey background, as well as football background, they were pretty interested to have me on board and give it a try.I started attending these regular practice sessions, and then I would say, not a hard journey to get onto the team, especially with the kind of sports background that I had.&nbsp;<h3>Tell us more about lacrosse formats.</h3>I've seen athletes working 15-20 years trying to reach the the pinnacle, but then lacrosse is a relatively new sport. Although, I would just give you a brief idea of what kind of different formats are there in lacrosse:Basically, lacrosse has three different formats - the traditional format is called the field lacrosse and it's usually played on a larger ground, which is usually around 100 meters long and 55-60 meters wide. It involves 10 players each side and it is usually played pretty much all around the world.Second is lacrosse sixes, which is the Olympic format, and is more of a modern and a high-tempo format. It is played on a smaller field of around 70m (long) x 36m (wide) with only six players per side. This is more of high intensity and less breaks, making it pretty spectator-friendly as well. It is, however, pretty new to most of the nations. It started growing exponentially since its inception 10-15 years ago, although field lacrosse has been being played for over a century now, but success is relatively new.And there's another format called the box lacrosse, which is usually played indoors on a hockey rink-sized surface. It's more physical, and not really played in India. India right now has national teams for field and sixes lacrosse.<h3>How does the state association help with arranging the practice sessions, both money-wise and place-wise?</h3>We don't really have a fixed ground, to be honest, even till date. It (practice) usually happens in public grounds based on the number of players coming to these practice sessions. So, whichever (public ground) is closest to the majority of the playersThe ground booking usually is either way. The association members usually oversees the booking and everything and as most of the times we play at a public ground, it is usually free. Sometimes if it's not available, we go for a box cricket sort of setup, and then we practice there.All in all, I would say that most of the times it's the association which takes the initiative. Sometimes, it's the players who just book it and then forward it to the association.<h3>What about the equipments, and coaches, and all other facilities you need for practice?</h3>As far as the coachesare concerned, even at the national level, as well as at the state level, most of them have a hockey background. Since we don't really have specialized lacrosse coaches, most of them come from a hockey background. And with the skills that we use here being pretty similar to what you do in hockey, &nbsp;they have been helping us with most of the coaching.We have been following a lot of YouTube videos, to be honest, since we don't really have someone with 10 or 15 years of playing experience. The coaches are relatively new, the players are relatively new, so we mostly follow the guides from YouTube as well and I am personally, in touch with a couple of players from Singapore, and Malaysia, so I try to get their inputs as well. We sort of have those drills as part of the practice sessions.Coming to the equipments part, as of now, the Lacrosse Association of India has been sourcing most of the equipments like the lacrosse stick, the balls, as well as the protective gear. As for our state association, we only have the sticks and balls and we usually use the hockey protective gear, which is pretty similar to lacrosse. But at the national level, we have lacrosse specific gears for all the players.<h3>How did you find more players to join with you for both India and the state association?</h3>The Indian lacrosse association have been doing marketing all by themselves. There are 25 state associations and once the state associations were formed, they have been doing a lot of talent hunts, and then referee and coaching camps, wherein they have been trying to reach out to more people and get more visibility.Coming to the Telangana State Association, they have been actively involved in reaching out to schools and colleges. So whenever there's some showcase matches or something like that, we players usually go there, showcase the games.<h3>What is the skill set needed to play this game and why you think players will stick to it?</h3>Most of the players, in Telangana as well as the Indian team, I would say pretty much across all the states, at least like I would say, 50 to 60 percent have a hockey background, and the rest usually have some sport background. So, usually it's like sort of a jump from a different sport, and then once they enter lacrosse, I'm pretty sure they would stick to it. It's very exciting, so I'm pretty sure, like, once a player tries lacrosse, they'll stick to it.<h3>Tell us about your journey from getting associated with the national team, going to Asian team, and then becoming the captain, and then eventually winning the gold as well.</h3>I started seriously involving in lacrosse back in 2024 when I started practicing professionally. In 2024, I also practiced with Singapore Lacrosse Association. I've attended some sessions with their national team, as well as, one of the leading clubs in Singapore too.After that, the Indian men's team basically participated in the first international field lacrosse tournament at the Okinawa Open in Japan, which is one of the largest and most competitive field lacrosse tournaments in Asia. I was the captain for the field lacrosse team as well back in 2025, where we actually got a first foreign exposure. We have learned a lot of lessons, and we brought back those international skills and lessons that we wanted to implement for the future tournaments.After this, I think the first sixes lacrosse tournament that we have participated in is the Asian Lacrosse Games. We have had a lot of national-level camps between 2024 and 2026. We have also had a lot of national-level tournaments. We've had zonal-level tournaments and state-level tournaments as well. We have been continuously in practice. The Lacrosse Association of India have been getting foreign coaches as well as international experts who got increasingly involved in the national camps, which gave us more of a global perspective rather than just playing locally and then having those skills.I think this global perspective, practicing, being guided by these international coaches helped us perform well in the Asian Lacrosse Games. In the tournament, both the women's and men's team come from diverse backgrounds, from different states, different age groups. But again, like I said, we have played a lot of state level and national level and zonal level tournaments, which is when a lot of bonding happened, and then we together as a team played a lot during the camps, which actually helped us get the double gold in the Asian Lacrosse Games.<h3>Going forward, what is your idea of future of lacrosse in India including the amount of exposure and help from the state association as well as the national association to make it a viable option for young players?</h3>The Lacrosse Association of India has been working towards it. The equipment, as of now, costs a bit on the pricier side, especially because most of the equipment is usually sourced from from the US and Canada, which actually costs a lot. The Lacrosse Association of India has been making sure to try and source material from Southeast Asia to ensure it's more accessible and more affordable for the players from all backgrounds.Also, the amount of tournaments and the amount of camps happening right now is at an all, all-time high. So I think it would be very easier for those players to come up and play lacrosse. I'm pretty sure once the equipment is more accessible and more affordable to people from all walks of life, I'm pretty sure it should grow within the next one or two years.And the national association has also been trying to get visibility at the central level. They've been trying to get the game included in the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs list so they've been in touch with the concerned authorities. We are pretty optimistic about getting the government support within the next six months, and we hope that once we get the government support, we will have more foreign exposure and we'll go on to perform well in the upcoming continental Olympic qualifiers as well.&nbsp;Team India Mens Squad - ALG 2026: Anudeep Reddy (C), Anis Latif Shaik, Ashish, Belagal Hussenisab, Chandan Rabha, Chirag Pandey, Daya Shankar Gameti, Gunish Singh Bedi, Harsh Nayyar, Jitendra Kumar Bhera, Khuma Ram Gameti, Mohan Lal Gameti, Mrunal Milind Shyamkuwar, Narayan Lal Gameti, Nishant Nagda, Paramjeet Kumar, Sagar Nandkishor Borde, Sangram Tukaram Kale &nbsp;

The game, played in lacrosse sixes format, is an Olympic sport in the same format and India winning its first major title win in the sport will surely help with the popularity and more athletes taking it up in the near future.

India recently won gold Asian Lacrosse Games 2025 held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from Feb 1-5 with Anudeep Reddy leading the team to win 9-2 against Iraq in the final. The game, played in lacrosse sixes format, is an Olympic sport in the same format and India winning its first major title win in the sport will surely help with the popularity and more athletes taking it up in the near future. We had a detailed chat with India skipper Anudeep Reddy about the game, format, his journey and future of lacrosse in India. Reddy, buoyed by India's gold at the continental event, was hopeful of the team doing well in the upcoming Olympic qualifiers as well. What prompted you to choose lacrosse? I would say COVID was a turning point, to be honest. I've had a bit of hockey and football background back in my school days. I did play it in my university days as well, but not on a professional level. So once COVID hit, a lot of people started hitting the gyms taking care of their the physique. But then I was not really a gym sort of guy, so I thought, 'why not go back to sports?' Which is when I started doing a bit of research. I was searching about new sports that have come up, especially in the Olympics, which is when I came across lacrosse. Which did seem pretty similar to hockey and the kind of skills that I've had seemed pretty similar. So yeah, I just found it out, then reached out to the state federation and then that's how things started moving. You reached out to the state federation with what requests, as in you wanted to play or you wanted facilities, or wanted to know what is out there? I think I'll have to give you a bit of a history of how lacrosse has come to India and how it has grown. Basically the Lacrosse Association of India, which is the highest authority that takes care of lacrosse in India, was recognized by World Lacrosse back in 2021, and it took about a year or a year and a half to form these state associations. When I reached out to the Telangana Lacrosse Association - my home state - they were pretty new at that time. Back in 2023, they just formed the body, and they were just starting regular practice sessions. When I reached out to them, told them about my prior hockey background, as well as football background, they were pretty interested to have me on board and give it a try. I started attending these regular practice sessions, and then I would say, not a hard journey to get onto the team, especially with the kind of sports background that I had. Tell us more about lacrosse formats. I've seen athletes working 15-20 years trying to reach the the pinnacle, but then lacrosse is a relatively new sport. Although, I would just give you a brief idea of what kind of different formats are there in lacrosse: Basically, lacrosse has three different formats - the traditional format is called the field lacrosse and it's usually played on a larger ground, which is usually around 100 meters long and 55-60 meters wide. It involves 10 players each side and it is usually played pretty much all around the world. Second is lacrosse sixes, which is the Olympic format, and is more of a modern and a high-tempo format. It is played on a smaller field of around 70m (long) x 36m (wide) with only six players per side. This is more of high intensity and less breaks, making it pretty spectator-friendly as well. It is, however, pretty new to most of the nations. It started growing exponentially since its inception 10-15 years ago, although field lacrosse has been being played for over a century now, but success is relatively new. And there's another format called the box lacrosse, which is usually played indoors on a hockey rink-sized surface. It's more physical, and not really played in India. India right now has national teams for field and sixes lacrosse. How does the state association help with arranging the practice sessions, both money-wise and place-wise? We don't really have a fixed ground, to be honest, even till date. It (practice) usually happens in public grounds based on the number of players coming to these practice sessions. So, whichever (public ground) is closest to the majority of the players The ground booking usually is either way. The association members usually oversees the booking and everything and as most of the times we play at a public ground, it is usually free. Sometimes if it's not available, we go for a box cricket sort of setup, and then we practice there. All in all, I would say that most of the times it's the association which takes the initiative. Sometimes, it's the players who just book it and then forward it to the association. What about the equipments, and coaches, and all other facilities you need for practice? As far as the coachesare concerned, even at the national level, as well as at the state level, most of them have a hockey background. Since we don't really have specialized lacrosse coaches, most of them come from a hockey background. And with the skills that we use here being pretty similar to what you do in hockey, they have been helping us with most of the coaching. We have been following a lot of YouTube videos, to be honest, since we don't really have someone with 10 or 15 years of playing experience. The coaches are relatively new, the players are relatively new, so we mostly follow the guides from YouTube as well and I am personally, in touch with a couple of players from Singapore, and Malaysia, so I try to get their inputs as well. We sort of have those drills as part of the practice sessions. Coming to the equipments part, as of now, the Lacrosse Association of India has been sourcing most of the equipments like the lacrosse stick, the balls, as well as the protective gear. As for our state association, we only have the sticks and balls and we usually use the hockey protective gear, which is pretty similar to lacrosse. But at the national level, we have lacrosse specific gears for all the players. How did you find more players to join with you for both India and the state association? The Indian lacrosse association have been doing marketing all by themselves. There are 25 state associations and once the state associations were formed, they have been doing a lot of talent hunts, and then referee and coaching camps, wherein they have been trying to reach out to more people and get more visibility. Coming to the Telangana State Association, they have been actively involved in reaching out to schools and colleges. So whenever there's some showcase matches or something like that, we players usually go there, showcase the games. What is the skill set needed to play this game and why you think players will stick to it? Most of the players, in Telangana as well as the Indian team, I would say pretty much across all the states, at least like I would say, 50 to 60 percent have a hockey background, and the rest usually have some sport background. So, usually it's like sort of a jump from a different sport, and then once they enter lacrosse, I'm pretty sure they would stick to it. It's very exciting, so I'm pretty sure, like, once a player tries lacrosse, they'll stick to it. Tell us about your journey from getting associated with the national team, going to Asian team, and then becoming the captain, and then eventually winning the gold as well. I started seriously involving in lacrosse back in 2024 when I started practicing professionally. In 2024, I also practiced with Singapore Lacrosse Association. I've attended some sessions with their national team, as well as, one of the leading clubs in Singapore too. After that, the Indian men's team basically participated in the first international field lacrosse tournament at the Okinawa Open in Japan, which is one of the largest and most competitive field lacrosse tournaments in Asia. I was the captain for the field lacrosse team as well back in 2025, where we actually got a first foreign exposure. We have learned a lot of lessons, and we brought back those international skills and lessons that we wanted to implement for the future tournaments. After this, I think the first sixes lacrosse tournament that we have participated in is the Asian Lacrosse Games. We have had a lot of national-level camps between 2024 and 2026. We have also had a lot of national-level tournaments. We've had zonal-level tournaments and state-level tournaments as well. We have been continuously in practice. The Lacrosse Association of India have been getting foreign coaches as well as international experts who got increasingly involved in the national camps, which gave us more of a global perspective rather than just playing locally and then having those skills. I think this global perspective, practicing, being guided by these international coaches helped us perform well in the Asian Lacrosse Games. In the tournament, both the women's and men's team come from diverse backgrounds, from different states, different age groups. But again, like I said, we have played a lot of state level and national level and zonal level tournaments, which is when a lot of bonding happened, and then we together as a team played a lot during the camps, which actually helped us get the double gold in the Asian Lacrosse Games. Going forward, what is your idea of future of lacrosse in India including the amount of exposure and help from the state association as well as the national association to make it a viable option for young players? The Lacrosse Association of India has been working towards it. The equipment, as of now, costs a bit on the pricier side, especially because most of the equipment is usually sourced from from the US and Canada, which actually costs a lot. The Lacrosse Association of India has been making sure to try and source material from Southeast Asia to ensure it's more accessible and more affordable for the players from all backgrounds. Also, the amount of tournaments and the amount of camps happening right now is at an all, all-time high. So I think it would be very easier for those players to come up and play lacrosse. I'm pretty sure once the equipment is more accessible and more affordable to people from all walks of life, I'm pretty sure it should grow within the next one or two years. And the national association has also been trying to get visibility at the central level. They've been trying to get the game included in the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs list so they've been in touch with the concerned authorities. We are pretty optimistic about getting the government support within the next six months, and we hope that once we get the government support, we will have more foreign exposure and we'll go on to perform well in the upcoming continental Olympic qualifiers as well. Team India Mens Squad - ALG 2026: Anudeep Reddy (C), Anis Latif Shaik, Ashish, Belagal Hussenisab, Chandan Rabha, Chirag Pandey, Daya Shankar Gameti, Gunish Singh Bedi, Harsh Nayyar, Jitendra Kumar Bhera, Khuma Ram Gameti, Mohan Lal Gameti, Mrunal Milind Shyamkuwar, Narayan Lal Gameti, Nishant Nagda, Paramjeet Kumar, Sagar Nandkishor Borde, Sangram Tukaram Kale

The game, played in lacrosse sixes format, is an Olympic sport in the same format and India winning its first major title win in the sport will surely help with the popularity and more athletes taking it up in the near future.

Asian gold and Olympics dream: India skipper Anudeep Reddy shares his journey and future of lacrosse in cricket-mad country

The Los Angeles Olympics 2028 organisers are sweating hard to find a suitable venue to host the&nbsp;cricket games in the upcoming edition. Cricket is set to return to the Olympics after 128 years. The host city of the 28 Olympic Games is located in California on the West Coast of the United States, however, the cricket matches could reportedly be held on the East Coast (to align the time zone with cricket-crazy countries such as India and other South Asian nations).

Casey Wasserman, head of LA28, told Cricbuzz, "We're still working through the specifics," when asked if New York is under consideration.&nbsp;

The time difference between Los Angeles and India is a significant one. It is 12 hours and 30 minutes and, thus, this&nbsp;means a prime-time night match in LA, around 8 PM, would be broadcast across the Indian subcontinent during&nbsp;early morning (when most will be busy with their daily household and professional work). On the other hand, the time difference between New York and India is slightly less, i.e. nine and a half hours. Hence, it is being seen as a more suitable option.

The matches, which will kick off around 10:30-11:00 AM on the East Coast, such as in New York, would enable the Indian fans to watch the games around 8 PM - a similar approach was also adopted by the International Cricket Council (ICC)&nbsp;for this year's&nbsp;T20 World Cup in June (co-hosted by West Indies and the USA).&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-nz-kane-williamson-ruled-out-of-2nd-test-in-pune-due-to-groin-strain-769600">Ind vs NZ: Kane Williamson ruled out of 2nd Test in Pune due to groin strain</a>

Apart from the time zone considerations, finding a suitable venue is another challenge as there are limited&nbsp;cricket grounds in the US, with the country not known as a cricketing powerhouse. As a result, the LA28 organisers have not yet released the cricket venues, although&nbsp;the same has been done for most other sports.

Thus, the LA28 organisers have a task ahead to conduct the cricket games as the sport's re-inclusion has already generated good buzz.

"Unlike the other new sports, cricket presents a unique venue challenge. LA28 has been vocal about how it plans to keep costs down by utilizing existing venues, but there are very few - if any - suitable cricket venues in California. Or in the rest of the country," the Sportico website&nbsp;said. "The Indian market was a critical part of cricket's pitch to join LA28."

Notably, the format and qualification process for the cricket&nbsp;games&nbsp;at the 2028 Olympics are still being finalised. It is&nbsp;expected that the top six men’s and women’s teams in the ICC T20 rankings, at a certain cutoff date, will take part in the showpiece event.

The Los Angeles Olympics 2028 organisers are sweating hard to find a suitable venue to host the cricket games in the upcoming edition. Cricket is set to return to the Olympics after 128 years.

The Los Angeles Olympics 2028 organisers are sweating hard to find a suitable venue to host the cricket games in the upcoming edition. Cricket is set to return to the Olympics after 128 years. The host city of the 28 Olympic Games is located in California on the West Coast of the United States, however, the cricket matches could reportedly be held on the East Coast (to align the time zone with cricket-crazy countries such as India and other South Asian nations). Casey Wasserman, head of LA28, told Cricbuzz, "We're still working through the specifics," when asked if New York is under consideration. The time difference between Los Angeles and India is a significant one. It is 12 hours and 30 minutes and, thus, this means a prime-time night match in LA, around 8 PM, would be broadcast across the Indian subcontinent during early morning (when most will be busy with their daily household and professional work). On the other hand, the time difference between New York and India is slightly less, i.e. nine and a half hours. Hence, it is being seen as a more suitable option. The matches, which will kick off around 10:30-11:00 AM on the East Coast, such as in New York, would enable the Indian fans to watch the games around 8 PM - a similar approach was also adopted by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for this year's T20 World Cup in June (co-hosted by West Indies and the USA). Also read: Ind vs NZ: Kane Williamson ruled out of 2nd Test in Pune due to groin strain Apart from the time zone considerations, finding a suitable venue is another challenge as there are limited cricket grounds in the US, with the country not known as a cricketing powerhouse. As a result, the LA28 organisers have not yet released the cricket venues, although the same has been done for most other sports. Thus, the LA28 organisers have a task ahead to conduct the cricket games as the sport's re-inclusion has already generated good buzz. "Unlike the other new sports, cricket presents a unique venue challenge. LA28 has been vocal about how it plans to keep costs down by utilizing existing venues, but there are very few - if any - suitable cricket venues in California. Or in the rest of the country," the Sportico website said. "The Indian market was a critical part of cricket's pitch to join LA28." Notably, the format and qualification process for the cricket games at the 2028 Olympics are still being finalised. It is expected that the top six men’s and women’s teams in the ICC T20 rankings, at a certain cutoff date, will take part in the showpiece event.

Los Angeles Olympics 2028 to host cricket matches in New York: Report

One of the most talked Sports in Olympic history boxing may face unprecedented exclusion from the 2028 Los Angeles Games despite being a fixture since 1904. It's at risk of being dropped from the Olympics altogether and WION spoke with the world boxing president Boris Vorst about this.

World Boxing President Boris Van Der Vorst speaks to WION

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Los Angeles Olympics 2028 to host cricket matches in New York: Report

World Boxing President Boris Van Der Vorst speaks to WION