The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has called on FIFA to investigate Russia&#39;s sports minister Vitaly Mutko, a member of the football world body&#39;s executive, over drug failures in football. 
 
A bombshell report on &quot;state-dictated&quot; doping in Russia, which will host the 2018 World Cup, said the manipulation of tainted Russian samples was controlled by Mutko&#39;s ministry. 
 
The investigation by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, released on Monday, did not provide evidence of a detailed implication by Mutko in decisions to protect drug-cheat athletes. 
 
But it said Mutko, president of the Russian football federation and chief organiser of the 2018 World Cup, took the decision to hide the doping case of a foreign player in the Russian football league. 
 
McLaren quoted Russian whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov as saying it was &quot;inconceivable&quot; that Mutko did not know about the whole doping system. 
 
WADA called on FIFA to act on Mutko, a 57-year-old ally of President Vladimir Putin and sports minister since 2008. 
 
&quot;Another notable finding within the (McLaren) report is the role that one of FIFA&#39;s executive committee members, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, played within the system,&quot; said a WADA statement. 
 
&quot;Accordingly, WADA urges the FIFA ethics committee to look into the allegations concerning football and the role played by this member.&quot; 
 
The McLaren report said deputy sports minister Yuri Nagornykh had almost a daily responsibility for deciding which athletes would get a &quot;SAVE&quot; order and have failed tests manipulated or be put under &quot;QUARANTINE&quot;. 
 
The report added however that McLaren &quot;is aware of at least one foreign footballer playing in the Russian league who had that benefit of a SAVE order.&quot; 
 
&quot;That SAVE decision was made by Minister Mutko and not Deputy Minister Nagornykh.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
It said 11 footballers in all had drug cases covered up. 
 
It quoted email evidence as saying that &quot;the SAVE decision for the football players was the final decision of &#39;VL&#39;. 
 
&quot;VL is the first name and patronymic name initials of the Minister of Sport Vitaly Leontiyevich Mutko, who is also the president of the Russian football federation.&quot; 
 
FIFA acknowledged the WADA call but said its ethics committee is independent &quot;and only it can decide what actions to take in respect to this issue. 
 
&quot;For its part, FIFA will request from WADA all details concerning the individual cases of doping in Russian football that are referenced in the McLaren report. Once FIFA receives this information from WADA, it will take the appropriate next steps.&quot; 
 
Mutko is due to stand for re-election to FIFA in March.&nbsp; 
 
The Kremlin said officials &quot;directly&quot; implicated by the report would be suspended but did not name them and attacked what it called the &quot;dangerous&quot; new &quot;interference of politics in sport.&quot; 
 
WADA president Craig Reedie demanded that the Russian government sack all sports ministry officials &quot;implicated&quot; by the McLaren report, but did not name any individuals. 
 
Much of the McLaren report is based on evidence provided by Rodchenkov, former director of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory now in hiding in the United States. 
 
Rodchenkov told the inquiry that in meetings with deputy minister Nagornykh on the doping cover-up, &quot;Nagornykh told him that Minister of Sport Mutko was aware of everything that they were discussing. 
 
&quot;Dr Rodchenkov`s evidence is that it is inconceivable that Minister Mutko was not aware of the doping cover-up scheme.&quot; 
 
The Kremlin has slammed Rodchenkov as &quot;a person with a scandalous reputation.&quot; 
&nbsp; 
Rodchenkov is now under criminal investigation by Russian authorities. 
&nbsp; 
The McLaren report said however that there were &quot;several documents which tend to corroborate Dr Rodechenkov&#39;s conclusion.&quot; 
 
Rodchenkov said he discussed a response to a German television documentary last year on doping in Russian athletics with Mutko. 
 
The whistleblower added that he met with Mutko before the Sochi Olympics. &quot;Dr Rodchenkov`s evidence is that the doping cover up plan for Sochi was discussed at those meetings.&quot; 
 
Rodchenkov also testified that Mutko knew about bribes allegedly paid to former International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) president Lamine Diack to cover up doping failures by race walkers. 
 
&quot;Dr Rodchenkov&#39;s evidence is that in September 2012 he met with Minister Mutko to discuss the IAAF&#39;s extorsion demand. 
 
&quot;At that meeting, Minister Mutko asked Dr Rodchenkov whether the situation was really so bad he needed to pay all of that money, thereby exposing his knowledge of the doping problem in Russian athletics.&quot; 
 
McLaren made clear the power of the sports ministry, refered to as the MofS, over the Moscow and Sochi doping laboratories during the Winter Olympics and other events. 
 
&quot;The Moscow laboratory was effectively caught up in the jaws of a vice. It was a key player in the successful operation of a state imposed and rigorously imposed programme which was overall managed and dictated by the MofS.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The investigation by lawyer Richard McLaren revealed that the manipulation of samples was controlled by Vitaly Mutko's ministry

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has called on FIFA to investigate Russia's sports minister Vitaly Mutko, a member of the football world body's executive, over drug failures in football. A bombshell report on "state-dictated" doping in Russia, which will host the 2018 World Cup, said the manipulation of tainted Russian samples was controlled by Mutko's ministry. The investigation by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, released on Monday, did not provide evidence of a detailed implication by Mutko in decisions to protect drug-cheat athletes. But it said Mutko, president of the Russian football federation and chief organiser of the 2018 World Cup, took the decision to hide the doping case of a foreign player in the Russian football league. McLaren quoted Russian whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov as saying it was "inconceivable" that Mutko did not know about the whole doping system. WADA called on FIFA to act on Mutko, a 57-year-old ally of President Vladimir Putin and sports minister since 2008. "Another notable finding within the (McLaren) report is the role that one of FIFA's executive committee members, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, played within the system," said a WADA statement. "Accordingly, WADA urges the FIFA ethics committee to look into the allegations concerning football and the role played by this member." The McLaren report said deputy sports minister Yuri Nagornykh had almost a daily responsibility for deciding which athletes would get a "SAVE" order and have failed tests manipulated or be put under "QUARANTINE". The report added however that McLaren "is aware of at least one foreign footballer playing in the Russian league who had that benefit of a SAVE order." "That SAVE decision was made by Minister Mutko and not Deputy Minister Nagornykh." It said 11 footballers in all had drug cases covered up. It quoted email evidence as saying that "the SAVE decision for the football players was the final decision of 'VL'. "VL is the first name and patronymic name initials of the Minister of Sport Vitaly Leontiyevich Mutko, who is also the president of the Russian football federation." FIFA acknowledged the WADA call but said its ethics committee is independent "and only it can decide what actions to take in respect to this issue. "For its part, FIFA will request from WADA all details concerning the individual cases of doping in Russian football that are referenced in the McLaren report. Once FIFA receives this information from WADA, it will take the appropriate next steps." Mutko is due to stand for re-election to FIFA in March. The Kremlin said officials "directly" implicated by the report would be suspended but did not name them and attacked what it called the "dangerous" new "interference of politics in sport." WADA president Craig Reedie demanded that the Russian government sack all sports ministry officials "implicated" by the McLaren report, but did not name any individuals. Much of the McLaren report is based on evidence provided by Rodchenkov, former director of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory now in hiding in the United States. Rodchenkov told the inquiry that in meetings with deputy minister Nagornykh on the doping cover-up, "Nagornykh told him that Minister of Sport Mutko was aware of everything that they were discussing. "Dr Rodchenkov`s evidence is that it is inconceivable that Minister Mutko was not aware of the doping cover-up scheme." The Kremlin has slammed Rodchenkov as "a person with a scandalous reputation." Rodchenkov is now under criminal investigation by Russian authorities. The McLaren report said however that there were "several documents which tend to corroborate Dr Rodechenkov's conclusion." Rodchenkov said he discussed a response to a German television documentary last year on doping in Russian athletics with Mutko. The whistleblower added that he met with Mutko before the Sochi Olympics. "Dr Rodchenkov`s evidence is that the doping cover up plan for Sochi was discussed at those meetings." Rodchenkov also testified that Mutko knew about bribes allegedly paid to former International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) president Lamine Diack to cover up doping failures by race walkers. "Dr Rodchenkov's evidence is that in September 2012 he met with Minister Mutko to discuss the IAAF's extorsion demand. "At that meeting, Minister Mutko asked Dr Rodchenkov whether the situation was really so bad he needed to pay all of that money, thereby exposing his knowledge of the doping problem in Russian athletics." McLaren made clear the power of the sports ministry, refered to as the MofS, over the Moscow and Sochi doping laboratories during the Winter Olympics and other events. "The Moscow laboratory was effectively caught up in the jaws of a vice. It was a key player in the successful operation of a state imposed and rigorously imposed programme which was overall managed and dictated by the MofS." (AFP)

Russian sports minister Mutko in doping controversy spotlight

Australian top seed Samantha Stosur, defending Washington Open champion Sloane Stephens and German teen star Alexander Zverev are setting aside Zika virus fears to compete at the Rio Olympics. 
 
But Sam Querrey, who upset world number one Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon, isn&#39;t going to Brazil because it just isn&#39;t that big a deal to him. 
 
Differing views over the mosquito-carried Zika virus and the rash of recent tennis withdrawals from Rio came out Monday on day one of the ATP and WTA event, the first hardcourt stop on the path to the US Open. 
 
&quot;It`s not something you want to take lightly,&quot; Stosur said after beating Russian qualifier Alla Kudryavtseva 6-3, 6-0. 
 
&quot;Other people say there are going to be far worse things going on than Zika. It`s about being smart, following all the guidelines. I`ve had all the vaccinations. It certainly has entered my mind this time around.&quot; 
 
Several top NBA players, more than 20 men&#39;s golfers and several top tennis players have withdrawn from Rio, many but not all citing the potential for contracting Zika, which causes severe illness and has been linked to birth defects. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m kind of scared but I`m not having any kids any time soon so I should be OK,&quot; said Stephens, a 23-year-old American set to make her Olympic debut. 
 
&quot;Some people are way more sensitive and some people aren`t. It just depends on the person.&quot; 
 
Canada&#39;s seventh-ranked Milos Raonic, who lost the Wimbledon men&#39;s final to Britain&#39;s Andy Murray earlier in July, eighth-ranked Czech Tomas Berdych and Austria&#39;s ninth-rated Dominic Thiem all said no to Rio. 
 
So did 16th-ranked John Isner, the Washington men&#39;s top seed, and Querrey, who doesn&#39;t see tennis or golf as true Olympic sports. 
 
&quot;For tennis and golf, the Olympics isn&#39;t a top priority,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;We have four other Grand Slams. Those are the main focus. 
 
&quot;Some sports in the Olympics, (tennis) and golf, I feel like maybe shouldn`t be in there. It just wasn&#39;t a priority of mine at all.&quot; 
 
That&#39;s a stark contrast to 19-year-old Zverev, who at 27th in the world has become the youngest man to crack the top 30 since Djokovic in 2006. 
 
And Zverev has even suffered severe illness after a bug bite. 
 
&quot;I was at the US Open and something bit me,&quot; Zverev said. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m going to be very careful because of that. I only won one match the rest of the year. My leg got a lot swollen. I was really sick with fever, lost a lot of weight, couldn`t eat. 
 
&quot;You think about it, that&#39;s quite a serious thing. You don&#39;t want to get something but the Olympics is a very big event. 
 
&quot;I`m a little bit worried about the Zika virus. A lot of people have pulled out. But it&#39;s going to be a lot of fun.&quot; 
 
Isner has a first-round bye and a round-two date with Australian qualifier James Duckworth, who ousted American Tim Smyczek 7-5, 6-1. 
 
Aussie John Millman, Rio bound as well after Olympic pullouts by Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic, advanced to a second-round match with Cypriot Marcus Bagjdatis by downing American Denis Kudla 7-5, 6-0. 
 
(AFP)

Alexander Zverev as become the youngest man to crack the top 30 since Djokovic in 2006

Australian top seed Samantha Stosur, defending Washington Open champion Sloane Stephens and German teen star Alexander Zverev are setting aside Zika virus fears to compete at the Rio Olympics. But Sam Querrey, who upset world number one Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon, isn't going to Brazil because it just isn't that big a deal to him. Differing views over the mosquito-carried Zika virus and the rash of recent tennis withdrawals from Rio came out Monday on day one of the ATP and WTA event, the first hardcourt stop on the path to the US Open. "It`s not something you want to take lightly," Stosur said after beating Russian qualifier Alla Kudryavtseva 6-3, 6-0. "Other people say there are going to be far worse things going on than Zika. It`s about being smart, following all the guidelines. I`ve had all the vaccinations. It certainly has entered my mind this time around." Several top NBA players, more than 20 men's golfers and several top tennis players have withdrawn from Rio, many but not all citing the potential for contracting Zika, which causes severe illness and has been linked to birth defects. "I'm kind of scared but I`m not having any kids any time soon so I should be OK," said Stephens, a 23-year-old American set to make her Olympic debut. "Some people are way more sensitive and some people aren`t. It just depends on the person." Canada's seventh-ranked Milos Raonic, who lost the Wimbledon men's final to Britain's Andy Murray earlier in July, eighth-ranked Czech Tomas Berdych and Austria's ninth-rated Dominic Thiem all said no to Rio. So did 16th-ranked John Isner, the Washington men's top seed, and Querrey, who doesn't see tennis or golf as true Olympic sports. "For tennis and golf, the Olympics isn't a top priority," he said. "We have four other Grand Slams. Those are the main focus. "Some sports in the Olympics, (tennis) and golf, I feel like maybe shouldn`t be in there. It just wasn't a priority of mine at all." That's a stark contrast to 19-year-old Zverev, who at 27th in the world has become the youngest man to crack the top 30 since Djokovic in 2006. And Zverev has even suffered severe illness after a bug bite. "I was at the US Open and something bit me," Zverev said. "I'm going to be very careful because of that. I only won one match the rest of the year. My leg got a lot swollen. I was really sick with fever, lost a lot of weight, couldn`t eat. "You think about it, that's quite a serious thing. You don't want to get something but the Olympics is a very big event. "I`m a little bit worried about the Zika virus. A lot of people have pulled out. But it's going to be a lot of fun." Isner has a first-round bye and a round-two date with Australian qualifier James Duckworth, who ousted American Tim Smyczek 7-5, 6-1. Aussie John Millman, Rio bound as well after Olympic pullouts by Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic, advanced to a second-round match with Cypriot Marcus Bagjdatis by downing American Denis Kudla 7-5, 6-0. (AFP)

No Zika bite fright for Rio-bound Stosur, Zverev

Twitter on Thursday announced a deal to stream US college sports matches, boosting its live television offerings as it tries to lure more users and revenue. 
 
Twitter will be the top streaming partner for PAC-12 Plus, a broadband network of live events produced by the dozen universities in the conference, according to the organisation. 
 
At least 150 games are to be streamed on Twitter during the coming academic year. 
 
&quot;Twitter is the fastest way to find out what is happening in live sports,&quot; Twitter chief financial officer Anthony Noto said in a joint release. 
 
&quot;Our partnership with the Pac-12 Networks will give sports fans a great way to view live sporting events along with the live Twitter conversation they are already accustomed to.&quot; 
 
The alliance promised to raise the exposure of PAC-12 games, making the events easily available on a service many fans already use, according to PAC-12 Networks president Lydia Murphy-Stephans. 
 
A roster of school-produced events focused on Olympic sports was to include soccer, volleyball, gymnastics, baseball, ice hockey, swimming, track, tennis and water polo. 
 
Matches will continue to be streamed online at pac-12.com. 
 
The two most followed sports, basketball and US football, were not mentioned as part of the streaming partnership. Those college sports typically generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue from cable or television broadcast contracts. 
 
Twitter has been beefing up its live streaming offerings. Earlier this week it announced that it will livestream Bloomberg financial news offerings and has a deal with CBS to livestream the upcoming Republican and Democratic party conventions. 
 
Twitter collaborated with cable sports powerhouse ESPN on a Wimbledon tennis tournament finals stream last week. 
 
The San Francisco-based company announced a $10-million deal in April with the National Football League to stream professional US football games on Thursday nights. 
 
Twitter is diving deeper into streaming as it strives to boost active user ranks, which stagnated at the start of this year. The company has yet to make a profit. 
 
(AFP) 
 
&nbsp;

As a partner of PAC-12 Plus, at least 150 games are to be streamed on Twitter during the coming academic year

Twitter on Thursday announced a deal to stream US college sports matches, boosting its live television offerings as it tries to lure more users and revenue. Twitter will be the top streaming partner for PAC-12 Plus, a broadband network of live events produced by the dozen universities in the conference, according to the organisation. At least 150 games are to be streamed on Twitter during the coming academic year. "Twitter is the fastest way to find out what is happening in live sports," Twitter chief financial officer Anthony Noto said in a joint release. "Our partnership with the Pac-12 Networks will give sports fans a great way to view live sporting events along with the live Twitter conversation they are already accustomed to." The alliance promised to raise the exposure of PAC-12 games, making the events easily available on a service many fans already use, according to PAC-12 Networks president Lydia Murphy-Stephans. A roster of school-produced events focused on Olympic sports was to include soccer, volleyball, gymnastics, baseball, ice hockey, swimming, track, tennis and water polo. Matches will continue to be streamed online at pac-12.com. The two most followed sports, basketball and US football, were not mentioned as part of the streaming partnership. Those college sports typically generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue from cable or television broadcast contracts. Twitter has been beefing up its live streaming offerings. Earlier this week it announced that it will livestream Bloomberg financial news offerings and has a deal with CBS to livestream the upcoming Republican and Democratic party conventions. Twitter collaborated with cable sports powerhouse ESPN on a Wimbledon tennis tournament finals stream last week. The San Francisco-based company announced a $10-million deal in April with the National Football League to stream professional US football games on Thursday nights. Twitter is diving deeper into streaming as it strives to boost active user ranks, which stagnated at the start of this year. The company has yet to make a profit. (AFP)

Twitter to stream US college sports

Pakistan&#39;s sporting decline has left the vast South Asian nation that once prided itself on producing the world&#39;s best hockey and squash players facing up to an Olympics for which none of its athlete has qualified. 
 
While cricket remains a wildly popular game in Pakistan, a nation of almost 200 million, most other sport have shrunk in popularity as the successes of the 1980s and early 1990s have become a distant memory. 
 
In dilapidated gyms and crumbling sportfields Pakistani athletes lament the dated equipment and obsolete training methods which leave them struggling against foreign foes who adhere to the latest science-based techniques. 
 
Female athletes have an even bigger mountain to climb, most young girls in the deeply conservative Muslim nation are pressured by their families to stop exercising in public, while those with family backing face the wrath of their communities. 
 
&quot;We are behind the rest of the world,&quot; said Inam Butt, a Pakistani wrestling champion who won gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. &quot;Our budget, training and facilities are just nothing. How can we compete?&quot; 
 
Butt, like other athletes, says the future will remain bleak until Pakistan&#39;s government starts pouring money into sport.&nbsp; 
 
The seven participants due to represent Pakistan at next month&#39;s Rio Olympics have all been given wildcard entries and stand &quot;no chance&quot; of winning medals, according to Arif Hasan, the Pakistan Olympic Association president. 
 
&quot;They are more or less going for the participation and gaining the experience. Let&#39;s hope next time will be better,&quot; he said. 
 
1980s training methods 
 
Those in charge of promoting sport in Pakistan despair.&nbsp;The grassroots system is almost non-existent, children in schools&nbsp;rarely play a sport which is not cricket, and top athletes seldom compete against the world&#39;s best as cash-strapped federations cannot afford to send them abroad. 
 
Waqar Ahmed, deputy director of the Pakistan Sports Board, said federations also cannot afford to hire top coaches familiar with scientific training techniques and end up relying on Pakistani trainers with &quot;obsolete&quot; methods from the 1980s. 
 
&quot;Athletes are really frustrated because... the coaches are not literate and they have been teaching what they were taught 30 years back,&quot; he said. &quot;Without infrastructure we can do a lot, but without the techniques you cannot win.&quot; 
 
The demise of hockey, Pakistan&#39;s national sport, has been painful to watch for an older generation who prospered during the halcyon days between 1960 and 1994, when Pakistan regularly won Olympic gold medals and world championships. 
 
Tahir Zaman, Pakistan hockey team coach, said the lack of government support means many young athletes no longer see a future in sports like hockey where top players get $10 per day. Pakistani cricketers, by contrast, are paid $5,000 monthly retainers and make a fortune from sponsorship deals.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The attraction is not there anymore. The (government) is not offering regular jobs for players,&quot; said Zaman, who won a bronze playing for Pakistan at the 1992 Olympics. 
 
At Lahore&#39;s empty 45,000-seat hockey stadium, Pakistani hockey player Hassan Anwar, 21, said that as a teenager his family begged him: &quot;please don&#39;t play hockey if you want a bright future&quot;. 
 
The demise of hockey has been mirrored by the decline in the Pakistani squash scene, where young players know all about 1980s legend Jahangir Khan - considered the greatest ever squash player - but none match his bravura on the court. 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
Women Harassed 
 
Pakistan&#39;s best known squash player is Maria Toorpakay Wazir, ranked 65 in the world, but to train she spent years dressing and pretending to be a boy in the ultra-conservative tribal areas near Afghanistan. Now she trains abroad. 
 
Pakistan Olympic chief Hasan says societal &quot;barriers are coming down&quot; for women but many female athletes rue the slow pace of change. 
 
At 16, Neelam Riaz&#39;s first love was cycling, but her father banned her from training on roads as men would stare at her. In response, she took up karate to learn how to fend off men and eventually stumbled on weightlifting. 
 
&quot;Usually in Pakistan girls are discouraged from sports, and often coaches push back,&quot; said Riaz, 25, who last year became a national champion and Pakistan&#39;s first female weightlifter to compete abroad. 
 
&quot;Now my family is happy with me doing weightlifting.&quot; 
 
In a dimly lit Lahore gym, where paint peels off walls, windows are shattered and cobwebs cling to a damp ceiling, Riaz is tutoring 16-year-old Iqra Chanzaib, who is new to weightlifting. 
 
Chanzaib wanted to play basketball, but the only hoop near her house was out in the open and full of boys, so one of her pious brothers protested. She then opted for weightlifting, indoors. 
 
&quot;There are plenty of girls like me but they cannot come because of family pressures. My own friends want to come but their families stop them,&quot; she said. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

For the first time in Pakistan's history none of its athlete has qualified for the Olympics

Pakistan's sporting decline has left the vast South Asian nation that once prided itself on producing the world's best hockey and squash players facing up to an Olympics for which none of its athlete has qualified. While cricket remains a wildly popular game in Pakistan, a nation of almost 200 million, most other sport have shrunk in popularity as the successes of the 1980s and early 1990s have become a distant memory. In dilapidated gyms and crumbling sportfields Pakistani athletes lament the dated equipment and obsolete training methods which leave them struggling against foreign foes who adhere to the latest science-based techniques. Female athletes have an even bigger mountain to climb, most young girls in the deeply conservative Muslim nation are pressured by their families to stop exercising in public, while those with family backing face the wrath of their communities. "We are behind the rest of the world," said Inam Butt, a Pakistani wrestling champion who won gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. "Our budget, training and facilities are just nothing. How can we compete?" Butt, like other athletes, says the future will remain bleak until Pakistan's government starts pouring money into sport. The seven participants due to represent Pakistan at next month's Rio Olympics have all been given wildcard entries and stand "no chance" of winning medals, according to Arif Hasan, the Pakistan Olympic Association president. "They are more or less going for the participation and gaining the experience. Let's hope next time will be better," he said. 1980s training methods Those in charge of promoting sport in Pakistan despair. The grassroots system is almost non-existent, children in schools rarely play a sport which is not cricket, and top athletes seldom compete against the world's best as cash-strapped federations cannot afford to send them abroad. Waqar Ahmed, deputy director of the Pakistan Sports Board, said federations also cannot afford to hire top coaches familiar with scientific training techniques and end up relying on Pakistani trainers with "obsolete" methods from the 1980s. "Athletes are really frustrated because... the coaches are not literate and they have been teaching what they were taught 30 years back," he said. "Without infrastructure we can do a lot, but without the techniques you cannot win." The demise of hockey, Pakistan's national sport, has been painful to watch for an older generation who prospered during the halcyon days between 1960 and 1994, when Pakistan regularly won Olympic gold medals and world championships. Tahir Zaman, Pakistan hockey team coach, said the lack of government support means many young athletes no longer see a future in sports like hockey where top players get $10 per day. Pakistani cricketers, by contrast, are paid $5,000 monthly retainers and make a fortune from sponsorship deals. "The attraction is not there anymore. The (government) is not offering regular jobs for players," said Zaman, who won a bronze playing for Pakistan at the 1992 Olympics. At Lahore's empty 45,000-seat hockey stadium, Pakistani hockey player Hassan Anwar, 21, said that as a teenager his family begged him: "please don't play hockey if you want a bright future". The demise of hockey has been mirrored by the decline in the Pakistani squash scene, where young players know all about 1980s legend Jahangir Khan - considered the greatest ever squash player - but none match his bravura on the court. Women Harassed Pakistan's best known squash player is Maria Toorpakay Wazir, ranked 65 in the world, but to train she spent years dressing and pretending to be a boy in the ultra-conservative tribal areas near Afghanistan. Now she trains abroad. Pakistan Olympic chief Hasan says societal "barriers are coming down" for women but many female athletes rue the slow pace of change. At 16, Neelam Riaz's first love was cycling, but her father banned her from training on roads as men would stare at her. In response, she took up karate to learn how to fend off men and eventually stumbled on weightlifting. "Usually in Pakistan girls are discouraged from sports, and often coaches push back," said Riaz, 25, who last year became a national champion and Pakistan's first female weightlifter to compete abroad. "Now my family is happy with me doing weightlifting." In a dimly lit Lahore gym, where paint peels off walls, windows are shattered and cobwebs cling to a damp ceiling, Riaz is tutoring 16-year-old Iqra Chanzaib, who is new to weightlifting. Chanzaib wanted to play basketball, but the only hoop near her house was out in the open and full of boys, so one of her pious brothers protested. She then opted for weightlifting, indoors. "There are plenty of girls like me but they cannot come because of family pressures. My own friends want to come but their families stop them," she said. (Reuters)

Pakistan sport hits low point with qualifying debacle

England will embark on their lengthy tour of India later this year with Rajkot hosting the first of the five test matches from November 9, the cricket boards announced today. 
 
Rajkot will be making its debut as a test venue in the series, as will be coastal Vishakapatnam, which hosts the second test from November 17. 
 
Mohali, Mumbai and Chennai will host the remaining matches of what will be England&#39;s first five-test rubber in India since 1984-85. 
 
Beginning on January 15, England will also play three one-dayers and as many Twenty20 Internationals. 
 
&quot;This promises to be a historic test series and a great opportunity for Alastair Cook and his players to repeat the memorable test series win we enjoyed on our last trip to India in 2012,&quot; Andrew Strauss, director of England Cricket, said in a statement. 
 
&quot;Equally, Eoin Morgan&#39;s white-ball squad will be anticipating hard-fought and competitive encounters against high quality opposition in both formats.&quot; he added. 
 
(Reuters)

Rajkot will be making its debut as a test venue in the series. It will host first of the five test matches from November 9

England will embark on their lengthy tour of India later this year with Rajkot hosting the first of the five test matches from November 9, the cricket boards announced today. Rajkot will be making its debut as a test venue in the series, as will be coastal Vishakapatnam, which hosts the second test from November 17. Mohali, Mumbai and Chennai will host the remaining matches of what will be England's first five-test rubber in India since 1984-85. Beginning on January 15, England will also play three one-dayers and as many Twenty20 Internationals. "This promises to be a historic test series and a great opportunity for Alastair Cook and his players to repeat the memorable test series win we enjoyed on our last trip to India in 2012," Andrew Strauss, director of England Cricket, said in a statement. "Equally, Eoin Morgan's white-ball squad will be anticipating hard-fought and competitive encounters against high quality opposition in both formats." he added. (Reuters)

England to begin test series in India at new venue Rajkot

Dutch swimmer Inge Dekker, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in February and had surgery in March, will take part in her fourth Olympics after being named on Tuesday in a 17-strong squad for next month&#39;s Rio Games. 
 
The 30-year-old, who won a 4x100 metre freestyle relay gold in Beijing in 2008 as well as bronze in 2004 and silver in 2012, missed the European championships in London in May as she continued her recovery. 
 
The Dutch women won relay silver at the world championships in Kazan, Russia, last year with triple Olympic gold medallist Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Femke Heemskerk, Maud van der Meer and Marrit Steenbergen. 
 
More than four swimmers are often included in relay teams, with reserves slotted in for the heats before the top four compete in the final. 
Dekker was also down for the 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly.&nbsp; 
 
The seven men in the squad, who will train in Sardinia before flying to Brazil, will be led by European 200m freestyle champion Sebastiaan Verschuren. Ten of the 17 are Olympic debutants. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s good to see the mix of experienced Olympic swimmers and young talents,&quot; said Dutch swimming managing director Jan Kossen.&nbsp;&quot;The number of novices at these Games also gives confidence to the more distant future.&quot; 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Inge Dekker will take part in her fourth Olympics in a 17-strong squad for next month's Rio Games

Dutch swimmer Inge Dekker, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in February and had surgery in March, will take part in her fourth Olympics after being named on Tuesday in a 17-strong squad for next month's Rio Games. The 30-year-old, who won a 4x100 metre freestyle relay gold in Beijing in 2008 as well as bronze in 2004 and silver in 2012, missed the European championships in London in May as she continued her recovery. The Dutch women won relay silver at the world championships in Kazan, Russia, last year with triple Olympic gold medallist Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Femke Heemskerk, Maud van der Meer and Marrit Steenbergen. More than four swimmers are often included in relay teams, with reserves slotted in for the heats before the top four compete in the final. Dekker was also down for the 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly. The seven men in the squad, who will train in Sardinia before flying to Brazil, will be led by European 200m freestyle champion Sebastiaan Verschuren. Ten of the 17 are Olympic debutants. "It's good to see the mix of experienced Olympic swimmers and young talents," said Dutch swimming managing director Jan Kossen. "The number of novices at these Games also gives confidence to the more distant future." (Reuters)

Dutch swimmer Dekker wins race to Rio after cancer surgery

Treacherous and unfamiliar challenges lie in wait as the British Open returns to Royal Troon this week, and Rory McIlroy returns to the hunt for the Claret Jug. 
 
McIlroy, who leads a host of the sport&#39;s biggest names to have withdrawn in controversial circumstances from next month&#39;s Rio Olympics, is bidding to win his fifth major and second Open after his victory at Hoylake in 2014.&nbsp; 
 
Twelve months ago McIlroy was missing from the field in St Andrews after suffering an ankle injury while playing football, but he will tee off on Thursday morning in the same group as Bubba Watson and Japan&#39;s Hideki Matsuyama. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m excited to be back and to a golf course that I&#39;ve never played before,&quot; the Northern Irishman, number four in the world, told reporters on Tuesday.&nbsp;&quot;I don&#39;t really have any experience here at Troon, so it was good to get a couple of good looks at it last week, and then I just played another 18 holes this morning.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Troon is where Tiger Woods first played in the Open as a professional in 1997. The ailing 14-time major winner is not in this year&#39;s field and instead the focus is on the current &#39;Big Four&#39; of McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and recent US Open winner Dustin Johnson.&nbsp; 
 
They have all withdrawn from the Rio Games amid much-publicised fears about the Zika virus, with Spieth pulling out at the last minute on Monday. 
 
The 22-year-old Texan will be relieved to be able to focus on the Open now after being hit with a barrage of questions about the Olympics on Tuesday.&nbsp;He is targeting the Claret Jug and a third major title having won the Masters and US Open last year.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;This is a very, very special tournament; everybody knows that.&nbsp;I crave to have that trophy in my possession at some point, and to reach a third leg of the Grand Slam this week would be a fantastic achievement and a life-long goal of mine,&quot; said Spieth, who is not in the best of form but has history on his, or at least his country&#39;s, side. 
 
The Open has been played at Troon eight times, with the last six winners all American, most recently Todd Hamilton in 2004. In 1997 the winner was Justin Leonard, a Texan just like Spieth. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t think it impacts you, but I think it&#39;s very cool to walk through the clubhouse halls to see that,&quot; said Spieth of Troon`s history. 
 
Dustin Johnson may be the favourite and Day the world number one, but all of the sport&#39;s leading players must beware the potential pitfalls in store.&nbsp;Troon is home to one of golf&#39;s most iconic and deeply unpredictable holes, the 123-yard par-three eighth known as the Postage Stamp.&nbsp;Here is where German amateur Herman Tissies took 15 in 1950 but also where a 71-year-old Gene Sarazen had a hole-in-one in 1973. 
 
&quot;I think I took an eight or a nine, so that didn&#39;t go too well,&quot; McIlroy said of his efforts in practice.&nbsp;&quot;If you make four threes there this week, you&#39;re probably going to gain a bit of ground on the field.&quot; 
 
Then there is the 11th, a 482-yard par-four with the Glasgow to Ayr railway line immediately over a four-foot high stone wall to the right side. Jack Nicklaus took 10 here in 1962. 
 
&quot;They&#39;re both incredibly difficult, yeah,&quot; acknowledged England&#39;s Justin Rose of the two holes. 
 
With this being the first Open at Troon since 2004, the younger stars of modern golf are unfamiliar with the course, but one man who knows it all too well is Colin Montgomerie.&nbsp;This is the veteran Scot&#39;s home-town Open, and his 86-year-old father will become club president next week. 
&nbsp; 
Montgomerie came through qualifying and will hit the championship&#39;s first tee shot at 6:35 am local time (0535 GMT) on Thursday as he goes out with Luke Donald and Australia&#39;s Marc Leishman. 
&nbsp; 
The latter was involved in a three-way play-off in St Andrews last year that was won by the American Zach Johnson. It was played out in gloomy conditions on the Monday after wind and rain delayed the finish. 
 
The hope is for calmer weather this year, although Friday is expected to be particularly wet and the wind coming in from the Firth of Clyde is bound to make life difficult. 
 
&quot;If you get it breezy, like in any Open venue, this place really shows its teeth. I think it&#39;s a fantastic Open venue and a fantastic test of golf,&quot; acknowledged the current Masters champion Danny Willett. 
 
(AFP)

Rory McIlroy is targeting the Claret Jug and a third major title, having won the Masters and US Open last year

Treacherous and unfamiliar challenges lie in wait as the British Open returns to Royal Troon this week, and Rory McIlroy returns to the hunt for the Claret Jug. McIlroy, who leads a host of the sport's biggest names to have withdrawn in controversial circumstances from next month's Rio Olympics, is bidding to win his fifth major and second Open after his victory at Hoylake in 2014. Twelve months ago McIlroy was missing from the field in St Andrews after suffering an ankle injury while playing football, but he will tee off on Thursday morning in the same group as Bubba Watson and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama. "I'm excited to be back and to a golf course that I've never played before," the Northern Irishman, number four in the world, told reporters on Tuesday. "I don't really have any experience here at Troon, so it was good to get a couple of good looks at it last week, and then I just played another 18 holes this morning." Troon is where Tiger Woods first played in the Open as a professional in 1997. The ailing 14-time major winner is not in this year's field and instead the focus is on the current 'Big Four' of McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and recent US Open winner Dustin Johnson. They have all withdrawn from the Rio Games amid much-publicised fears about the Zika virus, with Spieth pulling out at the last minute on Monday. The 22-year-old Texan will be relieved to be able to focus on the Open now after being hit with a barrage of questions about the Olympics on Tuesday. He is targeting the Claret Jug and a third major title having won the Masters and US Open last year. "This is a very, very special tournament; everybody knows that. I crave to have that trophy in my possession at some point, and to reach a third leg of the Grand Slam this week would be a fantastic achievement and a life-long goal of mine," said Spieth, who is not in the best of form but has history on his, or at least his country's, side. The Open has been played at Troon eight times, with the last six winners all American, most recently Todd Hamilton in 2004. In 1997 the winner was Justin Leonard, a Texan just like Spieth. "I don't think it impacts you, but I think it's very cool to walk through the clubhouse halls to see that," said Spieth of Troon`s history. Dustin Johnson may be the favourite and Day the world number one, but all of the sport's leading players must beware the potential pitfalls in store. Troon is home to one of golf's most iconic and deeply unpredictable holes, the 123-yard par-three eighth known as the Postage Stamp. Here is where German amateur Herman Tissies took 15 in 1950 but also where a 71-year-old Gene Sarazen had a hole-in-one in 1973. "I think I took an eight or a nine, so that didn't go too well," McIlroy said of his efforts in practice. "If you make four threes there this week, you're probably going to gain a bit of ground on the field." Then there is the 11th, a 482-yard par-four with the Glasgow to Ayr railway line immediately over a four-foot high stone wall to the right side. Jack Nicklaus took 10 here in 1962. "They're both incredibly difficult, yeah," acknowledged England's Justin Rose of the two holes. With this being the first Open at Troon since 2004, the younger stars of modern golf are unfamiliar with the course, but one man who knows it all too well is Colin Montgomerie. This is the veteran Scot's home-town Open, and his 86-year-old father will become club president next week. Montgomerie came through qualifying and will hit the championship's first tee shot at 6:35 am local time (0535 GMT) on Thursday as he goes out with Luke Donald and Australia's Marc Leishman. The latter was involved in a three-way play-off in St Andrews last year that was won by the American Zach Johnson. It was played out in gloomy conditions on the Monday after wind and rain delayed the finish. The hope is for calmer weather this year, although Friday is expected to be particularly wet and the wind coming in from the Firth of Clyde is bound to make life difficult. "If you get it breezy, like in any Open venue, this place really shows its teeth. I think it's a fantastic Open venue and a fantastic test of golf," acknowledged the current Masters champion Danny Willett. (AFP)

Mcllroy of the 'Big Four' braces for Troon test in British Open

A Court of Arbitration for Sport decision on the two-year doping ban for Maria Sharapova has been put back two months to September, the court said today, ruling the tennis superstar out of the Rio Olympics. 
 
The 29-year-old Russian, one of the biggest names in tennis, tested positive for the banned medication meldonium during January`s Australian Open, in a severe blow to her reputation. 
 
&quot;Maria Sharapova and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) have agreed to defer the CAS decision until September 2016,&quot; said a CAS statement. 
 
&quot;Due to the parties requiring additional time to complete and respond to their respective evidentiary submissions, and several scheduling conflicts, the parties have agreed not to expedite the appeal. A decision is expected to be issued by September 19, 2016.&quot; 
 
The original ruling was expected by July 18, with Sharapova hoping that a successful appeal would have allowed her to spearhead the Russian tennis team in Rio. 
 
Russia&#39;s participation at the Games, which begin on August 5, is already under fierce scrutiny after its track and field team was banned for separate state-sponsored doping. 
 
Sharapova&#39;s ban was backdated to January 26 this year, when she tested positive for the prohibited substance. 
 
Meldonium was added to the world anti-doping WADA list on January 1. Sharapova said she had been taking it for 10 years to help treat illnesses, a heart issue and a magnesium deficiency. 
 
Sharapova has previously blasted the ban as &quot;unfairly harsh&quot;. 
 
The CAS statement added: &quot;In her appeal to the CAS, Ms Sharapova seeks the annulment of the (ITF) tribunal`s decision to sanction her with a two-year period of ineligibility further to an anti-doping rule violation.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Ms Sharapova submits that the period of ineligibility should be eliminated, or in the alternative, reduced. The final decision will be announced and published by CAS when it is available.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Maria Sharapova, one of the biggest names in tennis, tested positive for the banned medication meldonium during January's Australian Open

A Court of Arbitration for Sport decision on the two-year doping ban for Maria Sharapova has been put back two months to September, the court said today, ruling the tennis superstar out of the Rio Olympics. The 29-year-old Russian, one of the biggest names in tennis, tested positive for the banned medication meldonium during January`s Australian Open, in a severe blow to her reputation. "Maria Sharapova and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) have agreed to defer the CAS decision until September 2016," said a CAS statement. "Due to the parties requiring additional time to complete and respond to their respective evidentiary submissions, and several scheduling conflicts, the parties have agreed not to expedite the appeal. A decision is expected to be issued by September 19, 2016." The original ruling was expected by July 18, with Sharapova hoping that a successful appeal would have allowed her to spearhead the Russian tennis team in Rio. Russia's participation at the Games, which begin on August 5, is already under fierce scrutiny after its track and field team was banned for separate state-sponsored doping. Sharapova's ban was backdated to January 26 this year, when she tested positive for the prohibited substance. Meldonium was added to the world anti-doping WADA list on January 1. Sharapova said she had been taking it for 10 years to help treat illnesses, a heart issue and a magnesium deficiency. Sharapova has previously blasted the ban as "unfairly harsh". The CAS statement added: "In her appeal to the CAS, Ms Sharapova seeks the annulment of the (ITF) tribunal`s decision to sanction her with a two-year period of ineligibility further to an anti-doping rule violation. "Ms Sharapova submits that the period of ineligibility should be eliminated, or in the alternative, reduced. The final decision will be announced and published by CAS when it is available." (AFP)

Sharapova out of Rio as CAS delays doping decision

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) urged the Kenyan government to act &quot;quickly in the interest of protecting clean sport&quot; after the athletics powerhouse found itself caught in the eye of a fresh doping storm. 
 
A new investigation by German television channel ARD and Britain&#39;s Sunday Times newspaper alleged on Saturday that doping is rife at the elite training centre in Iten. 
 
Previous joint research by ARD and the British newspaper led to the banning of the Russian athletics team from the Olympic Games for state-sponsored doping. 
 
Over the past three years, around 40 Kenyan athletes have failed doping tests, shredding their reputation for probity and laying bare the reality behind their reputation as the most dominant middle-to-long distance running nation in the world.&nbsp; 
 
The allegations are a major blow as they follow only weeks after Kenyan lawmakers passed a law, having been threatened with a similar sanction as the Russians by WADA - making it a criminal act to either dope or to supply such products. 
 
The documentary, largely filmed with a hidden camera, says it successfully infiltrated a team, posing as an athlete, in the training centre, a favoured spot for distance runners, both Kenyan and European, as it is at high altitude - 2,400 metres above sea level. 
 
The documentary shows images of boxes of the endurance-boosting drug EPO on the inside of the training centre and used syringes dumped in a bin. 
 
EPO is shown to be widely available in the pharmacies around the centre whilst two doctors are only too willing to propose supplying the journalist posing as an athlete with doping products. 
&nbsp; 
One of the two doctors claims to have supplied to &quot;more than 50 athletes, including three British runners, based on his guarantee he could dramatically improve their performances in &quot;three months&quot;. 
 
&quot;Even if the athletes are subjected to doping tests they will find nothing,&quot; says the doctor. 
 
&quot;That is what the top level athletes take.&quot; 
 
The same doctor, according to ARD, when approached again retracted his claims and said he had nothing to do with doping and to have made up supplying the products. 
 
However, both he and the other doctor featured have since been arrested by Kenyan police, according to ARD. 
 
A man said to be the coach of an Olympic champion, appearing with his face hidden, confirms the claims made in the documentary. 
&quot;The great majority of the athletes who appear out of nowhere are doped,&quot; he says. 
 
The chief executive of UK Anti-Doping, Nicole Sapstead, said the report was &quot;of grave concern and of significant interest&quot;, adding they were investigating. 
 
&quot;I can confirm that this evidence is being treated with the utmost importance and urgency, and two UKAD staff are currently in Kenya pursuing a number of lines of enquiry,&quot; she said in a statement. 
 
Newly-installed WADA director-general Olivier Niggli, in a statement issued from the organisation&#39;s Montreal headquarters, said he had &quot;full confidence &quot; in UKAD. 
 
He added: &quot;This article is one in a series of reports questioning Kenya`s ability to effectively address doping; and, suggesting that there exists a culture of doping in the country. 
 
&quot;At the very least, this is an indication that the Kenyan government must quickly put the necessary human resources behind Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) in the interest of protecting clean sport.&quot; 
 
Earlier, ADAK head Japhter Rugut told ARD: &quot;We can see that we have a lot of problems at grassroots level and we will work with the police so as to weed out all those implicated in these criminal activities, both sports people and doctors, who will have to answer for their actions. 
 
&quot;We want to go to Rio with a clean team.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

A documentary by German TV and British newspaper showed boxes of endurance-boosting drug EPO and syringes inside the training centre at Iten

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) urged the Kenyan government to act "quickly in the interest of protecting clean sport" after the athletics powerhouse found itself caught in the eye of a fresh doping storm. A new investigation by German television channel ARD and Britain's Sunday Times newspaper alleged on Saturday that doping is rife at the elite training centre in Iten. Previous joint research by ARD and the British newspaper led to the banning of the Russian athletics team from the Olympic Games for state-sponsored doping. Over the past three years, around 40 Kenyan athletes have failed doping tests, shredding their reputation for probity and laying bare the reality behind their reputation as the most dominant middle-to-long distance running nation in the world. The allegations are a major blow as they follow only weeks after Kenyan lawmakers passed a law, having been threatened with a similar sanction as the Russians by WADA - making it a criminal act to either dope or to supply such products. The documentary, largely filmed with a hidden camera, says it successfully infiltrated a team, posing as an athlete, in the training centre, a favoured spot for distance runners, both Kenyan and European, as it is at high altitude - 2,400 metres above sea level. The documentary shows images of boxes of the endurance-boosting drug EPO on the inside of the training centre and used syringes dumped in a bin. EPO is shown to be widely available in the pharmacies around the centre whilst two doctors are only too willing to propose supplying the journalist posing as an athlete with doping products. One of the two doctors claims to have supplied to "more than 50 athletes, including three British runners, based on his guarantee he could dramatically improve their performances in "three months". "Even if the athletes are subjected to doping tests they will find nothing," says the doctor. "That is what the top level athletes take." The same doctor, according to ARD, when approached again retracted his claims and said he had nothing to do with doping and to have made up supplying the products. However, both he and the other doctor featured have since been arrested by Kenyan police, according to ARD. A man said to be the coach of an Olympic champion, appearing with his face hidden, confirms the claims made in the documentary. "The great majority of the athletes who appear out of nowhere are doped," he says. The chief executive of UK Anti-Doping, Nicole Sapstead, said the report was "of grave concern and of significant interest", adding they were investigating. "I can confirm that this evidence is being treated with the utmost importance and urgency, and two UKAD staff are currently in Kenya pursuing a number of lines of enquiry," she said in a statement. Newly-installed WADA director-general Olivier Niggli, in a statement issued from the organisation's Montreal headquarters, said he had "full confidence " in UKAD. He added: "This article is one in a series of reports questioning Kenya`s ability to effectively address doping; and, suggesting that there exists a culture of doping in the country. "At the very least, this is an indication that the Kenyan government must quickly put the necessary human resources behind Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) in the interest of protecting clean sport." Earlier, ADAK head Japhter Rugut told ARD: "We can see that we have a lot of problems at grassroots level and we will work with the police so as to weed out all those implicated in these criminal activities, both sports people and doctors, who will have to answer for their actions. "We want to go to Rio with a clean team." (AFP)

World agency calls for 'quick action' after another Kenya doping scandal

Italian luxury sports carmaker Lamborghini is betting big on the Indian market, expecting sales to grow in double digits with the emergence of new set of customers such as first generation entrepreneurs and demand coming from smaller cities. 
 
The company, which commands around 40 per cent of the niche segment in India, sold 55 cars last year and expects the market to substantially expand in the coming years. 
 
&quot;The super sports luxury car segment in India has been seeing a change in terms of customers. Earlier, it used to be second or third generation entrepreneurs but today we see young first generation entrepreneurs also buying our cars,&quot; Lamborghini India head Sharad Agarwal told PTI. 
 
He further said: &quot;Besides, we also see demand coming not only from metros but from smaller cities like Agra, Bhubaneswar and Kochi. That shows the potential that Indian market has.&quot; 
 
Lamborghini India is also targeting women to develop as a new set of customers. 
 
&quot;We are taking first steps to tap them by organising drives on city roads and on track, give them a chance to get the Lamborghini experience,&quot; he added. 
 
Lamborghini has just three showrooms in India&nbsp; 
 
Lamborghini competes with the likes of Ferrari in the segment with cars priced at Rs 2 crore and above with horse power 400 HP onwards. 
 
The company sells a range of sports cars under its Huracan and Aventador families priced between Rs 3.07 crore and Rs 6.2 crore (ex-showroom Delhi). 
 
While he did not share the company&#39;s targets for India, Agarwal said: &quot;It&#39;s a very important market for us. We are investing a lot on developing our network and effort to reach out to customers. We expect to grow in double digits.&quot; 
 
Last year, he said, &quot;We saw growth coming back in the market segment after declining in the previous years&quot;. 
 
With sentiment improving and economy growing again, Agrawal said demand is expected to increase. 
 
India still is a very small market for the company compared to other global markets. It has three showrooms in the country at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. 
 
In 2015, the Italian firm had sold a total of 3,251 units globally with the US the top market with over 1,000 units. 
 
(PTI)

The luxury sports carmaker is also targeting women to develop as a new set of customers, apart from first generation entrepreneurs

Italian luxury sports carmaker Lamborghini is betting big on the Indian market, expecting sales to grow in double digits with the emergence of new set of customers such as first generation entrepreneurs and demand coming from smaller cities. The company, which commands around 40 per cent of the niche segment in India, sold 55 cars last year and expects the market to substantially expand in the coming years. "The super sports luxury car segment in India has been seeing a change in terms of customers. Earlier, it used to be second or third generation entrepreneurs but today we see young first generation entrepreneurs also buying our cars," Lamborghini India head Sharad Agarwal told PTI. He further said: "Besides, we also see demand coming not only from metros but from smaller cities like Agra, Bhubaneswar and Kochi. That shows the potential that Indian market has." Lamborghini India is also targeting women to develop as a new set of customers. "We are taking first steps to tap them by organising drives on city roads and on track, give them a chance to get the Lamborghini experience," he added. Lamborghini has just three showrooms in India Lamborghini competes with the likes of Ferrari in the segment with cars priced at Rs 2 crore and above with horse power 400 HP onwards. The company sells a range of sports cars under its Huracan and Aventador families priced between Rs 3.07 crore and Rs 6.2 crore (ex-showroom Delhi). While he did not share the company's targets for India, Agarwal said: "It's a very important market for us. We are investing a lot on developing our network and effort to reach out to customers. We expect to grow in double digits." Last year, he said, "We saw growth coming back in the market segment after declining in the previous years". With sentiment improving and economy growing again, Agrawal said demand is expected to increase. India still is a very small market for the company compared to other global markets. It has three showrooms in the country at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. In 2015, the Italian firm had sold a total of 3,251 units globally with the US the top market with over 1,000 units. (PTI)

Lamborghini bets big on India, eyes double digit sales growth

Russian breastroke swimmer Vitalina Simonova has been suspended for four years after testing positive for a banned substance, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) has announced. 
 
The test result related to an out of competition sample the 23-year-old gave on June 29, 2015 during a training camp in Naoussa, Greece, where testosterone was found. 
 
The ban is backdated and runs until June 28, 2019, FINA said in a statement on its official website.&nbsp; 
 
The Russian won bronze at the 2014 European Championships in the medley relay and claimed silver at the 2013 European short course championships in the 200 metres breaststroke.&nbsp; 
 
Simonova, who was not selected to compete at this year&#39;s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, intends to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the suspension. 
 
&quot;The banned substance was in a dietary supplement, but it was not indicated on the packaging,&quot; Simonova told the R-Sport news agency.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I am upset that our arguments have not been listened to, but I intend to carry on and will look to defend myself at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. I have no intention of retiring,&quot; she added. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Vitalina Simonova, who was not selected to compete at this year's Rio Olympics, intends to appeal to CAS against the suspension

Russian breastroke swimmer Vitalina Simonova has been suspended for four years after testing positive for a banned substance, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) has announced. The test result related to an out of competition sample the 23-year-old gave on June 29, 2015 during a training camp in Naoussa, Greece, where testosterone was found. The ban is backdated and runs until June 28, 2019, FINA said in a statement on its official website. The Russian won bronze at the 2014 European Championships in the medley relay and claimed silver at the 2013 European short course championships in the 200 metres breaststroke. Simonova, who was not selected to compete at this year's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, intends to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the suspension. "The banned substance was in a dietary supplement, but it was not indicated on the packaging," Simonova told the R-Sport news agency. "I am upset that our arguments have not been listened to, but I intend to carry on and will look to defend myself at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. I have no intention of retiring," she added. (Reuters)

Russian swimmer Simonova gets four-year doping ban

India&#39;s Anirban Lahiri has targeted a top 10 finish at next week&#39;s British Open at Royal Troon as the reigning Asian Tour number one gears up for a bumper month of golf that ends with the Rio Olympics in August. 
 
Lahiri, who turned 29 last week, finished tied for 31st in his British Open debut in 2012 and will make his fourth appearance at the championship at the Scottish links from July 14-17. 
 
&quot;The Open is truly a special tournament,&quot; Lahiri told the Asian Tour. &quot;I&#39;ve had a couple of decent outings but feel like I missed out both times on a top-10 finish. 
 
&quot;Hopefully Troon suits my eye and I can play consistently throughout the week. A top-10 or better would be my goal this year. 
 
&quot;I like playing links courses,&quot; Lahiri added. &quot;You have to be creative and strategically efficient to play well on them. Also I am comfortable flighting down my ball-flight, which is a must in windy conditions. 
 
Lahiri, whose tied fifth finish at the PGA Championship last year is the best by an Indian golfer, feels consistency has been lacking from his game in his first full season on the PGA Tour. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s been a very slow and sluggish season. I have been inconsistent and have got off to good starts on a few occasions only to have a disappointing weekend. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s frustrating when your &#39;A&#39; game feels right around the corner but does not show up as frequently as you would like. 
 
&quot;In any case the first season on a new tour is always the toughest and I&#39;m satisfied that I am in a good position to keep my playing privileges for next year.&quot; 
 
While a number of top-ranked male golfers have withdrawn from the Rio Games due to Zika fears, Lahiri, ranked 62nd in the world, is excited at the prospect of representing India at the Aug. 5-21 Games, which will see the sport return to the Olympics after a 112-year gap. 
 
&quot;Managing energy levels and conditioning are a big challenge this season,&quot; Lahiri added. &quot;I will look to skip a few events leading up to the big ones if I feel like I need to take a break. 
 
&quot;My coach will be here in America for two weeks to work on all aspects of the game and sharpen it up for the majors and the Olympics. 
 
&quot;Hopefully I can pace myself just right to peak during the majors and Olympics. That&#39;s the goal.&rdquo; 
 
(Reuters)

Lahiri finished tied for 31st in his British Open debut in 2012 and will make his fourth appearance at the championship

India's Anirban Lahiri has targeted a top 10 finish at next week's British Open at Royal Troon as the reigning Asian Tour number one gears up for a bumper month of golf that ends with the Rio Olympics in August. Lahiri, who turned 29 last week, finished tied for 31st in his British Open debut in 2012 and will make his fourth appearance at the championship at the Scottish links from July 14-17. "The Open is truly a special tournament," Lahiri told the Asian Tour. "I've had a couple of decent outings but feel like I missed out both times on a top-10 finish. "Hopefully Troon suits my eye and I can play consistently throughout the week. A top-10 or better would be my goal this year. "I like playing links courses," Lahiri added. "You have to be creative and strategically efficient to play well on them. Also I am comfortable flighting down my ball-flight, which is a must in windy conditions. Lahiri, whose tied fifth finish at the PGA Championship last year is the best by an Indian golfer, feels consistency has been lacking from his game in his first full season on the PGA Tour. "It's been a very slow and sluggish season. I have been inconsistent and have got off to good starts on a few occasions only to have a disappointing weekend. "It's frustrating when your 'A' game feels right around the corner but does not show up as frequently as you would like. "In any case the first season on a new tour is always the toughest and I'm satisfied that I am in a good position to keep my playing privileges for next year." While a number of top-ranked male golfers have withdrawn from the Rio Games due to Zika fears, Lahiri, ranked 62nd in the world, is excited at the prospect of representing India at the Aug. 5-21 Games, which will see the sport return to the Olympics after a 112-year gap. "Managing energy levels and conditioning are a big challenge this season," Lahiri added. "I will look to skip a few events leading up to the big ones if I feel like I need to take a break. "My coach will be here in America for two weeks to work on all aspects of the game and sharpen it up for the majors and the Olympics. "Hopefully I can pace myself just right to peak during the majors and Olympics. That's the goal.” (Reuters)

India's Anirban Lahiri targets British Open top 10

Six-time champion Serena Williams stormed into her ninth Wimbledon final in record time today and will meet Angelique Kerber after the German ended Venus Williams&#39;s hopes of becoming the oldest woman in the title match in 22 years.

Serena, bidding for a seventh Wimbledon and an Open Era record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title, took just 48mins 34sec, the fastest ever semi-final at the All England Club, to secure a 6-2, 6-0 win over world number 50 Elena Vesnina.

But her hopes of meeting Venus for the fifth time in a Wimbledon final and ninth time at a major were shattered when fourth seed Angelique Kerber, the Australian Open champion, saw off the 36-year-old 6-4, 6-4.

Serena, playing in her 32nd Grand Slam semi-final, blasted last-four debutant Vesnina off the sun-kissed Centre Court in front of Prince William&#39;s wife Kate watching from up in the Royal Box.

The American fired 11 aces, 28 winners and committed just seven unforced errors, breaking serve five times to reach her 28th Grand Slam final.

Vesnina won just three points off the Williams serve in the first set and none in the second.

&quot;I&#39;m very happy. I was really focused today. We&#39;ve had tough matches before and I knew she could bring it to me on this surface,&quot; said Williams, who has now defeated the Russian five times in five meetings.

Despite the painfully one-sided semi-final Williams, into her third Grand Slam final of the year, insisted it had been a tough workout.

&quot;It&#39;s never easy out there, every point you have to fight for,&quot; she said.

Vesnina, who was due to face Serena again in the women&#39;s doubles later Thursday, admitted she just wasn&#39;t good enough.

&quot;I felt like I had no chance. Serena was playing really good. She was in a great mood, and her serve was working really well. She was placing it amazingly,&quot; said the Russian.

&quot;She was just better all over the court.&quot; 
 
Enjoying life

Today&rsquo;s contest saw Serena race to a 4-0 lead in the first set before 29-year-old Vesnina got on the board. But the set was over in 28 minutes courtesy of Williams&#39;s seventh ace.

The second set was wrapped up in just 20 minutes with breaks in the first, third and fifth games.

Saturday&#39;s final will give Serena a chance to win a first major of the season after losing to Kerber in the final in Melbourne and Garbine Muguruza in Paris.

Kerber saw off five-time champion Venus in 71 minutes on Centre Court to reach her first All England Club title match.

&quot;Venus won so many times here and was playing really well. That&#39;s why I&#39;m so happy to reach my first Wimbledon final,&quot; Kerber said.

&quot;It&#39;s a really good feeling. I&#39;m really enjoying my tennis life.&quot;

Kerber, 28, stunned Serena to win her maiden Grand Slam crown in the Australian Open final in January.

Kerber can now set her sights on becoming the first player to defeat both of the American siblings in the same Grand Slam since Kim Clijsters at the 2009 US Open.

If she can cause another upset against Serena, Kerber would become the first German woman to win Wimbledon since Steffi Graf in 1996.

She has raced through her six matches at Wimbledon without dropping a set, has a WTA tour-best 34 match wins in 2016 and is guaranteed to rise to a career-high second in the world rankings next week.

Venus had won all eight of her previous Wimbledon semi-finals dating back 16 years to her maiden appearance in the last four when she defeated Serena.

But in her first All England Club semi-final for seven years, Venus-&nbsp;the oldest woman to make the last four since Martina Navratilova in 1994&nbsp;was unable to roll back the years one more time. 
 
(AFP)

Kerber saw off Venus, shattering hopes of Serena Williams meeting her sister for the fifth time in a Wimbledon final

Six-time champion Serena Williams stormed into her ninth Wimbledon final in record time today and will meet Angelique Kerber after the German ended Venus Williams's hopes of becoming the oldest woman in the title match in 22 years. Serena, bidding for a seventh Wimbledon and an Open Era record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title, took just 48mins 34sec, the fastest ever semi-final at the All England Club, to secure a 6-2, 6-0 win over world number 50 Elena Vesnina. But her hopes of meeting Venus for the fifth time in a Wimbledon final and ninth time at a major were shattered when fourth seed Angelique Kerber, the Australian Open champion, saw off the 36-year-old 6-4, 6-4. Serena, playing in her 32nd Grand Slam semi-final, blasted last-four debutant Vesnina off the sun-kissed Centre Court in front of Prince William's wife Kate watching from up in the Royal Box. The American fired 11 aces, 28 winners and committed just seven unforced errors, breaking serve five times to reach her 28th Grand Slam final. Vesnina won just three points off the Williams serve in the first set and none in the second. "I'm very happy. I was really focused today. We've had tough matches before and I knew she could bring it to me on this surface," said Williams, who has now defeated the Russian five times in five meetings. Despite the painfully one-sided semi-final Williams, into her third Grand Slam final of the year, insisted it had been a tough workout. "It's never easy out there, every point you have to fight for," she said. Vesnina, who was due to face Serena again in the women's doubles later Thursday, admitted she just wasn't good enough. "I felt like I had no chance. Serena was playing really good. She was in a great mood, and her serve was working really well. She was placing it amazingly," said the Russian. "She was just better all over the court." Enjoying life Today’s contest saw Serena race to a 4-0 lead in the first set before 29-year-old Vesnina got on the board. But the set was over in 28 minutes courtesy of Williams's seventh ace. The second set was wrapped up in just 20 minutes with breaks in the first, third and fifth games. Saturday's final will give Serena a chance to win a first major of the season after losing to Kerber in the final in Melbourne and Garbine Muguruza in Paris. Kerber saw off five-time champion Venus in 71 minutes on Centre Court to reach her first All England Club title match. "Venus won so many times here and was playing really well. That's why I'm so happy to reach my first Wimbledon final," Kerber said. "It's a really good feeling. I'm really enjoying my tennis life." Kerber, 28, stunned Serena to win her maiden Grand Slam crown in the Australian Open final in January. Kerber can now set her sights on becoming the first player to defeat both of the American siblings in the same Grand Slam since Kim Clijsters at the 2009 US Open. If she can cause another upset against Serena, Kerber would become the first German woman to win Wimbledon since Steffi Graf in 1996. She has raced through her six matches at Wimbledon without dropping a set, has a WTA tour-best 34 match wins in 2016 and is guaranteed to rise to a career-high second in the world rankings next week. Venus had won all eight of her previous Wimbledon semi-finals dating back 16 years to her maiden appearance in the last four when she defeated Serena. But in her first All England Club semi-final for seven years, Venus- the oldest woman to make the last four since Martina Navratilova in 1994 was unable to roll back the years one more time. (AFP)

Serena, Kerber to meet in Wimbledon final

Lewis Hamilton was booed on the podium after a last-lap collision with Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg handed the triple Formula One world champion a dramatic first Austrian Grand Prix victory today. 
 
Championship leader Rosberg, who had been in front with Hamilton in his slipstream, nursed his damaged car over the line for fourth place with his advantage cut to 11 points after nine of 21 rounds. 
 
&quot;I am gutted, it&rsquo;s unbelievable,&quot; said the German, accusing Hamilton of turning in and causing the accident that broke his front wing. 
 
Hamilton disagreed. 
 
&quot;I was on the outside, it wasn&#39;t me that had the crash,&quot; said the Briton, who now has three wins to Rosberg&#39;s five this season, over the team radio. 
 
The stewards appeared to back that up by opening an investigation into Rosberg&#39;s actions. 
 
The German was summoned to answer charges of causing a collision and failing to stop with a seriously damaged car. 
 
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff described the collision as &quot;brainless&quot;, without singling out either of his drivers for blame. 
 
The team revealed Rosberg had suffered a problem with his brake-by-wire system which went into &quot;passive mode&quot; at the end of the penultimate lap as Hamilton closed in. 
 
The crowd, small in comparison to the previous two years with rows of empty seats in the grandstands, made their disapproval evident with whistles and boos as Hamilton was interviewed on the podium. 
 
&quot;That&#39;s not my problem, it&#39;s their problem,&quot; the surprised Briton, who started on pole, shrugged when asked about the noise. 
 
&quot;I left a lot of room on the inside and I guess he locked up and crashed into me. I think he had a problem with his brakes potentially. I&#39;m here to win. That&#39;s all.&quot; 
 
Dutch teenager Max Verstappen finished second for Red Bull at their home track with Ferrari&#39;s Kimi Raikkonen third after teammate Sebastian Vettel crashed out on his 29th birthday when a rear tyre exploded. 
 
Hamilton&#39;s victory was the 250th in Formula One by a British driver since the championship started in 1950 and the 46th of his career. 
 
Australian Daniel Ricciardo was fifth for Red Bull with Britain&#39;s Jenson Button sixth for McLaren. 
 
Frenchman Romain Grosjean was seventh in a Haas ahead of Spaniard Carlos Sainz in a Toro Rosso and Finland&#39;s Valtteri Bottas for Williams. 
 
German rookie Pascal Wehrlein scored his first point in Formula One, and his Manor team&#39;s first of the season, with a remarkable 10th. 
 
(Reuters)

Nico Rosberg was summoned to answer charges of causing a collision and failing to stop with a seriously damaged car

Lewis Hamilton was booed on the podium after a last-lap collision with Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg handed the triple Formula One world champion a dramatic first Austrian Grand Prix victory today. Championship leader Rosberg, who had been in front with Hamilton in his slipstream, nursed his damaged car over the line for fourth place with his advantage cut to 11 points after nine of 21 rounds. "I am gutted, it’s unbelievable," said the German, accusing Hamilton of turning in and causing the accident that broke his front wing. Hamilton disagreed. "I was on the outside, it wasn't me that had the crash," said the Briton, who now has three wins to Rosberg's five this season, over the team radio. The stewards appeared to back that up by opening an investigation into Rosberg's actions. The German was summoned to answer charges of causing a collision and failing to stop with a seriously damaged car. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff described the collision as "brainless", without singling out either of his drivers for blame. The team revealed Rosberg had suffered a problem with his brake-by-wire system which went into "passive mode" at the end of the penultimate lap as Hamilton closed in. The crowd, small in comparison to the previous two years with rows of empty seats in the grandstands, made their disapproval evident with whistles and boos as Hamilton was interviewed on the podium. "That's not my problem, it's their problem," the surprised Briton, who started on pole, shrugged when asked about the noise. "I left a lot of room on the inside and I guess he locked up and crashed into me. I think he had a problem with his brakes potentially. I'm here to win. That's all." Dutch teenager Max Verstappen finished second for Red Bull at their home track with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen third after teammate Sebastian Vettel crashed out on his 29th birthday when a rear tyre exploded. Hamilton's victory was the 250th in Formula One by a British driver since the championship started in 1950 and the 46th of his career. Australian Daniel Ricciardo was fifth for Red Bull with Britain's Jenson Button sixth for McLaren. Frenchman Romain Grosjean was seventh in a Haas ahead of Spaniard Carlos Sainz in a Toro Rosso and Finland's Valtteri Bottas for Williams. German rookie Pascal Wehrlein scored his first point in Formula One, and his Manor team's first of the season, with a remarkable 10th. (Reuters)

Lewis Hamilton booed after dramatic Austrian victory

Tour de France fans will find it easier to follow their favourite riders during this year&#39;s race, thanks to new GPS tracking technology. 
 
Each of the 198 riders&#39; bikes will be fitted with a GPS tracking device that will communicate with those fitted to the other riders and to their team cars. 
 
The information will be analysed by a digital analytics platform run by Dimension Data, who also sponsor one of the Tour teams, and then be uploaded to a cloud which fans, media and even commentators will be able to access. 
 
 
Fans will be able to access highly accurate information&nbsp; 
 
The data will show more accurately a rider&#39;s current speed as well as his position within the group he&#39;s riding with and the distance between his group and others, or that between individual riders. It will make it easier for fans and media to evaluate the real-time situation during the race. 
 
Fans will be able to access highly accurate information via a Dimension Data website that will also demonstrate the weather conditions around a rider and even what gradient he is on. 
 
&quot;Everything we&#39;ve planned for the greatest cycling race in the world this year is focused on helping (organisers) ASO tell a compelling story about cycling as an exhilarating professional sport,&quot; said Dimension Data group executive Adam Foster in a statement.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;And true to ourselves as technology experts, we&#39;re using data to do just that,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
Dimension Data sponsor the only African team in the tour who last year rode under the name Qhubeka. 
 
British rider Stephen Cummings won a stage for Qhubeka last year while Eritrean Daniel Teklehaimanot, who is part of the team again this year, was one of the first black Africans to ride the Tour alongside compatriot Merhawi Kudus. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

Each of the 198 riders' bikes will be fitted with a GPS tracking device that will communicate with those fitted to the other riders

Tour de France fans will find it easier to follow their favourite riders during this year's race, thanks to new GPS tracking technology. Each of the 198 riders' bikes will be fitted with a GPS tracking device that will communicate with those fitted to the other riders and to their team cars. The information will be analysed by a digital analytics platform run by Dimension Data, who also sponsor one of the Tour teams, and then be uploaded to a cloud which fans, media and even commentators will be able to access. Fans will be able to access highly accurate information The data will show more accurately a rider's current speed as well as his position within the group he's riding with and the distance between his group and others, or that between individual riders. It will make it easier for fans and media to evaluate the real-time situation during the race. Fans will be able to access highly accurate information via a Dimension Data website that will also demonstrate the weather conditions around a rider and even what gradient he is on. "Everything we've planned for the greatest cycling race in the world this year is focused on helping (organisers) ASO tell a compelling story about cycling as an exhilarating professional sport," said Dimension Data group executive Adam Foster in a statement. "And true to ourselves as technology experts, we're using data to do just that," he added. Dimension Data sponsor the only African team in the tour who last year rode under the name Qhubeka. British rider Stephen Cummings won a stage for Qhubeka last year while Eritrean Daniel Teklehaimanot, who is part of the team again this year, was one of the first black Africans to ride the Tour alongside compatriot Merhawi Kudus. (AFP)

Tracking favourite riders would be easier this year for Tour de France fans?

On court Novak Djokovic is taking tennis to extraordinary new levels with his single-minded obsession with winning. Off it the Serbian is more than happy to share power. 
 
The 29-year-old will begin his attempt to win a fourth Wimbledon title on Monday when he plays British wildcard James Ward on Centre Court,12 months after claiming a second successive title by beating Roger Federer. 
 
While nothing will distract him from that goal, the dominant Serbian also knows that however big the gap is between himself and his rivals and it is a yawning chasm that no player is bigger than the sport. 
 
At his pre-tournament news conference at Wimbledon today, the world number one confirmed he had re-joined the 12-man ATP Players Council, along with chief rival Andy Murray and Murray&#39;s brother Jamie, the world&#39;s top doubles player. 
 
It is a responsibility Djokovic will apply himself to with the same devotion as his career for the next two years as tennis wrestles with the kind of doping and corruption scandals that have afflicted world sport. 
 
&quot;I&#39;ve been very flattered and humbled to be elected by my colleagues,&quot; Djokovic told reporters. 
 
&quot;The way I see it is that I managed to gain trust from players, which is very important to me. I have been part of the Player Council for three years earlier in my career. I`ve been familiar with the way the system works. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m hoping I can contribute to the evolution and to the betterment of our sport in every aspect.&quot; 
 
There is little argument that he has taken tennis to new levels of perfection since losing to Murray in the 2013 final here. 
 
Since then he has won six of the 11 grand slam titles on offer, taking his tally to 12 overall. 
 
In beating Murray at Roland Garros earlier this month he became the first man in 47 years to hold all four majors. 
 
He also won the ATP World Tour Finals in November and will have his eye on Olympic gold in August and probably the Davis Cup too. 
 
His immediate focus though is on a smooth opening to his Wimbledon campaign having chosen again not to play any grasscourt tournaments in the run-up. 
 
&quot;This year is quite different from previous years because I`m coming in with a Roland Garros title,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;That gives me, obviously, a lot of confidence. I&#39;ve played a lot of points in the practice sessions these four or five days, trying to be on the grass as much as I can. So I`m really keen on getting on the court.&quot; 
 
Djokovic, who beat Federer in the last two Wimbledon finals, could face a tough path to a hat-trick. 
 
Big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic is a potential quarter-final opponent with Federer possible in the semis. 
 
Ward is unlikely to pose too many problems, although Djokovic is well aware that the crowd will be rooting for his opponent when play begins on Monday. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s going to be the first match on the untouched grass,&quot; he said. &quot; That&#39;s probably one of the most special tennis matches that you get to experience as a tennis player. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m looking forward to that. Obviously I know that he doesn`t have much to lose.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

The 29-year-old will begin his attempt to win a fourth Wimbledon title on Monday when he plays British wildcard James Ward on Centre Court

On court Novak Djokovic is taking tennis to extraordinary new levels with his single-minded obsession with winning. Off it the Serbian is more than happy to share power. The 29-year-old will begin his attempt to win a fourth Wimbledon title on Monday when he plays British wildcard James Ward on Centre Court,12 months after claiming a second successive title by beating Roger Federer. While nothing will distract him from that goal, the dominant Serbian also knows that however big the gap is between himself and his rivals and it is a yawning chasm that no player is bigger than the sport. At his pre-tournament news conference at Wimbledon today, the world number one confirmed he had re-joined the 12-man ATP Players Council, along with chief rival Andy Murray and Murray's brother Jamie, the world's top doubles player. It is a responsibility Djokovic will apply himself to with the same devotion as his career for the next two years as tennis wrestles with the kind of doping and corruption scandals that have afflicted world sport. "I've been very flattered and humbled to be elected by my colleagues," Djokovic told reporters. "The way I see it is that I managed to gain trust from players, which is very important to me. I have been part of the Player Council for three years earlier in my career. I`ve been familiar with the way the system works. "I'm hoping I can contribute to the evolution and to the betterment of our sport in every aspect." There is little argument that he has taken tennis to new levels of perfection since losing to Murray in the 2013 final here. Since then he has won six of the 11 grand slam titles on offer, taking his tally to 12 overall. In beating Murray at Roland Garros earlier this month he became the first man in 47 years to hold all four majors. He also won the ATP World Tour Finals in November and will have his eye on Olympic gold in August and probably the Davis Cup too. His immediate focus though is on a smooth opening to his Wimbledon campaign having chosen again not to play any grasscourt tournaments in the run-up. "This year is quite different from previous years because I`m coming in with a Roland Garros title," he said. "That gives me, obviously, a lot of confidence. I've played a lot of points in the practice sessions these four or five days, trying to be on the grass as much as I can. So I`m really keen on getting on the court." Djokovic, who beat Federer in the last two Wimbledon finals, could face a tough path to a hat-trick. Big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic is a potential quarter-final opponent with Federer possible in the semis. Ward is unlikely to pose too many problems, although Djokovic is well aware that the crowd will be rooting for his opponent when play begins on Monday. "It's going to be the first match on the untouched grass," he said. " That's probably one of the most special tennis matches that you get to experience as a tennis player. "I'm looking forward to that. Obviously I know that he doesn`t have much to lose." (Reuters)

Djokovic focused on Wimbledon but sees bigger picture

Basketball fanatic Barack Obama named legendary centre Shaquille O&#39;Neal as sports envoy to Cuba&nbsp;on Friday, in a new sign of thawing ties between Washington and Havana. 
 
When the imposing seven-foot one-inch player was dominating courts for the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat in Florida, he was just a short hop from the island state. 
 
But, like other Americans, he was separated from his fans in communist Cuba by the US embargo on its economy and decades of Cold War hostility between the neighbours. 
 
The United States and Cuba finally restored ties last year and officials from both countries are gingerly negotiating a new relationship, even as parts of the embargo fall away. 
 
In the latest stage in the rapprochement, the retired baller will travel to Cuba from&nbsp;June 24 to 28, meet young people, talks sport and business, and visit cultural sites. 
 
(AFP)

Shaquille O'Neal will go on a four-day tour to Cuba where he will meet young people and talk about sports

Basketball fanatic Barack Obama named legendary centre Shaquille O'Neal as sports envoy to Cuba on Friday, in a new sign of thawing ties between Washington and Havana. When the imposing seven-foot one-inch player was dominating courts for the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat in Florida, he was just a short hop from the island state. But, like other Americans, he was separated from his fans in communist Cuba by the US embargo on its economy and decades of Cold War hostility between the neighbours. The United States and Cuba finally restored ties last year and officials from both countries are gingerly negotiating a new relationship, even as parts of the embargo fall away. In the latest stage in the rapprochement, the retired baller will travel to Cuba from June 24 to 28, meet young people, talks sport and business, and visit cultural sites. (AFP)

Viva Shaq! Obama names basketball legend as sports envoy to Cuba

India&#39;s pistol ace Jitu Rai clinched the silver medal at the ISSF Shooting World Cup after posting a score of 199.5 in the finals of the 10m air pistol event today. 
 
The 28-year-old, who won his sixth World Cup medal, finished second behind Brazillian Felipe Almeida Wu, who shot 200 to claim the gold medal. 
 
Jin Jongoh of South Korea settled for bronze with a score of 178.8.With the silver podium finish, Jitu has reaffirmed faith that he is in good shape ahead of the 2016 summer Olympics in Rio de Janerio, Brazil starting from August 5. 
 
On Friday, the world number one in 50m pistol had finished tenth in the qualification round of the event in Baku. Last September, he had become the first Indian shooter to earn a Rio quota with a second place finish at the World Championships in Spain. 
 
(ANI)

The 28-year-old won his sixth World Cup medal, finished second behind Brazillian Felipe Almeida Wu

India's pistol ace Jitu Rai clinched the silver medal at the ISSF Shooting World Cup after posting a score of 199.5 in the finals of the 10m air pistol event today. The 28-year-old, who won his sixth World Cup medal, finished second behind Brazillian Felipe Almeida Wu, who shot 200 to claim the gold medal. Jin Jongoh of South Korea settled for bronze with a score of 178.8.With the silver podium finish, Jitu has reaffirmed faith that he is in good shape ahead of the 2016 summer Olympics in Rio de Janerio, Brazil starting from August 5. On Friday, the world number one in 50m pistol had finished tenth in the qualification round of the event in Baku. Last September, he had become the first Indian shooter to earn a Rio quota with a second place finish at the World Championships in Spain. (ANI)

Indian shooter Jitu Rai bags silver in Baku World Cup

Cameron McEvoy has that rare ability to bend water to his will and the sprinter could help Australia to a bumper haul of swimming medals at the Rio Games, five-time Olympic champion Ian Thorpe has told Reuters. 
 
McEvoy posted a time of 47.04 seconds in the 100 metres freestyle at Australia&#39;s Olympic trials in April, the fastest recorded since synthetic suits were banned at the end of 2009. 
 
That put the 22-year-old among the favourites for Rio&#39;s blue riband sprint in August and to Thorpe was evidence that being a champion swimmer is about more than just physique. 
 
&quot;He is one of the most exciting swimmers I have seen,&quot; Thorpe, who won five gold, three silver and a bronze medal at the Sydney and Athens Olympics, told Reuters in an interview. 
 
While McEvoy, at 1.85m, is still towered over by many of his rivals, Thorpe said his technique and afinity with the water set him apart. 
 
&quot;I think people who are very successful in swimming are those that can capture the water, they learn how the water moves and how you can move within it,&quot; he added. 
 
&quot;A lot of people look to physical characteristics to explain people&#39;s brilliance and it really has very little to do with this. 
 
&quot;And with someone like Cameron McEvoy&#39;s stature, it shows those people &#39;I want to master the water.&#39;&quot; 
 
Thorpe, who will act as a panellist for India&#39;s Star Sports during the Olympics, also has high hopes for the Campbell sisters, Cate and Bronte, in Rio and said their sibbling rivalry can only bode well for the country&#39;s medal prospects. 
 
At the April trials, sprint queen Cate set the second fastest 50m freestyle of all time in 23.84 seconds, just 0.11 seconds shy of Britta Steffen&#39;s 2009 world record set in a synthetic swim-suit. 
 
She also set the year&#39;s fastest time of 52.38 seconds in the 100 freestyle, edging her sister and world champion Bronte, who was a runner-up despite carrying a shoulder injury. 
 
The sisters are set to clash in the 50 and 100 freestyle in Rio while teaming up in the women&#39;s 4x100m relay and 4x100m medley relays. 
 
&quot;I think the match-up between the Campbell sisters is very interesting,&quot; said Thorpe. &quot;Those two girls have swam so well and they are the best of friends. And number one and two in the world, which looks very good for our relay ...&quot; 
 
Australia has long relied on its swimmers to provide a bulk of medals at Olympics but won only a single relay title in London four years ago. 
 
The worst medal haul in 20 years led to a series of reviews that found evidence of bullying, drunkenness and the abuse of prescription drugs by some team members. 
 
Thorpe said the swim team would be out to redeem themselves at Rio. 
 
&quot;Australia has a very strong team. It&#39;s the best team that we have fielded for a decade I think when it comes to swimming,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;I feel we will win a number of gold medals. I am hesitant to say an exact number but I think it will be between four and six gold medals. 
 
&quot;We have more people that are ranked world number one than we did going into the London and we are very strong in a number of events .We will win some of the higher profile Olympic gold medals.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

McEvoy posted a time of 47.04 seconds in the 100 metres freestyle at Australia's Olympic trials in April

Cameron McEvoy has that rare ability to bend water to his will and the sprinter could help Australia to a bumper haul of swimming medals at the Rio Games, five-time Olympic champion Ian Thorpe has told Reuters. McEvoy posted a time of 47.04 seconds in the 100 metres freestyle at Australia's Olympic trials in April, the fastest recorded since synthetic suits were banned at the end of 2009. That put the 22-year-old among the favourites for Rio's blue riband sprint in August and to Thorpe was evidence that being a champion swimmer is about more than just physique. "He is one of the most exciting swimmers I have seen," Thorpe, who won five gold, three silver and a bronze medal at the Sydney and Athens Olympics, told Reuters in an interview. While McEvoy, at 1.85m, is still towered over by many of his rivals, Thorpe said his technique and afinity with the water set him apart. "I think people who are very successful in swimming are those that can capture the water, they learn how the water moves and how you can move within it," he added. "A lot of people look to physical characteristics to explain people's brilliance and it really has very little to do with this. "And with someone like Cameron McEvoy's stature, it shows those people 'I want to master the water.'" Thorpe, who will act as a panellist for India's Star Sports during the Olympics, also has high hopes for the Campbell sisters, Cate and Bronte, in Rio and said their sibbling rivalry can only bode well for the country's medal prospects. At the April trials, sprint queen Cate set the second fastest 50m freestyle of all time in 23.84 seconds, just 0.11 seconds shy of Britta Steffen's 2009 world record set in a synthetic swim-suit. She also set the year's fastest time of 52.38 seconds in the 100 freestyle, edging her sister and world champion Bronte, who was a runner-up despite carrying a shoulder injury. The sisters are set to clash in the 50 and 100 freestyle in Rio while teaming up in the women's 4x100m relay and 4x100m medley relays. "I think the match-up between the Campbell sisters is very interesting," said Thorpe. "Those two girls have swam so well and they are the best of friends. And number one and two in the world, which looks very good for our relay ..." Australia has long relied on its swimmers to provide a bulk of medals at Olympics but won only a single relay title in London four years ago. The worst medal haul in 20 years led to a series of reviews that found evidence of bullying, drunkenness and the abuse of prescription drugs by some team members. Thorpe said the swim team would be out to redeem themselves at Rio. "Australia has a very strong team. It's the best team that we have fielded for a decade I think when it comes to swimming," he said. "I feel we will win a number of gold medals. I am hesitant to say an exact number but I think it will be between four and six gold medals. "We have more people that are ranked world number one than we did going into the London and we are very strong in a number of events .We will win some of the higher profile Olympic gold medals." (Reuters)

Water whisperer McEvoy will lead Australia charge: Thorpe

Mandeep Singh blasted a quick-fire unbeaten half-century as India crushed Zimbabwe by 10 wickets to level the Twenty20 series on Monday. 
 
The result sets up a series decider in the third and final game that will also be played at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday. 
 
Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat, but could only muster 99 for nine in their 20 overs as the Indian bowlers strangled the run-rate. 
 
The tourists made short work of their reply, racing to their victory target off 13.1 overs as Mandeep Singh (52 from 40 balls) and fellow opener Lokesh Rahul (47 from 40 balls) put on a century stand. 
 
All the Zimbabwe batsmen struggled to score quick runs in their innings with none managing more than a run a ball. Peter Moor (31 from 32 balls) was the only one to muster any sort of resistance. 
 
Debutant seamer Barinder Sran took for wickets to lead the Indian charge, while fellow paceman Jasprit Bumrah picked up three wickets in his four overs. 
 
India also handed a debut to seamer Dhawal Kulkarni, though he was by far the most expensive of the bowlers as his one wicket cost 32 runs. 
 
(Reuters)

None of the Zimbabwean batsmen managed more than a run a ball

Mandeep Singh blasted a quick-fire unbeaten half-century as India crushed Zimbabwe by 10 wickets to level the Twenty20 series on Monday. The result sets up a series decider in the third and final game that will also be played at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday. Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat, but could only muster 99 for nine in their 20 overs as the Indian bowlers strangled the run-rate. The tourists made short work of their reply, racing to their victory target off 13.1 overs as Mandeep Singh (52 from 40 balls) and fellow opener Lokesh Rahul (47 from 40 balls) put on a century stand. All the Zimbabwe batsmen struggled to score quick runs in their innings with none managing more than a run a ball. Peter Moor (31 from 32 balls) was the only one to muster any sort of resistance. Debutant seamer Barinder Sran took for wickets to lead the Indian charge, while fellow paceman Jasprit Bumrah picked up three wickets in his four overs. India also handed a debut to seamer Dhawal Kulkarni, though he was by far the most expensive of the bowlers as his one wicket cost 32 runs. (Reuters)

India beat Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in 2nd T20, level series 1-1

Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat first in the crucial second T20 of the three-match series at Harare Sports Club today. 
 
As far as Playing XI is concerned, India have roped in Dhawal Kulkarni and Barinder Sran in place of Jaydev Unadkat and Rishi Dhawan for the must-win match while the hosts have replaced Mutumbami with Peter Moor.Having lost the first T20 in a thrilling encounter, India will have to win the second match in order to keep the series alive. 
 
Meanwhile, the hosts, who suffered a whitewash in the ODI series, will aim to seal the series.Zimbabwe are currently leading the series 1-0 following their two-run win in the opening T20. 
 
India Playing XI: KL Rahul, Mandeep Singh, Ambati Rayudu, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (captain), Axar Patel, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Barinder Sran, Yuzvendra Chahal.Zimbabwe Playing XI: Chamu Chibhabha, Hamilton Masakadza, Sikandar Raza, Malcolm Waller, Elton Chigumbura, Peter Moor, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Graeme Cremer, Neville Madziva, Taurai Muzarabani, Donald Tiripano. 
 
(ANI)

Dhawal Kulkarni and Barinder Sran make their debuts, replace Jaydev Unadkat and Rishi Dhawan

Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat first in the crucial second T20 of the three-match series at Harare Sports Club today. As far as Playing XI is concerned, India have roped in Dhawal Kulkarni and Barinder Sran in place of Jaydev Unadkat and Rishi Dhawan for the must-win match while the hosts have replaced Mutumbami with Peter Moor.Having lost the first T20 in a thrilling encounter, India will have to win the second match in order to keep the series alive. Meanwhile, the hosts, who suffered a whitewash in the ODI series, will aim to seal the series.Zimbabwe are currently leading the series 1-0 following their two-run win in the opening T20. India Playing XI: KL Rahul, Mandeep Singh, Ambati Rayudu, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (captain), Axar Patel, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Barinder Sran, Yuzvendra Chahal.Zimbabwe Playing XI: Chamu Chibhabha, Hamilton Masakadza, Sikandar Raza, Malcolm Waller, Elton Chigumbura, Peter Moor, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Graeme Cremer, Neville Madziva, Taurai Muzarabani, Donald Tiripano. (ANI)

Zimbabwe win toss, ask India to bowl first in second T20

Craig Reedie, the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, indicated today that he would be prepared to back a complete ban for the entire Russia team from August&#39;s Olympic Games in Rio. 
 
The founding president of WADA, Dick Pound, told Britain&#39;s Sunday Times newspaper that such a ban was &quot;not impossible&quot;. 
 
Friday saw the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) uphold an international ban on Russia&#39;s track and field competitors first imposed in November after a WADA team led by veteran Canadian sports administrator Pound revealed state-sponsored doping and mass corruption in Russian athletics.&nbsp; 
 
The Russia team is now ruled out of all events in athletics in Rio, although Russian athletes training outside the country can apply to compete as neutrals at the August 5-21 event in Brazil. 
 
The IAAF&#39;s decision was endorsed by the International Olympic Committee on Saturday. 
 
But there are fears that the scale of Russia&#39;s breaking of doping rules extend beyond just track and field. 
 
In May, WADA set up a new investigation under Professor Richard McLaren, a Canadian law professor and longstanding member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), into allegations of state-backed doping at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia. 
 
Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of the Russian lab now living in Los Angeles, also gave an interview to the New York Times last month in which he said he switched tainted urine samples for clean ones at the doping lab used for the Sochi Games, with help from people he believed to be officers of the Russian security services. 
 
McLaren, who is due to deliver his full report by July 15, said in a preliminary statement on Friday he had evidence that Russia&#39;s Ministry of Sport was involved in instructing a Moscow laboratory to &quot;not report positive sample results over the period before, during and after&quot; the 2013 World Athletics Championships. 
 
&quot;In the coming weeks, we will learn the outcome of our independent McLaren investigation,&quot; Reedie, speaking at the WADA symposium at London`s Lord&#39;s Cricket Ground, said Monday. 
 
&quot;If his report indicates transgressions of any kind, then there will be a precedent-setting opportunity to demonstrate our collective commitment to cleaning up sport,&quot; added the veteran British sports administrator, who reiterated WADA&#39;s support for the IAAF ban on Russia. 
 
&quot;The world will be watching.&quot; 
 
Reedie said the fact anti-doping laboratories in Beijing, Bloemfontein, Lisbon, Madrid and Moscow had all had their WADA accreditation suspended was proof that the organisation had taken &quot;decisive action&quot; by hearing the &quot;strength of the athlete&#39;s voice&quot; in insisting labs maintain the &quot;highest standards&quot;. 
 
This, said Reedie, was all part of &quot;levelling the playing field for each and every athlete competing in Rio&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile Reedie repeated his calls for increased WADA funding from national governments and also suggested that, for the first time, broadcasters and media rights-holders might want to contribute to the budget. 
 
Reedie said WADA was &quot;punching above its weight&quot; on a budget of less than $30 million a year, which he noted was less than the annual income of Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova, recently banned for a doping violation. 
 
Reedie added that 0.5 per cent of the worldwide sports television rights market would produce a WADA budget of $175 million and that it was in the rights-holders&#39; interest to promote clean sport. 
 
Russian President Vladmir Putin&nbsp;has labelled the IAAF&#39;s ban on his country&#39;s athletes as &quot;unjust and unfair&quot;. 
 
But IAAF president Sebastian Coe, who won Olympic 1500 metres gold and 800m silver for Great Britain at the 1980 Moscow Games, wrote in Britain&#39;s Sunday Telegraph: &quot;We have not prevented clean athletes from Russia from competing, rather the Russian system has cataclysmically failed their clean athletes.&quot; 
(AFP)

Russian athletes training outside the country can apply to compete as neutrals at the August event in Brazil

Craig Reedie, the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, indicated today that he would be prepared to back a complete ban for the entire Russia team from August's Olympic Games in Rio. The founding president of WADA, Dick Pound, told Britain's Sunday Times newspaper that such a ban was "not impossible". Friday saw the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) uphold an international ban on Russia's track and field competitors first imposed in November after a WADA team led by veteran Canadian sports administrator Pound revealed state-sponsored doping and mass corruption in Russian athletics. The Russia team is now ruled out of all events in athletics in Rio, although Russian athletes training outside the country can apply to compete as neutrals at the August 5-21 event in Brazil. The IAAF's decision was endorsed by the International Olympic Committee on Saturday. But there are fears that the scale of Russia's breaking of doping rules extend beyond just track and field. In May, WADA set up a new investigation under Professor Richard McLaren, a Canadian law professor and longstanding member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), into allegations of state-backed doping at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia. Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of the Russian lab now living in Los Angeles, also gave an interview to the New York Times last month in which he said he switched tainted urine samples for clean ones at the doping lab used for the Sochi Games, with help from people he believed to be officers of the Russian security services. McLaren, who is due to deliver his full report by July 15, said in a preliminary statement on Friday he had evidence that Russia's Ministry of Sport was involved in instructing a Moscow laboratory to "not report positive sample results over the period before, during and after" the 2013 World Athletics Championships. "In the coming weeks, we will learn the outcome of our independent McLaren investigation," Reedie, speaking at the WADA symposium at London`s Lord's Cricket Ground, said Monday. "If his report indicates transgressions of any kind, then there will be a precedent-setting opportunity to demonstrate our collective commitment to cleaning up sport," added the veteran British sports administrator, who reiterated WADA's support for the IAAF ban on Russia. "The world will be watching." Reedie said the fact anti-doping laboratories in Beijing, Bloemfontein, Lisbon, Madrid and Moscow had all had their WADA accreditation suspended was proof that the organisation had taken "decisive action" by hearing the "strength of the athlete's voice" in insisting labs maintain the "highest standards". This, said Reedie, was all part of "levelling the playing field for each and every athlete competing in Rio". Meanwhile Reedie repeated his calls for increased WADA funding from national governments and also suggested that, for the first time, broadcasters and media rights-holders might want to contribute to the budget. Reedie said WADA was "punching above its weight" on a budget of less than $30 million a year, which he noted was less than the annual income of Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova, recently banned for a doping violation. Reedie added that 0.5 per cent of the worldwide sports television rights market would produce a WADA budget of $175 million and that it was in the rights-holders' interest to promote clean sport. Russian President Vladmir Putin has labelled the IAAF's ban on his country's athletes as "unjust and unfair". But IAAF president Sebastian Coe, who won Olympic 1500 metres gold and 800m silver for Great Britain at the 1980 Moscow Games, wrote in Britain's Sunday Telegraph: "We have not prevented clean athletes from Russia from competing, rather the Russian system has cataclysmically failed their clean athletes." (AFP)

World Anti-Doping Agency prepared to ban entire Russian team from Rio Olympics

Excitement was building today as LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers looked to complete the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history by dethroning defending champion Golden State in a winner-take-all title showdown. 
 
Trailing 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, the Cavaliers downed the Warriors twice behind 41-point efforts from James to level the best-of-seven series and force a one-game spectacle to decide the crown - just like the NFL Super Bowl five months ago in nearby Santa Clara. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s pretty cool,&quot; James said. &quot;It&#39;s like Super Bowl Sunday. It&#39;s one game and you look forward to it. I&#39;m happy I&#39;m able just to be part of it.&quot; 
 
Golden State won a record 73 regular-season games with NBA scoring leader Stephen Curry making a one-campaign record 402 3-pointers and taking the NBA Most Valuable Player award. 
 
But the Warriors could suffer the worst choke in championship history. 
 
&quot;If you don&#39;t feel pressure in a game seven, you&#39;re probably not human,&quot; Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. &quot;We are human, so when you go from up 3-1 to 3-3, it&#39;s disappointing. But you take stock. We like our chances.&quot; 
 
Curry admits the season will be a failure without a title. 
 
&quot;We&#39;ve had two chances already and haven&#39;t gotten it done,&quot; Curry said. &quot;So if we come up short, we&#39;ll all be very, very disappointed. No two ways around that.&quot; 
 
Tickets near $50k&nbsp; 
 
With James and Curry the league&#39;s brightest stars, it was no wonder that the game was luring global attention and ticket resale prices were breaking records, nearing $50,000 each for courtside seats. 
 
&quot;Having a chance to play against a great team in game seven and for the whole world to be watching, I&#39;m very excited for it,&quot; said&nbsp;Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving. 
 
Cleveland fans have not celebrated a major team sports title since the 1964 Browns won the NFL crown in the pre-Super Bowl era, but the Cavaliers are on the verge of ending the epic drought. 
 
&quot;I know it&#39;s going to be going crazy in Cleveland, so hopefully we can stay the course and bring them a championship home,&quot; Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said. &quot;We know it&#39;s a big stage, but our guys are ready for the challenge.&quot; 
 
None more so than James, whose outstanding performances have included slam dunks, pinpoint passes, crucial rebounds, timely steals and ferocious blocked shots. 
 
&quot;To lead the finals in every statistical category, it&#39;s amazing. I try not to get star-struck with watching,&quot; said Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith. 
 
&quot;Scoring-wise, he&#39;s more aggressive more than anything. He just has that relentless effort to get to the basket. And he&#39;s an unbelievable passer. Being that big, strong and fast and to be able to see the court the way he does, it&#39;s remarkable.&quot; 
 
No limits on LeBron&nbsp; 
 
Could James strike for 41 points again? 
 
&quot;I wouldn&#39;t put a cap or a number on his performance,&quot; Cavs forward Tristan Thompson said. &quot;He&#39;s a great playmaker.&quot; 
 
The Warriors plan to get physical with James early and often. 
 
&quot;Put a body on him,&quot; said Warriors forward Draymond Green. &quot;He has to feel us from the jump. Can&#39;t let him get into rhythm.&quot; 
 
The Warriors have lost Australian centre Andrew Bogut to a knee injury and top reserve Andre Iguodala, last year&#39;s NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, had severe back pain in game six. 
 
Golden State has not lost three games in a row since 2013, but they have struggled in long stretches the past two games, never leading in game six. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re a resilient team that&#39;s ready for this opportunity. That&#39;s why I&#39;m confident,&quot; Curry said. &quot;I don&#39;t know why we haven&#39;t been ourselves. I couldn&#39;t tell you the reason we&#39;ve been lacking besides it&#39;s just a long, hard grind to win a championship.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Cleveland fans have not celebrated a major team sports title since the 1964 Browns won the NFL crown in the pre-Super Bowl era

Excitement was building today as LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers looked to complete the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history by dethroning defending champion Golden State in a winner-take-all title showdown. Trailing 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, the Cavaliers downed the Warriors twice behind 41-point efforts from James to level the best-of-seven series and force a one-game spectacle to decide the crown - just like the NFL Super Bowl five months ago in nearby Santa Clara. "It's pretty cool," James said. "It's like Super Bowl Sunday. It's one game and you look forward to it. I'm happy I'm able just to be part of it." Golden State won a record 73 regular-season games with NBA scoring leader Stephen Curry making a one-campaign record 402 3-pointers and taking the NBA Most Valuable Player award. But the Warriors could suffer the worst choke in championship history. "If you don't feel pressure in a game seven, you're probably not human," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "We are human, so when you go from up 3-1 to 3-3, it's disappointing. But you take stock. We like our chances." Curry admits the season will be a failure without a title. "We've had two chances already and haven't gotten it done," Curry said. "So if we come up short, we'll all be very, very disappointed. No two ways around that." Tickets near $50k With James and Curry the league's brightest stars, it was no wonder that the game was luring global attention and ticket resale prices were breaking records, nearing $50,000 each for courtside seats. "Having a chance to play against a great team in game seven and for the whole world to be watching, I'm very excited for it," said Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving. Cleveland fans have not celebrated a major team sports title since the 1964 Browns won the NFL crown in the pre-Super Bowl era, but the Cavaliers are on the verge of ending the epic drought. "I know it's going to be going crazy in Cleveland, so hopefully we can stay the course and bring them a championship home," Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said. "We know it's a big stage, but our guys are ready for the challenge." None more so than James, whose outstanding performances have included slam dunks, pinpoint passes, crucial rebounds, timely steals and ferocious blocked shots. "To lead the finals in every statistical category, it's amazing. I try not to get star-struck with watching," said Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith. "Scoring-wise, he's more aggressive more than anything. He just has that relentless effort to get to the basket. And he's an unbelievable passer. Being that big, strong and fast and to be able to see the court the way he does, it's remarkable." No limits on LeBron Could James strike for 41 points again? "I wouldn't put a cap or a number on his performance," Cavs forward Tristan Thompson said. "He's a great playmaker." The Warriors plan to get physical with James early and often. "Put a body on him," said Warriors forward Draymond Green. "He has to feel us from the jump. Can't let him get into rhythm." The Warriors have lost Australian centre Andrew Bogut to a knee injury and top reserve Andre Iguodala, last year's NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, had severe back pain in game six. Golden State has not lost three games in a row since 2013, but they have struggled in long stretches the past two games, never leading in game six. "We're a resilient team that's ready for this opportunity. That's why I'm confident," Curry said. "I don't know why we haven't been ourselves. I couldn't tell you the reason we've been lacking besides it's just a long, hard grind to win a championship." (AFP)

LeBron, Cavaliers try to complete epic comeback over Warriors in winner-take-all Game 7

Japan striker Takashi Usami, one of the country&#39;s most coveted players, is set to join German Bundesliga side Augsburg, his J-League club, Gamba Osaka said today. 
 
The 24-year-old, who helped Gamba achieve a domestic treble in 2014 and has previously had spells at Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim, will play his final J-League game at home to Nagoya Grampus this weekend. 
 
Usami joined German giants Bayern on loan as a teenager in 2011 amid much fanfare in Japan, scoring six goals in 18 appearances but ultimately failing to force his way into the side for Bundesliga games. 
 
The former J-League young player of the year subsequently moved on to Hoffenheim, where he endured a season of frustration before returning to Osaka, helping them return to the top flight after a season in division two. 
 
Augsburg, who finished 12th in the Bundesliga last season, currently have three South Korean internationals on their books, including former skipper Koo Ja-Cheol and former Sunderland striker Ji Dong-Won. 
 
(AFP)

Takashi Usami joined Bayern Munich on loan as a teenager in 2011 amid much fanfare in Japan, scoring six goals in 18 appearances

Japan striker Takashi Usami, one of the country's most coveted players, is set to join German Bundesliga side Augsburg, his J-League club, Gamba Osaka said today. The 24-year-old, who helped Gamba achieve a domestic treble in 2014 and has previously had spells at Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim, will play his final J-League game at home to Nagoya Grampus this weekend. Usami joined German giants Bayern on loan as a teenager in 2011 amid much fanfare in Japan, scoring six goals in 18 appearances but ultimately failing to force his way into the side for Bundesliga games. The former J-League young player of the year subsequently moved on to Hoffenheim, where he endured a season of frustration before returning to Osaka, helping them return to the top flight after a season in division two. Augsburg, who finished 12th in the Bundesliga last season, currently have three South Korean internationals on their books, including former skipper Koo Ja-Cheol and former Sunderland striker Ji Dong-Won. (AFP)

Japan striker Usami set for Augsburg switch

Australian big hitter Scott Hend overcame a two-shot deficit to snatch victory in the Queen&#39;s Cup on Thailand&#39;s Koh Samui island today as overnight leader Prom Meesawat stumbled. 
 
The 42-year-old finished the day with a four-under-par 67, one shot ahead of runner-up and local talent Gunn Charoenkul in the $300,000 competition at the Santiburi Samui Country Club. 
 
It was Hend&#39;s second title of the season and his ninth career victory on the Asian Tour. 
 
Hend, the most successful international player on the tour, said he was pleased to make up for some recent near-wins in Mauritius and China. 
 
&quot;Whether this was my golf course or not, I&rsquo;ve been playing very good golf and trying to not get down on myself. It&#39;s nice to win again,&quot; he said, according to a report by tour organisers. 
 
Two late bogeys saw Thailand&#39;s Prom go from starting the day out in front to ending with a disappointing 72. 
 
He finished in joint third alongside American Paul Peterson, Korea&#39;s Wang Jeung-hun and Thailand&#39;s Pavit Tangkamolprasert. 
(AFP)

It was Hend's second title of the season and his ninth career victory on the Asian Tour

Australian big hitter Scott Hend overcame a two-shot deficit to snatch victory in the Queen's Cup on Thailand's Koh Samui island today as overnight leader Prom Meesawat stumbled. The 42-year-old finished the day with a four-under-par 67, one shot ahead of runner-up and local talent Gunn Charoenkul in the $300,000 competition at the Santiburi Samui Country Club. It was Hend's second title of the season and his ninth career victory on the Asian Tour. Hend, the most successful international player on the tour, said he was pleased to make up for some recent near-wins in Mauritius and China. "Whether this was my golf course or not, I’ve been playing very good golf and trying to not get down on myself. It's nice to win again," he said, according to a report by tour organisers. Two late bogeys saw Thailand's Prom go from starting the day out in front to ending with a disappointing 72. He finished in joint third alongside American Paul Peterson, Korea's Wang Jeung-hun and Thailand's Pavit Tangkamolprasert. (AFP)

Scott Hend secures victory by one stroke in Queen's Cup

Russia`s sports minister said today that the country has carried out the anti-doping measures demanded by the world athletics governing body IAAF, adding that Russia was ready to help doping officers gain access to athletes. 
 
Minister Vitaly Mutko spoke after a damning new report by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said hundreds of Russian athletes had declined to be tested and the IAAF Council is set to meet on Friday to decide whether to lift the ban against Russian athletes. 
 
&quot;At the end of the day we have fulfilled all the criteria, everything that they demanded of us. All the athletes are under control,&quot; Mutko told Interfax news agency. 
 
He said he would read the new WADA report, issued on Wednesday, and write to its president Craig Reedie to tell him: &quot;If you need government help, inform us, don`t wait until the last minute.&quot; 
 
&quot;We will do everything possible for doping inspectors to visit any city, even a closed city,&quot; Mutko said, referring to Russian cities with controlled public access due to secret installations.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Just make lists in advance and you will get passes, you will visit them.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Country's sports minister speaks up after WADA report said hundreds of the country's athletes had refused to be tested

Russia`s sports minister said today that the country has carried out the anti-doping measures demanded by the world athletics governing body IAAF, adding that Russia was ready to help doping officers gain access to athletes. Minister Vitaly Mutko spoke after a damning new report by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said hundreds of Russian athletes had declined to be tested and the IAAF Council is set to meet on Friday to decide whether to lift the ban against Russian athletes. "At the end of the day we have fulfilled all the criteria, everything that they demanded of us. All the athletes are under control," Mutko told Interfax news agency. He said he would read the new WADA report, issued on Wednesday, and write to its president Craig Reedie to tell him: "If you need government help, inform us, don`t wait until the last minute." "We will do everything possible for doping inspectors to visit any city, even a closed city," Mutko said, referring to Russian cities with controlled public access due to secret installations. "Just make lists in advance and you will get passes, you will visit them." (AFP)

Russia has fulfilled all IAAF doping criteria, says Mutko

A panel including former captains Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly will select India&#39;s next head coach from a shortlist of 21 candidates by June 22, said&nbsp;the the Board of Control for&nbsp;Cricket&nbsp;in India&nbsp;(BCCI). 
 
The BCCI received 57 applications and despite recommending a smaller pool of nominees, all of the petitions will still be available to a panel which also includes former test batsman VVS Laxman, said&nbsp;board secretary Ajay Shirke in a statement. 
 
The post has been vacant since Ravi Shastri&#39;s tenure as the team director ended with India&#39;s semi-final exit at the World Twenty20 tournament on home soil earlier this year. 
 
Shastri has thrown his hat in the ring once more, while former captain Anil Kumble and chief selector Sandeep Patil have also confirmed they were keen to take on one of the most challenging jobs in international cricket. 
(Reuters)

The post has been vacant since Ravi Shastri's tenure ended with India's semi-final exit at the World Twenty20 tournament earlier this year

A panel including former captains Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly will select India's next head coach from a shortlist of 21 candidates by June 22, said the the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The BCCI received 57 applications and despite recommending a smaller pool of nominees, all of the petitions will still be available to a panel which also includes former test batsman VVS Laxman, said board secretary Ajay Shirke in a statement. The post has been vacant since Ravi Shastri's tenure as the team director ended with India's semi-final exit at the World Twenty20 tournament on home soil earlier this year. Shastri has thrown his hat in the ring once more, while former captain Anil Kumble and chief selector Sandeep Patil have also confirmed they were keen to take on one of the most challenging jobs in international cricket. (Reuters)

21 candidates shortlisted for Indian cricket head coach's role

Leg-spinner Imran Tahir became the first South African to claim seven wickets in a One-Day International as the Proteas demolished West Indies in St Kitts on Wednesday. 
 
Tahir served up a rich variety of deliveries to claim 7-45 from nine overs as the South Africa won by 139 runs, dismissing the bewildered West Indies for 204 in 38 overs at Warner Park. 
 
Earlier, Hashim Amla scored 110 off 99 balls to notch his 23rd career ODI century, sharing an opening partnership of 182 with Quinton de Kock (71) to set the visitors on their way to a formidable 343-4. 
 
West Indies made a bright start in reply with openers Johnson Charles and Andrew Fletcher compiling a quickfire 69 before the latter holed out at deep mid-wicket for 21 from the last ball of the ninth over to give Tahir his first wicket. 
 
The result was never in doubt once Charles, who scored 49, was sent packing in the 13th over. 
 
Tahir&#39;s haul included the scalp of World Twenty20 hero Carlos Brathwaite, who was clean bowled by a wicked googly for a golden duck. 
 
In his 58th match, Tahir became the fastest South African bowler to reach 100 ODI wickets, and the fourth quickest overall. 
 
Tahir said he had not realised he needed only two wickets to crack the century until a pre-match phone call came from his wife. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m grateful she reminded me,&quot; the 37-year-old said. &quot;I&#39;m really pleased.&quot; 
 
West Indies captain Jason Holder offered no excuses. 
 
&quot;We weren&#39;t good enough today and were totally outplayed. We didn&#39;t bowl well, especially the first 10 overs,&quot; he said. 
 
South Africa&#39;s victory leaves the triangular series evenly poised, with the Proteas, West Indies and Australia all on two wins from four matches. 
 
South Africa, thanks to two bonus points, lead the standings with 10 points, followed by Australia on nine and West Indies on eight. 
 
The series shifts to Barbados for three more matches from Sunday and the hosts face the biggest challenge if they are to make the June 25 final. 
 
&quot;Probably one (victory) out of two games will be enough for us to go to the final,&quot; said South African captain AB de Villiers. 
(Reuters)

In his 58th match, Imran Tahir became the fastest South African bowler to reach 100 ODI wickets, and the fourth quickest overall

Leg-spinner Imran Tahir became the first South African to claim seven wickets in a One-Day International as the Proteas demolished West Indies in St Kitts on Wednesday. Tahir served up a rich variety of deliveries to claim 7-45 from nine overs as the South Africa won by 139 runs, dismissing the bewildered West Indies for 204 in 38 overs at Warner Park. Earlier, Hashim Amla scored 110 off 99 balls to notch his 23rd career ODI century, sharing an opening partnership of 182 with Quinton de Kock (71) to set the visitors on their way to a formidable 343-4. West Indies made a bright start in reply with openers Johnson Charles and Andrew Fletcher compiling a quickfire 69 before the latter holed out at deep mid-wicket for 21 from the last ball of the ninth over to give Tahir his first wicket. The result was never in doubt once Charles, who scored 49, was sent packing in the 13th over. Tahir's haul included the scalp of World Twenty20 hero Carlos Brathwaite, who was clean bowled by a wicked googly for a golden duck. In his 58th match, Tahir became the fastest South African bowler to reach 100 ODI wickets, and the fourth quickest overall. Tahir said he had not realised he needed only two wickets to crack the century until a pre-match phone call came from his wife. "I'm grateful she reminded me," the 37-year-old said. "I'm really pleased." West Indies captain Jason Holder offered no excuses. "We weren't good enough today and were totally outplayed. We didn't bowl well, especially the first 10 overs," he said. South Africa's victory leaves the triangular series evenly poised, with the Proteas, West Indies and Australia all on two wins from four matches. South Africa, thanks to two bonus points, lead the standings with 10 points, followed by Australia on nine and West Indies on eight. The series shifts to Barbados for three more matches from Sunday and the hosts face the biggest challenge if they are to make the June 25 final. "Probably one (victory) out of two games will be enough for us to go to the final," said South African captain AB de Villiers. (Reuters)

Tahir spins South Africa to victory over West Indies

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Wednesday that he could not rule out Russian soccer fans being involved in more violence at the Euro 2016 tournament in France because they were constantly being provoked, the TASS news agency reported. 
 
Russia, whose fans fought pitched battles in Marseille at the weekend with their English counterparts, is due to play Slovakia later on Wednesday in Lille where English and Welsh fans have gathered ahead of their two teams&#39; game on Thursday. 
 
&quot;I do not have any certainty that disorder involving Russian fans will not be repeated,&quot; TASS quoted Mutko as saying. &quot;Our fans are constantly being provoked. And whatever happens it is immediately said that the Russians are guilty.&quot; 
 
Russian state TV on Wednesday broadcast what it said was footage of an English football fan stamping on a Russian flag in Lille, part of what Russian officials say has been a pattern of offensive provocations towards Russian supporters. 
 
UEFA has said Russia will be thrown out of the tournament if there is a repeat of the violence by Russia fans which marred the end of last Saturday&#39;s match against England. 
 
&quot;There are now 15-20,000 Russians in different towns (in France),&quot; Mutko was cited as saying. &quot;Most of them want to watch good football.&quot; 
(Reuters)

The team will be disqualified from the prestigious tournament if Russian soccer fans are provoked to mob violence by another soccer game

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Wednesday that he could not rule out Russian soccer fans being involved in more violence at the Euro 2016 tournament in France because they were constantly being provoked, the TASS news agency reported. Russia, whose fans fought pitched battles in Marseille at the weekend with their English counterparts, is due to play Slovakia later on Wednesday in Lille where English and Welsh fans have gathered ahead of their two teams' game on Thursday. "I do not have any certainty that disorder involving Russian fans will not be repeated," TASS quoted Mutko as saying. "Our fans are constantly being provoked. And whatever happens it is immediately said that the Russians are guilty." Russian state TV on Wednesday broadcast what it said was footage of an English football fan stamping on a Russian flag in Lille, part of what Russian officials say has been a pattern of offensive provocations towards Russian supporters. UEFA has said Russia will be thrown out of the tournament if there is a repeat of the violence by Russia fans which marred the end of last Saturday's match against England. "There are now 15-20,000 Russians in different towns (in France)," Mutko was cited as saying. "Most of them want to watch good football." (Reuters)

Russian sports minister doesn't rule our more fan violence at Euro Cup, saying 'disorder' was 'provoked'

Australia secured their place in the final of the 36th Hero Champions Trophy with a 2-0 win over Belgium in the preliminary league, while defending champions Germany were out of contention after being held 1-1 by Great Britain. 
Title holders Germany are without a victory from four outings, drawing three and losing one. This puts them out of contention from the title encounter. 
Britain stay in the hunt for the second spot in the final with five points from four matches and need to win the last fixture against Belgium tomorrow to stay in contention. 
World No. 1 Australia boosted their points tally to 10 from four matches to ensure that they would feature in the title showdown irrespective of any result in other matches. 
India are in the second place with seven points, followed by Britain on five and Belgium on four. 
Open play goals from Glenn Turner in the 38th minute and Tristan White in the 49th gave Australia the upper hand against the Belgians, who tried to put up a good contest but suffered from poor shooting. 
Australia, winners of the Champions Trophy for a record 13 times, take on India in their last round-robin league fixture tomorrow. That match is extremely important for India, who are on seven points from four outings. 
Germany today took the lead through a penalty corner goal by Tobias Hauke, who made good use of a rebound from the goalkeeper in the 29th minute. 
Britain shot back through a penalty corner strike of their own through Ashley Jackson to equalise in the 48th minute and split two points with Germany, who had won the title two years ago in Bhubaneswar

Open play goals from Glenn Turner in the 38th minute and Tristan White in the 49th gave Australia the upper hand against the Belgians

Australia secured their place in the final of the 36th Hero Champions Trophy with a 2-0 win over Belgium in the preliminary league, while defending champions Germany were out of contention after being held 1-1 by Great Britain. Title holders Germany are without a victory from four outings, drawing three and losing one. This puts them out of contention from the title encounter. Britain stay in the hunt for the second spot in the final with five points from four matches and need to win the last fixture against Belgium tomorrow to stay in contention. World No. 1 Australia boosted their points tally to 10 from four matches to ensure that they would feature in the title showdown irrespective of any result in other matches. India are in the second place with seven points, followed by Britain on five and Belgium on four. Open play goals from Glenn Turner in the 38th minute and Tristan White in the 49th gave Australia the upper hand against the Belgians, who tried to put up a good contest but suffered from poor shooting. Australia, winners of the Champions Trophy for a record 13 times, take on India in their last round-robin league fixture tomorrow. That match is extremely important for India, who are on seven points from four outings. Germany today took the lead through a penalty corner goal by Tobias Hauke, who made good use of a rebound from the goalkeeper in the 29th minute. Britain shot back through a penalty corner strike of their own through Ashley Jackson to equalise in the 48th minute and split two points with Germany, who had won the title two years ago in Bhubaneswar

Australia enter Hero Champions Trophy final, Germany knocked out

Cristiano Ronaldo slammed minnows Iceland for proverbially `parking the bus` in front of their goal as the north Atlantic Islanders held Group F favourites Portugal to a 1-1 draw.&nbsp; 
Real Madrid ace Ronaldo had ten of Portugal`s 24 shots on goal in Saint Etienne on Tuesday, but failed to become the first man to score in four separate European Championships. 
The 31-year-old equalled Luis Figo`s record number of caps with both the Portugal legends now on 127 appearances. 
A superb finish by Nani gave Portugal the lead before Iceland`s industrious midfielder Birkir Bjarnason volleyed the equaliser. 
But Ronaldo stormed off after the final whistle, clearly frustrated by his own failure in front of goal, while Iceland scored by converting one of only four chances. 
Iceland`s dogged defence was capped by an outstanding display from Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson.&quot;It was difficult over the 90 minutes, because they scored one goal and that was after they had put every player behind the ball,&quot; fumed Ronaldo. 
&quot;They put the bus in the net. (Parked the bus in front of goal). 
&quot;We tried our best, we created many chances and kept the ball. 
&quot;Iceland didn`t try nothing, they just defend, defend, defend, they had two chances and scored a goal, it was a lucky night for them. 
&quot;We`re frustrated, they didn`t try and play. 
&quot;It`s why I think they will do nothing here. In my opinion, it`s a small mentality. 
&quot;It`s difficult when Portugal tries to win the game and the other team doesn`t.&quot; 
Portugal are now under pressure in their second game against Austria, who earlier lost their opening match 2-0 to Hungary in the other pool match in Bordeaux. 
But Ronaldo is confident of victory in Paris on Saturday. 
&quot;It`s a little bit of frustration for us, but this is just the beginning, we`re not worried about that,&quot; said the former Manchester United star. 
&quot;If you look at Spain and France, they are strong teams in the tournament and they had difficulties winning their first game. 
&quot;It was tough, but we are 100 percent confident we`re going to win the next game.&quot; 
Ronaldo was not the only Portugal forward to feel the effects of a lack of finishing. 
&quot;We had enough chances, but we couldn`t score another one,&quot; added Nani, who also used to grace Old Trafford. 
&quot;It`s only the first game and we have to win our next two games. 
&quot;We were on top, we were the better team and we played the better football, but Iceland are a good team and played a lot of long balls, which caused us problems. That`s football. 
&quot;We`ve shown we are a good team, but this was the first game, there was a lot of anxiety. I think we will relax more from now, but we have to score more.&quot; 
Portugal boss Fernando Santos lamented Nani`s first-half header which smashed off the boot of Iceland goalkeeper Halldorsson. 
&quot;Nani`s header was blocked by their goalkeeper, who still doesn`t know how he did it, that`s football,&quot; said the Portugal manager 
&quot;We could have done better in defending the cross which led for their goal, but this was the first game, there were a few nerves and we need to play better for the next two games.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

After which he refuses to shake hands with any of the Icleandic players

Cristiano Ronaldo slammed minnows Iceland for proverbially `parking the bus` in front of their goal as the north Atlantic Islanders held Group F favourites Portugal to a 1-1 draw. Real Madrid ace Ronaldo had ten of Portugal`s 24 shots on goal in Saint Etienne on Tuesday, but failed to become the first man to score in four separate European Championships. The 31-year-old equalled Luis Figo`s record number of caps with both the Portugal legends now on 127 appearances. A superb finish by Nani gave Portugal the lead before Iceland`s industrious midfielder Birkir Bjarnason volleyed the equaliser. But Ronaldo stormed off after the final whistle, clearly frustrated by his own failure in front of goal, while Iceland scored by converting one of only four chances. Iceland`s dogged defence was capped by an outstanding display from Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson."It was difficult over the 90 minutes, because they scored one goal and that was after they had put every player behind the ball," fumed Ronaldo. "They put the bus in the net. (Parked the bus in front of goal). "We tried our best, we created many chances and kept the ball. "Iceland didn`t try nothing, they just defend, defend, defend, they had two chances and scored a goal, it was a lucky night for them. "We`re frustrated, they didn`t try and play. "It`s why I think they will do nothing here. In my opinion, it`s a small mentality. "It`s difficult when Portugal tries to win the game and the other team doesn`t." Portugal are now under pressure in their second game against Austria, who earlier lost their opening match 2-0 to Hungary in the other pool match in Bordeaux. But Ronaldo is confident of victory in Paris on Saturday. "It`s a little bit of frustration for us, but this is just the beginning, we`re not worried about that," said the former Manchester United star. "If you look at Spain and France, they are strong teams in the tournament and they had difficulties winning their first game. "It was tough, but we are 100 percent confident we`re going to win the next game." Ronaldo was not the only Portugal forward to feel the effects of a lack of finishing. "We had enough chances, but we couldn`t score another one," added Nani, who also used to grace Old Trafford. "It`s only the first game and we have to win our next two games. "We were on top, we were the better team and we played the better football, but Iceland are a good team and played a lot of long balls, which caused us problems. That`s football. "We`ve shown we are a good team, but this was the first game, there was a lot of anxiety. I think we will relax more from now, but we have to score more." Portugal boss Fernando Santos lamented Nani`s first-half header which smashed off the boot of Iceland goalkeeper Halldorsson. "Nani`s header was blocked by their goalkeeper, who still doesn`t know how he did it, that`s football," said the Portugal manager "We could have done better in defending the cross which led for their goal, but this was the first game, there were a few nerves and we need to play better for the next two games." (AFP)

Ronaldo whines about Iceland 'parking the bus' in front of goal, then accuses them of having a 'small mentality'

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