Venus edges out Graf
HANOVER (Germany), Feb 21 — Venus Williams, ending the match by blasting an ace, yesterday powered past Steffi Graf in three hard-fought sets to reach the Hanover WTA event final.

Steve Lewis regains form
NEW YORK, Feb 21 — Former Olympic champion Steve Lewis appeared to have regained his form after years of injury yesterday, winning the 400 metres in 46.48 seconds at the Armory Classic.

Stricter soccer laws
LLANTRISANT (Wales), Feb 21 — Automatic yellow cards will be issued to any player cheating, diving or feigning injury from the next season, the sport’s law-making international board has said.

India in tough pool
SAMUTPAKARN (Thailand), Feb 21 — India are drawn in a tough pool comprising Bangkok Asian Games gold medallist Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Uzbekistan and hosts Thailand for the crucial Asia-Oceania Fed Cup Qualifying Tournament here.

Das held to a draw
DHAKA, Feb 21 — India’s international master Neelotpal Das was held to a draw by Enamul Hossain Rajib of Bangladesh in the second round of the fourth United Insurance Grandmaster Chess Tournament here.

Gloucestershire hockey team to four Punjab
CHANDIGARH, Feb 21 — The Gloucestershire (England) police hockey team will visit Punjab on a goodwill tour from February 28 to March 6 to play a series of games against some leading teams, Mr Jagdeep Singh Gill, Secretary-General of the Punjab Hockey Players Association, announced here today.

Lankan Colts play BCCI XI today
MUMBAI, Feb 21 — The Sri Lankan under-19 cricketers open their short tour of India with a three-day match against the Indian Cricket Board President’s team led by Railways’ Asif Murtaza at the Cricket Club of India here tomorrow.

• Olympian Garcha appointed to IPS
• Prize money soccer from Feb 23
• Manchester United retain lead

India lose to Korea
Bhupathi cracks up in decider
From TR Ramakrishnan

SEOGWIPO CITY (South Korea), Feb 21 — When it came to the crunch Mahesh Bhupathi failed to deliver. After India No 1 Leander Paes easily defeated his Korean counterpart Lee Hyung Daek 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the first reverse singles to level the Asia-Oceania Zone Group-I Davis Cup at 2-2, Bhupathi had a great chance to win the tie for India.

He got off to a great start against Yoon Yong-II in the deciding fifth rubber, winning a hard-fought first set in the tie-breaker. But then the Korean did to him what he had done to Paes on the first day: He just wore him down and cracked him up.

Bhupathi was broken eight of the nine times he served in the next three sets and lost 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 in two hours 18 minutes, and South Korea won the tie 3-2. They will now play New Zealand in a play-off to decide which team will go to the world group qualifying round. India, meanwhile, will host China in a second-round play-off from April 2 to 4. The winner of that tie will stay in the Asia-Ocenia Zone Group-I. The loser will go into a relegation play-off.

Twice before in his short Davis Cup career of four years, Bhupathi has been delivered in this crunch, winner-take-all situations: against Jaccor Eltingh of Holland, in a first-round world group match in 1996, and against Gabriel Silberstein of Chile, in a relegation play-off the following year — both home matches.

It was the only other time Bhupathi played a 2-2 situation, when he lost to Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic. It is always that much more difficult to win that fifth match.

But Bhupathi really can’t blame away conditions today. Though a small group of Koreans vociferously cheered Yoon with a clash of cymbals and the thumping of drums, today's weather — far from ideal but almost windless and much warmer — was the best of the three days of the tie in this beautiful island. He lost because he played badly.

The turning point of the match came barely a minute or so after the Indian No 2 had come back to win the first set tie-breaker from 1-5 down. Bhupathi served three double faults in the opening game of the second set and dropped serve at love. He hadn’t faced breakpoint in six games in the first set and the sudden loss in serving form left everyone, including Bhupathi, perplexed. He never recovered and the Korean, a grinder from the backcourt if ever there was one, didn’t give him much of a chance to do so.

Said a downcast Bhupathi later: "I don’t know what happened. I was feeling high after winning the first set and suddenly there was this big letdown."

Bhupathi had six double in all in the second set, in which like the fourth, he was broken each of the three times he served. The plunge continued in the third set as a steady Yoon kept the ball in play while punishing anything loose from the Indian, especially when he tried charging the net on mid-court balls. Yoon just passed or lobbed him mercilessly.

Bhupathi’s final stand was in the opening four games of the fourth set. He dropped serve in the first and third games, both after deuces, and broke Yoon in the second. In the fourth, he had Yoon down 0-40; three points for two-all. But he couldn’t convert any of them. Yoon knew he had broken the Indian resistance and he swept the last three games of the match, losing only four points.

Added Bhupathi later: "I had to go for winners all the time... I got no free points. He kept on coming. You have to give him his due."

Earlier, Paes played magically for the first five games against Lee Hyung-Taek, hardly putting a foot wrong, and working up a 4-1 lead with two breaks. That spell was enough to break Lee’s spirit and though he managed to break Paes once in each of the three sets, he never looked like defeating the Indian ace.

In fact, the only doubt in the match was whether Paes himself could put behind him the missed match point against Yoon on the opening day and close this one out. He did do it and out of relief, or perhaps at the enormity of the his first-day loss from matchpoint sat sobbing on the courtside well after the match was over. For, in the end analysis, it was that which cost India the tie.

National Games
Nisha swims away with 10th gold

IMPHAL, Feb 21 (UNI) — Karanataka mermaid Nisha Millet today created history by picking up her 10th gold even as the hosts Manipur were closing in on the leader Kerala in the medal tally.

Kerala so far have 33 gold against 30 of Manipur while Delhi are still in the third position with 24 gold so far. Meanwhile the tennis men’s individual gold went to Tamil Nadu while Maharashra and Assam moved into the men’s football final shocking Bengal and Goa respectively.

But once again the day belonged to Karanataka’s Nisha Millet who picked up gold in every event she participated. She took the gold in the 50 m freestyle event today. With this latest gold she surpassed her best performance of nine gold, which she picked up at the Bangalore National Games to be the best sportswoman of the meet. This time too she is the obvious choice for the title.

Meanwhile two more gold were decided in the shooting and both went to the Services as they picked up the team gold in the free rifle event as well as the individual gold with T.C. Pallangappa scoring 1110 points to pick up his third gold medal.

The host team’s dominance over the long distance event was continuing as they picked up both the team and individual gold clocking 1:58:57 while as a team also Manipur got the gold. Tamil Nadu and Maharastra got the silver and bronze, respectively.

It was Nisha Millet all the way and her Karnataka team picked up the 11th gold in the women’s event while in the men’s event Kerala got seven gold which is closely followed by six gold of Delhi.

In the 50 m freestyle, Nisha clocked 28.95 seconds which is however 0.18 seconds more than her previous best set up in the Bangalore National Games. Nisha’s younger sister Reshma Millet picked up the silver to take away both the top two medals to the Millet family.

Out of the two other individual finals of the day, Deepak Singh of Delhi won the title in 200 metres breaststroke for men. Deepak timed 2:35:12 and was followed by M. Premchand of Manipur and Khokan Haldar of Bengal who got the silver.

The other gold of the day went to Kerala when Sumy Cyriac of Kerala picked up the 200 m breaststroke gold to give her state the third gold from the swimming pool.

Meanwhile two exciting results emerged from the football field where in the morning Bengal were dessimated by Maharashtra in a clinical provision while in the afternoon Goa was upstaged by Assam as they moved into the final to meet Maharashtra.

Assam gave scant respect to Goa’s big reputation and banking on their strong defence attacked from the beginning and dominated the first half.

Leading sportsmen form union

IMPHAL, Feb 21 (UNI) — About 3,500 sportspersons, including Asian Games gold winner Dingko Singh, silver medalist Anil Kumar and ace shooter Jaspal Rana have forged a union and urged the Prime Minister to help stem further deterioration in sports.

As its first step towards saving Indian sports, the union has sought for an increase in the sports budget from the present meagre 0.7 per cent. "The union will strive to fight the ills of the system and help upcoming sportspersons in overcoming their problems created by the system," Anil Kumar told newspersons here today.

Anil is the convener of the union called "Sportsmen Union of India" headquarted in New Delhi.

"We sportsmen face a lot of problems, not individual ones but collective ones that we are not responsible for. We have to do things that is the job of the government. This union will be a platform for all those athletes who have been victims of the system," said Anil.

He said the union had been formed in the course of the ongoing National Games. He claimed the support of other prominent sportpersons like Bahadur Singh, Dhanraj Pillay, P.T. Usha, Ashis Ballal and Geet Sethi.

The union has an executive committee but no office bearers. Besides Anil being the convener, the others of the seven-member executive committee are Jaspal Rana, Dingko Singh, Limba Ram, Geet Sethi, Ashis Ballal and Yashpal Chhabra.

The union demanded cent per cent tax exemption for sports sponsors and athletes. "If there is an incentive of tax exemption, there will be more flow of funds in Indian sports. In the absence of enough funds and initiative of the authorities we have not yet been able to start preparing for the Olympics," Anil said.

Asked if cricketers could also join their union, Anil said "They are welcome if they sympathise with our problems. If they want us to fight for any of their causes we are ready."

He informed that apart from athletes, the Indian Olympic Association Secretary General Randhir Singh had been enrolled as a member of the union. The executive committee would meet in Delhi on March 5 to adopt further resolutions.

Venus edges out Graf

HANOVER (Germany), Feb 21 (AP) — Venus Williams, ending the match by blasting an ace, yesterday powered past Steffi Graf in three hard-fought sets to reach the Hanover WTA event final.

Williams decided a high-class duel, that had 4,000 spectators whistling and clapping, by breaking Graf’s serve at 4-3 in the final set of a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over the former no. 1 at the $ 500,000 tournament.

The American, seeded second, faces top-seeded Jana Novotna in the final. The Czech player edged past Russiifss Elena Likhovtseva, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4.

ROTTERDAM, (Netherlands): Tim Henman held off a concerted assault from Russian Marat Safin yesterday, prevailing 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-0) in the semifinals of the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament.

In the final, the third-seeded Briton will face No. 2 seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia, who overwhelmed Henman’s compatriot, Greg Rusedski, 6-4, 6-2 in the other semi-finals.

In a first set devoid of break points, Safin double-faulted in the tiebreak at 6-5, missed a second set point and allowed Henman to win.

Henman failed to capitalise on three break points at 1-1 in the second set. A second tiebreaker became inevitable after a run of 20 straight points with serve.

But then Safin appeared to crack, and the Englishman won seven straight points to claim the match.

Earlier, Rusedski started with a three-ace victory at love.

But the second-ranked Kafelnikov took control, forcing Rusedski into errors and creating breakpoints.

The Russian broke Rusedski in the ninth game and served out at love for the first set.

Rusedski rallied somewhat and held service to open the second set, but he then capitulated, losing five straight games and falling in only 57 minutes.

BOGOTA, (Colombia): Fabiola Zuluaga of Colombia rallied in the drizzle to defeat American Meghan Shaughnessy in three emotion-filled sets yesterday and advance to the Copa Colsanitas finals.

Zuluaga will face in the championship match Christina Papadaki of Greece.

MEMPHIS: Tommy Haas of Germany beat top-seeded Todd Martin 6-3 7-6 (7-4) to win a place in today’s final of the 00 Kroger St Jude Tennis Tournament against American Jim Courier.
Courier was listed as questionable for the final after suffering a foot sprain in his 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-4 win over John Van Lottum of the Netherlands last night.
Leading 3-2 in the third set, Courier fell hard on his left foot while making a backhand return and was fortunate to get the break when Van Lottum netted his forehand.

After receiving treatment, Courier held for a 5-2 lead. Van Lottum broke back in the ninth game to pull within 4-5, but Courier sealed a berth in his 36th career ATP tour final by breaking the Dutchman in the 10th game.

"The big factor will be waking up tomorrow morning," Courier said. "It doesn’t feel too spectacular right now."

The 20-year-old Haas, ranked 22 in the world, will move into the top 20 in the world rankings on the strength of his win over Martin.

The German, a semifinalist at the Australian Open, relied on his strong serve and groundstrokes to keep Martin off balance and away from the net. "I think I played really well," said Haas, seeded third. "Todd started a little slow and I took advantage in the first set."

Martin, a two-time winner of this event, predicted Haas will be one of the best players in the world in a few years.

Martin said it would be "the shock of the decade" if Courier doesn’t play in the final although he might not be 100 per cent. Haas said he expects Courier to be ready for the final.

The 28-year-old Courier, coming off an injury-plagued 1998 season in which his ranking dropped below 100 for the first time since 1988, ran the court well against the 22-year-old Dutchman before suffering the sprain.

Courier scored a number of easy putbacks, but mostly he depended on his tremendous first serve, which Van Lottum failed to solve.

ATP tour trainer Doug Spreen characterised the sprain as "unusual," occurring low on the inside of Courier’s left foot.

"You don’t see a sprain like this very often," said Spreen. "So, it’s difficult to gauge how long it will take to heal."

Steve Lewis regains form

NEW YORK, Feb 21 (AP) — Former Olympic champion Steve Lewis appeared to have regained his form after years of injury yesterday, winning the 400 metres in 46.48 seconds at the Armory Classic.

"I’m very happy with my performance," the 29-year-old Lewis said after one of his rare indoor appearances. "It gives me confidence going into the national championships next week (at Atlanta)."

Lewis was only 19 when he won the gold medal at Seoul, South Korea, in 1988 the youngest male runner to win an Olympic title since 1908. His time of 43.87 was a career best and led a 1-2-3 American sweep, with world record-holder Butch Reynolds second and Danny Everett third.

Despite the victory, Lewis was ranked only third in the world that year. He was No. 2 in 1989, won the American College title and the US Championship in 1990, and again was ranked second in 1992, when he won the Olympic silver medal, finishing behind Quincy Watts.

But since then he has failed to crack the top five.

In yesterday’s two-heat race, Lewis won his heat by outkicking Deon Minor, the 1992 US College runner-up. Minor finished second in the heat and was second overall at 46.69.

In the other feature race on the programme, Rich Kenah, the 1997 World Championship bronze medalist at 800 metres, won at 1:48.11.

Kenah outdueled Einars Tuperitis, the 1996 US College outdoor champion and a 1996 Latvian Olympian. Tuperitis was runner-up at 1:48.36.

Stricter soccer laws

LLANTRISANT (Wales), Feb 21 (Reuters) — Automatic yellow cards will be issued to any player cheating, diving or feigning injury from the next season, the sport’s law-making international board has said.

The decision widens the scope for referees who up to now handed out yellow cards for ungentlemanly conduct, but still had discretion if they thought cheating was involved.

Under the modification to Law 12, "simulating action" anywhere on the field intended to deceive the referee will be deemed unsporting behaviour and punished by a yellow card.

David Collins, General Secretary of the Football Association of Wales, who hosted the meeting yesterday said: "Last year FIFA took action against the tackle from behind and now we are going further in cleaning up the game.

"It was apparent at the World Cup in France that simulating action, or feigning injury, or diving, was causing undue problems and FIFA felt it necessary to take action against that wherever it may happen on the field of play."

The Board also gave its approval for introduction of an experiment using two referees to control matches, and said the trial would start soon and take place in a top division, probably in Europe.

"We have the capability now of using extremely hi-tech systems but they are extremely costly to operate. However, an experiment which has been used at sheffield on Wednesday in England will continue for another season and we will consider wider experimentation in a year’s time," he said.

The board also said it was continuing with an experiment which has been operating in Jersey for last year of, rugby-style, advancing a free-kick 10 yards if the defending team does not retreat that distance when the kick is first awarded.

David Davies, acting chief executive of English F.A. under whose auspices the Jersey experiment has been run said: "this experiment has had a spectacular impact on cutting down on dissent and has been very successful so far. We now intend widening it and using it in another country and in a FIFA competition next season."

However, FIFA have ended the kick-in experiment which has been operating in the Belgian second division for the past three seasons and will be taking no further action on that.

FIFA have also given the fourth official greater powers — and said that a fourth official will now be appointed for matches in every major division.

The official will also now be empowered to check the equipment and kit of players and also be able to contact the referee directly rather than having to go through one of the linesmen.

The board, meeting for the 113th time, is soccer’s law making body and comprises four FIFA members and the four British associations.

Sachin youngest to score 5,000 runs

Sachin Tendulkar became the youngest batsman to complete 5,000 runs in Test history when he reached nine in the second innings of the Asian Test championship at Calcutta on Friday last.

Born on April 24, 1973, at Mumbai, he achieved this milestone at the age of 25 years and 301 days playing his 103rd innings of his 67th Test match at an average of 53.19 with the help of 18 centuries and 20 half-centuries, remaining not out on nine occasions. The previous youngest was Javed Miandad of Pakistan who achieved this landmark at the age of 27 years and 245 days.

Sachin Tendulkar is the sixth Indian and 43rd batsman to achieve this milestone. From India Sunil Gavaskar (10,122 runs in 125 Tests), Dilip Vengsarkar (6,868 in 116 Tests), Gundappa Vishwanath (6,080 in 91 Tests) Mohammad Azharuddin (6,002 runs in 97 Tests) and Kapil Dev 5,248 in 131 Tests) are the other batsmen to achieve this landmark.

India in tough pool

SAMUTPAKARN (Thailand), Feb 21 (PTI) — India are drawn in a tough pool comprising Bangkok Asian Games gold medallist Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Uzbekistan and hosts Thailand for the crucial Asia-Oceania Fed Cup Qualifying Tournament here.

India, who have been seeded fourth here, take on Uzbekistan in the opener tomorrow at the Than City Golf and Country Club in a Pool-A match.

The Indian women should not have much difficulty in beating the former Soviet Bloc Country with Nirupama Vaidyanathan, ranked 174 on the WTA computer, leading the charge.

"They (Uzbekistan women players) are not very tough competitors," said Nirupama who has been on the American and European circuit and knows the competition. "I have played them and won it comfortably. There should be no real problem tomorrow," Nirupama said of the opening rubber.

National champion Uzma Khan, Sai Jayalakshmi and Shruti Dhawan complete the Indian line up for the Fed Cup, which is played in two singles and a doubles format.

All India Tennis Association (AITA) Selection Committee Chairman and former Davis Cupper Shyam Minotra is the non-playing captain.

South Korea, Hong Kong, Pacific Oceania, New Zealand, China, have been drawn in Pool-B at the draw conducted today.

Though India may not face much threat from Uzbekistan, the next rounds will provide the real test.

Bangkok Games gold medallist Taiwan, hosts Thailand with world number 37 Tamarine Tanasugarn in their ranks and Indonesia, now coached by Yayuk Basuki would be the teams to beat.

The ten teams, grouped in two pools of five each, will play round robin league from tomorrow to February 26 with pool toppers moving ahead to Saturday’s play-off.

The winner in the play-off will get entry into the elite world group qualifying round scheduled in July.

The losing teams in each round robin pool will be relegated to the Asia-Oceania Group-II qualifiers in 2000.

India face Taiwan on Tuesday and will have a day’s break on Wednesday. India, which qualified for Group-I after topping the Group-II zonal qualifiers last year, takes on Indonesia and Thailand on Thursday and Friday, respectively.

Going by the seedings, which were decided after taking joint rankings of the players, India should provide some surprises during the week.

"We are seeded fourth and though it may not really narrate the strength of a team, our girls are confident of putting good show here," Minotra told PTI today.

Asiad gold medallist Chinese Taipei is the strongest contender for the world group round. China, who finished runners-up in Bangkok, should top Pool-B with Korea and Hong Kong also in contention.

Indonesia minus Basuki, who retired from tennis after the December Games, will try to test their emerging talents.

Das held to a draw

DHAKA, Feb 21 (PTI) — India’s international master (IM) Neelotpal Das was held to a draw by Enamul Hossain Rajib of Bangladesh in the second round of the fourth United Insurance Grandmaster Chess Tournament here.

The Indian youngster, who lost to another Bangladeshi Abdullah Al Rakib in the opening round, was forced to sign the peace treaty after 45 moves of French defence yesterday with white pieces and had only 0.5 points from two rounds.

Local IM Abdullah Al Rakib shot into joint lead with English GM Nigel Short with two points after a disappointing round for the host players on the opening day.

Short beat Uzbek GM Sergeivelini while Rakib stunned country’s lone GM, Niaz Murshed for his second consecutive win. Top favourite short tamed his opponent in 36 moves while Murshed surrendered to Rakib when he ran out of time after 26 moves.

Gloucestershire hockey team to four Punjab
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 21 — The Gloucestershire (England) police hockey team will visit Punjab on a goodwill tour from February 28 to March 6 to play a series of games against some leading teams, Mr Jagdeep Singh Gill, Secretary-General of the Punjab Hockey Players Association, announced here today.

Mr Gill said an organising committee under the chairmanship of Mr M.S. Bhullar, Additional Director-General of Police, PAP, has been set up to oversee arrangements for conduct of matches. Mr Devinder Singh Garcha, Olympian and Vice-President of the PHPA, presided over a meeting of the organising committee held at PAP Golf Club yesterday where all details about the visit of the Gloucestershire team were finalised.

Among those who attended the meeting included Rakesh Rathore, Vipin Mahajan, Rajinder Kapoor, Surjit Rai, Arvind Abrol, Baldev Singh, Raj Kumar, Jagdeep Gill, Sukhjit Singh Cheema, B.S. Bodhi, Daljit Singh, Gurjit Singh and Pritpal Singh.

The first match of the visiting team will be held at Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala on March 1. On March 2 and 5, the visitors will play at Surjit Memorial Hockey Stadium at Jalandhar, on March 3 at Ludhiana and on March 4 at Amritsar.

Lankan Colts play BCCI XI today

MUMBAI, Feb 21 (PTI) — The Sri Lankan under-19 cricketers open their short tour of India with a three-day match against the Indian Cricket Board President’s team led by Railways’ Asif Murtaza at the Cricket Club of India here tomorrow.

The encounter provides an opportunity for the Indian junior selection committee, headed by Hemant Kanitkar, to shortlist the home team for the one-off four-day "test" against the visitors commencing at the Wankhede Stadium here on February 27.

The Indian squad for the lone Colts test is likely to be selected on February 23, the second day of the opening match, according to the board’s joint secretary Jyoti Bajpai.

The Lankans are also due to play four limited overs junior internationals with their counterparts at Gwalior (March 5, 7) and Delhi (March 9, 11) before departing for home on March 12.

The visiting team coach Carlton Bernadus told reporters today that they had decided to leave out first-choice "keeper" Prasanna Jayawardena, who was a member of the Lankan seniors team on their tour to England last summer, Test player Malinga Banadara, Prabath Nishantha, Sujeewa de Silva and Ian Daniels from their 16 for the tour opener.

The Lankans have come here with a view to unearthing 4-5 players who can graduate to their "a" team besides gaining valuable experience ahead of the World Under-19 Cup which is to be held at Colombo next January.

Bernadus also said that his board is expected to take a decision at their AGM in March to propose to the Indian and Pakistan boards for an under-19 triangular series between the sub-continental team before the Junior World Cup.

The Lankan outfit has six players who took part in the last Under-19 World Cup in South Africa, including their skipper and opening batsman Upeka Fernando, who is also among the 30 probables for the May 14-June 20 World Cup in England.

Teams:

India Board President’s XI (from): Asif Murtaza (Rlys, capt.), Ashu Jain (Raj), Dheeraj Jadhav (Mah), Vineet Saxena (UP), Pushkaraj Jadhav (Mum), Mrutunjay Tripathi (UP), H Bangari (WK, Ori), Swapnil Hazare (Mum), Sorashish Laheri (Ben), C.H. Shyam (Ker), Arjun Yadav (Hyd), Yuvraj Singh (Har), Rajat Bhatia (TN) and Amit Suman (Del).

Sri Lanka: Upeka Fernando (capt.), Jerome Fernando, Satpath Kalum, Ranil Dhamika, Jehan Mubarak, Chamara Silva, Malintha Gajanayake, Thilina Kandambi, Duminda Perera, Nalin Wijesinghe and Pubudu Senevirathne.

Umpire: SN Bandekar and VM Gupte.

Prize money soccer from Feb 23
From Our Sports Reporter

JALANDHAR, Feb 21 — The league phase of the first prize money football tournament for men of national level being organised by the Shri Guru Gobind Singh Football Society will commence at the Guru Gobind Singh Stadium here on February 23, according to Mr Manmohan Singh, organising secretary of the tournament.

Seven top teams of country and one team from Canada will show their skills in this nine-day long tournament. These teams have been divided into two pools and the two top teams in each group will qualify for the semifinals.

Bengal Mumbai Football Club, Mumbai, New Delhi Blues, BSF Jalandhar and RCF Kapurthala have been placed in Pool-'A' while in Pool 'B' Vasco Sports Club, Goa, have been put along with Punjab Police, Khalsa Sporting Club, Vancouver, Canada, and Punjab State Electricity Board.

The tournament is being conducted as per the rules and regulations fixed by the Indian Football Federation and match referees will be from the Indian referee board, New Delhi, to impart impartiality to the decision, most of these teams have not played any national level tournament in North India except in Delhi. Elaborate arrangements have been made for the tournament.

The winners and runners-up will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and Rs 35,000, respectively. Four outstanding players of the tournament will get a cash award while from league matches onwards a cash award will be given to the man of the match after each match. The opening ceremony, semi-finals and final of the tournament will be telecast live.

The tournament will be inaugurated by Mr Raghubir Singh, Transport Minister, Punjab, on February 23 at 2 pm while the final match will be played on March 3 and at the prize distribution ceremony Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will be the chief guest.

Mr Inderjeet Singh, President of the organising society, said the tournament is dedicated to the tercentenary celebration of the Khalsa Panth.

Olympian Garcha appointed to IPS
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 21 — Devinder Singh Garcha has become the first Olympian in recent years to be appointed to the Indian Police Service (IPS). Orders about his formal appointment to the IPS were issued last week. At present he is posted Assistant Commandant, 7th Bn, Punjab Armed Police, at Jalandhar.

It may be recalled that Devinder Singh, who represented India in the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, was one of the top scorers of the tournament. A sound penalty corner hitter, Devinder Singh Garcha also played for the country in almost all other prestigious international tournaments, including the Asian Games, Asia Cup, Champions Trophy and World Cup. After retiring from hockey, he has taken to golf where he has done exceedingly well.

Manchester United retain lead

LONDON, Feb 21 (Reuters) — Manchester United retained their four point lead with a 1-0 win at Coventry in the English Premier League last night, but pursuers Chelsea and Arsenal kept up the pressure with comfortable victories.

Second-placed Chelsea won 3-1 at Nottingham Forest and Arsenal trounced Leicester City 5-0 at home.

Chandigarh SD College win 9-0

AMRITSAR, Feb 21 (FOSR)— Jamia Milia College, New Delhi, beat P.C. College, Chennai, 2-1on the third day of the seventh Nehru-SAIL Champion College Hockey Championship being played at the Guru Nanak Dev University Sports Stadium here today.

Prabjot Singh of Jamia Milia College scored both field goals in the 17th and 26th minutes of the match. Chennai's S. Ranganathan scored one field goal in the 27th minute.

In the second match, GGD SD College, Chandigarh, beat MM College, Gwalior, 9-0. Jasmeet Singh scored five goals, Kiran Pal Singh two goals and Alpinder Singh and Vikram Saini scored one goal each.

In the third match DAV College, Jalandhar, won the match defeating LNIPE, Gwalior, 9-0. It was a one-sided affair. Yudhvir Singh scored three goals in and Ajitpal Singh, Jugandip Singh and Harminder Singh scored two goals each.

Modi club win

CHANDIGARH, Feb 21 (BOSR)— Modi Xerox Cricket Club won the first Winter Cricket Tournament organised by the Seven Star Club, Sector 46, by defeating City Cricket Club by 37 runs in the final played at the Sector 46 ground here today.

Scores: MXCC: — 159 all out in 29.1 overs. (Sohan 51, Rana 33, Rohit 3 for 25, Vikas 2 for 21). CCC: — 122 all out in 24 overs (Pardeep 28, Mohit 21, Sanjay 2 for 10, Rana 2 for 9).

Mr Satish Sharma, an industralist, gave away the prizes.

HMV Athletics

JALANDHAR, Feb 21 (FOSR)— The 51st Sports and Athletic Meet of Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya, Jalandhar was organised on the college premises yesterday. 200 students took part in different events. An impressive air show was also presented by the NCC air-wing cadets of the college. The control line and low line flying was highly appreciated.

The meet was declared open by Dr Kanwaljit Singh, Director Sports Department, and Head, Department of Physical Education GND University, Amritsar. The chief guest for the evening session was Mr B.S. Bodhi, Deputy Director, Sports, Jalandhar.

Malwinder women's hockey

PATIALA, Feb 21 (FOSR)— The Malwinder Memorial State Women's Hockey Tournament will be held at War Hero's Stadium, Sangrur, on February 23 and 24. Top teams of the region including PSEB, KMV, Jalandhar, HMV Jalandhar, Patiala, Faridkot, Bathinda, Sangrur and Kapurthala districts will be participating in the two-day tournament, according to Mrs Sukhwinder Kaur, organising secretary of the tournament.