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| Friday,
October 26, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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Dope-testing lab still miles
away New Delhi, October 25 The GC-MSD is the main equipment for dope testing, and it was imported primarily for the inaugural Afro-Asian Games. Though the Afro-Asian Games have been postponed indefinitely, a modern dope-testing laboratory will be established in Delhi. But getting accreditation for the lab from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is a prolonged and complicated process, which will take at least one year to come through. German technicians were to initially assemble the lab in Delhi, but they had expressed their inability to come, and the Indian Olympic Association then prevailed upon the IOC to sent the experts from some other country, most probably from Japan. The need to have a modern dope-testing laboratory was felt when a number of Indian sportspersons reportedly tested positive for drugs in international and domestic competitions. The existing dope testing lab in Delhi was outdated, and Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Uma Bharti had promised that a new dope-testing lab would be in place for the Afro-Asian Games. Excellent dope testing facilities have been created both at the Talkatora Swimming pool and the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The swimming pool dope-testing lab was ready much before the deadline set for the completion of the work while the cancellation of the Afro-Asian Games has slowed down work at the Nehru Stadium lab. Meanwhile, the Nehru Stadium has got an impressive facelift, with brand new bucket seats in place at the main stadium. The worn out press box has got a new look, and relaying of the synthetic athletic track is almost complete. Had the games been on, everything would have been in place well before the inauguration. But the cricket trainees are an unhappy lot as they are being forced to train at the Nehru Stadium despite the completion of works at the National Stadium. SAI runs four very popular cricket training centres - two at the National Stadium, and one each at the Nehru Stadium and the Indira Gandhi indoor stadium. When preparations for the Afro-Asian Games started at the National Stadium, the cricket trainees of Sunita Sharma and Maninder Singh were asked to jointly train with the wards of Bharadwaj at the Nehru Stadium. |
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Amn-Amro Bank cruises through in Gold Vase
polo New Delhi, October 25 Both the teams were of ten goals. Amn-Amro scored two goals each in the first and second chukker while Sahgal Stud scored one goal each, for the score to read 4-2 at half time. Both the teams scored one goal each in the third chukker to take the score to 5-3. In the last chukker, Amn-Amro scored three goals while Sahgal Stud scored two goals to take the final score to 8-5. Samsheer Ali played brilliantly and scored six goals and Uday Kalaan scored two goals for the winners while Oliver Taylore scored two goals, and Ian Robinson, Rajesh Sahgal and A S Baath contributed one goal each for the losers. The teams: Amn-Amro Bank: Lt. Arun Nian, Shamsheer Ali, Uday Kalaan and Maj (retd) Adhiraj Singh. Sahgal Stud: Lt. A S Baath, Rajesh Sahgal, Ian Robinson and Oliver Taylor. In the last quarter-final match, Aravali Polo easily beat South Delhi. South Delhi took the lead in the first chukker 2-1, but the second chukker was disastrous for them as they scored only one goal while Aravali Polo scored four goals to take the lead to 5-3. Aravali Polo increased their lead to 6-3 by scoring a goal in the third chukker. In the last chukker, both the teams scored two goals each to take the final score to 8-5. Angad Kalaan played a stellar role in Aravali’s victory, with seven goals to his credit. Karan Thapar was the other scorer. Vishal Singh and Bala Mallya scored two goals and Philip Ellioott scored one goal for the losers. |
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Bhandari cracks course record to lead in Noida
Golf New Delhi, October 25 Pappan was placed second, four-strokes behind the leader at three-under 69. Kanpur’s Shiv Prakash, who has been out of sorts after a fine showing during the southern swing, showed a welcome return to form with his two-under 70, placing him tied third with Kolkata’s Uttam Singh Mundy. Defending champion Mukesh Kumar was tied fifth with Vinod Kumar and Zai Kipgen at one-under 71. Rookie golfer Rahil Gangjee, who won his maiden career title in last week’s HT Pro Golf 2001 at Lucknow, played five over 77 to occupy the 48th spot. Nobody who saw Vivek Bhandari play today will associate him with the golfer who roamed about the Delhi Golf Club with a collar around his neck, both getting up and sitting down gingerly, and physically, though not mentally, as far away from the golfing greens as possible. A severe attack of spondylitis was the reason for the talented Delhi pro to take a forced exile from the game. One and a half years later, Bhandari is in the thick of things, doling out round after spectacular round of golf on both the Hero Honda Golf Tour and the Davidoff Asian PGA Tour. “I am playing better than ever before”, said the 30-year-old Bhandari. Despite two modest weeks in tournaments in China and Malaysia, Bhandari is ranked a high eighth on the Asian Tour. Back home, he has one runner-up and one top place finish in two starts this season, at the Cotton City Open in Coimbatore and the Hero Honda South, Bangalore. Bhandari made a great impact with a fiery display today, including as many as nine birdies. This, despite a double bogey-start to his round. “I had a poor start. On the very first hole, I lost my ball after my second shot landed in the rough. It was quite mysterious as the ball had trickled just five feet into the rough, but could never be found”, he said. Bhandari’s 65 included birdies on the fourth, seventh, eighth, ninth, 10th, 14th, 15th, 17th and 18th holes. Bhandari’s best ever round is an eight-under 63 at the Mines Golf Course during the Kuala Lumpur Open, where he shared the course record with none other than Tiger Woods. Pappan has been one of the top 10 performers on the Hero Honda Golf Tour this season. Though he has been unable to convert a win countless are the times when he has assumed the lead. Today, outdone by Bhandari’s brilliance, Pappan still occupied the second spot. This year, the fairways at the Noida course are better than the last time round, and the greens are even-paced which enables the players to putt without worrying too much. Amit Luthra and Saurav Bahuguna joined Oil India employee Simarjeet Singh in a three-way amateur lead. The threesome played to one-over 78. Scores (after 18 holes): 65 Vivek Bhandari; 69 Pappan, 70 Shiv Prakash, Uttam Mundy, 71 Mukesh Kumar, Vinod Kumar, Zai Kipgen, 72 Indrajit Bhalotia, Jumman, Rohit Choudhary, Rohtas Singh, Sanjay Kumar, 73 Akbar Ali, Vijay Kumar, Basad Ali, Digvijay Singh, Gaurav Ghei, Manohar Dike, Rajiv Kumr, Ranjit Singh. Amateurs: 71 Simarjeet Singh, Amit Luthra, and Saurav Bahuguna; 76 Jasjeet Singh. |
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Robin Singh’s day
out with kids New Delhi, October 25 The mega event, being sponsored by Atlas Cycles of Haryana, will afford the kids an opportunity to interact with the ace Test player. Over 1500 children above 10 years of age from the top schools of Delhi will participate in the programme. There are a variety of prizes up for grabs like autographed cricket balls, T-shirts, caps, posters etc. Each kid will be given a surprise gift, with a discount coupon on select sports bikes. Jaipur marked the beginning of “Atlas Cricket—Team Up with Robin Singh” where at least 700 children participated in this hugely successful event, followed by Hyderabad and Kanpur. Atlas had launched a bike named ‘AtlasCricket’—Indiadia’s first bike with a special bat holder attached to its frame. This bat holder allows the rider to ride at complete ease while his cricket bat is fixed securely in the holder. |
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ESPN bags Sharjah TV
rights New Delhi, October 25 Apart from the ongoing India-South Africa-Kenya Triangular Series, ESPN Star Sports in the coming days will feature the Sharjah triangular one-day series, the India vs South Africa Test series, and the New Zealand, South Africa tour of Australia. |
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Boxing competition CRPF Southern Sector wins Honda Siel PGA Golf |
Delhi secretariat virtually
unguarded New Delhi, October 25 According to secretariat officials, the letter requisitioning the deployment of the CISF personnel is being processed and a decision is expected sometime next week. The delay is attributed to “negotiations” on the terms and conditions to meet the specific requirements of barracks, accommodation etc as sought by the CISF. The general administration department says owing to the space constraints, it would be in a position to provide only a few rooms to the CISF. Also, funds would be placed at the disposal of the CISF for making salary payments to the personnel posted for security only after making budgetary provisions, the department says. Interestingly, while CISF sources told The Tribune that “pre-induction formalities” have been completed and a sanction from the Ministry of Home Affairs was “expected” soon, the Delhi Government, citing administrative delays, says the contract given to the private agency would be extended for another brief period for the time being. (The contract expires this month.) The private agency, Delhi-based Indian Industrial Security Services Private Limited, was given the contract of security to the property at the time of construction of the secretariat building. They had been hired by the Public Works Department for watch and ward duties. In September last year, soon after the offices of the Chief Minister, ministers and their secretaries moved in to the new building, it was deemed fit that the arrangement be continued “pending alternative arrangements”. The “arrangement” suited them best as, officials concede, the Delhi Government did not have to shoulder the financial liabilities like providing accommodation for the security personnel and their families, salary, etc. However, the perception changed when intelligence reports began pointing towards probable terrorist strikes at vital installations in the Capital. Officials, nevertheless, claim that there has not been any official communication yet from the Delhi Police indicating any “credible” threat to the Delhi Secretariat. Officials say the reluctance of the Delhi Police to “depute” personnel from among its constabulary is at the root of the problem. Besides security, reception and sanitation also are in private hands. The personnel manning the reception, comprising six women, have been hired from a company based in New Rohtak Road. While enlisting the private sector isn’t such a bad idea given that rightsizing is the government’s mantra, an official comment on the safety aspect of such departures from established practices at government offices or the quantum of revenue thus saved is not forthcoming. |
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