Lodha Panel to meet on August 28

New Delhi: The Supreme Court-appointed Justice RM Lodha Panel will meet on August 28 to discuss various issues concerning BCCI, including the multiple complaints received against the board. “In the light of several complaints received, the Lodha Committee will have an emergent meeting on Sunday in New Delhi,” said a source close to the panel. The issue of BCCI announcing its AGM on September 21 will also come up for discussion. There is every possibility that the Committee will use its discretion and declare the AGM “null and void”. BCCI is set to submit its first Compliance Report with regard to implementing the 11-point reforms by October 15.    

Karachi

Pak on top but Miandad not happy with ICC system

Pakistan’s batting great Javed Miandad is not happy with the present ranking system of the International Cricket Council even though Pakistan has just become the No. 1 side. Miandad said while he was happy that Pakistan, despite the many problems it was facing as a cricket nation, had topped the Test ranking table, the ICC needed to come out with a better system. “In the existing system, it is very difficult for a team to maintain its top ranking and positions change quickly,” he said. “How can a team be judged and ranked at the top unless it plays equal number of home and away matches,” he added.

Addis Ababa

Olympics protest runner fails to return to Ethiopia   

Olympics marathon silver medallist Feyisa Lilesa failed to return to Ethiopia on Monday night despite assurances he would not be punished for his Rio protest over political repression in his country. An AFP journalist at the airport in Addis Ababa said Lilesa was not onboard the plane that landed on Monday night carrying Ethiopia’s Olympics team.

On Sunday, Lilesa, who came second to Kenyan favourite Eliud Kipchoge in Rio, crossed his arms as he finished the marathon in a symbolic protest against the repressive Ethiopian regime. The 26-year-old repeated the gesture during the race’s medal ceremony, telling reporters later that he was afraid to go back to his homeland. Reports have suggested that the runner may seek political asylum in the United States, but a spokesperson for the US State Department refused to talk specifically about the case.

Geneva

Lifting federation names 15 re-test doping failures   

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) today disclosed the names of 15 past Olympians, including three Beijing 2008 gold medallists, who failed doping tests after their samples were re-analysed. The re-analysis programme was launched by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) focusing on Beijing 2008 and London 2012 medal winners, as part of an effort to combat drug cheating in sport. — Agencies