Asian boxing moved from Delhi to Dubai

New Delhi

The Asian Boxing Championship, which was scheduled to be held here next month, has been moved to Dubai because of the alarming Covid-19 situation in India. The Boxing Federation of India will co-host the event along with its UAE counterpart. The tournament will take place between May 21 and June 1. The event was to be held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium from May 21 to 31 here.

New Delhi

Delhi HC fines IOA president Batra Rs 50,000

The Delhi High Court has directed Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra to deposit Rs 50,000 with the court’s Legal Service Committee as costs for getting a stay on IOA’s Ethics Commission without making the complaint or the sports body a party in the case. Karate Association of India (KAI) general secretary Ambedkar Gupta had filed a complaint with the Ethics Commission against Batra after the IOA president threatened to throw “karate out of India” after a falling out between Gupta and KAI president Likha Tara.

Madrid

Djokovic withdraws from Madrid Open

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will not defend his Madrid Open title next week as he decided against travelling for the ATP Masters 1000 event, the organisers said. The 33-year-old was last seen in action on his home soil at the Serbia Open last week, where he reached the semifinals before losing to Russia’s Aslan Karatsev.

Madrid

Chelsea hold Madrid 1-1 in Champions League semis

With a dominant start and a milestone goal by Christian Pulisic, Chelsea showed their strength against Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals. Chelsea took control early in the first leg to hold the Spanish powerhouse to a 1-1 away draw, with Pulisic becoming the first US international to score in the tournament’s last-four.

London

Charity sale: Federer boots, racquets up for grabs

Roger Federer has announced he is auctioning a collection of personal items this summer. The 20-time Grand Slam champion is putting various items under the hammer in two sales in June and July to raise money for his foundation.

New Delhi

Women’s T20 Challenge unlikely due to Covid

The three-team Women’s T20 Challenge, which has been held during the IPL in the past, is unlikely to be organised this year given the current restrictions imposed by countries on air travel with India due to the spike in Covid-19 cases in the country. The BCCI had been planning a camp for the Indian woman players, but the tournament has hit choppy waters as players from Australia, England, South Africa or West Indies would not be able to travel to India because of the unprecedented health crisis in India. The event has been organised three times in a row after its inception in 2018, and three teams — Supernovas, Velocity and Trailblazers — were involved.

Sydney

IPL bio-bubble most vulnerable, says Zampa

Australian cricketer Adam Zampa has said that the bio-secure bubble for IPL 2021 is the most vulnerable one he has been in so far, due to the Covid-19 situation in India. “We’ve been in a few (bubbles) now, and I feel like this is probably the most vulnerable,” Zampa told Australian media. Zampa said that the tournament should have been held in the UAE, as it was last year. “I just feel like because it’s India, we’re always being told about the hygiene over here and being extra careful... I just felt like it was the most vulnerable. The IPL that was held in Dubai six months ago didn’t feel that way at all,” said the leg-spinner, who was part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore squad, but decided to leave because of his concerns over the situation. “I felt like that (UAE) was extremely safe. Personally, I feel like that would have been a better option originally for this IPL,” added Zampa. Zampa said that the next discussion is probably going to be about whether the T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in October-November in India, should be played in India or not. — Agencies

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