DELHI FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020 Foreign participation rule ... · CM YK AND-NDE THE HINDU DELHI...
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CM YK A ND-NDE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE THE HINDU DELHI FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020 19 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE SPORT Professional Indian football clubs entering Asian Foot- ball Confederation (AFC) tournaments next year is a privilege that comes with the need to bring about changes in step with rules and regulations in force at regional competitions. 3+1 formula AFC follows the 3+1 formula when it comes to number of foreign players — four in the playing squad, one of whom should be from an AFC affiliate association. This is different from AIFF’s ‘five foreigners’ rule. Reducing one foreign player each will automati- cally bring more Indians in- to play — four foreign + se- ven Indian in place of the current five + six ratio. The impact of foreign players on Indian football became a topic of discus- sion after National chief coach Igor Stimac raised the issue of the absence of quality strikers to step into Sunil Chhetri’s boots, when the latter retires. AIFF general secretary Kushal Das replies to ques- tions on the foreigners is- sue in an exclusive email in- teraction. Excerpts: On three Indian clubs (FC Goa, ATK-Mohun Bagan, Chennaiyin FC) competing in Asian club football from 2021 It is a wonderful chance for Indian clubs to make a mark and improve India’s Asian ranking. I hope the clubs take ad- vantage and prepare dili- gently. India is currently ranked 20th in Asia, down from 10th in 2019 because of the indifferent perfor- mance of Indian clubs in AFC competitions. It is important that clubs prioritise performances in Asian events. On AFC’s 3+1 stipulation We are in discussions to find the right mix for home tournaments. It would be ideal to fol- low the AFC rule, but cer- tain considerations like quality of play, fan engage- ment, attendances and TV viewership need to be kept in mind. We (AIFF) will discus the issue with all stakeholders and come up with an ap- propriate rule before the beginning of the next season. (Reliance and Star India are co-promoters of the league, supported by the national federation). Shouldn’t the AIFF take the lead and nudge the ISL organising body into introducing the 3+1 rule? The ISL’s six seasons have been very beneficial for In- dian football. We need to have detailed discussions to find the right structure. We plan to do it before the next season and whatever is decided will be applicable to all top level club football in India. How will reducing the number of foreigners in the playing XI affect the quality of club recruits? I think that should be quite obvious. Having fewer, but better, foreign players will not only raise the standard of play but also help In- dians develop, get more op- portunities and game time. These are all part of dis- cussions we plan to have with the stakeholders. Foreign participation rule may be tweaked Proposed formula for domestic competition to be widely discussed: Kushal Das New horizon beckons: I-League champion Mohun Bagan has earned a slot in the AFC Cup for three years. * FILE PHOTO FOOTBALL Nandakumar Marar MUMBAI DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD The super trio B ISL Season-six league topper FC Goa gets direct slot into AFC Champions League 2021 group stage B I-League champion ATK- Mohun Bagan in AFC Cup as special dispensation for three years B ISL Season-six finalist Chennaiyin FC makes AFC Cup play-offs DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD Indian fencer Bhavani Devi could have sealed a place for the Tokyo Olympics had the scheduled World Cup event in Belgium gone ahead this weekend. But the event was can- celled because of the Coro- navirus pandemic and the fencer returned to Chennai just in time before restric- tions on travel from the Eu- ropean Union came into force. Bhavani, ranked World No. 45 in the Sabre category, is now in the second spot in the Adjusted Official Rank- ings category from Asia with a fairly comfortable cushion over her closest competitor Aigerim Sarybay of Kazakh- stan. In good position With most of the team rank- ing spots sealed, she is in a good position and a decent result in Belgium would have been enough. Speaking to The Hindu, the Chennai-born fencer said, “If things are frozen here now, I will qualify for the Olympics, which will be great. We don’t know when the tournaments will resume.” If the Belgium event hap- pens and her results are not enough, she will have another opportunity at the Asian continental qualifiers that is supposed to be held in April. The 26-year-old has been based out of Italy, working under coach Nicola Zanotti in Livorno, and was contem- plating returning to base from Belgium where she was having a camp before the tournament. However, after Italy went into a lockdown she had no option but to return home even though the place she is based in is not affected much by the pandemic. With very basic facilities for fencing in India, Bhavani has to focus on doing some fitness and rehab exercises until she is here. “Right now I can't do much with everything shut till March 31 and I am isolat- ing myself inside my house as a precaution. “Also, I don’t have enough sparring partners here with most of them only kids. I can focus on my fit- ness and some footwork practise but you can’t do that for more than an hour.” “It is not ideal prepara- tion in an Olympic year but at the same time it is pretty much the same for every athlete across the world.” Bhavani returns after WC in Belgium is cancelled She could have sealed a place for the Tokyo Olympics S. Dipak Ragav Chennai Bhavani Devi. * FILE PHOTO: B. VELANKANNI RAJ FENCING The Union Sports Ministry has recognised the Deaflym- pics and the World cham- pionships in this category, on par with elite sports, in its scheme of cash awards, as per an amendment executed last week. It has been a long-standing demand of the All India Sports Council of the Deaf to treat the achievement of its athletes on par with sport- spersons who compete in the Olympics and Paralympics. As per the circular dated March 11, the gold, silver and bronze medals in the Dea- flympics will be awarded ₹75 lakh, ₹50 lakh and ₹25 lakh respectively. Moreover, World Cham- pionship medals, for events held in the four-year cycle, will fetch ₹40 lakh, ₹25 lakh and ₹15 lakh respectively for deaf athletes. Achievements Over the years, there have been remarkable achieve- ments in the Deaflympics by Indian athletes. In the last Deaflympics held in Samsun, Turkey, Vi- render Singh won the men’s 74 kg wrestling gold. Diksha Dagar won the golf silver, while wrestlers Ajay Kumar and Sumit Dahiya had won the bronze medals. In tennis mixed doubles, Prithvi Sekhar and Jafreen Shaik had won the bronze. Prithvi, who was part of the gold-winning team in the World Railways tennis cham- pionship, had won the indivi- dual gold and doubles bronze with Prashanth Dash- arath Harsambhavi, in the World Deaf tennis champion- ship in Antalya last October. “I am very happy with the government’s announce- ment. I am applying for the cash award for my medals,” said Prithvi, who trains in Chennai with coach Suresh- kumar Sonachalam. Prithvi also noted that the Asian championships had not yet been listed for the cash awards for deaf athletes. Incidentally, wrestler Vi- render Singh had won two golds and a bronze in the ear- lier editions of the Deaflym- pics from 2005. He had also won gold, sil- ver and bronze medals in the World championships. The AISCD had also sought in the past, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award for athlete P.K. Jaison of Tamil Nadu who had won a gold and two silvers in long jump and triple jump in the Dea- flympics in Bulgaria in 1993 and in Denmark in 1997. Coaches at the grassroot, developmental and elite le- vels would also be given cash awards, at the rate of 30% to 40%. The cash award for the coaches would be 50% of the cash award for the athlete, for individual medals. However, the government order categorically states that spouse, father, mother, brother and sister of sport- spersons would not be eligi- ble for cash awards, as coach. Avoiding delay To avoid delay, the Sports Authority of India will accept applications directly from the medal-winning sport- spersons in the prescribed format, along with attested copies of certificates wherev- er available apart from bank account details for money transfer. For coaches, applications will be forwarded by Nation- al Sports Federations to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Coaches’ rewards also increased; AISCD welcomes move DEAFLYMPICS Special Correspondent NEW DELHI Govt. hikes cash awards for medallists For many athletes who are yet to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, there’s an- xiety and confusion. India’s premier middle- distance runner Jinson John- son also expressed his help- lessness in this time of a glo- bal pandemic. “I am really worried about my qualification but we real- ly cannot do anything in this hour. We need to wait and watch,” Jinson told Sportstar from Bengaluru on Thursday. Having suffered an injury to his Achilles heel tendon last year, the Asian Games gold medallist travelled to Colorado Springs in the USA and trained under Scott Sim- mons. He later returned to India and began rehab at HN Re- liance Foundation hospital in Mumbai. Jinson is current- ly training at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) com- plex in Bengaluru. “My training hasn’t been affected much and despite the outbreak and growing concerns, I am still adhering to my routine. It’s difficult as there is no clarity when the qualification will happen but at the same time, I cannot af- ford to relax,” he said. “I am not targeting my Olympic qualification in the Fed Cup as I am yet to reach my peak. Due to injury, my training got delayed and I am not rushing things. I am hopeful of participating in invitational tournaments and qualify from there. Mid- dle-distance running is all about timing and I have done well abroad. If all the meets are can- celled, the last option availa- ble for qualification is through the rankings, which will determine who gets to compete in the Games. Ho- wever, with no events hap- pening, the chances of parti- cipating in additional meets to improve the ranking are bleak. “I know my ranking is not that great and I am hope- ful I will get a chance to qual- ify.” said Jinson. The qualification cut-off for Tokyo is 3:35.00s and Jin- son’s personal best in 3:35.34s. “I know I am a tad short of the mark but I am confident of qualifying. Athletics is all about fitness and in middle- distance I know how to pace my race. I am training hard and SAI is taking care of us really well with excellent fa- cilities. “I just hope life re- turns to normalcy soon and the Games happen,” he said. Middle-distance runner’s Olympic qualification still up in the air V.S. Aravind CHENNAI Jinson Johnson. * FILE PHOTO We need to wait and watch: Jinson Johnson
Transcript of DELHI FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020 Foreign participation rule ... · CM YK AND-NDE THE HINDU DELHI...
CMYK
A ND-NDE
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
THE HINDU DELHI
FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020 19EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
SPORT
Professional Indian footballclubs entering Asian Football Confederation (AFC)tournaments next year is aprivilege that comes withthe need to bring aboutchanges in step with rulesand regulations in force atregional competitions.
3+1 formula
AFC follows the 3+1 formulawhen it comes to numberof foreign players — four inthe playing squad, one ofwhom should be from anAFC affi��liate association.
This is diff��erent fromAIFF’s ‘fi��ve foreigners’ rule.
Reducing one foreignplayer each will automatically bring more Indians into play — four foreign + seven Indian in place of thecurrent fi��ve + six ratio.
The impact of foreignplayers on Indian football
became a topic of discussion after National chiefcoach Igor Stimac raisedthe issue of the absence ofquality strikers to step intoSunil Chhetri’s boots, whenthe latter retires.
AIFF general secretaryKushal Das replies to questions on the foreigners issue in an exclusive email interaction. Excerpts:
On three Indian clubs (FCGoa, ATKMohun Bagan,Chennaiyin FC) competing inAsian club football from 2021
It is a wonderful chance forIndian clubs to make amark and improve India’sAsian ranking.
I hope the clubs take advantage and prepare diligently. India is currentlyranked 20th in Asia, downfrom 10th in 2019 becauseof the indiff��erent performance of Indian clubs inAFC competitions.
It is important that clubsprioritise performances inAsian events.
On AFC’s 3+1 stipulation
We are in discussions tofi��nd the right mix for hometournaments.
It would be ideal to follow the AFC rule, but certain considerations likequality of play, fan engagement, attendances and TVviewership need to be keptin mind.
We (AIFF) will discus theissue with all stakeholdersand come up with an appropriate rule before thebeginning of the nextseason.
(Reliance and Star India
are copromoters of theleague, supported by thenational federation).
Shouldn’t the AIFF take thelead and nudge the ISLorganising body intointroducing the 3+1 rule?
The ISL’s six seasons havebeen very benefi��cial for Indian football.
We need to have detaileddiscussions to fi��nd the rightstructure. We plan to do itbefore the next season andwhatever is decided will beapplicable to all top levelclub football in India.
How will reducing thenumber of foreigners in theplaying XI aff��ect the qualityof club recruits?
I think that should be quiteobvious. Having fewer, butbetter, foreign players willnot only raise the standardof play but also help Indians develop, get more opportunities and game time.
These are all part of discussions we plan to havewith the stakeholders.
Foreign participation rule may be tweakedProposed formula for domestic competition to be widely discussed: Kushal Das
New horizon beckons: ILeague champion Mohun Bagan has earned a slot in the AFC Cup for three years. * FILE PHOTO
FOOTBALL
Nandakumar Marar
MUMBAI
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
The super trio
B ISL Seasonsix leaguetopper FC Goa gets directslot into AFC ChampionsLeague 2021 group stage
B ILeague champion ATKMohun Bagan in AFC Cup asspecial dispensation forthree years
B ISL Seasonsix fi��nalistChennaiyin FC makes AFCCup playoff��s
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
Indian fencer Bhavani Devicould have sealed a place forthe Tokyo Olympics had thescheduled World Cup eventin Belgium gone ahead thisweekend.
But the event was cancelled because of the Coronavirus pandemic and thefencer returned to Chennaijust in time before restrictions on travel from the European Union came intoforce.
Bhavani, ranked WorldNo. 45 in the Sabre category,is now in the second spot inthe Adjusted Offi��cial Rankings category from Asia witha fairly comfortable cushionover her closest competitorAigerim Sarybay of Kazakhstan.
In good positionWith most of the team ranking spots sealed, she is in agood position and a decentresult in Belgium wouldhave been enough.
Speaking to The Hindu,the Chennaiborn fencersaid, “If things are frozenhere now, I will qualify forthe Olympics, which will begreat. We don’t know whenthe tournaments willresume.”
If the Belgium event happens and her results are notenough, she will haveanother opportunity at theAsian continental qualifi��ersthat is supposed to be heldin April.
The 26yearold has beenbased out of Italy, working
under coach Nicola Zanottiin Livorno, and was contemplating returning to basefrom Belgium where shewas having a camp beforethe tournament.
However, after Italy wentinto a lockdown she had nooption but to return homeeven though the place she isbased in is not aff��ectedmuch by the pandemic.
With very basic facilitiesfor fencing in India, Bhavanihas to focus on doing somefi��tness and rehab exercisesuntil she is here.
“Right now I can't domuch with everything shuttill March 31 and I am isolating myself inside my houseas a precaution.
“Also, I don’t haveenough sparring partnershere with most of them onlykids. I can focus on my fi��tness and some footworkpractise but you can’t dothat for more than an hour.”
“It is not ideal preparation in an Olympic year butat the same time it is prettymuch the same for everyathlete across the world.”
Bhavani returns after WCin Belgium is cancelledShe could have sealed a place for the
Tokyo Olympics
S. Dipak Ragav
Chennai
Bhavani Devi.* FILE PHOTO: B. VELANKANNI RAJ
FENCING
The Union Sports Ministryhas recognised the Deafl��ympics and the World championships in this category, onpar with elite sports, in itsscheme of cash awards, asper an amendment executedlast week.
It has been a longstandingdemand of the All IndiaSports Council of the Deaf totreat the achievement of itsathletes on par with sportspersons who compete in theOlympics and Paralympics.
As per the circular datedMarch 11, the gold, silver andbronze medals in the Deafl��ympics will be awarded ₹��75lakh, ₹��50 lakh and ₹��25 lakhrespectively.
Moreover, World Championship medals, for eventsheld in the fouryear cycle,will fetch ₹��40 lakh, ₹��25 lakh
and ₹��15 lakh respectively fordeaf athletes.
Achievements
Over the years, there havebeen remarkable achievements in the Deafl��ympics byIndian athletes.
In the last Deafl��ympicsheld in Samsun, Turkey, Virender Singh won the men’s74 kg wrestling gold. DikshaDagar won the golf silver,while wrestlers Ajay Kumarand Sumit Dahiya had wonthe bronze medals.
In tennis mixed doubles,Prithvi Sekhar and JafreenShaik had won the bronze.Prithvi, who was part of thegoldwinning team in theWorld Railways tennis championship, had won the individual gold and doublesbronze with Prashanth Dasharath Harsambhavi, in theWorld Deaf tennis championship in Antalya last October.
“I am very happy with thegovernment’s announce
ment. I am applying for thecash award for my medals,”said Prithvi, who trains inChennai with coach Sureshkumar Sonachalam.
Prithvi also noted that theAsian championships hadnot yet been listed for thecash awards for deafathletes.
Incidentally, wrestler Virender Singh had won twogolds and a bronze in the earlier editions of the Deafl��ympics from 2005.
He had also won gold, silver and bronze medals in theWorld championships.
The AISCD had alsosought in the past, the RajivGandhi Khel Ratna award forathlete P.K. Jaison of TamilNadu who had won a goldand two silvers in long jumpand triple jump in the Deafl��ympics in Bulgaria in 1993and in Denmark in 1997.
Coaches at the grassroot,developmental and elite levels would also be given cash
awards, at the rate of 30% to40%.
The cash award for thecoaches would be 50% of thecash award for the athlete,for individual medals.
However, the governmentorder categorically statesthat spouse, father, mother,brother and sister of sportspersons would not be eligible for cash awards, ascoach.
Avoiding delay
To avoid delay, the SportsAuthority of India will acceptapplications directly fromthe medalwinning sportspersons in the prescribedformat, along with attestedcopies of certifi��cates wherever available apart from bankaccount details for moneytransfer.
For coaches, applicationswill be forwarded by National Sports Federations to theMinistry of Youth Aff��airs andSports.
Coaches’ rewards also increased; AISCD welcomes move
DEAFLYMPICS
Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI
Govt. hikes cash awards for medallists
For many athletes who areyet to qualify for the 2020Tokyo Olympics, there’s anxiety and confusion.
India’s premier middledistance runner Jinson Johnson also expressed his helplessness in this time of a global pandemic.
“I am really worried aboutmy qualifi��cation but we really cannot do anything in thishour. We need to wait andwatch,” Jinson told Sportstarfrom Bengaluru onThursday.
Having suff��ered an injuryto his Achilles heel tendonlast year, the Asian Gamesgold medallist travelled toColorado Springs in the USA
and trained under Scott Simmons.
He later returned to Indiaand began rehab at HN Reliance Foundation hospitalin Mumbai. Jinson is currently training at the SportsAuthority of India (SAI) complex in Bengaluru.
“My training hasn’t beenaff��ected much and despitethe outbreak and growingconcerns, I am still adheringto my routine. It’s diffi��cult asthere is no clarity when thequalifi��cation will happen butat the same time, I cannot afford to relax,” he said.
“I am not targeting myOlympic qualifi��cation in theFed Cup as I am yet to reachmy peak. Due to injury, mytraining got delayed and I amnot rushing things. I am
hopeful of participating ininvitational tournamentsand qualify from there. Middledistance running is allabout timing and I havedone well abroad.
If all the meets are cancelled, the last option available for qualifi��cation isthrough the rankings, whichwill determine who gets to
compete in the Games. However, with no events happening, the chances of participating in additional meetsto improve the ranking arebleak. “I know my ranking isnot that great and I am hopeful I will get a chance to qualify.” said Jinson.
The qualifi��cation cutoff��for Tokyo is 3:35.00s and Jinson’s personal best in3:35.34s.
“I know I am a tad short ofthe mark but I am confi��dentof qualifying. Athletics is allabout fi��tness and in middledistance I know how to pacemy race. I am training hardand SAI is taking care of usreally well with excellent facilities. “I just hope life returns to normalcy soon andthe Games happen,” he said.
Middledistance runner’s Olympic qualifi��cation still up in the airV.S. Aravind
CHENNAI
Jinson Johnson. * FILE PHOTO
We need to wait and watch: Jinson Johnson
