Mutko steps down as 2018 World Cup organising chief

TRIVANDRUM: Experienced Haryana shooter Anisa Sayyed won the women's 25m pistol gold with a new record at the ongoing 61st National Shooting Championship Competitions (61st NSCC), here on Wednesday. Anisa shot a new finals national record score of 33 to prevail over the Maharashtra duo of Shital Shivaji Thorat and Rahi Sarnobat, who won the silver and bronze medals respectively at the National Games Shooting Range. Shital shot 30 in the eight-woman final to also claim a new finals national record while Rahi finished with 28.The other highlight of the day was upcoming talent Manu Bhaker's 10th and 11th gold medal at the Nationals. After sweeping the women's 10m pistol events and the junior mixed team air pistol gold for a total of nine gold medals over the last weekend, Manu won the junior team and junior team civilian 25m women's pistol events on Wednesday to add more glitter to her 61st NSCC sojourn. MUMBAI: Goan Sports Association (GSA) worked hard to snatch a close 3-2 win against D.K. Pharma SC in a keenly contested First Division encounter, played at the St. Xavier’s ground, Parel on Wednesday. The Goan outfit went on the offensive from the start, and were fortunate to take the lead when Pharma’s defender Chandresh Gupta in an attempt to clear the danger deflected the ball into his own goal.Three minutes later GSA doubled the lead with Kartik Naikar finding the net to give the team a 2-0 half time advantage. On resumption, D.K. Pharma managed to cut the deficit through Monis Bubre’s strike in the 44th minute but GSA added the third when Lionel Caldeira successfully converted a penalty in the 53rd minute. Amitsingh Labana scored the second goal for the Pharma side. NEW DELHI: IOA President Narinder Batra on Wednesday said he would take up the issue of proper implementation of TOPS scheme with the Sports Ministry and ensure all assistance for athletes in their endeavour to achieve results in international events, including Olympics. Batra was reacting to the recent statement of Abhinav Bindra, India's lone individual Olympic gold medallist, who emphasised on the need to improve 'the overall depth of professional support for athletes'. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko, who was banned for life from the Olympic Games this month over doping, said on Wednesday that he is stepping down as chairman of the 2018 World Cup organising committee.

"(Organising committee director Alexei) Sorokin will be the chairman," Mutko was quoted by Russian agencies as saying, two days after suspending his role as president of the Russian Football Union.

"He will interact with FIFA. I will concentrate on work in the government," he said.

He added at the time that he would continue his role as chief coordinator of preparations for the World Cup Russia will host next summer until Russian leadership decides otherwise.

Today he said his claim has been filed in the CAS.