SPORTS CAFE
Tvesa, Diksha to lead Indian challenge in Spain
BARCELONA: Tvesa Malik and Diksha Dagar will lead a large group of Indian women golfers as the Ladies European Tour caravan reaches Spain for the Estrella Damm Ladies Open presented by Catalunya this week. Tvesa, who is aiming for a Top-10 finish on the Order of Merit, is currently 23rd while Diksha is 40th. Apart from the Hero sponsored duo Malik and Dagar, the other Indians in the field and looking to make a mark are Amandeep Drall, Vani Kapoor, Gaurika Bishnoi and Ridhima Dilawari, who have all shown a marked improvement in their performances.
Women's football team arrives in UAE for friendly
DUBAI: The Indian women's team safely reached Dubai, UAE, on Thursday for their upcoming friendlies in the UAE and Bahrain, which get underway on October 2. These friendlies have been planned as part of the team's preparation for the AFC Women's Asian Cup, which is set to take place in India next year. The Indian women's team has been camping in Jamshedpur with help from the Government of Jharkhand.
Nordics call to review women's bikini uniform
COPENHAGEN: The five Nordic countries urged the International Handball Federation to review uniform rules in accordance with gender equality after the Norway team was punished for wearing shorts instead of the mandated bikini uniform. Norway's women were fined by European handball authorities for improper clothing after wearing shorts in the European beach bronze medal match in Bulgaria in July in protest at the bikini-style rule. Men are allowed to wear T-shirts and shorts while women have to wear midriff-baring tops and bikini bottoms.
Athletics investigators take over Belarus case
MONACO: An investigation into two Belarus team officials who tried to force sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya on a flight from the Tokyo Olympics will now be run by track and field authorities. World Athletics said on Thursday its independent Athletics Integrity Unit is taking over the case from the International Olympic Committee. No timetable was given for the investigation. The Belarus team's treatment of Tsimanouskaya created a diplomatic incident at the Tokyo Olympics with Japanese authorities and Poland's embassy coming to her aid.
Weightlifter Kostova banned for doping again
LAUSANNE: Former world champion weightlifter Boyanka Kostova was banned for eight years for doping on Thursday after making her comeback from an earlier sanction for performance-enhancing drug use at the Olympics. The International Testing Agency said Kostova tested positive for traces of the steroid stanozolol on her way to winning the European championship title in the 59-kilogram category in April. Kostova was banned from 2016 through 2018 after a reanalysis of her sample from the 2012 Olympics, where she placed fifth, found the steroid turinabol.
Soccer head suspended for sexual harassment
RIO DE JANEIRO: The president of the Brazilian soccer confederation was suspended for 21 months as a sexual harassment case against him proceeds. The body's general assembly on Wednesday voted 27-0 to keep Rogério Caboclo out until one month before his term ends in March 2023. The 48-year-old Caboclo, whose term began in 2019, was first suspended by the confederation's ethics committee in June after a former secretary formally made accusations against him. That decision was extended until the general assembly's vote.
Easy for rop-seeded Rublev in San Diego Open
SAN DIEGO: Top-seeded Andrey Rublev broke to begin each set and was on his way to overpowering wild-card entry Brandon Nakashima 6-2 6-1 in the second round of the San Diego Open. Rublev, fresh off helping Team Europe win the Laver Cup exhibition in Boston, on Wednesday used big forehands to take control of points from the baseline. "Since the beginning, I was thinking I need to be the one who's going to dominate. I need to try to take my forehand and try to dictate," said Rublev.