ICC World Cup 2019: Where and how to apply for tickets? Public ballot open

The International Cricket Council has opened the Public Ballot for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Fans from across the world can now apply for the tickets of Cricket World Cup for the limited overs one-day internationals in England and Wales next year.

The will have until 29 August to apply for each of the 48 fixtures as the Public Ballot is open now. Tickets in each price band at every game are up for grabs.

Following the unprecedented demand during the Cricket Family Ballot, fans are encouraged to apply for a wide selection of matches as the 10-team round robin stage provides plenty of opportunities for fans to see their favourite team, ICC has stated in Press release.

To apply for tickets in the Public Ballot, applicants must register an account via the official Cricket World Cup Ticketing website. The pre-registration phase has started on 17 July.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Managing Director Steve Elworthy highlighted the importance of this milestone in the application process, and hopes it has the same success as the recent Cricket Family Ballot.

‘‘August 1 is a day we’ve all been looking forward to as we welcome many potential future cricket fans to the sport. This a great chance for anybody who wants to attend the ICC Cricket World Cup and watch the most exciting and competitive cricket available, as the best teams in the world go head to head.

‘’Being the third most-watched global sporting event, we know there will be huge interest in next year’s World Cup. The Cricket Family Ballot was a recent indicator to how popular we expect this tournament to be, when over one million tickets were applied for.

‘’What’s more, with our price structure for this tournament, which we consulted on widely and used external experts, all games will be accessible for a large proportion of sports fans. Any revenue that we do make from the tournament will be invested back in the game as part of our commitment to grow cricket and engage with future generations.’’

Host nation England will open the tournament at The Oval on 30 May when they take on South Africa, while reigning champions Australia start their title defence on 1 June against Afghanistan in a day/night match in Bristol. The World Cup will concludes on Sunday 14 July at Lord’s.

Any remaining tickets from the Public Ballot will go on general sale on a first-come, first-served basis later in 2018.

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Pyeongchang 2018 leave Gangwon Province with “massive debts”: Report

The host city of  Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, Gangwon Province, has been reeling under huge debts ever since the conclusion of the 23rd Winter Olympiad in February this year, according to reports.

According to a major South Korean newspaper, The Chosun Ilbo, the region is left with massive debts following the Games in February and March with major issues such as “conflict with locals and unpaid wages”.

Choi Moon-soon, the Governor of the Province, has asked for urgent assistance for the central government and said that sporting venues were now sitting unused while running up bills. 

“Most of the Olympic legacies have either been demolished or are gathering dust, causing a tremendous amount of disappointment for local residents,” he told The Chosun Ilbo. “We need urgent financial support from the Government.”

No legacy plans are in place at the Gangneung Hockey Centre and the Gangneung Oval where speed skating took place, as well as the Jeongseon Alpine Centre, insidethegame.co said citing reports. The Alpine venue faces demolition while the Alpenisa Sliding Center has been criticised for a lack of use.

Gangwon reportedly needs to pay KR₩20.3 billion ($18 million) to keep the sporting venues open until 2022. However, the Government has refused a request to take on 75 per cent of upkeep costs for fear of setting a “bad precedent” on the allocation of funds.

Other issues are a building subcontractor which hosted a press conference to demand KR₩8 billion (£5.5 million/$7 million/€6 million) they claim to be owed, with this dispute being handled by the Korea Fair Trade Mediation Agency. Plans from Pyeongchang 2018 organisers for a four-story commemorative centre have also reportedly been shelved as the province has demanded a smaller project.

The troubling financial muddle following the Pyeongchang 2018 is in stark contrast with claims made by Christophe Dubi, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) executive director for the Olympic Games, in July. Dubi has claimed that detailed financial figures showing Pyeongchang 2018 achieved a multi-million dollar surplus would be revealed by next month. He further said that the “final number” would be unveiled at the end of the third quarter of the financial year.

A surplus would represent a remarkable turnaround as the Games were facing a $300 million deficit when Lee Hee-beom took as over as Pyeongchang 2018 President from predecessor Cho Yang-ho in 2016. “What we know is these Games are financially profitable and that is a great thing,” Dubi said.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in was awarded the Olympic Order in gold by IOC President Thomas Bach yesterday for his role in the apparent “great success” of Pyeongchang 2018.

https://goo.gl/VxnPpQ

Formula E season 5 opener in Saudi Arabia to have record 11 teams, 22 drivers

The ABB FIA Formula E Championship is all set to enter season 5 with the first race slated for December 15, 2018 race in Ad Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.

The 2018-19 season of the premier single-seater electric car racing series will feature new rules, new cities, 22 brand new Generation 2 cars and some crucial team and drive changes.

The Formula E season 5 will feature eleven teams after approval from Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the world governing body of motorsports, this week. The last meeting of the World Motor Sport Council also saw amendments made to FIA Formula E Championship’s Sporting Regulations.

The upcoming season marks the first time in the history of Formula E when the number of teams will exceed ten, with a record 22 cars featuring on the grid in the race for the coveted title.

Saudi Arabia is set to mark its debut for hosting its first ever Formula E race. General Sports Authority and Saudi Arabian Motor Federation had signed a ten year deal in May this year with Formula E to bring the high octane electric city to the Middle East region.

Also Read: Saudi Arabia signs 10-year deal with Formula E

The teams to feature in Formula E 2018/19 season include: Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler Formula E Team, BMW I ANDRETTI MOTORSPORT, DRAGON, DS TECHEETAH, Virgin Racing, HWA, MAHINDRA RACING, NIO Formula E Team, Nissan e.dams, Panasonic Jaguar Racing, VENTURI Formula E Team.

Ahead of Ad Diriyah race, official pre-season testing will take place at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Valencia, from October 16-19 where all Gen2 cars will run together for the first time. The circuit will be open for fans who have registered to attend.

The season will also see the Former Formula One driver Felipe Massa make his Formula E début with Venturi.

Also Read: Formula E set to score many firsts with an all-revamped new season

https://goo.gl/ELEYSh

UEFA reveals group stage fixture for Champions League 2018-19 season

UEFA, the governing body of football in Europe, has announced the group stage fixtures for the much awaited, high octane and all-new UEFA Champions League 2018-19 season.

The group stage draw of Europe’s most coveted men’s club competition for 2018-19 season have been made in Monaco, with highlights including Juventus vs Manchester United – meaning a return to Old Trafford for Cristiano Ronaldo as Premier League giants face their former superstar.

Portuguese star Ronaldo has dominated the competition in the recent history. The 33-year-old has won four titles for Real Madrid and one earlier during his times at Manchester United. After his move to Juventus this summer, Ronaldo will be aiming to end a 22-year dry spell for the Italian Serie A champions with his fourth individual consecutive European title and sixth overall.

The UEFA Champions League 2018-19 season will kick-off on September 18, 2018 and the finals are slated for June 1 next year at Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid.

Last season’s runner-up Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have perhaps, ended up in some of the toughest groups. Liverpool has ties against Paris Saint Germain (PSG), Napoli, and red Star Belgrade whereas the Spurs will be up against Inter Milan, PSV Eindhoven and LaLiga giants Barcelona.

Also Read: UEFA to launch third-tier club competition from 2021

Below are the complete details of the groups, fixtures, dates and timings of the Champions League 2018-19 season:

GROUPS

Group A: Atlético Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Monaco, Club Brugge

Group B: Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, PSV Eindhoven, Internazionale Milano

Group C: Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli, Liverpool, Crvena zvezda

Group D: Lokomotiv Moskva, Porto, Schalke, Galatasaray

Group E: Bayern München, Benfica, Ajax, AEK Athens

Group F: Manchester City, Shakhtar Donetsk, Lyon, Hoffenheim

Group G: Real Madrid, Roma, CSKA Moskva, Viktoria Plzeň

Group H: Juventus, Manchester United, Valencia, Young Boys

Also Read: Sony confirms to retain UEFA Champions League, Europa League rights

FIXTURES

(All matches at 21:00CET unless stated)

Matchday 1

Tuesday 18 September

Group A: Club Brugge v Dortmund, Monaco v Atlético

Group B: Barcelona v PSV Eindhoven (18:55CET), Inter v Tottenham (18:55CET)

Group C: Liverpool v Paris, Crvena zvezda v Napoli

Group D: Galatasaray v Lokomotiv Moskva, Schalke v Porto

Wednesday 19 September

Group E: Ajax v AEK Athens (18:55CET), Benfica v Bayern München

Group F: Shakhtar v Hoffenheim (18:55CET), Manchester City v Lyon

Group G: Real Madrid v Roma, Viktoria Plzeň v CSKA Moskva

Group H: Young Boys v Manchester United, Valencia v Juventus

Matchday 2

Tuesday 2 October

Group E: Bayern München v Ajax, AEK Athens v Benfica

Group F: Hoffenheim v Manchester City (18:55CET), Lyon v Shakhtar

Group G: CSKA Moskva v Real Madrid, Roma v Viktoria Plzeň

Group H: Juventus v Young Boys (18:55CET), Manchester United v Valencia

Wednesday 3 October

Group A: Atlético v Club Brugge, Dortmund v Monaco

Group B: Tottenham v Barcelona, PSV Eindhoven v Inter

Group C: Paris v Crvena zvezda (18:55CET), Napoli v Liverpool

Group D: Lokomotiv Moskva v Schalke (18:55CET), Porto v Galatasaray

Matchday 3

Tuesday 23 October

Group E: AEK Athens v Bayern München (18:55CET), Ajax v Benfica

Group F: Hoffenheim v Lyon, Shakhtar v Manchester City

Group G: Roma v CSKA Moskva, Real Madrid v Viktoria Plzeň

Group H: Young Boys v Valencia (18:55CET), Manchester United v Juventus

Wednesday 24 October

Group A: Club Brugge v Monaco (18:55CET), Dortmund v Atlético

Group B: PSV Eindhoven v Tottenham (18:55CET), Barcelona v Inter

Group C: Paris v Napoli, Liverpool v Crvena zvezda

Group D: Lokomotiv Moskva v Porto, Galatasaray v Schalke

Matchday 4

Tuesday 6 November

Group A: Monaco v Club Brugge (18:55CET), Atlético v Dortmund

Group B: Tottenham v PSV Eindhoven, Inter v Barcelona

Group C: Crvena zvezda v Liverpool (18:55CET), Napoli v Paris

Group D: Porto v Lokomotiv Moskva, Schalke v Galatasaray

Wednesday 7 November

Group E: Bayern München v AEK Athens, Benfica v Ajax

Group F: Lyon v Hoffenheim, Manchester City v Shakhtar

Group G: CSKA Moskva v Roma (18:55CET), Viktoria Plzeň v Real Madrid

Group H: Valencia v Young Boys (18:55CET), Juventus v Manchester United

Matchday 5

Tuesday 27 November

Group E: AEK Athens v Ajax (18:55CET), Bayern München v Benfica

Group F: Hoffenheim v Shakhtar, Lyon v Manchester City

Group G: CSKA Moskva v Viktoria Plzeň (18:55CET) , Roma v Real Madrid

Group H: Manchester United v Young Boys, Juventus v Valencia

Wednesday 28 November

Group A: Atlético v Monaco (18:55CET), Dortmund v Club Brugge

Group B: PSV Eindhoven v Barcelona, Tottenham v Inter

Group C: Paris v Liverpool, Napoli v Crvena zvezda

Group D: Lokomotiv Moskva v Galatasaray (18:55CET), Porto v Schalke

Matchday 6

Tuesday 11 December

Group A: Club Brugge v Atlético, Monaco v Dortmund

Group B: Barcelona v Tottenham, Inter v PSV Eindhoven

Group C: Liverpool v Napoli, Crvena zvezda v Paris

Group D: Galatasaray v Porto (18:55CET), Schalke v Lokomotiv Moskva

Wednesday 12 December

Group E: Ajax v Bayern München, Benfica v AEK Athens

Group F: Shakhtar v Lyon, Manchester City v Hoffenheim

Group G: Real Madrid v CSKA Moskva (18:55CET), Viktoria Plzeň v Roma (18:55CET)

Group H: Young Boys v Juventus, Valencia v Manchester United

Road to Madrid

17 December: round of 16 draw

12/13/19/20 February: round of 16 first leg

5/6/12/13 March: round of 16 second leg

15 March: quarter-final and semi-final draws

9/10 April: Quarter-finals, first leg

16/17 April: Quarter-finals, second leg

30 April/1 May: Semi-finals, first leg

7/8 May: Semi-finals, second leg

1 June: Final – Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid

Click Here to view the full fixture list.

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Delhi Dynamos rope in three new players

Indian Super League side Delhi Dynamos FC today added three new players — Adria Carmona, Pradeep Mohanraj and Gianni Zuiverloon — to its ranks ahead of the upcoming season.

The signing of the Carmona and Zuiverloon completes the side’s foreign quota for the new season.

Zuiverloon, a former Dutch U-21 defender, joins from Spanish side Cultural Leonesa, following stints with Feyernoord, Mallorca, ADO Den Haag and West Bromwich Albion.

The 31-year-old joins the Indian outfit on the back of a Segunda B Division title with Cultural.

Joining Zuiverloon will be forward Carmona. The 26-year-old had previously plied his trade with the likes of AC Milan, Girona, Real Zaragoza and Albacete.

The former Spain U-17 international joins from Spanish side Lugo and will bolster the attacking options of the club.

Completing the roster will be Indian midfielder Mohanraj. Playing in I-League side Chennai City FC Mohanraj will add more depth to the midfield department of the club.

“I am excited to welcome all three new boys to our club. Zuiverloon and Adria add a lot of experience to this side and provide me more options in the team. Pradeep is someone I have looked at closely for the past week and I really like his style of play, Head Coach, Josep Gombau, said.

https://goo.gl/2t3ZyC

Indian Super League: Mumbai City sign Portuguese international Paulo Machado

Mumbai City FC today (Friday) confirmed the signing of Portuguese international Paulo Machado on a one-year deal. The 32-year old becomes the fifth foreign recruit for Jorge Costa’s Islanders.

An experienced campaigner in some of Europe’s most elite competitions, Machado joins Mumbai City FC off the back of a successful campaign with Portuguese side CD Aves, winning the Taça de Portugal.

After graduating from FC Porto’s youth set up, Machado is re-united with Jorge Costa, once his captain and now his head coach at Mumbai City FC. In a five-year stint with Porto, a young Machado enjoyed loan spells with Portuguese sides Estrela Amadora, União Leiria and Leixões.

Machado made his first move outside Portugal when signed on loan for French side AS Saint-Étienne. After impressing in the French Ligue 1, he joined Toulouse ahead of the 2009-10 season and went on to play for Les Violetsfor three seasons.

The central midfielder further moved to Greece for a new challenge where he signed with Olympiacos, winning the Super League Greece twice in as many seasons with the club and also won the Greek Cup on one occasion. He was also an integral figure for the club in the UEFA Champions League, helping the club notch famous wins over Arsenal, Manchester United, Benfica and one Round of 16 finish in the 2013/14 season.

The streak of success didn’t stop there for Machado, signing for Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb and winning both, the Prva HNL (first division) and the Croatian Football Cup twice in three seasons with the club before moving back to Portugal with CD Aves.

Head coach Jorge Costa exclaimed that he is excited to have Machado’s pedigree on the Islanders’ side. He said, “Paulo has been a household name in top level Portuguese and European football for many years now. He brings with him so many years of experience and a strong winning mentality. Paulo was only breaking in during my time at Porto but it was all there to be seen, even 14 years ago. I am excited to work with him once again and I’m confident he can be an important figure in this side.”

Adding to his exploits at the club level, Paulo Machado has climbed the international ladder from a young age. Machado has represented his country at the u-17 level, winning the 2003 UEFA u-17 European Championships with Portugal. He’s also represented his country at the u-20, u-21 and u-23 levels before becoming a full international, with six caps to his name.

Glad to have completed the move, Paulo Machado said, “When Jorge Costa and Mumbai City FC presented this opportunity to me to join this wonderful club, I did not have to think twice. There are so many reasons for me to be excited. I can’t wait to be in Mumbai and meet the fans. But before that, I hope I can join my teammates soon in Thailand for the pre-season and get on with the training and the hard work!”

https://goo.gl/Rx7hYz

Chennaiyin FC signs Palestine forward Salom

Indian Super League champions Chennaiyin FC have signed up Argentina-born Palestine forward Carlos Antonio Salom Zulema on a season-long loan from Thailand League One outfit Bangkok United.

The 31-year old forward has represented Palestine at international level and is CFC’s seventh and final foreign signing ahead of their title defence in the 2018-19 ISL campaign, a press release here said.

“The Chennaiyin FC project is very exciting and I am looking forward to a great season with the champions of India.

I am excited to play in the ISL and will give my best to help CFC retain the title and go as far as possible in the AFC Cup,” Salom, who will don the No. 8 jersey, was quoted as saying in the release.

CFC head coach John Gregory said Salom is a fantastic addition to the squad and would enhance the quality, experience and variety in the forward department.

Born and raised in Argentina, Salom began his professional club career in 2005 at Sacachispas FC in the Argentina Primera C league before earning a move to Spains Rayo Vallecano.

In 2007 he returned to Argentina and joined Barracas Central in the Primera C before enjoying a year at Peruvian top-flight outfit Cienciano.

After another short spell at former club Sacachispas in 2009, Salom rejoined Barracas and helped them win qualification to Primera B by scoring 17 goals in 16 appearances, winning the leagues golden boot in the process.

Salom also had a three-year spell at Union Espanola in Chile’s top tier, also featuring for them in the Copa Libertadores.

He also had a brief spell with Mexican top tier outfit Puebla, following which he signed with Bangkok United earlier this year.

https://goo.gl/PrBFEC

Supreme Court grants no relief to removed Kabaddi Federation presidents

The Supreme Court has declined to grant any relief to the former Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India president Mridula Bhadauria and life president Janardhan Singh Gehlot. The AKFI president Mridula Bhadauria and her husband AKFI life president Gehlot had moved the Supreme Court for the stay on the Delhi High Court order to remove the duo from the AKFI offices.

The Supreme Court, while dismissing their applications, has observed that this family wants to continue holding posts in perpetuity which is the gross misuse of the position and dismissed both the applications period in limine (at the pre-trial procedure stage) without issuing any notices to the defendants.

The petitioners had filed an application against the Delhi High Court order of 3 August, 2018, which removed Gehlot and Mridula Bhadauria from the AKFI offices. The court had declared their election illegal and appointed an administrator to take over the charge of the AKFI till completion of the fresh election process in the AKFI and all its affiliated State and districts bodies.

The petition in the Delhi High Court had accused the duo of issuing fake certificates of participation, charging money for selection of players, sexual harassment and running parallel organisation like Asian Kabaddi Federation and International Kabaddi Federation.

The Delhi High Court, while passing the order on the Writ Petition by Mahipal Singh and others, had also declared the amendments to the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) constitution illegal. The court had further ordered the Court-appointed Administrator to take control of the AKFI affairs with immediate effect till the next elections of the federation.

While declaring illegal the election of Mrs Bhadauria, who is the wife of the now removed AKFI president JS Gehlot, the court has also ruled that the all perks paid to her will be recovered.

Also Read: Court appoints administrator to run kabaddi federation; Life President, President removed

https://goo.gl/J2xBT3

DSport to broadcast SAFF Championship 2018 in India; See broadcast schedule and timings

DSport, a Discovery Communications India-owned sports channel, will broadcast the live action of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship 2018, slated for September 4 to 16, in India.

InsideSport has earlier reported that DSport will be the official broadcaster partner in the Indian sub-continent for the 2018 edition of the men’s national team football tournament in South Asian region.

The 12th edition of the SAFF Championship, aka 2018 SAFF Suzuki Cup, will kick off from 4th September 2018 in Bangladesh with seven teams in fray for the title. Indian football fans and supporters of Indian football team can catch all the live action on DSport as the ‘Blue Tigers’ will be looking forward to clinch the eight title of the most important and competitive championships of the South Asian Region.

The record seven times SAFF Champions India has been pooled with arch rivals Maldives and Srilanka for the group stage of the competition. With star players like Sunil Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh missing out on this Championship, the responsibility to get the necessary goal conversions will depend on young talented strikers like Rahul KP and Sumit Passi.

Additionally, SAFF will be a huge opportunity for Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Rahim Ali who have been given a chance to showcase their talent after their splendid performance in the Under 17 World Cup.

Anirudh Thapa who has also been awarded as the emerging player of the year in the 2017-18 season of Indian Super League (ISL) will be a key man in the Midfield along with this its packed defense line team India will be prepared to make a mark and ‘battle for the Title’. With the kind of form that the Indian Team is in this contest will be a treat for the Indian football fans.

The Match Schedule for SAFF Championship 2018:

Previously known as ‘South Asian As

sociation of Regional Co-operation Gold Cup’ held in 1993 and ‘South Asian Gold Cup 95’ in 1995, the tournament was renamed as the ‘South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship’ in 1997, with India won the inaugural SAARC Gold Cup in 1993 and also the SAFF Championship in 1997. Since its beginning, the biennial competition has developed with a focus on improving and promoting the game in the region.

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Dangal in DDCA: Ombudsman notice to secretary, court set back to president

The Delhi and District Cricket Association has become the centre of intense legal battle ever since the power tussle and one-upmanship between president Rajat Sharma and secretary Vinod Tihara has led to the suspension of the latter.

While a Delhi court had stayed Tihara’s suspension by the DDCA Board of Directors, the situation in the administrative body for cricket in Delhi is far from normal to serve the interest of the game.

In the prevailing scenario, the President and his supporters as well as the Secretary are left with no option but to focus all their might and energies on the legal procedures. The secretary, after a relief from a Delhi court, will now have to answer a notice from the DDCA ombudsman. The President, leading defendant DDCA in the court, suffered a second set back on Friday when the Delhi court declined to entertain the application for changing its earlier order that had granted a stay on Tihara’s suspension.

Both the parties have to make written submission in their defence – Tihara has two weeks to answer the notice by the ombudsman and the DDCA 30 days to make written submissions to the Delhi court.

The DDCA, represented by the former Additional Solicitor General and senior advocate Sandeep Sethi, had approached the court of the Additional District Judge at Tis Hazari to turn down its order of 28 August and vacate the stay on Tihara’s suspension by the DDCA Board of Directors for anti-company activities, indiscipline and misconduct. The DDCA in its defence also argued that the plaintiff, Tihara, did not inform it before moving the court even though he was served with a caveat.

The DDCA pleaded that the suspension was within in the powers of the Board of Directors under Article 62 of the DDCA Articles of Association; that the President was empowered by the board to form committees and sub-committees and take other decisions; that Tihara instead of approaching the ombudsman had circulated “whimsical and arbitrary direction”; and that the present case does not come under the jurisdiction of the court and it should have been referred to the Company Law Board as the DDCA is registered as a Company.

Advocate Gautam Dutta, appearing for Tihara, had argued that the suspension was a conspiracy by the Board of Directors as they did not want Tihara to act in accordance with the Supreme Court order and the DDCA Articles of Association and that Tihara only wanted to ensure transparency in the DDCA administration.

The court, while dismissing the application, stated there was no reason to change its earlier order to put a stay on Tihara’s suspension.

Dismissing the DDCA arguments in favour of the suspension and demerit of the stay, the court observed that the suspension order did not mention that how Tihara had indulged in anti-DDCA activities; that Tihara was appointed (the DDCA secretary) by 4,300 members and the Board of Directors was not empowered to suspend him; that the Article 62 of the DDCA Articles of Association pertains to the powers and functions of the ombudsman and it was misapplied by the Board of Directors; that the Companies Act of 2013 does not apply to the present case as Tihara had approached the court to enforce his civil rights; and that the service of the caveat remains unsubstantiated as no proof of service of caveat has been furnished to the court. The photocopy of the postal receipt regarding sending the caveat by post to Tihara is lacking in particulars of address of the plaintiff.

Court on Friday further observed that the suspension order dated 14 August was very brief and did not specify how the Board of Directors were satisfied that Tihara had indulged in anti-company (anti-DDCA) activities and committed “grave act of indiscipline and gross misconduct”. The order, according to the court, also did not reflect that the DDCA secretary was granted an opportunity to explain his directives, which was the basis of the indiscipline and misconduct charges leading to the suspension.

The court further observed that Clause (d) of the Article 62 of the Article of Association of the DDCA, invoked to empower the Board of Directors to issue suspension orders, does not deal with the general powers of the Board of Directors and applies only to a special situation when the Ombudsman of the DDCA initiates inquiry and proceedings in complaints of charges of misconduct or any act of indiscipline. The Board of Directors become authorised to exercise the powers under the Article 62 only after the ombudsman had initiated proceedings.

The court while “finding no reason to change the order” to put a stay on the suspension order further stated that the plaintiff has a prima facie case against the DDCA, which “seems to have acted in violation of its Article of Association.

Meanwhile, the DDCA ombudsman Hon’ble Justice (Retd) Badar Durrez Ahmed in an email has imformed Tihara about the DDCA joint secretary’s complaint against him. Hon’ble Justice (Retd) Badar Durrez Ahmed while sharing the copies of the complaint and the DDCA Board of Directors resolution of 14 August to suspend him from the office of the DDCA secretary.

The ombudsman has given Tihara two weeks’ time to respond to the complaint.

Meanwhile, in this tussle between two strongmen the cricket seems to be the biggest victim when new season is about to start.

https://goo.gl/ffHfFK

Sony Pictures CEO NP Singh elected new IBF President

Sony Pictures Network India chief executive NP Singh has been elected as the new president of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF).

NP Singh was voted to the coveted post of the IBF president at their 19th annual general meeting.

NP Singh will succeed Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited managing director Punit Goenka as the new head of the broadcasters’ body.

All other elected positions have remained same. However, appointed member Girish Srivastava, Secretary General, IBF has stepped down from his position.

 Also Read: Sony Pictures Networks confirms LaLiga broadcast deal with Facebook

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FIFA World Cup 2030: Welsh FA confirms talks for joint bid

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has confirmed that it has held talks with England, Scotland and North Ireland over a potential home nations bid for the FIFA World Cup 2030.

This comes after reports earlier in August that England’s Football Association (FA) is studying the feasibility to host the FIFA World Cup 2030 in England while also exploring the option of a joint bid along with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for the centennial edition of football’s most coveted spectacle.

Jonathan Ford, Welsh FA chief executive, told the BBC that the joint proposal would be “strong and compelling”, and added that there is set to be a feasibility study into the prospect. “This is something that has come up in conversation and it is something we are looking into,” Ford told BBC Sport Wales.

“It’s no more than that and there’s going to be no news until at least midway through 2019. But there is going to be a little bit of a feasibility study to see whether or not a UK-wide bid, a home nations bid or similar, would be a powerful, strong bid. There’s a long way to go on it but it could be 2030, Fifa World Cup in the home nations – what a fantastic opportunity that would be.”

Ford’s comments come after FA Chairman Greg Clarke, this month, has said in a statement that a feasibility study for the chances to host the 2030 edition of the FIFA World Cup finals is currently underway. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferinhas has previously said that European football governing body would strongly support England’s bid.

Also Read: FIFA World Cup: FA studying feasibility to host World Cup 2030 in England

The Scottish Football Association (SFA), with backing from the country’s government, have also confirmed the talks with England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The UK government has also pledged support to the bid involving the home nations.

Ford added that an English-led bid is the most likely outcome given the facilities required to host the FIFA World Cup 2030. “The reality is for countries like Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, it’s always going to be a case of having to do it in partnership with another, and the logical partner for us would be England,” said Ford.

Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay have already announced plans to jointly bid for the 2030 World Cup, while it was reported last week that Morocco, who have failed in five bids to secure the tournament, are exploring the possibility of joining forces with Spain and Portugal in an attempt to land the competition in 2030.

England launching the bid for FIFA World Cup 2030 will see them competing against a joint bid from South American nations Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. Uruguay will be looking forward to mark their centenary year celebrations after hosting the first edition of the world’s most coveted football spectacle in 1930.

Morocco, who have failed in five bids to secure the tournament, are reportedly also in the fray with a possibility of joint bid with Spain and Portugal to secure the rights to host the 2030 edition of the World Cup which will see expansion form 32 to 48 teams. The bid, if succeeds, will mark the first ever first pan-continental World Cup.

Also Read: FIFA World Cup: Spain, Portugal, Morocco eye joint pan-continental bid for 2030

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Indian Premier League: Gary Kirsten named RCB coach and mentor

Indian Premier League club Royal Challengers Bangalore have appointed Gary Kirsten as the coach and mentor for the 2019 IPL Season. The former Indian and South African national cricket teams’ coach, Kirsent has been associated with the Royal Challengers Bangalore as the batting coach for the 2018 season.

Gary Kirsten who joined RCB in 2018 as batting coach brings to the team a wealth of experience having played close to 700 international matches (ODI, Tests and First Class) scoring around 40,000 runs across all the three formats. Since taking over as the Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team in 2008 and leading them to the World Cup win in 2011, Kirsten has for the past 10 years coached at the highest levels with 2 years as South African cricket team head coach, Head Coach in the T20 for 3 seasons and 1 season at Hobart Hurricanes before joining RCB last season.

Kirsten replaces former New Zealand spinner and captain Daniel Vettori as the RCB coach.

RCB Chairman Sanjeev Churiwala said, “It has been a great eight-year journey with Daniel Vettori and we wish him the very best for all future endeavors. We are very happy to have Gary Kirsten take on the mantle of coach and mentor for Royal Challengers Bangalore. During the last IPL season, Gary has proved to be a brilliant mentor to both seasoned and young RCB players and we are confident that he will bring a fresh perspective to the team.”

Commenting on his appointment, Gary Kirsten said, “I had the privilege of coaching with the RCB team last season under head coach Daniel Vettori and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I look forward to continuing the journey with RCB and doing my best to help the franchise reach its potential. I want to thank the team management for considering me in a leadership position with the franchise and I look forward to a successful few years.”

Moving on from Royal Challengers Bangalore, Daniel Vettori, the former head coach said, “I am extremely grateful for the eight years I have spent with RCB, as a player and a coach and I wish the franchise all the best moving forward.”

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FIH Pro League schedule and venues; Pakistan home games in Scotland

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has announced the proposed venues that will host the FIH Pro League during the 2019 season. Pakistan, facing security issues in the terror-struck nation, will play their “home games” in Glasgow, Scotland.

Over 20 venues across 11 nations will host matches next year, providing a global spread of world-class hockey, across multiple time-zones, from January to June in this new ‘game-changing’ competition.

The power of home will be key to success in this event, with packed stadiums throughout the season providing a huge boost to teams playing in front of their nation’s fans. The ticket sales will be launched shortly, FIH has stated in a Press release.

CLICK here for the official FIH Pro League schedule and venues.

Argentina has proposed to play their men’s and women’s home matches in three locations – the Cenard in Buenos Aires, Cordoba’s Estadio Municipal and the Estadio Mundialista de Hockey Luciana Aymar in Rosario.

Australia’s men’s and women’s Pro League games will be played at Sydney’s Olympic Park Hockey Centre, the State Netball and Hockey Centre in Melbourne, the Tasmanian Hockey Centre in Hobart and at the Perth Hockey Stadium.

Belgium are planning to play their men’s and women’s matches at the Wilrijkse Plein in Antwerp and at Royal Uccle Sport in Brussels.

China women will play at the venue of this year’s Women’s Hockey Champions Trophy – the Wujin Hockey Stadium in Changzhou, a city located 185km east of Shanghai.

Also Read: Indian men’s hockey team climbs to 5th spot in FIH Hero World Rankings

Germany have so far proposed Hockeypark in Moenchengladbach and a venue in Krefeld as hosts for their men’s and women’s teams for FIH Pro League matches.

Great Britain will build on the success of recent events at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Their men’s and women’s matches will be played in the venue that provided the stage for the hugely successful Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup London 2018 which concluded earlier this month.

The reigning women’s World Cup and men’s European champions, Netherlands, will play matches in Amsterdam, with several other locations also being considered.

New Zealand men and women will welcome opponents to North Harbour Hockey Stadium in Auckland, Nga Puna Wai Hockey Stadium in Christchurch and Hawkes Bay Sport Park in Hastings.

Pakistan men have chosen Scotland as their home for the FIH Pro League. Their matches will be played at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre which hosted the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Spain have proposed two venues for their men’s matches – Club de Campo Villa in Madrid and Estadio Beteró in Valencia – the latter also host of one of next year’s Women’s Hockey Series Finals.

USA women will play their home matches at their national team’s base at Spooky Nook Sports Complex in Lancaster near Philadelphia, with one match also being played at Wake Forest University in North Carolina.

These venues have been proposed based on comprehensive requirements outlined by the FIH, which include criteria specific to location, pitch performance, seating capacity and lighting levels for TV coverage.

These were established by the FIH to ensure the quality of the venues and provision of a unique fan experience, with a key focus on the safety and wellbeing of athletes and the performance aspects of the facilities. With such high standards required, some of the mentioned venues could be subject to change.

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