Who’s going to Rio? Mary Kom or Vijender or neither? (Updated)

Shiva Thapa is the sole Indian boxer to qualify for this year’s Olympics so far.

There could be a few more if results are favourable at AIBA’s World Qualifying tournament in Baku.

However, there are two boxers—both former Olympians, both former medallists—-who are hoping for indirect entry to Rio.

They are Mary Kom and Vijender Singh.

While Kom failed to qualify, Vijender turned professional last year. That ought to have ended his bid for yet another medal but he was provided a glimmer of hope when AIBA opened their doors to pros earlier this month.

Singh, however, has a WBO Asia Pacific title bout scheduled for July 16 in New Delhi against Kerry Hope.

That effectively belied his Olympic aspirations—or so, we believed. The professional boxers qualifying tourney is scheduled a week earlier in Venezuela.

But Vijender has other ideas.

Speaking from Manchester, the former three-time Olympian said:

“Why can’t there be a wild card entry for me? Why can’t the ad-hoc committee demand the same for me from the AIBA? They are making every effort to get a wild card for Mary Kom despite the fact that she has not qualified for Rio. But in my case, there is a clear bias because no one in India is serious about my Olympic participation.

I should also be given a chance if the rules have been relaxed by the AIBA for pro boxers to compete at Rio. I am a three-time Olympian and have fought in Commonwealth Games, Asian Games as well as World Championships.”

Vijender believes he is being discriminated against because he is now a professional pugilist.

He added:

“It seems that I am no longer competing for India. The officials believe that since I have turned pro, I shouldn’t have a chance of going to Rio. They feel they shouldn’t help me because I no longer represent India in amateur boxing. I am fighting my professional bouts under the tri-colour. My name is announced as ‘Vijender Singh from India’. All my victories in the pro circuit are for India. My Asian title bout will be for India.”

Welcome back to the merry go round of Indian sportingdom, Vijender.

And it is a merry-go-round.

Mary Kom is being forced to run from pillar to post just to ensure that the Indian Olympic Association files an application for a wild card entry with the International Olympic Commission.

Three wild card entries under the Tripartite Commission Invitation Places are up for grabs in  three women’s weight categories — 51kg, 60kg and 75 kg.

These are usually used to promote sport in certain countries.

The IOC can allocate these to players of repute who fail to qualify.

But either the national federation or the national Olympic body has first to apply for a wild card entry.

Vijender singh at the sahara indian sports award (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

That, unfortunately in Kom’s case, has not yet occurred.

The DNA listed the criteria for Invitation Places as follows:

1. “National Olympic Committee (NOC) priority: based on NOC preferences, as specified in the applications submitted

2. International Federation (IF) priority; based on the assessment of the athletes’ technical level and sporting merit during the qualification period

3. International Olympic Commission (IOC) priority; based on various principles in relation to the objectives of the commission, including:

• Universality

• Continental balance

• Gender equity

• NOC and athlete eligibility

• Technical level to compete safely and with dignity

• Olympic scholarships for athletes”

All this while the IOA’s first choice as Goodwill Ambassador, Salman Khan, steals the limelight with his ill-timed and ill-advised remark comparing his bodily aches post the intense workouts he endured shooting for his upcoming film ‘Sultan’ to those of a ‘raped woman’.

How much better it would have been had Salman Khan spoken a few words highlighting the travails that Indian sports persons undergo merely to participate in an Olympics.

That’s what ambassadors are for, that’s what they do.

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Mary Kom’s application for a wild card entry has been rejected by AIBA. The IOC does not permit wild cards to players from nations who have eight or more representatives in a sport. India fielded eight or more boxers at the last two Games.

Xherdan Shaqiri: What he said, really meant and definitely didn’t

Xherdan Shaqiri offers Puma some business advice.

Xherdan Shaqiri (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What he said:

“I hope Puma don’t make condoms.”

Switzerland’s Xherdan Shaqiri made the most cutting remark of the evening when he said the above following the shredding of four team-mates’ jerseys during a group game with hosts France at this year’s European Cup.

Admir Mehmedi, Breel Embolo, Blerim Dzemaili and Granit Xhaka all lost their shirts—literally—in their goalless draw in Lille.

Xhaka had to change shirts twice.

Former England World Cup hero Gary Lineker was equally scathing on Twitter indicting German industry.

This is not the first time the Swiss encountered problems with their Puma tees.

Breel Embolo lost his top in a friendly against Montenegro.

He said:

“We have had a few problems with the jersey. The kit manager is not fully ready yet, but we are.”

Puma responded:

“There was one batch of material, where yarns had been damaged during the production process, leading to a weakening in the final garment. This can happen, if the combination of heat, pressure and time is not properly controlled in the manufacturing process. All federations have confirmed that they never had any such issues and are very happy with quality, functionality and design of their jerseys.”

Puma supplies shirts to Austria, Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland and Slovakia.

Its home rival Adidas was  also targeted when its ‘Beau Jeu’ ball designed especially for Euro 2016 burst open in the same match.

Adidas said:

“We are looking into what happened. Incidents of this nature are extremely rare.

The reason for the tear has not yet been identified, but Beau Jeu [the tournament ball] has been widely praised by respected experts for its contribution to the exciting start to the tournament.”

What Shaqiri really meant:

“A tear—at the wrong time—makes nine.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I’ll opt for double protection the next time I play—I’ll wear two jerseys instead.”

Vijender Singh: Pro boxing

“…pro boxing is a very lonely sport. It’s true. Sometimes you are depressed, sometimes not, but you pick yourself up. You have to remain positive and think about the future.”
—Vijender Singh.

Francis Warren: Amateur and pro boxing

”

Amateur and pro boxing should be separate. It is unfair that young amateur boxers would be destroyed by experienced fighters at the Olympics.”—Francis Warren.

Sanjay Manjrekar: Coaches

“The coaches that actually make a difference to Indian cricket are those that coached players like Tendulkar, Dravid and others, when they were kids. The grassroots level coaches.”—Sanjay Manjrekar.

Indian hockey team does nation proud at Champions trophy: Can you name them all?

The Mint editorial on Saturday the 18th of June, 2016 read:

“Recently, ESPN did some number crunching to come up with a list of the most famous athletes in the world.

Virat Kohli came in at No. 8. Mahendra Singh Dhoni was 14th and Sania Mirza made a creditable showing at 41.

What are the odds that an Indian hockey player—despite the team’s stellar performance at the Champions Trophy this week—will gain that sort of name recognition even briefly?

It’s an old story.

Cricket is the colossus dwarfing every other sport in India. Even as a few other sportspersons—Mirza, Leander Paes, Saina Nehwal, for instance—have gained prominence, hockey has remained trapped in a cycle of uneven performances, endless administrative squabbles and a lack of public attention even when it performs well.

Will the Champions Trophy and the Olympics see a sustained run of good performances and the spotlight that should come with it or will it be another false dawn?”

The above was the publication’s response to the Indian men’s hockey team’s performance at the recently concluded Champions trophy in London. India finished a respectable second claiming their first ever silver medal at the elite tourney.

India lost just two games—one each to Belgium and Australia. The final was a goalless affair—their antipodean rivals won on penalties in the final.

Yet, the Mint’s  ‘Quick Edit‘ rings true. Any Indian sports lover can reel off the names of every member of the Indian cricket team—possibly even the names of  players of the IPL teams they support. But very few can recall the names of sportsmen in other team sports.

(P.S. That includes me.)

Is the Indian sports lover solely to blame for this state of affairs?

The traditional media namely newspapers, magazInes and news channels devote very little time and space to other sports besides cricket in India.

(Winners hit the headlines more often than not.

Cheating winners even more so. Ask Sharapova.

Nobody cares for cheating losers except the drug-testing bodies.)

That truly is a sad state of affairs.

Especially when this Indian side looks good to clinch a medal at this year’s Rio Olympics.

In the past, Indian hockey teams have flattered to deceive in the run-up to the Games. Their strategies, tactics and players are studied and ploys to nullify their effectiveness are hatched up and unveiled at the Games by their opposing coaches.

Roelant Oltmans seems up to the challenge.

The team keeps improving under his stewardship and it is noteworthy that the side performed much better in their second game against the Aussies.

The team lacks consistency though. They ought not to have conceded a second goal to Belgium—they are vulnerable on the break. The players lack  the speed to fall back quickly enough to thwart counterattacks. And they  have trouble getting the ball into the ‘D’ in the face of concerted defence tactics employed by their opponents.

Should the team be grouped with Australia, another loss like the one to Belgium could spell the death knell for any podium aspirations.

Hockey India announced an award of Rs. 2 lakhs to every individual player of this Champions trophy side.

This Indian side will surely hit the jackpot should they return with a medal from Rio.

In fact, they must—for this victory to be a true, new dawn.

Related articles

• Hockey: England stun Australia in Champions Trophy opener(channelnewsasia.com)

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Chris Henry Gayle answers his critics once more but invites more criticism

‘King‘ Chris Henry Gayle has all the answers.

Speaking to Donald McRae of the Guardian, the West Indian blaster defended his recent outrageous behaviour and comments in his inimitable blunt Caribbean cadence.

The Jamaican first reminded the journalist of his proud heritage and that West Indians always felt disrespected by the English. The reference was to Mark Nicholas’ stunning dismissal of their T20 prospects, ““The West Indies are short of brains.”

In a statement with shades reminiscent of the movie, Fire In Babylon,  Gayle said:

“That drove us even harder. How can you disrespect the West Indies when we were so dominant in world cricket for so long? We have to face it ourselves because our own board don’t defend us. So we have to fight our own war in the middle against these allegations about West Indies having no brains. How can you jump to that conclusion? It shows no respect. They smile at you – while trying to destroy you in the media.

We were very disappointed. We should have been one of the favourites but we weren’t even in the top five. As West Indians we have always been disrespected. As soon as we fight back they make it look like we are the bad one in the media. We’ve experienced these things over the years. So it’s no surprise.”

But it’s his autobiography Six Machine that’s hitting all the right (and wrong) notes across the world with excerpts published in most major newspapers.

From describing his triple hundreds, his mammoth 170+ in the IPL and staying at Vijay Mallya’s Goa bungalow, the memoirs cover it all. The voice is authentic and the style is no-holds-barred.

Chris Gayle reveals how his fledgling career was tended to by a woman.

He writes of his Kingston schoolteacher and first coach:

“Miss Hamilton is a wonderful woman. She kickstarted things and gave me that self‑belief. Most of the time, as a kid, you’re nervous. She would try to get in your head and give you confidence. She was also our football coach – so she was very talented and to have a woman lead you at a young age was really good.”

But Chris feels nothing about disrespecting Mel McLaughlin in January this year at the Big Bash.

His latest words on the sorry episode are even more dismissive.

He said:

“If she was upset she would’ve said it. At no stage did she say she felt offended by me. Then they wanted an apology and she came on air and said: ‘He’s apologised – so let it go everybody.’ You could tell she had been forced to say those things. Trust me. She’s of West Indian background. She knows the culture. From what I understand her mom is black. What do they call it? Samosa (Samoan)?

Yeah. So she knows. But people put things in her ears – just to slaughter Chris Gayle.”

Chris Gayle is remarkably insouciant and , perhaps, realistic  when asked what if his baby daughter Blush were to face the same kind of behaviour 25 years on in a journalistic career.

He adds:

“If you put yourself there you have to expect that. You have to deal with it. Not all situations are going to be the best. You have to brace yourself. You have to be professional, yes, but expect the unexpected at all times.It could happen to anybody. Anybody. It could happen again.”

Chris then accuses Charlotte Edwards of setting him up as a villain in her piece for the Times and threatens legal action.

He says:

“The first interview I did by the pool. The recorder was on the table. The interview lasted 2½ hours. Basically discussing the book, it went according to plan. But the outcome was very sad. That’s why I say people can’t be trusted – especially you guys.

I know. Obviously she came with a different mentality. Even that first interview I did with her she was trying to get me to say things about Shane Warne. I said: ‘Listen, this is not about Shane Warne.’ So the interview was good even if she didn’t get what she wanted.

I was having dinner by the bar when the agent texted. She’s leaving in the morning and wants to say thanks for the interview. I said: ‘OK, no problem.’ She came by and that’s how it happened. She started telling me her life story. She tried to ask me if I’d ever smoked weed. I said: ‘Listen, I’m a sportsman, how can I do those things?’ So whatever questions she asked me I asked her back. She went on to say she is a single mum. She had also been to a war [zone] and she was telling me that when all the media people come to drink they sleep together. I asked her: ‘Did you do it?’ And she said: ‘No.’ It’s not an interview – we’re talking at the bar. If she had a tape I wish people could hear it.

In the interview’s first line she says Mel didn’t get the chance to have a drink with Chris Gayle – but she did. That was her agenda. She put these things out to make me look like the bad one. She got the attention but I’m going to speak to my legal team.”

If Gayle’s version of the story is true, then it’s understandable why most sports stars prefer to be tight-lipped to the press rather than drop their guard and make off-the-cuff remarks. Every word could be misconstrued and twisted. And if Gayle’s infamous remarks to Edwards were off-the-record, then she is in serious breach of journalistic integrity. Neither party comes out smelling like roses.

“There can be no trust”, Chris Gayle says in his life story.

He adds:

“There’s no sadness in saying that. It’s the reality. You can’t put trust in people. There’s no loyalty out there. You have to be sceptical – regardless of what that person says.”

Gayle’s account, however, of his relationship with his girlfriend cannot elicit much sympathy.

He writes:

“I am the Six Machine. I am the only man in the history of the world to have scored two triple centuries etc. I am the only cricketer in the history of the world to have his own pole-dancing room in his house. I have a girl. I can’t remember her name. We’ve been together for nine years. Though mostly it probably sounds as if we’ve been apart. She doesn’t like World Boss’s pole-dancing room. But luckily loads of other women do. So it hasn’t been a total waste of money.”

Chris Gayle will make news wherever he goes as long he’s scoring runs—not women.

They’re merely sideshows in his grand design of things—in his “World Baass. Universe Baass. Multiverse Baass.”

That’s the uncomfortable truth and he expects the people in his life and the world at large to live with it.

Is that sad or great? You  tell me.

Related articles

• West Indies star Chris Gayle says sexism row just a ‘little fun’(businessinsider.com)

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• Chris Gayle loses major contract after fresh sexism row(manipalworldnews.com)

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• ‘I have a very, very big bat’: Female journalist claims cricket star Chris Gayle made lewd comments to her and wanted to know if she’d ever had a threesome(dailymail.co.uk)

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• Gayle hits back at critics in book(sbs.com.au)

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• Chris Gayle opens up about Mel McLaughlin and hits critics for six(theage.com.au)

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Zinedine Zidane: Good or bad?

“I don’t know if I’m a good person, but I know I’m not a bad one.”—Zinedine Zidane.

Vijender or Vikas for Rio? A game of musical chairs in boxing too

Vijender Singh had given up his dreams of another Olympic medal when he turned professional last year.

The International Boxing Association did the pugilist a ‘favour‘ by approving the participation of pro boxers at the Olympics early this month. The sport was one of the last bastions of amateurism at the Games.

The ace boxer is scheduled to fight Australian Kerry Hope  for the WBO Asia title in New Delhi on July 16. Pros can qualify for the Olympics by participating in a tournament to held in Venezuela in early July.

Vijender Singh blew cold and then hot when questioned whether he’s like to represent India at the Games.

When AIBA’s decision was first announced, Vijender said:

“It won’t make much difference to me. As of now, I am focused on my fight on July 16. I have been hearing about this proposal from the start of this year. It’s strange that you take a decision with such little time to go before the Olympics.

First of all I wouldn’t even know how to go about pursuing this task. I would probably have to go through a federation and no one really knows what the status of the federation in India really is. It’s really difficult to prepare for a tournament at such short notice. It will probably be the same for other professionals as well. If you are a boxer who is starting his career, or even someone who has fights lined up for the future, then it will be almost impossible to get ready in time for this tournament.

You have to understand that professional and amateur boxing are two different things. It’s not that one is better than the other, but the two are very different.

Everything changes. In the amateur you only box for three rounds while in professional, you have to fight for 10 or twelve rounds. So the kind of endurance you need is much more. In the amateur game you don’t really have to pace yourself. Even your movements are different.

In amateur boxing, you are preparing to fight several bouts over many days. So your recovery between bouts is important because you have to make weight every day. In professional boxing, you are only focusing on one bout at a time with several weeks to prepare. When you make weight it is only for that fight. So it will not be easy to fight several bouts one after the other.

I feel this proposal will have a bigger impact on boxers for the next Olympics. For Rio, I don’t know if a lot of professionals will want to participate without fully knowing the risks. Things would be a lot more clearer for the next games. At that point if professional boxers know when the tournament they will have a better idea how to prepare themselves for it.

I really don’t see myself competing in the Olympics again. In four years, I hope I will be in a position where I can compete at the world level but in the professional circuit.”

The Haryanvi  changed his tune a few days later claiming that he would love to represent the country once more at the Olympics.

He said:

“I will try to go to Rio. The last qualification is in Venezuela (from July 3 to 8) and I would love to be a part of it. It is a matter of pride to represent your country at the Olympics and when I am getting a chance now, why not?”

His promoter Francis Warren, however, would not entertain any such talk.

He said:

“It’s not possible for him. He has got a championship fight on July 16 and, for that, he will be training in Manchester. He will be training to excel in his professional career. If he keeps on thinking about Olympics, then I’ll be bad guy here.

The timing (Venezuela qualifiers and Asia Pacific bout) doesn’t allow him to concentrate on Rio. I won’t be comfortable with the idea. It would be a backward step for Vijender if he wants to box as an amateur boxer.

What will happen if he gets a cut or injures himself during the qualifiers? He won’t be able to fight on July 16. Who’s going to reimburse me for holding this press conference in Delhi? Who will reimburse for seven months and so much amount of money I have invested in Vijender to make him a world-class professional boxer? The effort was for Asian title, not some Rio Olympics.”

Vijender rebutted Warren saying:

“The promoters will take the decision, that’s true. But they are not the only ones to decide as they have to also consider my wish. If we keep the contract and WBO title fight aside, then I’ll have every right to discuss the matter with them. Olympics is a dream and I’ll definitely love to go to Rio.

My promoters are saying that they have spent so much money on me. Tell me, if I am not happy, then what’s the use of that money? They can’t take the decision alone.”

Notwithstanding the war of words, Vijender was well aware when he made the decision to turn pro that he could forego any chance of appearing for the country in the Olympics. He may have second thoughts right now but it’s unlikely that the contract he has signed with Queensberry Promotions will allow him to participate without their explicit permission.

Also, it’s not as though there aren’t any other real contenders waiting in line to take his amateur place.

Vikas Krishnan is vying for a spot in the 75 kg category as well and hopes to qualify via AIBA’s final qualifier to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan from June 16 to 25.

Krishnan has also qualified to take part in Venezuela under AIBA’s APB programme.

He thus has two chances to clinch a place in the Rio-bound squad.

Who will it be? Vikas or Vijender?

Will Vijender be able to convince his employers that he can do both—qualify and win his WBO Asia Title bout?

The story has all the makings of melodrama.

But there’s a feeling that the words bandied around are mere bluster—all smoke and no fire— and simply an exercise in nationalistic posturing. The sentiments expressed by Vijender are noble but impractical—given his commitments.

AIBA’s dragging their feet on the decision to allow professional boxers at the Games has not helped matters either.

Should Krishnan fail to qualify, it’ll truly be a damp squib. Shiva Thapa is the only Indian boxer to qualify so far.

We’ve already had a media circus with Sushil Kumar challenging Narsingh Yadav’s selection for Rio. God knows we don’t need another.

Related articles

• Vijender Singh Accepts Amir Khans Challenge Ready To Fight The Former World Champion Of Pakistani-Origin(indiatimes.com)

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• Tyson lands knockout blow against professionals at Rio(sbs.com.au)

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Federer, Nadal, Djokovic: Generation of greats

Roger Federer couldn’t do it.

Rafael Nadal couldn’t either.

But Novak Djokovic has.

The Serb claimed his first French Open title—his 12th Slam—on his 12th attempt to round off a superb year beginning with Wimbledon 2015, thus holding all four titles at the same time.

It’s a supreme achievement from a supreme athlete.

Andy Murray surpassed himself this year making his first French Open final.

But nothing could stop the incorrigible Nole from getting what he richly deserves—a seat at the pantheon of greats.

Federer has 17, Nadal has 14 and now the Djoker has 12.

Is this the best generation of tennis greats ever?

It sure seems like it.