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Here are all the key updates from January 4, Thursday:
Some reading for you
This is a big year in Indian sport. Curious about what you need to be most excited about, and what to look forward to? Anirudh Menon has you covered here:
Questions for 2024: Golden 90 for Neeraj? 100 for Chhetri? Can Sindhu become GOAT?
This is an Olympic year, of course. Shyam Vasudevan felt brave and decided to make some (very) early predictions for Paris. How many do you agree with?
Early Paris Olympics predictions: Who will win medals for India?
There was no PKL action today. That gave Shyam the time to put together a list of the best players from last week. Impressed by these, or did you think anyone else warranted a place there?
PKL 10 Rankings: Pardeep, Parteek and Shadloui among Players of the Week
WFI to move court next week to challenge Sports Ministry suspension; calls EC meeting on Jan 16
A defiant Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) will challenge its suspension by the Sports Ministry in court next week and has also called for an Executive Committee meeting on January 16 to discuss the way forward.
"We need a properly functioning Federation. We are taking the matter to the court next week. This suspension is not acceptable to us because we were elected democratically. We have also called the Executive Committee meeting on January 16," WFI President Sanjay Singh told PTI.
"You have seen how the team for the Zagreb Open was announced. Five weight categories will go unrepresented. This will happen in the absence of a proper Federation. If certain wrestlers were unavailable in their respective categories, then why were their replacements not sought? Never ever in a tournament, when the federation was in place, we let India go unrepresented in any weight category. And what was the logic in picking the same team that competed in the Asian Games. There are other contenders as well. I have been getting calls from wrestlers who thought they were worthy of a place in the Indian team. They said they could have made the team if they were given a fair chance to prove themselves through trials. That is why you need a proper federation in place," he said.
Meanwhile, a WFI source told PTI that the notice for the Executive Committee was issued on December 31. One of the points in the circulated agenda is to "explain define and interpret certain provisions of the constitution." The circular clearly mentioned, citing the constitution, that the President "shall be chief officer of the WFI. He shall be empowered to call meetings of the council and executive, if he deems proper."
Earlier, the Sports Ministry had objected to non-involvement of the secretary general in the December 21 General Council meeting of the WFI. The WFI had maintained that it had not flouted any rule and that the President, as per the constitution, had the power to take decisions and the secretary general was bound to execute those decisions. "We will discuss the formation of the ad-hoc panel and also the hosting of the National Championships in different age groups," said the WFI source.
Meanwhile, the ad-hoc panel has already announced that it will conduct senior Nationals from February 3 in Jaipur and the age group championships in Gwalior within next six weeks.
IWL: HOPS beat East Bengal 1-0
HOPS FC picked up their first points of the IWL season as they beat East Bengal 1-0 in Kolkata this afternoon. This side from the national capital scored the only goal of the game in the 41st minute, as they condemned their opponents to another loss that left them with just three points from their opening four matches.
IWL action continues tomorrow with a clash between Odisha FC and Sethu FC.
Siraj, Bumrah help India level series in record time
India won the shortest Test match ever played to level the two-match Test series against South Africa at 1-1. Jasprit Bumrah's six wickets on the second day ensured that the visitors still restricted South Africa's lead to a manageable 78 despite Aiden Markram's stunning century.
India came out with positive intent and struck at more than a run-a-ball to achieve a seven-wicket victory. Mohammed Siraj was declared the Player of the Match, while Bumrah and Dean Elgar shared the Player of the Series award.
What happened yesterday?
Vandana Katariya ruled out of Olympic qualifiers
Mohun Bagan sack Juan Ferrando; replace with Antonio Habas
Sakshi Malik says former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's goons are threatening her family
Puneri Paltan keep winning; Jaipur Pink Panthers beat Steelers
Dipa Karmakar, making an appearance at the Senior Artistic Gymnastics National Championships for the first time in eight years, topped the all-around with a score of 49.55 points. Pranati Das (47.00) and Swastika Ganguly (45.30) finished second and third.
You can check all the details of yesterday's news events here