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France To Back Any Bid For Olympics By India: Macron

By LokMarg 27th January 2024

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday assured India that the hosts of the 2024 Olympics will back them to organize the multi-sport event in the country in the near future.

At the outset of his address during a banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu, Macron expressed that he is looking forward to building stronger cooperation on sports with India.

“We will be delighted to build a stronger cooperation on sports with you. We will definitely support your intention to organize the Olympic Games in India for the future…,” Macron said.

The French President was the chief guest at the 75th Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi on Friday. Macron’s state visit marks France’s sixth participation, the highest of any other nation, as chief guest on India’s Republic Day.

Meanwhile, France is the host of the 2024 Olympics which will take place from July 26 and will conclude on August 11. Soon after the end of the Olympics, the Paralympics will start from August 28 till September 8 in Paris.

Earlier on January 19 while inaugurating the Khelo India games, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the government was working towards hosting host the 2036 Olympic Games. The PM also underlined efforts by his government in the last 10 years to provide international exposure to athletes and provide an ecosystem for them to flourish.

In the 2020-21 Tokyo Olympics India achieved its best performance while it continued its superlative performance in the Asian Games and the Para Asian Games. (ANI)

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Cricket’s Inclusion In 2028 Olympics Will Take It To Newer Geographies: Nita

By LokMarg 16th October 2023

International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Nita Ambani said that the inclusion of cricket in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics Games was a welcome addition as the sports discipline had the potential to attract a lot of new interest and opportunities for the Olympic movement across newer geographies.

Soon after cricket was officially confirmed as an Olympic sport at the ongoing 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session being held in Mumbai, Nita Ambani said, “As an IOC member, a proud Indian, and an ardent cricket fan, I am delighted that IOC members have voted to include Cricket as an Olympic Sport in the LA Summer Olympics 2028!”

Cricket has only featured in one previous edition of the Olympics in 1900 when only two teams took part.

“Cricket is one of the most loved sports globally, and the second most watched. For 1.4 billion Indians, cricket is not just a sport, it’s a religion!” Nita Ambani said. Nita Ambani is the first Indian woman to become an IOC member

The IOC session is being held in India for only the 2nd time in history, returning to the country after 40 years.

“I’m delighted that this historic resolution was passed at the one hundred and forty-first IOC Session taking place right here in our country in Mumbai,” Nita Ambani added.

Nita Ambani hoped that the sport’s appeal around the globe would increase significantly with this announcement. “The inclusion of cricket in the Olympics will create deeper engagement for the Olympic Movement in newer geographies. And at the same time, provides a boost to cricket’s growing international popularity.”

“I thank and congratulate the IOC and the LA Organizing Committee for their support of this landmark decision. It’s truly a day of great joy and jubilation!” she concluded.

Meanwhile, apart from cricket, the 2028 Olympics event will also include sports like baseball/softball, lacrosse, squash and flag football. The proposal from the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 to include these games in the programme was accepted at the ongoing 141st IOC session being held in Mumbai, just two IOC members opposed the proposal and one abstained from voting.

Cricket made its sole appearance at the 1900 Paris Olympics in which Great Britain defeated France in the final. But it is played in Commonwealth Games and Asian Games as well. (ANI)

Kabaddi Player Kerketta Injured In C’garh Olympic Games Dies During Treatment

By LokMarg 17th November 2022

A Kabaddi player, Samaru Kerketta, who sustained injuries during the Chhattisgarh Olympic Games died while undergoing treatment at Jindal hospital in Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh district.

According to the doctors, Samaru died on Wednesday afternoon around 1 pm. Samaru Kerkatta (28), a resident of Ghumra village, Jashpur district, was injured during the Chhattisgarh Olympic Sports Festival held last month at Sundru in Pharsabahar in Jashpur district.
Samaru was admitted to Fortis Jindal Hospital, Raigarh for better treatment after providing first aid. According to the information received, he was admitted here on October 17. He was intubated and placed on mechanical ventilator support. The condition of the patient was critical. On November 16, he suffered a cardiac arrest and died.

Jashpur collector Ravi Mittal paid a humble tribute to Samaru and said that the district administration would extend its full cooperation to Samaru’s family and would not let them lack anything. (ANI)

National Games 2022: Srihari Wins Gold In 100m Freestyle Swimming

By LokMarg 9th October 2022

At the National Games 2022 in Gujarat on Saturday, Tokyo Olympian Srihari Nataraj won the men’s 100-meter freestyle swimming competition to win his sixth gold medal overall.

Srihari Nataraj of Karnataka competed at the Sardar Patel Aquatics Complex in Rajkot and set a new National Games record with a time of 50.41 seconds to add to his collection of gold.
Sajan Prakash, a fellow Olympian from Kerala who has five gold, two silver, and a bronze medal from this competition, came in seventh in the 100m freestyle event.

At the National Games 2022, this was Srihari Nataraj’s second gold medal in freestyle swimming. He had previously won two gold medals in the backstroke and relay competitions, respectively.

SP Likhit took first place in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke competition, increasing Services’ total number of gold medals won to 45. With 30 gold medals, Haryana is in second place, and Maharashtra is third with 28.

With 23 gold medals, 19 of which came from the aquatics competitions, Karnataka has moved up to the fourth place.

With 22 gold medals, Tamil Nadu is sixth on the medal stand after defeating Karnataka in the 4×100-meter medley relay final.

At the Sabarmati Riverfront Sports Complex in Ahmedabad, Gujarat’s men defeated Madhya Pradesh 2-0 in the men’s soft tennis final, giving their state 11 gold medals overall.

Mohit Sherawat of Delhi won the men’s 81 kg gold at the Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar despite competing in his semifinal and final matches with a dislocated right shoulder.

Naveen John of Karnataka won the men’s 38 km time trial in the road cycling competition on the highway east of Gandhinagar, while Tongbram Monorama Devi of Manipur won the women’s 85 km road race by defeating Chayanika Gogoi of Assam and Pooja Baban Danole of Maharashtra.

At the Sardar Patel Aquatics Complex in Rajkot, the teams playing water polo pulled together to win the men’s and women’s gold medals. In a thrilling men’s final, Services came back to overcome Kerala 10-8 with two late goals, and in the women’s round-robin final, Maharashtra women defeated Kerala 5-3 to win.

With 134.22 points, S Vaishnavi of Tamil Nadu won the women’s artistic yogasana competition. Vaishnavi was flanked on the podium by the Maharashtra team of Chhakuli Bansilal Selokar (127.68) and Purva Shriram Kinare (126.68).

Karnataka defeated Gujarat 11-2 in the men’s hockey competition at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in Rajkot to advance to the semi-final matchup with Haryana, who defeated Tamil Nadu 3-0 in their own final-eight matchup. After a thrilling 1-1 tie in the regular game, Uttar Pradesh defeated West Bengal in a shootout. Maharashtra, who defeated Jharkhand in the other quarterfinal, will play Uttar Pradesh. (ANI)

No Plans To Hang Up My Boxing Gloves: Mary Kom

By LokMarg 8th October 2022

Olympic medalist Mary Kom has refuted claims she plans to retire and said that she still wants to compete as she is hungry to play for the nation.

Mary Kom, who won a bronze medal in the London 2012 Olympics, suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury while competing for India in the Commonwealth Games trials in June of this year. She underwent reconstructive surgery and is now recovering, but she says she will recover quickly.

“Why can’t I come back? I am Mary Kom,” the Indian boxer said as quoted by Olympics website during a press conference on Friday.

Mary Kom is the first female boxer in boxing history to have captured six world titles. The five-time Asian champion was the first female boxer from India to take home a gold medal at the 2014 Asian Games.

The last time Mary Kom competed globally was at the Tokyo Olympics, where she advanced to the pre-quarterfinals before falling to Colombian Ingrit Valencia by a 3:2 split decision.

“I am still hungry. I want to compete in one major tournament before I retire. And I don’t mean an invitational event, just one proper competition before I go,” Mary Kom said.

Mary Kom, however, will turn 40 next month, which means she is ineligible to compete in the Paris Olympics or the Asian Games in 2019, as both competitions’ maximum participation age was 40 in 2013.

“I know there’s an age barrier, but I still want to compete. People want to see me in the ring. I had a complex, three-stage surgery, but I am not done yet,” Mary Kom noted.

Mary Kom has been advised to rest for six months following her surgery but she is eager to return to the ring sooner rather than later.

“I have taken it as a challenge. I want to regain full fitness in less than six months. Recovery and rehab are things that I can control,” she stated.

Mary Kom’s knee still has limited movement, but she has begun her rehabilitation and strength training.

“About three-four months back, I could bend only 10 percent of my knee. It will slowly be 100 percent. Gradually the mobility and strength will return,” Mary Kom informed. (ANI)

ARE DRUGS HOLDING BACK KABBADI AS OLYMPICS SPORT? – Ranjit Singh

By LokMarg 16th May 2016

Kabbadi has come a long way from the villages of Punjab to become an international sport. It is played in several states in India. It is the national sport of Bangladesh and Nepal. It is now being played in over fifteen countries. But it is still a long way to become an Olympics game. One of the main reasons is the abuse of drugs by players from the state which often leads on Kabbadi, Punjab.

The Olympics Governing Body has told the Kabbadi lobby that they need to be played with unitary rules in 75 countries before they can be considered for the Olympics. There are attempts to spread the game around the world in order to make a serious bid.

It is enthusiastically played in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Iran, Korea, Argentina, Canada, U.K, Italy, China, Trinidad and Tobago, and Australia. In UK England, Scotland and Wales have their own teams.

But one of the issues holding back a serious bid to become an Olympics game is the extent of drugs being used in the game. There is apprehension that too many players may fail the strict drugs test to qualify at Olympics. Enthusiasm for the game is sullied by the reputation it has achieved as a drug infested game.

In the last ten years there are numerous examples of doping. In March 2010, 13 members of the Indian national team were dropped because they tested positive to banned drugs. The incident both shocked and shamed the country.

But soon after, in November 2011, BBC reported that 18 out of some 45 players had tested positive to banned drugs at the World Kabbadi tournament. The players were from various countries including the US, Australia, Canada, the UK, Norway, Italy, Argentina, Spain and Germany.

In January 2014, several players from outside India failed to turn up for the annual Kabbadi tournaments. Jagdish Bholla, a cop turned drug lord, had given the names of several players doubling as ‘mules’ who smuggle drugs. These players were put on the watch list, to be arrested as soon they landed in Punjab.
The latest scandal in Kabbadi was Amritpal Singh Matta, a police officer and renowned international player in Kabbadi. He admitted to taking drugs since 2008 but blames the police force, in which he works. He blatantly claims that he started taking drugs from within the police stations. He has been suspended from duty.

These are only some of the reported cases. But when 25% of a team is tested positive for prohibited drugs, the game needs serious cleaning up. And when players are accused of being drug mules, the game naturally comes under the scanner. Its chances of gaining status at the Olympics is almost zero.
Drugs have taken over the lives of Punjabis. They are everywhere. Not only in Punjab, but almost everywhere around the world where Punjabis go, drugs seem to find a foothold. Both the regional and national Government need to come with a comprehensive programme to address them. While drugs have taken many lives in India, their widespread prevalence in the Kabbadi players of India is enough to take strong action to eradicate drugs from South Asia.