Qualifying matches for AFC U23 Asian Cup begin today
RIYADH: Fifty-five teams are set to start the qualifying competition today for the AFC U23 Asian Cup finals, which will be hosted by Qatar from April 15 to May 3, 2024.
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RIYADH: Fifty-five teams are set to start the qualifying competition today for the AFC U23 Asian Cup finals, which will be hosted by Qatar from April 15 to May 3, 2024.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Saturday issued a show-cause notice to senior men's team head coach Igor Stimac for making comments construed as a breach of agreement by his employers. Hitting out at some of the ISL clubs for their unwillingness to release players for the national camp in preparation for the Asian Games, World Cup Qualifiers and the Asian Cup, Stimac said if Indian football needs his help, he will need to tell the truth. The former Croatian defender coming out in the open with his views didn't go down well with the AIFF brass, as they sought a response from the coach. "This is not just about the recent comments but it has been happening for a while now. He is in breach of his agreement with the AIFF. If he has any issues, he could have discussed it with the federation directly rather than going public," a source close to the AIFF told PTI.
LONDON: New Saudi Arabia head coach Roberto Mancini has picked his 26-man training squad for the Green Falcons’ preparation camp, which starts on Sunday in Newcastle.
Veteran striker Akashdeep Singh and young Karthi Selvam have been dropped but experienced Lalit Upadhyay made a comeback to the 18-member Indian men's hockey team selected for the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Hockey India selectors dropped three players -- Akashdeep, Karthi and defender Jugraj Singh from the champion side of the Asian Champions Trophy held in Chennai earlier this month. Drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh and midfielder Hardik Singh will continue to don the roles of captain and vice-captain in the Asian Games.
Veteran striker Akashdeep Singh and young Karthi Selvam have been dropped but experienced Lalit Upadhyay made a comeback to the 18-member Indian men's hockey team selected for the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Hockey India selectors dropped three players -- Akashdeep, Karthi and defender Jugraj Singh from the champion side of the Asian Champions Trophy held in Chennai earlier this month. Drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh and midfielder Hardik Singh will continue to don the roles of captain and vice-captain in the Asian Games.
Pelatih ganda putra pelatnas PBSI Herry Iman Pierngadi mengunggah pesan penuh teka-teki di akun media sosialnya. Unggahannya itu langsung menimbulkan spekulasi.
ABU DHABI: Zamzam Al-Hammadi has emerged as one of the most promising MMA and jiu-jitsu athletes in the UAE after securing gold medals at both the IMMAF Youth World Championships at the Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi and the JJIF World Championship YOUTH in Astana, Kazakhstan. Her performance in Abu Dhabi marked a significant milestone in the evolution of mixed martial arts in the UAE, as she became the nation’s first female world champion. In the 52 kg final, she secured a unanimous points victory over Ukraine’s Kira Voliashchenko. Adding to her accolades, Al-Hammadi clinched gold in the under-18, 52 kg division at the JJIF World Championship YOUTH held in Astana last week. “Honestly, jiu-jitsu and MMA are quite different, but jiu-jitsu has helped me a lot in MMA.
TEHRAN: An Iranian weightlifter has been given a lifetime ban by authorities in the Islamic republic after shaking hands with an Israeli competitor at an event in Poland, state media reported. Mostafa Rajaei, aged in his 40s, shook hands with Israeli weightlifter Maksim Svirsky on Saturday after they both stood on the podium at a World Masters championship in Wieliczka, Poland. “The weightlifting federation bans athlete Mostafa Rajaei for life from entering all sports facilities in the country and dismisses the head of the delegation for the competition, Hamid Salehinia,” the body announced in a statement cited by state news agency IRNA. Iran does not recognize Israel, its sworn enemy, and prohibits all contact between Iranian and Israeli athletes. According to the IRNA report, Rajaei “crossed the red lines of the Islamic republic” at the event where the Iranian delegation had been “sent with the support of the federation.” Rajaei is a former member of the Iranian national team and represented his country at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in 2015 in Thailand. In 2021, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged athletes “not to shake hands with a representative of the (Israeli) criminal regime to obtain a medal.” For years, Iranian athletes have managed to avoid meeting Israelis in competitions, often by getting disqualified or providing medical certificates testifying that they were unwell. Young chess prodigy Alireza Firouzja left Iran after the sport’s federation banned him from playing in the 2019 world championship for fear he would face an Israeli player.