India could be kicked out of Olympics

LAUSANNE: India faces the ultimate sanction of being kicked out of the Olympic movement unless it keeps corruption-tainted officials out of its ranks, IOC president Thomas Bach said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Bach said the IOC is prepared to withdraw recognition of the Indian Olympic Association if it fails to comply with "rules of good governance" by Tuesday, a punishment that would leave the world's second most populous nation out of all Olympic competitions.

"It's about the principles," Bach said. "Good governance for the IOC is a key issue. We need to be strict and to make sure the rules of good governance are being applied."

If India is thrown out, it would be the first time a country has been kicked out of the Olympic movement since South Africa was expelled for its racial segregation policies more than 40 years ago.

The Indian Olympic body is scheduled to meet Sunday in New Delhi to consider amending its constitution to meet the IOC's directive. If there is no breakthrough, the International Olympic Committee executive board is set to recommend "de-recognition" of the Indian committee at its meeting on Tuesday in Lausanne.

"`We will see if there is any last-moment movement," Bach said. "If not, then we have to consider to take the next step."

The IOC suspended the Indian body a year ago because of government interference in its election process. While many of the issues have been resolved since then, the Indians have yet to agree to the IOC demand to bar officials who have been charged with a criminal offense - an impasse which has led to the final ultimatum.

"The (Olympic) charter is clear," Bach said. "If the suspension leads to no solution, then further steps could be withdrawal of recognition."

It would be the first major ruling of the IOC board under Bach, who was elected president on Sept. 10, succeeding Jacques Rogge. Bach is the former president of Germany's national Olympic committee.

The IOC executive board could take a preliminary decision on withdrawing recognition of India. A final ruling would go to the full IOC, which next meets in Sochi, Russia, in early February on the eve of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

"Withdrawal of recognition would mean there is no NOC (National Olympic Committee) any more in India," Bach said. " That means no participation, no subsidies."

Under the current suspension, the Indian body has stopped receiving IOC funding and its officials have been banned from attending Olympic meetings and events. India's athletes are barred from competing in Olympic events under their national flag.

Stripping India completely of IOC recognition would leave the country without any Olympic involvement. It would keep Indian athletes out of the Olympics and related events such as the Asian Games. Other international federations could also follow suit.

The IOC has given athletes from suspended nations the chance to compete as individuals under the Olympic flag. It's unclear what options could be open to Indian athletes if their Olympic body is expelled.

"In the Olympics we would have to see whether we would find individual solutions, but they could in no way represent India," Bach said. "We always want to protect the interest of the athletes. We have to consider a way. I cannot tell you what the result will be."

The IOC said India has three athletes, including two skiers and a luger, who have qualified for the Sochi Games. Sanctions would hurt more for the Summer Olympics, which will next be held in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. India's participation could also be affected for the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, from Sept. 19-Oct. 4.

The IOC has been involved in back-and-forth discussions with India for months. The main issue stems from last year's election of IOA secretary-general Lalit Bhanot, who had been jailed for 10 months in a corruption case related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

The IOC has told the Indian body that anyone charged with an offense by Indian police should be barred from holding office. The Indians have proposed that the directive be limited to barring only those found guilty and sentenced to a jail term of two or more years by a court.

"This is the only remaining point." Bach said. "It's about good governance and nothing else at this moment. All the other issues have been solved in cooperation with the NOC, with the government."

The IOC formally expelled South Africa from the Olympics in 1970. The country, which had last competed at the 1960 Olympics, returned to the fold at the 1992 Barcelona Games.

In recent years, the IOC suspended the national Olympic bodies of Kuwait, Ghana and Panama for political interference, but all were later reinstated.

Imran Khan says sachin is lucky

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan on Saturday said recently-retired Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar was lucky to have never faced the ferocious West Indies pace attack of '70 and '80s.

While delivering a lecture on leadership at an All India Management Association function here, Imran said facing the likes of Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall and Colin Croft was a huge task.

In fact, Imran pointed out that some fine talent was forced to be on the bench because the frontliners were irreplaceable.

"There was Sylvester Clark, who used to be on the bench mostly but on a rebel tour of South Africa, he demolished the opposition single-handedly," Imran said.

"My friend, the poor guy, Sunny Gavaskar bore the brunt of the West Indian fast-bowling attack. Sachin is very lucky that he didn't face them," he added.

Tendulkar retired recently after playing international cricket for nearly a quarter of century, notching up most of the batting records to be rated as the greatest of modern era.

India vs South Africa ODI series 2013

JOHANNESBURG: India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that "getting used to the pace and bounce" in South African conditions will be the biggest challenge for his young team, which is here to play three ODIs and two Tests.

"One of the big challenges is to get used to the pace and bounce. If you are just new to the international circuit, then it becomes more of a challenge. The reason being, in India even on the best of wickets you don't get the same pace, or even bowlers who can generate similar pace and bounce.

"So it makes slightly more difficult for the players who have just made their debut in the international arena," Dhoni told reporters at the pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

He, though, also believed that there are some players who have had international experience.

"But at the same time there are few players (in the side) who have been playing for the last few seasons and have had a decent outing all over the world. When you come to the same venue, you know how the situation or condition will be, and it gives an edge to adapt quickly. At the end of the day experience always counts."

Young they may be, but this Indian lot is also very enthusiastic about their cricket. And now, they will be raring to take on the challenge of facing against some of the best fast bowlers in world cricket.

The battle then essentially will be between Indian batsmen and South Africa bowlers, and how they cope up with the likes of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander will be intriguing to say the least.

"Strategies have always been formed against batsmen. Batsmen form their own strategies to counter bowlers' plans. The real challenge is how you are able to change your game and adapt as per different conditions. More important than strategies is who scores more runs and takes more wickets," said Dhoni.

That, again, brings up the topic of the Indian bowling, the same deemed 'weak' by his counterpart.

"It is important how you exploit conditions," he replied, when pointed out.

"It's not important if you have the best bowlers. I think we have done pretty well. There have been ups and downs. We have really struggled when there is dew on the field or the wickets are really flat surfaces. That's an area where our bowlers haven't done outstandingly well," Dhoni said.

"But if there is help for them, fast bowlers or spinners, they have made use of it and done well. So we are happy with how they have done, quite happy with both ups and downs."

Although Dhoni admitted that he hadn't seen the pitch, early on A B de Villiers had talked about the amount of grass on it. If some of it stays there come tomorrow, even the hosts will be wary of the threat Indian bowlers can pose. Both captains have candidly agreed that saving wickets early on, for an attack in the death overs, is the safest bet.

"Irrespective of where you are playing, wickets in hand always get you good runs in last 8-10 overs. In subcontinents, the wickets slow down and sometimes it is difficult to for the new batsmen to come in and play shots. In those circumstances, we have not been able to get par-plus scores.

"If there is good pace and bounce, we have seen that generally batsmen can get runs in the last 8-10 overs, and they add on to the par-plus score," said Dhoni.

"South Africa is one place where I believe a lot depends on how the conditions are, how the wickets are prepared, and whether it is overcast or a bright sunny day when wickets can be very good for batting. A lot will depend on what the circumstances are on that day," he added.

It is a fact that India go into this ODI rubber as the world's number one side. It is also a fact that they have never won a bilateral series in South Africa, and their record in the ODIs is poor as well.

"It is not about favourites. The poor record wasn't on my mind, but there have been instances, where we had an opportunity to win the series, but we didn't cash in on it. So, what is important is how you play cricket on that particular day. We have seen that in ODIs, you need to get off to a good start. With two new ball rule and especially if conditions favour the fast bowlers, it is important how you play the first ten overs. Having wickets in hand, cashing in on the last 15 overs to get par plus score and then how you defend it. It all depends on how you play and the kind of impact individuals have on that day."

Dhoni's words seemed to suggest that India weren't too flustered about batting first or second. South Africa's recent chase-record, losing seven of their last eight matches, could be tempting. Or, they could instead bowl first and chase themselves, something the Indian batsmen have done with great aplomb recently.

"We are working on our strengths in batting and bowling, and accordingly we will try to make the most of it. If we don't have bowlers who don't bowl at 145 or 150 km/h then there is no point thinking about pace and bounce.

"But if you have someone who can swing the ball, then we will make the most of conditions here with two new balls, try to get wickets in first ten overs and that can have an impact on the game."

"We have won a few games where we haven't scored a lot of runs. At the same time we have won quite a few games where we have scored 350 while chasing.

"In the past one year if you see, we have equal instances of players chasing down over 300 runs and at the same time defending something close to 150 (number of overs were reduced). So, to say which a better pick is, I cannot say," Dhoni opined.

All in all, this has all the makings of a tasty, keenly contested affair, although a shortened one.

"Whenever we have played South Africa, it has been a tough series and you hardly see any individuals crossing the line. We have a lot of love and respect for them. We hope they continue with their same (poor) form, but it is their home conditions, so they will definitely be ready.

"Only thing in a three match series is that it becomes difficult if a team lags behind and loses the first game. Then there is extra pressure on the team that loses the first game," Dhoni signed off.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has won this year's ICC People's Choice Award 2013

MUMBAI: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has won this year's ICC People's Choice Award, thus becoming only the second Indian cricketer to win the coveted prize after just-retired Sachin Tendulkar.

Dhoni has now become only the third cricketer to win this award after Tendulkar, who was the first-ever recipient in 2010, and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, who won it in 2011 and 2012.

Other nominees for this year's ICC People's Choice Award were Australia's Michael Clarke, England's Alastair Cook, India's Virat Kohli, and South Africa's AB de Villiers.

BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel received the award from Howard Lee, Director Home Entertainment, LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd, on behalf of Dhoni, who is currently in South Africa with the India cricket team.

The award, which was introduced at the 2010 ICC Awards in Bengaluru, was voted upon by close to 188,000 cricket fans around the world. The voting opened on November 2 and closed at midnight on November 23, an ICC statement said.

The short list was nominated by an elite panel of cricket experts, which is headed by ICC Cricket Committee Chairman and former India captain Anil Kumble. Other members of the panel are England's Alec Stewart, New Zealand's Catherine Campbell, Pakistan's Waqar Younis and South Africa's Graeme Pollock.

The five players were nominated by the panel using the criteria set out by LG and the ICC.

This dictated that the nominees should have displayed some of the attributes regarded by LG as being in line with its corporate qualities such as innovation, dynamism, strength in decision-making, performing well under pressure and executing a plan to distinction, the statement read.

On winning the People's Choice award, Dhoni said: "This is one of the awards that has given me tremendous satisfaction, since it comes from the key stakeholders of the game - the fans.

"Recognition from the people who support and encourage us day in and day out, only inspires me to put in that much more, and go the extra mile for them. I would like to thank all those people who have voted in my favour," he added.

Cristiano Ronaldo to open museum

Lisbon:  Footballing legend Cristiano Ronaldo said on Tuesday he is opening a museum dedicated to himself on the Portuguese island where he was born.

The 28-year-old Real Madrid player will use the museum to showcase memorabilia from his hugely successful career, which began in the 1990s on the island of Madeira.

Ronaldo said he would be there in person on December 15 for the opening of the museum in Madeira's capital Funchal, which will showcase memorabilia including footballs, photographs and trophies.

He was speaking in Madeira, where he had travelled with his mother and young son, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr, to finalise plans for the opening.

One of the world's footballing greats, Ronaldo began his career with the small tourist island's local club FC Andorinha, where his father worked.

He moved to Lisbon aged 12 and was picked up by Sporting Portugal, launching his international career when he signed with Manchester United at the age of just 18.

Asked by local media in Madeira about his chances of picking up the Ballon D'Or 2013, which he is tipped to win, he would only say that a space has been reserved in case of success.

Ronaldo took the Ballon D'Or in 2008, but has since lost out three times to his arch-rival, the Argentinian Lionel Messi.

Sachin Tendulkar on Gold Toss coin

The specially-designed gold coin for toss in Sachin's 200th and last Test. (BCCI)

Hope Sachin sign off on high-Rahul Dravid

MUMBAI: There is perhaps no one who can claim to have spent more time with Sachin Tendulkar on the cricket field. Having shared numerous partnerships with him in the middle, having seen him bat since the maestro was 15, Rahul Dravid, a batting colossus himself, sure knows the legend and his game inside-out. "What he has accomplished is difficult to replicate," Dravid said at a promotional event in the city on Monday.

"He has never let his standard come down. His love for cricket has been consistent from the age of 16 to even now at 40. I would like that he does well in his last two Tests and signs off with a good performance. I hope he enjoys both these games. He has worked hard for so many years now, so he deserves a good farewell," Dravid felt. "I just want to wish him all the best and say 'thank you' for all that he has done for Indian cricket for the last 24 years," Dravid added.

Would he come to the Wankhede Stadium to watch his final match for India? "I hope to be there. I hope to do some media work around that time," he said.

Dravid felt that while it was impossible to replace a batsman of Tendulkar's class in the Indian team, there are talented batsmen around who can help fill that void to some extent. "There are some good young talented players around. What Virat has been able to do in one-day cricket and Test cricket is quite exceptional. I think India's one-day batting is good as I have ever seen it. Our top six-seven are just sensational," he said.

Dravid has sympathy for Indian bowlers who have disappointed during the on-going ODI series against Australia. "It's been a tough series for the bowlers. It's hard to blame them. I won't be too critical of our bowlers. They are young and inexperienced. With all these field restrictions coming in, it's not easy to be a bowler. What needs to be an acceptable bowling performance for them probably needs to be re-assessed."