Kapil Dev, Baichung Bhutia, Abhinav Bindra, Pullela Gopichand & Gagan Narang join forces to shape India’s Olympic future

Hyderabad, (IANS) Legendary icons Kapil Dev, Baichung Bhutia, Abhinav Bindra, Pullela Gopichand, and Gagan Narang have come together in a first-of-its-kind governance initiative for Indian sports. This integrated approach aims to strengthen grassroots talent, optimise infrastructure, and drive excellence for robust, holistic sports development.

By creating clear athlete pathways and aligning with the state’s progressive sports policy, the initiative positions Telangana at the forefront of India’s sporting ambitions, leading the charge in a nationwide sports revolution.

These sporting legends, together with leading administrators and top industry figures, make up the newly constituted Board of Governors of the Telangana Sports Development Fund (TSDF). This pioneering public–private model is designed to strengthen grassroots systems, foster excellence across disciplines, and serve as a national blueprint for nurturing India’s next generation of champions.

The Board brings together on-ground sporting wisdom with institutional and corporate expertise, featuring influential leaders such as RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group Chairman Dr Sanjiv Goenka, whose strategic investments span Indian sport, including cricket, and Vita Dani, whose pivotal role has elevated Indian table tennis to new heights. It also includes women in sports visionaries like Kavya Maran, CEO of Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Upasana Kamineni Reddy, Vice Chairperson of Apollo Hospitals Foundation, who bring fresh perspectives and a strong commitment to inclusive sporting growth.

“I believe this sports policy will go a long way in developing sports not only for our state but also for the country. Telangana has a proud legacy of sporting achievements, and I am confident that if India is to become a true sporting superpower, we must look at sports as a pillar of holistic development and bringing this governing body will help to look at giving sports development a real shot,” said Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who launched the initiative as part of the state’s new, expansive sports policy on Saturday.

Alongside credible voices from cricket, football, badminton, shooting, and volleyball, the Telangana Sports Development Fund (TSDF) embodies a first-of-its-kind convergence of India’s top athletic, corporate, and administrative minds. Operating with independent decision-making and collaborative intent, it is committed to building a future-ready ecosystem that prioritises transparency, excellence, and sustained growth.

The TSDF model is built around robust funding, athlete development, infrastructure, training of PE teachers, and targeted investment in Olympic sports, and this board will be responsible for the joint decision and transparent execution mechanisms.

Speaking at a panel discussion during the Telangana Sports Conclave, Olympian Gagan Narang made a powerful case for rethinking how India approaches sports development. “PPP (Public-Private Partnership) is the buzzword, but we forget the original PPP — Policy, Programme and Performance. Buy into this PPP, and the other PPP will only follow through then. Telangana could be the first state to implement this.”

The initiative - while rooted in Telangana - holds national significance in a country where systemic support for sports beyond cricket is often fragmented. As Bindra noted in his address, “We need to build a playing population, not just a participating one. Grassroots development must go beyond medals - it should be about fostering a love for sport, building systems, and empowering trained physical education teachers to take ownership. When that happens, India will truly become a sporting nation.”

The newly formed board unites a diverse group of elite athletes, entrepreneurs, and administrators. It includes Dr Sanjiv Goenka, Chairman of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group and owner of IPL and ISL teams; Upasana Kamineni, a wellness entrepreneur and CSR advocate; Vita Dani, Co-owner of Ultimate Table Tennis and Chairperson of the Dani Foundation; Kavya Maran, Director at Sun TV Network; and C. Shashidhar, Managing Director of the Vishawa Samudra Group. Also on the board are Pullela Gopichand, Dronacharya awardee and chief badminton coach; volleyball administrator Ravikanth Reddy; Indian football icon Baichung Bhutia; Olympic gold medallist and shooter Abhinav Bindra; and 1983 World Cup-winning cricket captain Kapil Dev. The board is further strengthened by B.V. Papa Rao, a former IAS officer and sports reform advocate; Injeti Srinivas, former Secretary of Sports; Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Government of Telangana; and Shivasena Reddy, Chairman of the Sports Authority of Telangana.

With this diverse panel steering the roadmap, the Telangana model could offer a scalable template for other states - and possibly, a national policy rethink.From medals to mindsets, from participation to podium - India’s sporting future may well be shaped by these collaborative steps taken. Kapil Dev, Baichung Bhutia, Abhinav Bindra, Pullela Gopichand & Gagan Narang join forces to shape India’s Olympic future | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

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Not just the stadium: what Brisbane Olympic organisers are planning for

H. Björn Galjaardt, The University of Queensland; Daryl Adair, University of Technology Sydney, and Richard Baka, Victoria University

Brisbane was awarded the Olympics and Paralympics more than 1,300 days ago, and much has happened in between.

On Tuesday, upbeat Queensland premier David Crisafulli revealed the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games plan.

This came after a 100-day review by the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA).

More than 5,000 submissions were received from the general public. The review included topics such as precincts and transport systems, while evaluating topics such as demand and affordability.

So, what’s going to be happening in Queensland before, during and after the games?

The main event: venues

Get ready for the likes of Taylor Swift, Pink, Coldplay and others to finally come to Brisbane with the announcement of a new world-class 63,000 seat Olympic Stadium to be built in Victoria Park in Brisbane.

All indications are major codes, such as the Australian Football League (AFL) and cricket, are also very pleased, as they will have a new home replacing the outdated Gabba.

Other venues, both in South East Queensland and in regional areas such as the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Cairns and Townsville, were also outlined.

One of these is a new 25,000-seat swimming complex at Spring Hill, making it one of the world’s best facilities.

As Australia is a swimming powerhouse with major medal hauls expected in 2032, this news was well received.

However, a few of the GIICA recommendations were not accepted. The government has announced rowing will take place in Rockhampton – and not interstate – in an existing flat water venue.

Why the delays?

There had been plenty of criticism of the decision-making delays on facilities and their locations. But the Queensland government’s 2032 Games Delivery Plan indicates there is no need to panic.

Previously, the International Olympic Committee chose a host city seven years out, but under new protocols, Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane in 2032 have been given 11 years to finalise planning.

Previous Australian games (Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000) only had seven years to organise their events.

In the case of Melbourne, several controversies erupted due to the costs of building a new stadium at proposed sites such as the Royal Showgrounds or Princes Park.

Eventually, politics and economics intervened, and a refurbished Melbourne Cricket Ground within an impressive Olympic Park precinct was agreed on.

In the case of Sydney, the original idea back in the 1960s was to host either the Commonwealth Games or the Olympic Games at Moore Park, an inner-city region home to the Sydney Cricket Ground, a golf course and parklands.

But many local residents were vehemently opposed to that suggestion, so other sites were sought.

Eventually, the uninhabited Homebush site was chosen in 1973. This was an unexpected decision because it was the most polluted environment in Australia and its remediation, however noble, would be an enormous challenge.

And so it proved.

When Sydney was awarded the games in 1993, timeline pressures prompted organisers to bulldoze toxic waste into mounds on site, where they were covered with clay and landscaped.

Meanwhile, the promised remediation of toxic waterways in Homebush Bay never proceeded.

All that said, the Sydney games provided tangible legacies. The Olympic Village is now the suburb of Newington, there are parklands and cycle paths for visitors, and from a sport perspective several facilities remain in use today. In 2024, more than 10 million people visited the Sydney Olympic Park precinct, attending sport, concerts, or participating in social activities.

Opportunities and hurdles

The initial hiccups associated with the Brisbane games have resulted in some interesting and healthy debate, but this major project now has a positive vibe.

There is more than enough time to build the new facilities (including the athletes’ villages), upgrade existing ones, build the necessary transport infrastructure, and ensure community engagement.

The “Queensland way” seems not only to be referring to a better games, but also the legacy that comes with it.

Generational infrastructure (for example, the upgrade of transport connectivity), housing (such as the conversion of the RNA Showgrounds and a multimillion dollar investment into grassroots clubs can enable the next generations of Queenslanders to compete.

Tourism and regionalisation of the games through a 20-year plan should ensure the impact of the games goes far beyond 2032.

Some fine-tuning is expected the next few years though, and there may be unforeseen issues that arise – here are some.

1. Beyond the 31 core sports that must feature, will new sports necessitate changes or additions to proposed venues? Host cities are now allowed to have 4-5 sports added to the program which could cause increases to the budget.

2. Will the federal government fund the games on the currently agreed 50-50 basis with the Queensland government? This currently sits at around $7 billion split two ways, but it is likely to rise based on cost over-runs on virtually all major builds across Australia.

3. Will there be some tweaking of chosen venues due to local issues, lobbying by Olympic sports, political decisions and other factors?

4. Will a global health issue (such as COVID during the Tokyo 2021 games) or a major world problem (such as the current Gaza or Ukraine conflicts) impact the games in some way?

The Brisbane games are following the footsteps of Melbourne 1956 (affectionately referred to as the “friendly games”) and Sydney 2000 (the “best games ever”).

The eventual Brisbane label has yet to be determined. But the Brisbane games will no doubt add to the Olympic folklore of Australia in their own unique way.

H. Björn Galjaardt, PhD Candidate, The University of Queensland; Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney, and Richard Baka, Honorary Professor, School of Kinesiology, Western University, London, Canada; Adjunct Fellow, Olympic Scholar and Co-Director of the Olympic and Paralympic Research Centre, Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Nikhat Zareen hails India's bid to host 2036 Olympics, calls for SAI centres in each state

New Delhi, (IANS) After India made a formal bid to host the 2036 Olympics, two-time world champion boxer Nikhat Zareen said the bid would motivate sportspersons but called for the need to establish Sports Authority of India (SAI) centres in every state to foster overall sports development, essential for staging such a prestigious event in the country.Watch live sports online

The ambitious plan to bring the world’s largest sporting event to India has been backed by strong government support. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly expressed his intent to bring the Olympics to India in 2036.

"India hosting the 2036 Olympics will be a huge motivation for athletes. If we want to host major events like the Olympics, I believe every state should have SAI centres. Currently, there are only regional centres. If I need to train, then I have to go to places like Rohtak, Guwahati, Aurangabad, or wherever these centres are located," Nikhat told IANS.Watch live sports online

"If I have to struggle so much just to get training, imagine the challenges for young kids preparing with 2036 in mind. I might retire by 2036 (she joked), but for them, it will be difficult. Convincing their parents to send them so far away for training will be very challenging. If every state has an SAI centre with good coaches, it will benefit everyone, and we’ll be able to focus on athletes from the grassroots level," she said.

Nikhat, a Deputy Suprindent of Police (DSP) with Telangana Police, further suggested that every state should have multi-facility stadiums to help the young athletes train in better infrastructure. "Along with this, each state's capital should have a good stadium and a policy in place to support young athletes who aren't financially stable. By sponsoring their equipment from the grassroots level, providing quality coaches, and giving them access to facilities, we can give them a solid push, helping them reach the senior level and potentially make the nation proud," she added.

However, Nikhat’s hopes of winning a medal on her Olympic debut in Paris ended early after she lost to Wu Yu of China by unanimous decision in the Round of 16 of the women’s 50kg boxing event.

Reflecting on her Paris campaign, the two-time world champion and Asian Games bronze medallist said, "There was no pressure at all because I had previously won many competitions where no one expected me to win. Paris was my first Olympics, and I was unseeded. In my weight category, I had only two major competitors -- the Turkish boxer (Busenaz Cakiroglu), and the Chinese."

"I had defeated the Turkish boxer before, but I had no prior experience against the Chinese boxer, so I was clueless. I had only observed her playing but hadn’t sparred with her. Unfortunately, in Paris, I had to face the Chinese boxer in the second round itself, leading to an early exit from the competition," she further said.

"More than the loss, what saddened me was seeing the medals go to boxers I had previously defeated. It was really heartbreaking that I missed out on a medal in the Olympics despite being a two-time world champion," Nikhat added.

Speaking about how she overcame her loss at the Olympics, the boxer from Telangana said "It wasn't easy", as everyone "becomes coach when you lose" and starts giving their expert advice.

"When you win, everyone comes to congratulate you. I noticed that after Paris, only a few people reached out. It stings to see people celebrate your wins, but when you truly need support, they are missing. I’ve come to realise, though, that this is just part of life.

"More than anyone else’s expectations, it was my own that weighed on me, and it hurt that I couldn’t meet them. In the past, I’ve faced challenges, overcome them, and made strong comebacks. This time, I’ll return mentally, physically, and emotionally stronger. I’m not pressuring myself; I’m taking it slow," said the 28-year-old boxer.

Nikhat, who is currently training at Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad, signed off by saying, “I don’t have a personal coach right now, but I’m not putting any pressure on myself. I’ll take my time and make a steady comebackNi khat Zareen hails India's bid to host 2036 Olympics, calls for SAI centres in each state | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

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American Noah Lyles wins men's Olympic 100m title in photo-finish

Noah Lyles, second from left, of the US, wins the men's 100-metre final ahead of Kishane Thompson, second from right, of Jamaica, and Fred Kerley, right, of the US, at the 2024 Olympics. - AP PHOTO

The "fastest man in the world" debate has been raging for weeks, long before the track and field segment of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games got started this week.

In a dramatic men's 100-metre final at the Stade de France on August 4, USA's Noah Lyles, the reigning 100m and 200m world champion, had an emphatic say in the argument when he edged Jamaica's Kishane Thompson by 0.005 seconds to take the Olympic title.

In a tense final which saw all eight athletes dipping under the ten-second barrier, Lyles clocked a time of 9.784 seconds, with Thompson clocking 9.789. Both athletes were officially given a time of 9.79, with Lyles' late surge and critical dip at the line proving to be the difference between the two sprinters in a tense photo-finish.

Running out of lane seven, Lyles, who was beaten earlier in the day in the first semifinal by Jamaica's Oblique Seville, looked to be out of contention midway through the final as both Thompson and USA's Fred Kerley led the pack. Using his lethal top-end speed, Lyles gained ground on the leaders in the final 40 metres and just managed to pip Thompson on the line – achieving a new personal best in the process.

After the race, both men waited anxiously to see the final result, and it was Lyles who was filled with elation as his first-place finish was confirmed.

Kerley ensured the US copped two medals in the final, as he grabbed third in 9.81. South Africa's Akani Simbine ran a national record and placed fourth in 9.82.

Tokyo 2021 Olympic champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs ran a season's best for fifth spot in 9.85, with Botswana's Letsile Tebogo (9.86) also breaking a national record with his sixth-placed finish.

USA's Kenny Bednarek (9.88) and Seville (9.91) finished seventh and eighth respectively. The latter athlete cut a disappointing figure after the race as he told SportsMax he had felt discomfort in his groin during the race.

The men's 100m final was a far cry from the women's 100m final on August 3, as the winner, Lyles, and the eighth-placed Seville were separated by just 0.12 seconds. The gap was closer than the distance between women's 100m champion Julien Alfred and silver medallist Sha'Carri Richardson, who clocked 10.72 and 10.87 seconds respectively.Lyles will try to further enhance his case in the "fastest man" argument when he faces the starter in heat six of the men's 200m from 2.30 pm (TT time) on August 5. American Noah Lyles wins men's Olympic 100m title in photo-finish - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

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Paris Paralympics 2024 concludes with closing ceremony in French capital

Paris Paralympics 2024 concluded with a sparkling closing ceremony in the French capital last night. Twenty-four artists from the French electronic music scene led a party atmosphere despite heavy rain at the Stade de France in front of 4,400 athletes from 168 Paralympic delegations from around the world. The ceremony featured a dynamic hour-long set with 20 DJs, introduced by 76-year-old French electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre.

The International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons said France set a benchmark for future games. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo handed the Paralympic flag to International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons, who then passed it to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Los Angeles will be hosting the next Paralympic Summer Games in 2028. Andrew Parsons said the Paris Paralympics demonstrated that change starts with sport, highlighting how the competition, organisation, and gender parity of the athletes had set new benchmarks for the Paralympics.

The Indian contingent produced their best performance at the Paralympics this year, securing a total of 29 medals, including 7 golds, 9 silvers, and 13 bronzes. Paris Paralympics 2024 concludes with closing ceremony in French capital

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Olympics-Shooting-Bhaker hopes her Paris feat is just the start for India’s women athletes

FILE PHOTO: Paris 2024 Olympics – Shooting – 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team Bronze Medal – Chateauroux Shooting Centre, Deols, France – July 30, 2024. Manu Bhaker of India reacts. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky/File Photo

CHATEAUROUX, France (Reuters) – Indian shooter Manu Bhaker, the country’s first multi-medallist at a single Olympic Games, hopes her feat in Paris will help to unlock the potential of other women athletes in the world’s most populous nation.

“It’s a long journey, let’s keep going and let’s not settle for these two medals,” Bhaker said as she held up her bronze medals outside the Chateauroux Shooting Centre.

“Let’s hope for many more medals in this Olympics and subsequent events,” added Bhaker, who won the women’s 10-metre air pistol bronze and the same medal in the mixed team event with Sarabjot Singh to open India’s medal count in Paris.

India surpassed neighbour and powerhouse China as the world’s most populous country last year, with more than 1.43 billion people, but remains an Olympic laggard.

Shooter Abhinav Bindra won India’s first individual Olympic gold in 2008, while Neeraj Chopra’s victory in men’s javelin in Tokyo three years ago was India’s first in track and field.

Bhaker’s double success on Tuesday prompted a call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and an avalanche of congratulatory messages but Bhaker is not celebrating yet as she chases a third medal in the women’s 25-metre pistol later this week.

Social media back home is abuzz with her exploits and the 22-year-old Bhaker hopes her success will have an impact.

“I don’t know what’s trending on social media but I hope a lot of parents would push their daughters to try different sports,” she said.

“My parents were so supportive of me in choosing any sport or any cultural activity, anything,” she said.

“Even today, if I say ‘I don’t want to do this, I’ll learn classical dance or something’, they’ll support that too.

“If the women of our country get that kind of support, I think we as a nation can grow. There’s a lot of scope for improvement.”

Bhaker hails from the north Indian state of Haryana, which has emerged as a hub for Olympic sport in India despite the state’s male bias and a skewed sex ratio.

The state also produced India cricketer Shafali Verma, who had to crop her hair short and masquerade as a boy in order to pursue the game, Olympics-Shooting-Bhaker hopes her Paris feat is just the start for India’s women athletes

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“We have made history”: PCI chief Jhajharia on India’s record-breaking performance at Paris Paralympics

Devendra Jhajharia. PHOTO: Courtesy ANI

New Delhi [India], September 10: Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) president Devendra Jhajharia said that India have created history at the Paris Paralympics.

The Indian contingent concluded its Paralympics campaign in Paris on Sunday, September 8, with a record haul of 29 medals, including seven golds, nine silvers, and 13 bronzes. The 29-medal tally is the most by India in the history of the Paralympics.

Following the conclusion of the landmark campaign, India surpassed its record medal tally of 19, which was achieved at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. India ended the marquee event in the 18th position.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Indian contingent of the Paris Paralympics returned back to India after their record-breaking performance at the multi-sport event.

Speaking to ANI, Jhajharia said that other countries realise how well India has done at the Paris Paralympics.

“When we departed from India, we thought we would win 25+ medals and come among top 17-18 countries. India has become a sporting nation now. We have made history. Other countries now also realise how well India has done,” Jhajharia said.

He added that the schemes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the centre government are the reason why India has made history at the multi-sport event.

“Last 10 years a lot of work has been done in sports, be it TOPS, Khelo India, training centres etc. The schemes of PM Modi and centre are the reason why we have made history,” he added.

“We won first archery gold. We also won first medal in Blind judo. It was a brilliant performance,” Jhajharia further added.

India rewrote several records and unlocked some new “firsts” at the Paralympic Games. Para-shooter Avani Lekhara became the first ever Indian woman to secure two Paralympic gold medals as she managed to defend her women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 shooting title with a world record score of 249.7 points.

India recorded a one-two finish at a para-athletics competition for the first time, with Dharambir and Parnav Soorma clinching gold and silver, respectively, in the men’s club throw F51 event. This was among India’s first-ever medals in this sport. Dharambir also set an Asian record of 34.92 m.

In the T64 high jump event, Praveen Kumar stood at the top of the podium with an Asian record-breaking jump of 2.08 m, landing India their sixth gold. India finished the competition with seven gold medals.

India also found its first-ever archery champion across the Olympics and Paralympics, with Harvinder Singh getting the gold in the individual recurve para-archery against Poland’s Lukasz Ciszek.Indian javelin throw ace Sumit Antil became the first Indian male to defend their Paralympics title, making it back-to-back gold in the F64 event with a stunning Paralympic record-breaking throw of 70.59 m. He broke his own previous record set during the Tokyo 2020 not once, but thrice. c“We have made history”: PCI chief Jhajharia on India’s record-breaking performance at Paris Paralympics

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Paris Olympics: Mirabai Chanu eyeing historic second medal in another lone ranger effort

Mumbai, (IANS) One of the four individual Indian athletes hoping for a repeat of their success from the Tokyo Olympics and win back-to-back medals, weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu is the lone weightlifter representing the country in the Paris Olympic Games.

Being the only one from India in her sport in Paris, Mirabai will be carrying the weight of the expectations of 130-odd crore people. But lifting weights comes easy for the 29-year-old from Nongpok Kakching in Imphal East district of Manipur.

Being a lone ranger for the country in top competitions is also not new for Mirabai as she was also the only Indian weightlifter in Tokyo.

Mirabai made history in the re-scheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021 when she won the silver medal in the 49 kg weight class, becoming the second Indian weightlifter to win an Olympic medal. She is also the most successful Indian lifter at the Olympics and the second one after Karnam Malleswari in 2000 to win an Olympic medal.

Now Miramai, who will be competing in the third Olympics after the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2020 Tokyo, will be hoping to become the second Indian woman sportsperson to win back-to-back medals in the quadrennial Games after shuttler PV Sindhu (2016, 2020).

However, the path to the podium in the women's 49kg class is extremely tough, and Mirabai, who became the World Champion in his weight class in 2017, the first Indian to win.

China's Hou Zhihui, the gold medallist at Tokyo, is the run-away leader with a total lift of 200kg while the rest of the field has recently lifted in the range of 180 to 190kg. However, Hou did not have a smooth qualifying route for Paris, grabbing the quota place in the last minute, overtaking her teammate Jiang Huihua with her final lift at the 2024 IWF World Cup held in Phuket, Thailand, which was the last qualifying event for the Olympics.

Hou, who set a world record in the snatch category at Phuket by lifting 97 kg, is ranked well clear of three of her top contenders – Mirabai, Surodchana Khambao from Thailand, and Jourdan Delacruz from the United States.

Mirabai's strong point is clean and jerk, in which she held the World Record at 119 kg. Thus she will have to do a very good snatch to then capitalise on her performance in clean and jerk to get into medal contention. She has a personal best of 203 kg ((88 kg in Snatch and 115 kg in Clean & Jerk) which she lifted in the 2020 Senior National Weightlifting Championships. She improved her performance in clean and jerk to lift 119 kg in the 2020 Asian Weightlifting Championship in Tashkent, where she achieved a total of 205kg.

It will also be tough for Mirabai in Paris on another count -- injuries. Since winning the silver medal in Tokyo, Mirabai has struggled with injuries -- the hip injury she suffered at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023 being the latest setback for her. That injury suffered in October 2023 had kept Mirabai out for five months.

Though Mirabai, who won gold medals in back-to-back Commonwealth Games in 2018 and 2022, has recovered from that injury. She has participated in only one event this season, the IWF World Cup in Phuket, where she finished 12th with a combined lift of 184 kilos.

While that was enough to secure her a ticket to Paris, the competition in the French capital when the weightlifting competitions start on August 7 will be a different matter altogether for the Indian lifter, who won gold in the 2017 World Championship and silver in 2022 in Bogota and has been conferred with the Khel Ratna Award and the Padma Shri in 2018.

Mirabai is currently preparing for the Paris Olympics at the prestigious La Ferte-Milon in France under her American physio Dr Aron Horschig, whose services in preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games, have been covered under TOPS funding.

While Dr. Horschig is trying to keep Mirabai fighting fit for the Olympics, it is chief national coach Vijay Sharma who is in France with the Manipuri lifter and will be planning her campaign to win a medal in the second successive Olympic Games, Paris Olympics: Mirabai Chanu eyeing historic second medal in another lone ranger effort | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

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Exhibition to commemorate India's 100 years at Olympic Games opens in Paris

Paris (France), June 24 (IANS) An exhibition that celebrates the life and legacy of Pierre de Coubertin, the Founder of the Olympic Movement, and also commemorates 100 years of India’s presence at the Games, organised by the JSW Group to mark Olympic Day, was inaugurated on Sunday in Paris, the host city of 2024 Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and Ambassador of India, Jawed Ashraf were present at the event that celebrates the Olympic Movement and India’s Journey at the Games.

Chairperson of the JSW Foundation, Sangita Jindal, and founder of Inspire Institute of Sport, Parth Jindal were joined by Bach, Minister of Culture, Govt of France, Madame Rachida Dati, Ambassador of India to the Republic of France, Jawed Ashraf and the President of the Pierre de Coubertin Family Association, Alexandra de Navacelle to open the exhibition that is being hosted at the Town Hall of the 7th Arrondissement, Paris, and will go on till the end of the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games in September.

Speaking on the occasion, Sangita Jindal, Chairperson of the JSW Foundation said, “JSW Group is pleased to support the curation of ‘100 Years of India at Olympics’ at the Genius of Sport exhibition in Paris. Through this unique exhibition, we celebrate the life and legacy of Pierre De Coubertin and 100 years of India’s remarkable Olympic journey and success.

"We share Pierre De Coubertin’s vision and belief that sport has the ability to change the world differently by transcending borders and bringing people together in the spirit of peace and friendship. The 2024 Olympics is an important milestone for JSW Group. We are proud to support this exhibition as well as Team India in Paris. Through these efforts we reiterate our commitment to foster and nurture the sporting culture and talent in India,” she said.

The exhibition, in association with the Pierre de Coubertin Family Association, comprises a detailed walkthrough of India’s Olympic journey over the last century, the success the country has enjoyed in the past, and its recent resurgence with an eye on the future.

Parth Jindal, Founder of the Inspire Institute of Sport said, “We are honoured to partner with the Pierre de Coubertin family for what we believe is a special showcase of the Olympic movement and the part India has played in it. We are on the cusp of the greatest sporting event in the world, and it was our desire at JSW Group to do something more in the city of Paris. As a country, we want to take forward the ideals of Pierre de Coubertin. We want the world to be a peaceful place, and the role that sport could play in that regard is enormous.

"It is our mission at JSW Sports to further the Olympic movement, not just in India, but in the world. The Inspire Institute of Sport will be represented by close to 30 athletes as part of Team India at the Games next month, and our effort is to keep increasing that number with every passing Olympic cycle. India’s rise as an economic power is evident. But it is through sport that a country’s soft power is truly showcased, and we will play our part in making this happen," he added.

IOC President, Thomas Bach said, “Thanks to this magnificent exhibition, the public will be able to discover and rediscover an astonishing and multi-faceted man and measure the extent of his work. France and the French people should be proud to have a compatriot like Pierre de Coubertin. A visionary whose message of a world united in peaceful competition through sport resonates even more strongly today.”Jawed Ashraf, Ambassador of India to the Republic of France, thanked the JSW Group for putting together the exhibition that will be on until September 10 and will be open to the public. Exhibition to commemorate India's 100 years at Olympic Games opens in Paris | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

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How the Paris Olympics could become a super-spreader event for dengue

Mark Booth, Newcastle University

In September 2023, several people came down with dengue fever in Paris, France. The presence of this mosquito-borne disease was notable for two reasons. It was the most northerly outbreak ever recorded, and none of the people had travelled recently. This demonstrated it is now possible for dengue to be transmitted locally in northern Europe.

These facts are important in 2024 because of the Olympics. France waits in anticipation of more than 10 million athletes, spectators, officials and tourists descending on the city for the event. The French government knows there is a risk of dengue. In Paris, hundreds of sites are being regularly checked for the presence of the dengue-carrying mosquitoes. Will this be enough?

The concept of the super-spreader in infection epidemiology is not new. In essence, it means that a small fraction of a population, maybe just one person, is responsible for most of the cases. A famous historical super-spreader was “typhoid Mary”. Mary Mallon was an asymptomatic carrier of typhoid who may have infected over 100 people.

A study published in the journal Nature suggests that about 15% of people were responsible for 85% of cases of COVID in Hunan Province, China. In terms of dengue, one analysis from Peru of super-spreading suggests 8% of human-occupied spaces are responsible for over half of cases. (It should be noted that dengue cannot be caught directly from another human, only from the bite of a dengue-carrying mosquito.)

This is not the first time the Olympics has been identified as a risk factor for viral epidemics. The 2016 Olympics in Brazil were almost postponed because of fears about Zika - another virus transmitted by the Aedes mosquito.

In the end, any worries were put to bed, because there were no reported cases.

Fear about COVID spreading via the Tokyo Olympics brought about drastic measures to limit transmission. At that event, few infections occurred inside the Olympic bubble, but there was an increase in cases among the general population.

So what is different about Paris?

Aedes has spread considerably further than in 2016, and the number of dengue cases worldwide has increased dramatically in the same period. In 2016 there were 5.2 million cases reported worldwide. Halfway through 2024, there have already been 7.6 million cases.

Visitors from more than 200 countries are expected in France for the Olympics. Many of those countries are already experiencing dengue this year.

For the Paris Olympics to become a super-spreader event, several factors must overlap. There needs to be enough mosquitoes, enough susceptible and already-infected people, enough time and enough mosquito bites.

Perfectly adapted

The tiger mosquito is perfectly adapted to the urban Paris environment. It needs just the smallest amount of water in a small container to lay its eggs. It preferentially feeds on humans, at dawn and dusk. The eggs themselves can withstand dry conditions for months. Once wet again, the eggs will hatch.

What makes this situation potentially dangerous for Paris is that some of these mosquitoes may have dengue already inside them, passed down from their mother. This could significantly reduce the number of bites needed to start an epidemic.

Within the time frame of the Olympics, an infected athlete or spectator could be bitten once by a mosquito and seed an epidemic in a week or so. Each female mosquito can lay up to 200 eggs at a time.

Most dengue cases are asymptomatic. People infected before or during the Olympics may have no idea they are carrying the virus. They might take the virus back home and seed an epidemic there without ever knowing it.

Whether people get sick or not, they are carrying the virus and can transmit the infection onwards if they get bitten by an Aedes mosquito.

At the Rio Carnival this year, a dengue outbreak just days before the event led to a public health emergency being called, but the event wasn’t cancelled.

There will be no public health emergency in Paris because the event itself is the risk factor. Anyone living, working, visiting, competing, volunteering or even just passing through Paris during the Olympic period is going to be part of a huge natural experiment – whether they know it or not.

Mark Booth, Senior Lecturer in Parasite Epidemiology, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Olympics-Nervous is necessary for India’s boxer Nikhat Zareen

FILE PHOTO: Commonwealth Games – Boxing – Women’s Over 48kg-50kg Light Fly – Round of 16 – The NEC Hall 4, Birmingham, Britain – July 31, 2022 India’s Zareen Nikhat reacts during her round of 16 fight with Mozambique’s Helena Ismael Bagao REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Like most athletes making their Olympic debut in Paris, Nikhat Zareen is a bundle of nerves at the moment.

What sets her apart, however, is that the Indian boxer is not just at peace with the nervousness but even finds it necessary.

For the 25-year-old, it is a perfectly normal state of mind that she says has twice helped her become a world champion.

“Just because I am now an experienced boxer does not mean I shouldn’t be getting nervous,” Zareen told a virtual press conference arranged by the Sports of Authority of India.

“I’m both excited and nervous because people have a lot of expectations from me.”

There are also her own expectations.

Zareen has succeeded six-times world champion MC Mary Kom as the face of Indian boxing in recent years and wants to cement her stature with a medal in the women’s 50kg in Paris.

Nervousness has been a key ingredient in her success, which also includes a Commonwealth Games gold in 2022 and Asian Games bronze last year.

“It’s my thing. I get nervous before every competition,” said the feisty boxer from Telangana.

“If I don’t get nervous, my body doesn’t work the way I want it to perform in the ring. When I’m nervous, my body works well and I’m more focused.”

Her other realization is that she is usually at her best when she faces difficult opponents.

“I have noticed that I box better when I get a tough draw,” she said. “Easy draw is impossible in Olympics anyway, because only the top boxers will be competing there.

“It’s going to be a lot tougher than world championships.”

Zareen is reaping the benefit of qualifying early for her maiden Olympics.

“At the Asian Games, my first target was to qualify for the Olympics, and I was really happy to qualify so early,” she said.

“That reduced my stress. Qualifying late does not allow you to prepare the way you want to. Often there is not enough time to work on the areas you want to work on.

“After my qualification, my coaches prepared a comprehensive plan for me – which events to compete in, where to spar and with which boxers.

“Everything has gone according to that plan.”

Life has changed for the fun-loving boxer following her success in the ring but Zareen knows there is a big void in her list of accomplishments.

“I achieved my dream of becoming a world champion not once but twice, but it’s not end of the journey,” she said.

“My ultimate dream is to win an Olympic medal. Hopefully, I’ll fulfil that dream as well. Only then I can say I’ve achieved all I wanted.” Olympics-Nervous is necessary for India’s boxer Nikhat Zareen

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How breakdancing became the latest Olympic sport

Mikhail Batuev, Northumbria University, Newcastle

“Breaking” is the only new sport making its debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Breaking is probably better known to most of us as breakdancing. So why is the sport officially called breaking, and how is something so freestyle and subjective going to play out as a scored sport in Paris this summer?

The origins of breaking are somewhat debatable, although most agree its roots can be traced to 1970s house parties in the Bronx area of New York hosted by DJ Kool Herc, the founder of hip-hop. Breaking was performed on the dance floor by so-called B-boys and B-girls when the music tracks were “breaking” – meaning all that could be heard was the percussion track.

Throughout the 1980s the phenomenon garnered international exposure via music videos and movies such as Flashdance (1983), Breakin’ (1984) and Beat Street (1984). This is also when the media started to use the term “breakdancing”. However, breakers never add “dance” on the end, as this term came from outsiders rather than the hip-hop community, as one of the breaking pioneers Crazy Legs has pointed out.

While the idea of testing each other in format-free “cyphers” (when people gather in a circle and somebody freestyles in the middle) has always been fundamental to breakers, the importance and the number of organised breaking competitions has steadily grown with commercialisation and codification of the activity.

There have always been two main formats: crew competitions and one-on-one solo battles, which have manifested the individualism, creativity and self-expression of breakers. Still, as with many alternative activities evolving into sports, like skateboarding or surfing, the governance and competition frameworks have remained fragmented until recently.

It was not until 2018 that breaking became officially governed by the World DanceSport Federation. However, major competitions still exist outside the official governance, such as Red Bull BC One and the Battle of the Year, that arguably carry more credibility within the breaking community.

Why the Olympics?

Since the Olympic Agenda 2020 – a road map for the Olympic movement based on the three pillars of credibility, sustainability and youth – the IOC has continued to modernise the Olympic programme to make it more attractive to a wider and younger audience.

Undoubtedly, the inclusion of breaking fits well with that overall strategy – there has been nothing similar to breaking on the programme in terms of its creativity, affordability (no tools or equipment needed) and its urban nature. It is also fair to say though that breaking made it to Paris 2024 thanks to the insistence of the host country.

Apart from the usual core Olympic programme, the host country of each Olympics has five additional slots that they can fill with the sports of their preference. I analysed the Tokyo 2020 Games to find that when it came to its medal tally, Japan benefited from local favourites like karate, skateboarding, baseball and softball.

Los Angeles 2028 will add flag football (a variant of American football), lacrosse, cricket and squash. Bizarrely, Paris 2024 may well be the only time we will see breaking in the Olympics in the foreseeable future, although the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) is determined to ensure it returns in Brisbane 2032.

What we will see in Paris?

There are a lot of odd new terms to learn if you have never watched a breaking contest, such as “turtle freeze”, “six-steps” and “coin drop”. However, the format of Olympic competition is very straightforward: 16 B-boys and 16 B-girls will battle it out head-to-head under the lights of the Place de la Concorde.

There is a three-part qualifier for the games, so no doubt each of those qualifying athletes will be in the history books. Already qualified through WDSF World and continental championships are some heavy favourites, such as B-boys Victor (US) and Danny Dan (France), and B-girls India (Netherlands) and Nicka (Lithuania).

The last 14 will be decided by the top-ranked 80 breakers at the dedicated Olympic qualifier series in Shanghai in May and Budapest in June. To make the competition diverse, the IOC has limited each country to a maximum of two B-boys and two B-girls, while introducing two universal places that provide opportunities to smaller and emerging nations.

As in any creative sport, there are inevitable questions about scoring in breaking. Indeed, there is always going to be a substantial degree of subjectivity, but not drastically more than in established Olympic sports like gymnastics, synchronised swimming or figure skating.

Traditionally, three or five judges have been used in major breaking contests. However, this number has increased to nine in the Olympic framework, presumably to minimise subjectivity and risk of errors.

The trivium judging system that will be used in Paris was developed by influential B-boy Storm and DJ Renegade for the 2018 Youth Olympics, and has been fine-tuned through the series of WDSF events since.

It is based on six criteria to decide the winner of each battle: creativity, personality, technique, variety, performativity and musicality – this means connecting to a musical track that is not known in advance.

The breaking community has always been very close and informal, and some breakers and judges might find the new formalities of sporting frameworks unusual. However, there is still one unique feature that will hopefully survive the formalisation – it is the only sport where the judges have to perform for the athletes and spectators.

This usually happens before the competition starts and is called “the judges’ showcase”. University lecturer Rachael Gunn, aka B-girl Raygun, (who won the Oceania Breaking Championships and qualified for the Olympics) sees this unique practice as a symbolic gesture, a demonstration that underscores the unity and shared passion between contestants and those judging them.

So don’t forget to tune in early on August 9 and 10 to witness this special celebration before following this exciting contest when we will see the first-ever Olympic breaking champions crowned.

Mikhail Batuev, Lecturer in Sport Management, Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, Newcastle

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Olympics-India’s Zareen ready to step out of Mary Kom’s shadow, says coach

Commonwealth Games – Boxing – Women’s Over 48kg-50kg Light Fly – Round of 16 – The NEC Hall 4, Birmingham, Britain – July 31, 2022 India’s Zareen Nikhat reacts during her round of 16 fight with Mozambique’s Helena Ismael Bagao REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Two-time world boxing champion Nikhat Zareen is ready to step out of fellow Indian MC Mary Kom’s shadow with a medal at the Paris Olympics, coach Blas Iglesias Fernandez has said.

Six-time world champion MC Mary Kom has been the face of women boxing in India and her illustrious career inspired a Bollywood biopic in 2014.

She won the flyweight bronze at the 2012 London Olympics to cement her legacy and announced her retirement earlier this year.

Zareen will make her Olympic debut in the 50kg event in Paris and Fernandez expects the 27-year-old to return with a medal around her neck.

“This is Nikhat’s time to prove herself,” the Cuban said in a Sports Authority of India (SAI) media release on Tuesday, April 9, 2024.

“It’s true that she had lived in the shadows of Mary Kom but now it’s her chance to prove herself and make India proud.”

Since 1990, Fernandez has worked with India’s top boxers, including Mary Kom, and is the only foreigner to have won India’s highest award for a coach.

Currently India’s high-performance coach, the 68-year-old was particularly pleased by Zareen’s ring awareness.

“I love the boxing (style) of Nikhat. She is very intelligent. She has good ring tactics,” he said.

India could expect a second boxing medal in the women’s event if Lovlina Borgohain, who won the welterweight bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, could find her “killer instinct”, Fernandez said.

“Lovlina has to show more killer instinct,” he said of the boxer, who had to move from 69kg to 75kg after the Olympic categories were revised.

“I have seen some of her bouts and I think she lost them because Lovlina was not aggressive and proactive enough.

“If she can box to her potential, she can finish among the medals in Paris.”

India have bagged four women’s quota places for Paris.

Fernandez was hopeful the male boxers would give a good account of themselves at the world qualifiers in Bangkok where India can potentially clinch nine Paris spots.

“I reckon Nishant Dev and Amit Panghal can bag Paris quotas. They both have the potential to do this,” he said.“Men’s boxing is very tough and should not be compared with women’s where the competition is relatively easier.” Olympics-India’s Zareen ready to step out of Mary Kom’s shadow, says coach

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What the David Beckham documentary tells us – and what it doesn’t – about controlling parents in sport

In the Netflix documentary Beckham, the footballer is asked how he coped with the abuse of his entire country after the 1998 men’s football World Cup. David Beckham responds:

I was able to handle being abused by the fans […] because of the way my dad had been to me.

A poignant scene shows Beckham’s mother Sandra struggling with how hard his father Ted was on their son. Ted’s shouting often brought David to tears. When asked if he was too tough on David, Ted says:

No […] if I told him how good he was, then he’s got nothing to work at.

Throughout the documentary, Ted’s behaviour is rationalised by Ted and even Beckham himself as necessary to support David’s sporting trajectory. But David also said he was scared of his father’s feedback and felt compelled to practise for hours every day.

Other athletes with similar stories include Tiger Woods, Andre Agassi and Australian Jelena Dokic.

Too often, controlling behaviour by parents is portrayed as necessary for success as an athlete. But the evidence shows this idea is false. In fact, such an approach can be detrimental to both a child’s chances of sporting success and their wellbeing.

And it’s not just a problem with elite sport; our research shows it’s also occurring with community sport.

What we found

Our research found about one in three people we surveyed said they’d experienced abuse by a parent during their time in Australian community sport.

Psychological abuse by parents was reported by just under a third of our respondents, and included behaviours such as:

• excessive criticism

• insults and humiliation

• excessively training to extreme exhaustion/vomiting

• ignoring a child following a sport performance.

The controlling and abusive behaviours described above have been consistently normalised by parents, coaches and sporting organisations as being necessary to create “mentally tough” athletes ready for high-level competition.

However, there is no evidence abusive and controlling behaviours have a positive impact on performance.

Instead, there is ample evidence to indicate it:

• harms children’s confidence and self-esteem

• increases competition anxiety

• leads to sport dropout

• is associated with depression and anxiety.

Research shows when adults in community sport use what’s known as an “autonomy-supportive approach” – in which young people are empowered to make their own decisions and have their feelings validated – children can be more self-motivated.

An experiment at the 2012 Olympic Games found coaches with a more supportive approach achieved higher medal tallies than those who did not.

Most of this evidence has focused on coaching, but given many parents act as coaches for their children, these findings remain relevant.

Putting children’s experiences first

There is no evidence that controlling or abusive practices improve children’s performance in sport. But even if there was, sport performance should not be valued above a child’s health and wellbeing.

These behaviours would not be tolerated in different environments, such as workplaces or schools.

It’s time to move on from this debate in sport. So where to from here?

The sport system is complex, and while it’s easy to think it’s just a few problematic people, the reality is these practices have been normalised for generations.

Parents are repeating patterns from their own experiences and mirroring practices they see as normal in elite sport. There is no quick fix.

But we can all play a part by reflecting on our own behaviours and considering how we can prioritise children’s experiences and wellbeing.

Parents should focus on fun, learning new skills, enjoying the moment, and being part of a team so their kids can get the most out of the games they love.

Despite Beckham himself suggesting it was all worth it, the evidence suggests he was successful in spite of the high-pressure home environment, not because of it.

Mary Woessner, Lecturer in Clinical Exercise and Research Fellow, Institute for Health and Sport (iHeS), Victoria University, Victoria University; Alexandra Parker, Professor of Physical Activity and Mental Health, Victoria University, and Aurélie Pankowiak, Research Fellow, Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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One year to go: Will the Paris 2024 Olympics see a return to normalcy?

Angela Schneider, Western University; Alan C Oldham, Western University, and Richard Baka, Victoria University

We haven’t had a “normal” Olympic Games since the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. The 2020 Tokyo Summer Games and the 2022 Beijing Winter Games were both affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in significant changes and schedule disruptions. There were virtually no spectators, strict COVID-19 protocols for anyone involved in the Games, budget issues, no corporate hospitality, reduced community engagement and a lackluster atmosphere in the two host cities. But there is hope for a return to a more traditional and enjoyable Games with the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics. With 10 million tickets available, spectators will be back in stadiums.Up to 600,000 spectators will be allowed at the opening ceremony in July 2024 which, for the first time in history, won’t take place in a stadium, but along the Seine River in northern France. Athletes will parade six kilometres along the river before arriving at the Trocadéro, where the final parts of the ceremony will take place. Athletes and sports: Since pandemic restrictions are no longer in place, competing at the Olympics and living in the Athlete’s Village will be a much better experience for athletes, who will be able to freely mix and mingle again. There will be 32 sports and 329 events at the Paris Games. Karate, baseball and softball have been dropped. Hoping to attract a youthful audience, breakdancing — known as “breaking” — will make its first Olympic appearance. Sport climbing, surfing and skateboarding, all of which made their debut at Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021), will remain in Paris. In the continuing push for gender equity, there will be equal numbers of male and female athletes for the first time. In the hopes of having as clean a Games as possible, strict doping controls will once again be in place for Paris. Due to sophisticated laboratory testing, some cheats will inevitably be caught — if not during the Games, then afterwards. The Canadian men’s 4x100-metre relay team, for example, just received their upgraded silver medals for the Tokyo Games after the British team tested positive for doping. Aaron Brown, from left to right, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney and Andre De Grasse pose with their upgraded Tokyo Olympics silver medals during a ceremony in Langley, B.C., on July 29, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Russian and Belarusian athletes: A chief question is whether, and on what terms, athletes from Russia and Belarus will compete at the Games. Athletes from both countries have been effectively banned from international competition in the aftermath of Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) strongly recommended banning athletes from both countries from the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, with the International Paralympic Committee following suit days later. Since then, the IOC has faced pressure from both sides. On the one side, several Baltic leaders have threatened to boycott the Games if Russians and Belarusians are allowed to compete. On the other, human rights groups have been advocating that individual athletes not face discrimination based on their nationality. The International Olympic Committee has attempted to strike a balance between continued support for Ukrainian athletes without “punishing athletes for the acts of their governments,” as IOC President Thomas Bach stated. The IOC has the ultimate authority as to who will not receive formal invitations to compete in the Paris Games, and it had earlier stated that it will not invite Russia and Belarus to the 2024 Olympics. While a final decision about the situation is unlikely to be made before the fall, Ukraine’s recent about-face to allow its athletes to compete against Russians and Belarusians reveals the situation’s complexity.

Olympic culture As the host city, Paris will be buzzing with excitement, offering a variety of Olympic activities. These include special fan zones, free viewings of the Olympic Torch Relay and opening ceremonies, access to hospitality houses and opportunities to visit sponsor sites like Samsung, Visa and Pride House. Plus, there is the Cultural Olympiad program that began just after the Tokyo Games finished. This program provides opportunities for host countries to “start new conversations between sporting and cultural circles during the four years building up to the Games then until the closing ceremony.” Record-breaking media coverage: While the Tokyo and Beijing Games still had extensive media coverage, the upcoming Paris Games are expected to have the most coverage out of any Olympics. By May, Paris organizers had sold 6.8 million tickets — about 70 per cent of the total inventory. And in July, the president of the Paris Olympics organizing committee said they had passed the €1 billion (C$1.5 billion) mark in secured sponsorship revenue. 

Coca-Cola, the longest standing Olympic sponsor since 1928, is an official non-alcoholic beverage sponsor and the major sponsor of the Olympic Torch Relay and pin trading centres. Coke’s marketing agreement extends to 2032 and is estimated to be worth a whopping $3 billion. The return of corporate sponsorships will also include extensive corporate hospitality and packages from major sponsors, including Visa, Coke, Samsung and others. Security at the Games: From the French Revolution to the modern day, Paris undoubtedly has a strong history of social demonstrations. Recent events have raised the question of whether this propensity will play out during the Paris 2024 Games. In July, widespread protests and demonstrations took place after police shot and killed 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk, a French citizen of Moroccan and Algerian descent, illustrating how fraught tensions are between racialized communities and law enforcement in France. As for the possibility of demonstrations occurring during the 2024 Olympics, it still remains to be seen. Whether or not they are to be expected, a heavy anti-terrorism security presence can be expected, as has become the norm in recent decades at mega sport events. On the positive side, recent investigations into corruption at French sport’s highest levels may lead to improved transparency regarding corruption in organizing committees as the Games approach. One year to go: The 2024 Paris Olympics should see a return to normalcy compared to the last two games. Although trepidation exists, with one year to go anxieties are normal. As Paris prepares to host its third Olympics (1904, 1924, 2024) — only the second city to achieve this milestone after London (1908, 1948, 2012) — there is optimism the event will run smoothly. The legacy of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the French founder of the modern Olympic Games, and the Olympic Movement should continue unabated. Angela Schneider, Director, International Centre for Olympic Studies, Western University; Alan C Oldham, PhD Student, International Centre for Olympic Studies, Western University, and Richard Baka, Adjunct Fellow, Olympic Scholar and Co-Director of the Olympic and Paralympic Research Centre, Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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What is Dreamfuel?

..

There is an assumption that all Olympians, Olympic hopefuls and elite athletes have sponsors. This is far from the case, as 85% of Olympic hopefuls’ income is less than 15k USD / year. Dreamfuel is the premier high-level crowd-funding platform specifically designed by and for athletes. We work with each athlete or athletic organization to tap into the community that surrounds them, thereby engaging new fans and supporters along the way. As a result, we are able to create and enhance a global community that will benefit the athlete’s direct needs as well as help to build a long- term fan base. Our goal is to provide athletes with a new revenue stream to support their incredible efforts outside of or in addition to the traditional means of sponsorship's and governing body stipends. Courtesy: www.dreamfuel.me/, Open Images In browser To Find Its Source Of Sharing.

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U S wins first gold medal of 2014 Sochi Olympics

(CNN) —The United States clinched the first gold medal of Sochi's Winter Olympics Saturday, but the Dutch dominated on ice and a joint record was claimed by Norway. Image Courtesy: Youtube,

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