AIFF in crisis as ISL draws zero bidders!
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) finds itself in a soup after failing to receive any bid for its top-flight Indian Super League. Till the deadline of 5pm IST on Friday, there was no bid on the table, leading to further uncertainty in Indian football. For a league that was once positioned as the face of Indian football’s growth, the absence of even one proposal signals deeper trouble than the AIFF may have anticipated. The AIFF, which issued an official request for proposal on 16th October, had plans to find a new partner for the next 15 years to run the ISL’s broadcast, sponsorship, digital, and merchandising rights. The AIFF tried to build confidence around the process — KPMG as advisors, Justice L. Nageswara Rao keeping an eye on fairness, and a clean slate for bidders to step into. However, four entities attended a pre-bid meeting on October 15 to seek clarity on various terms and conditions, including an asking price of a minimum of Rs 37.5 crore. Bids were sought after the AIFF replied to 234 queries on 29th October, extending the initial deadline by two days from 5th November at the request of two parties according to News 9 Sports. The AIFF’s existing partnership with Reliance-subsidiary Football Sports Development Ltd. ends in December, and bids were sought after an agreement in which it lifted a ‘right to match’ clause that existed in the earlier deal signed in December 2010 that guaranteed them rights to all competitions in exchange for an annual average sum of Rs 50 crores. An AIFF official revealed to News 9 Sports on condition of anonymity that no bid has been placed. Even FSDL didn’t place a bid. Hours before the bid-submitting deadline, former Andhra Pradesh Football Association president Gopalakrishna Kosaraju filed an application in the Supreme Court seeking exclusion of Chaubey from the bid evaluation committee and appointment of an independent member in the interest of “fairness, transparency, & institutional integrity”. “This is a clear failure of President Chaubey, and a no-confidence motion should be brought against him now,” he said.
The first-ever hockey stadium in India with ‘grass hills-galleries’ to host the Beighton Cup in Kolkata
The 126th edition of the Beighton Cup will have a new home for the first time, after an effort spanning almost the last four decades. Finally, following an initiative from the state government, a stadium for exclusively hockey was introduced within the premises of Salt Lake Stadium, outside its football ground. The stadium is significant as it is the country’s first-ever hockey stadium with a capacity of 22 thousand spectators. ‘Earthen galleries’ are on three sides, while stands have been installed on one part of the stadium. State sports minister Arup Biswas visited the stadium on Saturday. The president of Hockey Bengal and the minister of fire and emergency services joined him for a media conference and the unveiling program of the historic Beighton Cup. Bose said in the media conference, “The infrastructure has been built up, maintaining the international standard. Not only has the Astroturf been laid, all other amenities required for the players, coaches, medical unit, and everything have been set up, maintaining the international standard.” Bose added, “The ground and the stadium are up to international standards. Any international match can take place here. Now, it is up to the Hockey Federation of India whether they allot international matches at this stadium. But we are hopeful about hosting international matches in the future.” The oldest hockey tournament, featuring 21 teams – including top departmental sides such as defending champion Indian Navy, last year’s runner-up Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Punjab National Bank – will be played at the Vivekananda Stadium and Dumurjala ground, Howrah. Significantly, none of Kolkata’s three big teams, East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, and Mohammedan Sporting, is participating in the Beighton Cup this season. The semifinals will be played on 15th November, followed by the final on 16th November. Hockey Bengal president revealed, “The champion team will earn Rs 10 lakh, while the runner-up will be given Rs 5 lakh. However, sports minister Arup Biswas revealed that the stadium, built at a cost of more than Rs. 20.53 crore. “Earlier, East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, and Mohammedan Sporting grounds had to be occupied by the Kolkata’s premier division hockey league following a traditional rule. Recently, that rule interrupted the football practice of three big teams. Now I feel that with the introduction of two Astroturf pitches at Salt lake and Dumurjola Complex, the problem should be over. It has been a big success and also a proud moment,” Biswas stated.
The First ever Para-Athlete Sheetal Devi creates history, selected in the able-bodied National Team
Sheetal Devi, the famous para-archer creates history. She became the first ever para-sports personality to have ensured a berth in an open archery championship, competing with normal athletes. “When I started competing, I had a small dream — to one day compete alongside the able-bodied. I didn’t make it at first, but I kept going, learning from every setback. Today, that dream is one step closer,” Sheetal took to social media after the announcement. Devi after sealing the world compound championship now will feature in the upcoming Asia Cup Stage 3 in Jeddah. Paralympic champion Oznur Cure Girdi — an athlete who also competes successfully in able-bodied events at the global stage. Proving her own versatility, the 18-year-old from Jammu and Kashmir competed alongside more than 60 able-bodied archers from across the country under the same conditions, finishing an impressive third overall at the demanding four-day national selection trials in Sonipat. Sheetal tallied a total of 703 points in the qualification rounds — scoring 352 in the first and 351 in the second — equalling top qualifier Tejal Salve’s aggregate. In the final standings, Tejal led with 15.75 points, followed by Vaidehi Jadhav with 15, while Sheetal claimed third place with 11.75 points, narrowly edging out Maharashtra’s Dnyaneshwari Gadadhe by just 0.25 points. Training at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Sports Complex in Katra, Sheetal has already made history this year as the first female armless world champion in para archery. Teams Recurve: Men’s: Rampal Choudhary (AAI), Rohit Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Mayank Kumar (Haryana); Women: Kondapavuluri Yuktha Sri (Andhra Pradesh), Vaishnavi Kulkarni (Maharashtra), Kratika Bichpuriya (Madhya Pradesh). Compound: Men: Pradhuman Yadav, Vasu Yadav, Devansh Singh (all Rajasthan); Women’s: Tejal Salve, Vaidehi Jadhav (both Maharashtra), Sheetal Devi (Jammu and Kashmir).
Kyrgios Under Pressure against Sabelenka; ‘Battle Of Sexes’ Might Opt The Gender Norms Out Of Court
In a very rare incident Nick Kyrgios admits to being under pressure to face Aryna Sabalenka. The two tennis icons will face each other in the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis exhibition on 28th December in Dubai. While talking to the Australian Associated Press, he stated, “I was in Hong Kong recently and a lot of the male players were like, ‘Look, you’re representing all of us.’ So here I am in the firing line again,” Kyrgios said on Friday. “I’m not a stranger to taking the heat from the media, but I’m excited whatever the result may be.” The Sabalenka-Kyrgios exhibition owes its name to the 1973 match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. A game where King won in straight sets in the Houston Astrodome. Kyrgios has featured in only six tour-level matches over the past three years due to wrist and knee injuries. He explained that he’d be targeting a smaller section of the court — nearly 10% narrower than Sabalenka’s. This strategy or rather weak point left him with less space to strike winners. Before they face off, both the players are scheduled for another exhibition match in New Work on 8th December. Sabalenka will play Naomi Osaka and Kyrgios will face Tommy Paul. Kyrgios said he’d be giving Sabalenka full respect. “Obviously you’ve got one potentially, I think, one of the greatest of all time women’s players and she’s not even almost close to scratching the surface of what she can achieve,” he told AAP. “I think she wins multiple more Grand Slams. “She’s honestly been talking a little bit more about this match than I have, but I’m ready to take the challenge. I’m going to go out there and, in all honesty, it’s a lot of pressure for me too.” “Look, I’m very confident,” he said. “I mean, look, there’s been 16 people that have ever walked the earth that have beaten the Big Three and the Big Four.” “So I feel like, look, I’m quite confident but at the same time I’m very aware she’s dangerous.” Kyrgios’s current ranking of No. 652 gives him the disadvantage before facing Sabalenka. However, the 30-year-old Australian is confident with his position. “I’m going to be ready,” he said. “I feel good about it.”
From 550 days’ Darkness to the Light of Blue Tigers: Akash sets Example of Grit and Courage
From an unwanted halt for 550 days to the chance to don an Indian jersey. Aakash Mishra’s story in football is no less than a Bollywood drama. While the Fatorda Stadium, Goa, holds a story of the winner of 2023-25, it is the same grass-scripted story of a terrific injury for Mishra. A ligament tear that kicked him out from football for over 550 days. However, like a natural revisit, Mishra’s return to competitive football was welcomed by the very same grassland and the very same stadium. While talking to the Sportstar, he stated, “I wouldn’t want any player to get such an injury because only I know what I went through and how difficult it was,” Akash tells Sportstar. Akash’s critical injury halted his club and international football journey for an entire season. The player was just a mere spectator who, donning India’s jersey, saw India finding an equaliser with Kuwait in the World Cup qualifiers and mourned like a million others when India’s Asian Cup qualifying campaign was eliminated. “Mentally, it’s tough,” Akash stated. “When you look at other teams playing while you are sitting at home, doubts creep in—will I be able to play again? And even if I do, will I be the same?” Akash sustained the injury in May last year. Followed by his rehab at the Assam High Performance Centre in Kokrajhar. However, he returned with his spirit after almost 551 days, donning the Mumbai City jersey and sealing a 4-1 win over Sporting Club Delhi. Like the universe sending a message, it was in the same stadium; he left on crutches a little more than a year ago. Akash stated, “I am very thankful to the people I had, the medical team, of course, the club, my agent, and most of all my mom and dad and my younger sister. They supported me a lot to get back.” For the 2022–23 AIFF Emerging Player of the Year, acceptance became the turning point. He used it to reinvent his game, shifting his focus from raw pace to smarter positioning. “When you go out after playing at a level and get injured, then people’s expectations remain the same, and if, after injury, any part of your body is opened, it will not be the same,” Akash says. Akash’s journey has been nothing short of beautiful to witness. From a fearless, attack-minded full-back to a composed defensive force. The player has grown into someone you can trust to hold that left flank like a fortress. And then came that moment — Khalid Jamil, India’s men’s head coach, sitting in the stands in Goa, scouting for the Asian Cup qualifiers. He saw what we all saw. On November 5, Akash’s hard work paid off: a call back to the national camp. “My main focus is to build up slowly. We have played three games now, and Coach Khalid must have seen something to call me up. So, I will give my 100 per cent in the camp, and if he feels I deserve a chance, there’s nothing that tops it,” Akash says. “Playing for India has always been a dream since I started playing football. I have played for India before, and I am looking forward to doing that again after returning from my injury.” Needless to say, Akash proved himself to be a strong link against Kerala Blasters, holding the fort for his team. Now, the fans wait for his remarkable journey to become the fort for the Indian team.
