Russian wrestling team boycotts Paris 2024 Olympics
Paris: The Russian Olympic wrestling team has announced a boycott of the Paris 2024 Games, protesting the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to allow only a select group of Russian athletes to compete under a neutral flag.
The decision to permit certain athletes followed Russia's ongoing conflict with Ukraine, prompting the IOC to initially bar all Russian athletes. The IOC later allowed participation for those who met stringent requirements, including not supporting, funding, or being associated with the Russian military efforts.
The Russian Wrestling Federation had ten athletes who passed the eligibility checks but chose not to participate. The Federation released a statement condemning the criteria used for selection, stating it undermined the unity of their team. Mikhail Mamiashvili, the Federation's President, criticized the event, calling it a "parody of competition."
Prominent wrestlers, including two-time Olympic champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev and double world champion Zaur Uguev, failed the IOC's eligibility test, potentially influencing the Federation's stance. The athletes eligible to compete under the "AIN" designation (Individual Neutral Athlete) did not partake in the opening ceremony and will not have their medals count towards official team standings.
Despite the controversy, the neutral athletes secured early success, with Ivan Litvinovich winning gold in men's trampoline and Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya taking silver in women's trampoline.
The Federation expressed disappointment that the wrestling world missed an opportunity to witness a competition featuring the sport's strongest athletes.
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Telangana govt rejects Adani's Rs 100 cr donation for skills university
Hyderabad (PTI): Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday announced that the state government will not accept the Rs 100 crore CSR donation committed by industrialist Gautam Adani for the Young India Skills University being set up in the state.
The CM's announcement came days after the indictment of the Adani Group chairman in a US court.
In a letter to Priti Adani, Chairperson of the Adani Foundation, the state government's Special Chief Secretary (Industries) Jayesh Ranjan said he has been "instructed by the chief minister not to seek the transfer of funds in view of the present circumstances and arising controversies".
While thanking Priti Adani for committing Rs 100 crore to the skills university, the official said the state government has so far not asked any of the donors for physical transfer of funds since the university had not received the IT exemption under Section 80 G. However, the IT exemption order has now been received recently.
Addressing a press conference here, Revanth Reddy said the decision was taken as the Congress government does not want to find itself in any unwarranted controversy amid the allegations against the Adani Group.
He said so far the Telangana government has not accepted a single rupee into its account from any organisation, including Adani Group, for the skills university being established to promote employment avenues for youth.
"I and my Cabinet colleagues do not want to be involved in unnecessary discussions and situations that would dent Telangana's image or my own," Reddy said.
Gautam Adani met the chief minister here on Octrober 18 and symbolically handed over a cheque for Rs 100 crore towards donation to the skills university.
Asked about the comments of BRS that the government should cancel the Adani Group's investment proposals in the state, Reddy said the government will have to take legal opinion for cancellation of any agreements as the other party can go to courts against unilateral termination of pacts.
On BRS working president K T Rama Rao's comments that the previous BRS regime did not allow Adani Group into the state, Reddy displayed photographs of former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao and Rama Rao with Gautam Adani to the mediapersons.
He also read out a list of Adani Group's investment proposals reportedly approved by the BRS government.
"Is he (Rama Rao) ready for a probe on these," Reddy asked.
When pointed out that the state government discussed investment proposals with the Adani Group though Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been raising questions on Adani for several years now, he said Congress is not against any investment proposal or corporate house but crony capitalism and violation of rules.
It is his responsibility to follow his leader when the latter is raising his voice on an issue, Reddy said.
