No one is bigger than the sport: Union Minister on speculation surrounding Kohli-Rohit equation
New Delhi(PTI): There to launch the Khelo India U-21 Women's Hockey League, Sports Minister and former BCCI president Anurag Thakur ended up being asked about the conjecture surrounding Test skipper Virat Kohli and limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma but he sought to steer clear of the matter by stating "no one is bigger than the sport".
Thakur, who served as the BCCI president from May 2015 to February 2017 before leaving the position after a Supreme Court directive, was speaking on the sidelines of the launch.
"Nobody is bigger than the sport. I can't give you information as to what's going on between which players and in which game. It's the job of concerned federations/associations. It's for the concerned association to deal with the matter. It'll be better that way," said Thakur when a question on the speculation about the equation between Rohit and Kohli.
After Test vice-captain Rohit was ruled out of the upcoming series in South Africa due to the recurrence of a left hamstring injury, reports emerged that Kohli will take a break from the ODI series in the Rainbow Nation to spend some time with his young family.
This was after Rohit was handed the reins of ODI and T20I teams last week.
Speaking about the new Khelo India initiative, Thakur said it will provide plenty of encouragement and opportunities for young players from across the country to show their skills.
"For any player, events and competitions hold a lot of significance and before big events, if leagues are introduced across the country, where the players get opportunities to play, it is great.
"That's how the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has started Women's Hockey League U-21, Khelo India and I congratulate Hockey India and SAI for giving this opportunity to young women athletes.
"Cash prizes will be to the tune of Rs 15 lakh and the Dhyanchand Chand National Stadium (the venue) is hosting big matches since 2015," the minister said.
Thakur said such events should be held in others sports too.
"I am very confident that when athletes from across the country play in this league, then it will not only boost hockey but also the regional players will get a chance to showcase their skills and among them some will get into the Indian teams in future.
"I think not just in hockey but in other sports too, something like this should be organised."
He also cited a particular initiative by the BJP MPs of Uttar Pradesh.
"We have seen a very successful initiative in Uttar Pradesh where the elected BJP MPs organised sports events in which lakhs of players from the state took part in different sports.
"It showed how players, when they get a platform, come forward and display the kind of skills which would have otherwise been restricted to their villages.
"But here, they became champions, won cash prizes, saw their names on papers and the association also took note. If every MP does the same, it will be great and SAI will encourage it."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
