Four Japanese basketball players expelled from Asian Games
Jakarta, Aug 20: Four players have been expelled from Japan's men's basketball team at the Asian Games 2018 in Indonesia for allegedly hiring sex workers, the Japanese Olympic Committee said on Monday.
Yasuhiro Yamashita, the head of the Japanese delegation, said that the players in question had had their accreditations withdrawn and had been sent home, reports Efe.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) sources told EFE that the decision was taken after pictures of the basketball players wearing the national jersey walking with the alleged sex workers in the red light area of the Indonesian capital appeared in the Japanese press.
Yamashita said the four players went for dinner at a Japanese restaurant last Thursday, after which they were approached by a person who spoke Japanese and offered them the prostitutes' services.
The head of the delegation said the four players, named as Yuya Nagayoshi, Takuya Hashimoto, Takuma Sato and Keita Imamura had breached the delegation's code of conduct, and had arrived back in Japan on Monday, public broadcaster NHK reported.
"I deeply apologize for betraying the expectations of the Japanese people", Yamashita said.
The men's team had defeated Qatar 82-71 on Thursday, and lost against Taiwan 65-71 two days later. They are due to play Hong Kong on Wednesday.
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India moving towards becoming global economic powerhouse: Kovind
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Amritsar (PTI): Former president Ram Nath Kovind on Friday said that with digital transformation, economic reforms and a strong focus on the ease of doing business, India is moving towards becoming a global economic powerhouse.
He was speaking after inaugurating the 19th edition of the Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) in Amritsar.
The former president said that this 19th edition of PITEX is being organised at a time when India is recognised as one of the fastest-growing large economies in the world.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the event organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) the former president, while referring to Punjab, said the state is a living example of courage, sacrifice and enterprise.
"The spiritual light of Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) inspires peace and humanity across the world. The heritage of Punjab is deep and inspiring," Kovind said, according to a statement issued by the PITEX.
The former president congratulated the PHDCCI for hosting the 19th edition of PITEX and suggested that the chamber should expand PITEX outside Punjab.
He proposed that a similar event should also be held in New Delhi.
