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SOUTH ASIA BIGGEST GAMES OPEN IN BANGLADESH

The 11th South Asian Games kicks off with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opening the greatest sporting extravaganza of the region releasing pigeons, the symbol of peace. "The 11th South Asian Games is opened," she said while colourful balloons swarmed the skyline of the Bangabandhu National Stadium in seconds to mark the announcement. The country welcomed scores of South Asian and Asian sports dignitaries to an opening ceremony watched by nearly 25,000 people at the eye-catching National Stadium and a potential audience of half a billion in the South Asia region. It was depicted as the largest, costliest extravaganza in SA Games history. Nearly 1,800 athletes from eight countries - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka - joined the games considered "South Asian Olympic" to compete in 23 disciplines, which offer 158 gold medals. The 23 official sports for the 11th SAF Games: Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Football, Golf, Hockey, Handball, Judo, Kabaddi, Karate, Shooting, Squash, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Wrestling and Wushu.

IWF gives nod for SAF Games after India pay installment of fine

The International Weightlifting Federation cleared the deck for Indian lifters' participation in the January 29 -February 8 South Asian Games after the national body paid $50,000 as first installment of the $500,000 fine imposed on it by IWF The IWF has imposed the fine on Indian Weightlifting Federation after six of its lifters had flunked dope tests conducted by WADA and NADA in September last year. "When the fine was imposed on India the SAF Games was knocking at the door, so the Indian federation did not get much time and paid the first installment," Indian Olympic Association secretary-general Randhir Singh said. "The international federation has sent letters to their Indian counterpart, IOA, Asian Weightlifting Federation and also the SAF Games authority informing the eligibility criteria of the Indian lifters' in the Dhaka event," he added. The IWF earlier cracked the whip on the offenders and banned Shailaja Pujari for life, imposed a fine of $5,500 on Vicky Butta and Harbhajan Singh and $5,000 on four other lifters -- Rajesh Singh (Madhya Pradesh), Sunita Rani (Punjab), A Vijayadevi (Jharkhand) and Pujari. "However, in any case the Indian federation has to pay the whole amount of $500,00 before the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in order to participate there. Now the Indian federation and the international body will work out the timeframe, number and amounts of installments to be paid," Randhir said. Sahdev Yadav, secretary-general of the Indian Weightlifting Federation said they will sit with the game's world governing body once the SAF Games is over. A six-member Indian team will now leave for Dhaka on January 29 to participate in the 11-day competition. (The Times of

Call to send entries to 2nd World University Championships-Taichung,TPE

The 2nd World University Weightlifting Championships will be held - under the auspices of FISU - 1-5 July 2010 in Taichung City, Chinese Taipei.The IWF would like to encourage its members to send teams to the WUWC 2010 - via your National University Sport Federations. Forms, information available from the IWF Calendar and 2010 WUWC website.

Sri Lanka’s largest sports contingent leaves for Dhaka

The Sri Lankan contingent to the 11th South Asian Games (SAG), comprising 204 men, 90 women and 69 officials making a total of 363 persons, will be the largest ever local squad to participate in any international event. They are ready to take part at the 11th SAG scheduled to be held from January 29 to February 9 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Sri Lanka will be looking for gold from Chintana Widanage who won a weightlifting gold at the last SAG. (by By Dhammika

Sports ministry, IOA refuse to bail out Indian Weightlifting Federation

A day after getting $500,000 fine, Indian Weightlifting Federation got another jolt on Saturday evening. The Union sports ministry and Indian Olympic Association have refused to help the ‘tainted' association. The decision was taken at a high power meeting between sports minister MS Gill and IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi in New Delhi on Saturday. Sources in the ministry revealed that Gill and Kalmadi felt that they should act tough with the association, which has a history of dope taint. "For now, we are not planning to extend any help to them," a ministry official told DNA. The Indian Weightlifting Federation had approached the IOA for help on Friday. The decision effectively means that any little hopes of Indian lifters' participation in the SAFF Games in Dhaka later this month have vanished. Indian Weightlifting Federation said it will call a meeting to take stock of the situation soon. "The committee will meet on February 21 in Udaipur and decide on how to raise the funds to pay the fine," Indian Weightlifting Federation secretary Sahdev Yadav said. He said it would be ‘unfair' to punish the country's lifters for the ‘sins' of a few. Yadav's predecessor BR Gulati endorsed his opinion. "Why should 60 lifters suffer for what six offenders have done," Gulati, who resigned recently after the latest doping scandal broke out, said. When asked if the federation could raise the money, Yadav said he had no clue. "Such a huge amount cannot be raised in three days (to enable the Indian lifters to participate in Dhaka Games which start on January 29). At our meeting in Udaipur we will decide on whether and how to pay the money." He revealed that the federation's coffers are virtually empty. As if the fine imposed by the International Weightlifting Federation wasn't enough, the fines of six offenders may also have to be paid by the federation. "If they don't pay from their pockets, it will become our responsibility," said Yadav. The international body recently banned Shailaja Pujari for life and imposed four-year ban on Vicky Butta and Harbhajan Singh Rajesh Singh, Sunita Rani, A Vijayadevi besides a fine of $5000 on each of them. (by

Iran introduces new Federation President to IWF

The new President of the Weightlifting Federation of Iran, Hossein Rezazadeh, paid an introductory visit to the IWF headquarters to meet the IWF President, Dr. Tamás Aján. The IRIWF delegation included Darab Riahi, Vice President and Afshin Riahi, International Director. In the discussions with the IWF President and staff they touched subjects of interest for the Federation: structural, organisational issues, new development, coaching and education, future events, etc. The new Federation expects to raise further interest and participation in weightlifting also through the enormous respect their Olympic Champion and multiple world champion President Hossein Rezazadeh enjoys within and outside Iran.