World Cup Hockey
The Birth of the World Cup
The World Cup was born in a time of war....
The move to have a competition at world level, in between the Olympic years, was first initiated in 1969 through a joint proposal by India and Pakistan at an FIH Council meeting on March 30, and approved by the FIH on October, 26, 1969.
The person who brought this concept to reality was Air Marshal Noor Khan, the then president of the Pakistan Hockey Federation. He got a 61 cm. high trophy made of gold and silver, and formally presented the trophy to the FIH on March 27, 1971.
On that very same day of March 27, 1971, another momentous event was happening in East Pakistan. The military ruler of Pakistan, General Yahya Khan, ordered an army crackdown, unleashing an orgy of looting, rape, kidnappings and murder. Dhaka, the capital of East Pakistan, was in flames.
Pakistan was the original venue for the inaugural World Cup, which was proposed to be held in October 1971. However, at that time, war clouds hovered in the subcontinent. The Pakistani cricketer Abdul Hafeez Kardar led a campaign against India's participation in the hockey World Cup, threatening to burn down the stadium if the Indian team played. An Indian Airlines Fokker Friendship aircraft was hijacked to Lahore airport, where it was burnt.
With Pakistan unable to host the tournament under such volatile conditions, the honour of organising the first World Cup went to the city of Barcelona, at the Real Club de Polo grounds.
Less than two months after the inaugural World Cup, war broke out in the Indian subcontinent, Bangladesh was liberated, and Pakistan was dismembered.
The landmasses of West Pakistan and East Pakistan, isolated from each other by more than 1000 miles of geography, with no common linkages throughout history, sharing neither language nor culture, would now be countries in their own right. The 2-nation theory that religion alone could be the basis for creating a country, was shattered for ever.
Eight-time Olympic champions India have won the World Cup only once, in 1975 at Kuala Lumpur. India came 3rd in the first World Cup, 2nd in the second World Cup and 1st in the third World Cup. Since 1975, India has not won any medal in the World Cup, failing to even reach the semi-finals, with one miserable performance after another.
In contrast, neighbouring Pakistan has gone from strength to strength, playing in 6 finals of the 9 World Cup tournaments held so far, winning a record four times and coming runners up twice.
The following pages will chronicle the saga of India in the World Cup.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
The Birth of the Hockey World Cup
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
The ICC World Twenty20 (2010)
The ICC World Twenty20
The ICC World Twenty20 2010 is a 20/20 cricket tournament scheduled to take place in West Indies in April-May 2010. It will be the third World Twenty20 cricket series. The ICC World Twenty20 2010 will be contested by 12 teams which have been 'seeded' and divided into four groups are A, B, C and D.
Group A - Pakistan (A1), Bangladesh (A2) and Australia
Group B - Sri Lanka (B1), New Zealand (B2) and Zimbabwe
Group C - South Africa (C1), India (C2) and Qualifier 1
Group D - West Indies (D1), England (D2) and Qualifier 2
Shedule Of Twenty20 World Cup, 2010
Apr-2010
Fri 30
1st Match, Group D - West Indies v TBC
Providence Stadium, Guyana
Fri 30
2nd Match, Group B - Sri Lanka v New Zealand
Providence Stadium, Guyana
May-2010
Sat 01
3rd Match, Group C - India v TBC
Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia
Sat 01
4th Match, Group A - Pakistan v Bangladesh
Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia
Sat 01
5th Match, Group D - England v TBC
Providence Stadium, Guyana
Sun 02
8th Match, Group B - New Zealand v Zimbabwe
Providence Stadium, Guyana
Sun 02
7th Match, Group A - Pakistan v Australia
Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia
Sun 02
6th Match, Group C - India v South Africa
Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia
Mon 03
9th Match, Group D - West Indies v England
Providence Stadium, Guyana
Mon 03
10th Match, Group B - Zimbabwe v Sri Lanka
Providence Stadium, Guyana
Tue 04
11th Match, Group C - South Africa v TBC
Kensington Oval, Barbados
Tue 04
12th Match, Group A - Australia v Bangladesh
Kensington Oval, Barbados
Thu 06
14th Match - C1 v B2
Kensington Oval, Barbados
Thu 06
13th Match - A1 v D2
Kensington Oval, Barbados
Fri 07
15th Match - A2 v C2
Kensington Oval, Barbados
Fri 07
16th Match - B1 v D1
Kensington Oval, Barbados
Sat 08
17th Match - C1 v D2
Kensington Oval, Barbados
Sat 08
18th Match - A1 v B2
Kensington Oval, Barbados
Sun 09
19th Match - C2 v D1
Kensington Oval, Barbados
Sun 09
20th Match - B1 v A2
Kensington Oval, Barbados
Mon 10
22nd Match - A1 v C1
Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia
Mon 10
21st Match - B2 v D2
Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia
Tue 11
23rd Match - B1 v C2
Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia
Tue 11
24th Match - D1 v A2
Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia
Thu 13
1st Semi-Final - TBC v TBC
Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia
Fri 14
2nd Semi-Final - TBC v TBC
Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia
Sun 16
The Final - TBC v TBC
Kensington Oval, Barbados
2010 Men's Hockey World Cup
2010 Men's Hockey World Cup
The 2010 Hockey World Cup will be the twelfth instalment of the Men's Hockey World Cup. On November 14, 2007, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced that the championship would be held in India, taking place over two weeks from Feb 28 to March 13, 2010 at New Delhi's Dhyan Chand National Stadium.[1]
India's hosting of the event was put in doubt, however, when the FIH reviewed the progress of the Indian Hockey Federation's "Promoting Indian Hockey" program and India's preparation for the championship, and warned that "satisfactory progress had not been made in either area".[2] India was warned it could lose the right to host the World Cup unless satisfactory progress was made.[3] It was confirmed on July 18, 2008 that International Hockey Federation formally awarded the hosting rights to India.
Pools
Pools for the 2010 Men's Hockey World Cup to be held at New Delhi,India were announced by the FIH on December 15,2009.
Here are the teams in two pools :
Pool A
Germany
Netherlands
Korea
New Zealand
Canada
Argentina
Pool B
Australia
Spain
England
Pakistan
India
South Africa
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Sports, History
Sport
Sport is an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. Sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determinant of the outcome (winning or losing), but the term is also used to include activities such as mind sports (a common name for some card games and board games with little to no element of chance) and motor sports where mental acuity or equipment quality are major factors. Sport is commonly defined as an organized,
competitive and skillful physical activity requiring commitment and fair play. Some view sports as differing from games based on the fact that there are usually higher levels of organization and profit (not always monetary) involved in sports. Accurate records are kept and updated for most sports at the highest levels, while failures and accomplishments are widely announced in sport news.
The term sports is sometimes extended to encompass all competitive activities in which offense and defense are played, regardless of the level of physical activity. Both games of skill and motor sport exhibit many of the characteristics of physical sports, such as skill, sportsmanship, and at the highest levels, even professional sponsorship associated with physical sports.
Sports that are subjectively judged are distinct from other judged activities such as beauty pageants and bodybuilding shows, because in the former the activity performed is the primary focus of evaluation, rather than the physical attributes of the contestant as in the latter (although "presentation" or "presence" may also be judged in both activities).
Sports are most often played just for fun or for the simple fact that people need exercise to stay in good physical condition.
Although they do not always succeed, sports participants are expected to display good sportsmanship, standards of conduct such as being respectful of opponents and officials, and congratulating the winner when losing.
Etymology
"Sport" comes from the old French desport meaning "leisure."
History
There are artifacts and structures that suggest that the Chinese engaged in sporting activities as early as 4000 BC.[1] Gymnastics appears to have been a popular sport in China's ancient past. Monuments to the Pharaohs indicate that a number of sports, including swimming and fishing, were well-developed and regulated several thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt.[2] Other Egyptian sports included javelin throwing, high jump, and wrestling. Ancient Persian sports such as the traditional Iranian martial art of Zourkhaneh had a close connection to the warfare skills.[3] Among other sports that originate in Persia are polo and jousting.
A wide range of sports were already established by the time of Ancient Greece and the military culture and the development of sports in Greece influenced one another considerably. Sports became such a prominent part of their culture that the Greeks created the Olympic Games, which in ancient times were held every four years in a small village in the Peloponnesus called Olympia.[4]
Sports have been increasingly organized and regulated from the time of the Ancient Olympics up to the present century. Industrialization has brought increased leisure time to the citizens of developed and developing countries, leading to more time for citizens to attend and follow spectator sports, greater participation in athletic activities, and increased accessibility. These trends continued with the advent of mass media and global communication. Professionalism became prevalent, further adding to the increase in sport's popularity, as sports fans began following the exploits of professional athletes through radio, television, and the internet—all while enjoying the exercise and competition associated with amateur participation in sports.
In the new millennium, new sports have been going further from the physical aspect to the mental or psychological aspect of competing. Electronic sports organizations are becoming more and more popular.
Activities where the outcome is determined by judgement over execution are considered performances, or competition.
Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship is an attitude that strives for fair play, courtesy toward teammates and opponents, ethical behaviour and integrity, and grace in victory or defeat.[5][6]
Sportsmanship expresses an aspiration or ethos that the activity will be enjoyed for its own sake. The well-known sentiment by sports journalist Grantland Rice, that it's “not that you won or lost but how you played the game," and the Modern Olympic creed expressed by its founder Pierre de Coubertin: "The most important thing . . . is not winning but taking part" are typical expressions of this sentiment.
Violence in sports involves crossing the line between fair competition and intentional aggressive violence. Athletes, coaches, fans, and parents sometimes unleash violent behaviour on people or property, in misguided shows of loyalty, dominance, anger, or celebration. Rioting or hooliganism are common and ongoing problems at national and international sporting contests.
Professionalism
The entertainment aspect of sports, together with the spread of mass media and increased leisure time, has led to professionalism in sports. This has resulted in some conflict, where the paycheck can be seen as more important than recreational aspects, or where the sports are changed simply to make them more profitable and popular, thereby losing certain valued traditions.
The entertainment aspect also means that sportsmen and women are often elevated to celebrity status.
Politics
At times, sports and politics can have a large amount of influence on each other.
When apartheid was the official policy in South Africa, many sports people, particularly in rugby union, adopted the conscientious approach that they should not appear in competitive sports there. Some feel this was an effective contribution to the eventual demolition of the policy of apartheid, others feel that it may have prolonged and reinforced its worst effects.[7]
The 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin was an illustration, perhaps best recognised in retrospect, where an ideology was developing which used the event to strengthen its spread through propaganda.
In the history of Ireland, Gaelic sports were connected with cultural nationalism. Until the mid 20th century a person could have been banned from playing Gaelic football, hurling, or other sports administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) if she/he played or supported soccer, or other games seen to be of British origin. Until recently the GAA continued to ban the playing of soccer and rugby union at Gaelic venues. This ban is
be played in Croke Park while Lansdowne Road is being redeveloped. Until recently, under Rule 21, the GAA also banned members of the British security forces and members of the RUC from playing Gaelic games, but the advent of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 led to the eventual removal of the ban.
Nationalism is often evident in the pursuit of sports, or in its reporting: people compete in national teams, or commentators and audiences can adopt a partisan view. On occasion, such tensions can lead to violent confrontation among players or spectators within and beyond the sporting venue (see Football War). These trends are seen by many as contrary to the fundamental ethos of sports being carried on for its own sake and for the enjoyment of its participants.
Physical art
Sports have many affinities with art. Ice skating and Tai chi, and Dancesport for example, are sports that come close to artistic spectacles in themselves. Similarly, there are other activities that have elements of sport and art in their execution, such as artistic gymnastics, Bodybuilding, Parkour, performance art, Yoga, bossaball, dressage, culinary arts, etc. Perhaps the best example is Bull-fighting, which in Spain is reported in the arts pages of newspapers. The fact that art is so close to sports in some situations is probably related to the nature of sports. The definition of "sports" above put forward the idea of an activity pursued not just for the usual purposes, for example, running not simply to get places, but running for its own sake, running as well as we can.
This is similar to a common view of aesthetic value, which is seen as something over and above the strictly functional value coming from an object's normal use. So an aesthetically pleasing car is one which
doesn't just get from A to B, but which impresses us with its grace, poise, and charisma.
In the same way, a sporting performance such as jumping doesn't just impress us as being an effective way to avoid obstacles or to get across streams. It impresses us because of the ability, skill, and style which is shown.
Art and sports were probably more clearly linked at the time of Ancient Greece, when gymnastics and calisthenics invoked admiration and aesthetic appreciation for the physical build, prowess and 'arete' displayed by participants. The modern term 'art' as skill, is related to this ancient Greek term 'arete'. The closeness of art and sport in these times was revealed by the nature of the Olympic Games which, as we have seen, were celebrationsof both sporting annd artistic achievements, poetry, sculpture and architecture.
Technology
Technology has an important role in sports, whether applied to an athlete's health, the athlete's technique, or equipment's characteristics.
Equipment As sports have grown more competitive, the need for better equipment has arose. Golf clubs, football helmets, baseball bats, soccer balls, hockey skates, and other equipment have all seen considerable changes when new technologies have been applied.
Health Ranging from nutrition to the treatment of injuries, as the knowledge of the human body has deepened over time, an athlete's potential has been increased. Athletes are now able to play to an older age, recover more quickly from injuries, and train more effectively than previous generations of athletes.
Instruction Advancing technology created new opportunities for research into sports. It is now possible to analyse aspects of sports that were previously out of the reach of comprehension. Being able to use motion capture to capture an athlete's movement, or advanced computer simulations to model physical scenarios has greatly increased an athlete's ability to understand what they are doing and how they can improve themselves.
Terminology
In British English, sporting activities are commonly denoted by the mass noun "sport". In American English, "sports" is more used. In all English dialects, "sports" is the term used for more than one specific sport. For example, "football and swimming are my favourite sports", would sound natural to all English speakers, whereas "I enjoy sport" would sound less natural than "I enjoy sports" to North Americans.
The term "sport" is sometimes extended to encompass all
competitive activities, regardless of the level of physical activity. Both games of skill and motor sport exhibit many of the characteristics of physical sports, such as skill, sportsmanship, and at the highest levels, even professional sponsorship associated with physical sports. Air sports, billiards, bridge, chess, motorcycle racing, and powerboating are all recognized as sports by the International Olympic Committee with their world governing bodies represented in the Association of the IOC Recognised International Sports Federations.[8]
Spectator sport
As well as being a form of recreation for the participants, much sport is played in front of an audience. Most professional sport is played in a 'theatre' of some kind; be it a stadium, arena, golf course, race track, or the open road, with provision for the (often paying) public.Large television or radio audiences are also commonly attracted, with rival broadcasters bidding large amounts of money for the 'rights' to show certain fixtures. The football World Cup attracts a global television audience of hundreds of millions; the 2006 Final alone attracted an estimated worldwide audience of well over 700 million. In the United States, the championship game of the NFL, the Super Bowl, has become one of the most watched television broadcasts of the year. Super Bowl Sunday is a de facto national holiday in America; the viewership being so great that in 2007 advertising space was reported as being sold at $2.6m for a 30 second slot.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Valentino Rossi crowned MotoGP world champion
Valentino Rossi crowned MotoGP world champion
Stoner's victory, the fourth of the season, marked his return to form and fitness, but the day belonged to the irrepressible Rossi, who had shrugged aside the frustrations of a delayed start after a torrential downpour had soaked the Sepang circuit.
"When the rain came it was scary for everyone because all the work we'd done was then useless and we were riding 'blind' with the settings of the bike," said Rossi, who went into the race needing only a top-four finish to take the title, irrespective of what his Yamaha team-mate and only rival Jorge Lorenzo did.
A first-corner error by Rossi dropped him to eighth and then as he powered back he was out of the seat momentarily after taking fourth place from Lorenzo but then he settled, inheriting third in the closing stages as Andrea Dovizioso fell.
"It's great to be World Champion again, I am very proud to have done it," Rossi enthused .
"This season has been very hard and Lorenzo especially has pushed me to new limits, but I think it's been a great duel for everyone to watch.
"I have won six races and been consistent so for me this is a great emotion, a great achievement," added Rossi, who amused himself by celebrating with a toy chicken and egg as he stopped on his slowdown lap to be greeted by his fans.
My celebration was because in Italy we say an old chicken makes good soup but can no longer lay eggs. I am like the old chicken – 30 years now – but I have made another egg. That's nine," he explained as he savoured his seventh title success in the premier series and his ninth in total.
Oxford rider Bradley Smith finished second to his title-winning team-mate Julian Simon in the 125cc Malaysian Grand Prix to secure runner-up spot in that World Championship while in Portugal, at the Portimao circuit, Yamaha's Ben Spies took the World Superbike crown.
Spies won the first race - in which his title rival Noriyuki Haga crashed - and finished fifth next time out to claim the title by six points from Haga, who finished that race second to his Ducati team-mate Michel Fabrizio.
Coventry rider Cal Crutchlow took the World Supersport title with a fourth place in a race won by Ulsterman Eugene Laverty while Londoner Gino Rea, finishing third, took the European Superstock 600 title.
The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup
The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup will be the tenth Cricket World Cup, and will be hosted by three South Asian Test cricket playing countries; India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. It will be Bangladesh's first time co-hosting a Cricket World Cup. The World Cup will use cricket's One Day International format, with fourteen national cricket teams scheduled[1] to compete. The World Cup will take place during the months of February and March 2011, with the first match being played on 19 February 2011.[2]
The World Cup was also to be co-hosted by Pakistan, but in the wake of the 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team in Lahore, the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab, the International Cricket Council (ICC) were forced to strip Pakistan of its hosting rights.[3] The headquarters of the organising committee were originally situated in Lahore, but have now been shifted to Mumbai.[4] Pakistan was supposed to hold 14 matches, including one semi-final. [5] 8 of Pakistan's Matches have been awarded to India, 4 to Sri Lanka and 2 to Bangladesh.[6]
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The 2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be the 19th FIFA World Cup, the premier international football tournament. It is scheduled to take place between 11 June and 11 July 2010 in South Africa. The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be the culmination of a qualification process that began in August 2007 and involved 204 of the 208 FIFA national teams. As such, it matches the 2008 Summer Olympics as the sports event with the most competing nations.
This will be the first time that the tournament has been hosted by an African nation, after South Africa beat Morocco and Egypt in an all-African bidding process. Italy are the defending champions. The draw for the finals took place on 4 December 2009 in Cape Town.
Groups
Group A
1. South Africa
2. Mexico
3. Uruguay
4. France
Group B
1. Argentina
2. Nigeria
3. South Korea
4. Greece
Group C
1. England
2. United States
3. Algeria
4. Slovenia
Group D
1. Germany
2. Australia
3. Serbia
4. Ghana
Group E
1. Netherlands
2. Denmark
3. Japan
4. Cameroon
Group F
1. Italy
2. Paraguay
3. New Zealand
4. Slovakia
Group G
1. Brazil
2. North Korea
3. Côte d'Ivoire
4. Portugal
Group H
1. Spain
2. Switzerland
3. Honduras
4. Chile
Wushu, the Chinese word
Wushu, the Chinese word meaning "martial art", originated in China and is composed of two disciplines: taolu (routines) and sanshou (combat). The competitive routines are based on different styles of techniques and movements.
Performances include bare hands, sword and broadsword as short apparatus; spear and cudgel as long apparatus.
Both are characterised by deliberate and powerful movements (stances, kicks, punches, balances, jumps and sweeps) particular to the style.
Competitors are given points based on their wushu "taolu" or forms, which are martial art patterns and manoeuvres.
History
Wushu dates back to the Zhou dynasty (11th century BC to 256BC) in China. In legend, Wushu traces its origins back into antiquity, when Shaolin monks from Chinese Buddhist temples harboured retired soldiers who taught them self-defence techniques.
Around AD500, in an effort to protect themselves from bandits and criminals, the monks began to codify what they had learned into a "shaolin kung fu" style.
Wushu has developed over the centuries through the incorporation of various other martial art forms. It is now practiced in countries and regions around the world.
In 1990, the International Wushu Federation (IWUF) was established and it holds the World Championships of Wushu every two years. The first was held in Beijing, in 1991. In 2002, the IWUF was recognised by the IOC, and today it represents 97 federations from all continents.
Wushu was first introduced to the Asian Games in 1990, and later was a part of the programme for the 14th Asian Games in Busan. Korea in 2002.
Rules
Barehanded
Changquan (Long Fist): The most widely seen of the wushu forms, includes whirling, running, leaping and acrobatics.
Nanquan (Southern Fist): Originating in south China, it consists of vigorous, athletic movements with very stable, low stances and intricate hand movements. Nanquan typically requires less flexibility and has fewer acrobatics than changquan, but demands greater leg stability and considerable power generated through leg and hip coordination.
Taijiquan (Taiji Fist): Famous for slow, relaxed movements and is often used as an exercise method by the elderly.
Weapons
Dao (single-edged sword) A changquan method using a medium-sized willow-leaf-shaped dao
Jian (double-edged sword) A changquan method of using the jian
Qiang A flexible spear with red hair attached to the spearhead
Taijijian An event using the jian based on traditional taijiquan jian methods
Nandao A weapon that appears to be based on the butterfly swords of yongchunquan, but has been lengthened and changed so that only one is used (as opposed to a pair). This event is a nanquan method and was created in 1992
Gun A long (usually bamboo) staff as tall as the wrist of a person standing
with his/her arms stretched upwards
Nangun A nanquan method of using the gun, created in 1992
The wushu competition will consist of the following events in the 15th Asian Games:
Men
Changquan
* Three events combined
* Changquan (no weapons)
* Daoshu (short weapon)
* Gunshu (long weapon)
Taijiquan
* Two events combined
* Taijiquan (no weapons)
* Taijijian (short weapon)
Nanquan
* Three events combined
* Nanquan (no weapon)
* Nandao (short weapon)
* Nangun (long weapon
Sanshou
* Five weight categories
* Sanshou -52kg
* Sanshou -56kg
* Sanshou -60kg
* Sanshou -65kg
* Sanshou -70kg
Women
Changquan
* Three events combined:
* Qangquan (no weapons)
* Jianshu (short weapon)
* Qiangshu (long weapon)
Taijiquan
* Two events combined
* Taijiquan (no weapons)
* Taijijian (short weapon)
Nanquan
* Three events combined
* Nanquan (no weapon)
* Nandao (short weapon)
* Nangun (long weapon)
