1. National Sports Federations (NSFs)
• The development and promotion of various disciplines of sports including selection of players for various national and international sports competitions is the responsibility of the concerned National Sports Federations (NSFs).
• The NSFs work in an autonomous environment and the Government is not directly involved in their functioning, including selection of sports persons.
• To ensure transparency in selection process Government has issued guidelines according to which selection of sportspersons for major international events is to be done by a Selection Committee.
• Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) through Sports Authority of India (SAI) has been implementing various sports promotional schemes to tap sports talent across the country irrespective of their financial status.
• Under the Schemes – SAI Training Centers (STC), Special Area Games (SAG), sports talents belong to rural, tribal, coastal, hilly and backward areas of the country are selected.
• The selected trainees are provided financial support in the form of expert coaches, sports equipment, boarding and lodging, sports kit, competition exposure, educational expenses, medical/insurance and stipend as per the approved scheme norms.
• Under the Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations, the Government supports the identified sportspersons, including those from weaker sections of society/teams for intensive coaching through national coaching camps, foreign exposures/competitions etc.
• Under Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), customized training is being provided to identify sportspersons at the state-of-the-art sports institutes/academies within the country and abroad.
• National Sports Federations –
National Sports Federations (NSFs) are autonomous bodies registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860.
• Sports Authority of India (SAI) –
Apex national sports body of India
It is established in 1984 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for the development of sports in India.
2. CA Kuttappa takes over as India`s chief boxing coach
• Dronacharya awardee C A Kuttappa has taken over as India`s chief boxing coach at the ongoing national camp.
• Star pugilist Vikas Krishan (75kg) was left out from the post following his professional plunge.
• The 39-year-old Kuttappa is credited with shaping some of the country`s most successful boxers such as Vijender Singh, M Suranjoy Singh and Shiva Thapa, among others.
• He took over from veteran coach SR Singh at the beginning of the camp which started December 10. Singh has since retired.
• The current set of boxers in the camp, barring the national champions, will be giving trials in the second week of January, which will lead to a pruning and form the basis of selection for the India Open and the prestigious Strandja Memorial in Bulgaria.
3. Former Australia captain Ponting inducted into ICC Hall of Fame
• Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting was formally inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
• To mark the occasion, Ponting received his commemorative cap from compatriot ICC Cricket Hall of Famer, Glenn McGrath, during the tea break on the opening day of the third Test against India at the MCG.
• Ponting was named in the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame along with former India captain Rahul Dravid and England woman wicketkeeper-batter Claire Taylor during the ICC Annual Conference in Dublin in July. Ponting could not attend the ICC conference.
• Ponting is a three-time ICC Cricket World Cup winner including two times as captain. He is the 25th Australia cricketer to be formally inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
• The 44-year-old Ponting retired from international cricket in 2012 after scoring 13,378 runs in 168 Tests. He scored 41 centuries, 13,704 runs in 375 ODIs with 30 centuries and 401 runs in 17 T20s with two half-centuries.
• Ponting was named the ICC Player of the Year in 2006 and 2007 while also being named the ICC Test Player of the Year in 2006.
4. ICC orders PCB to pay 60% of compensation claim to BCCI
• The International Cricket Council`s (ICC) Dispute Resolution Panel ordered Pakistan to pay 60 per cent of the cost demanded by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
• Earlier, the ICC rejected Pakistan Cricket Board PCB`s compensation claim which blamed India for lack of bilateral series between the two nations.
• Nearly a month after rejecting the PCB`s compensation claim against India for allegedly failing to honour a Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral cricket, the ICC announced the costs award for the two Boards.
• The Panel orders the PCB to pay the BCCI sixty per cent of the claimed Costs, administrative costs and expenses of the Panel.
• The BCCI, on the other hand, has been asked to pay 40 per cent of the administrative costs and expenses of the Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC).
5. 16th Mumbai Marathon to be held on 20th Jan, 2019
• The 16th Mumbai Marathon will be held on January 20 next year and around 50,000 participants are expected to participate in the run, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
• He chaired a meeting to review preparations for the 16th Tata Mumbai Marathon in Mumbai.
• Ministers Vinod Tawde, Jaykumar Raval, MLA Ashish Shelar were present.