Neeraj Chopra rules out Arshad Nadeem’s presence at Bengaluru event
Chopra said the possibility of Nadeem’s presence was “completely out of the question” following the attack, which took place on Tuesday.
A day before the attack, Chopra had announced that top javelin throwers, including Paris Olympics champion Nadeem, had been invited to the event on May 24.
Vivek Mishra works as an Assistant Editor with Eastern Eye and has over 13 years of experience in journalism. His areas of interest include politics, international affairs, current events, and sports. With a background in newsroom operations and editorial planning, he has reported and edited stories on major national and global developments.
INDIA’s Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra has said that Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem will not be attending the Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru next month. His comments came after the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 tourists.
Chopra said the possibility of Nadeem’s presence was “completely out of the question” following the attack, which took place on Tuesday.
A day before the attack, Chopra had announced that top javelin throwers, including Paris Olympics champion Nadeem, had been invited to the event on May 24. He had said the event could help India host a Diamond League meet in the future.
However, the attack drew criticism of Chopra’s decision to extend an invitation to Nadeem, although reports said the Pakistan athlete was unlikely to attend.
“There has been so much talk about my decision to invite Arshad Nadeem to compete in the Neeraj Chopra Classic, and most of it has been hate and abuse,” Chopra said in a social media post on Friday.
“The invitation I extended to Arshad was from one athlete to another — nothing more, nothing less. The aim of the NC Classic was to bring the best athletes to India and for our country to be the home of world-class sporting events.
“After all that has taken place over the last 48 hours, Arshad's presence at the NC Classic was completely out of the question.”
Media reports said Nadeem, who became Pakistan’s first individual Olympic gold medallist, had already opted out of the event due to a clash with his training for the Asian Championships in South Korea next month.
Earlier this year, tensions between India and Pakistan had affected sports ties when India’s cricket team chose not to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. All their matches, including the March 9 final, were held in Dubai.
ASHVIR SINGH JOHAL has been named manager of Morecambe, becoming the first Sikh to take charge of a professional football club in Britain.
At 30, Johal is also now the youngest manager in England’s top five divisions. He takes over following the club’s recent takeover by the Panjab Warriors consortium and the departure of former boss Derek Adams.
Johal experience from roles at Leicester City’s academy, Wigan Athletic, and Italian side Como. He worked under Kolo Touré at Wigan and assisted Cesc Fàbregas with Como’s youth team.
He recently completed his UEFA Pro Licence, the highest coaching qualification, and has spent over a decade in player development.
In a previous interview with the BBC, Johal said: "I have been fortunate to work with and learn from some incredible people, and I'm especially grateful to Kolo and Cesc. I know what world-class standards look like, how to lead with clarity, and how to develop a team with a real identity.
"We will create an environment that brings the best out of people, that people want to be part of, and that drives people to improve every day."
His appointment follows a difficult period for Morecambe. The National League suspended the club over non-compliance with league rules, leading to postponed fixtures. The team is due to play Altrincham on Saturday (23), but as of Tuesday (19), they had only five contracted players and were not insured to train, making another delay likely.
Johal said his first focus will be to “identify the players as we need to perform well in the National League.”
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MotoGP championship leader Marc Marquez completed a clean sweep
Marc Marquez fastest in both Friday practice sessions at the Austrian Grand Prix.
FP2 was red-flagged after crashes for Fabio Quartararo and Miguel Oliveira.
Quartararo suffered hip and groin pain but walked away; Oliveira escaped unhurt.
Pedro Acosta and Pecco Bagnaia joined Marquez in the top three.
Maverick Viñales’ participation in the rest of the weekend remains uncertain.
Marquez maintains dominance
MotoGP championship leader Marc Marquez completed a clean sweep of Friday practice sessions at the Austrian Grand Prix, finishing fastest in both outings. The eight-time world champion topped the times in FP2, which was disrupted by a red flag.
Crashes trigger red flag
The second practice was halted with 27 minutes remaining after consecutive crashes at Turn 6. Fabio Quartararo came off his Yamaha M1, injuring his hip and groin, although he was able to walk away unaided. Moments later, Miguel Oliveira also fell at the same corner.
Track checks were carried out after concerns that Pramac rider Jack Miller’s smoking Ducati engine may have dropped fluid, though his team later denied oil was involved. The stoppage lasted just under 20 minutes before running resumed.
Final minutes decide order
Once the session restarted, Pedro Acosta briefly broke Ducati’s dominance by following Marquez to set a quick lap. However, Marquez responded in the closing stages to reclaim top spot. Pecco Bagnaia ended the day third, 0.268s behind, with Alex Marquez taking fourth for Gresini Ducati.
Raul Fernandez impressed in fifth, finishing as the highest-placed Aprilia rider, while Marco Bezzecchi struggled to put together a clean lap and Jorge Martin suffered his first crash since returning, sliding off at Turn 9.
Q2 and Q1 line-up
The riders advancing directly to Q2 are:
M. Marquez, Acosta, Bagnaia, A. Marquez, Fernandez, Joan Mir, Franco Morbidelli, Johann Zarco, Fermín Aldeguer, Brad Binder.
Those contesting Q1 include:
Enea Bastianini, Ai Ogura, Luca Marini, Quartararo, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Martin, Alex Rins, Bezzecchi, Oliveira, Miller and Maverick Viñales*.
*Viñales could withdraw depending on his fitness.
Struggles for Yamaha and Ducati
Yamaha endured a difficult day, with Quartararo their best performer despite his earlier crash, though he was well outside the top 10. Ducati fared better, but only Fabio Di Giannantonio will contest Q1, while several of the marque’s riders secured Q2 slots.
Viñales injury update
Viñales completed just six laps in FP2 due to ongoing weakness in his injured left shoulder. A decision on whether he will continue in the Austrian Grand Prix weekend will be made on Saturday.
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'Our preparations will go ahead,' IOA president PT Usha said after a meeting on Wednesday, according to local media. (Photo: Getty Images)
INDIA will bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games as part of its plans to host the 2036 Olympics, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) said.
“Our preparations will go ahead,” IOA president PT Usha said after a meeting on Wednesday, according to local media.
New Delhi, which hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games, is being considered as a possible host city. Bhubaneswar in Odisha is also an option, while Indian media reports have suggested Ahmedabad in Gujarat is the frontrunner.
Ahmedabad has a 130,000-seat stadium named after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which hosted the 2023 Cricket World Cup final.
India submitted a letter of intent last year to the International Olympic Committee to host the 2036 Olympics. The country has hosted cricket World Cups and the Asian Games twice and will co-host the Women’s Cricket World Cup in September.
Nigeria and at least two other countries are also interested in hosting the Commonwealth Games. The 2026 edition will be held in Glasgow after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew, citing costs.
India has until the end of August to submit its formal bid. The host city will be decided in November in Glasgow.
If successful, India plans to hold a full-scale event. “We will have all the sports we are good at and have a chance of winning maximum medals,” IOA executive council member Rohit Rajpal told the Times of India. That would include kabaddi and kho kho, which India is pushing to be added to the Olympics.
India has won 10 Olympic gold medals in its history.
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The International Chess Federation confirmed that Bodhana beat 60-year-old Grandmaster Peter Wells
Harrow’s Bodhana Sivanandan becomes the youngest ever to earn the woman international master title.
Defeated a chess grandmaster at the 2025 British Chess Championship aged 10 years, 5 months, 3 days.
First learned chess during the Covid-19 lockdown at age five.
Selected for England Women’s Team at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Hungary.
A 10-year-old chess prodigy from north-west London has made history by becoming the youngest person to achieve the woman international master (WIM) title. Bodhana Sivanandan from Harrow also became the youngest female player to defeat a grandmaster, achieving the feat at the 2025 British Chess Championship earlier this month.
Record-breaking win
The International Chess Federation confirmed that Bodhana beat 60-year-old Grandmaster Peter Wells in the final round of the championships in Liverpool. At 10 years, five months and three days old, she surpassed the previous record set in 2019 by American Carissa Yip, who was 10 years, 11 months and 20 days.
Grandmaster is the highest possible chess title, held for life, while the WIM title is the second-highest title awarded exclusively to women, behind woman grandmaster.
Rapid rise in the game
Bodhana began playing chess at the age of five during the Covid-19 lockdown. She discovered a chessboard among toys and books given to her family by a friend of her father, and her interest in the pieces led her to learn the game instead of using them as toys.
In 2024, she was selected for the England Women’s Team at the Chess Olympiad in Hungary, believed to be the youngest person ever to represent England internationally in any sport.
Family and support
Her father, Siva, an engineering graduate, said there was no history of chess ability in the family. “Nobody at all” in their extended family had played competitively. He expressed hope that Bodhana would continue to enjoy the game and perform well.
Future ambitions
Bodhana has set her sights on becoming a grandmaster and says chess makes her feel “good” and helps with skills like maths and calculation.
International chess master Malcolm Pein, who runs a charity introducing the game to hundreds of thousands of state school children, described her as “composed, modest and brilliant”, predicting she could become women’s world champion — or even overall world champion — in the future.
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Jayden Seales (R) of West Indies celebrates the dismissal of Mohammad Rizwan of Pakistan during the 3rd and final ODI at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago, on August 12, 2025.
FAST bowler Jayden Seales took six wickets as West Indies beat Pakistan by 202 runs in the third and deciding one-day international in Trinidad on Tuesday.
Pakistan, chasing 295 to win, were all out for 92 in 19 overs. Seales took 6-18, removing the top order early and later returning to dismiss the tail.
Batting first, West Indies made 294-6 in 50 overs, with captain Shai Hope scoring an unbeaten century. It was the team’s first ODI series win over Pakistan since 1991.
"We stress on negatives a lot in West Indies," said Hope. "So many positives to shout about. Great to see the guys pulling off history. Seales is a quality bowler... He's a class act. Anything you ask him to do, he puts his hands up."
Pakistan’s innings faltered early as Seales dismissed Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Rizwan in the first three overs, reducing them to 8-3. He then trapped Babar Azam lbw for nine.
"Seales made it difficult for us. Done so throughout the series. But we lost three early wickets, that's what cost us," said Pakistan captain Rizwan.
Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie took two wickets in the middle overs before Seales removed Hasan Ali and Naseem Shah to complete his six-wicket haul. The match ended when number 11 Abrar Ahmed was run out by Roston Chase.
Pakistan had chosen to field first and kept West Indies’ scoring in check early on. The hosts were 68-3 when Keacy Carty was dismissed lbw by Abrar for 17. Sherfane Rutherford scored 15 from 40 balls before being dismissed by Ayub.
Chase added 36 runs quickly to support Hope before being bowled by Naseem. Motie was caught and bowled by Mohammad Nawaz as the innings slowed.
Hope and Justin Greaves then put on 110 runs from the final 8.1 overs. Hope finished on 120 not out, hitting 10 fours and five sixes, his 18th ODI century. He is now behind only Brian Lara and Chris Gayle in the list of most ODI centuries for West Indies.
Greaves scored 43 not out from 24 balls to help set the target.