INAUGURAL USA CRICKET BOARD FINALISED AS INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS ANNOUNCED

The inaugural USA Cricket Board of Directors was finalised today with the announcement of three Independent Directors in a historical landmark for cricket in the United States.

Following a recommendation from the independent Nominating and Governance Committee, the three positions were approved by the seven Constituent Directors. The three Independent Directors have a wealth of knowledge and experience which will bring great value to the USA Cricket Board and are as follows:

· Catherine Carlson, Senior Vice President Corporate Partnerships and Premium Activation, Orlando Magic
· Paraag Marathe, President of 49ers Enterprises and Executive Vice President of Football Operations, San Francisco 49ers.
· Rohan Sajdeh, Senior Partner and Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group

The appointment of the three Independent Directors is the next step in an extensive, thorough and transparent process designed to assemble a Board of Directors that can unite the U.S. cricket community and achieve cricket’s undoubted potential in the world’s most competitive sports market. The first Chair of the Board will be elected at the inaugural Board meeting next month and will be announced shortly thereafter. Attention will now focus on an application by USA Cricket for membership to the ICC.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson welcomed the latest development as a major milestone not only for cricket in the United States, but also the game globally. “USA Cricket now has a governance structure and a high caliber Board that we believe positions the organization well to achieve its enormous potential. A successful U.S. cricket administration is great for world cricket and we are delighted with the quality of board candidates who have been selected from an incredibly impressive field and we think the global game will benefit from their expertise.”

Catherine Carlson who will serve a three-year term is a sponsorship sales, strategic partnerships and business development expert. Prior to her work with the Orlando Magic NBA team, Ms. Carlson spent over 10 years at Disney’s Wide World of Sports which included modified junior sports programs and sports tourism initiatives.

“Having grown up with cricket as a child in Australia, I strongly believe cricket is a game that the United States will increasingly grow to love. Data from the ICC’s recent global research indicates that there is already a significant base of cricket fans in the United States. However, sustainable growth and development of cricket here requires revenue from a diverse inventory of commercial platforms and I am looking forward to applying my knowledge and experience in this area as a member of the USA Cricket Board,” said Carlson.

Paraag Marathe, who has spent 18 seasons with the 49ers as the club’s chief contract negotiator and salary cap architect, and oversaw the construction of the Levi’s Stadium, will serve a two-year term.

“I am looking forward to this unique and exciting challenge. I believe the United States has the potential to be a major player in international cricket and we can inspire this country to fall in love with this great game. This is an incredibly talented and passionate Board of Directors and I am looking forward to working with them so that this major international sport can achieve its potential here in the United States,” said Marathe.

Rohan Sajdeh, who is a Corporate and Business Strategy specialist bringing extensive U.S. sport experience including from cricket, motorsports, football and golf, will be serving a one-year term.

“I am fortunate to have led strategic projects across the full sporting ecosystem in the U.S. and internationally in my time at the Boston Consulting Group, including impactful work in cricket related to the Indian Premier League and the recently announced ICC Test Championship. I am incredibly excited to have an opportunity to bring my experience to bear on the challenge of establishing cricket as a major sport here in the United States,” said Sajdeh.

The three independent directors join the seven elected representatives of the Board who are listed below:

Avinash Gaje – Individual Director
Venu Pisike – Individual Director
Suraj Viswanathan – Individual Director
Nadia T. Gruny – Female Player
Usman Shuja – Male Player
Ajith Bhaskar – Club Director
Atul Rai – League Director

WBSC Baseball5 Commission To Meet On September 1st…

The WBSC Baseball5 Commission will meet for the first time on Saturday 1 September in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The meeting will be held on the margins of WBSC Executive Board meeting, scheduled to take place later the same day.

The first session of the meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:00AM on Saturday and will be streamed live via the WBSC social media channels.

“Baseball5 has generated interest and enthusiasm behind our expectations,” said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. “I am happy that today’s technology allows us to open our decision making process to our members and fans. They will be able to join us in this occasion.”

The Baseball5 Commission is chaired by Mr Angelo Vicini (SRM) and composed by the following members: Mr Antonio Castro (CUB), Mr Elliot Fleys (FRA), Mr Tirelo Mukokomani (BOT) , Ms Yumilka Daisy Ruiz (CUB), Mr Antonio Savasta (ITA), Ms Hiroko Yamada (JAP).

Nigeria, Egypt, Cameroon and Rwanda Through To Semifinal Of Women’s U20 African Nations Volleyball Championship

The semifinal framework for the 2018 Women’s U20 African Nations Volleyball Championship as been confirmed as Cameroon, Nigeria (Pool A), Egypt and Rwanda (Pool B) made their way to the final 4 of the competition.

In Pool A Cameroon beat Kenya 3-1 (20-25, 25-19,25-23, 29-27) to lead the pool with the full marks 3-0, while Kenya dropped to 1-2 to finish third. Nigeria overwhelmed Tanzania 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 25-15) to finish second with 2-1, while the losers dropped to 0-3.

In Pool B Rwanda overpowered Congo DR 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-23) to finish second to Egypt who led the pool undefeated.

Mauritius took on Uganda 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-10) to finish 4th with 2-2 record. After Egypt (4-0), three teams were level Rwanda, Congo and Mauritius and they were ranked according their set ratio.

Cameroon meet Rwanda, while Egypt face Nigeria in the semifinal of the competition where the winners will confirm World Championship spot.

FIFA President, Infantino, Gives Kudos To Eagles, Nigerian Fans

President of world football–ruling body, FIFA, on Thursday hailed Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Coach Gernot Rohr, the backroom staff, officials and Nigerian ball fans for their efforts at the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.

Super Eagles during the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup match between Croatia v Nigeria on the 16th June 2018 at Kaliningrad Stadium,Russia

In a letter addressed to NFF President Amaju Pinnick and dated 30th August 2018, Infantino wrote, inter alia: “I would like to express our most sincere appreciation to your National Team for participating in this 21st edition of the FIFA World Cup. The 2018 FIFA World Cup was an unforgettable celebration of football and a major factor in this was the participation of the Super Eagles, their sixth FIFA World Cup appearance.

Gianni Infantino – FIFA President
photo credit navkolo.me

“I personally was very happy and proud to be able to attend in your presence two of your National Team matches, against Croatia and Iceland. Please pass on my compliments to all those who have contributed to this campaign, the players, the head coach Gernot Rohr but also the technical and medical team and, of course, the fans.

“Such achievement is no doubt based on hard work, professionalism and attention to detail, as well as passion and love of the game. All this augurs well for a very promising future and will undoubtedly pave the way for future success.”

Falconets Coach, Danjuma, Rubbishes Story On Unpaid Camp Allowances

Head Coach of the U20 Women National Team, Chris Danjuma, has described as utter falsehood and a cluster of esoteric jargons, a story in one online publication on Wednesday that an official of his team claimed players and officials were not paid their entitlements before and during the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals in France.

“I see this as a silly, mischievous story. I have spoken to my assistants and backroom staff and they all denied talking to the reporter. We were paid our entitlements for the camping in Austria and at the FIFA World Cup, and no money was lost as claimed in the story.

“From the very first day I saw the reporter in our camp prior to our departure to the final training camp in Austria, I observed he was a very funny figure just looking for negative stuff to report. It is unfortunate that some persons commit their lives to trying to cause mischief and trouble wherever they see there is peace.”

Danjuma said the claim by the reporter that the team was ‘suffering’ before the Sports Minister arrived and gave them personal cash was incorrect.

“We had been paid our entitlements before the Sports Minister came. I am aghast at what the reporter was out to achieve. Was the reporter in Austria with the team to ascertain we were ‘suffering?’

Falconets training at the FIFA Goal Project, Abuja

“No member of the Falconets’ technical crew or the playing body has any negative thing to say about the NFF. They did their very best for us and supported the team at each point during the qualifying series, the training camp and the FIFA World Cup.”

On her part, Team Administrator Modupe Shabi was in shock about the claim that Head of Women’s Football, Ruth David misplaced the sum of Euro10,000.

“That is fallacy. Miss David handed every money that was meant for the team to me and I did the payment to the players and officials. She did not pay anyone directly and certainly did not misplace any Euro10,000. The entire story is the imagination of the reporter or something he saw in his dream.”

BIG SWIMMING NAMES READY FOR POOL ACTION AT SWC’S INAUGURAL LEG

With less than 10 days to go to the inaugural leg of the FINA Swimming World Cup 2018, many swimming legends have shown interested in one of the most important events of the discipline.

With room for more entries, Russia’s Kirill Prigoda has confirmed his attendance to all seven stops of the World Cup, while Olympic bronze medallist and current World Record holder Vladimir Morozov and Olympic silver and bronze medallist as well as World champion Yuliya Efimova are amongst the other home nation athletes registered for Kazan.

While last year’s overall Series winners Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) and Chad Le Clos (RSA) are ready to make the headlines again, the famous Iron Lady of Hungary, Katinka Hosszu, who is a veteran of the World Cup is also set to take the plunge at the Kazan Aquatics Palace from September 7-9. Compatriot Zsuzsanna Jakabos and David Verraszto will also be there.

China will be represented by, but not only, Yifan Yang, Yuhang Wu and Zhiaho Zhang.

The U.S. delegation will be led by short-course World champion Michael Andrew.

Australia’s accomplished talent Mitch Larkin also confirmed attendance, as did Ranomi Kromowidjojo and Jesse Puts of the Netherlands.

CREDIT: FINA

Kazan hosts are organising a Speedo Swim Clinic & autograph session on September 4 as well as a formal World Cup presentation at the Kremlin on September 5. A press conference will be hosted on September 6 at the venue before the Opening Ceremony kick-off the event on Friday September 7.

In addition, the organisers have focused on a out-of-competition programme open to kids and amateur swimmers with two dedicated challenges on Saturday September 8.

The World Cup meets will count towards qualifying for the 14th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) 2018 to take place from December 11-16 in Hangzhou, China.

PLOVDIV READY TO WELCOME ROWERS TO THE 2018 WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS

The entries are in for rowing’s most important event of the rowing year, the 2018 World Rowing Championships to be hosted in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The World Rowing Federation, FISA, is pleased to announce that over 900 athletes from 62 nations will be competing.

The regatta will take place in Plovdiv’s Maritza River Water Sports Centre from 9 to 16 September 2018 with rowers vying for the coveted title of World Champion in 14 Olympic, six international and nine para-rowing boat classes.

These Championships will see the culmination of a tumultuous season in the men’s single sculls which saw two-time Olympic Champion Mahe Drysdale (New Zealand) concede his spot when he was beaten by fellow-countryman Robbie Manson. Manson now comes to Plovdiv as the favourite but will be up against the ever-improving Oliver Zeidler of Germany. Newcomer Zeidler ousted top sculler Tim Ole Naske in the battle to represent Germany at these World Championships.

Meanwhile, in the women’s single sculls, Jeannine Gmelin of Switzerland looks to be untouchable having dominated the event this season. But both Sanita Puspure of Ireland and Austria’s Magdalena Lobnig will be aiming to close the gap on Gmelin.

The men’s pair has entries from 25 countries and the season, so far, indicates an open book for the medals podium. Gold medals have been won this season by the popular Sinkovic brothers from Croatia, New Zealand’s Tom Murray and Michael Brake, Jakob Podrazil and Lukas Helesic of the Czech Republic. The Onfroy brothers from France are also knocking on the door for the gold medal position.

Men’s Quadruple Sculls, 2017 World Rowing Under 23 Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
© Igor Meijer

Leading the way in the women’s pair this season has been Kerri Gowler and Grace Prendergast of New Zealand. They will be challenged by Canada’s Caileigh Filmer and Hillary Janssens, the United States’ Victoria Opitz and Gia Doonan as well as European Champions, Denisa Tilvescu and Madalina Beres of Romania.

The 1996 and 2000 Olympic Champion Ekaterina Karsten owill be racing in the Belarus women’s quadruple sculls, while reigning Olympic Champion in the men’s single, Mahe Drysdale will compete in the men’s quadruple sculls.

The biggest team is coming from the United States with 27 entries and includes seven entries in the para-rowing boat classes. This is the second year of para-rowers racing the new standard 2000m distance. It is also the first year for four new boat classes: the PR2 men’s and women’s single sculls and the PR3 men’s and women’s pair.

Aruna Quadri Lifts Less Privileged in Lagos

Away from his regular training ahead of the 2018 ITTF African Championships, Aruna Quadri on Tuesday August 28, 2018 put smiles on the faces of students of SOS Children’s Village International in Isolo, a suburb in Lagos, Nigeria.

Accompanied by his wife – Ganiat Aruna, the 2018 ITTF Challenge Seamaster Nigeria Open champion said he decided to show his compassion for the less privileged as he had to go through thick and thin to become what he is today.

Gboyega Fadowole-Aje (left), Ganiat Aruna; Quadri Aruna and Lawrence Agbaegbu during the visit in Lagos on Tuesday Aug 28, 2018

Aruna Quadri and his spouse were received at the SOS Children’s Village by the National Fund Development and Communication Coordinator, Gboyega Fadowole-Aje who described Aruna’s gesture as commendable while hoping that other sports stars in Nigeria would take a cue from the athlete.

“We want to first of all congratulate you on your victory at the just concluded Nigeria Open and wish you well in your endeavours. We were indeed touched by this your singular gesture and we believe your presence in the Village would surely inspire the children to aim high like you in their endeavours. On behalf of the Country Director, we are grateful and we wish well in your endeavours,” Gboyega Fadowole-Aje said.

For Aruna Quadri, the gesture has been part of his plans to support the disadvantaged people in the society. “This is another way to show love to those who are not privilege and I believe this small gesture will augment what others have been doing for them. I am doing this to also give back to the society where I emerged from and this will not be a one-off thing as I hope to make it a regular in my plans whenever I am home in Nigeria,” the world number 18 said.

Aruna Quadri

Also, the National Store Coordinator of SOS Children’s Villages, Lawrence Agbaegbu believes the efforts of the table tennis star is a welcome development while urging other well-meaning individuals and corporate bodies to support the centre which is an international home for the less privilege.

Aside the mini table donated by Aruna Quadri, food items valued at thousands of dollars was given to the home.

Aruna Quadri also took time out to play table tennis with some of the children in the centre.

ICC APPEALS FOR INFORMATION ON SUSPECTED MATCH-FIXER

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today launched an appeal to find the one remaining suspected match-fixer from a recent documentary.

The appeal is part of an extensive investigation by the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), and the alleged fixer, known as Aneel Munawar, remains unidentified. The programme makers have indicated that this man will now be central to a second documentary.

Alex Marshall, General Manager ICC ACU, said: “We have identified every other person in the original documentary and have spoken to a number of them in connection with match fixing, including those who are not deemed to be participants under our Anti-Corruption Code.

“However the true identity of Aneel Munawar remains a mystery. He plays a significant role in the programme, yet enquiries with law enforcement and immigration sources have not identified or located him.

“As such we are appealing to the public or anyone from within the cricket family to contact us with any information that will lead us to identify and locate him. Police investigations often use such an appeal to locate people of interest and we are exercising the same approach.

“The absence of any cooperation from the broadcaster has slowed the investigation, but to date we have made good progress in identifying people of significant interest including people already of interest to the ACU. We have been able to discount a number of claims made in the programme and continue to pursue other aspects. We will provide a full update at the conclusion of the investigation.

“We are aware that there is a second documentary in the offing, this time based on historical recordings between a fixer, suspected to be Munawar and bookies in India. As with the first programme, we will investigate any claims made in a full and thorough manner and we take any allegations of corruption, historical or contemporary, extremely seriously. Based on what we already know, we have engaged the services of an independent betting analysis company to examine the claims made about particular matches.

“As with the first programme we have, and will continue to ask for the cooperation of the broadcaster. Access to the raw, unedited footage enables us to build a complete picture around the claims in the documentary and ensure our investigation is as fair and thorough as possible.”

Twenty-four nations claim medals at the Youth World Boxing Championships…

Twenty-four nations claim medals at the Youth World Boxing Championships as Semi-Finals line-ups are revealed

The last two sessions of quarter-finals took over the Budapest’s Duna Arena on Monday, leaving 24 teams still chasing the 2018 Youth Women’s & Men’s World Championships titles. A packed arena saw 32 world-class quality bouts between the next generation of boxing champions to complete a great Day 7 of action.

Photo credit: AIBA

DAY 7 IN THREE ROUNDS
Round one: 24 nations reach the podium at the 2018 AIBA Youth World Championships
The AIBA Youth World Championships is a historical moment, as both men and women feature in this edition for the first time since Sofia 2014, and the number of teams reaching the last four of the event makes it even more special. A total of twenty-four nations have claim medals at this edition of the event paying off the strong AIBA’s efforts to develop the sport across the world.

Round two: Brazil & Croatia write a new page on the Youth Women’s history
To win a medal at a World Championships is always special for every athlete but, being able to clinch the first medal ever of your country at the event is just a defining moment. And that’s the feeling Croatia’s Nikolina Cacic (featherweight – 57kg) and Brazil’s Rebeca Santos (Lightweight – 60kg) experienced today after winning their respective bouts to become the first Youth Women’s World Championships medalists of their countries.

photo credit AIBA

Round three: Asian nations commanding the medal table after the Quarter-Finals
Day Seven saw the Asian nations taking the lead on the Youth World Championships after ensuring an impressive 35 medals in Budapest. Among them Kazakhstan’s powerhouse has already assured 11 medals, followed closely by the Indian squad with 10 medals. But it is Thailand who stole the limelight at this World Championships with their impressive performance which have guaranteed seven medals to bring back the Thai team in between the best boxing teams.