Author: Boria Majumdar

There has been a lot of talk about Bhavani Devi’s loss at the Asian Games in China. Some media reports said she did not even shake hands with her opponent in disgust. While Bhavani was indeed upset with the refereeing and said as much to RevSportz soon after her match ended, she has always been a sport and the thought of not shaking her opponent’s hand never crossed her mind. Speaking to RevSportz from the flight on her way back, she opened up on the whole issue. “At the start of the match, for a point I had a…

Esha Singh is the toast of the nation. And so is the Indian shooting contingent. They are scripting a comeback for the sport. Delivering under pressure, coming back from bad situations and finishing on the podium — they are doing it all. Esha’s silver medal in Hangzhou was proof of that. It was Rajyavardhan Rathore’s silver medal in Athens in 2004 that started it all. India’s first Olympic medal in shooting, and all of a sudden, there was growing interest in the sport. Samresh Jung, Gagan Narang added to it at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and when Abhinav Bindra hit…

In 2018, a confidential report, sent to the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) by one of the coaches, said that more than 70 per cent of India’s shooters underperformed at every major event. The report attributed this dip to pressure and the inability to self-regulate. It also noted that while India had a lot of talent, we lacked sports science. Manu Bhaker’s performance in Tokyo illustrated the point. In the rapid-fire segment of the 25m pistol, Bhaker had a good three seconds to shoot a bullet. When she held her nerve, and utilised close to the allotted time, she…

Igor Stimac’s work as India’s football coach has done wonders for the national team’s profile, with three tournament victories and a FIFA ranking under 100 among the list of achievements for 2023. But it seems that those results have been getting attention closer to home as well, with Bosnia and Herzegovina looking for a new head coach after sacking Medo Kodro last week. Stimac had an illustrious career with the Croatian national team, making 53 appearances between 1990 and 2002. As coach, he had 15 games in charge of his home nation, winning eight of them. But after resigning in…

Bhavani Devi started really well. 5 wins and then another commanding win going into the quarter final, all of India was hoping for a medal from her. However, she faced 2018 silver medalist Shao Yaqi from China in the semi final and lost 7-15 after some tough decisions went against her. Facing the Chinese in China is hard. And when it’s a subjective sport, it is more so. Reacting to the loss Bhavani said “I was a little rattled by the refereeing because the first few points weren’t called right. That upset me a little”. While not for once suggesting…

There is so much more to sport than winning or losing. Sport is also about memories. About fulfilment, joy and satisfaction. Ask Rajeshwari Kumari and she will tell you that sport is the best thing to happen to her, and the Asian Games opening ceremony was a dream she actually lived. Rajeshwari, who won a quota for India in shooting at the Baku World Championship, marched under the tricolour in Hangzhou as Raja Randhir Singh, her father and acting President of the Olympic Council of Asia, looked on. Both tried to film the other and immortalise the moment for posterity.…

After arriving in Hangzhou for the Asian Games, the Indian men’s football team played two matches in less than 48 hours. Some, however, would argue that there have been three games played. More than the 5-1 defeat to China, the hosts, or the tense 1-0 victory against Bangladesh, the headlines have been dominated by the blame game – with news outlets, justifiably, questioning why India’s preparation and travel to the Games was such a colossal mess. Those questions were more pointed because the central government had intervened in late July to give the squad special permission to participate. It is…

It was exactly a month ago that I had a chat with Antim Panghal’s father. He was agitated and upset. His daughter, despite winning the Asian Games trials, hadn’t been picked to represent India in Hangzhou and the 53kg spot was reserved for Vinesh Phogat, arguably India’s most decorated female wrestler in recent times. Antim had even moved court seeking justice. While the court upheld the decision to send Vinesh, it was as if the Gods wanted Antim to get an opportunity. Unfortunately for Vinesh and India, she suffered an injury and had to get operated on. That’s what…

It wasn’t pretty, but in the circumstances, it doesn’t need to be. India’s football team, strengthened by the arrival of squad members who had been delayed, stayed alive in the Asian Games by grinding out a 1-0 victory over Bangladesh, thanks to an 81st minute penalty from Sunil Chhetri, captain and talisman. “It was a well-deserved win, with all that’s been going on around us,” said Igor Stimac, the national coach. “Once again, our boys left everything out there and did exactly as I told them. I asked them to be patient and the goal would come. Keeping a clean…

Anurag Thakur, the Union Sports Minister, announced that the Indian football team would be going to the Asian Games on July 26, a full seven weeks before the squad flew to China. And yet, the team landed in Hangzhou just 18 hours before their first match against the hosts and checked into their hotel rooms only 15 hours before kick-off. No international team could have performed in such a situation. To add to that, India did not have the full complement of 22 players. The bench was half-empty, and five of those selected in the squad did not travel with…