Author: Boria Majumdar

Every football fan in India is eager to know the outcome of what is now well known as the Anwar Ali saga. The All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) Players’ Status Committee (PSC) hasn’t yet given its verdict and from what we know, it will take a little time to do so. This is because the PSC is keen on connecting all the dots and delivering a comprehensive judgment on all the issues at hand rather than giving a partial verdict, which could result in serious complications and heartburn. So rather than getting an operative part of the verdict like we…

Dream on. Dreams do come true. For others, these may be words of encouragement. For Manasi Joshi, however, they are much more. These words define her life in a way. Sample this. “When I was trying to make a comeback to sport and make a career out of it, these words were a constant source of support,” she said. “As a para-athlete, I had my own share of challenges. Life wasn’t easy. But that’s what it is all about. To be able to fight. To overcome adversity. Dream on, as Sachin Tendulkar says. For dreams do come true. And, may…

Cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics was a much-debated subject. After much deliberation, the sport is back for Los Angeles 2028. While its currency in the Global South is the key reason for the IOC to back its inclusion, it is also true that cricket is one of the most-watched sports in the world thanks to the growing strength of the Indian and South Asian diaspora. As Jay Shah gets ready to take on the role of International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman, how he deals with cricket’s relationship with the Olympics is expected to be a key feature of his tenure.…

On August 27, it will be formally known that Jay Shah is the only candidate to succeed Greg Barclay of New Zealand as the next International Cricket Council (ICC) boss. At 35, he will be the youngest to take charge. Just over 27 years after Jagmohan Dalmiya moved from being BCCI Secretary to ICC head honcho, Shah is all set to do the same. Others including N Srinivasan, Sharad Pawar and Shashank Manohar, who served as ICC heads, moved to the apex body after serving their tenures as Presidents of the BCCI. For Shah, it will be an interesting challenge…

Predictions are a risky business. Especially when they are about sports and the Olympic or Paralympic Games. For the Olympics, we predicted 9-10 medals, and India ended up with 6. Having said that, predictions are also a favourite pastime with us analysts. With the Paralympic Games less than a week away, how is India shaping up for it? Will we use the Games to advance the narrative of equality and sensitivity in the country, and will there be a groundswell of support for the Paralympic movement? Can India turn a new leaf and significantly increase the number of medals that…

I have always said that sports and politics are inseparable. And football, more than any other sport, has always made for strong, peaceful protest with real ramifications for society. At the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, when Iran’s footballers stood in front of the world but did not sing the national anthem with billions watching, it was an act of silent resistance. Like what happened in Kolkata on Sunday, it has stayed on as a powerful image of peaceful protest, which was much talked about the world over. Again, when the Germans posed for a team photograph with hands…

Why was Mohun Bagan club formed in 1889? Why was East Bengal Club set up in 1920? What were the reasons? What was the context? In very simple terms, to protest against some form of discrimination and raise a voice. When Mohun Bagan played bare-footed against East Yorkshire regiment in 1911 and won the IFA shield, it was a form of protest against colonial rule. More importantly, the victory procession that walked around the city soon after and included thousands was seen as a form of assertion. Football was looked upon as a form of peaceful protest against the discriminatory…

Sports and politics mix. They always have, and always will. Anyone who says anything to the contrary is in fact making a political statement, and trying to deny the truth. Each time the national anthem is played on the sports field, it is a celebration of nationalism and a political act. Players with hands on their hearts singing the national anthem while standing on the medal podium seeing their national flag go up is the most celebrated sight in sport, and nothing could be a more potent symbol of aggressive nationalism. Tommy Smith and John Carlos standing on the podium…

“The moment it went to a shoot-off, I knew we were winning,” said Craig Fulton of India’s famous quarterfinal win with 10 men against Great Britain at Paris 2024. We had last met, briefly, ahead of the medal ceremony in Paris, and that was when it was decided that we would have a detailed conversation on the campaign once things settled down. With coach Fulton coming to India for the PM’s felicitation and more, it was tough to get him to sit down for a detailed chat. Finally, we managed to get time out once he reached Dublin and had…

It was in 2004 that Devendra Jhajharia travelled to his first Paralympic Games. Unlike in 2024, when the Prime Minister, Sports Minister, members of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and many more will give the Paralympics team traveling to Paris a fitting send-off (fixed for later today), one person accompanied Jhajharia to the airport back in 2004. That was his father. And as Devendra, current President of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), very pertinently recounted, “My father said to me: if you win a medal toh badlao aayga. Agar har jate ho toh kuch nahi badlaega [if you…