The New Nation - Internet Edition

Logo of 2nd Indo-Bangladesh Bangla Games unveiled

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) Tuesday unveiled the logo of the ensuing 2nd Indo-Bangladesh Bangla Games at a simple ceremony at the National Sports Council (NSC) conference room.

BOA acting secretary general Kutubuddin Ahmed unveiled the logo, which carried the slogan `Sports for Friendship'.

BOA vice president and Games coordination committee chairman Mizanur Rahman Manu, deputy secretary general and accommodation committee chairman Imtiaz Khan Babul, deputy secretary general Ashrafuddin Ahmed Chunnu and Chief Operating Officer Col. (retd) M Wali Ullah, and representatives of different Games committees were present on the occasion.

Ashrafuddin Ahmed Chunnu has been named Chef de Mission of the Bangladesh contingent and Anisur Rahman the General Team Manager.

Talking about the background of the Games, BOA acting secretary general Kutubuddin Ahmed said: "Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) boss Ranbir Singh initially proposed us to be associated with such kind of Games… we participated in the 1st (Indo-Bangla) Games held in Kolkata last year."

He said the members of the Bangladesh contingent are undergoing a practice camp for the last three months and hoped that they would bring a better result this time.

The 2nd Indo-Bangla Games will feature nine disciplines -- athletics, swimming, shooting, basketball, volleyball, kabaddi, kho kho, football and cricket. Of these, there will be men's and women's events in four disciplines -- football, shooting, athletics and swimming. Besides, cricket has been included in the meet for the first time this year.

Events and venues: Shooting - BKSP, athletics - Banani Army Stadium, swimming - Mirpur National Swimming Pool, basketball - Mirpur Shahid Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium, kho kho - Outer Stadium, kabaddi - Kabbadi Stadium, 20/20 cricket - Bogra and Rajshahi, and volleyball - Dhaka and Gazipur.

The BOA acting secretary general informed that Olympic Council Asia (OCA) has donated US$ 20,000 to BOA for the Games.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the South Asian Olympic Committee (SAOC) will be held on February 22 in the capital with BOA president and Army Chief Gen. Moeen U Ahmed in the chair. Representatives of the nine member countries will attend the meeting.

The West Bengal sports team will arrive here on February 20 to participate in the five-day Indo-Bangladesh Bangla Games that will begin on Feb 22.

After the first reception at Benapole to be accorded by the BDR, the touring Indian contingent on their way to Dhaka by road will be given separate receptions at Jessore, Magura, Faridpur, Rajbari and Manikganj by the respective district administrations and DSAs.

V-Day Club Cup Football begins today: Abahani Limited play Badda Jagarani in opener

UNB, Dhaka

The Protiti Pharma Victory Day Club Cup Football Tournament, organised by Dhaka Mohammedan SC, begins today (Wednesday) at 6 pm at the Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS).

Special Assistant to Chief Adviser Mahbub Jamil will formally inaugurate the meet as chief guest.

The tournament, earlier scheduled to begin on Saturday (Jan 26, was deferred by the organisers by four days due to inclement weather.

Various socio-cultural organisations will put up colourful display prior to the opening match between popular Abahani Limited and Badda Jagarani Sangsad.

Private satellite channel ATN Bangla will telecast live the opening ceremony and four matches -- Abahani Limited vs Muktijoddha Sangsad KC, two semi-finals and the final.

On the eve of the meet, tournament organisers Mohammedan SC arranged a 'ball-signing ceremony' at the club premises today (Tuesday) with the participation of former national players. Later, the signed balls will be distributed among some lucky spectators.

Tournament committee chairman Zakaria Pintu, former national team captain Kaiser Hamid, and former national players Nakib Ahmed, Rumman Bin Wali Sabbir and Abdus Salam Morshedi, among others, were present at the ball-signing ceremony.

Eight metropolis clubs split, into two groups, are taking part in the tournament. Participating clubs: Dhaka Mohammedan SC, Arambagh KS, Victoria SC and Youngmen's Club Fakirerpool (group A); and Dhaka Abahani Limited, Muktijoddha Sangsad KC, Dhaka Wanderers Club and Badda Jagarani Sangsad (group B).

Rate of ticket for VIP enclosure has been fixed at Tk 100, west gallery Tk 30 and east gallery Tk 20. Tickets will be available at the stadium counters on the match day.

However, school children showing their ID cards will be given free entry for the east gallery.

Partial fixture:

Jan 31: Arambahg KS vs Victoria SC 3 pm at BNS

Muktijoddha SKC vs Dhaka Wanderers Club 5 pm at BNS

Feb 1: Mohammedan SC vs Youngmen's Club 5 pm at BNS

Feb 2: Muktijoddha SKC vs Badda Jagarani 3 pm at BNS

Abahani Limited vs Dhaka Wanderers Club 5 pm at BNS

Feb 3: Arambahg KS vs Youngmen's Club 3 pm at BNS

Mohammedan SC vs Victoria SC 5 pm at BNS

Feb 4: Badda Jagarani vs Dhaka Wanderers Club 3 pm at BNS

Abahani Limited vs Muktijoddha SKC 5 pm at BNS

Feb 5: Victoria SC vs Youngmen's Club 3 pm at BNS

Mohammedan SC vs Arambagh KS 5 pm at BNS.

West Indies U-19 team arrives in city

UNB, Dhaka

The West Indies Under-19 team arrived here Tuesday evening to play four one-day matches against Bangladesh Under-19 team as part of their preparations for the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup to be held in Malaysia in February.

The 18-member squad comprises 15 players and three officials. Smith is leading the side, accompanied by Larry Gomes, the 54-year old former West Indies international, as coach.

The first two matches of the Series will be held at the BKSP in Savar -- Thursday Jan 31 and on February 2.

The 3rd and 4th match will be held at the Narayanganj Osmani Stadium (NOS) on February 4 and 6.

Meanwhile, the Nepal U-19 team leaves here today (Wednesday) after losing the three-match one-day series 2-0 against their Bangladesh counterparts.

The hosts outplayed the young Nepalese side by 111 runs in the first one-day match at the Narayanganj Osmani Stadium (NOS) on January 24, while the 2nd one-day match, also at the NOS, had to be abandoned due to rain on Jan 26 (Saturday).

The Bangladesh Under-19 team clinched the series beating the visitors by three wickets in the 3rd and final match at the BKSP ground on Monday.

Kaka named Italian players' player of the year

Reuters, Milan

AC Milan playmaker Kaka was named the Italian players' association player of the year on Monday for leading his side to European Cup glory last May with 10 goals.

The Brazilian was also named best foreign player of 2007 with AS Roma striker Francesco Totti winning the best Italian player award after claiming the European golden boot last season with 26 Serie A goals.

Abahani eyes to clinch Club Cup Football title

UNB, Dhaka

Abahani Limited manager Satyajit Das Rupu Tuesday said their prime target is to clinch the Club Cup Football title.

"The second position is meaningless for Abahani as Abahani always fights for the first position," he told UNB.

Abahani manager said they are quite serious about the tournament and want to begin with a win over Badda Jagarani Sangsad. "The boys are also very serious and will give their best in the tournament."

Replying to a question, he said their preparation prior to the tournament is satisfactory as "we passed the last month mostly with matches." There is no injury and card problem in the team, he added.

The sky-blue Dhanmondi outfit made their final practice under team coach Amalesh Sen at the Abahani ground on Tuesday afternoon.

Senior Div Football: Purbachal beat City Club

Sports Reporter

Purbachal Parishad beat City Club by a solitary goal in the day's lone match of the Senior Division Football League at the Kamlapur Bir Sreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Stadium on Tuesday.

Shahadat of Purbachal Parishad scored the all-important goal in 26th minute of the play.

Today Dhaka Wanderers Club will take on Youngmens Club Fakirapool at 1.15 PM while Agrani Bank Limited SC will face Jatrabari KC at 3.15 PM at the same venue.

Keraniganj Cricket

League begins on Feb 1

Sports Reporter

The Keraniganj Model Town Cricket League begins on February 1 at the Kalindi Cricket Ground and Nekrosebagh Cricket Ground in Keraniganj.

Kalindi KC will arrange the cricket meet. A total of 45 local clubs are taking part in the cricket competition.

Racial charges dropped against Harbhajan

Reuters, Sydney

India spinner Harbhajan Singh has been cleared of racial abuse after the charges against him were dropped, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) told Reuters today.

Harbhajan was originally suspended for three matches after being found guilty of racially abusing Australian all-rounder Andrew Symondsduring the second test.

The BCCI told Reuters the more serious charge of racial abuse had been downgraded to a lesser charge of using abusive language at today's appeal hearing in Adelaide.

"The racial abuse charges have been dropped," BCCI board secretary Niranjan Shah said.

"It is finished. The punishment is only for using obscene language."

Maradona primes Chelsea for Royals rumble

AFP, London

Diego Maradona has fired up Chelsea going into Wednesday's clash with Reading at Stamford Bridge-the Hand of God intervening to make the visitors' trip even more daunting.

Maradona, who knows Chelsea manager Avram Grant of old, stunned the Blues players by turning up to watch training at the west London club's Cobham complex on Monday.

And though the 47-year-old did not take part, the former Argentina striker who has been troubled by drugs misuse and other health problems, buoyed the English Premier League title chasers as they prepared to tackle the Royals.

"He is a legend, a hero for everyone, and a fantastic player," Blues striker Andriy Shevchenko told the club's website, after he and midfielder Michael Ballack returned to training.

"He has had a difficult life, but he is doing well now. He looks good, he has lost a lot of weight, and feels much better. He plays some golf like me, but I can't play much right now. Now I start to train and feel good."

Maradona watched on as Petr Cech lost a "crossbar challenge" game before the goalkeeper to return to the changing rooms in just his gloves and underpants as a forfeit.

The Blues are third in the Premier League table, four points behind leaders Manchester United and Arsenal. Reading, meanwhile, are 14th, two points above the relegation zone.

The training ground arrivals at Chelsea and Reading summed up the gulf between the Blues and Royals.

While the man often considered the game's greatest player rolled into Cobham, at Hogwood Park, Reading boss Steve Coppell unveiled new signing Jimmy Kebe, whom he has seen on video and said needs to improve.

The Mali winger was bought from French Ligue One strugglers Lens, and has been grafting away on loan at Ligue Two side Boulogne.

"Our scouts' reports were all positive but he is not the finished article. He is going to need work and have to adjust to the English style of football," said Coppell, who bought the 24- year-old for an undisclosed fee.

"I haven't seen him live, although I have seen tapes. We have had right-side problems and he can play right or left.

"He has pace, which I always like, and it was an opportunity to bring another player in."

Besides Czech midfielder Marek Matejovsky, also acquired for an undisclosed fee, Kebe is the only January transfer window arrival at the Madejski Stadium as they battle against the drop..

At the other end of the table, Nicolas Anelka, Chelsea's big January signing, is targeting a clean sweep of Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup silverware.

"I hope this season that my wait will come to an end and I will have more trophies," said the France striker, signed from Bolton for 15 million pounds (30 million dollars).

"It's a strange feeling for me because it's like another world at Chelsea to where I was. I was fighting against relegation and now I am fighting to win things.

"It will be very difficult for us to win everything, but that is our aim."

Chelsea, already through to this season's League Cup final, have won their last eight matches, a 2-1 victory at Wigan on Saturday sending them through to the FA Cup fifth round.

Reading, by contrast, have gone seven games without victory, winning just two of their last 14 games and were beaten 2-0 at home by Manchester United in their last game, on January 19.

The Royals, who have never won at Stamford Bridge, have to look back to a second-tier 3-1 win in 1930 for their last league victory over Chelsea.