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Wrestler Vinesh Phogat arrives at Delhi’s IG Stadium to participate in selection trials for Asian Games
New Delhi [India], May 30 (ANI): Wrestler Vinesh Phogat arrived at the Indira Gandhi Stadium here early on Saturday morning to participate in the Asian Games 2026 selection trials after the Supreme Court on Friday permitted the Olympian to compete while expressing concern over judicial interference in sports administration matters. saltysenoritaaz.org
Phogat will compete in the 53kg category during the trials, although she has participated in the 50kg category in her last few international events, including the Paris Olympics 2024.
Women CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) personnel and RAF (Rapid Action Force) have been deployed at IG Stadium for the Asian Games women’s selection trials.
As directed by the Delhi High Court, Aditi Chauhan from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and M.M. Somaiya from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) will be present as observers during the trials at the IG Stadium.
Earlier on Friday, while granting interim relief to Phogat, the Supreme Court also sought her response to the petition filed by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) challenging her participation in the trials. The matter is scheduled to be heard next on Monday, June 1.
In its May 22 order, the Delhi High Court had directed that Phogat be allowed to participate in the selection trials scheduled for May 30 and 31.
The High Court further ordered that the trials be video-recorded and conducted under the supervision of independent observers appointed by the SAI and the IOA to ensure transparency in the selection process.
The directions were issued by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia while hearing Phogat’s appeal against an interim order passed by a single-judge Bench.
The single judge had declined to grant interim relief in her pending writ petition challenging the WFI’s selection policy as well as a show-cause notice issued against her.
Phogat had challenged the WFI’s Asian Games Selection Policy dated February 25, 2026, and a subsequent circular dated May 6, 2026, which restricted eligibility for the selection trials to medal winners from specified domestic tournaments held in 2025 and 2026.
According to the order, Phogat informed the International Testing Agency (ITA) in December 2024 that she was taking a sabbatical due to pregnancy and intended to return to competition later. She gave birth to her first child in July 2025 and resumed training thereafter.
The ITA subsequently confirmed that she would be eligible to compete from January 1, 2026, onwards.
The Court observed that due to her maternity-related absence, Phogat could not participate in the championships that formed the basis for eligibility under the WFI policy, resulting in her exclusion from the selection trials.
The Bench prima facie found the policy and circular to be arbitrary and discriminatory, as they restricted participation only to medal winners from specific events, thereby excluding athletes like Phogat.
The Court also made strong remarks against observations made by the WFI in the show-cause notice issued to Phogat over the Paris Olympics 2024 weigh-in controversy.
Referring to remarks describing the incident as a “national embarrassment," the Bench termed the observations “deplorable" and said they appeared vindictive and premeditated, particularly when the Court of Arbitration for Sport had already observed that there was no wrongdoing on Phogat’s part.
At the same time, the Division Bench clarified that it had not expressed any final opinion on the merits of the case and that the pending writ petition before the single judge would be decided independently on its own merits. (ANI)
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)
“Dream come true”: Anthony Gordon secures 5-year deal with Barcelona
Barcelona [Spain], May 30 (ANI): Barcelona have completed the signing of England forward Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United on a five-year contract, securing one of the Premier League’s most dynamic attackers as coach Hansi Flick continues to reshape the club’s frontline.
The Catalan giants announced that the 25-year-old winger has signed until 2031 after establishing himself as one of the standout performers in European football during his spell at Newcastle.
According to ESPN, Barcelona agreed to pay an initial fee of EUR70 million, with the deal potentially rising above EUR80 million through performance-related add-ons. The Spanish champions moved swiftly to secure Gordon’s services amid interest from Bayern Munich and Liverpool.
Born in Liverpool’s working-class district of Kirkdale, Gordon began his football journey in Liverpool’s academy before crossing the city divide to join Everton at the age of 11. He made his senior debut for Everton as a teenager and went on to become a key figure for the club, helping them avoid relegation before earning a move to Newcastle in January 2023.
At St James’ Park, Gordon flourished into one of the Premier League’s most influential wide players. He finished his first full season with 12 goals and 10 assists, earning Newcastle’s Player of the Season award, and continued to impress with his pace, dribbling ability and relentless work rate.
Speaking at his presentation in Barcelona, Gordon described the transfer as the fulfilment of a childhood ambition.
“This is the biggest club on the planet," he said, as per ESPN. “It’s the stuff I dreamed of as a child. It really is a dream come true to be here."
“I know it comes with a lot of responsibility, but like I said, I’m ready for this kind of challenge, ready for that responsibility," she said.
The England international also revealed he had been learning Spanish in anticipation of one day joining the club.
“I wanted to speak Spanish because, as a kid, I believed I would play for Barca, believe it or not," Gordon said, adding, “I have a Spanish physio in Newcastle, and we spoke every day, and I told him one day I’ll play for Barca, so I want to learn Spanish."
Gordon now departs for the FIFA World Cup with England before linking up with Barcelona ahead of the new season, where he is expected to join an attacking unit featuring Lamine Yamal and Raphinha as the club targets domestic and European success. (ANI)
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)
‘Had to remain positive, patient’: Rodrigues on her 69-run knock against England
Jemimah Rodrigues said it was important for her to keep a positive mindset after stabilising an early wobble to take India to a match-winning total of 188-7, which was enough to beat England by 38 runs in the first T20I on Thursday.
“T20 is all about momentum. It was important to be positive and patient,” said Rodrigues after walking in at 7-2 and scoring a 40-ball 69.
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ready for India? Sangakkara delivers his verdict
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s performance against world class bowlers in the IPL is an indicator that he is more than ready to play for India, said Sri Lankan legend and Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara.
The 15-year-old had a phenomenal first full season in the IPL as he aggregated 776 runs at a staggering strike rate of 237.31. He could well end up as the leading run getter of the tournament if Shubman Gill or Sai Sudharsan don’t surpass him in the final on Sunday.
Having taken the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Kagiso Rabada and Pat Cummins to the cleaners over the course of the two-month long competition, Sooryavanshi has reinforced the popular belief that he is rarest of rare who would serve India for long.
After endorsements from former cricketers including the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, Sangakkara too indicated that the left-hander is ready for the highest level.
“You never know if anyone’s ready until they play. And with everything Vaibhav’s shown against some of the best bowlers in the world, I think he’s more than ready to take on any challenge that you throw at him. And I’m sure that he’ll get that call-up very, very soon,” said the Sri Lankan after Royals’ exit from the IPL.
“He’s batted with a lot of maturity, he has shouldered the responsibility of that opening partnership so well for us this season,” he added.
India’s next T20 assignment is in Ireland late June and there is a strong likelihood of Sooryavanshi making his international debut in that series.
After a 29-ball 97 in Eliminator, the teenager switched gears for 96 off 47 balls on Friday night, showing he can adapt if the situation demands.
“Yeah, I thought he batted brilliantly. It was a much tougher batting innings with wickets falling around him and he held his nerve and really got us to a defendable total. The guy, for 15 years old, is very mature, he reads the game really well, he reads situations well and he’s got no fear.
“I think we are very, very proud of the season that he’s had and we just want to make sure that he keeps going, keeps that intent, keeps that no-fear attitude and keeps growing. I think he’s going to be even better as the years go by,” said Sangakkara.
How do Royals plan to look after Sooryavanshi in between IPL seasons?
“We all will have a plan for all our players, individually, fielding, fitness work, any skill work that we think they need. So for Vaibhav, it won’t be different.
“We’ll sit down with our medical team and then go through what he might need and then support him. We’ll run our camps, he’ll have enough practice opportunities in Nagpur (Talegaon) with us. So we’ll be keeping a very close eye, not just on Vaibhav, but all our players,” he said.
Asked if he would coach a carefree soul like him differently to others, Sangakkara added: “We don’t clutter his mind too much. He comes to all our team meetings, he contributes, he listens, and he does a lot of homework. He practises well and he reads bowlers well, he watches their videos and prepares himself really well.”
“Coaching at this level is not always just technical input. Overloading people with information is never good. So we keep things pretty simple when we can.
“So we don’t want to put any unnecessary thoughts into his head. I think a clear mind, batting with that courage is exactly what we want to see of him. And yes, any batter getting hit, any cricketer getting hit, it is scary, but I’m glad that he’s okay," said the former Sri Lanka captain referring to the blow on the opener’s helmet in Qualifier 2.
Watch: Riyan Parag scolds Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in dugout; 15-year-old cries after RR's Qualifier 2 loss
Cricket fans across social media platforms started questioning Riyan Parag’s attitude once again as a viral video shows the Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper giving some lessons to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in their dugout during their match against the Gujarat Titans (GT) on May 29.
RR has been eliminated from the play-offs, as they failed to protect their total of 214 runs. GT skipper Shubman Gill’s century took the team safely to the finish line, defeating Rajasthan by 7 wickets to secure a spot in the final of the IPL 2026 season. In the final, the Gujarat Titans will be up against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on May 31 in Ahmedabad.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was more than extraordinary against the Gujarat Titans
On the pitch of the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, where pacers were getting extra bounce in the first innings, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi displayed another spell of extraordinary batting.
Some of his shots on the back foot were out of the world. The 15-year-old batter was dismissed after scoring 96 off 47, supported by eight 4s and seven 6s.
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Donovan Ferreira’s late cameo did the rest of the job to secure a well over target of the 200-run mark. The Protea all-rounder remained not out for 38 off 11, powered by four 6s and a couple of 4s. Despite all the carnage RR did in the first innings, it went in vain as Shubman Gill played a 104-run knock, supported by his opening partner Sai Sudharshan’s 58.
Watch Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in tears
Cudnt capture few secs before this but kiddos lips were trembling 🥲nahh poor kid 😭 https://t.co/OiTXCtgDBB pic.twitter.com/4a1Tgc3gEy
— Kofta archer (@freekachandan67) May 29, 2026
Riyan Parag is again in the trend for the wrong reason
Despite the match result, there is no denying that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was the brightest performer in the do-or-die match. Meanwhile, the skipper of RR, Riyan Parag, lost his wicket for only 11 runs off 6 balls.
After the match, a video of Parag and Sooryavanshi started to surface on various social media platforms, where viewers can see Parag intensely telling something to the emerging batter. From the expression of the teenager, it is clear that whatever the skipper had said was not very pleasant.
“Riyan Parag is giving Vaibhav Sooryavanshi full-on attitude and lectures in the dressing room, but the moment they step onto the field, all his bravado deflates,” the caption of the ‘X’ post reads.
Riyan Parag ड्रेसिंग रूम में Vaibhav Sooryavanshi को पूरे एटीट्यूड के साथ ज्ञान दे रहा है, लेकिन मैदान के अन्दर जाते ही खुद इसकी हवा निकल जाती है।#iplseason2026 pic.twitter.com/IdR1iixUo1
— Kᴀᴘɪʟ Gᴏᴜʀ (@GaurBulandshahr) May 29, 2026
Contrasting batting stats of Sooryavanshi and Parag
For most of the IPL 2026 season, most of the fans were not happy with Parag’s attitude on and off the field. The middle-order batter of RR had to deal with inconsistent form, injury problems, and controversy as well. He was alleged to have been vaping inside the dressing room during an IPL 2026 match.
Parag concluded the season with 309 runs in 14 matches and as many innings, averaging 23.76, with a strike rate of 157.65. At the same time, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who holds the orange cap, aggregated 776 runs in 16 matches for an average of 48.50 and a staggering strike rate of 237.30.
Read More: "He doesn't": Riyan Parag drops blunt verdict on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi following RR's elimination in IPL 2026