Others

Testosterone in Sports: A Controversial IssueTestosterone, a sex hormone produced by both men and women, has become a contentious topic in the world of sports. While men naturally produce significantly higher levels of testosterone, women can also have elevated levels due to conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome.In sports, testosterone can enhance bone and muscle mass, making it a potential performance-enhancing substance. However, the extent to which it boosts performance remains a subject of debate. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) acknowledges that there is no scientific consensus on the matter.The issue gained prominence at the 2021 Tokyo Games with the participation of Laurel Hubbard, the first openly transgender woman to compete in an Olympic event. To qualify, she had to maintain testosterone levels below 10 nmol per liter for at least 12 months. Despite meeting the requirements, her participation drew criticism.In 2022, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif was disqualified from the boxing world championships due to elevated testosterone levels. However, the International Boxing Association (IBA) has since stated that she did not undergo a testosterone examination but was subject to a separate test with confidential specifics.The IOC has taken responsibility for organizing boxing at the Paris Games due to governance issues at the IBA. IOC spokesman Mark Adams emphasized that all participants in the women's event comply with eligibility rules and that testosterone levels alone cannot determine eligibility.The controversy surrounding testosterone in sports highlights the complex interplay between biology, gender, and athletic performance. While it is essential to ensure fair competition, it is equally important to avoid discriminatory practices based on natural variations in hormone levels.

Palestinian Athletes Embody Resistance Amidst Gaza ConflictAs the Paris Olympics approach, eight Palestinian athletes will carry the weight of their nation's struggle on their shoulders. Their participation symbolizes the resilience and determination of a people facing adversity.The athletes' journey to Paris has been marked by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Since October 2022, Hamas attacks on Israel have escalated tensions, resulting in the deaths of thousands of civilians. The conflict has also devastated Gaza's infrastructure, including hospitals, making it difficult for athletes to train and receive proper medical care.Despite these challenges, the Palestinian athletes have persevered. They have trained tirelessly, determined to represent their country with honor. Their participation in the Olympics is not only a sporting event but also a political statement."You are not just athletes, you are also ... symbols of Palestinian resistance," said Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, Palestinian authority minister of state for foreign affairs.The athletes' presence in Paris will serve as a reminder of the ongoing suffering in Gaza. They will use their platform to highlight the human toll of the conflict and advocate for peace."Through this participation, we want to present the suffering of the Palestinian people and the unprecedented killing taking place in Gaza," said Jibril Rajoub, head of the Palestinian Olympic committee.The athletes' journey to Paris has been fraught with obstacles. Majed Abu Marahil, a long-distance runner who competed in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, died in June due to kidney failure. Gaza's hospitals, overwhelmed by the conflict, were unable to provide him with adequate treatment.Despite these setbacks, the Palestinian athletes remain undeterred. They are determined to compete with pride and represent their country with dignity."Getting athletes to Paris is already a victory," said Rajoub.The eight athletes will compete in various disciplines, including athletics, swimming, archery, taekwondo, judo, and boxing. One athlete qualified through regular channels, while the others received special invitations.Among them is Valerie Tarazi, a 24-year-old swimmer with US and Palestinian nationality. Tarazi has won titles at the Arab Games and is determined to use her platform to raise awareness about the situation in Gaza."My heart aches for them," she said of the Gaza people. "Being in Paris on behalf of Palestine is a very important thing."The Palestinian athletes' participation in the Paris Olympics is a testament to their resilience and determination. They will carry the hopes and dreams of their nation on their shoulders, inspiring the world with their courage and unwavering spirit.

Bollywood Stars Who Traded Sports for StardomIn a recent interview, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan revealed his past as a tennis enthusiast. The actor, who was once a part of the Maharashtra State Championship, had to give up the sport at his father's request. This revelation has shed light on the hidden athleticism of many Bollywood celebrities who once pursued professional sports before embracing the world of cinema.Deepika Padukone: Badminton ProdigyDeepika Padukone, known for her roles in films like "Piku" and "Padmaavat," was a national-level badminton player under the guidance of her father, Prakash Padukone, a badminton legend. She gave up the sport at age 16 to pursue modeling and acting.John Abraham: Football StarJohn Abraham, who will soon be seen in "Vedaa," was a professional football player in his youth. He played as a center forward in the Indian A-Division. His passion for football continues through his co-ownership of NorthEast United FC, a team that is making waves in Indian football.Saqib Saleem: Cricket AspirantSaqib Saleem, known for his role in "83," played cricket until he was 20. He aspired to play for the Indian national team but couldn't fulfill his dream. However, he got to live it out on screen in the film.Aparshakti Khurana: Cricket CaptainAparshakti Khurana, who has starred in films like "Stree" and "Luka Chuppi," was the captain of the Haryana Under-19 cricket team before becoming an actor.Rahul Bose: Rugby RepresentativeRahul Bose, known for his roles in "Midnight's Children" and "Bulbbul," represented India in rugby for 11 years. He is now the President of the Indian Rugby Football Union.These actors have demonstrated that athleticism and artistic talent can coexist. They have left a mark not only on the big screen but also on the playing field, inspiring others to pursue their passions in both sports and entertainment.

The highly anticipated 2024 Paris Olympics are set to commence on July 26 and conclude on August 11, with 206 nations participating from across the globe. The event will feature 45 sports, including 41 mainstay Olympic disciplines and four new additions: breaking, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing.India aims to surpass its tally of seven medals from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which included a gold, two silver, and four bronze. The country will send approximately 120 athletes to Paris, representing various sports.In archery, Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai, Pravin Jadhav, Bhajan Kaur, Deepika Kumari, and Ankita Bhakat have secured spots. Athletics will see Akshdeep Singh, Vikash Singh, Paramjeet Singh Bisht, Priyanka Goswami, Avinash Sable, Parul Chaudhary, Jyothi Yarraji, Kiran Pahal, Tajinderpal Singh Toor, Abha Khatua, Neeraj Chopra, Kishore Jena, Annu Rani, Sarvesh Kushare, Praveen Chithravel, Abdulla Aboobacker, and the men's and women's 4x400m relay teams competing.Badminton will feature H.S Prannoy, Lakshya Sen, P.V Sindhu, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Ashwini Ponappa, and Tanisha Crasto. Boxing will be represented by Nikhat Zareen, Amit Phangal, Nishant Dev, Preeti Pawar, Lovlina Borgohain, and Jaismine Lamboria.In equestrian, Anush Agarwalla will participate in dressage. Golf will see Subhankar Sharma, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Aditi Ashok, and Diksha Dagar. The men's hockey team will include P.R Sreejesh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rogidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Sanjay, Rajkumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, and Gurjant Singh.Judo will feature Tulika Mann, while rowing will have Balraj Panwar. Sailing will see Vishnu Saravanan and Nethra Kumanan. Shooting will be represented by Prithviraj Tondaiman, Rajeshwari Kumari, Shreyasi Singh, Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Raiza Dhillon, Maheshwari Chauhan, Sandeep Singh, Arjun Babuta, Elavenil Valarivan, Ramita Jindal, Swapnil Kusale, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Sift Kaur Samra, Anjum Moudgil, Arjun Cheema, Sarabjot Singh, Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwam, Vijayveer Sidhu, Anish Bhanwala, and Esha Singh.Swimming will have Dhinidhi Desinghu and Srihari Nataraj. Table tennis will feature Sharath Kamal, Harmeet Desai, Manav Thakkar, Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula, and Archana Kamath. Tennis will see Sumit Nagal, Rohan Bopanna, and Sriram Balaji. Weightlifting will be represented by Mirabai Chanu. Wrestling will have Aman Sehrawat, Vinesh Phogat, Anshu Malik, Nisha Dahiya, Reetika Hooda, and Antim Phangal.

Sandeep Singh's journey to the cusp of Olympic glory is a testament to his unwavering determination and natural talent. Hailing from a humble background in Punjab, Sandeep's childhood was marked by financial struggles and hard labor. However, his dream of an army career kept him motivated.Fate intervened when Sandeep first held an INSAS rifle at the Indian army's training ground in Fatehgarh. His exceptional marksmanship, producing a 2mm grouping at 300 meters, astounded instructors who recognized his innate ability. Thus began his career as a sports shooter.Despite a stop-start career, Sandeep's recent triumph at the Olympic Selection Trials (OST) has brought him within reach of his Olympic dream. His stunning scores in the 10m air rifle event propelled him to the top of the standings, edging out Olympic quota winners Arjun Babuta and Rudrankksh Patil.Sandeep's success has sparked controversy among his fellow shooters, who argue that his relative inexperience at the international level should disqualify him from Olympic selection. However, Sandeep remains confident in his abilities, citing his maturity and experience in pressure situations.His time spent guarding India's borders at the inhospitable Siachen Glacier has instilled in him a resilience that translates to his shooting performance. The challenges of breathing at high altitudes and the absence of enemy action forced him to focus on his inner strength.Despite a doping suspension and dismissal from the Army Marksmanship Unit, Sandeep's determination remained unwavering. With the support of his Commanding Officer, he resumed training and honed his skills. His consistent scores and match simulations in the lead-up to the OSTs paid off handsomely.Sandeep's Olympic aspirations extend beyond personal glory. He hopes to bring honor to his country and provide a better life for his family. His father, a laborer, has endured years of hardship, and Sandeep is eager to give him a comfortable retirement.

The Delhi Summer Athletic meet at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium concluded on Sunday with a significant number of athletes withdrawing from participation due to the presence of National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) officials.On Friday, the first day of the meet, several athletes either "Did Not Start" or "Did Not Finish" in various events, particularly in throwing events. NADA officials had arrived to collect samples, prompting many athletes to stay away.On Sunday, the exodus continued as more athletes pulled out across events. The women's steeplechase, women's hammer throw, and men's pole vault could not be conducted due to a lack of participants. In the men's hammer, only one athlete competed, while the lone participant in the women's hammer did not report.The men's triple jump saw no medallists as two jumpers withdrew and three registered 'no mark'. In discus, only half of the eight entrants took part. In men's 800m, six out of 19 participants did not start.The most significant withdrawals occurred in the men's 5,000m and boys U-18 1,000m. In 5,000m, only six of the 20 athletes competed, while the 1,000m race saw 14 DNS and three DNF in a field of 25. In women's 5,000m, five of the nine athletes pulled out.The Delhi Athletics Association (DAA), the organizers of the meet, stated that the results may be updated after receiving reports from NADA and the age verification committee. The result of the U18 shot put bronze medallist who evaded the testers has been withheld, and the boys' discus result has also been "withheld" due to complaints of overage.The meet was intended to select the Delhi team for the National Youth Athletics Championships in Chhattisgarh from June 15. The DAA had obtained undertakings from all participants with the names of their coaches, following the Athletics Federation of India's (AFI) announcement that coaches would also be punished if an athlete is suspended for doping.India has recorded the highest number of doping offenders in the world in 2022, according to a recent World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) report. India tested 3,865 samples that year, and 125 returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF). India is also the second worst country in doping cases among minors, as per a 10-year study conducted by WADA, behind Russia.

The Indian men's hockey team suffered a disappointing 1-4 defeat against Belgium in their second match of the European leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24. Despite a valiant effort, India was unable to overcome a strong Belgian side that dominated the match from start to finish.In the opening quarter, Belgium showcased their attacking prowess, but India's defense held firm, absorbing the pressure and preventing any clear-cut chances. As the quarter progressed, India began to gain momentum, pushing Belgium back into their own half. However, both teams failed to break the deadlock, and the first quarter ended goalless.The second quarter saw Belgium take the lead through Felix Denayer, who found space inside the area and finished from close range. India responded with a penalty corner, but Harmanpreet's shot was well-blocked by the Belgian goalkeeper. Despite repeated attacks, India was unable to find an equalizer before halftime.After the break, India started aggressively, but Belgium's defense remained resolute. The third quarter saw plenty of action on both ends, but it was Belgium who doubled their lead through Alexander Hendrickx, who successfully converted a penalty corner.With 15 minutes remaining, Belgium extended their lead to 3-0 through Cedric Charlier, who scored a fine field goal. India finally got on the scoreboard through Abhishek, who found the back of the net in the 55th minute. However, Belgium sealed the victory with a penalty stroke converted by Hendrickx in the 60th minute.The match marked a significant milestone for Jarmanpreet Singh, who completed 100 international caps for India. Despite the defeat, India will look to bounce back in their next match against Great Britain on Sunday.