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Tag: Anju Bobby George

  • Sportskeeda gears up for special coverage of 2020 Tokyo Olympics

    Sportskeeda gears up for special coverage of 2020 Tokyo Olympics

    New Delhi: The countdown for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has begun, and fans couldn’t be more excited. The biggest sporting spectacle starts in less than 10 days while adhering to all the necessary Covid-19 protocols.

    Multi-sports platform Sportskeeda, which recently claimed the number two spot on the Comscore sports website rankings in India is also set to bring all the major action from the Olympics. The platform has been previously recognised for its coverage of Olympic Games Rio 2016 by then sports minister Ajay Maken.

    This year, Sportskeeda aims to bridge the gap between the viewers and the on-field action with the latest updates through several avenues like Medal Tally tracker, Live Blogs, Exclusive Videos, Expert Analysis, Feature Articles, SKLive video series, and much more, it announced on Thursday.

    The experts’ panel at Sportskeeda will consist of former Olympics athletes and sporting legends like Anju Bobby George, Srikanth Kidambi, Abhinav Bindra, Vijender Singh, and Somdev Devvarman, along with several seasoned journalists.

    Sportskeeda’s Olympics content head, Suromitro Basu said, “Olympic Sports content has always been a core part of Sportskeeda’s editorial coverage, and we plan to engage our users with engaging content throughout the Games. A pool of top experts, journalists, and athletes will regularly bring out all the relevant narratives covering the whole gamut of India’s contingent and Sportskeeda also offers customized and innovative brand integration/advertising options on its platform, which would enable brands to reach out to a large audience during the event.”

    People all over the world have had to brave several tough setbacks during the pandemic, and that includes Olympics athletes who have spent their whole lives training for this moment. India’s formidable contingent of 119 athletes, with the likes of PV Sindhu, Saurabh Chaudhary, and Neeraj Chopra will be cheered by billions back home as they strive to attain glory at the Games. “Sportskeeda wishes them all the very best for Tokyo, and the Sportskeeda team will be at the forefront, cheering for and celebrating their incredible feats,” he said.

    Founded in 2009, Sportskeeda claims to serve 200Mn+ readers annually and clocks 50Mn+ monthly users with its vibrant coverage of sports like Cricket, Football, Olympic Sports, Wrestling, Esports, and Gaming.

  • Largest-ever contigent for Rio Olympics, Steel Ministry, Reliance Jio, Tata Salt among sponsors

    Largest-ever contigent for Rio Olympics, Steel Ministry, Reliance Jio, Tata Salt among sponsors

    NEW DELHI: In its highest ever contingent, India is sending a total of 119 sportspersons who have qualified for participation in Rio Olympics 2016 to be held from 5 to 21 August 2016.

    A total of 57 sportspersons qualified for participation in Beijing Olympics 2008 and 81 sportspersons qualified for participation in London Olympics 2012.

    Minister Vijay Goel told Parliament today that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has informed that sponsors already committed are Reliance Jio and Edelweiss Financial Services as the Principal Sponsors, Amul, Tata Salt and Herbalife as Associate Sponsor, Li Ning and SBJ as apparel sponsors.

    Preparation for Olympic Games is an ongoing process. Training and competitive exposure to sportspersons preparing for international sports events including Olympic Games are provided under the Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs) and National Sports Development Fund (NSDF).

    (Two sportspersons – sprinter Dharambir Singh and wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt – are being sponsored for the Rio Olympics by the Steel Authority of India Ltd. Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh conferred the SAIL logo and felicitated the atheletes recently. Minister of State for Steel Vishnu Deo Sai, Secretary Steel Ms. Aruna Sundararajan and SAIL Chairman P K Singh and senior officers of the Ministry were also present on the occasion.)

    The Youth Affairs & Sports Ministry does not maintain data about the sponsorship given by private sector and public sector companies directly to the sportspersons and sports bodies for preparation and training of the sportspersons for their participation in international event including Rio Olympics 2016.

    The Ministry has formulated a programme “Target Olympic Podium Scheme” (TOP Scheme) within the overall ambit of the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) with the objective of identifying and supporting potential medal prospects for 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games.

    An Elite Athletes Identification Committee has been set up with Ms. Anju Bobby George, renowned athlete as its chairperson, Pullella Gopichand and Ms. M C Mary Kom as members among others to evaluate and select potential medal prospects for 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games for support under the Target Olympic Podium (TOP) Scheme. Identified medal prospects are being provided financial assistance for their customized training at Institutes having world class facilities and other necessary support under Target Olympic Podium (TOP) Scheme.

    Further, in order to enhance the number of participants in the next Tokyo Olympics, the Government has set up a Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) in Sports Authority of India.

  • Largest-ever contigent for Rio Olympics, Steel Ministry, Reliance Jio, Tata Salt among sponsors

    Largest-ever contigent for Rio Olympics, Steel Ministry, Reliance Jio, Tata Salt among sponsors

    NEW DELHI: In its highest ever contingent, India is sending a total of 119 sportspersons who have qualified for participation in Rio Olympics 2016 to be held from 5 to 21 August 2016.

    A total of 57 sportspersons qualified for participation in Beijing Olympics 2008 and 81 sportspersons qualified for participation in London Olympics 2012.

    Minister Vijay Goel told Parliament today that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has informed that sponsors already committed are Reliance Jio and Edelweiss Financial Services as the Principal Sponsors, Amul, Tata Salt and Herbalife as Associate Sponsor, Li Ning and SBJ as apparel sponsors.

    Preparation for Olympic Games is an ongoing process. Training and competitive exposure to sportspersons preparing for international sports events including Olympic Games are provided under the Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs) and National Sports Development Fund (NSDF).

    (Two sportspersons – sprinter Dharambir Singh and wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt – are being sponsored for the Rio Olympics by the Steel Authority of India Ltd. Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh conferred the SAIL logo and felicitated the atheletes recently. Minister of State for Steel Vishnu Deo Sai, Secretary Steel Ms. Aruna Sundararajan and SAIL Chairman P K Singh and senior officers of the Ministry were also present on the occasion.)

    The Youth Affairs & Sports Ministry does not maintain data about the sponsorship given by private sector and public sector companies directly to the sportspersons and sports bodies for preparation and training of the sportspersons for their participation in international event including Rio Olympics 2016.

    The Ministry has formulated a programme “Target Olympic Podium Scheme” (TOP Scheme) within the overall ambit of the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) with the objective of identifying and supporting potential medal prospects for 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games.

    An Elite Athletes Identification Committee has been set up with Ms. Anju Bobby George, renowned athlete as its chairperson, Pullella Gopichand and Ms. M C Mary Kom as members among others to evaluate and select potential medal prospects for 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games for support under the Target Olympic Podium (TOP) Scheme. Identified medal prospects are being provided financial assistance for their customized training at Institutes having world class facilities and other necessary support under Target Olympic Podium (TOP) Scheme.

    Further, in order to enhance the number of participants in the next Tokyo Olympics, the Government has set up a Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) in Sports Authority of India.

  • Nike expecting three million kids to participate in Joga3 Futsal tournaments

    Nike expecting three million kids to participate in Joga3 Futsal tournaments

    MUMBAI: With the kickoff to the Fifa World cup taking place in less than a month’s time, footwear manufacturer Nike says that it expects its grassroots initiative Joga3 to attract more than three million kids from 39 countries by the end of this summer. This will equal to the number of spectators anticipated at soccer’s world championships in Germany this June and July.

    Nike Joga3 is a three-on-three soccer game inspired by the game of futsal, both of which are played with the smaller, heavier futsal ball on a small, hard-surface field. The smaller ball and field elevate the importance of foot skills, ball control, creativity and quickness.

    Joga3 matches are played on a pitch that is no larger then half a basketball court. The goals are not protected by a goalkeeper and are only five feet wide by 19 inches high. Games last three minutes and there are no ties.

    As of 1 April 2006, Nike estimates that one million kids globally have played Joga3. Regional tournaments are increasing in size and frequency, building toward the global final that will take place in Brazil in August.

    The US final is scheduled for Los Angeles on 9 July. Local and regional market tournaments are currently taking place every week from New York to Chicago to Los Angeles. The tournaments are free and open to boys and girls 19 years and under. In addition to digital and grassroots outreach to spread the Joga3 message, more than 100,000 kits that teach Joga3 have been distributed through soccer specialty retailers throughout the US.

    Kids who participate in Joga3 are expected to play by a code of conduct that includes Skill, Heart, Joy, Honour and Team. The new game and the global tournament are part of the Nike soccer initiative, Joga Bonito (Portuguese for “Play Beautiful”), which is designed to inspire this same code of conduct across all levels of the game of soccer and among all players.

    Nike Soccer global general manager Don Remlinger says, “Much the way the game of futsal has helped hone the foot skills of some of the world’s most talented players like Brazil’s Ronaldinho, Nike designed Joga3 to inspire quickness, speed, creativity, and commanding ball control. Most important though is ensuring that kids learn to play by the code and that they carry these characteristics forward.”

    Nike introduced Joga Bonito to the world in early February through a digital and broadcast television message from soccer legend Eric Cantona that reached more than 38 million people in its first weekend, 10-12 February 2006.

    As had been reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com Nike has made five television commercials featuring famous football players.

    This is a part of Nike’s Joga Bonito (Play Beautiful) campaign. Joy, Team, Honour, Skill and Heart are the values of Beautiful football and the themes of the commercials, which are introduced by Eric Cantona from the studios of JogaTV – the TV station created to spread the Joga Bonito message. Speaking to Indiantelevision.com a Nike spokesperson that the TVCs will air on channels like Ten Sports.

    The spokesperson adds that on the product front, Nike India has just launched the lightest (200 gms) ever football boot. “The Mercurial Vapor IIII is Nike’s most advanced football
    boot ever, while the innovative Vapor System provides the highest level of technical innovation, speed and comfort for today’s fastest football player” the spokesperson adds.

    For the uninitiated in March, Nike had introduced Joga.com, a social network dedicated to people around the world who share a passion for the joy and beauty of soccer. Joga.com enables users to create profiles, pick their favorite players, post their own photos and videos and form global social networks to share, debate and celebrate the heart and soul of soccer. Currently, a new member joins Joga.com every eight seconds.

    In the US, Nike also introduced JogaTV, a new internet TV channel that gives soccer fans a front row seat to exclusive video featuring some of the game’s greatest players. Through technology created by Maven Networks, soccer enthusiasts can download a JogaTV icon, which lives on a desktop for easy access. Each week, Nike delivers Joga Bonito content and automatically updates JogaTV directly on the user’s desktop.

    As far as India is concerned when asked as to whether Nike is looking to use any celebrities to push its products the spokesperson notes that Nike has an association with athletes across the globe. In India, the Nike athletes include Baichung Bhutia, Mahesh Bhupati and Anju Bobby George. “Our athletes obviously wear and endorse our products. All our marketing campaigns are global and hence it is the same campaigns that are executed in India as well.”