TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020 (PAGE 10) DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU Pandemic causing distress Delhi shooting Word Cup cancelled ACA donates Rs 50 lakh in Valley: Footballer Hammad Gopichand donates Rs 26 lakh; Advani, NEW DELHI, Apr 6: due to COVID-19 pandemic NEW DELHI, Apr 6: Shooting Sport Federation after which the NRAI also Dhanraj, Minerva FC chip in Kashmir's familiarity with lockdowns is helping it to (ISSF) and the National Rifle came under pressure from cer- MUMBAI/ GUWAHATI, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh Rs 50 lakh to the CM's Relief cope with the unprecedented global health crisis better but it The shooting World Cup Association of India (NRAI) tain quarters to convey to the Apr 6: State Government. Fund and the Assam Arogya is causing the Valley greater distress than the ones in the scheduled to be held in two decided to cancel the tourna- ISSF, its inability to host the Indian badminton team's The 23-time World Nidhi to help combat the spread past. parts in the national capital in ment. tournament under the current chief coach Pullela Gopichand, Champion in Gilliards and of Novel Coronavirus. There is no simmering anger and feeling of suppression May was today cancelled PTI had earlier reported circumstances. multiple world title holder cueist In a statement, ACA presi- normally associated with lockdowns of the past. owing to the COVID-19 pan- that the NRAI was under pres- Recently, three-time Pankaj Advani, former hockey dent Ramen Dutta and secretary The only thing that they are worried about at the moment demic that has not Olympic medallist captain Dhanraj Pillay were Devajit Saikia said Rs 25 lakh is the COVID-19 pandemic. left any sphere of shooter Rajmond some of the prominent names will be donated to each of the "It is definitely different from the previous turmoil that life untouched. Debevec had also called who made financial contribution fund by the ACA. have taken The World Cup, for cancellation of the in country's fight against The ACA urged all citizens place during originally sched- New Delhi World Cup. COVID-19 pandemic. to follow the advisories of the the last uled to be held from "Olympic Games In India, more than 4000 peo- government regarding the ongo- decade," said March 15-26, was postponed for one year, ple have been tested positive ing lockdown and other steps to Muhammad postponed to May whole India in quaran- with 120 plus losing their lives. check COVID 19. Hammad, barely four days tine, but ISSF still keeps Gopichand, a former All The statement further who is asso- before the start of rescheduled ISSF World England champion donated Rs informed that the ACA has taken ciated with the event. Cup rifle and pistol, 26 lakh with 15 lakh to PM necessary steps to provide one of the "Due to New Delhi, 5th-13th Cares fund while Rs 5 lakh each rations and other requirements to valley's COVID-19 pan- May, in the list of next to both Andhra and Telangana the technical and ground staffs as biggest and demic the New Delhi sure to not organise the tourna- events?" he had written on a State Governments. Snooker thus joined a list of top well as security personnel who most loved Organising Committee has ment in the prevailing circum- social media platform. Advani and Pillay, two of sportspersons comprising master are accommodated in the ACA sporting been forced to cancel stances. Debevec is a gold medallist India's finest in their respective blaster Sachin Tendulkar, India Stadium premise in the city. entities. Rifle/Pistol and Shotgun World The ISSF has also decided from the 2000 Sydney sports contributed Rs 5 lakh each skipper Virat Kohli, Test vice There will be no deduction Hammad, Cups. Both of these were due to call off the combined World Olympics besides being a five- to the PM Cares Fund. captain Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit of pay and salaries of the who plays as a defender at Real Kashmir FC, says the frus- to take place in New Delhi," Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan, time world champion. "A small gesture for a mam- Sharma, Kedar Jadhav, spin wiz- employees of ACA, numbering tration remains the same, though. the sport's world governing which was to take place from The pandemic, which origi- moth cause. Contributed Rs 5 ard Anil Kumble, Suresh Raina 71, the statement added. "It is frustrating as usual as we have witnessed a lock- body -- ISSF -- said in a state- June 22 to July 3. nated in the Chinese city of Lakhs to the PM CARES Fund. and table tennis player G The ACA had already sus- down just months back," he said, referring to the clampdown ment. "The health and safety of Wuhan in Hubei province, has Let's spread awareness, love, Sathiyan, who have donated for pended all its playing and coach- following the revocation of Article 370. After the postponement last our athletes, officials, staff and so far claimed the lives of compassion and the spirit of the noble cause. ing activities last month and has "But again, 'do we have a choice'? Absolutely no. The month, it was decided to hold of all members of our shooting more than 70,000 people while unity for the greater good of Meanwhile, the Assam also offered its stadium here for entire world does not have a choice. Everyone has to deal the tournament in two parts -- fraternity are absolutely para- infecting nearly 13 lakh across humanity. Jai Hind!," Advani Cricket Association (ACA) turning into quarantine facility, if with patience. It is a global issue so the awareness is global, Rifle and Pistol competitions mount," the NRAI said in a the world. tweeted. today announced a donation of needed. (PTI/UNI) too." from May 5-13, while Shotgun statement. In India, the unprecedented I-League football club Kashmir was under clampdown for months after the rev- competitions were set from This comes days after the health crisis has seen the death Minerva Punjab donated Rs 5 Let people write me off, preparing ocation of Article 370 last year, during which time internet June 2-9, later changed to May ISSF cancelled the Munich of more than 100 people and lakh with Rs 2 lakh to the PM and telephone services were suspended. 20 to 29. World Cup in June and the over 4000 positive cases. (PTI) Cares and Rs 1 lakh each to the "So, that also makes this one different from the past shut- However, considering the postponement of the Tokyo for 2021 Tokyo now: Sushil downs, as we are able to access internet and make phone calls situation, the International Olympic Games, developments Australia will struggle to dominate NEW DELHI, Apr 6: Sushil said, "I am not going any- now," said Sandeep Chattoo, co-owner of Real Kashmir FC. where as of now. I have got On expected lines, Khalid Qayoom, who is a midfielder "People have this habit of more time and more time means in the same club as Hammad, agreed with his teammate and China’s twerking high jumper in sub-continent: O’Keefe writing me off every now and better preparation." employer. SYDNEY, Apr 6: On their last Test tour of then but it does not affect me," Making a comeback at the "This is a very different lockdown from what we have Zhang Guowei retires at 28 India, Australia were thrashed by says veteran wrestler Sushil 2019 World Championship, witnessed here from last many decades as this threat is glob- The just-retired Steve Virat Kohli's team and even Kumar, quashing talk of retire- Sushil showed glimpses of the SHANGHAI, Apr 6: Zhang told his 3.4 million fol- al, but the people in Kashmir very much know how to sur- O'Keefe has rued that spinners though they came from behind to ment and insisting that post- form that made him look invin- lowers on the Twitter-like Weibo vive in situations like this," Qayoom said. are not allowed to win matches in win an ODI rubber before the ponement of Tokyo Olympics cible in his prime before he lost China's world silver-medal- on Sunday. Hammad is worried at the increasing number of positive Australian cricket, saying the 2019 World Cup, the Aussies fin- has given him a very good shot steam and made an early exit. list high jumper Zhang Guowei, However, his form and fit- cases for the Novel Coronavirus in the Valley. country will struggle to dominate ished second best in the 50-over at qualifying for his fourth That disappointment is, how- renowned for his flamboyant ness tailed off after his 2015 tri- "People are cautious, are taking necessary precautions in the sub- Games. ever, already behind him. twerking celebrations, has umph and his season's best per- and are not leaving their homes unless an emergency occurs. continent The 36-year-old was strug- "Wrestling is such a sport stunned fans by announcing his formance of 2.28m, set in Italy's "The graph of the cases here has slightly gone up but we until the issue gling to make the cut for the that if you manage to remain retirement aged 28. Siena in February, was some believe in the mercy of God and from here on are expecting is not Olympics, postponed to 2021 injury-free, practice well, set a The colourful Zhang won sil- way short of the Tokyo 2020 a non disastrous outcome," Hammad said. addressed. owing to the global COVID-19 target and work on that, you can ver at the Beijing 2015 World Olympics qualifying standard of The last couple of weeks have been tough for Chattoo.