ಫ್ರಾನ್ಸ್ ಮಣಿಸಿದ ಪೋರ್ಚುಗಲ್ ಯುರೊ ಕಪ್ ಚಾಂಪಿಯನ್

ಪ್ಯಾರಿಸ್: ಕ್ರಿಸ್ಟಿಯಾನೋ ರೊನಾಲ್ಡೋ ಗಾಯಗೊಂಡು ನಿರ್ಗಮಿಸಿದ ಬಳಿಕವೂ ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿಯುತ ಆಟ ಪ್ರದರ್ಶಿಸಿದ ಪೋರ್ಚುಗಲ್ ತಂಡ ಹೆಚ್ಚುವರಿ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಎಡರ್ ಗಳಿಸಿದ ಆಕರ್ಷಕ ಏಕೈಕ ಗೋಲಿನ ನೆರವಿನಿಂದ ಪ್ರಸಕ್ತ ಸಾಲಿನ ಯುರೊ ಕಪ್ ಚಾಂಪಿಯನ್ ಆಗಿ ಹೊರಹೊಮ್ಮಿದೆ.ಭಾನುವಾರ ರಾತ್ರಿ ನಡೆದ ರೋಚಕ ಪಂದ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಆತಿಥೇಯ ಫ್ರಾನ್ಸ್ ತಂಡವನ್ನು ಪೋರ್ಚುಗಲ್ ತಂಡ 1-0 ಗೋಲುಗಳ ಅಂತರದಿಂದ ಮಣಿಸಿ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿಯನ್ನು ತನ್ನ ಮುಡಿಗೇರಿಸಿಕೊಂಡಿತು.

Russian whistleblower Yulia Stepanova waits on Rio, Sebastian Coe wants more to come forward

The IOC has opened the door to the possibility of Russian whistleblower Yulia Stepanova competing as a neutral athlete at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The IOC says it is asking its ethics commission for "advice" on the issue and will then decide whether Stepanova's participation "merits an exception to the rules of the Olympic Charter".Until now, the International Olympic Committee has said Stepanova would have to compete under the Russia flag. Stepanova, an 800-metre runner who served a two-year doping ban, helped expose the widespread cheating in Russia that led the IAAF to ban the country's track and field athletes from global com petition, including the Olympics.The IAAF granted Stepanova "exceptional eligibility" to compete as a neutral athlete, but not under the Russia flag.She's now exiled in the United States.Elsewhere, in an interview with a journalists in Amsterdam, Sebastian Coe launched a fresh plea for athletes to turn informants should they encounter doping. Stepanova herself served a two-year doping ban before she and her husband Vitaly made startling revelations about state-sponsored doping in Russian athletics."She fulfilled the eligibility criteria set down by the IAAF taskforce and anti-doping review board and the invitation was at the behest of European Athletics," Coe said."Without her support and the evidence she gave the taskforce, we would not have understood as much about the challenge to be confronted.

Indian challenge ends as Paes-Hingis out of mixed doubles

LONDON: India's miserable campaign at the Wimbledon ended as defending mixed doubles champions Leander Paes and Martina Hingis were knocked out in the third round by scratch pair of Britain's Heather Watson and Finland's Henri Kontinen, who played their first match together.The Brit-Finn pair beat the 16th seeded Indo-Swiss pair 3-6 6-3 6-2 in a well-contested three-setter.What would be embarrassing for the Paes-Hingis pairing would be the fact that their opponents were playing the first match of the tournament having got walkover in the first two rounds.Paes and Hingis had completed a mixed doubles Grand Slam after their French Open victory having captured the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open titles in 2015.Watson and Kontinen reached the third round without getting walk-overs from Louisa Chirico and Denis Kudla in the first round followed by Bruno Soares and Elena Vesnina who also didn't play in the second round encounter.

Antoine Griezmann double sends determined France to Euro final

MARSEILLE: Antoine Griezmann took up the mantle as challenger-in-chief to Cristiano Ronaldo with two goals that crushed world champions Germany and saw France into Sunday's Euro 2016 final against Portugal.A penalty awarded seconds before half-time caused turmoil in the German camp. Griezmann took his chance and added a second strike to extend his lead as the tournament's leading scorer and become France's new football hero."He's our little Mr Extra," said fellow striker Olivier Giroud after the dramatic win before 65,000 spectators on a hot Thursday night in Marseille.
France's first victory over their rivals in a major tournament since 1958 came out of a controversial penalty decision at the end of the first half.

2006 World Cup was like winning the Nobel or an Oscar: Gianluca Zambrotta

Gianluca Zambrotta is not yet 40, but it's already two seasons since he last got on the field as a footballer. He's a coach now.A coach with as much gold on his CV as an ex-player can hope to have. He is regarded one of the greatest Italian wing backs as well as full back, at the right and the left of the field, was a most versatile and dynamic player - something he wants to bring to the table at Delhi Dynamos, the Indian Super League team he has signed up to coach for the next couple of seasons as replacement for Roberto Carlos. Having Zambrotta around can only be a good thing for a football team.

Long live the legend of Federer

On 3 July Lionel Ritchie was performing one of his rare solo concerts at the O2 arena in London. And Ritchie, the performer that he is, started off the concert saying, "If you see the person you love with someone else and feel very hurt and depressed, all you do is go home and switch on your music system.Put on your CD. Your cassette and call on Lionel Ritchie". The thunderous applause showed he was right. Only there were a few thousand at the O2.There are many more thousand around the world who do the same to their television sets every time Roger Federer plays. Every point won by Federer is celebrated as an act of bonding, a moment of triumph that lifts peoples across the world.And again against Marin Cilic on Wednesday it was no different. Only, it was extra special with Federer pulling off a miracle from two sets to love down and 0-40 down on serve in the third set.
It was as if Wimbledon did not want Roger to loose, his fans were determined he wins and the tennis gods had decided to conspire against Cilic at the right time. By the end of it all, it was a Roger Federer show that made SW19 come alive for the umpteenth time.
When the almost invincible Novak Djokovic was downed by Sam Querrey the common refrain at SW19 was can Federer take advantage of the draw and win that coveted 18th Slam. It was as if people weren't disappointed for Novak.

Cristiano Ronaldo sounds final bugle after Portugal defeat Wales to enter title clash

The ball soared in front of the goal and Cristiano Ronaldo jumped, his body hanging in the air for what felt like one beat, two beats, three beats, four. His chest was pitched. His back was arched. His eyes were forward, locked on the target.
Then, just as a Slinky hops down a staircase - its coils bending in one direction before whipping forward over the threshold - Ronaldo simply unspooled. The contact was flawless.
A sweetly struck free kick or a long, dipping drive has poetry, but there is nothing quite like the way a ball compresses when it rebounds from a man's skull. Ronaldo snapped his neck, and the ball, as if it had engines attached, whizzed past the goalkeeper and rippled the net.
The Wales defenders, beaten, dropped their heads. Ronaldo, gleaming, took off running. It was a sumptuous goal on a largely bland evening, but it was the opening that was needed. Portugal, led by Ronaldo, their enigmatic captain, secured a place in the final of the European Championships with a 2-0 victory over Wales on Wednesday at the Stade des Lumieres. Ronaldo, who tied Michel Platini's record of nine career goals in the Euros, will now have another chance to deliver a first major tournament trophy to Portugal, 12 years after he and his teammates lost in the final of the 2004 Euros. For Wales and their superstar, Gareth Bale, the loss was an agonising end to a surprising run that has captivated a nation and beyond."The players are gutted," Wales Manager Chris Coleman said. "It still hurts." No one could argue that Wales's run was anything less than remarkable. For Portugal, however, the scale was different, and winning this match meant something else.Portugal's players celebrated at the final whistle, but there were no histrionics or wild dances. Portugal has made it to at least the quarterfinals of every Euros since 1996, and this was their third semifinal appearance in that span, all strong performances that ultimately ended without a trophy.

Saina Nehwal honored for Australian Open win

NEW DELHI: Rio-bound Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal was honoured by Hyundai Motor India Ltd by gifting her the 1st anniversary edition of Indian Car of The year - Creta in an event here today.
The vehicle was gifted to the Olympic bronze medallist in celebration of her winning the Australian Open Championship in Sydney last month."It is an honor and wonderful experience for me and I would like to thank Hyundai for honoring me with the 1st Anniversary Edition of Creta. It's motivation for every athlete to receive the recognition for his/her hard-work and achievements," Saina said.
"I am quite confident and will give my best efforts in upcoming tournaments to bring pride to my nation and fellow countrymen."The 26-year-old is amongst the most decorated athletes in the country having won Arjuna Award, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Padam Shri and Padam Bhushan.

दक्षिण अफ्रीका को हराकर वेस्टइंडीज त्रिकोणीय सीरीज के फाइनल में

ब्रिजटाउन: डेरेन ब्रावो के करियर के तीसरे शतक और शैनन गैब्रियल की शानदार गेंदबाजी से वेस्टइंडीज ने त्रिकोणीय वनडे क्रिकेट सीरीज में कल रात यहां दक्षिण अफ्रीका के खिलाफ करो या मरो वाले मैच में दक्षिण अफ्रीका को 100 रन से हराकर फाइनल में प्रवेश किया जहां उसका सामना ऑस्ट्रेलिया से होगा।