Sport
Russia, Belarus athletes may face Paris 2024 Olympic ban: IOC
Athletes from Russia and Belarus may not be allowed to compete at the Paris 2024 Games over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Craig Reedie said.
The IOC issued guidance to sports governing bodies in February to remove the two countries’ athletes from competition, Reuters reported. Belarus has been used as a staging ground for Russia’s invasion, which Moscow calls a “special military operation”.
“A decision is going to have to be taken on what happens to each of these two countries, and my guess is that the general feeling would be that they should not qualify,” former IOC vice-president Reedie told British media.
“Most people are struggling with how we could achieve some degree of representation, but at the moment, there is no clear way to do it. Therefore, you maintain the status quo.”
Athletes will miss qualification events for Paris as a result of the measures, and IOC President Thomas Bach said in May that Russia’s participation was unclear.
It has, however, not sanctioned or banned Russian members who sit on the IOC from taking part in Olympic meetings and has also not sanctioned the Russian Olympic Committee, Reuters reported.
Of the sports on the Olympic program, only cycling, tennis and judo have allowed Russians and Belarusians to continue to compete but Reedie said he doubted even athletes from those sports would be permitted to participate in qualifying events.
Reedie, former president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), said it would be unrealistic to allow athletes to enter qualifying competitions once they have begun.
“It’s quite difficult halfway through to say, ‘All of you who have now qualified we’ve changed the rules’,” Reedie said.
“So there’s a real issue for the federations, who have a clear instruction which they’ve agreed to that they won’t invite Russians and Belarusians to take part in events.
“On the face of it, it’s unlikely that anybody would qualify other than those three sports which don’t do it that way. And will they be able to qualify (from those three sports)? I’m not sure.”
A Russian doping scandal, involving revelations of a state-backed system across many sports, following the Sochi 2014 Olympics led to Russian athletes competing as neutrals at the Games as part of IOC sanctions.
Sport
SRH dominate Royals as Kishan shines in IPL clash
Sunrisers Hyderabad produced a commanding all-round performance to defeat Rajasthan Royals by 57 runs in their Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter on April 13.
After posting an imposing total of 216/6, Hyderabad’s bowlers backed up the effort with a clinical display, dismissing Rajasthan for 159 in 19 overs.
The standout performer was Ishan Kishan, who was named Player of the Match for his explosive 91 off 44 balls, anchoring SRH’s innings and setting up the victory. On the bowling side, Sakib Hussain and Praful Hinge delivered decisive spells, each claiming four wickets to dismantle the Royals’ batting line-up.
Despite a fighting 69 from Donovan Ferreira, Rajasthan struggled to keep pace with the required run rate and ultimately fell well short.
CSK vs KKR – Action Continues Today
Attention now turns to today’s IPL fixture as Chennai Super Kings take on Kolkata Knight Riders in what promises to be a high-stakes clash.
Chennai will look to capitalize on their experienced core, while Kolkata aim to continue their strong campaign with an aggressive batting approach and versatile bowling attack.
Fans in Afghanistan can watch the match live and exclusively on Ariana Television, which continues to bring IPL 2026 coverage to viewers across the country.
With both teams pushing for crucial points in the standings, another thrilling contest is expected.
Sport
ACB holds high-level meeting with new national team head coach
Officials exchanged views on preparation structures, player management, and coordination between departments ahead of future international assignments.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has held a comprehensive introductory meeting with newly appointed national team head coach Richard Pybus, bringing together senior officials and key technical departments to discuss the future direction of Afghan cricket.
The meeting was led by ACB Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan and included heads of domestic cricket, international cricket, the selection committee, and the high-performance centre. National team captains Hashmatullah Shahidi and Ibrahim Zadran also took part in the discussions.
According to the board, the first part of the session focused on outlining the long-term strategic vision for Afghanistan cricket, including performance goals and development pathways for the national team.
The head coach then led detailed technical discussions with department heads, seeking input on planning and execution for the upcoming national team training camp in Kabul. Officials exchanged views on preparation structures, player management, and coordination between departments ahead of future international assignments.
The ACB described the meeting as productive, noting that it reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen communication between coaching staff and technical units as the team prepares for a busy international schedule.
Sport
Afghanistan U-17 football team ends CAFA campaign with 3–2 loss to Tajikistan
Afghanistan’s under-17 national football team concluded their 2026 CAFA U-17 Championship campaign with a 3–2 defeat against Tajikistan in their final match.
The team had previously registered two losses and one draw in their earlier three fixtures of the tournament.
The Central Asian competition, featuring five countries including Afghanistan, is being hosted by Uzbekistan and is scheduled to conclude on April 13.
The championship serves as a development platform for youth football in the region, offering players valuable international exposure while allowing national federations to evaluate emerging talent.
Fans across Afghanistan can follow the matches live on Ariana Television.
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