New Delhi, Aug 17 (IANS): The Indian football team's international friendly against Barbados slated for Wednesday in Bridgetown had to be cancelled after coach Armando Colaco was upset with the mis-management on the part of the Barbados Football Association (BFA).
Though All India Football Federation (AIFF) maintained that the match had to be cancelled since the players were tired after a 23-hour long journey, there was some drama after the team landed at Bridgetown Monday.
There was none from the BFA to receive the team. The AIFF was earlier promised visa on arrival but the team had to wait for a few hours before gettig it. The team management also had to arrange a hotel on their own. Later, BFA officials apologised and took the team to the their designated hotel.
But Colaco was adamant and did not want to play the match as he felt the national team lost precious time to get adjusted to the local conditions. The players and the support staffs were ready to play but Colaco stayed put, prompting the AIFF to call off the match.
"The national coach after consultation with the general secretary, the national team director and the BFA decided under the circumstances that the match may result in unnecessary injuries or health problems for the players," the AIFF said in a statement.
"The AIFF is very conscious that players should not get injured prior to the beginning of the new domestic season and, therefore, in the best interest of the players and the clubs, found it prudent to cancel the match against Barbados," the statement added.
The next two matches against Trinidad & Tobago (August 21) and Guyana (August 24) would be played as scheduled.
New Delhi, Aug 17 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Wednesday refused to hear a public suit seeking to earmark a site in the national capital for holding peaceful protests, saying the plea was "dual" in nature.
"There is a lot on confusion in you petition. The prayer has to be in consonance with your plaeding. One one hand you say that there should be a designated place for such protests. At the same time, you want a ban on such protests in central Delhi," observed Chief Justice Dipak Misra, who was hearing the plea along with and Justice Sanjiv Khanna.
While directing the petitioner to withdraw his petition the Misra said: "Why are you in a double mind? Why is the petitioner in a dual mind? You need to study well and file a fresh a petition."
Sugriv Dubey, counsel for petitioner Abhishek Jain, then withdrew the petition.
Earlier, the petitioner said the government was adopting a pick and choose policy for allowing protests.
"A pick and choose policy is arbitrary," said the petitioner.
He demanded there be a designated spot in the capital for holding peaceful protests.
Referring to the denial of permission for social activist Anna Hazare's protest, the petitioner said the government had violated the fundamental rights of citizens.
The petition was filed in the wake of Hazare's arrest Tuesday, hours before he was to begin a fast-unto-death to demand a stringent anti-graft law. He was released in the evening but refused to leave the Tihar Jail till he was permitted to continue his fast without any conditions.
The bench said: "Had you placed your prayers in the back drop of Article 21, it would have been entirely different."
Article 21 of the constitution states that no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law.