In a first, the BCCI has "banned its players from visiting casinos
during the limited overs tour of Australia." The instruction was relayed
to the team "during their bus ride from Brisbane to Melbourne, the
venue of the third one-dayer against Australia, on Sunday." The decision
to impose the ban "was taken" by BCCI President Shashank Manohar and
Secretary Anurag Thakur. The Indian team is staying at a five-star hotel
in Melbourne, "whose complex houses one of the most famous casinos of
Australia." The BCCI did not want to take the risk of cricketers
inadvertently meeting the "wrong people," or being seen at a place which
could be construed as inappropriate for a national cricketer (INDIAN EXPRESS, 1/17). ... FIBA and leading European national federations -- France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Russia, Spain and Turkey -- agreed on the following conclusions: National Federations support the joint project of FIBA and Domestic Leagues for the creation of the Basketball Champions League, which promotes sporting criteria, protects the domestic championships and strengthens the development of European basketball; France and Italy have confirmed that their clubs will participate only in competitions organized jointly by FIBA and Domestic Leagues. Other are expected to follow suit (FIBA). ... Pakistan Cricket Board Exec Committee Chair Najam Sethi has "flatly ruled out the possibility of Pakistan touring India" until the BCCI fulfills the conditions set by the MoU signed between the two boards in '14. Sethi said, "They will have to fulfill what they owe us this year or the next (before we can tour India). They owe us four home series, and Pakistan gets to host the first one" (DNA INDIA, 1/17).
