The Malaysian National Sports Council intends "to make it compulsory for athletes from all sports in the country to undergo regular medical check-ups following the sudden death of cager Jacky Ng Kiat Kee recently" (THE STAR, 7/31). ... Stung by the "stringent criticism from some shuttlers over the way player auctions for the upcoming Indian Badminton League were conducted recently," the Badminton Association of India and the league’s organizers "have barred players from talking to the media." A source said, "It has been decided that only BAI President Akhilesh Das Gupta and commercial partner Sporty Solutionz CEO Ashish Chada will issue statements. Clauses have been inserted into the contracts for officials and players" (PTI, 7/31). ... London Paralympics Silver Medalist H. N. Girisha on Wednesday accused the Sport Ministry of "not keeping its promise of giving him a 'Class-1 Executive Officer' job with the Sports Authority of India after his achievement at the Paralympic Games" in the U.K. last year. Girisha said, "Before the Olympics, the Sports Ministry announced that whoever will win a medal in London would be given a Class-1 Executive Officer job in SAI. But I still haven’t got a job" (PTI, 7/31). ... The High Performance Centre at the University of Pretoria in South Africa "will fast-track budding athletes -- thanks to a generous donor who wishes to remain anonymous." HPC CEO Toby Sutcliffe said that the undisclosed amount will go toward "the establishment of an athletics academy." Sutcliffe said, "Eventually there will be 100 learners in the program, each covered for between R140 000 and R150 000 ($14,000-$15,000) per year" (SOWETAN LIVE, 7/31). ... Bodin Issara's club Granular "will appeal the shuttler's two-year ban by the Badminton Association of Thailand for his ugly on-court brawl with his former doubles partner Maneepong Jongjit during the Canada Open final" (SHANGHAI DAILY, 7/30).
