Security around Indian cricketers "has been beefed up" in Brisbane owing to the hostage crisis in Sydney with the Board of Control for Cricket in India keeping a "close watch" on the unfolding events there. BCCI Secretary Sanjay Patel: "We are constantly in touch with Cricket Australia top bosses. We are monitoring the situation closely and security of our players is paramount. The players are in Brisbane and everything is normal there. However, the security of the Indian team has been beefed up considerably. We have been informed by Cricket Australia that additional police forces have been deployed with the Indian team." An armed man "took undisclosed number of people hostage at a popular cafe in Sydney" on Monday (PTI, 12/15). ... National Rugby League side Parramatta CEO Scott Seward "has expressed serious concerns for his players' welfare after the Eels were drawn to play six interstate games, including three consecutive matches away from home, when the NRL fixtures were released on Monday."
The Eels "will play every interstate team away from home for the second consecutive year despite pleas to the NRL to lessen their travel burden" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 12/15). ... Taking strong exception to the Int'l Field Hockey Federation's (FIH) "weak" censure to Pakistani players for their "obscene behaviour" after beating India in the Champions Trophy semifinal, Hockey India on Sunday "decided that it would not host any event sanctioned by the world body until strong punishment is handed out to the offenders."
The Pakistani players "made obscene gestures towards Indian fans and media after their win last night but no action was taken against them" by the FIH after their coach Shahnaz Sheikh offered an apology.
HI President Narinder Batra: "It was a shameless and condemnable incident but the FIH took a very weak and feeble decision. It is not acceptable to us. We have made it clear to FIH that such sort of behavior from sportspersons is not acceptable to Indians" (PTI, 12/14). ... An Australian Football League anti-doping tribunal has been told that Essendon players "exchanged text messages about 'Thymo' injections they received from sports scientist Stephen Dank during the club’s fateful 2012 season." The hearing "is being conducted behind closed doors in a Melbourne courtroom" following objections by lawyers for the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority and the players to media coverage of the proceedings. The hearing "will run for three days this week" and is scheduled to resume on Jan. 12. The players "are provisionally suspended until the case is determined" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 12/16).
