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Women poised to take India sports to the next level

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Apart from cricket,India has long been seen as an underachiever on the international sporting stage, as demonstrated by a 71st ranking in the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, a surge in the participation of women in a wide range of sports could help change this.

The number of registered women football players in India grew from 8,683 in 2016 to 37,829 last year. Participation in national javelin championships rose from 31 juniors in 2019 to 137, while in shooting, the number of female competitors jumped from 1,033 to 2,181 over the same period. At the Asian Games, women won just 36% of India’s medals in 2002; by 2023, that share had climbed to 43%.

Taruka Srivastava, who represented India in tennis at the 2010 Asian Games, has witnessed these changes first hand.

“If you look at the Paris Olympics and the athletes that emerged in their sports, you will see more women than men,” she told DW.

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“When I look at the state of Uttar Pradesh where I come from, most of the top athletes are women.”

Role models

As well as the cricket team that won the 2025 ICC World Cup and became household names, there are footballer Manisha Kalyan, and Olympic medallists such as Manu Bhaker (shooting), Mirabai Chanu (weightlifting), P.V. Sindhu (badminton) and Lovlina Borgohain (boxing) for aspiring athletes to look up to.

Manisha Kalyan about to kick a ball
Manisha Kalyan (right) is one of India’s most famous footballersImage: Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images

Annesha Ghosh, a Mumbai-based sports documentary-maker believes that Indian women are now benefiting from groundbreakers from an earlier generation.

“Women and athleticism were never part of a same sentence by default because the subcontinent has largely been run on patriarchal lines, but the arrival of female role models has made a difference,” Ghosh told DW. 

Ghosh added that even the cricket World Cup winners have cited badminton legend Saina Nehwal, who won bronze at the 2012 London Olympics, as an inspiration. There was also tennis star Sania Mirza, who won six major titles in a decade-long professional career.

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“From a visual perspective, Mirza was breaking so many stereotypes, a woman – a Muslim woman – playing a sport and wearing a skirt. If you belong to certain communities, you are especially perceived a certain way, and Mirza had to contend with judgment on that front too,” added Ghosh.

“She lived on her own terms on and off the court. She was a real badass. When I was growing up, I thought, ‘who is this woman, dominating the court and taking on rubbish questions from journalists.’”

Media and perception

Stars like Mirza helped to change perceptions in the country.

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“This is especially important in rural areas as most of the women who started their athletic journeys are from villages or small towns, not the major cities,” Srivastava said.

Sania Mirza about to strike a tennis ball
Sania Mirza won six major titles in women’s doubles and mixed doublesImage: picture alliance/ZUMA Press

“When these women saw other women winning medals and saw their stories in the media, it changed the mindset of many. Families saw that girls could take up sports as a potential career.”

Public Support

According to Ghosh and Srivastava, there are now more women in boardrooms and involved in policymaking, including former athletes such as Mary Kom. The ex-boxer, who won bronze at the 2012 Olympics, was a member of parliament from 2016 to 2022. 

The government has also encouraged the private sector to get involved while at the same time providing direct support.

According to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s website, his government has distributed sports equipment to over 11,000 youth clubs and conducted over 180,000 early talent assessments, through various programs.

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ASMITA. launched in 2021 by the sports ministry, stands for “Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women Through Action” and is aimed at empowering women in sports by creating more leagues, opportunities, and platforms for female athletes across India – especially those that are underprivileged.

Nehwal Saina approaches the net to play a shot
India’s World Cup-winning cricket team have described badminton legend Nehwal Saina as a role modelImage: Lu Binghui/Imaginechina/imago images

In 2025, 852 league competitions across 15 sports disciplines took place through ASMITA, involving 70,000 female athletes, a rise of 17,000 from 2024.  

“It’s about breaking barriers,” Raksha Khadse, minister of state for youth affairs and sports said of ASMITA. 

“It is a powerful step towards affirmative action, bringing aspiring women players, including those from tribal and minority communities, right into the spotlight.” 

Srivastava is among those who credit the initiative with removing practical barriers.

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“In the past, state tournaments were sometimes far away and hard to travel to, she said.

“There are now more tournaments for athletes to compete and more events in which to compete nearer to home.”

One example from the world of entertainment has also been a factor. The 2016 movie “Dangal” told the story of the wrestling sisters Geeta and Babita Phogat. Geeta won gold at the 2010 Commonwealth games and Babita took silver. At the time, it was the highest-grossing film in Bollywood‘s history.

“Dangal was a huge success and played a big part in pushing women’s sport into the mainstream, to become part of popular culture,” said Ghosh.

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Lovlina Borgohain
Lovlina Borgohain won a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021Image: Themba Hadebe/picture alliance/AP

“Story-telling is important and there were stories being told by Bollywood, which is huge in India.”

2036 Olympic bid

Now the challenge for India is to maintain this momentum, according to Baljit Rihal, sports agent and founder of players agency Inventive Sports.

“The foundation is there,” Rihal told DW.

“The key now is scale. If India wants this to become a lasting legacy rather than a moment in time, investment needs to increase significantly, particularly in facilities, coaching, long-term development and safeguarding.”

The city of Ahmedabad is to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and Prime Minister Modi hopes the capital of his home state of Gujarat will win the right to host the Summer Olympics six years later – something that would stand to benefit female athletes, not only through the construction of new facilities.

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“You have to uphold Olympic values, do justice to what the Games stand for and the IOC (International Olympic Committee is big on gender equality,” said Ghosh, before noting that the journey is long from over.

“Sport can be a soft power to the world and India is standing on a goldmine of potential talents.”

Edited by: Chuck Penfold

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Report: 76ers trading Jared McCain to Thunder for first-round pick, three second-rounders

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The defending NBA Champions are adding to their roster.

McCain has experienced a sophomore slump in his second year in the NBA, after bursting onto the scene as a rookie in 2024-25.

The 21-year-old is averaging 6.6 points, two rebounds and 1.7 assists on 38.5 per cent shooting through 37 games this season.

Last campaign, he was a Rookie of the Year favourite before going down with a torn meniscus. McCain averaged 15.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 46 per cent shooting in 23 games in 2024-25.

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McCain became expendable in Philadelphia after the 76ers drafted VJ Edgecombe third overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.

The move also provides them with the flexibility to bring Quentin Grimes back in free agency and convert two-way guard Dominick Barlow, per Charania.

The Thunder sit first in the NBA at 40-11.

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'The rebuild of myself' – Wilder opens up on mental health struggles

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Former world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder opens up about his mental health struggles, and says he’s now “at peace” before his fight against Derek Chisora on 4 April at London’s O2 Arena.

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Naoya Inoue called out by new US world champion: “I’ll be first to beat him”

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Naoya Inoue remains as one of boxing’s pound-for-pound superstars and the Japanese phenomenon may finally move up to featherweight this year. There, each of the 126lb champions are hoping to be selected as his opponent, but none more so than a newly crowned titleholder from the United States.

Inoue has ruled at light-flyweight, super-flyweight, bantamweight and super-bantamweight over the course of his 32-fight career, becoming undisputed at both 118lbs and 122lbs as one of just three multi-divisional undisputed champions in the four-belt era.

However, despite a legacy-defining showdown with Junto Nakatani on the horizon, many fans in the United States are keen to see Inoue fight on American soil and to do so in the featherweight division.

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Now, after registering a knockout of the year contender in a world title win in his hometown, WBC featherweight world champion Bruce Carrington informed Sean Zittel that he would accept a fight with ‘The Monster’ over possible title unifications.

“It [the fight with Inoue] is very realistic now and I am super excited for what is to come. These next two years are going to be really special, we are going to be making a lot of noise and I think that it is right there, it is on the cusp of happening.

“Everything is really falling into place for me, man. I really want to be the first guy to do it, to beat Inoue, and then we are going to be on that road, superstardom level.

“[I would rather] a fight with him [than unifications], because with the unifications, I feel like I could still do that regardless, after [fighting Inoue]. I think that the fight with him is something that I want more, because it would just put me on that level.

“Me beating him would put me on a certain level, over the unification fights, honestly.”

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Carrington then went on to explain why he believes that the interest in that bout should not be one-sided, declaring that Inoue should be seeking events across the pond in order to improve on his star power.

“He should have some interest in fighting in America as well, that will make him into an even bigger fighter if he becomes more successful with more fights here and builds his name.”

Should Inoue wish to debut at featherweight in the U.S. then Carrington sticks out as the obvious candidate and with his New York roots, a clash at Madison Square Garden makes sense for both men, providing Inoue comes through his meeting with Nakatani unscathed.

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Deontay Wilder storms out of interview over Tyson Fury questions: ‘I’m not gonna talk about him!’

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Deontay Wilder stormed out of an interview on Wednesday after taking issue with a line of questioning about Tyson Fury, one of his biggest rivals, ahead of a press conference with upcoming opponent Derek Chisora.

On 4 April, Wilder will box Chisora in a heavyweight main event at London’s O2 Arena, in what is expected to be Chisora’s final fight as a professional.

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At 42, Britain’s Chisora is a seasoned veteran, while former world champion Wilder is similarly experienced at 40. But while Chisora has been enjoying a resurgence recently, winning his last three bouts, Wilder is in must-win territory after going 2-4 in his last six contests.

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The American, seen as arguably the most-devastating puncher of his generation, was on a frightening run of unanswered victories until 2018, when he secured a controversial draw with Fury. In 2020, Fury stopped Wilder to take the WBC title from the “Bronze Bomber”, before replicating that result in a third clash in 2021. Since then, Wilder has stopped Robert Helenius and Tyrrell Anthony Herndon but lost to Zhilei Zhang and Joseph Parker.

But his past with Fury cropped up again this week, when Wilder accused the Briton of having cheated during their rivalry. This was put to Wilder before Wednesday’s press conference with Chisora, as the American was questioned by TalkSport host Simon Jordan.

“I don’t want to talk about him,” Wilder told Jordan, who replied. “No, you’re going to.”

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“We’re here about Derek Chisora,” Wilder pushed back. “We’re not gonna talk about him [Fury] at all. I’m not gonna talk about him at all. Understand that.”

“No, fair enough,” Jordan said, in a bid to cool an intensifying atmosphere, with Wilder responding: “Alright then, so let’s move on. It’s all about Derek Chisora, that’s it. I’m back, baby! You all understand that? 4 April, it’s going down at the O2, you better be there or you’ll be a square.”

Deontay Wilder (right) takes on Britain's Derek Chisora on April 4th (Getty Images)

Deontay Wilder (right) takes on Britain’s Derek Chisora on April 4th (Getty Images)

“I understand that, I understand that,” said Jordan. “Fabulous. The only reason I mentioned it is because it’s part of the shtick that goes with you, and I missed you the first time around, when you came in here three years ago – when you were in your pomp four years ago, doing ‘Bomb Squad!’ and all that sort of stuff.

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“And I have always wanted to have a conversation with you, because you’ve made observations about Fury. I have my views on Fury, and you’ve called him a cheat.”

“The biggest in boxing!” Wilder exclaimed, before making accusations against Fury, who is due to emerge from his fifth retirement when he boxes Arslanbek Makhmudov on 11 April. Fury has always denied any accusations against him.

“But it leads me to a conclusion,” Jordan followed up. “I want to put something to you about you, and Fury just happens to be the hook for it. You talked about being cheated in that fight, you talked about water being spiked.”

“Facts,” said Wilder, before Jordan added: “You talked about your [ring walk] outfit being too heavy for you.”

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Deontay Wilder accused Tyson Fury of cheating during their trilogy fights between 2018-2021 (Getty Images)

Deontay Wilder accused Tyson Fury of cheating during their trilogy fights between 2018-2021 (Getty Images)

“I didn’t say that,” Wilder claimed. Jordan went on: “You talked about a long count [by the referee in the first fight with Fury].”

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After Wilder said “facts” once more, Jordan continued: “It sounds to me, given the character you are, that’s a little bit flaky. You lost those fights, and those fights were lost, and you saying someone like Fury cheated you in those fights is kind of disappointing to me.”

“Because I know the truth!” shouted Wilder. “I have the facts. Understand that […] Because when the documentary and everything starts to come out, I’m gonna show everything.” Earlier in the week, Wilder had similarly referenced a documentary he is apparently working on.

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“I’m not a Fury fan,” Jordan said, as Wilder stood up from his chair and walked towards the host, with security holding back the boxer.

“I don’t give a f*** about that!” Wilder shouted. “I don’t give a f*** about it! I said we didn’t want to bring him up in the first place. It ain’t got s*** to do with him!”

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Wilder’s last fight was his stoppage of Herndon in the seventh round in June, while Chisora’s was his decision win over Otto Wallin in February 2025.

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Chisora vs Wilder will mark each man’s 50th fight as a professional.

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3 mistakes Tony Khan must avoid on this week’s AEW Dynamite

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Tony Khan will present tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite from Las Vegas this week. The show will take place at the Pearl Theater at Palms Casino Resort, and fans have high expectations for it. AEW has announced a stacked lineup of stars for the show, including some big-time matches featuring top AEW names.

As of now, Tony Khan has announced four big showdowns for the event. Hangman Page will take on Mark Davis in a singles clash. Apart from that, Andrade and Kenny Omega will also square off in a big matchup. Moreover, MJF will take on Brody King in an AEW World Title Eliminator Match. Additionally, Jack Perry and Ricochet will also clash over the AEW National Title. There are several other top stars like Kris Statlander and Jon Moxley expected to appear on the show.

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In this article, let’s take a look at 3 mistakes Tony Khan must avoid on this week’s AEW Dynamite:

#3. A clear decision for the Andrade and Kenny Omega match

Andrade will face Kenny Omega tonight on AEW Dynamite. It is a much-anticipated showdown between the two stars following El Idolo’s attack on The Cleaner on Dynamite’s 6th Anniversary last year. However, both stars are brimming with momentum as of late in the Jacksonville-based promotion. Besides, Andrade and Omega are top contenders for the AEW World Championship.

Therefore, Tony Khan can create a solid storyline involving the two stars down the line. However, a defeat to any one of them could destroy their momentum. Hence, instead of giving this match a clear closure, there should be a screwed ending for this showdown. It would help Khan to keep this feud open without affecting anyone’s credibility and momentum in the company.

#2. No follow-up on Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford’s title quest

Last week, on AEW Dynamite, Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford came down the aisle to give a staredown to the AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander and the AEW World Women’s Tag Team Champions Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron. That moment alone shone a massive spotlight on Bayne and Ford, sparking interest from a lot of fans in their work down the line.

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However, if Tony Khan did not give any follow-up to that intense staredown, it would make last week’s segment meaningless. Instead, the AEW President should book Bayne and Ford in some sort of confrontation with The Babes of Wrath and Kris Statlander. Besides, fans have been clamoring to see Megan chase the AEW Women’s World Title. Therefore, it sets up a golden opportunity for AEW to build Megan Bayne to the top.

#1. Another loss to Jack Perry on AEW Dynamite

Jack Perry will challenge the champion Ricochet for the AEW National Championship tonight on AEW Dynamite. It is a rematch between the two stars after their last title match on 31 December 2025, AEW Dynamite. Perry made his return to AEW last year following a prolonged hiatus. However, he has not achieved anything big since then in the company.

He has already faced a defeat against Ricochet on Dynamite, and another loss could heavily impact his credibility. Therefore, Tony Khan should crown Perry a new National Champion tonight. The Lightskin Kingpin has already managed to have a decent run with the title. The Scapegoat has the potential to heavily elevate the prestige of the championship down the line.