Ferrocious!!!

Cheers @mid_day

How much does it take to understand the character of a man? It’s been a few years (Jan-June 2023) since our finest wrestlers were dragged onto the streets, a stone’s throw from Parliament, while the government looked on with the rapt attention of watching a reality TV show. Who doesn’t know Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh? Don’t we understand the stripes of the beast? It lurks in society. Insecure men, used to getting what they want, barking commands while an army of uneducated foot soldiers act on their behalf. Men like these usually don’t have a spine. Brought up in a culture where women remain in the shadows, they can’t fathom women on a wrestling mat; they want control there too. Touch and feel are lesser crimes to them. They want to control your soul, because that is their calling card to the outside world: fear, intimidation, and your career and life held like a steering wheel in their hands. You are a puppet. No less. The world watches this theatre. No one reacts. Those who support this are cut from the same cloth; intimidation is their weapon of choice. For Vinesh Phogat, in a normal world, a just society, she would be a rock star, feted at every step. It’s a tragedy that between her and the wrestling world changing in India, the difference was a mere 100 grams. The difference between getting a new order and dispatching the old. A gold or a silver might have changed the trajectory of how we perceive these feudal lords sitting over National Sports Federations. For every medal won, how many souls get crushed? How much self-respect and dignity does one lose in the process? But look closely, and you realize this is a global script. From Larry Nassar and the complicit executives at USA Gymnastics who silenced young girls for decades to protect their brand, to the “monster” coaches in South Korea’s short-track speed skating who battered Olympic champions in the dark while bureaucrats looked away, the rot is identical. These fiefdoms always operate on the same blueprint: tolerate the abuse, reward the tyrant, and protect the system as long as the medals keep coming. The fallout we see today is just the bursting of a boil that has been festering for decades. Such a contrast: A world aligning itself to AI also has a rogue still living in a feudal mindset. Sadly, it has taken the High Court to order correctness. While the Sports Ministry sat silent, the Delhi High Court had to step in to stop a vindictive federation from blocking Vinesh’s comeback after her maternity break. When the WFI callously labeled her Olympic heartbreak a “national shame” in a show-cause notice, the court fired back with standard human decency: “Motherhood is celebrated in this country... Do not act out of vengeance.” Neither the Sports Ministers nor the so-called ‘literate’ bureaucrats had the balls to say “enough is enough” until forced by a bench. How much of ‘us’ do we lose to these medieval minds? Till when must we count the number of women wrestlers who dare the system against the endless numbers we lose to the ones who simply give up? Postscript: South Korean Speed Skating coach Cho Jae-beom was sentenced to more than ten years for sexually assaulting double Olympic gold medallist Shim Suk-hee. Judge sentenced Larry Nassar to 40 years to 175 years in prison. USA Gymnastics agreed to pay (2021) the survivors $380 million. The Justice Department agreed to pay $138.7 million to settle claims that the FBI failed to conduct adequate investigations of Nassar’s conduct. #vineshphogat #wrestling #womeninsport @Phogat_Vinesh

"Yes, the ball is coming out nicely for sure. But that was the case last year and before that. It’s just a matter of time and wickets. You take wickets, everything looks good. I’m not doing anything different." - @BhuviOfficial to @mid_day after his heroics in #RCBvMI. There's a good bit about the amazing six he hit too. mid-day.com/sports/cricket…

#MiddayExclusive | Jemimah Rodrigues reunited with early supporter Ronnie D’Souza in Goregaon, reflecting on her journey from rink hockey in Malad to cricket success. She gifted him a signed Team India jersey as thanks. D’Souza supported her early career and remains known in Mumbai’s rink hockey circuit for encouraging young talent. ✍🏻: @SonalisSociety

The difference between India and New Zealand in this T20 World Cup final was the Indian opening partnership between Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. It was worth 98 runs and India won by 96 runs #T20WorldCup2026final

A lovely gesture by the Mumbai Cricket Association to have a honours board for sportswriters inside the pressbox at the Wankhede Stadium

South Africa did to India in the Super 8 stage what India did to Pakistan in the league stage. It was a NO CONTEST #ICCMensT20WorldCup2026

@manujaveerappa It's a burning issue, alright. Hope the authorities take notice. Take care, Manuja.

Journalists r treated with respect at sporting venues down South but North doesn’t stop shocking. Dropped boiling water on my hand, went to ambulance, no doctor, found doctor he didn’t have burnol. Finally turned to the K’nataka dressing room #RanjiTrophy #UPCA #Ekana

Indian women's cricket team seems to be earning a reputation of stealing defeat from the jaws of victory. Earlier loss to South Africa could/should have been avoided as was today's defeat to Australia after scoring over 300 runs. #WomensWorldCup2025

Haar ke jeetnewaley ko Baazigar kente hai, Jeet ke haarnewaley ko Bangladesh kehte hai. #AsiaCupT20 #PAKvsBAN #Cricket

After watching some of the other Indian batters not faring too well against Bangladesh today makes you appreciate Abhishek Sharma's batting even more. #INDvsBAN2025 #AsiaCupT20 #cricket

Ousman Dembele is the world's best football player #BallonDor winner.

This is where #DashrathManjhi spent 22 years to split open a mountain and make a passage, as his wife had died because he couldn't take her to hospital in time because of no connectivity. #Bihar #Gehlor

India hockey star @manpreetpawar07 dedicates #AsiaCupHockey title to people of Punjab, battling devastating floods: "This triumph is for every victim fighting to rebuild their life, and to the selfless volunteers. Your spirit is our inspiration." Such a good soul he is.

@JaspritSingh09 @asia_hockey @FIH_Hockey @TheHockeyIndia @BSSABihar Truly a GOOD MORNING!!!

It was almost like the sunrise knocked at my door today morning and asked me to come out and witness beauty at its majestic best with one of the loves of my life, hockey, as the central theme on nature's canvas. Thank you, Rajgir.

3pm game starts at 3:30pm. Shows hosts India in poor light #hockeyasiacup2025

#dhadak2review Excellent storyline and good on-screen performances yet the film hasn't done well commercially because the classist and fascist sections of our society do not like it when a mirror is held up to them

Again today same issue. It's becoming a daily feature now @MTPHereToHelp

Terrible traffic on western express highway from Andheri towards Bandra. A 15-minute journey takes 45 minutes and during non-peak hour at 3:30pm. This is happening daily now @MTPHereToHelp

Same story continues... and this has nothing to do with the rain because that has reduced @MTPHereToHelp

Feel sorry for @ShreyasIyer15 ... he should most definitely have been a part of this Asia Cup-bound Indian team. #AsiaCup2025 #AsiaCupsquad