Sports Shorts: Schumacher now communicating with family by fluttering eyelashes

After surviving a near fatal accident, Formula One star Michael Schumacher is now showing signs of revival. A report has revealed that he is now communicating with his family members by fluttering his eyelashes.

The recovery shown by Schumacher may allow him to go back home soon but he will still require round-the-clock medical care to recover completely, reported the Mirror.

- Michael Schumacher won't give up, says family

Doctors who are treating the Formula One star in Switzerland have said that they hope Schumacher will be able to sit upright in an advanced electronic wheelchair, that he can control with his mouth, in a few weeks.

After he is discharged from the medical care facility, Schumacher is likely to occupy a new building in his mansion that has been constructed without stairs, keeping his medical condition in view.

The sport star woke up from a medically induced coma last month after sustaining life-threatening injuries when he smashed his head against rocks while skiing in the French Alps on December 29.

- NEXT: Shooting champion withdrawn after jacket goes missing

Registrations for the 12th edition of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, to be run on  Sunday, January 18, 2015, were launched on Tuesday.

Event ambassador and Bollywood star John Abraham urged people to “sign up, train well and go the distance”.

“The time has come, yet again, for Mumbaikars to come forward and celebrate not just the city’s everlasting spirit and energy but put their best foot forward and participate in India’s most prestigious marathon,” he declared at the launch, which opened registrations for the event’s Full Marathon and DHL Corporate Champions categories.

Physical modes of registration at Standard Chartered Bank branches will close on Saturday, September 20, or whenever running places are full, whichever is earlier.

Depending on availability of running places, registrations through online applications and P.O Box entries for the Full Marathon will remain open until Saturday, November 29 or till running places are full, whichever is earlier.

Registrations for the unique Police Cup category also opened on Tuesday.

The Police Cup is a relay within the Full Marathon, introduced for teams from the Mumbai Police Force. Each Police beat can field only one team comprising four runners (mixed teams allowed) where each team member covers a distance of approximately 10.5 km.

Registrations for the Half Marathon will open at 10.00 am on Wednesday, July 30 and close on Saturday, August 30, while that for the Dream Run  open at 10.00 am on Tuesday, September 2, and close on Saturday, September 6, or whenever running places are full, whichever is earlier.

Registrations for the Senior Citizens Run and Champions with Disability open on Monday, September 8, and close on Saturday, September 20.

Commonwealth Games shooting gold medallist  has been left devastated after being ruled out of competing in Glasgow because her competition jacket was lost en route to Scotland.

Malaysian Ayuni, who won the gold medal with Nur Suryani Taibi in the 10 metre air rifle pairs in New Delhi four years ago, was due to compete in the 10 metre air rifle and 50m rifle prone events.

Team manager Musa Omar said he was left with no choice but to withdraw Ayuni from competition after the missing luggage, believed to be in London, failed to show in time for Monday's registration ahead of Thursday's start of competition.

"She was a gold medallist last time and now she won't even get a chance to compete. It is really painful for her. I just feel so sorry for her," Musa was quoted as saying by Malaysian media on Tuesday.

- Next: Clear cut rules

"We made a report when her bag did not arrive with the other luggage. We waited for three days... today is the last day for us to confirm the names.

"The rules clearly state that a rifle shooter must wear a jacket.

"We tried to borrow one but it did not fit her. We tried to make a new one but she said that she would need two months to get used to it."

Musa said Ayuni had been unable to stop crying and wanted to fly home immediately upon being told she would not be able to compete.

However, Musa said she would have to stay with the team in Scotland and watch Muslifah Zulkifli take her place in the 10m air rifle and Suryani, who competed in the 2012 London Olympics while 30 weeks pregnant, take over for the 50m prone.

"The licence for all her firearms is under her name. We cannot send her back immediately," Musa said.

"This is all so unfortunate. She's taking it badly. She is sad, we are all sad."

Next: Govt mulls over setting up committee to identify potential athletes

Seeking to improve India's medal prospects in international tournaments, including 2016 Olympics, government said it plans to set up a committee of renowned experts to identify potential athletes who can perform well.

Another committee will look into the day-to-day performance of athletes while they train for games, Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal told the Lok Sabha.

Responding to a supplementary by BJP member and Olympic silver medalist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, he said the selected athletes will be provided continued assistance for their intense preparation for Olympics in 2016 and 2020 based on their performance.

Former cricketer Kirti Azad (BJP) said since 2013, he has been listening to similar replies on issues related to sports.

At this, the minister responded that the NDA government was committed to brininging good governance and transparency in sports bodies. He said sports should be above controversy and corruption.

The minister said under the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan, integrated sports complexes will be constructed in every rural block panchayat of the country at a cost of Rs 1.75 crore each.

Next: Pacers aquire Stuckey

Three days after losing one of the National Basketball Association's best young players on the free agent market, the Indiana Pacers gained a welcome boost by signing seven-year league veteran Rodney Stuckey on Monday.

Though Stuckey lacks the all-round talent of fellow shooting guard Lance Stephenson, who opted to leave the Pacers for more money with the Charlotte Hornets, he will certainly give Indiana plenty of athleticism and vigor.

"Rodney is a very talented player who can create and score in a variety of ways," Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird said in a statament.

"We're very happy to get a player with his experience and who has made it very clear of his desire to win."

Stuckey, a 28-year-old who has averaged 13.4 points per game in seven NBA seasons with the Detroit Pistons, is looking forward to a fresh start in Indiana and the chance to compete much more regularly in the playoffs.

"I want to win; I want to go to the playoffs," Stuckey told reporters at Bankers Life Fieldhouse after signing a one-year contract with the Pacers.

"It's not fun having the whole summer to do nothing," said the 6-foot-5, 205-pound guard who reached the playoffs in only his first two seasons with the Pistons.

"I just want to play basketball. This is a good opportunity to come and do that. It's a fresh start and I'm excited for it."

While Bird welcomed the arrival in Indiana of Stuckey, he is still scratching his head over the departure last week of Stephenson, a richly talented 23-year-old who was selected by the Pacers as the 40th overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft.