Sport

Abbas Karimi was born with no arms but the 14-year-old Afghan has ambitions to earn a gold medal for his country in the world Paralympic games.

If he gets the support he needs the teenager will be the first Afghan to represent his county as a swimmer in the games next due to take place in Brazil in 2014.

Afghanistan was late to discover sport for the disabled. The first Afghan athletes to go to the Paralympics, a pair of cyclists, went to Atlanta in 1996.

“I urge people to support me so I can participate in world Paralympics games. I would like to achieve a medal for my country. I also want to be a symbol for those who are disabled like me . My advice is that they should not be depressed about their disability and they should not suffer for being disabled,” said Karimi during a break from a training session in the pool, using his chin for poolside support.

Decades of conflict poverty and neglect prevent a large number of disabled Afghans from pursuing sport. They are often unemployed, and face victimization and discrimination in a society where disability is perceived as a weakness.

Karim’s trainer and Water Polo Federation head Qasim Hamidi has no doubts about the teenager’s talent.

“I urge the government to support Abbas. I challenge that if Abbas gets full support he will be a medal winner for Afghanistan in the 2014 Paralympics 2014 in Brazil,” said Hamidi.

Karimi has mastered many skills to overcome the everyday problems of life without arms in Afghanistan. He uses his feet to eat and drink, use his mobile phone, and can even drive a car.

“At first I was suffering a lot from being armless but when I started swimming and other activities I found myself capable to do everything well. I am now hopeful in my life, by using my feet I do all my work so I don’t have to really worry about anything,” the teenager added.

Karimi is also learning English at the Star Educational Society in Kabul.

His outlook on life, which he writes on a white board in class using his foot is: ‘If you want to do something you can do it.’ He has clearly won the admiration of his classmates.

“Abbas is the talented boy in our class. I can say that he is the most intelligent student of this center. Despite being armless almighty God has given him other abilities and we can see that he is using his abilities very well and does everything,” said one of them, Safiullah Jan.

Abbas, whose father sells cars in Kabul, comes from a large family. He has five brothers and five sisters but he is the only one to be born with a disability.

As a child he says he was supported by his parents but as he has become more confident in his own abilities and continues to explore more of life with his feet, his philosophy - if you want something you can get it - appears to be paying dividends.
 

Hosts India were knocked out of the Women's World Cup with a 138-run defeat by Sri Lanka in their last group match.

Chasing 283, India would have secured a place in the Super Six stage on net run-rate had they made at least 251, but they crumbled to 144 all out.

Sri Lanka, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, who also stunned England in their opening match, had never beaten India in one-day cricket.

Sri Lanka, England and West Indies take two points through to the Super Sixes.

Hosts India were knocked out of the Women's World Cup with a 138-run defeat by Sri Lanka in their last group match.

Chasing 283, India would have secured a place in the Super Six stage on net run-rate had they made at least 251, but they crumbled to 144 all out.

Sri Lanka, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, who also stunned England in their opening match, had never beaten India in one-day cricket.

Sri Lanka, England and West Indies take two points through to the Super Sixes.

 Sri Lanka captain Shashikala Siriwardene said she hoped Indian fans would embrace her side as the last Asian side left in the tournament before her media conference was interrupted by a call from the nation's president, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

"He said he'd never seen a match like this and wanted to congratulate us," said Siriwardene. "He wished us luck for the rest of the tournament."

England had sealed their progress with their earlier win over West Indies, but required India to advance for them to carry forward the maximum of four points.

Group B sides Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are the other three teams to advance.

After finishing bottom of Group A, India will take on Pakistan in a play-off to determine seventh and eighth place.

Protests from a right-wing political party against Pakistan's presence in Mumbai caused all their fixtures to be moved to the city of Cuttack, about 1,000 miles away.

India must now travel to play that game on Thursday, the day before the Super Six stage begins.

"I really didn't think we would we be in these circumstances at the start of the tournament," India captain Mithali Raj told BBC Sport.

"It's very disappointing to be out of the tournament. I can't sum up what my team is going through after this defeat."

Raj had previously suggested the tournament was an opportunity to advance the women's game in India, and conceded that the chance had been missed.

"It was an occasion for us to do well in front of a home crowd," said the 30-year-old batter. "To get the sport the kind of awareness, marketing and publicity it needs, this was a big opportunity for us."

Raj began the tournament as the number-one ranked batter in the world, but managed only 29 runs in three innings.

"I don't play the game for rankings, but it's more important for me how many runs I score for my country," she said. "I can't talk about the future but, as a team, we will take a little while to come out of this disappointment."

On her future as captain, she added: "That is the call of the selectors."
 

Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba is set to join the Galatasaray squad later this week, CNN Türk has reported.

The 34-year-old has made a sensational one-and-a-half year deal with the Turkish champion last month, but has yet to join his new teammates since the former Chelsea star was with the Ivory Coast national team in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

Following Ivory Coast’s shock exit from the competition, Drogba will join the club later this week, according to the Turkish broadcaster.

Drogba’s fellow Ivorian, Emmanuel Eboue, joined the Galatasaray squad today.

Drogba was the second of Galatasaray’s two blockbuster signings last month, following the purchase of Wesley Sneijder from the Netherlands.

Following the shock exit of Ivory Coast, Drogba is unsure of his international future.

Ivory Coast has been favourites for five consecutive Africa Cup tournaments, but the closest it came was finishing runners-up to 2006 hosts Egypt and 2012 surprise side Zambia.

After this string of failures, there has been widespread media speculation about the futures of “golden oldies” like Drogba, goalkeeper Boubacar Barry and center back Kolo Toure and Trabzonspor midfielder Didier Zokora.

“It is over,” was the response of Drogba to reporters when asked about the Africa Cup of Nations.
In the 2012 final in Gabon, Drogba he blazed over a regular-time penalty, allowing Zambia to force a 0-0 draw after extra time.

But despite Drogba making amends by converting a shootout spot-kick, Zambia won 8-7 on penalties for one of the most stunning Africa Cup final shocks.

“We must now look ahead to the 2014 World Cup qualifying competition -- with or without me,” added the striker.

The shattered Ivory Coast stars will turn their attention to the 2014 World Cup qualifying competition, starting with a home fixture against lightweights Gambia next month.

They visit Gambia and Tanzania during June and host Morocco in September and the group winners advance to a two-leg play-off for one of five African places at the World Cup in Brazil.

Ivory Coast started its campaign last year with a routine 2-0 home victory over Tanzania followed by a 2-2 draw in Morcoco, giving the team a one-point Group C lead.

Coach Sabri Lamouchi took Drogba off against Togo in the opening game, axed him for the second group match against Tunisia, recalled him into a virtual reserve team that faced Algeria, and chose him to start against Nigeria.
 

World number one Novak Djokovic won his fourth Australian Open title as Andy Murray's hopes of a second major win ended in pain.

The Serb, 25, was the stronger man over three hours and 40 minutes, winning 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 6-2, as Murray struggled to cope with blistered feet and an increasingly rampant opponent.

 "I played a good second set," said Murray. "I created quite a few chances, but didn't quite get them. That was the difference."

And despite admitting that the blister "hurt when I ran", he insisted: "It had no bearing at all on the result."

Djokovic secured his sixth Grand Slam title and became the first man in 46 years to win for three years running in Melbourne.

"It's an incredible feeling winning this trophy again," said the champion. "It's definitely my favourite Grand Slam, my most successful Grand Slam. I love this court."

After losing an opening set he probably should have won, with five break points to none for Murray, the top seed came through a crunch moment at the start of the second when he battled back from 0-40 down.

It proved to be decisive, as the Serbian clung on and turned the tables by grabbing the tie-break.

 Murray had been in charge but was disrupted when serving at 2-2, a feather floating down onto the court following a missed first serve, and after removing it he promptly double-faulted and smacked a forehand wide.

He won just one more point in the tie-break as Djokovic took control to level after two hours and 13 minutes of action.

The physicality of the contest appeared to be taking its toll when Murray then required treatment for blisters at the changeover, and he began to grimace between points.

It took two hours and 52 minutes of absorbing but rarely thrilling tennis for the first break of serve to arrive, and it went to Djokovic.

A thumping forehand into the corner set him on the way at 4-3, and despite saving two break points from 0-40, Murray could not resist any longer and netted a forehand.

 Djokovic went on a run of winning eight out of nine games as he moved two sets to one up and the Briton's serve unravelled, the double-fault count rising to five after just two in his other six matches in Melbourne.

Unhappy with the umpire for not clamping down on shouts from the crowd, and with his movement hindered, Murray cut a dispirited figure as Djokovic powered towards another major win.

In marked contrast to his opponent, the Serb was relishing the closing stages and romped home towards match point, one delicious drop shot verging on the cruel.

Djokovic wrapped it up on serve when Murray netted a backhand and did a jig of delight on court before heading over to celebrate with his support team.

With six Grand Slam victories, he matches the likes of Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, Don Budge and Jack Crawford in the all-time list - and there could be plenty more to come.
 

After defeating Austria team Kazakhstan tennis players will face Czech Republic national team in the quarterfinal of Davis Cup. This is serious progress for the novice of such a prestigious tournament. Kazakhstan joined Davis cup just few years ago.

Brand Beckham is moving from the "City of Angels" to the "City of Light."

Soccer star David will take former popstar wife Victoria and their four children back to Europe, with big-spending French club Paris Saint-Germain confirming that the former England captain has passed a medical and signed a short-term deal ahead of Thursday's transfer deadline.

The 37-year-old was later unveiled at a press conference, ending speculation about his next destination following the end of his six-year spell with U.S. MLS team Los Angeles Galaxy in early December.

Beckham said he will donate the wages earned during his five-month contract to a children's charity in Paris.

"It's something exciting and something I'm not sure has been done before," he told reporters, and revealed that his family will be based in his hometown London.

He had been linked with a host of clubs around the world but, in the twilight of his career, has decided to join a team on the rise thanks to the injection of hundreds of millions of dollars by its Qatari owners.

"It's simply a very nice piece of short-term brand alignment that will be mutually beneficial to both parties," sports business expert Simon Chadwick told CNN.

Beckham is one of the world's most recognisable names, both for his sporting prowess and numerous off-pitch endorsement deals, and his pulling power could provide a valuable income stream for PSG -- which must conform to European football's financial fair play rules that restrict over-spending by club owners.

"I think it's very difficult to quantify," Chadwick said. "He's been away from Europe for too long -- he's now really in his twilight years, we don't know what part he'll play in the team, we don't know how he'll be used for commercial purposes, we don't know how the French public will respond.

"And we don't know how international fans will engage with and consume the PSG/Beckham brand. We may see a spike in activity such as increases in ticket sales, but I am not entirely convinced that there'll be a significant sustainable stream of revenues."

Read: Did the Beckham project succeed in U.S.?

However, one leading football executive who had unsuccessfully tried to persuade Beckham to join his team said that the midfielder still had a strong role to play on and off the pitch.

"Not only were we looking for a playmaker in midfield but also a leader in the dressing room and someone to set the standards on and off the pitch. Beckham would have brought all that," the executive told CNN on condition of anonymity.

"Sure Beckham would have ensured exposure and possibly commercial opportunities, but without the quality as a player it wouldn't have been at all interesting."

Beckham had the chance to join PSG in January 2012, but opted to stay in the U.S., ending his American mission with his second MLS Cup title before announcing that he would not fulfill the second year of his contract extension.

"I chose Paris because I can see what the club are trying to do. I can see who the club are trying to bring in," he said Thursday.

"It's an exciting city and now there's a club that's going to have a lot of success over the next 10, 20, 30 years. I'm very honored I've been picked to be part of the future of PSG."

One man who saw him up close in the U.S. believes the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star still has what it takes to perform on the big stage.

"At first it is like the marketing -- you bring in him more for the brand than the player," said former PSG defender Didier Domi, who played in the MLS for New England Revolution in 2011.

"But when I watched him in the MLS he still has the physical condition to play at the highest level. He likes to compete. On the pitch he can add a lot.

Read: Transfer window's risky business

"They are not signing him for his ability to sprint -- it's his technique and vision. He has that ability to elevate his game depending on the opposition. He can play a part for PSG in both Ligue 1 and Champions League."

"Les Parisiens" are seeking to win the French title for the first time since 1994, having been runner-up last season.

The club's owners, the Qatar Investment Authority, have splashed out on top players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, Javier Pastore and Lucas Moura since taking over in 2011.

Carlo Ancelotti's team tops the Ligue 1 table on goal difference after 22 of 38 rounds in the 2012-13 campaign, and will play in the knockout phase of Europe's top club competition in a two-legged tie against Spanish club Valencia on February 12 and March 6.

Former AC Milan coach Ancelotti managed Beckham during the former England captain's first loan spell with the Serie A club in 2009.

However, Beckham might be struggling to be fit for those matches, according to the manager of English club Arsenal -- who allowed the veteran to train with his squad this month.

"He told me that he doesn't look at all to be in shape. Beckham is super-ambitious," Arsene Wenger told reporters this week.

"If, in his mind, he wanted to play in the Premier League he would not have gone on holiday. He would have prepared and come in and tried to impress me. He told me he has done nothing at all."

Beckham admitted it might take "a few weeks" to get fully fit.

"It won't take long," he said.

He explained that he could not play for another club in England except Manchester United, where he won six Premier League titles and the Champions League before moving to Spain in 2003.

"It's the team I support and the team I dreamed of playing for," said Beckham, who to Manchester as a teenager and progressed through the club's academy.

"I'm very honored by the offers I had from other Premier League clubs but I didn't want to play there unless it was for Manchester United."