Ariana Television Network (ATN) is thrilled to announce it has secured a deal to officially broadcast one of the world’s greatest sporting events – this year’s Olympic Games.

ATN will broadcast the Paris 2024 Olympics officially and exclusively on Ariana Television.

The games will start on Friday, July 26 and run through to Sunday August 11.

This latest announcement comes amid ATN’s continued efforts to secure broadcasting agreements with international sporting organizations in order to bring world-class events to the people of Afghanistan.

Over the past few years, Ariana Television has broadcast countless sporting events, from cricket to football, futsal and of the Olympics.

Tokyo Games 2020 was broadcast exclusively by Ariana Television, as was the Beijing Winter Games in 2022. Rio Games in 2016 was also broadcast exclusively by Ariana Television.

With just over three months to go before this year’s games begin, official processes are already underway and on Tuesday, Olympic officials stressed that the Paris Games will set new milestones and that “these Olympic Games will be younger, more inclusive, more urban, more sustainable.
“These will be the very first Olympic Games with full gender parity, because the IOC allocated exactly 50 percent of the places to female and male athletes,” International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.

Paris Olympics chief organizer Tony Estanguet noted that women took part for the first time in the Paris 1900 Games.

The sacred flame for the Paris 2024 Olympics was meanwhile lit Tuesday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises.

Speaking at the ceremony, Bach said: “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even – and in particular – during times of war and conflict.”

“Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message: yes, it is possible to compete fiercely against each other and at the same time live peacefully together under one roof,” he said.

An 11-day relay on Greek soil is now underway and some 600 torchbearers will carry the flame over a distance of 5,000 kilometers through 41 municipalities.

The Olympic flame will be handed over to Paris 2024 organizers in a ceremony at the all-marble Panathenaic Stadium, site of the first modern Olympic Games of 1896, on April 26.

On April 27, the flame will begin its journey to France on board the 19th-century three-masted barque Belem, which was launched just weeks after the Athens 1896 Games.

France’s last surviving three-mast steel-hulled boat is expected to arrive in Marseille on May 8.

Ten thousand torchbearers will then carry the flame across 64 French territories.

It will travel through 400 towns and dozens of tourist attractions during its 12,000-kilometer journey through mainland France and overseas French territories in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Pacific.

On July 26 it will form the centerpiece of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.

Olympic Updates

Ariana News will be sure to keep all fans updated on news and broadcasting schedules around the Paris Olympics so be sure to watch this space for all the information you need.

Jos Buttler smashed an unbeaten 107 to trump Sunil Narine’s first T20 century as Rajasthan Royals pulled off a joint record IPL chase against Kolkata Knight Riders off the final ball on Tuesday.

Chasing 224 for victory, Rajasthan looked in trouble at 121-6 in the 13th over but Buttler moved through the gears in his 60-ball blitz to achieve the target with two wickets to spare at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, AFP reported.

Rajasthan equalled their own record from 2020 when they chased down 224 against Kings XI Punjab in Sharjah.

Buttler, who came in as an impact substitute, reached his second ton of the season in 55 balls with a six off Varun Chakravarthy at the start of the last over.

Buttler, struggling with cramp, then played out three dot balls before a two and a single on the final delivery ensured Rajasthan held on to top spot in the table with six wins in seven matches.

“Keep believing, that was the real key today,” Buttler said.

“I was struggling a bit for rhythm. At times you feel frustrated or you are questioning yourself. I tell myself ‘It’s okay, keep going, you’ll get your rhythm back and try to stay calm’.”

He said, “There’s been plenty of times throughout the IPL, you’ve seen crazy things happen. Guys like (M.S.) Dhoni and (Virat) Kohli, the way they stay till the end and keep believing and I tried to do the same.”

England’s Buttler, who hit nine fours and six sixes, moved ahead of Chris Gayle with seven IPL tons and is only behind Kohli’s eight in the T20 tournament.

Narine heroics and bitter pill

Buttler built key partnerships including 50 runs with Riyan Parag (34), 57 with Rovman Powell (26) and then an unbeaten 38-run stand with Avesh Khan (0 not out).

Spinners Narine, Chakravarthy and fast bowler Harshit Rana took two wickets each for KKR.

“Emotions were a roller-coaster, certainly didn’t think we will get into this situation,” said Kolkata captain Shreyas Iyer.

“It’s a funny game at the end of the day, he was striking the ball cleanly and timing them so well, have to take it on the chin and move on.”

Narine hammered 109 off 56 balls to guide Kolkata, who stay second in the 10-team standings, to 223-6.

Narine put on 85 runs for the second wicket with Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who hit 30, and got together for a 51-run stand with Andre Russell.

Narine, playing his 504th T20 match, reached his ton from 49 balls with a six and a four off Yuzvendra Chahal for Kolkata’s third hundred in the IPL as he jumped for joy.

He was finally bowled by a Trent Boult yorker before he returned to a standing ovation.

Narine moved into the top three in the batting charts led by Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Kohli (361) with 276 runs.

Rinku Singh finished off the innings on a high with his unbeaten nine-ball 20 including a four and two sixes. -AFP

The highly anticipated draw for the upcoming Afghanistan Champions League (ACL) took place in Kabul on Monday afternoon, much to the delight of all those involved.

Twelve teams will participate in this exciting sporting event, which starts on Saturday, April 20 and runs through to May 23.

The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF), Ariana Television Network (ATN) and league sponsor Victor Energy Drink hosted the draw for fixtures which was screened and streamed live by Ariana Television on Monday afternoon.

The event was held at Ariana Television studios and the draw was carried out by Ahmad Allah Waseq, the General Director of Physical Education and Sports for Afghanistan. Also in attendance was Mohammad Youssef Kargar, Chairman of the Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF); Hafiz Ahmad Jan Zadran, Technical and Professional Deputy of the Directorate of Physical Education; Mohammad Tahir Rufi, Director of Afghanistan Football Federation’s technical staff; ATN’s Deputy Managing Director & Director Sales & Acquisitions, Lutfullah Stanikzai; club representatives; and various brand managers and public relations officers from Victor Energy Drink and the Pamir Group of Companies.

The third season of the ACL will be held at the Afghanistan Football Federation Stadium and the first match will see Abu Muslim Farah football team take on Sarsabz Yashler.

The match will start at 2:00pm on Saturday and will be broadcast live on Ariana Television. The second match of the day will get underway at 4:00pm and will see Sorkh Poshan Khafi take on Khurasan Faryab.

The tournament will run over 33 days, with a total of 66 games. Twelve teams will participate. The teams are:

Istiqlal Kabul FC
Khurasan Faryab FC
Sorkh Poshan Khafi
Abu Muslim Farah FC
Jawanan Wahedi FC
Khadim FC
Maiwand FC
Aino Mina FC
Mawj Sahil FC
Attack Energy FC
Adalat Farah FC
Sarsabz Yashlar FC

Tournament updates!

Football fans across the country can watch this space for news and updates on the upcoming tournament. Ariana News and Ariana Television will keep fans updated on all the latest developments on our digital platforms ahead of and during the tournament.