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Unbeaten Welshman, Joe
Calzaghe won his first fight in Las Vegas in a split decision 12-round light heavyweight
bout against US veteran, Bernard Hopkins. Ricky Hatton will fight
American Juan Lazcano in his home town of Manchester, England on May 24. Graham
Calvert lost his case against William Hill when the judge ruled that he would not be
compensated under William Hill's self exclusion policy. William Hill allowed Calvert
to keep betting until he was more than US$4 million down. Calvert intends to appeal
the decision. German F1 racing fan, Michael Arndt built a life
size wooden Formula One car with 956,000 matches and 1,686 tubes of glue at a cost of
around US$12,000. The Cheltenham Gold Cup may have set a new
UK record for a single day's betting. The 2007 Aintree Grand National generated
around US$500 million but Cheltenham expects a total of around US$600 million for the one
day of racing. The much debated legacy for the main Olympic Stadium
due to be constructed for the London 2012 Games has yet another potential legacy
owner/tenant in the shape of rugby team Saracens. BSkyB won the rights to air
most Champions League football (soccer) matches between 2009 and 2012, and as a result its
shares rose 2.7 percent. Evander Holyfield may have a third bout with Mike
Tyson. Now both in their forties, Holyfield beat Tyson in both previous fights in
1996 and 1997, The NBA revealed plans to expand its league into
Europe.
spotlight on: following the torch's trail
Athens 2004 torch relay
Much has been written about the Olympic Torch Relay
and with protests around the world, is the Torch Relay a thing of the past?
While the IOC are focusing on the job at hand - running a major sporting event - it is
difficult to see how the blurring of lines - sports spilling over into politics - can ever
be a thing of the past.
Take the Torch Relay out of the equation - it is the very public invitation for the world
to unite in an expression of the equality of mankind and the neutrality of sport - and
that does not mean that the IOC does not trespass into a political agenda - be it
humanitatian or environmental in nature.
And it should be added that athletes are not allowed to make political statements within
the sporting arena of the Games.
If the IOC does wish to step back and select host cities purely on the basis of the
athlete and spectator experience, then the election process should take a rigorous look at
the credentials of each bid city's detailed business plan. Stopping the Torch Relay may
limit the options as to when and how sports individuals and/or organizations can speak out
without prejudicing the reputation of the IOC, but with the Torch second to make a second
appearance in a celebration specifically dedicated to the Paralympic Games, another
'turn' around the world may inflame the very flame itself.
hot spot: freedom of expression:
the official line
At the final IOC session in Beijing,
International Olympic Committee President, Jaques Rogge summed up the official view
position on . 'Freedom of expression':
"A person's ability to express his or her opinion is a basic human right and as such
does not need to have a specific clause in the Olympic Charter because its place is
implicit", explained the IOC President as he addressed the 205 National Olympic
Committees (NOCs) gathered in Beijing today.
"But we do ask that there is no propaganda nor demonstrations at Olympic Games venues
for the very good and simple reason that we have 205 countries and territories
represented, many of whom are in conflict, and the Games are not the place to take
political nor religious stances."
Rule 51.3 provides that “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial
propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or areas," a principle that has
been in the Olympic Charter for more than 50 years in order to preserve the universality
of the Games. "The application of this regulation is common sense," explained
Rogge, adding that without this rule, Olympic competitions and ceremonies could be used as
a stage for all different kinds of political statements about armed conflicts, regional
differences of all kind, religious disputes and many others.
"If athletes genuinely want to express their opinion, that's fine, Rogge
continued". But let's not forget, there is also the right not to express an opinion.
Athletes should feel no moral obligation to speak out. They deserve the right to focus on
their preparations and should not be made to feel obliged to express themselves if they do
not wish to. The IOC and the National Olympic Committees have the duty to protect them
from any kind of pressure. In any case, I do not expect there will be many incidents (of
breach of rule 51). Athletes are mature and intelligent people. They will know what they
can say or not say. If they have doubts, the IOC and the NOCs are here to guide them’
Rogge concluded.
 Olympic bosses have also agreed to rewrite a contract with the organizers which
read: Athletes are not to comment on any politically sensitive issues.
hot shot:  the rogue referee
Many say that the job
of the referee - particularly when it comes to international football (soccer) matches -
is not any easy one; but others say that it is time to take the referee to task who was at
the centre of the largest match fixing schedule in thirty years.
The German Football Federation (DFB) now see no alternative other than to sue the corrupt
referee who had more than the game in mind.
Robert Hoyzer - who was convicted of rigging several games in 2005 - told the DFB that it
was a betting ring who had paid him to fix matches. Most notably, the Cup game
between Hamburg and Paderborn which involved sending off a player in addition to, two
'dubious' penalties. The outcome of the match led to a confession from Hoyzer and a
29 month jail sentence. The DFB then awarded the losing Hamburg around US$2 million
in compensation for lost revenues as a result of the final score of Hamburg 2 Paderborn
4.
Now the DFB plan to recoup their losses from the disgraced Mr Hoyzer. As for the
betting ring......?.
sidelines: Paralympic World Cup
pic: Oscar Pistorius of South Africa leads Ian Jones of Great
Britain
in the 2007 men's T44 200m.
Close to 400 athletes from 45 countries will be in Manchester, England for four days in
May for the final 'warm-up before the Beijing Paralympic Games. May 7-11 with the event
serving as one of the last chances for competitors to fine tune their Paralympic
preparations.
The 2008 Paralympic World Cup will once again showcase athletics, swimming, track
cycling and wheelchair basketball at three of the city’s world-class competition
venues, building upon the legacy of the 2002 Commonwealth Games. It is one of the biggest
multi-sport competitions for elite athletes with a disability outside the Paralympic Games
and has been growing in influence since its inaugural year in 2005. It plays a critical
role in providing competition between four yearly Paralympic Games and is sanctioned by
the International Paralympic Committee.
However, despite the BBC as host broadcaster, attendance at the event is not all it should
be. Surely it must be time for paralympic sport to attract larger venue audiences
and ticket sales at the World Cup? And the Paralympics in Beijing will once again
determine whether elite athletes with a disability can ever generate a larger following
than today's often paltry number of fans.
fashion icon......
Chinese style
I recently stayed in a first class hotel in Shanghai and I was more than
impressed with the excellent service and facilities on offer.
Rumour has it that the Chinese are gearing up for a 'super service' Beijing Olympic Games
with little of the indifference of a Communist style of service. But if they do
deliver it will be at a price.
The part of the Olympic bid process that involves price capping increases in the cost of
accommodation during the Olympic and Paralympic Games has often come under scrutiny as
demand exceeds supply.
Last year BOCOG - the organizing committee for the Games - confirmed that prices for
5-star hotels in Beijing would be around US$400 at the top end, and US$150 at the bottom
end for a two star hotel.
But check it out. Room rates appear to have risen up to more than 5 times in the run
up to the Games.
The city expects around 2 million visitors throughout the period, and with a third coming
from outside China, will the 130,000 rooms be enough?
Athens2004 found to its cost that in the last few days before the main event, the cost of
both accommodation and flights dropped. This was for two main reasons: the first
that fans could not get tickets for the events that they most wanted to see; and second
that the cost of the whole trip had escalated so much that they chose stay away.
And there are other concerns. Take out of the equation the human rights issues and
pollution and Beijing will have to divert million of gallons of water to feed the host
city's guests. Add to this the news that as Chinese food products have recently received
sufficient bad press in Japanese supermarkets to convince Team USA that they will cater
for their own athletes in response to fears that contaminated food could trigger positive
drugs teat results, and the outcome is not good: the USA will be shipping their meat to
Beijing and adding yet another few food miles to the cost of the Games.
home
and away: best to behave
While everyone warms up for the
Euro2008 (soccer) the rumblings of dissatisfaction can already be heard. While
spectators are complaining about the capacity of some of the stadia in Switzerland,
they are not the only ones who have cause for concern.
The tournament referees - all twelve of them - have been ordered to show no mercy when it
comes to player dissent and violence on the pitch.
The refs have been handed a six-point 'plan' by Euro bosses which will allow them to send
off individuals who use excessive force. The new rules also include the following
instructions: stop holding and pushing in the penalty area before corners and free kicks;
and punish 'simulation intended to deceive the referee' with yellow cards.
Whether we will be able to recognize the 'new' game of football is a question yet to be
answered; but if the referees stick to the rules, Euro2008 may turn into five-a-side
series long before the tournament completes the round-robin stages.
sport culture: Tribeca/ESPN film festival
In 2007, ESPN teamed up with the Tribeca
Film Festival to create a showcase celebrating the essence of sport - competition,
passion, teamwork and gamesmanship. The establishment of the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film
Festival captures the passion of sports and film fans, along with the enthusiasm of the
sports and film industries.
The 2008 Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival features 12 feature films, and much more.
And the line-up kicks off with:
Redbelt,
written and directed by David Mamet, Gala World Premiere  followed by:
Ball
Don’t Lie,
directed by Brin Hill, written by Matt de la Peña and Hill.
(USA)
- World Premiere, Bigger,
Stronger, Faster,
directed by Christopher Bell. (USA)
- New
York
Premiere, Documentary. The
Chicken, The Fish and The King Crab
(El pollo, el pez y el cangrejo real), directed by José Luis López-Linares. (Spain)
- North American Premiere, Documentary. Fighter,
directed and written by: Natasha Arthy. (Denmark)
- North American Premiere, Narrative. Football
Under Cover,
directed by Ayat Najafi and David Assmann. (Germany)
- US
Premiere, Documentary. Gotta
Dance,
directed by Dori Berinstein, written by Adam Zucker and Berinstein. (USA)
- World Premiere, Documentary. Gunnin’
for That #1 Spot,
directed by Adam Yauch. (USA)
- World Premiere, Documentary. Kassim
the Dream,
directed by Kief Davidson. (USA)
- World Premiere Kicking
It,
directed by Susan Koch. (USA)
- New
York
Premiere, Documentary Run
For Your Life,
directed by Judd Erlich. (USA)
- World Premiere, Documentary and The
Zen of Bobby V,
directed by Jonah Quickmire Pettigrew and Andrew Jenks.
(USA)
- World Premiere, Documentary.
starting blocks: F1 new rules
A1 drivers Jarvis and Kerr
Early May 2008 sees the final race in a very close A1GP season at Brands Hatch, England.
A1 differs from F1 in two keys ways. The drivers represent national teams and the
cars are identical.
Fi is now taking a leaf out of the A1 book by putting the outcome of the race into the
hands of the drivers rather than the science.
Electronic aids are in retreat and the divers will be making many of the Ir. own decisions
based upon a series of new rules:
Teams that make it into the final session must new start the race with the fuel that they
finish the qualifying season; gearboxes must now last for four races; and traction control
has been removed.
Of course, the cars are different, so
the debate whether it is car or driver will remain.
Meanwhile, Bernie Ecclestone has insisted that the Australian GP has an evening start to
accommodate TV audiences in Europe and the organizers may have found a US$5 million
solution drawing on the expertise of Australian temporary lighting experts,
life after..... no limits
European football changes in 1995 when the European Court of Justice decreed that the
freedom of movement of players meant that they were handed the right to a free transfer at
the end of their contracts. It also meant the end of the Uefa limit of only three
foreign players in club squads for European competitions.
Last season Italy had the lowest number of foreign players with under 30 percent as
compared with over half of the England players classified as 'foreign'. Since 1995,
France and Germany have increased their 'foreign' component by less than 50 percent as
compared with England Spain and Italy who have more than doubles their number of foreign
players.
The lobbying continues to get the balance back into some perspective with little progress;
however, the Premier League has made some progress to ensure that "before a player
registers for a club, the (club's) board will need to be satisfied there exists no
agreements with third parties under which such third parties continue to own any
registration or economic rights or the like in the player following registration" and
this change in the ownership rules may by default impact on a player joining a foreign
club.
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quiz on:
a numbers game
1. How many events are there in the Nascar
Sprint Cup Series?
a. 32; b. 36; c. 40
2. What was the approximate estimated cost of the London 2012 logo?
a. US$400,000: b. US$600,000; c. US$800,000?
3. What are the estimated approximate earnings per second of David Beckham at LA
Galaxy?
a. US$1.00; b. US$1.50; c. US$2.00
4. What is the current budget for the London 2012 Olympics in billions?
a. US$15.5 billion; US$18.6 billion; US$23.4 billion.
5. The Petit Le Mans is the signature event of the American Le Mans Series.
How many miles is the course?
a. 250 miles; b. 500 miles; c. 1,000 miles
6. How many wickets did the Shane Warne/Glenn McGrath cricket combo take in their
104 tests?
a. 999; b. 1,000; c. 1,001
7. How old was Michael Perham when he claimed the record of the youngest person to
sail the Atlantic single-handed?
a. 14; b. 16; c. 18
8. How many media were accredited for the press conference to launch David
Beckham's career at LA Galaxy?
a. 400; b. 800; c. 1,200
9. How old was George Best when he was named European Footballer of the
year?
a. 20: b. 22; c. 24
10. How old was Cristiano Renaldo when he was named English Player of the year?
a. 20; b. 21; c. 22
answers below
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what's hot
Golf's bid to return to the Olympic schedule after an absence of more than
a hundred years was boosted when the PGA Tour's commissioner Tim Finchem announced his
support for the idea.
The earliest opportunity for golf to
be added to the Olympic programme would be in 2016, with a decision set to be made in
2009.
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While the British regulators are taking a very close look at the irregularities in
awarding public contracts to major building contractors, the ODA (Olympic Delivery
Authority) continue to set a single pay structure to the building union Ucatt.
With the possibility of wild-cat strikes involving 25-40 major contractors working on
Olympic related London 2012 contracts and an anticipated 10,000 building workers employed
on the construction sites by 2010, it is difficult to imagine a strike free process.
While the budget for the Games has more than tripled since the bid-book days, with a
further hike anticipated by many, the ODA can ill afford the escalating costs which may
result in both delays and a final bill count that well may exceed the current almost US$20
billion budget.
Now that the regulators are 'hot on the tails' of the construction industry levying fines
on some of the big names in the business, the ODA has to also consider the fall-out of
these investigations and any potential new legislation which may come from a more rigorous
approach to awarding public contracts of all shapes and sizes.
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 Countdown the Dateline
Coming soon
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Quiz Answers
1B; 2C; 3B; 4B; 5C; 6C; 7A; 8A;
9B; 10C
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all the back issues:
Your chance to look back at some of the most recent back editions:February/March
2008
December
2007/January 2008
November/December 2007
October/November
2007
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copyright:
BBB WorldWide 2008 |
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Joe Calzaghe wins the day
