June/July 2010 edition


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  Caster Semenya - the South African world 800m champion will be returning to competition after an eleven month exile and a extended gender verification investigation.  Spain claimed the World Cup; Spanish cyclist, Alberto Contador won his second consecutive Tour de France; and Nadal wins Wimbledon. Go Spain! Golfer, Graeme McDowell won the US Golf Open; while South Africa are on a roll as their countryman, golfer Louis Oosthuizen was the suprise winner at the Open in Scotland.  Fifa plan to investigate why there were around 200 empty seats during the World Cup opening ceremony/opening game between South Africa and Mexico. The seats were located in one of the upper-tier sections and were later filled with tournament volunteers - once again begging the question why there are empty seats at major sporting events when these seats are in such demand?    84,490 spectators attended the opening ceremony and first game at Soccer City on June 11. West Ham FC have confirmed that Avram Grant will be their new manager.  You may remember he previously managed Chelsea FC.  The Red Knights have given up any attempt to acquire Manchester United FC.   Sir Chris Hoy will not be competing in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.  F1 drivers, Mark Webber and team mate Sebastian Vettel are expected to stay with Red Bull until the end of next season - indicating an end to their dispute re. team management favoritism.  Webber survived unscathed a very dramatic crash in the Valencia Grand Prix.  Breaking the F1 code of conduct, Ferrari was fined US$100,000 for bringing the sport into disrepute by ordering Felipe Massa to move aside and let team mate Fernando Alonso win the German Formula One Grand Prix. Former F1 boss, Flavio Briatore told British newspaper - The Daily Telegraph - that "it takes the same amount of effort to get a beautiful woman as to get an ugly one, so you might as well have a beautiful one".  England's Wayne Rooney and Stephen Gerrard pulled out of the A:3Football at London's O2 Arena scheduled for July after their dismal performance in South Africa.  They were due to receive US$750,000 each alongside their football colleagues Fabregas, Ronaldo, Drogba and Villa. The head-to-head challenges which made up this event have now been postponed until July 2011.  Can't wait!!!!   The Williams sisters did not claim their usual 'slam dunk' at Wimbledon this year. Serena took the Ladies title while Venus was denied her 200th Grand Slam singles win by losing in the quarter final to Tsvetana Pironkov from Bulgaria ranked 82.  They also fell short in the Ladies doubles. So does this mean that 'the court' will be opening up to new young talent after an era of Williams' domination? The world of snooker has been rocked by match-fixing allegations!  Well at least they don't do drugs! The Swede, Robin Soderling took out Roger Federer at Wimbledon. Federer looked less than at his best as he failed to claim his 24th consecutive Grand Slam final. He went out 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.  The missing former lover of a Brazilian football star was strangled and fed to dogs.  The goalkeeper and captain of Flamengo denies her kidnap and suspected murder. Cricket may not be everyone's passion; but The ICC has announced that World Twenty20 will be broadcast by Eurosport in 58 territories in 14 languages including French, Romanian and Serbian.  Perhaps this is the slowest yet most efficient way to understand the game of cricket!   A new cricket bat called The Stick may attract a new audience to the sport.  The Stick 'offers the amateur' more hand speed in the hit and more power.  The bid process for National Federations / Cities interested in hosting the 15th FINA World Championships 2013 will start with a briefing from FINA on July 22, 2010 and will culminate with a presentation of the bids by each National Federation/City to the FINA Bureau at a meeting to be held during the 1st FINA World Aquatics Convention in Punta del Este, Uruguay.   The British Formula One Grand Prix returned to Silverstone.    During the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London an Alpine-like cable car will carry 2,500 people every hour 165 feet in the air from the O2 to the Olympic Park - all at a cost of less than US$40 million.  A welcome addition to the London skyline, although no details on how much a ride will cost!



spotlight on: what can be a better legacy?

  FIFA president Sepp Blatter has added his voice to South Africa's bid to host the 2020 Olympics by backing the first African World Cup hosts to succeed in staging the global sports showcase.

South African President Jacob Zuma,reinforced the ambition by declaring how impressed he was by the manner in which his country had successfully hosted the World Cup; and that he would want to see the nation take a step further and seek to host the Olympic Games in 2020.

Following the 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games in London and the 2016 Games in Brazil, Zuma has made it clear he wants South Africa to host the 2020 Games. 

Cape Town came third in its bid for the 2004 Games - which was won by Athens but they stand a better chance next time round with Fifa's president indicating that he would throw his full weight behind the South African bid.

No African country has ever hosted the Olympics.
"If a country can organize Fifa's World Cup, it can also organize the Olympic Games because the Olympic Games are mostly confined in one city. Blatter said he would "fully support" a South African bid as he praised the World Cup hosts.

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge is also supporting such a bid - although it is unlikely that he will remain president of the IOC throughout the 2020 bid process.

 
hot spot: World Cup losers

* Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan ordered the national football team to withdraw from international competitions for two years following its exit at the World Cup group stages in South Africa. Nigeria finished bottom of its group with just one point after losing to Argentina and Greece and drawing with South Korea. The president said the forced hiatus would give the squad time to "put its house in order". In response,  Fifa's governing body reiterated that its statutes “do not allow for any political interference” in member associations.
Goodluck has now reversed his decision.

*Partygaming lost out during the Wold Cup as some of its poker players switched to football

*The World Cup final recorded the largest number of yellow (13) and red cards.  And although Holland lost the match they managed to easily claim the most red/yellow cards - while the referee did his best to ensure that both teams had all eleven members of their side 'in tact' through to the end of the match. 
The tackles were more reminiscent of the kind of 'sportsmanship' shown in the British film "The Damned United" which 'celebrated' Brian Clough's 44 days as Leeds United Manager.  The only difference was the quality of the pitch!

*An increasing number of football clubs have 'banned The Vuvuzela' as its international popularity may have peaked, crashed and burned in the space of a couple of months!..... Although Webley and The DA say 'YES!'

*Legitimate goals were the losers in the World Cup.  And despite Fifa's apology to England's Frank Lampard as England exited the World Cup - perhaps in part due to Fifa's refusal to introduce goal-line technology, Fifa have now backtracked and delayed   discussions on the introduction of Hawkeye-type aids for the referees until October 2010 at the earliest.

*According to commentary made by John McEnroe during Wimbledon World Cup, footballers cannot be compared to the gladiatorial efforts of tennis players - and in particular John Isner and Nicholas Mahut's first round match which lasted 11 hours and 5 mins exactly, the longest in history (tbc) - although the likes of Nadal v. Federer are regularly up there as examples of feats of human perseverance.

John Isner's 70-68 win over Nicolas Mahut in the fifth set at Wimbledon with

 Isner serving 112 aces

as compared to the 103 aces from Mahut.

In addition it the longest ever fifth set in a tennis match; with the most number of games ever played in a match, beating the previous highest of 112 (singles) and 122 (doubles); and the longest match at Wimbledon, beating six hours and nine minutes set in the 2006 men's doubles quarter-finals.  It featured the longest set at Wimbledon- the previous longest was 62 games, set in a men's doubles match in 1968; and the match claimed the record number of aces served in a match at Wimbledon, with both players beating Ivo Karlovic's 51 in 2005.
McEnroe really summed up the difference between the sports - soccer and tennis - with his admiration totally on the side of top tennis players whose achievements - he felt - were generally understated by both press and public alike. 
And this editor cannot agree more!

hot shot: World Cup winners

Opening Ceremony

South Africa’s colourful and entertaining opening ceremony at the Fifa World Cup was quite brief but to the point. It illustrated the Rainbow theme of S. Africa - its history and fabulous music, while at the same time surprising some of the broadcasters as it left more time between the end of the ceremony and kick-off than some commentators had anticipated!

Drugs

All 256 drug tests taken before the start of the World Cup proved negative. This is a great comment on this very popular sport!  A further 512 checks were scheduled to take place during the tournament. 

Insurance

The Fifa World Cup was insured for a massive amount equal to close to US$10 billion (£6.2 billion according to Lloyds of London) - with £3 billion for property insurance and the same amount for contingency insurance.  The balance of £200 million went to liability insurance and the top players were insured for £40 million.
The bulk of the insurance involved thousands of policies taken out by the organizers and the broadcasters plus an additional substantial amount as a contingency for unforeseen circumstances.
The above did not include insurance for on pitch injuries which could have entailed huge sums - as an average player can be insured for up to £40 million.

All part and parcel of the process of hosting major events.

South Africa

The country spent around US$8 billion to host the World Cup.... but will they get it back?

Predictions 

Paul the Octopus predicted the outcome of World Cup matches from his German-based aquarium - despite the fact that some say he is of British stock.  He is now a major Twitter sensation; and if had put some money down to support his predictions he would now be one very rich 'dude'!

The Managers

England's manager, Fabio Capello signed a deal just before the World Cup.  The £12 million deal for the next two years should keep him safe and secure.  With calls for him to go and with little chance of that happening, England's poor performance is under the microscope.  Was it down to poor management or poor players? 
And David Beckham is backing the manager so we might see him playing for England sometime soon?

The Vuvuzela

A fantastic success for South African's and the World Cup.



sidelines: new technologies?
as 'old and safe' versus 'new and sorry' 

The benefits of public television are easily illustrated. While the BBC are able to offer seamless reporting and coverage of The World Cup, commercial television is burdened with the realities of making a living through advertising.
But wait up! Traditional commercial channels can now offer the benefits of a multi-platform service with bells and whistles such as time-lapse; instant replays; HD and much more.
However, when ITV in the UK had some ‘technical problems’ and missed airing the first goal scored by England in the World Cup – the punters were not very happy. And this was not the first time that viewers were diappointed and denied live action.
In 2009 the largest commercial channel in the UK switched to an automatic ad break just in time to miss airing the winning goal during an FA cup tie between Everton and L|Liverpool.

This is a sharp reminder that major events such as The Olympics and The World Cup require a large investment in order to produce the on-demand coverage required by an audience that is increasingly expecting the highest quality of delivery across all platforms.
Working on a smaller budget that the BBC, ITV decided to fill some of their commentary with non-football celebrities. This prompted one studio based show host (with a live audience) to ask his mother to attempt to kick footballs into a studio prop mini-goal. And it should be noted that the commercials in and around ITV's coverage of the World Cup bore little resemblance to the smart, funny and entertaining Superbowl ads that are so iconic in the USA.   Maybe next time?

So no suprises when the stats came out that Public TV (The BBC) drew an audience of 17.9 million during the World Cup Final extra time - more than four times the audience watching ITV.

fashion icon..... adidas online

Stella McCartney has been named as Adidas' creative director for the 2012 Olympic Games.

The fashion designer will create the sportswear firm's athlete kit for both the British Olympic and Paralympic teams to wear at the world's biggest sporting event, which will be held in London.

"As a British fashion designer it is an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be creative director of Team GB as the hosting nation of the London 2012 Olympic Games,” she said.

Stella’s appointment is the first time a high-end designer has created official kits for the Olympics.

"Adidas is bringing together the best British athletes performing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games with the best British designer and we are thrilled to have someone of Stella's stature working with us in the run up to London 2012,” Adidas marketing director Nick Craggs said.

“This is the ultimate fusion of performance and style and we are delighted to further our relationship with Stella in this way."

Stella has already worked with Adidas before - creating Adidas by Stella McCartney in 2005 - and she will also design a fan wear range which will be available later this year.

home and away:  

And let's not forget that elite athletes are just 'regular' people who enjoy a good chow down.... ....so it was no surprise that Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell confirmed that he is looking forward to London2012 when there will be a huge local Jamaican fan base complete with a choice of Jamaican chefs.
 
But is an athletes favorite food enough to claim 'gold'?

With high altitude proving a challenge for the England team, the Football Association shipped out a few of the following to help the team deliver a winning performance: Japanese rice; wasabi; balsamic vinegar; extra virgin olive oil; alongside crisps, Mars Bars, pot noodles, organic chocolate, pine nuts, dried apricots, a variety of herbal teas, Red Bull and chewing gum.  Oh well!

sport culture: the boot of fame

And just what is the

GOLDEN FOOT??

The award goes to: chosen from a list of ten nominees and selected by the a jury consisting of Golden Foot media partners representatives and fans from all over the world who give their preferential vote through the official site, the winner leaves a permanent mould of his footprints on THE CHAMPIONS PROMENADE, the "Walk of Fame" on the seafront of the Principality of Monaco, beside the other great football legends.

The GOLDEN FOOT is an international career award that take place under the High Patronage of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco. The prize is only for football players who are at least 29 years old, who stand out for their sport results (both as single players and with their team), for their fair play, their personality and for the esteem of the public and football experts.

Sounds very Hollywood!

And so this year's winner is: Mexican star footballer, Hugo Sánchez Márquez who will be awarded the GOLDEN FOOT in Monte Carlo, on October 11.

The Real Madrid CF and Club Atlético de Madrid legend (five times Spanish League top scorer, Mexican Sportman of 20th century, five Spanish league titles, one UEFA Cup won and many others records) will leave his footprints on the CHAMPIONS PROMENADE, the Walk of Fame of international football. He joins the likes of Maradona, Platini, Di Stéfano, Baggio and many others.

"Hugol" as he called by his fans, is the first player from Mexico to get the an international career award. 

Well Done!

starting blocks: London's Public transport upgrade

Good news for visitors to the Olympic Park as the expansion of Stratford Station guarantees to accommodate 120,000 peak passengers and 200 trains per hour.

The main station works, which are on track to be completed by the end of the year, are among a list of ten transport milestones detailed in 'Connected' published by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).

Stratford Regional Station, which first opened in the 1830s, is benefiting from more than a £200 million investment.

Plans to treble capacity by 2012 will be achieved by improving lines and allowing longer and faster trains with the extension of new platforms.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: 'Thousands of citizens from around the world will descend on our great city in 2012 and my vision is that whether they arrive by rail, road or air when they get here they find an array of swift and efficient transport options to move them between our venues, attractions and hotels.

Passenger demand at the station shows a significant increase to 55,000 passengers per hour from a base of 35,000 three years ago.  It is expected that during the London 2012 Games, 120,000 people will be use the station at peak times.

Other transportation projects include the introduction of three-car trains on the DLR,
the introduction of a high speed Javelin® service, walking and cycling services and facilities; and  improved river transport...... but no information as yet regarding the dedicated Olympic Family Lanes which are a 'must' for any and every Games.

 

Meanwhile, UK Food retailer, The Co-operative is continuing its campaign for netball to become an Olympic sport by unveiling a new website along with its own "Back the Bid" logo.

Central to the campaign, the website will contain background details and the latest news of this well-known British school girls team sport. Support comes from various high profile 'celebrities' including Dame Kelly Holmes, former England football captain Bryan Robson and rugby league stars Jon Wilkin and Robbie Paul.

The new logo will be integrated into all activity and be present on court during televised games on Sky Sports.

The campaign to have netball included in the Olympics has gained momentum and the community-based sport ties in perfectly with The Co-operative's brand values.   However, The IOC offers a revolving door when it comes to the introduction and 'removal of sports'; so the earliest that netball may qualify will be in 2020. With versions of golf and rugby soon to be entering the Olympic 'fray', netball will find itself up against the likes of a Twenty20 version of the cricket - although netball may do well as the IOC are attempting to make the Olympics an equal and level playing field when it comes to the battle of the sexes.

It should also be remembered that the IOC scrapped demonstration sports after the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona - which may prove a short-sighted decision although perhaps an expedient choice when it comes to the logistics of organizing the Games.

life after -   winning the right to host major sporting events

India sports minister M. S. Gill has criticized the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) for failing to secure participation of a number of star athletes at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
The comments were made after British cyclist and Olympic champion Chris Hoy announced he was pulling out of the Games, following a similar decision from Jamaican sprinter and Olympic gold medallist, Usain Bolt.
Organizing committee chairman, Suresh Kalmadi highlighted that most of the participating countries will be sending their biggest delegations ever: “If one or two do not come, it does not matter. The Games will go on, the best of the world are coming and new champions will be created.” And Gill raised a valid point that athletes prefer to take part in regional competitions over the Commonwealth Games because these events are qualifiers for the Olympics. 
However, Gill still plans to raise the issue at a meeting of sports ministers from all the Commonwealth nations on October 4, 2010 - just before the Games' start!


And while The Commonwealth Games may not be the largest sports event on the planet, Delhi is certainly seen as high risk in terms of its track record and location.

Despite the fact that there were no serious incidents during the South African World Cup, 'accidents do happen'.

In the case of the Democratic Republic of Congo hundreds of football fans had gathered to watch Ghana's 2010 World Cup quarter final when an oil tanker overturned and in the process killed at least 230 plus a similar number of seriously injuried.

While sporting events are always scrutinized as terorists high-profile targets, the question remains as to whether the Congo incident would have received the same level of coverage if it had not been triggered by a World Cup related event?

______________________

But while many are focusing on the elite athletes and the fans - much emphasis is put on the legacy of youth as a significant and important factor in the investment of hosting a major porting event.

The London Youth Games is one such example - as school age athletes compete for their Boroughs in their selection from 48 main competitions.

Since 1977 London's school kids have been competing head to head with their neighboring boroughs to earn the right to lift the Jubilee Trophy. 

Crystal Palace has long been home to elite athletic events and the opportunity for kids to showcase their talents on the same 'turf' as some of the great stars of athletics is their time to be spotted by the scouts.

The elite athletes of today who turn up to present the event's awards often started their career at the London Youth Games.

Seen as the premier opportunity for developing sports such as swimming, diving, netball, archery, basketball, disability sport, squash, judo and many more, this is the nurturing ground for young talent -  particularly in the light of the youth legacy objectives for the London 2012 Games.

While schools had the opportunity to showcase their young talented athletes, little attention within the schools system is given to a broader understanding of the sports industry.  Subjects such as sports management, how stadium work; careers within the sports industry such as physiotherapy or sports marketing are rarely on the schools' agenda.  For example one elite netball player illustrated the point when she said that she did not realize when she was a kid that netball was a national sport - even though she was one of the top young player!.

In sharp contrast to sports education within the school system, The London Youth Games programme is a lonely beacon which shines a light on all aspects of the sports industry.