Women ski jumpers brought down to earth

Unnoticed by the vast majority of those watching these winter games is that not one woman will have descended down either of the ski jump hills in competition.

As Gregor Schlierenzauer of Austria completed the team ski jump competition today, one of the rare sour tastes of this Winter Olympics was left in the mouth

His soaring 146.5m jump (the longest of the competition which yielded 145.2 pts) was enough to earn Austria the gold medal.

But why should men be the only ones permitted to celebrate their great achievements in this event (and the nordic combined, of which ski jumping forms one half)?

Especially when considering the fact that it is a woman (Lindsay Van) who holds the record jump off the normal hill at Whistler ski park.

USA's Johnny Spillane won silver in the nordic combined competition.

And perhaps more importantly, should a body such as the International Olympic Committee be able to ride roughshod over the host nation's entire legal system?

Because that is exactly what was allowed to happen.

Illegal

The Vancouver Olympics were supposed to be games of equality, in a nation that possesses a specific clause about gender discrimination in its charter of rights and freedoms, and when a British Colombia judge ruled that the action to exclude women from the ski jump competition was indeed illegal under Canadian law, there appeared to be a glimmer of hope.

But that hope was quickly extinguished when the court added that the law didn't apply to an international body such as the IOC.

All that belief and integrity might as well have been thrown to the four winds from the summit of the large hill at Whistler.

There is not a lack of interest, or an absence of willing competitors.

It is down to the stubbornness and commercial minded cynicism of the Vancouver Organising Committee and IOC, and a lack of strength in the Canadian court system to hold both these bodies to account to its national laws.

Excuses

These organisations, it appears, would rather include newer events that have fewer participants but a greater marketing potential, than address a very simple question.

Excuses ranging from the short-sighted (limited space in the athletes' village) to the downright bizarre (female bodies not being suitable for ski jumping) have been used but none satisfy the argument.

The female ski jumpers have been trying to achieve this goal since 1998, and now have their own tour and World Championship, but with the next Olympics in the very un-feminist Russia, they maybe forced to wait until 2018 for their first Olympic contest.

That would be a real leap of faith.

Williams win brings British respect and pride back to Olympics

Fifty-four seconds after leaving the Whistler sliding centre’s summit for her fourth and final skeleton run, Amy Williams had re-written more than just record books.


Becoming the first individual British athlete in 30 years to claim a Winter Olympic gold medal was impressive enough – she also added the track record along the way - but silencing the national press was an even greater achievement.

And compatriate Shelly Rudman’s rapidly improving times meant that had the competition continued for another slide or two, the country could have celebrated a pair of athletes atop the podium.

However, the silver medalist from four years ago was forced to settle for sixth after producing the fastest descent down the 1km long course in the final round.

It’s noticeable that the events of that Friday night in western Canada marked something of a sea-change in the coverage from the vast majority of the UK press towards these Vancouver Games.

Prior to that, and indeed as long ago as the days leading up to the opening ceremony, much of the reporting had been negative and belittling, with backhanded criticisms ranging from the organizing committee, the (unfortunately) unseasonably warm weather, to even the sports on show.

This last one is perhaps the most concerning, as by showing a flagrant disregard for the merits of ski-jumping, luge, or cross-country skiing, the press are illustrating an equal contempt for the athletes, coaches and significant others who dedicate their time to the training and hard-work that winning a gold medal takes.

DISTASTEFUL

This is unfortunately a distasteful trend for the media which must be un-learnt before the Olympics come-a-calling to London in 2012.

Significant criticism has come towards the host nation’s “Own the podium” aim, but there has been little outcry at the calls from various prominent politicians and athletes for a similar strategy to provide a record haul of British medals two years hence.

Indeed, contrarily this is often supported by the press as something that is needed to make the games a success.

There is no doubt that aspects of every major event, including this present one in British Columbia, require scrutiny and criticism, but just to do so because your country has limited success in the disciplines involved is simply not a good enough excuse.

Why not try fostering an atmosphere of support and pride helping the athletes to succeed, rather than making it appear against the odds or as a silly novelty that will be forgotten about for the next three-and-a-half years.

Maybe that way, in four years time we will actually be able to talk up our athletes chances of bringing medal success.

Ajax boost title hopes with vital victory

Ajax 3 – 0 FC Twente:

From Owain Thomas at the Amsterdam ArenA

Goals from three different players reinvigorated Ajax’s Eredivisie title challenge as they eventually eased to a comfortable win over FC Twente.

Demy De Zeeuw, Marko Pantelic and Dennis Rommedahl found the net, but it could have been so different had Twente taken any one of several glorious early chances.

Instead, De Zeeuw’s low skidding drive opened the scoring on 22 minutes, squeezing in at the far post, past a slow to react Sander Boschker in the visitor’s goal.

And Pantelic bundled in a second shortly before halftime after a beautiful swerving effort from captain Luis Suarez crashed against a post.

That gave Martin Jol’s team a commanding but scarcely deserved lead at the break, to which they added as Dennis Rommedahl lashed home to finish off a sustained spell of pressure fifteen minutes from time.

By now Ajax were in full cruise control and the influential Suarez should have already been on the scoresheet, but his effort was incorrectly ruled offside.

Wasted Chances

Steve McClaren’s side deserved that slice of luck, which otherwise appeared to desert them for much of the match as both goalkeeping and finishing let them down.

The former England manager was visibly frustrated throughout the contest, prowling around the coach's technical area and occassionally growling at his team, particularly after his side conceded the first goal at which point he felt they lost "control and belief."

"The first goal was crucial," McClaren said.

"We had some glorious chances. The way we played in the first 20 minutes until they scored the first goal was very very good, but they improved and we went down, which was disappointing.

"The game hinged on Ajax scoring goals fom nothing, which they did and we didn't, so we don't deserve to win the game," he added.

Indeed it was the visitors who had looked the more likely to score in the early going.
After Pantelic’s flick-on brought a sharp low save from Boschker just two minutes in, they dominated as Ajax’s defensive nerves were exposed.

However, both Blaise Nkufo and his strike partner Kenneth Perez twice failed to capitalize on defensive lapses, having been set free by incisive midfield passing.

Bryan Ruiz and Chelsea-loanee Miroslav Stoch looked particularly dangerous on the flanks, and their darting runs and nimble footwork continuted to trouble the Ajax backline throughout, but unfortunately for McClaren's men, the strike duo just couldn't find the target from those openings.

As so often happens though, Twente were left to rue those missed opportunities, although they did almost sneak a consolation at the death, but Perez’s curling free-kick smacked against a post and was cleared.

The victory pulled Ajax within six points of their second placed rivals and also avenged a 1-0 defeat in November, however they remain nine points behind leaders PSV Eindhoven.

Going for Gold

The hopes of a nation are riding on the shoulders of 23 athletes as the 2010 Winter Olympics start today in Vancouver.

That’s not the total number of competitors Great Britain is sending to western Canada but the host nation’s men’s ice hockey squad.

For Canadian ice hockey, read English football, only colder, more physical and more dedicated.
Many young Canadians grow up playing hockey on homemade backyard rinks in temperatures well below freezing.

And that’s just the start.

If they work hard enough, are determined enough, and more importantly lucky enough to be blessed with some talent on skates, they will soon be playing their way through the junior ranks.
And at just 16-years-old those kids can be playing in front of National Hockey League sized crowds.

It’s a telling statement that, as Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, performed a good luck Vancouver ceremony with James Wright, Canadian high commissioner to the United Kingdom, the pair crossed hockey sticks in Trafalgar Square.

Not crossed ski poles, or sitting in a bobsleigh, but hockey sticks.

Canada will undoubtedly be near the summit of the final medal table, but for many who reside north of the 49th parallel, the nation’s success will be based solely on the performance of one team.

There are plenty of other medal hopes.

Howard Martin and Cheryl Bernard will be favourites to lead their teams to curling gold, Manuel Osbourne-Paradis and Erik Guay are medal hopes in downhill skiing, with the freestyle skiing and figure skating teams expecting to make the podium as well.

But it will all come back to the “good old hockey game.”

It may seem unfair to place such huge pressure on only one team for one medal, but it is just a fact of life for Canadians.

HMRC v Football Clubs - postponed

A brief update from those court cases earlier today.

Portsmouth now appear to be treading on very thin ice, although there is still a glimmer of hope that they may survive.

Pompey were granted just seven days to prove they will be able to make a payment schedule for the HMRC to prove the ability to pay their debts.

According to the BBC: Court registrar Christine Derrett said she feared the company would continue to trade and build up more debts that would not be paid.

"I am very concerned about the financial status of this company," she said. "It seems to me there's a very real risk that this company is undoubtedly trading while it is insolvent.

"I'm obviously conscious that, by making a winding-up order, it would have very severe consequences not only for the company as a business but for the supporters themselves, but that's not a consideration that I strictly take into account."

It also seems the situation is even worse than many feared, with the club not only owing the estimated £7m in VAT, but a further £4.7m in PAYE and National Insurance, which was not included in this process.

However, both Cardiff City and Southend United are able to breath a bit easier, having earned a 28-day reprieve to get their financial affairs in order, or at least get in a place to pay their tax bills.

It seems the payments these clubs have either made or are set ot make in the near future has at least kept the wolf from the door for the time being.

I guess we'll have to wait another seven or 28 days to get the final decisions in this long running saga.

Cup finalists face fight for their lives

Just 21 months ago Portsmouth and Cardiff City faced each other in front of a packed Wembley Stadium and worldwide television audience in the FA Cup Final.

Today, in a cruel twist of fate they will both appear before the same court just minutes apart in a battle far more important to their thousands of fans than victory on that Saturday in May 2008.
Defeat on this occasion could lead to one or even both clubs to fall into administration, and in a worst case scenario, to be wound up altogether.

The opponent this time is none other than Her Majesty, or rather Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, who are trying to recoup millions of pounds in unpaid taxes from the two clubs.

It’s estimated that more than 100 million people around the world watched Portsmouth lift the famous trophy after a 1-0 win, but since that highlight, fortunes have turned for the worse.

The south coast club faces estimated debts of £60m, is already on their fourth owner of a season that has barely passed its mid-point, and lies bottom of the Premier League staring at the near certainty of relegation to the Championship.

Meanwhile Cardiff, who currently lie a very respectable fourth place in that Championship, are thought to owe around £30m, with HMRC targeting £2.7m of that total debt today.

While both clubs can put much of their ills down to poor ownership decisions that some may call downright financial mismanagement at boardroom level, this is a trend that is fast becoming alarming in its frequency.

Already this season, Crystal Palace, one of the Welsh club’s Championship rivals, have been placed into administration, while League One Southend United will also face a winding-up petition.

There have been 53 professional club administrations since 1992, and that date is more than a coincidence.

It marks the year football entered its new era with the breakaway of the country’s top division and subsequent formation of the Premier League.

With this new league came new money from massive television and sponsorship contracts that brought more matches into more homes, and even to a global audience.

However, this new found wealth has meant that many clubs are living off vast amounts of borrowed cash, paying vastly inflated transfer fees and wages for players in a bid to reach the Premier League promised land where the sport is paved with gold.

Unfortunately, as Dick Whittington discovered on his arrival in London, this is often not the case.

Few teams manage to reach the giddy heights, and even one season of failure can lead to the club’s financial ruin.

So common has this occurrence now become, the sports’ powers have had to introduce football related penalties in an attempt to ensure clubs live within their means.

Crystal Palace have already suffered a ten-point penalty alongside the uncertainty of finding new owners, while previous Premier League regulars Southampton began this campaign in League One with a similar deduction following their troubles last term.

HMRC has begun taking a harder line with football clubs that fall into debt after losing vast sums in overdue tax revenue thanks to this rapid increase in administrations.

A clause of the administration process determines that players must be paid first and in full from any monies available, often meaning that other creditors are left high and dry, receiving only a few pennies from each pound owed.

This has resulted in a big hole often being left in the tax purse, and so the agency has decided to start taking preemptive action in an attempt to recoup all it is owed, rather than wait for the remaining crumbs.

It seems Southend and Cardiff may have some chance of meeting Her Majesty’s demands as eleventh hour bids for cash are pulled together, but for Portsmouth the signs are bleaker, and the club’s survival may come down to the court granting a stay of execution.