My penny's worth

There were a few sporting controversies this week so I have decided to weigh in on them.

1. The Premiership's plan to play one more match a season abroad

I think when you live abroad you get the chance to appreciate how big Premiership Football is. When you're on holiday, you just think it's funny slash cool that they have it on in the bar at the hotel. But I had all the Premiership matches on my TV sports package in Singapore, with lesser known ex-stars providing punditary. There was a guy I worked with who would get up in the middle of the night to watch his beloved Liverpool play, and I'm sure he wasn't alone. English football is a big deal around the world, and maybe it's time that fans around the world get a chance to see matches live that actually matter, not just a pre-season friendly against a local third rate team. The NFL played a game a while ago in Wembley, why not why not proper football, the biggest game in the world around the world?

All that said, the Premiership don't seem to have been very smart about how they have gone about their plan. 39 matches in a season? Wrecking the even home and away games? What would decide which teams played? And where? Ill-conceived and prematurely announced. It doesn't look like it's going to happen, what with Sepp and various Football Federations coming out against it anyway. Meesy thinks they had big dollar signs in their eyes that was obscuring their vision on this one.

2. Dwain Chambers and the World Indoors

He took drugs, got caught and served his ban. Rather than run away with his tail between his legs, he's back running on the track again and is fast enough still to go to major events. But can anyone trust him? Has he disgraced his nation? Should he get a second chance? Tough one. He knowingly took performance enhancing drugs that were undetectable at the time. He was absolutely complicit and then had the audacity to say that you couldn't win an Olympic gold medal without drugs, which just insulted everyone that ever has (including his ex-team mates in the 4 x 100m). 

But the ban he served was the ban that was set. Stare decisis. I think that if sporting bodies are serious about getting rid of drugs out of their sports, then give a ban that truly makes it not worth it. But you can't help but think Chambers should just give it up now, he would have slightly more dignity.

3. Steven Spielberg and the Beijing Olympics

So he was an artistic advisor to the Opening and Closing Ceremonies but his conscience wouldn't let him continue because China isn't doing enough to end the suffering in Darfur. Why was he the artistic advisor anyway? Did he too see the big dollar signs? I think he comes across as being a bit high and mighty now. What's your government doing to end the suffering? Probably not selling them guns right enough but still. 

I watched Matt Frei interview President Bush this week and he asked him about it. Bush said he viewed the Olympics as 'a sporting event'. Well, yes, they are but surely politics is involved when countries sent their representatives and Heads of State. But back to Spielberg. Fair enough Steven. You pulling out of your role probably got more media attention on Darfur this week than the entire month beforehand.