Tayler back in Christchurch

Commonwealth Games gold medalwinning athlete Dick Tayler is back in Christchurch and on the road to recovery.

Tayler, 68, collapsed while travelling with friends following the British and Irish Lions rugby tour near Rotorua on June 18. Friends were assisting Tayler on the roadside when two doctors stopped to help and he was then taken to Rotorua Hospital.

On Wednesday Tayler was flown to Christchurch by air ambulance, so he could recuperate near immediate family.

Close friend Paul Allison said Tayler was making good progress. ’’Being flown to Christchurch was standard practice for his recovery. I spoke with Dick and he appeared in good spirits.’’

Allison said Tayler and his family wished to thank everyone for the many messages of support over the past week and a half.

‘‘To ensure he gets plenty of rest during his recovery process the family have restricted visitors to immediate family only.’’

Tayler captured the nation’s hearts when he won the 10,000m at the Christchurch Commonwealth Games in 1974. The United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office is reviewing a Fifa report into controversial bids to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

A 2014 report by former Fifa ethics investigator Michael Garcia had only been published as a 42-page summary but was leaked.

It was published by Fifa the next day and revealed details of ‘‘improper’’ actions by bid teams, including England’s.

The Serious Fraud Office, which has the power to prosecute, confirmed it is now scrutinising the full publication according to the BBC.

Confirmation of the SFO’s interest comes 20 months after its director David Green told MPs of potential money laundering offences, including a payment of $500,000 Australian dollars made by the Australia 2022 bid committee to Jack Warner - then a senior Fifa official but since