SPORTS AGENDA
it has not been the best of seasons for the aston Martin F1 team and things got worse at the Saudi arabian grand Prix. deep into Saturday’s qualifying session a toilet block above the aston Martin section of the garages began to leak, showering those below. Much sniggering and predictable jokes from their rivals ensued as their mechanics raced for cover.
A NUMBER of EFL clubs were left ‘seriously unimpressed’ following a recent group call with Twitter to discuss the fight against online abuse. ‘It was incredibly flaky,’ said one official at a Championship side. ‘They failed to address the fundamentals. ‘There were 200 people on the call and I’d be surprised if any of them left it any the wiser.’
FOOTBALLERS earning north of £100,000 a week and set to leave their clubs on a free transfer this summer may have to lower their expectations, with insiders claiming the market is the flattest in years. With the likes of Barcelona, real Madrid and Juventus no longer splashing out, clubs elsewhere have been tightening their belts and showing little interest. the return of Champions League games being played without spectators in germany has also had an impact. agents are hoping that the arrival of newcastle’s new super-wealthy owners will inject some life into the situation, but do not rule out some household names struggling to find new employers who will pay them anywhere near what they might have previously picked up. even the Middle east option is less favourable, with clubs no longer having to compete with the subdued Chinese market.
THE Premier League Christmas party will be going ahead this week, with no fewer than 210 people invited. Some staff have questioned the move, given the emergence of the Omicron Covid variant, although insiders say fewer than 200 are expected and the venue will be bigger than usual, with people taking lateral flow tests in advance. Spare a thought for those who work for the FA, who will attend their festive do virtually, while last week, the Rugby Football Union cancelled their festive drinks with the media.
IT will be interesting to see what arrangements are made for next year’s Ballon d’Or given its normal date would see it take place during the World Cup. Some have wondered if the event may be moved from its French home to World Cup host Qatar. No date has yet been set, with talks due in January.
the impact of david Moyes stretches far and wide at West ham. the hammers’ 50 support liaison officers are put through their paces before each home game at the London Stadium in a quiz aimed at preparing them for questions from fans. it features rounds including stadium layout, operations and West ham history. its name? Moyestermind, obviously.
IT would appear that no action will be taken against anyone at the FA following the publication of Baroness Casey’s report into the shameful scenes that marred the European Championship final and put lives at risk. While Baroness Casey was heavy on criticism of supporters and ‘agencies’, she was thin on identifying those whose inability to see the warning signs almost proved fatal. Chris Bryant, for example, the FA’s ‘head of tournament delivery’, was not mentioned once in 129 pages. In a briefing with journalists, crossbench peer Baroness Casey (above) went off on what sounded suspiciously like a prepared speech, saying that she did not seek a ‘scapegoat’ because she would never have found the truth. Such strange logic would have been music to the ears of those responsible for a horrendous episode and it means nobody appears to have been held to account. It’s almost like there’s a 2030 World Cup to bid for.
‘TURKEYS voting for Christmas’ is how some international sports federations are describing the situation created by the newly-elected president of the global association of international Sports Federations (gaiSF), ivo Ferriani. he recently sent out a notice to all 97 voting member federations (from FiFa to Life Saving) announcing there will be a vote on the dissolution of gaiSF at their next
general assembly in mid-2022. the move for dissolution is thought to be driven by the ioC in an attempt to limit any attempts to create a World Championships of Sport which could rival the olympic games. Ferriani will require a two-thirds majority vote to push dissolution through and judging by the outrage from many small member federations, this is not a done deal.