Inside Lines: 'I will KO Chambers' vows Moynihan

Sports Diarist,Alan Hubbard
Sunday 16 March 2008 01:00 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Princess Anne was not quite in her infamous "Naff 'orf" mode when she chided the media at the annual general meeting of the British Olympic Association, over which she presides, but she made sure we got the message. "Please get your facts right," she said icily. The BOA have had a rather bad press of late and HRH is not alone in coming out fighting. Colin Moynihan, who threw a mean punch as an amateur bantamweight boxer, is now very much "hands on", adopting a far more aggressive role as chairman after the organisation's recent gaffes by overturning the proposed "gagging" clause in athletes' contracts and throwing out any idea of them using smog masks in Beijing. Moreover, he warns Dwain Chambers that if the sprinter contests his life Olympic ban in court, it will be a fight to the finish "whatever the cost". That, of course could be considerable – for both parties – but Moynihan, well connected in top legal circles, says he will hire the best possible lawyers. "I've been in sport 28 years and I am determined there will be no room for cheats in our teams for Beijing or London."

Seeing red over Ken's middle-of-the-nightmare

Ken Livingstone's dream of a car-free Olympics in 2012 has been rudely dashed by the International Olympic Committee, who clearly do not relish sweating with the punters on the bendy buses or packed tubes. They are insisting on 3,000 chauffeur-driven limos for VIPs, officials and sponsors. Meanwhile, the 20,000 fight fans fretting in the two-and-a-half-hour jam exiting the O2 Arena (an Olympic venue, incidentally, where no public transport was available in the early hours) last weekend might suggest London's mayor should be charged for causing congestion.

Boxing becomes the new rock 'n' roll

David Haye walked the five miles to his south London home rather than endure the traffic chaos around the O2 Arena after his brief and brutal despatch of Enzo Maccarinelli. Presumably he needed to break sweat. While Maccarinelli was caught cold, the boxing world has caught Haye fever. A sport on a roll loves a big winner almost as much as it does a game loser. Some 20,000 paid to watch Haye. When Ricky Hatton has his Manchester City homecoming against the moderate Juan Lazcano on 24 May it should be no sweat, too, for the Hitman before a crowd of 55,000. "Over 42,000 tickets went on the first day," said the promoter, Frank Maloney. "Demand was faster than for a Rolling Stones gig."

Author McNab puts Hitler's Games on stage

Tom McNab, who in his time has been coach to Britain's Olympic athletics and bobsleigh teams, and written a best-selling novel ('Flanagan's Run') has turned sporting playwright. A stage reading of his radio play '1936', about the Berlin Olympics, will be held at the Trestle Theatre,St Albans, on Wednesday in aid of Grove House, a local hospice. It is a dramatic account of how Hitler cynically politicised the most infamous of Games which, says McNab, 74, has parallels with some of the ethical issues now bedevilling the upcoming Olympics in Beijing.

No more queuing for pies if you play your cards right

Football these days finds many ways of relieving fans of their money. One of the least painful goes on trial at today's Manchester City-Spurs game when MasterCard pilot a one-touch cashless payment system that can be used for everything from ticketsto programmes and, they claim, cuts queuing for pies.

insidelines@independent.co.uk

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in