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Jamaican athlete Steve Mullings was yesterday handed a lifetime ban from all sports by the three-member Jamaica Anti-Doping disciplinary panel, after he tested positive for the prohibited substance Furosemide during the National Track and Field Senior Trials in June.

The panel, consisting of chairman Lennox Gayle, former FIFA referee Peter Prendergast and Dr Japheth Ford, unanimously decided that the beleaguered 28-year-old be given a career-ending sanction.

"It is our unanimous decision that he be ineligible from sports for life," Gayle declared after a ten-minute break in the session at the Jamaica Conference Centre.

Last Thursday the panel found the United States-based Mullings guilty of the violation, but the sentencing was put off to give the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCo) enough time to obtain relevant documents from the local governing athletics body.

The documents were said to contain information applicable to Mullings's two-year anti-doping ban in 2004 and were deemed to be crucial in determining the magnitude of yesterday's sanction.

Gayle explained yesterday that the panel was "satisfied that Mr Mullings is a multiple offender" and added that "a clear message must be sent to everyone. Prohibited substances must not be used".

Earlier in the afternoon, the sitting officially began an hour and a quarter after the scheduled 2:00 pm start.

JADCo's attorney Lackston Robinson told the panel that the information provided by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) was incomplete, because, while it stated that Mullings tested positive for methyl testosterone metabolite in 2004, it did not classify the accompanying sanction.

That shortcoming led Robinson to refer to International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) rules, which point to sanctions for second time anti-doping violations.

He said that both of Mullings' breaches are "standard violations" and charged that, based on "the chart (guideline) the possible sanction is eight years to life".

He asked that the panel consider that Mullings did not attend any sitting of the case and did not present any witness in an attempt to prove his innocence. He said that the athlete should be punished to the fullest of the law and added that "a message should be sent" to potential violators.

In response, Mullings' lawyer Alando Terrelonge noted that the letter from the JAAA did not address the classification of the previous sanction.

He argued that with regards to sentencing, his client should benefit from any doubt surrounding whether he was found to have intentionally tried to enhance his performance.

Terrelonge described Mullings as a "talented athlete", who should not be punished for being absent from the hearing. He asked the panel to "not be swayed by prejudice or hostility" towards Mullings and added that a life ban would be "draconian".

He returned to the point he made during a submission over a week ago that JADCo's rules allow for an athlete to be represented even if he or she is absent.

Asked Terrelonge: "Are we penalising this young man for not coming (to the hearing) or are we interested in the justice of the case?"

He contended that Mullings' current situation is dissimilar to "extreme cases", which he said warrant life bans under the provisions of the IAAF and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules.

According to Terrelonge, a four-to-six or six-to-eight-year ban, depending on the panel's interpretation of the rules, would be a more just punishment.

Furosemide is a potent diuretic that increases the release of fluids and other substances from the body and can be used to conceal the presence of other drugs.

Mullings, who is also represented by attorneys Allison Strange and Ryan Cipparone of the Florida-based law firm Bret Jones PA, has strongly denied any wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, it is likely that the sprinter will challenge the panel's ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

By Sanjay Myers

Source: www.jamaicanobserver.com

What is the basis for the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) battle with the British Olympic Association (BOA)? Why is WADA trying to tell the BOA under what terms it can select the Great Britain Olympic team? Is WADA now a law unto itself? Any person or organisation belonging in any capacity whatsoever to the Olympic Movement is bound by the provisions of the Olympic Charter and respect the fundamental ethical principles of Olympism and the Charter. Olympic Charter Rule 31 is unambiguous: the mission of NOCs is to develop and protect the Olympic Movement in their respective countries, in accordance with the Olympic Charter. The IOC and its NOCs must lead the fight against doping in sport.  NOCs have exclusive powers for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games.

It also states that in order to fulfill their mission, NOCs may cooperate with governmental or non-governmental bodies. However, they must never associate themselves with any activity which would be in contradiction with the Olympic Charter. The Olympic Charter is absolutely clear that NOCs shall preserve their autonomy and resist all pressures of any kind that may prevent them from complying with the Olympic Charter. The penalty for failure to comply with the Olympic Charter may result in the IOC suspending or withdrawing recognition. If it were a national government, the IOC would have been down on the country like a ton of bricks, suspension and a threat of expulsion would be the order of the day. So it’s absurd that the very same Olympic Charter would be interpreted as giving WADA the power and authority to interfere in the selection policy of an NOC.

The fact of the matter is that there is need for a firmer and stronger stance against doping in sport. Those who argue otherwise are delusional. WADA was set up to level the playing field, strengthen the fight against doping and bring all athletes closer to fairer completion. In its uncompromising fight against doping, the BOA has a zero tolerance stance. In so doing it sends a strong message to athletes, coaches and others who cheat. As always in these matters it seems as if there is greater concern for the rights of the drug cheats than the rights of the clean athlete. If the Olympic Charter gives NOCs  exclusive powers for the representation at Olympic Games why is WADA challenging the BOAs right, obligation  and duty in this regard?

Clean athletes must have a measure of assurance that drug cheats are not wanted in the Olympic Games. NOCs have a duty first and foremost to the drug free athlete. The fight against doping should not be empty words. The fear of costly legal battles that drug cheats are prepared to wage before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is no excuse to give in and water down sanctions. Sport is facing a myriad of challenges including doping in sport, illegal gambling, bribery and corruption. There is no end in sight. Sporting bodies are responsible for selecting their teams and deciding on code of conduct and selection criteria. CAS has ruled that WADA is responsible for anti-doping rules globally. Under IOC rules compliance with the doping code is mandatory. However, the Olympic Charter gives the BOA exclusive powers for selecting its team for the Olympic Games. WADA or CAS cannot usurp the primary rights, duties and authority of an NOC. It is ludicrous that the BOA should face sanctions for refusing to select drug offenders on its Olympic Games team. This is not a code compliant issue nor is it one of double jeopardy. It is about the right of the BOA to select its Olympic team. The BOA is well within its right to stand
firm behind rule 31 and their lifetime ban on selection for Olympic Games for athletes who test positive.

-Brian Lewis

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

Already in the history books by becoming the first Trinidad and Tobago representative at a Parapan American Games, Shanntol Ince added another chapter on Friday by bagging bronze in the women's 100 metres backstroke S9 event, at the Scotiabank Aquatics Center, in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Not satisfied with her achievement, Ince claimed another medal on Saturday, the 16-year-old para swimmer securing bronze in the women's 100m freestyle S9.

T&T Paralympic Committee (TTPC) president Ken McKell described Ince's double strike as "an historic moment" for the local Paralympic movement.

"A milestone in our lives, and we plan to go from strength to strength with the support of all stakeholders who would have an interest in our community of persons with disabilities. TTPC is using sport to improve and enhance their lives. We certainly hope that it will create a greater awareness of the potential of persons with disabilities in sport."

The Parapan American Games, a multi-sport event for athletes in the entire western hemisphere with physical disabilities, is held every four years. In the previous three editions, there were no T&T representatives. And at the 4th Parapan American Games, in Guadalajara, Ince was the country's lone athlete. She did her compatriots proud, the two bronze medals earning T&T 12th spot on the medal table. Brazil finished first with 81 gold medals, 61 silver and 55 bronze, for a grand total of 197.

McKell, who travelled to Guadalajara as the T&T chef-de-mission, paid tribute to Ince.

"Her performance has certainly been inspiring," he told the Express, "and a true testament to the dedication and commitment of improving her life through sport."

On Friday, Ince touched the wall in one minute, 23.45 seconds to finish first in section one and third overall in the women's 100m backstroke S9. American Anna Johannes topped section two in 1:17.59 to grab gold, ahead of Brazilian Camille Cruz (1:21.88).

Ince returned to the pool on Saturday, topping section one in the 100m freestyle S9 in 1:13.28. The swim earned the T&T para athlete a second bronze. Gold and silver went to Johannes (1:09.02) and Cruz (1:11.10), respectively.

Earlier in the Games, Ince finished fourth in the women's 100m butterfly S9 (1:24.93), 50m freestyle S9 (34.33 seconds) and 400m freestyle S9 (5:39.48) events. She also competed in the 100m breaststroke SB8, copping fifth spot in 1:48.39.

Ince was accompanied to the Parapan American Games by McKell, Ralph "Linky" Yearwood (coach), June Durham (chaperone/massage therapist), and Deborah McKell (attaché). The Games ended yesterday.

McKell said Ince is expected to be on show next year on the biggest sporting stage for para athletes.

"All indications are that she will be representing Trinidad and Tobago at the London Paralympics 2012.

"There are other athletes," the TTPC president continued, "who are training. Carlos Greene in shot put, wheelchair racer Ricky Singh, and Dennis La Rose in table tennis--they will be attending qualifying events in early 2012 in a bid to qualify."

The late Rachael Marshall is the only T&T athlete to have earned precious metal at the Paralympics. At the 1984 Games, in New York, USA, she captured gold in the women's shot put L5 and javelin L5 events, as well as bronze in the women's 100m freestyle L6.

By Kwame Laurence

Source: www.trinidadexpress.com

National Olympic team head coach Angus Eve has included four players with senior international experience in his final 20-man squad to contest the Caribbean Football Union final round of Olympic qualifiers in St Kitts/Nevis this coming week. Following a training camp in Tobago over the past week, Eve announced his team which will be captained by defender Sheldon Bateau. The four players who have already played for the T&T senior team include influential Orlando City midfielder Kevin Molino who is the team’s vice captain, W Connection defender Joevin Jones, striker Shahdon Winchester, midfielder Sean De Silva and Jamal Gay. Other players who have been in the senior team training squad include Bateau, Micah Lewis, Mekeil Williams, Jerrel Britto and goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel who is attached to Antiguan club All Saints United.

Among other players included are Trevin Caesar, the Caledonia player who came off the bench to score the equalizing goal in the 1-1 draw with Ecuador at the recent Pan American Games in Guadalajara, hardworking midfielder Jayson Joseph, goalkeeper Andre Marchan, St Ann’s Rangers defender Kareem Moses, Leslie Russell and FC Santa Rosa’s  Jean Luc Rochford, another one of the surviving members of the 2009 FIFA Under 20 World Cup squad. The other members who have youth World Cup experience include Samuel, Williams, Bateau, Molino, De Silva, Marchan and Lewis.

Eve spoke on the composition of his squad, describing it as a well rounded unit. “It’s a combination of some of the Under-20 players who didn’t qualify for the Pan American Games as well as some of the senior guys who have come through the ranks,” Eve said. “We also have guys like Russell, Nuru Muhammad and Kareem Moses who have done well in the Pro League but haven’t had much experience on the international level. This gives us a well balanced team that is hungry for success and will go into this tournament eager to continue their promising run from the Pan American Games.”

The team also has Peak Performance coach Trevor James on its staff. James is a former Olympic 200 metres runner and a bronze medalist at the 1971 Pan American Games as well as a two-time All American Track & Field athlete at the University of Tennessee. He also possesses a degree in Family Economics and holds certificates in Advance Studies in Self-Image Psychology and Sports Psychology.

“This is all part of the preparation with the additional pressure on the team now. He was with the team for the first tournament we participated in and we’ve retained him for this tournament,”  Eve added. The team departs for St Kitts on Tuesday and will go into action on Thursday versus Cuba before facing the hosts on Saturday and Suriname two days later. The top two teams will advance to the final CONCACAF qualifying round in the United States in March, 2012 towards the London Olympics.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

It is not a phrase, I must admit, that has often tripped off my tongue, but I think Colin Moynihan has judged this one just about right.

It is hard to see the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) doing anything other than backing the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA's) position when it passes judgement on the British Olympic Association (BOA) bylaw preventing drug cheats from representing Britain at the Olympic Games, probably early next year.

But, if he plays his cards right, win or lose, the BOA chairman should emerge from the episode as a champion of the populist cause of taking a hard line on doping offenders.

WADA, by contrast, if it is not very careful may have a tricky time explaining why a body with the words "anti-doping" in its very title, appears to be pressing for a 20-year-old sanction to be diluted.

That is where the PR battle is likely to be waged.

Actually though, while you might very well sympathise with the principles behind Moynihan's hard-line stance, I think the correct approach would be to work hard at convincing WADA, in effect, to adopt the BOA bylaw worldwide.

Either a standardised global approach to doping is worth having, or it isn't.

I share the BOA's hope that the world of sport will use this issue as a pretext for "an open and honest debate about the status and future of the anti-doping movement".

But I fear that by making the severity of sanctions the focal-point, more fundamental matters will be glossed over.

Let's start with the effectiveness of the anti-doping apparatus.

An adverse analytical finding is catastrophic for an athlete.

It can transform someone from national hero to international pariah virtually overnight.

And that would be true however severe (or lenient) the potential sanction.

Yet do we have the slightest idea of the proportion of drug cheats who are actually caught?

Or whether this proportion is rising or falling?

It is a tough thing to ascertain, for sure.

But unless we have some idea, how do we know that it is not just the incompetent drug cheats getting caught and vilified, leaving more accomplished dopers to bask in continued adoration?

Introducing severer sanctions would also, to my mind, make it imperative to make sure we are a) 100 per cent confident in the science and b) 100 per cent certain that there is not the faintest smidgen of official favouritism or corruption from the moment the testers knock on the door to exhaustion of an athlete's last avenue of appeal.

I am afraid I disagree totally with the notion that a smattering of innocent victims is a price worth paying in the drive to stamp out abuse.

It is all very well in theory, until that innocent victim is you.

And the logic of arguing that a two-year ban for doping is "almost saying it is acceptable" quite escapes me.

Moynihan also said this week that over 60 per cent of countries in the Olympic Movement have anti-doping policies that are non-compliant with the WADA code.

If that is even remotely correct, then bringing that figure sharply down should, to my mind, be much more of a priority than bickering over sanctions.

I repeat: the consequences of an adverse finding are so devastating - whether or not you are forced to sit out an Olympics - that the least top-level athletes have a right to expect is that they and their international peers receive equal treatment.

Once that is sorted out, then the matter of whether penalties need to be more severe can move centre-stage.

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

T&T Olympic bronze medal swimmer George Bovell III made a triumphant return to competitive action when he won his pet event, the men’s 50 metres freestyle at the inaugural “Professional Dual Meet 1” at the University of Michigan’s Canham Natatorium on Thursday night. Competing for the first time after a three-month lay-off from a car accident he suffered in Mayaro on August 16, the 27-year-old Bovell representing the West Team won from a field of 15 other swimmers with a time of 22.77 seconds, .05 ahead of East competitor and Commonwealth Games champion, Jason Dunford while Alex Coville (West)—22.85, Pan American gold medallist  Nick Brunelli (East)—23.09 and Bobby Savulich (East)—23.10. Other notable finishers were African champion, David Dunford (East)—23.11, American record holder Bryan Lundquist (West)—23.52 and Canadian record holder, Joe Bartoch (West)—23.75. Earlier in, Bovell III was fourth in the men’s 200 metres individual in two minutes, 14.58 seconds to trail Darian Townsend (West)—2:01.29 mins; 2008 Olympic finalist and world bronze medallist winner Peng Wu (East)—2:02.11 mins, and Brunelli (2:08.46).

And in final event on the night, Bovell combined with West ‘A’ team-mates, Christopher Brady, Alex Hetland and Lundquist for third spot in the 200 metres medley relay in 1:41.73 to beat team-mates, Kevin Doak, Joe Bartoch, Nelson Westby and Coville (West B)—1:42.23. First home was East A led by Dunford (J) and Brunelli in 1:40.54 minutes while East B comprising Wu, Savulich, BJ Johnson and Dunford (D) was second in 1:41.53. At the end of the first night of competition, Bovell’s West has a tally 92.5 points to trail East (110.5). Speaking after his victory, Bovell II said it was a big win considering all the drama with the car accident and the bruise to his brain. “It was a little rushed and with a long finish, but I will take it. While the meet is relatively new, the top T&T swimmer was quick to point out that there was a high quality field of swimmers present and starting off the season with a win always helps build confidence. “I had just swam the 200m individual medley not long before so I was not very fresh, but the 50m freestyle itself felt solid.

Reflecting on the build-up to the event, Bovell, the 2003 Pan American double gold medal winner said, “I have been under heavy training and my body is definitely tired, sore and stiff but the best practice for racing is racing. It’s good early in the season to race under adverse circumstances to get comfortable being uncomfortable.” Yesterday, Bovell who has stepped up his preparations for next year’s London Olympics and is being coached by American Mike Bottom at the two-day event was expected to compete in no fewer than four events in an effort to help his team take the overall title.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

By Nigel Simon

Fresh of their triumphs in the T&T Hockey Board Indoor Championship on Friday, Notre Dame (women) and Queen’s Park CC (men) will start as favourites to take the Super Indoor titles which flicks off today. The three-day tournament involving the top four teams in the just-concluded national tournament will flick off tonight with four matches at the Woodbrook Youth Centre, Hamilton-Holder Street from 6 pm.

In the Women’s opener at 6 pm, the Dames which edged Harvard Maritime Checkers 2-1 for the national indoor title to add to its “Big-Four” crown will meet Ventures while Checkers tangles with Paragon at 8 pm. The men’s Open Division sees the Parkites facing Paragon while beaten national finalists and reigning league champion Petrotrin comes up against Notre Dame.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

The T&T Sailing Association (T&TSA) says that the addition of at least three laser sail boats to its fleet will boost the current successful Optimist Programme and allow a wider range of sailors to participate in the joys of sailing.

The laser dinghies come equipped with multi-rigs such that the boats can be used by a variety of sailors, expanding its availability to both youth and adult. The radial rig is the size ideally used by female sailors at International and Olympic levels.

The association hopes to develop and encourage more female sailors across the country to join in the success of the current national sailing team achieved at both regional and international levels.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

A total of 158 players took part in the Grant Memorial Presbyterian School’s inaugural Open One-Day Rapid Play Tournament last Saturday, making it the largest single chess event in the local history of the game. The majority of participants were juniors, from Under-20 to novices, and they filled the assembly hall of Naparima Girls’ High School in San Fernando with their youthful enthusiasm and burgeoning love for the royal game.

The winners of the tournament, of course, are to be congratulated, but it seems important to note that an even more significant victory was scored by the growing sport of chess itself especially among the country’s youngsters. In fact, of the 143 juniors taking part, a total of 72 contested the two categories of novices, a clear indication that more T&T parents are beginning to appreciate the benefits their children can derive from playing this mind-enhancing game.

In addition, the practical success of this competition did not happen by chance; it was the result of several cooperating factors led by the supportive management of the Grant Memorial Presbyterian School and its dynamic chess club which happens to be the largest such group in the country. Launched just over three years ago, the GMPS Chess Club has multiplied several times over, from an initial membership of ten to the present total of 137 active players. However impressive, these growth figures tell only part of the story, as the club, under the dedicated and enlightened leadership of its founder-president and coach David Martin, has established an impressive, practical, ground-breaking example of the all-round benefits that chess can confer in the process of developing the minds and personalities of our youngsters.

The club’s enthusiastic members have not only garnered a treasury of trophies, medals, awards and certificates in competitions but have also demonstrated the positive influence of the game in their scholastic efforts. As Martin points out, the lowest term test result of club members is 70 per cent, the highest being 98. And 60 per cent consistently score 90 per cent and higher. A computer businessman, Martin has provided the chess playing youngsters with a full range of technical and electronic equipment but now finds the growing club pressed for space as it has outgrown available accommodation at the school. His hope now is to find a suitable venue somewhere in the southern city.

Maybe that help will come from San Fernando Mayor Marlene Coudray, a surprise visitor to the tournament, who responded to what she saw by promising to assist the club in finding an adequate meeting place and to accept the “challenge” of sponsoring another chess tournament in the South. Apart from the support of GMPS Principal Monica Baksh, Martin also obtained valuable assistance from two other sources: AMSA Distributors of Chaguanas, the sponsors, who provided 50 trophies and $11,400 in prize money and the T&T Chess Foundation which supplied a range of equipment and technical assistance including arbiters.

In addressing the tournament, the Principal told its young participants they had chosen well, a sporting activity “which can uplift your spirit and thought, that is, both body and mind.” Referring to an article in the National Education Magazine, she said that “research has shown that chess confers many educational benefits, including developing problem-solving ability, abstract analytical skill, spatial ability, memory and concentration.”  She added: “Mr Martin has rubbed that into me, especially when two of our chess players have qualified for the finals of the Mental Math competition.”

Mrs Baksh concluded by quoting Benjamin Franklin, an ardent chess player himself: “The game of chess is not merely an idle amusement, several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired and strengthened by it...For life is a kind of chess...there are points to gain, competitors to contend with and a vast variety of good and ill events to face.”

Anthony Arjoon, managing director of AMSA Distributors, advised the youngsters to apply what they learn in chess to their everyday lives. The tournament was contested in four categories. The Open section which attracted 15 players was won by Presentation College student Vishnu Singh, half a point ahead of Sean Perryman and Joshua Johnson who scored four points each. The Under-20 group of 29 was headed by national scholarship winner Rafael Guerrero who finished with a perfect score of five points, a full point ahead of Kristeph Cassimire, Sanjay Roopchand, Mahendra Singh and Videsh Ramsaroop, all on four.

Javanna Smith played unbeaten among the 31 participants in the Under-14 category, scoring four and a half. Behind her were Sylvan Yearwood, Justin Labastide, Gerad  Sealy and Dimitri Pacheco, all on four. Topping the 21 Under-10s was Mikel Martin with a perfect score of five. Mikel, son of the club president and GMPS student, finished a full point ahead of Sean Yearwood and Karissa Sonoo.

Among the 45 in the Novices A category, Keshan Ramnarace finished with a perfect score of five, a point ahead of Diego Fournillier, Lexington Kangoo, Jurian Gomez, Inkim Matthew, Issiah Mondesir and Frederick Ali. In the Novices B section, with 27 players, Rishab Kushwaha also won all his five games, finishing a point in front of Phillip Mohammed, Leanne Walcott and Vijay Bhagaloo.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

By Carl Jacobs

Soca Warriors coach, Germany’s Otto Pfister will  know if he has a future as T&T national coach when the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) holds a press conference from this morning from 7.30am. The announcement is high on the agenda following T&T’s exit from 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification on Tuesday. The press conference is also being hosted by All Sport Promotions Limited, the organising contracted to deal with the day-to-day affairs of the local deferation takes place at the Jaffa Restaurant, Queen's Park Oval, Tragarete Road.

At the briefing the T&TFF’s acting president  Lennox Watson is expected to make a statement on all aspects of the federaion and its national team, with the main topic of discussion being that on Pfister’s future. The Soca Warriors were beaten 2-1 in Guyana on Friday in their penultimate second round Concacaf Group B Brazil 2014 FIFA  World Cup qualifier.

Pfister and his players had a 2-0 victory on Tuesday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo with goals from Kenwyne Jones and Lester Peltier, but it was all in vain as they ended second in the group with 12 points, one behind the Guyanese who advanced. The exit by the Soca Warriors, meant the first time since the 1982 Spain World Cup campaign, T&T had failed to make it to at least the Concacaf semifinal round of qualification.

It is widely expected that Pfister will be replaced as speaking on Monday at a press conference Minister of Sports, Anil Roberts expressed his view that the 74-year-old Pfister who he deemed as a good coach should be shown the door. This after he failed to get the team to its target of the World Cup Finals appearance in Brazil in 2014. Roberts noted that while he was in no position to tell the T&TFF what to do in terms of hiring and firing of technical staff and coaches, his Ministry was in no position to continue paying the elite performance salary of US$50,000 to Pfister to coach the team when they were out of the running for Brazil.

A former national swim coach, Roberts said the focus should now be shifted to development whereby local coaches should have the chance to prove their worth over the next three to four years.  Pfister who has been in charge of the team for only seven matches was hired at the end of the March following the sacking of former coach and T&T captain, Russell Latapy. Latapy was fired as senior team at the start of December following a poor showing at the Digicel Caribbean Cup finals where the team suffered losses to Cuba (2-0) and Grenada (1-0) before beating Martinique (1-0) on November 30, 2010, but still failing to qualify for the Concacaf Gold Cup.

However, while he was hired in March, Pfister, the sixth national coach in six years (Bertille St Clair, Leo Beenhakker Wim Rijsbergen, Francisco Maturana, Russell Latapy) only got his first international match on August 21 versus India, eight months after the Martinique match and just under two weeks before the start of the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign against Bermuda, a 1-0 win.

Pfister then endured a torrid time with a number of players leaving on trials while he was helped by the delay in the start of the Digicel Pro League. His other results with the T&T team included two wins over Barbados (2-0 and 4-0) and a 2-1 loss away to Bermuda, which he cited as the major result for the team not progressing to the next round where powerhouses, Mexico, Costa Rica and El Salvador await.

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

By Nigel Simon

November 15 - The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) were today described as being "toothless" by Colin Moynihan, who called on the organisation to adopt the British Olympic Association's (BOA) draconian bylaw which prevents athletes found guilty of a doping violation from representing Team GB in the Games.

The BOA are now the only National Olympic Committee to have such a ban in place following the decision, revealed by insidethegames yesterday, by Denmark to repeal its rule.

The Danish Sports Confederation (CIF) said the decision was a reaction to last month's landmark ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that an International Olympic Committee (IOC) ban on convicted drug cheats was "invalid and unenforceable".

The BOA Board, which Moynihan chairs, is due to discuss whether to follow suit at a meeting tomorrow and that could open the door for the likes of Dwain Chambers, the world indoor 60 metres champion, and David Millar, the former world time trial silver medallist, to compete at London 2012.

But Moynihan is determined to keep the bylaw in place, even though it puts him increasingly out of step with many in British sport.

UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) oppose the rule and world marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe, one of the most hardline anti-drugs campaigners, has claimed that it is unfair that only British athletes face a lifetime ban from the Olympics.

"In recent days, much has been made of the fact that there is no room for redemption in the BOA's lifetime ban," Moynihan told the International Federations Forum in Lausanne today.
Moynihan said:

"However, I believe we need to ask where in this case is the redemption for the clean athlete denied selection by a competitor who has knowingly cheated, taking the whole 'enchilada' of drugs?

"There is no national team kit for that clean athlete.

"No redemption for him.

"And what is worse the cheat, possibly with a lifelong benefit of a course of growth hormones and other drugs, is back again.

"Under the current WADA Code, if he times his two-year ban correctly he is ready to deny another clean athlete selection for the following Olympic Games.

"We now have a situation where drugs cheats will be able to compete in London 2012 and we have to decide if this is the outcome we want: a watered-down and increasingly toothless gesture towards zero tolerance or whether the driving rationale behind the IOC's former Rule 45 and the BOA bylaw should be incorporated into a global anti-doping policy so that doping punishments encompass not only sanctions but the wholly separate questions of eligibility for competition too."

Even more controversially, Moynihan claimed that WADA's role should be reviewed.

"Regrettably, despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars in the 10 years since its creation, WADA has been unable to achieve its own, well-intentioned, objectives," said Moynihan, who won an Olympic silver medal in the coxed fours at Moscow in 1980.

"The inflexible penalty system and a failure to recognise a clear distinction between cheating, and clerical errors or mistakes has alienated many athletes who feel they have been stigmatised by the system as 'guilty before proven innocent'."

Moynihan urged WADA to broaden his scope beyond just trying to catch athletes who are doping and instead also chase after their support team and also try to make sure that every country that competes in the Olympics should come under the same kind of scrutiny.

"It must go after the doctors, the coaches, and the entourage who aid and abet the cheats," he said.

"The reliance on the formulation of a list which appears to be less than adequately based on science or logic has dented its reputation and most telling of all, with only 59 of 204 Olympic nations 'programme compliant' with the Code, it is understandable that many in sport have concluded that it has underachieved in the 10 years it has been operational.

"Not least because, and the point is worth re-emphasising, the system put in place by WADA has failed to catch the major drug cheats of our time.

"The likes of Marion Jones, many cyclists and the Balco Operation are only a few of those who have been tracked down and prosecuted, not by WADA but by the law enforcement officers."

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

By Duncan Mackay

The World Karate Association (WKA) will be having their first karate open tournament on December 3 at their headquarters on 27 Finland Street, St James, from 9am - 4pm.

Divisions being contested will include kata (formal exercises) and kumite (free sparring). The competitor fee is $60 for one event and $100 for two. Competitors must wear karate uniforms.

Rules of the tournament will go in accordance with the World United Karate Organization (WUKO) and the Trinidad and Tobago Karate Federation (TTKF).

WKA are presently under the direction of Sensei Richard Joseph (2nd degree black belt). Joseph has over 20 years experience and is a national referee. WKA has served the community for over two years and is widely accepted in the area.

All local referees can use this event to update their status and further practice refereeing skills. Referees must be in uniform (white shirt, red tie, blue blazer, grey pants\and black soft shoes).

This event is sanctioned by the TTKF, of which WKA is a chartered member.

Refreshments will be available for all.

For more information, call Sensei Joseph (681-4842) or log on to www.ttkf.org.

Source: www.newsday.co.tt

Mark London of Bishops High sprinted to victory at the opening leg of the 2011 NAAA Cross Country Series at the Mt Irvine Golf Course in Mt. Irvine, Tobago on Saturday afternoon. The 2011 Carifta Boys Under 20 800m bronze medallist completed the six-kilometre three-lap race course ahead of veteran distance runner Kade Sobers and fellow Bishop student and training mate Stephen Revello, to maintain his unbeaten record on the wet Mt Irvine grounds. London took an early lead as the top trio pulled away by the end of the first lap before London, the 2010 double Carifta Champion, went ahead and cruised to a comfortable victory. Kafaba Waldron (Roxborough Secondary) and Anton Cruikshank (Bishop High) completed the top five. The runners had to maneuver the wet and muddy surface as the clouds opened up before the start of the race. Many were slipping and skidding down the undulating slopes as the barefoot runners feared worse. 

Terry Ann Roberts (Pentecostal Light and Life) captured the female race ahead of Kenoriah Smith (Bishop High School) as both exchanged the lead early in the race. Jeresia Mc Eachrane (Signal Hill Secondary) originally crossed the line first but had only completed two laps. In the under-15 2k one-lap event Roxborough Secondary took three of the top four spots. Shaquille Mitchell won ahead of Shurneil Bascombe with Jahmaili Gordon in fourth as Ackel Carrington (Bishops High) finished third to prevent a Roxborough sweep. Mason Hall Secondary’s Reneice Joseph ran away with the girls’ race from 11 year old Ornella Walker (Mason Hall Primary) and Shineel Andrews (Scarborough Secondary).  Bishops High’s Jamelia Potts (Bishops High) and April Ewing were fourth and fifth respectively. The next leg of NAAA Cross country series is carded for Saturday 19 November at the Sevilla Golf Course in Couva.

RESULTS





Under 15 2K

Girls

1 Reneice Joseph Mason Hall Secondary

2 Ornella Walker Mason Hall Primary

3 Shineece Andrews Scarborough Secondary

4 Jamelia Potts Bishops High

5 April Ewing Bishops High

Boys

1 Shaquille Mitchell Roxborough Secondary

2 Shurneil Bascombe Roxborough Secondary

3 Ackel Carrington Bishop High

4 Jahmaili Gordon Roxborough Secondary

5 Daniel Moore

Over 15 6K

Girls

1 Terry Ann Roberts Pentecostal Light and Life

2 Kenoriah Smith Bishops



Boys

1 Mark London Bishops High

2 Kade Sobers Unattached

3 Stephen Revello Bishops High

4 Kafaba Waldron Roxborough Secondary

5 Anton Cruikshank Bishop High

By Clayton Clarke

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

Following the Soca Warriors 2-1 loss to Guyana which knocked T&T out of the 2014 World Cup, T&T football must now wake up to the reality that a Guyanese supporter is reported as saying:“dis nah lang time.” However in the rush to ascribe blame, it is disreputable to say that the T&T Football Federation (TTFF) is to blame for T&T losing the game. TTFF is not separate and apart from its stakeholders. In the pursuit of truth that is an unacceptable stance that will only serve to push local football into unnecessary and counterproductive hysteria. The intensity of the emotional reaction to what many will deem a loss that should never have occurred is understandable. Moving forward, however, will require clarity of thought. T&T assistant national coach Anton Corneal made the point in his post-game comments to the media that Guyana wanted the win more, had the fire in their bellies and were prepared to die on the field if that is what it took. Sport is the great equaliser. Arrogance, over confidence and disrespect for an opponent are well established pitfalls.

Anyone who has had the pleasure to interact with an ambitious Guyanese sportsman or woman will know that they work hard, and bring to the table attributes such as desire, self-discipline, a burning desire and passion for success. Case in point, on Sunday, the Guyana men’s rugby sevens team captured the regional sevens rugby championship for the sixth consecutive year. At one time, T&T dominated regional rugby but that dominance is no more. The Guyanese thrive on an ethic of taking individual responsibility for their fitness and conditioning. They don’t go looking for or making excuses. They are not dismayed by problems, obstacles and challenges. They don’t indulge in self-pity. They are not super men or women by any stretch of the imagination but they bring the intangibles, they aren’t afraid of hard work and sacrifices. Those responsible for local football and those, who aspire to lead must appreciate that what is needed is an intelligent, well thought out and strategic approach to the way forward. Assigning culpability and sacrificing the reputation and hard work of long serving officials on either side of the divide to progress one’s own agenda and ambitions will never solve the problems faced by local football.

Our less resourced Caribbean neighbours are no longer intimidated. They have looked into our eyes and have seen that we have gotten “soft” and lack the desire to fight to the bitter end for our country, that we lack the heart, soul and spirit of a warrior when faced with obstacles, disappointment, trials and tribulations. In the world of sport champions are made and forged in the crucible of defeat and despair, give Guyana their due. They have earned it. They have worked hard for it. This is their time to shine. Local rugby discovered seven years ago that Guyana were a force to reckon with. Football must now wake up to that reality. T&T football can emerge stronger. It’s not the end of the world. It may be the end of an era. No need to overact or panic. Last Friday’s loss to Guyana can either be a blessing in disguise or the beginning of the end. The days ahead will not be easy but the problems can be solved and will be solved if there is unity, cooperation and consensus. Fragmenting local football is not the answer. This is the time for clear headed thinking. It is no joking matter the reality of what is required. Four years can be a lifetime. The search for answers and sleepless nights go hand in hand. Before blame can be distributed the first step is accepting individual responsibility. It’s the paradox of team sports.

-Brian Lewis

Source: www.guardian.co.tt

November 15 - American sprint and long jump legend Carl Lewis has accused London, whose bid was led by Sebastian Coe, of securing the 2017 World Athletics Championships via a "backroom deal" and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) of selecting host cities in a "seedy" way.

London will stage the event for the first time after beating Qatari capital Doha 16-10 in a seemingly clean contest in Monaco last Friday (November 11).

But in a remarkable outburst made to a local reporter, while attending the Aspire4Sport conference here, Lewis (pictured above with Coe), who won nine Olympic gold medals during a glittering career, threw the book at the authorities.

"London of course is a great destination for the '17 Worlds but as usual we knew it was a backroom deal," the 50-year-old American was quoted as saying.

"The [meeting] promoters started complaining that you'd better have it in London or else we are going to pack up."

Although he had nothing against London, Lewis said that was not the point.

"The real issue here is the way the IAAF selects host cities and how they continue to do things," he told the official daily conference publication without elaborating.

"The seedy way in which they make decisions is really unfortunate.

"But that doesn't diminish the fact that London is a great city."

Lewis encouraged Doha to bid again for 2019 regardless of the stifling temperatures here in the Gulf state.

"I don't want to hear the heat argument again," he said.

"People who complain about the heat are from the regions with cooler climes.

"I live in Houston, Texas, where temperatures often dip very low.

"But I've never complained while competing in European nations which had much hotter climes than my place.

"Heat shouldn't be a factor when it comes to selecting host nations.

"Athletics is a sport which is finding it difficult to even organise a World Championships every two years.

"So when a new country is ready to invest so much in the sport, we should run to them.

"I hope they [Doha] go back in 2019 and win it."

Today, as part of a panel on Olympic success, Lewis, who also won eight World Championship golds, bemoaned the lack of long jump progress since the days of himself and, earlier still, Bob Beamon.

"We are relying too much on technology," said Lewis.

"Let's go back to the basic elements of strength, angles and force instead of worrying so much about trying to get into the future.

"In my day we trained five days a week and took two days off.

"Technology is great but the simple things don't change.

"We're getting more technology and worse coaches.

"Our sport is going backwards.

"For years Bob jumped further than anyone else, then both myself and Mike Powell also jumped 29 feet.

"But no one has done that in years.

"We are not even teaching people these days how to run down a runway and jump."

By Andrew Warshaw

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

Guyana have continued their dominance of men's rugby sevens in the Caribbean with an emphatic 29-0 win over the Cayman Islands at the DHL NACRA Sevens in Barbados.

The win, the Guyanese's sixth in succession, also booked them a trip to the IRB Hong Kong Sevens in 2012.

A blistering opening period saw Guyana burst out to 17-0 at halftime as they fed off the mistakes of the first-time finalists.

Ronald Mayers outflanked the defence to score the first, Kevin McKenzie bolted almost 60 metres for the second and captain Ryan Gonsalves put the result beyond doubt in the first seven minutes of the Cup final at the Garrison Savannah.

An opportune Claudius Butts added to the score soon after halftime when he raced 50 metres to score from a scrum and speedster Peabo Hamilton continued the rout with a try in the corner of the waterlogged pitch.

McKenzie said the team had been working hard and deserved their victory.

"We came back from the Pan-American Games with our heads down and we put together a side to come out and do the job," said the Australia-bound McKenzie. "We have to keep working as we head into Hong Kong and hopefully produce results there.

"Cayman did well to get to the final and we gave them the respect as we know what they're capable of. The scoreline didn't show that Cayman spirit as they certainly played to the last minute," he added.

Torrential rain marred the opening day but the sunshine returned on Day Two and saw some excellent rugby from the 26 teams - 15 men and 11 women.

Canada's Maple Leafs were impressive throughout the women's competition and racked up a 38-0 win in the final over Jamaica. Julia Greenshields scored three of the six tries in the decider as Canada swept to victory conceding only one try in seven matches.

The development squad pleased manager John Tait, the coach of the national team.

"The girls have done really well considering the conditions and particularly did a good job of maintaining possession and moving the ball around even though the rain really came down ," he said.

"We've brought an inexperienced sevens squad as we try to add another layer to our senior programme by getting some of the younger girls involved - we have a few 18-year olds and even a 16-year old with us so this weekend is all about introducing them to the concepts of preparation,playing and recovery that our senior players are used to."

Mexico finished in third place in the men's draw, beating Jamaica 7-0, and Trinidad & Tobago came from behind to beat USA South 14-10 to take third spot in the women's.

Respective Plate winners were Trinidad & Tobago (19-5 over the Guadelope men) and Guyana (who had three tries from Andrea Lashley in their 26-0 win over St Lucia).

DHL provided live streaming on the tournament (www.dhlnacrasevens.com) and McKenzie, who heads to Australia to play rugby league, hopes the tournament and its related coverage will showcase his region.

"Hopefully we can show that the Caribbean has good players as I think we are under-rated as a region."

Results from the DHL NACRA Sevens
Men's
Final
Guyana 29 Cayman Islands 0

3 v 4
Mexico 7 Jamaica 0

Plate
Trinidad & Tobago 19 Guadeloupe 5

Bowl
USA South 26 Bermuda 14

Shield
Turks & Caicos 17 St Vincent & Grenadine 5

Women's
Final
Canada Maple Leafs 38 Jamaica 0

3 v 4
Trinidad & Tobago 14 USA South 10

Plate
Guyana 26 St Lucia 0

By Nick Jordan

Source: www.http://ur7s.com

November 12 - Hambantota 2018 bid co-chairman Ajith Nivard Cabraal has offered his congratulations to the Gold Coast after they secured the right to stage the 2018 Commonwealth Games yesterday evening and hinted that Sri Lanka may well bid for the event again in the future.

The Australian city defeated their Sri Lankan rivals after the 70 voting delegates at the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) General Assembly here voted by 43 votes to 27 in favour of the Gold Coast.

The margin of victory was wider that many predicted in what was a fascinating contest throughout but Cabraal, who is also the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, was humble in defeat.

He praised Gold Coast 2018 chairman Mark Stockwell and said that the process of bidding will undoubtedly benefit Hambantota, who are set to build the majority of the sporting venues in the region despite the defeat.

"Congratulations to Mark and his team, I am sure they will host a fantastic event in 2018," said Cabraal.

"It is disappointing of course that we will not see a Hambantota Games in 2018.

"But we have said all along that bidding for these prestigious Games is a key part of an exciting and progressive journey in Sri Lanka."

Cabraal - pictured above with Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, CGF chief executive Mike Hooper and new CGF President Prince Tunku Imran - also suggested that Sri Lanka is likely to return to bid for event in the future.

"Our story will boost tourism because images of our culture, history, stunning scenery and beaches and the friendliness of our people has been shown around the world," he said.

"But perhaps most importantly, our reputation has been enhanced because we have demonstrated our determination to build, further reconcile and unify our nation with for example a massive investment programme in infra-structure and new projects over the next five years.

"I am absolutely certain that by putting forward such a credible bid we have increased our chances of attracting sporting and other international events to Sri Lanka and indeed we already have done so with the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit coming to Sri Lanka in two years' time."

The decision was announced by outgoing CGF President Mike Fennell of Jamaica.

It was his last official act as CGF President after 17 years in the role, handing over to Prince Imran.

Fennell had previously said that he felt very happy that the Commonwealth Games had reached a stage where it could attract "two superb bids like these".

Cabraal added: "I must add that I am proud that the Gold Coast and ourselves have given Mike a candidature contest befitting of his final act as CGF President.
"Such a strong and exciting contest shows just how far the Commonwealth Games has come under his reign."

By Tom Degun in St Kitts & Nevis

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

Trinidad and Tobago's Olympic footballers will round up preparation for the final Caribbean round of 2012 Olympic qualifying when they enter a one-week living camp in Tobago from today until November 20, prior to their departure to St. Kitts and Nevis.

The final round of Caribbean qualifying, takes place from November 24-28 in Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis and will be contested between T&T, Suriname, Cuba and the hosts.

The one-week Tobago camp will give coach Angus Eve a final chance to look at players before choosing his final squad.

T&T have never qualified for an Olympic football tournament. However, Eve has a team made up mainly of players who have played at the 2007 and 2009 FIFA Youth World Cups. The T&T squad is also coming off a good showing in Mexico at the 2011 Pan American Games where they held Mexico, Uruguay and Ecuador to 1-1 draws. Mexico won the Pan Am tournament, beating Argentina 1-0 in the final, while Uruguay edged Costa Rica 2-1 for third spot.

T&T finished fifth ahead of Brazil (sixth), Ecuador (seventh) and Cuba (eighth). It is felt that the current T&T team has a good chance at qualifying for the Olympics for the first time.

In Tobago, Eve's squad will train and will also play warm-up matches against Super League runners-up Stokely Vale and a TTFF development team.

Meanwhile, last Wednesday  CONCACAF announced the USA as hosts of the eight-nation final round tournament which will consist of two four-team groups, with the top two finishers from each group advancing to the semi-finals. The semi-final winners will advance to the tournament final and book their tickets to London. Already qualified are Mexico, the United States, Canada, El Salvador, Panama and Honduras, who will be joined by two Caribbean qualifiers.

One of the four-team groups will play its games at Nashville's LP Field, home to the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League, while the other group will play at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California. The semi-finals and final will take place at Livestrong Sporting Park in Kansas City, which opened in June of this year and is home to Major League Soccer's Sporting Kansas City.

The tournament will kick off in Nashville with a doubleheader on March 22, followed by two more doubleheader match days on March 24 and 26. The semi-finals will be played in Kansas City on March 31, with the final taking place on April 2.

Training schedule for the

National U-23s in Tobago:

Today - November 14, 2011

Training - 9:30 am - 11:30 am

Training - 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Tuesday - November 15, 2011

Training (Gym) - 9:30 am - 11:30 am

Training - 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Wednesday - November 16, 2011

Match - vs Stokely Vale - 6 pm at Dwight Yorke Stadium

Thursday - November 17, 2011

Training (Gym & Pool) - 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Training - 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Friday - November 18, 2011

Match - vs TTFF Development Team - 5 pm at Dwight Yorke Stadium

Saturday - November 19, 2011

Boat Ride - 10:00 am

Sunday - November 20, 2011

Training - 8:00 am - 9:30 am

Team selection for St Kitts

By Ian Prescott

Source: www.trinidadexpress.com

London will host the World Athletics Championships for the first time in 2017 after Lord Coe led the city to a resounding victory over the financial might of Doha’s rival bid.

The triumph was the reward for London’s pledge to maintain a permanent running track at the Olympic Stadium. Lamine Diack, the president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, insisted the event would be the prize for staying true to that promise. On Friday, resisting the offer of £25million in 'additional incentives’ from the Qatari bid, Diack justifiably claimed: “We delivered”.

The London bid team, which included Coe, Mayor of London Boris Johnson, Denise Lewis and 18-year-old sprinter Jodie Williams, won by the decisive margin of 16-10 in the vote by the IAAF’s ruling council.

Coe emerged as the decisive figure in the success, and his mastery of IAAF politics was reinforced by a rousing speech to conclude London’s presentation. His influence ensured London were never in danger of the kind of humiliation inflicted on England’s bidders for the 2018 football World Cup in Zurich last December.

Prime Minister David Cameron, one of those personally embarrassed by that failure, promised on Friday night that London would deliver the “most successful championships ever”.

London was also boosted by the late announcement of their own cash incentive. In a surprise move, London pledged to match Doha’s £4.5million prize money — an idea hatched in the final 24 hours before the vote and a clear sign of concern at the persuasive power of Qatar’s deep pockets.

London’s offer, which will be met from ticket and commercial revenues and not public funds, may have swayed a few voters, though the IAAF’s rejection of Doha’s bid was proof that yesterday’s decision was about more than money.

It was a victory that had appeared a forlorn hope a year ago when London was forced to pull out of its bid for the 2015 championship due to uncertainty over the stadium’s future, and it took a personal intervention by Diack earlier this year to remind Britain of its obligations.

London had made an unambiguous promise to the International Olympic Committee in 2005 that a running track would remain at the heart of the stadium after 2012, and Diack warned starkly that the country’s reputation would be “dead” if it was ripped up.

The recollection of that battle rekindled some of Diack’s passions on Friday when he recalled how even Jacques Rogge, the IOC president, had cast doubt on London’s promise and suggested it was more important to avoid the stadium becoming a “white elephant”.

Yesterday’s decision eases the uncomfortable memory of how London was awarded the 2005 championships only to pull out after the then Labour government reneged on its commitment to build a new athletics stadium at Picketts Lock.

Staging the athletics championships will cost around £53million, though the London organisers can expect a healthy revenue flow from ticket sales. A key part of the capital’s pitch yesterday was the promise of sell-out crowds for both morning and evening sessions.

Doha made a similar claim, though the evidence presented to the IAAF painted a different picture. Tellingly, in a briefing to council members before yesterday’s presentations that was accidentally broadcast to journalists in an adjacent room, senior vice-president Bob Hersh highlighted the problem of crowds in Qatar vacating the stadium in droves long before the end of the meeting.

At this year’s Diamond League meeting in Doha, it was noted that many fans appeared to be migrant workers specially bussed in and that the majority left the stadium after consuming the free food that had been laid on for them.

Privately, IAAF officials admitted that this had been a far greater concern than the furnace-like heat in Qatar, and Lord Coe did not miss the opportunity to emphasise the different kind of atmosphere that could be expected in London, pointing out that the Olympic Stadium would be full of people “who look like they want to be there and know why they are there”. Coe said London would break records for ticket and commercial revenue.

The organisers have budgeted for the worst-case scenario of a £24 million loss on hosting the event, a sum underwritten by Cameron’s Government, though Johnson has put the wider economic benefit to the capital at £100 million.

Sports minister Hugh Robertson was also in Monaco to underline the Government’s commitment to London’s bid. Following the recent decision to take the Olympic Stadium into public ownership and offer a

99-year lease that makes athletics a non-negotiable part of the venue’s future, Robertson was also able to give “an unbreakable guarantee” that the track would remain.

Coe, whose leadership of the bid has advanced his own ambitions of taking over as IAAF president when Diack stands down, said: “We’ve got the [Olympic] Games in 2012, the World Athletics Championships in 2017 and we have world championships going on at virtually every level and in every sport. It’s an extraordinary clean sweep for British sport.”

By Simon Hart

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

November 12 - Doha's vanquished 2017 World Athletics Championships bid team congratulated London for a fair fight today as the tiny Gulf state moved into the next phase of its campaign to be a major player on the global sporting stage.

Twenty-four hours after being beaten 16-10 by its only rival at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) vote in Monaco, Doha officials put on a respectful  brave face as they acknowledged defeat in the drive to stage the world's third biggest sports event.

In stark contrast to the bitterness and back-biting launched in Qatar's direction following its landslide 2022 World Cup victory 11 months ago, its 2017 team e put together a carefully worded statement that made it clear there were no hard feelings despite a concerted effort to add the Championships to the country's growing portfolio of events.

"The competition was carried out in a civilized and competitive spirit, a friendly atmosphere and a great desire by both bids to serve the sport of athletics across the world," the statement said.

"In such international arenas, competition for World Championships of this calibre are always strong.

"The Doha 2017 team respects the IAAF decision, and knows that they will continue developing athletics around the world.

"Athletics is a strong part of the Olympic Movement and Qatar looks forward to continuing its work on expanding Athletics for future generations.

"Doha's 2017 Bid team is proud to receive such great appreciation and respect from all.

"It was a comprehensive bid that tackled all gaps and provided creative solutions for a strong world championships and a strong future for Athletics.

"Qatar hereby extends thanks and appreciation to all IAAF Executive Council members."

Within hours of the vote in Monaco, Doha, which hosts the Arab Games shortly and is also bidding for the 2020 Olympics, turned its attention to the four-day  Aspire4Sport conference, which began here yesterday and showcases the region's sporting achievements and aspirations.

A number of high-profile speakers are attending, from Qatar dignatories such as their Olympic Committee general secretary Sheikh Saoud bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani Ipictured above with London Mayor Boris Johnson) to established sporting superstars like  Italian football icon Fabio Cannavaro and American tennis star Venus Williams.

By Andrew Warshaw

Source: www.insidethegames.biz