GAMES

Suggestions from the leader of the UK's biggest union that workers could strike during the London Olympics have been condemned by political leaders.

Len McCluskey, of Unite, told the Guardian that civil disobedience could be timed to disrupt the 2012 Games.

A spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron called the idea "unacceptable and unpatriotic". Labour has also criticised Mr McCluskey's comments.

However, union sources told the BBC there were no specific strike plans.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told the BBC: "People will just be gobsmacked, appalled, at Mr McCluskey's remarks.

"At a time when we can showcase to the world that we are positively and optimistically putting on this fantastic event, he wants to bring people out on the streets."

The Liberal Democrat leader said to "mess up the Olympics to prove a point" would be bad for the country and called on Labour leader Ed Miliband to "rein in" Mr McCluskey, whose union is Labour's largest donor.

And Mr Cameron also told MPs that Labour "need to condemn this utterly and start turning back the money" from Unite.

Conservative co-chairman Baroness Warsi agreed, calling the comments "an appalling display of naked self-interest".

"It is disgraceful for a trade union boss to be calling for mass disruption when the eyes of the world will be on Britain," she told the BBC.

'Right to protest'

Mr McCluskey had told the Guardian: "If the Olympics provide us with an opportunity, then that's exactly one that we should be looking at.

"The attacks that are being launched on public sector workers at the moment are so deep and ideological that the idea the world should arrive in London and have these wonderful Olympic Games as though everything is nice and rosy in the garden is unthinkable.

"Our very way of life is being attacked. By then this crazy Health and Social Care Bill may have been passed, so we are looking at the privatisation of our National Health Service.

"The unions, and the general community, have got every right to be out protesting."

Mr McCluskey said the purpose of protest was "to bring your grievances to the attention of as many people as possible".

However, Mr Miliband said: "Any threat to the Olympics is totally unacceptable and wrong.

"This is a celebration for the whole country and must not be disrupted."

Earlier, his deputy Harriet Harman had told the BBC it was inconceivable that union members would want to disrupt the Games.

Brendan Barber, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, said: "Of course unions seek fair reward for the extra work and long hours that will be required during what will be the busiest ever time for public transport and other public services, and not all such negotiations have been concluded.

"But of course unions want a Games of which we can all be proud."

BBC political correspondent Norman Smith said Unite insiders had played down the prospect of strikes, with one saying there was "nothing specific planned".

"They take the view Mr McCluskey was letting off steam at his frustrations with government policy but they are acutely aware [strike action] would be deeply unpopular and probably counter-productive," our correspondent added.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The Olympic torch relay will celebrate the country’s military history and royal connections when it lands at the Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall for the start of the 70-day journey before arriving at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on July 27.

The Olympic flame will land at the naval base, which is where Prince William carried out his helicopter training, on the evening of 18 May on a gold-liveried British Airways Airbus 319, with the code sign BA2012 after travelling in seat 1A within a special ceremonial lantern.

Around 1,000 guests will greet the flame at the base, which is home to a substantial fleet of the Navy’s Merlin and Sea King helicopter squadrons.

Details of the 8,000-mile torch relay, which is designed to travel to within an hour of 95 per cent of the UK population and also visit the Republic of Ireland, were revealed on Tuesday.

The lighting of the flame, from the sun’s rays in a hour-long ceremony at the Temple of Hera in Olympia, will take place on May 10, after which there will be a short traditional relay around Greece.

Locog said two inspirational people from the UK will be involved in this Greek component of the relay: the second torchbearer on the first day and the penultimate carrier on the last day of the Greek leg.

The flame will then be handed over to London organisers in the Panathenaic stadium in Athens on May 17, transported by plane to the naval base on May 18 and then transferred to Land's End for the start of the relay on May 19.

Captain Willie Entwisle, RNAS Culdrose Commanding Officer said: “Our personnel, many of whom are currently supporting the Royal Navy on operations across the globe, are very excited that the build-up to the London 2012 Olympic Games will start here.”

The chairman of Locog, Sebastian Coe, said his team was looking forward to working with the Hellenic Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Defence and our commercial partners to create exciting events to mark the flame’s Greek provenance and its arrival to British shores.

By Jacquelin Magnay, Olympics Editor

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

January 30 - A descendant of Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the Modern Olympics, believes that his illustrious relation would approve highly of the current International Olympic Committee (IOC) President, Jacques Rogge, and his innovation of Summer and Winter Youth Olympics.

"One of the most important things to have happened during Dr Rogge's Presidency of the IOC is the creation of the Youth Olympics," Antoine de Navacelle, De Coubertin's great nephew, exclusively told insidethegames.

"I would say that is probably his finest achievement as President, and I think my great uncle would have liked the Youth Olympics very much.

"He would be very pleased to see them.

"It comes back to the work he did in creating the modern Games as a form of education for young people.

"It is exactly what needs to be done for sport.

"And I know Dr Rogge will certainly not let them become like a big circus."

In assessing the relative merits of Rogge, for whom the London 2012 Games will be the last Summer Olympics of his Presidency, and his predecessor Juan Antonio Samaranch, De Navacelle – currently helping launch the third annual Coubertin Awards student essay competition – commented: "I think Dr Rogge has been a lower profile President than Mr Samaranch, more behind the scenes.

"He has been more down to earth, with a less prominent role than the last President.

"The IOC faces many difficult issues.

"It is pushed left and right by so many people that want to have influence, and running it is a very difficult task.

"But Dr Rogge has done a good job there.

"I like him.

"He's a good man.

"He and his chief executive act quickly if something is not right."

As UK representative for the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee (CIPC) in Lausanne, De Navacelle – a senior international banker who retired last year after working in Paris and London – is inviting students to submit essays for the 2012 Competition, which is jointly organised by the CIPC and the Institute of Business Ethics (IBE).

"We are excited to once again invite students to put forward their thoughts, arguments and recommendations on how values and ethics in sport can be relevant for modern business," De Navacelle said.

"That this year's competition falls in an Olympic year, with London set to host a fantastic Games in 2012, makes this year's Coubertin Awards particularly special.

"In times of economic difficulty and rising tuition fees we're delighted to be able to offer students the chance to be rewarded for playing a part in promoting the Olympic values."

The awards, which aim to promote the application of Olympic ideals to the world of business, are sponsored by EDF Energy, who are providing support in organising the competition, together with fellow London 2012 Official Partner BP, and Eurostar, an Official London 2012 Provider.

Gareth Wynn, director of the London 2012 programme at awards sponsor EDF Energy, added: "We're are very proud to be once again supporting the Coubertin Awards in the UK, encouraging talented future professionals to bring to life the way that they see business and sport informing one another.

"In a very competitive graduate job market, being involved in the competition would be a great addition to any CV so we're hoping for another field of strong submissions for this year's awards.

"As an official partner of London 2012 we have seen first-hand the positive impact that embracing Olympic values can have for a business."

Entries are to be submitted from teams of two to four students from UK universities and dedicated business schools at undergraduate or postgraduate level.

Essays must aim to identify, research, and recommend solutions to issues relating to ethics, business and sport, and be no longer than 3,500 words.

The deadline for entries is March 30.

Submissions will be judged by a panel of academics, sportsmen and business executives and a grand prize of £2,000 (€2,399/$3,090) will be shared amongst the winning team.

The team in second place will be awarded £1,000 (€1,199/$1,545).

By Mike Rowbottom

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

January 25 - Doha has been asked to answer a "supplementary" question as part of the process of choosing the host city for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge (pictured) has revealed.

Asked about the Qatari city's desire, if selected, to stage the Games between September 20 and October 20, outside the normal period for a Summer Olympics, and whether the IOC had accepted that this was OK in principle, Rogge told Insidethegames: "All bids will be analysed on the same criteria.

"We will then judge if they can go from the applicant phase into the candidate phase.

"For Doha there was a supplementary question – it is the temperature issue and they are producing a report.

"The report will be analysed.

"We have said that we wanted to have information on a certain number of criteria, such as timing of the events, medical measures, prevention of heat and so forth and so forth.

"If the opinion of the IOC about the supplementary report is a good one, then the period would be accepted.

"But the condition is that the report must be adopted.

"So the period is OK under condition of accepting the report."

Rogge's comments came in an exclusive interview with insidethegames in Innsbruck, where he was attending the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games.

In the race for the 2016 Games, Doha controversially failed to make the candidate phase of the contest, even though its bid was ranked above that of Rio de Janeiro, the eventual winner.

Qatar has since won the right to stage the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Applicant cities for the 2020 Games – which also comprise Baku, Istanbul, Madrid, Rome and Tokyo – have until February 15 to submit their application files and guarantee letters to the IOC.

The IOC's Executive Board will decide which cities will go through to the race's key Candidate phase in May.

The host city will be chosen by IOC members in Buenos Aires on September 7, 2013, at a Session that will also see the election of Rogge's successor as IOC President.

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

By David Owen

These are hard times for softball. Women's sport rightly complains of lack of recognition, and further evidence of this comes from one of the nation's most successful teams, the GB women's fast-pitch softball squad, who look likely to miss the World Championships in Canada this summer because they can't afford to go. Among the top three teams in Europe, they have to decide by the end of this month whether to take up the place for which they qualified, but many are students who don't have the cash for air fares and accommodation, estimated at a total of £60,000 ($92,600/€71,900).

They have existed on donations but the money has since run out and UK Sport, who are now focusing entirely on sports that can win Olympic medals – softball has been dropped for London 2012 – feel unable to help despite chief executive Liz Nicholl acknowledging that the girls have achieved more than some sports which receive funding. Says the GB Softball manager, Bob Fromer: "Sadly it is beginning to look like they won't get the chance."

Women's fastpitch softball may not register with most people in the UK, but it was an Olympic medal sport from the 1996 Games in Atlanta through 2008 in Beijing. The decision to drop softball and baseball from the London 2012 Games was particularly cruel to those sports in Britain, for whom a host country place in London could have transformed their public profile.

Although a serious national team programme in women's fastpitch softball only began in 1999, the GB team moved steadily up the European rankings over the next few years and in 2004, UK Sport decided that the team had demonstrated the potential for Olympic qualification.

However, shortly after the agency awarded softball £528,000 ($815,020/€632,632) for the 2005-2008 Olympic cycle, the sport was dropped from the programme for London 2012. And when the GB team failed to qualify for the single place available to Europe at the Beijing Olympics, all UK Sport's money was withdrawn in 2007.

Despite that, the programme has gone from strength to strength, with players and staff paying most of the costs.

In 2009, the team achieved a best-ever second place finish at the European Championships and qualified for the first time by right for the 2010 World Championships in Venezuela.

The money that got the team to Venezuela, along with player contributions, came through winning free flights in a British Airways contest plus significant donations from a British businessman based in Coventry and an American multi-millionaire based in Detroit, both of whom had personal connections with team members.

At the 2010 World Championships in Venezuela, the team finished as the 11th best in the world – an amazing achievement for a country where the sport and the player pool are very small and the programme has no public funding.

In 2011, with money left over from those 2010 donations, the GB Team played very competitively against the top four teams in the world at the annual World Cup of Softball in the United States, then qualified for the 2012 World Championships by finishing in the top three at European Championships in Italy.

But now the money has run out. The cost of preparing for and competing at the 2012 World Championships is estimated at £60,000, well beyond what the players and volunteer coaches can afford. Predictably, all attempts to find commercial sponsorship for a women's minority sport with little public profile have come to nought in the current economic climate.

Says Fromer, who has overseen the GB women's softball team programme as general manager since 2000: "A wonderful and dedicated group of players has made GB into one of the world's elite softball programmes over the past few years against all the odds and some will retire after this summer. Surely they deserve to play one more time on the World Championship stage."

So now the team has been reduced to hoping for some kind of miracle. Otherwise, the players' World Championship dreams will be over and the programme, with no prospect of future funding except in the unlikely event that softball regains an Olympic place, will struggle to reach such heights again.

If anyone wants to help, please contact Fromer or call 01886 884204.

Alan Hubbard is an award-winning sports columnist for The Independent on Sunday, and a former sports editor of The Observer. He has covered a total of 16 Summer and Winter Olympics, 10 Commonwealth Games, several football World Cups and world title fights from Atlanta to Zaire.

Source: www.insidethegames.biz