Optimum Sports : Government of the United Kingdom

Showing posts with label Government of the United Kingdom. Show all posts

Tuesday, 8 March 2016

Recipe for Disaster = Geoffrey Boycott

Geoffrey Boycott has labelled Yorkshire’s financial situation “a recipe for disaster” as he seeks a place on the club’s board.

The former captain is one of four candidates standing for election to the board at Headingley but is alone among them in being labelled ‘Not recommended by board’ on the voting form sent to club members.

He told BBC Radio Five Live: “It’s just disappointing, isn’t it? I’m not trying to cause any problems, create any trouble.

“I want to help the club… I’ve been with it 60 years. I think somebody has to speak up for the members.

“The debt has gone from £5m in 2002 to £24m in 12 years. So the businessmen on the board haven’t done a very good job, have they?

“We can’t go on borrowing money – £24m is huge... that’s a recipe for disaster.”

Boycott previously served on the board between 2007 and 2012 before becoming club president for two years.

Another former Yorkshire and England batsman, Michael Vaughan, renewed his call for Boycott to end his bid to return to the corridors of power.

“I like it when he says he’s not trying to cause any trouble,” said Vaughan. “Well, he is. He’s certainly done that.

“He’s passionate, I love him to bits, but he’s 75 years of age. Come on Geoffrey, go and have a game of golf!

“Geoffrey has been on that board – I believe in his time the debt rose by 60%.

“I don’t see what he’s going to do on the board that could improve that £24m debt. I just think (the argument is) sad… it’s boring, isn’t it?”

Monday, 4 January 2016

Ireland Team Miss Rio Olympics

Ireland will miss the Olympic team showjumping event at Rio 2016 after the court of arbitration for sport rejected their complaint over a bizarre incident at the European championships in August.

The Irish rider Cian O’Connor was on course for a clear round until he appeared to be distracted by a member of the ground staff running across the arena during the event in Aachen which doubled as the Olympic qualifying contest.

Television pictures showed a staff member, wearing a yellow shirt, running across O’Connor’s path and jumping into a flower bed. The Irishman’s horse knocked down the next fence.

The incident cost Ireland a place in Rio as they finished one place below Spain and out of the Olympic qualifying spots. If O’Connor had gone clear, the positions would have been reversed.

Ireland had already had an appeal against the result rejected by the International Equestrian Federation. Cas did not give any reasons for its decision. “The Cas panel has issued only its decision today, without the grounds, which will follow in the coming weeks,” Cas said in a statement.

In 2005, O’Connor was involved in another contentious incident related to the Olympics. Ireland was stripped of the only gold medal its team had won at the 2004 Games in Athens when it was ruled that Waterford Crystal, the horse ridden by O’Connor, had been given banned substances.