Sheffield reluctant to
do Blair's bidding
The fact that Kabul stands more chance of staging the 2005 WorldAthletics Championships is not the only reason why Sheffield isdisinclined to enter the bidding after the humiliating retreat fromPicketts Lock. My information is that the city that has been offeredup as the preferred choice by the Government (whose plug-pulling hasbeen consistently predicted by this column) is more embarrassed thanexcited by the prospect. Even though the angry men of theInternational Association of Athletics Federations say a bid fromSheffield would be considered alongside others, those in charge ofthe city's finances believe it would be a waste of time, and money.With good reason. Privately, the IAAF say that in the circs theywould now prefer the championships to go 'anywhere but Britain'. Onesource even suggested that the British Government 'should stickSheffield up its arse'. All of which will be deeply disappointing tothe Sports Minister, Richard Caborn, a Sheffield MP, whose eyebrow-raising promotion of his constituency city over London was alsofirst revealed here last month. Caborn has been lumbered with thehopeless task of a damage-limitation exercise, but even Shane Warnecouldn't spin them out of this. The blame lies squarely with TonyBlair, whose Government treat sport with curled- lip cynicism. Likethe IAAF, former sports minister Tony Banks wonders why CrystalPalace was not given the opportunity to replace non-starter PickettsLock as the venue for 2005. Were the transportation problems reallyinsurmountable? Banks thinks not, and we agree. 'Though my personalpreference was always for Wembley,' he says. 'It should have beenour Stade de France.' Instead the championships seem to be headedfor Sydney, as standby Berlin is cash-strapped. One IAAF figurejokes we would be better off holding an egg-and-spoon race - exceptthere's no egg left. It's on our faces.
Kiss the Olympics goodbye, page 19
Warren keeps Tyson
at arm's length
Boxing promoter Frank Warren impishy suggests he might have 'anice drink' with Mike Tyson should they bump into each other inCopenhagen this week. 'I might even take him down to the local lap-dancing club.' He cannot be serious? And, of course, he isn't. Thepair haven't spoken since their much-publicised London hotel-roomspat before Tyson's Warren- staged bout against Lou Savarese inGlasgow last year. Warren accompanies his world super-middleweightchampion Joe Calzaghe to Copenhagen where the Welshman meetsAmerican Will McIntyre on the Tyson-Brian Nielsen bill on Saturday.'Actually,' admits Warren, 'I don't want to be involved with him inany way. I'd rather not be in the same room. I just hope thatNielsen knocks seven colours of shit out of him. Not that I'mbiased.' Of course not, Frank. Meantime Warren (pictured) awaitsword from Naseem Hamed on his offer to promote a comeback fight forthe 'Pimpernel' Prince who has reportedly split with US mentors HomeBox Office. Easy meat for Tyson, page 9
Britain turns the tables on Germany again
Here's some more bad news for Germany. Britain have leapfroggedover them in the league table of world sporting achievements.Britain now stands fourth in the global sporting index compiled byUK Sport which annually calculates performances on a points-for-medals and top- three- places basis by individuals and teams in over60 sports. The USA, Australia and Russia fill the top positions.Then comes Britain, now ahead of Germany, followed by France andChina. Another statistic, unearthed by the British OlympicAssociation, reveals that more here participate in Olympic sportsthan football. Listening, Mr Blair?
Beleaguered Richard Caborn at least had some respite from thePicketts Lock-out debacle as a spectator at yesterday's England-Greece match at Old Trafford. There's a further opportunity todeflect the ongoing opprobrium when he opens Britain's firstInclusive Fitness Initiative in Leicester.
Sport England have allocated pounds 1.3 million of Lottery money,which will enable disabled sports- people to train alongside theable- bodied in 30 local authority health and fitness centres aroundthe country. Britain's most successful Paralympian, Chris Holmes,who will be at Leicester's Saffron Lane Centre with Caborn tomorrow,tells us: 'This initiative has been needed to increase the profileof Paralympic sport and make it possible for everyone to enjoy thegym revolution.' There's also good news for Stoke Mandeville, wherethe largest Lottery community grant this year, worth more thanpounds 5m, will help improve facilities for wheelchair athletes.
So we can't run a whelk stall, eh, Lord Coe? Well, maybe not. Butwe can run a world championships. Not the World AthleticsChampionships, mind you, but, the World Pea Throwing Championships,which take place at the Lewes Arms in Sussex this afternoon. Not tobe confused with the World Pea Shooting Champion-ships held recentlyin Cambridgeshire, they are described by the organisers as 'one ofthe most prestigious events of the year'. Well, they are forBritain. The peas, all organic, are supplied by the Little Big FoodCompany and there's the usual tongue-in-cheek plea for Olympicrecognition. Winter Olympics, actually, as the peas are frozen.
insidelines@independent.co.uk
