is sport finally starting to win the fight against corruption?

Could sport be fighting back against the corrupt individuals who wish to poison their respective games to line their own pockets? Encouraging signs this week with cricket and rugby league both acting to stem the tide.

In cricket, first the British Crown Prosecution Service announced it was charging the three Pakistan cricketers with obtaining and accepting corrupt payments, and conspiracy to cheat. Bear in mind that the CPS was the authority who were laughed out of court when trying to convict leading jockey Kieran Fallon of pulling horses a few years ago. Let's hope they've got their act together since then. Long drawn out cases which ultimately fail ruin reputations and make lawyers rich.

A day later, the ICC have come down hard on the three players, with minimum suspensions of five years. Expect appeals from each player pleading their innocence first, and then for leniency. There's legs in this case yet, but it's encouraging to see the ICC impose serious penalties.

In rugby league this week, charges have finally been laid in the NRL betting scandal from last season. Ironically, the player charged, Canterbury front-rower Ryan Tandy, hasn't been charged with conspiracy or sporting fraud, but giving false evidence police which is a much more serious charge in NSW. Tandy's agent and people connected to him are alleged to have bet heavily on North Queensland (the opposing team) scoring the first points of the match with a penalty goal. Tandy gave away a penalty directly in front of the posts after just two minutes, but the other team, unaware of the planned sting, chose to take a quick tap instead and go for the try.

Let's hope football, racing and tennis can get their acts together and follow suit where applicable. Tennis prides itself on using a sledgehammer to crack nuts - suspending guys for a year for placing €5 worth of bets, yet does sweet FA when blatant match-fixing occurs. UK football authorities have handed out some pathetically lame penalties for players found betting against their own team (the infamous Bury v Accrington Stanley game from a few years ago). Horse racing in the UK has recently been beating their own chest about the Casela Park case. It's all well and good to suspend guilty parties, but when the perception is one rule for the minnows of the sport and another for those with a higher profile, it defeats the purpose....Posted byScott Fergusonat08:23

the real winter sport starts tomorrow

(The Canadian women's biathlon team posing for a fundraising calendar in the lead-up to Vancouver. Image from CTV.ca, Rachel Boekel)

Tomorrow marks the opening of the IBU Biathlon World Cup season, with the Women's Individual race at Ostersund in Sweden, the first of six events spread over five days. You may wonder why an Aussie who is not particularly fond of cold weather (or guns) loves the sport of biathlon so much. Read on....

"The combination of two very contradictory disciplines, skiing and shooting, in the same competition confronts an athlete with a very demanding challenge. Cross-country ski racing required intense, full out physical exertion over an extended period of time whereas shooting demands extremely fine control, stability and focus. When athletes arrive at the shooting range, they have to shoot at very small targets, with a racing heartbeat and heaving chest because the clock is running even while they are shooting and a missed target results in a penalty." (IBU Media Guide)

It's the perfect sport for betting in-running. Competitors have to strike a balance between skiing too hard (they'll be out of puff and heart racing too much to shoot accurately) and saving themselves for the shoot (ski times too slow). There are some red-hot skiers who are average shooters, and precision shooters who are too slow on their skis. Imagine skiing so fast you have a 20 second lead coming into the last set of five shots, in a standing position (much harder than prone), your heart is racing, there's a strong cross breeze and with a bit of snow falling, and your nerves are not your best asset. Just like there are some golfers you always want to oppose when they come down the final hole with a one-stroke lead, biathlon has very similar traits.

Weather and course conditions play a big part in it - heavy snow during the race gives a big advantage to those starting early as can sunshine which can melt the ice. For sprint and individual races where athletes are individually timed and start separately(like a cycling time trial), the best racers usually start in the middle of the pack (often 120 starters).

This season will be better for betting as there will be no Olympics at the end of the season, which saw a lot of athletes peak at different times last season, missing some events and racing in others. Magdalena Neuner (below) is the glamour girl and star of the sport - super-quick on her skis, but can be prone to bad days shooting.

Buying a Football jersey; is it a sport memorabilia or investment?

August 24, 2010 by footballfan  
Filed under Football Tips

Leave a Comment

Football jersey can well surpass all the other memorabilia and collectibles of teams. It is the most popular team item, a significant and priceless possession for every true fan. Most football supporters own the jersey of their favourite team, especially now, when the jersey bears the name and number of particular players. The authentic jerseys can actually be a great collectible as well.

The football jersey is a piece of clothing that is originally made to provide comfort and protection to the player; it has become though the cornerstone of every sophisticated and serious collection. It is something like a piece of art, decorating walls and offices in a true fan’s home. Some of them create large displays with several authentic jerseys, signed by their favourite players.

If you go online, you will find thousands of jerseys for sale; at eBay or Amazon, you can find some authentic shirts in high prices. Some of the fans sell jerseys signed by the football players, increasing the price dramatically. You can find a football jersey at 350$ or even more, as many fans invest in football apparel and create some sort of small business online, trading and selling jerseys or full kits. If you are among those football fans that want to have authentic and rare jerseys, you definitely need to check online. There are numerous rare items out there for sale, at different prices, for every budget and pocket.

Some of the very first jerseys used in football matches are quite pricey; a known collector bought recently a football jersey from the 70s, belonging to a player of the national team of Brazil; he spent more than 20000$ for that, but it is a unique item and belongs to the player that scored the winning goal at the final match of World Championship. If you can find a rare jersey signed by a player you can consider it to be an investment; you cannot know the exact value of this jersey twenty – or more – years from now.

If you are not up to this task, but you are mostly looking for something comfortable and easy to wear, then you should definitely consider checking the simple jerseys that have hit the shelves; you can find a football jersey that belongs to European team, such as Manchester United or Barcelona, or an American or South American team. The dot com boom made the purchase of jerseys and apparel really easy. You can find the jerseys that bear the name of a player such as Beckham, for instance, in good prices. If you don’t want to spend huge money, you can always opt for a replica. IT might not be top quality, but it will last for a while and is easily replaceable. Some fans tend to collect jerseys of their favourite players, buying a football jersey from every team they play for; in the case of Beckham you can find one from M.United, Real Madrid and now Milan.

Whether you are a big fan or a simple collector, buying jerseys is a great way to keep the memorable moments of your team always alive and vivid. It’s also a nice way to connect with the club and show that you belong to the group of fans that support a team religiously.

If you want to find out more about Football Shirt , please visit Football Shirts Website for more information

Share and Enjoy: