Chinese government extremely nervous as Omicron lands in Beijing with Winter Olympic Games only weeks away January 16, 2022 The Chinese government confirmed this morning its first local Omicron infection in the country’s capital Beijing, according to state media, weeks before the Winter Olympic Games are due to start. The infected person lives and works in the city’s north-western district of Haidian and had no travel history outside of Beijing for the past two [...]
Ed Warner: We must remember the human cost of Olympic dreams January 13, 2022 What have the Australians ever done for us? Monty Python would struggle for a list of sporting gifts to match the Romans’ sanitation, medicine, roads etc, especially in the middle of the current Ashes drubbing. But with the 10th anniversary of London 2012 only six months away, let’s not forget that it was the Aussies [...]
Ed Warner: Why 2022 is the year of the sportswash January 5, 2022 A city without snow and a state in the desert. Obvious places to hold the Winter Olympics and World Cup if you are the International Olympic Committee and football governing body Fifa. Welcome to 2022, the Year of the Sportswash. The principal outdoor venues for Beijing 2022 are – on a good day – 90 [...]
Sport sponsorship: Forecasting the impact of the big events in 2022 January 2, 2022 Six months on from wading through the smashed bottles and broken dreams that littered Wembley Way after the calamitous Euro 2020 final, sports fans and sponsors can look forward to an abundance of major global events in 2022. As it happens, this year has been designated the United Nations International Year of Glass, so it’s [...]
Best of 2021: Triathlete Alistair Brownlee on his unique goal for 2022 January 1, 2022 In this interview from February 2021, Alistair Brownlee discusses his plan to attempt a sub-seven hour Iron distance triathlon in 2022, training with brother Jonny during lockdown and his hopes of more Olympic success at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Games. Alistair Brownlee did his first triathlon aged eight and trains three times a day, almost [...]
Best of 2021: Alex Yee, Londoner and hero of Tokyo 2020 Olympics December 25, 2021 In this interview from September 2021, Frank Dalleres speaks to Tokyo 2020 Olympics gold and silver medallist Alex Yee about his rapid ascent to the top of triathlon, clocking the second fastest ever Park Run and his love for his hometown, London. Alex Yee burned brightly at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics this summer but the [...]
Best of 2021: Sprinter Darren Campbell’s brush with death December 24, 2021 In this interview from January 2021, former Olympic champion sprinter Darren Campbell recounts fearing for his life after a sudden and serious illness, his rise from poverty to athletics stardom and why he decided it was time to write a book. Darren Campbell was in no hurry to write a book until May 2018. A [...]
Ed Warner: Sport must be proactive in protecting its stars from abuse December 23, 2021 If you see me reaching for the remote to watch BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2022, you know what to do. I was delighted that our gold medal winning GB Wheelchair Rugby team was nominated for the Team of the Year last weekend, alongside an illustrious bunch of trophy winners from other sports, [...]
Big Sport Quiz of 2021: How much do you remember? December 20, 2021 From teenagers sweeping to Grand Slam tennis titles to England reaching a major football final, an Olympic Games like no other and the introduction of a brand new cricket competition, it has been a hugely eventful year in sport. Off the field it has been just as transformative, with private equity and, increasingly, cryptocurrency and [...]
Winter Olympics: USA announce boycott of Beijing games over ‘ongoing genocide’ December 6, 2021 The White House yesterday confirmed a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 winter Olympics, due to be held in Beijing in February. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said:“The Biden administration will not send any diplomatic or official representation to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games given the [People’s Republic of China’s] ongoing genocide and [...]