David Owen: Football’s perennial Club vs. Country ding-dong moves to the next stage

David Owen

It was interesting to read the recent report to the effect that European Club Association (ECA) head Karl-Heinz Rummenigge believes that football’s perennial club-versus-country tug of war is now receding.

“I’m quite optimistic that in FIFA things are changing in a good way,” the German, once an international player of considerable stature himself, was quoted as saying.

“We’re still totally ready to support national team football and, in exchange, we are getting this kind of money and governance back, which is a huge step for the recognition of club football in Europe.”

From where I am sitting, Rummenigge’s satisfaction seems a reflection of the fact that clubs have had the upper hand in club-v-country skirmishing for the past 12-15 years now.

I can remember, in the wake of Italian centre-back Alessandro Nesta’s tournament-ending injury against Austria at the 1998 World Cup, raising the question, “How much longer will decision-makers at leading clubs be prepared to lay their most valuable assets on the line without adequate compensation?”

The issue was underlined by a representative of a leading club with several players on show at that competition.

“There cannot be many organisations that are willing to give up assets worth millions of pounds without getting anything back and with a chance they may come back damaged,” he observed.

Image title
Alessandro Nesta's club side Lazio did not gain significant compensation after the defender's tournment ending injury when playing for Italy at the 1998 FIFA World Cup ©AFP/Getty Images

The obvious retort was that some of the “assets” might perform so brilliantly that their value was considerably enhanced.

But the point was that it was a lottery - and not one that the biggest clubs, by and large, would want to buy a ticket in, if they had a choice in the matter.

Consider what has happened since then.

• FIFA has started to pay clubs for the players selected for World Cup duty.

What is more, the total of these payments is set to more than quintuple - from $40 million (£27 million/€38 million) to $209 million (£143 million/€197 million) - in less than a decade.

• FIFA has also introduced, at a cost to itself of $88.5 million (£60 million/€83 million) over three financial years, the Club Protection Programme (CPP) to compensate the employers of players, like Nesta, injured on international duty.

• Under a deal announced last week, the European body UEFA has agreed to hand over at least €200 million (£137 million/€189 million) from Euro 2020 revenues to the clubs for releasing their players, an increase of €50 million (£34 million/€47 million).

As explained by ECA, which represents more than 200 clubs: “In the future, the clubs’ financial benefits from UEFA Euro will be calculated as a percentage of the total gross revenue.

“In 2020, clubs will receive 8 per cent of income from broadcast, commercial and ticketing/hospitality, with the minimum set at €200 million (£137 million/€189 million). ”

• Though it is not directly related to club-versus-country, even UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) initiative – its attempt to save clubs from the consequences of their own actions – appears to be working with all the potency of a Bondi Beach lifeguard.

FIFA started paying clubs for the players selected for World Cup duty, with payments set to have quintupled in a decade
FIFA started paying clubs for the players selected for World Cup duty, with payments set to have quintupled in a decade ©Getty Images

Coupled with a bumper broadcasting deal, it has helped to transform the financial fortunes of clubs in the richest league of all, England’s Premier League, with astonishing speed.

The combined pre-tax profits of the 20 clubs which played Premier League football last season is now assessed by accounting specialist Deloitte at £190 million ($278 million/€262 million), almost four times the previous record.

With their financial dials now well on the way to being reset, English clubs are probably in a position to push player transfer fees – in other words, the explicit market value of football clubs’ most marketable assets - to new heights this summer.

Meanwhile, with the image of top-tier club football ever more glamorous and ever more prominent in an ever-growing number of countries, there is a strong chance that this new-found profitability of even mid-level Premier League clubs will attract the eye of new investors and push up the value of the clubs themselves, enabling current owners, should they so wish, to sell down their stakes, or even exit entirely, at significant financial gain.

It is worth remarking that whereas the Premier League has achieved colossal increases of around 70 per cent in each of its two latest domestic broadcasting deals, my analysis of recent FIFA financial reports indicated that revenue from television broadcasting rights to the latest World Cup, Brazil 2014, crept ahead by just 0.9 per cent compared with South Africa 2010 - from $2.405 (£1.642 billion/€2.269 billion) to $2.426 billion (£1.658 billion/€2.289 billion)

For all the thrills and spills of the Brazil 2014 group stages, meanwhile, some experts argue that top club football is also now of better quality than its international counterpart.

“Club football outstripped international football in terms of quality around four decades ago - something that has become increasingly obvious over the past 10 years or so,” Jonathan Wilson, a football tactics specialist and editor of The Blizzard, a football quarterly, told me.

Set against that, the decision, however tortuously arrived at, to play a World Cup in the northern-hemisphere winter, is going to pose the club game some logistical issues.

But I have seen no suggestion that club competitions will, in any way, be truncated.

Indeed, if Qatar 2022 does show it is feasible to play a World Cup over a somewhat shorter period than recent predecessors, who is to say that this span, albeit in June/July, might not be adopted as the norm, creating a little bit more room for club football?

So the club-v-country balance has been shifting.

And now, with the object of financial compensation to the clubs for supplying the stars of the international game (ie their employees) having been attained, it seems we are moving to the next stage: overt participation in the most refined decision-making machinery.

As the recent ECA announcements revealed, two European club representatives have secured the right to sit on UEFA’s Executive Committee, the European body’s top table.

ECA described this as “a major achievement for ECA and a strong statement of UEFA’s commitment to modern and dynamic governance models”.

Will it lead to better governance of European football? Maybe, but I don’t think this is guaranteed.

It is certainly a development whose consequences are worth watching very closely.

With a new competition - the UEFA Nations League - in the pipeline, one prediction I would make with some confidence is that a new stream of revenue will before long be wending its way to the clubs that will provide its chief entertainers.

With the UEFA Nations League in the pipeline, clubs might gain even more income from their players participating for their nations
With the UEFA Nations League in the pipeline, clubs might gain even more income from their players participating for their nations ©Getty Images

I have few major issues with the changes effected so far.

The situation prevailing in 1998 was plainly no longer sustainable.

That said, I do worry that it might result in more and more of the money generated by football being channelled into the coffers of the sport’s ‘haves’ at the expense of its ‘have-nots’.

I would make two observations in support of these misgivings.

First, FIFA’s preliminary budget for its 2015-2018 business cycle, published in 2014, earmarked an increase of 12.5 per cent for development projects.

This sounds fine until you compare it with hikes of 55.5 per cent for FIFA’s glitziest competition, the World Cup, and of 69.2 per cent in “operational expenses and services”.

This is FIFA’s best guess-timate, as opposed to what will actually happen.

Even so, I thought it was quite revealing as an indication of the governing body’s priorities.

Second, Europe is virtually monopolising CPP payments, absorbing 98 per cent of the €39.4 million (£28.5 million/$41.8 million) disbursed in the scheme’s first two years and four months of operation.

Clubs are increasingly having more control over their players participation at national level
Clubs are increasingly having more control over their players participation at national level ©Getty Images

While the pendulum has of late been swinging in favour of clubs, there have been times when employers of the sport’s stars wielded considerably more power than they have at present.

Ireland had to play the most important match of its early footballing history - the 1914 clash with Scotland that delivered its first Home International Championship title - without ace striker Billy Gillespie, who was required by his club Sheffield United because an FA Cup tie had gone to a second replay.

The situation in some of the biggest US sports tends, furthermore, to underline that soccer’s approach to this age-old problem remains relatively balanced.

In American football, a huge commercial success-story, international matches, certainly in the top echelons of the sport, scarcely exist.

As for baseball, one of the reasons why the sport lost its place on the Olympic programme (it now looks temporarily), was that the stars of the Major Leagues by and large could not attend.

Seen in a broad context then, the present club-country balance in football still strikes me as a generally acceptable compromise.

But it is an area where the status quo seems seldom to prevail for long - hence the need for continued vigilance.

Nick Butler is away

Jaimie Fuller: Time after time

Jaimie Fuller

Time after time, you’ve heard me bang on about the power of sport, so I’m delighted to reflect some positive news that has the International Olympic Committee (IOC) seemingly at its core.

Last week China promised to lift its outright ban on Facebook and Twitter if it wins the right to stage the 2022 Winter Olympics. A simple, social premise perhaps, but for me this was an example of pro-active negotiation that’s so often been missing from bidding processes when there are far more damaging consequences at stake.

Nick Butler: Like in politics, PR rules the roost in 21st century sport

Nick Butler
Nick ButlerIt may register little amid all the vast changes going on around the globe at the moment, and, in our little world at least, it pales into comparison with more important leadership decisions this year in football and athletics. But in Britain it is General Election time next month, and the focus ramped up last week with a much anticipated television debate featuring leaders of the seven leading parties.

A fairly nauseating spectacle, it showed more than anything else that we Brits aren't natural TV debaters, certainly not like our American cousins. With representatives from smaller parties all faring well, it also posed worrying questions about a "first past the post" voting system which boasts as its main asset a tendency to create strong Governments, but, for the second General Election in a row, now seems unlikely to produce a majority winner.

When watching the debate, I was struck by how crafted and choreographed it seemed. Every smile, every soundbite and every sarcastic dig at an opponent was pre-planned, ironed out meticulously by a posse of public relations gurus. All newspapers will inevitably have since been "briefed" by "figures close" to most of the parties afterwards, just to "check they understood the main points".

This style of PR politics, based on image as much as if not more than substance, is a product of our 24-hour, technology driven times. This has been the norm since the 1990s, when the likes of Bill Clinton in the United States and Tony Blair in Britain created the "New" Democrats and "New" Labour, where the change from the past was more one of rhetoric than real action.

Britain's General Election TV debate was largely an exercise in public relations and Britain's General Election TV debate was largely an exercise in public relations and "spin" ©Getty Images



Sport is perhaps the most PR driven industry of all, and access to a top athlete today is generally possible only at a press conference, in a mixed zone, or at an interview set up by a sponsor or promotor where questions and time is rigorously control and subsequent articles are usually accompanied by a "Joe Bloggs was speaking on behalf of such and such manufacturer" message.

Our world of sports politics is slightly different, and it is still possible to speak to some of the main players in a bar or quiet corner, or, perish the thought, contact them directly rather than through an intermediary. But even this is limited, and during the two Evaluation Commission inspections for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic races over the last month, access to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and to a lesser extent bidding officials, was limited, with both Almaty and Beijing hiring a gaggle of European and American PR executives to try to keep the media in check.

More than anything else, the IOC's Agenda 2020 reform process is turning out to be similarly PR savvy, designed to signify progress, although if you look beyond the spin and press releases, few concrete changes have actually occurred. Through its "Transformation 2022" process unveiled last week, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has now begun a similar campaign.

As my colleague Mike Rowbottom pointed out in a wonderful piece a few months ago, you don't half hear some rubbish in interviews these days, the same old lines pandered out about "respecting your opponents" and "focusing on the next match" over and over again. Such is the extent of this that anything approaching an interesting quip is striking purely for being unusual, such as when Arsenal's teenaged Spanish defender Hector Bellerin joked about learning English with a Cockney accent in a recent BBC post-match interview.

A normal, unscripted comment, and a very refreshing one.

Arsenal's Hector Bellerin produced a rare glimpse of humility in a post-match interview ©AFP/Getty ImagesArsenal's Hector Bellerin produced a rare glimpse of humour in a post-match interview ©AFP/Getty Images



The great thing about the Olympic Movement is that we still have some great characters, who will still make insightful and honest remarks regardless of how much pressure is on them not to. Unfortunately, two of the best examples have moved on this year, and their replacements conform much more to the modern stereotype. The first of these sadly departed officials was CGF chief executive Mike Hooper, who told me when I was first introduced to him, with a smirk and a wink in what he clearly meant as an affectionate way, that I looked like a "f****** little baby" in a picture accompanying an article I had written.

The other is former IOC executive director for the Olympic Games Gilbert Felli, who remains involved in preparations for Rio 2016. He was always great at giving a straight line, once answering "that is your job" when we dared to ask him why the IOC had not produced a Youth Olympic Games medals table.

Their replacements, David Grevemberg and Christophe Dubi respectively, both seem great, and their positive input has already been felt, but answers to every question are peppered with clichés and management speak (although judging by Dubi's meticulously kept hair, I feel he spends more time reading fashion manuals than management ones.)

Canada's IOC backbench stalwart Richard Pound, International Ski Federation President Gian-Franco Kasper and IOC vice-president John Coates are three other good speakers who remain.

We must hope members of the new generation pick up the mantle.

Former CGF chief executive Mike Hooper was refreshingly unguarded in his approach to the media ©Getty ImagesFormer CGF chief executive Mike Hooper was refreshingly unguarded in his approach to the media ©Getty Images



Of course, there is nothing wrong with being "on message", modern and guarded, and we all know that speaking out of turn to the media often causes more harm than good. Being different and unorthodox in your management is also great, but this can have its pitfalls and there are certain standards and styles which all should follow.

It must also be said that PR has always existed, even if it was not known as such. There are few politicians as meticulously cultivated in their image and style, as, say, Winston Churchill or Mahatma Gandhi, or, dare I say it, Adolf Hitler.

But, in politics as well as sport, it is great when you come across figures who are a little bit different, and that is why the likes of London's bumbling and buffoonish, but highly intelligent, Mayor Boris Johnson is so highly regarded.

And with a British revolution seemingly occurring in sports administration - led by Sir Craig Reedie, Sir Philip Craven and Brian Cookson and with others like Sebastian Coe, Sarah Lewis and Louise Martin waiting in the wings - hopefully they will learn from Boris and other mavericks as well as the TV debating party leaders.

Nick Butler is a senior reporter for insidethegames. To follow him on Twitter click here.

David Owen: IOC members look to be in line for an increase in expenses - along with more transparency

Duncan Mackay
David Owen ©ITGDo I detect a whiff of panic in IOC Towers?

I say this because of the rather breathless way the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has gone about publicising what it calls its "indemnity policy with regard to the IOC members" -basically the payments they are entitled to as volunteers while on IOC business.

It is not so much the text of the announcement itself, which bore the gloriously, indeed classically, dull headline, "Status of the implementation of Olympic Agenda 2020".

It is rather the decision to unveil the policy "now", with the Boston 2024 Olympic and Paralympic bid struggling with poor local poll ratings among a citizenry plainly still not convinced about the benefits of mega-event hosting, "and not to wait until the publication of the IOC's annual report as proposed by recommendation 29 of the Olympic Agenda 2020 [reform programme]".

That plus an informal heads-up emailed to a colleague suggesting that the decision to publish details of all allowances, including the President's, might be the first time a sports organisation had done such as thing.

Actually, anyone taking the trouble to read the IOC's financial reports - admittedly you have to keep going all the way until the final page - has been able to ascertain the payments made to the President for some time now.

When I last did so, in September 2013, I learnt that the cost of then-President Jacques Rogge's residence expenses,"(room rent, living expenses, residence taxes, insurance)", were $751,000 (£507,000/€691,000) in 2011 and $709,000 (£440,000/€651,000) in 2012.

The IOC says that its new procedure will "lead to savings for the IOC and to transparency" - and there is no reason to doubt that.

However, once the cost of current President Thomas Bach's accommodation in Lausanne's Palace Hotel is added to his annual "indemnity" of €225,000 (£164,000/$243,000), I can't think why his cost to the organisation would be so very different to his predecessor's.

I happen to think that $750,000 (£506,000/€690,000) a year is not such bad value for a figure who, as the IOC says, is "on a mission for the IOC 365 days a year", but that, for the purposes of today's piece, is a side issue.

Thomas Bach's payment from the IOC for being President is relatively modest for the position ©Getty ImagesThomas Bach's payment from the IOC for being President is relatively modest ©Getty Images

Yesterday's disclosures also somehow omit to mention that, unless I am much mistaken, IOC members are getting an increase in the payments to which they are entitled.

Under today's indemnity policy, it is proposed that IOC members and honorary members get $7,000 (£4,700/€6,400) for annual administrative support and a $450 (£304/€415) a day indemnity for attending meetings, including travelling time.

Executive Board members attending EB meetings will get $900 (£607/€828) a day.

Yet on page 80 of last November's Olympic Agenda 2020 background document, it is stated that "currently...members attending a commission meeting or attending the Olympic Games can receive an allowance of $400 (£270/€368) a day".

Members "also have the possibility to receive up to $6,000 (£4,049/€5,516) per year for their administrative costs".

The then policy for Executive Board members, meanwhile, was that they could "receive a one-off payment of $2,000 (£1,350/€1,839) for attending an EB meeting".

I make that an increase of 12.5 per cent in the basic per diem and 16.7 per cent in the administrative allowance - not outrageous, but not bad in the present economic climate.

And one that could, dare I suggest, have been presented a tad more transparently.

IOC members attending Executive Board meetings receive $900 a day ©IOCIOC members attending Executive Board meetings receive $900 a day ©IOC

I have one other bug bear about these latest disclosures: it concerns the announcement that the IOC "upon its specific request will be audited externally according to the enhanced International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), even though these higher standards are legally not required".

It sounds terribly virtuous of the IOC, doesn't it? I can almost see them sitting there glowing with the smugness of the school swot.

Well it is a good thing, but I am not sure it warrants quite such a song and dance; after all, the football governing body FIFA, not generally regarded as a paragon of good practice, has been preparing its consolidated financial statements in accordance with IFRS for a while.

A final point, if I may: the letter to IOC members from IOC Ethics Commission chairman Youssoupha Ndiaye concludes by saying that the Commission "invites all the sports organisations of the Olympic Movement to establish a similar policy and make this public, in order to increase transparency within the sports movement".

If it is serious about spreading financial transparency, then I think the IOC should be far tougher and insist that all International Sports Federations (IFs) publish annual financial statements in accordance with IFRS, as a condition of Olympic/Paralympic participation.

When basic financial good practice becomes a pre-requisite, rather than something to be trumpeted in a press release, then the Movement really will have made good progress.

David Owen worked for 20 years for the Financial Times in the United States, Canada, France and the UK. He ended his FT career as sports editor after the 2006 World Cup and is now freelancing, including covering the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2010 World Cup and London 2012. Owen's Twitter feed can be accessed here.

Mike Rowbottom: April is the foolest month...and spotting the spoofs is not always straightforward

Mike Rowbottom
mike rowbottom ©ITGI like to think I would have spotted the one about the Olympic Games being replaced by the Hunger Games.

Likewise the story which appeared in the media yesterday about Athletics Kenya being disbanded. And about Usain Bolt - remember him? - applying for US citizenship.

But that's the thing about April Fool's Day jokes. You sometimes get caught off guard.

Just for a fleeting second - and for no more than that before anyone decides to get smart - the story put out yesterday by the US sporting pressure group Bring Back the Mile had me expostulating.

Their standard press release format detailed a decision take by USATF President Stephanie Hightower to ban the Mile from the sport in the United States, a decision Bring Back the Mile described as "misguided, undemocratic" with the additional request that its supporters helped to fight the ban by using the hashtag #StopSteph

Had Stephanie Hightower, President of USA Track and Field, taken leave of her senses this week? Banning the Mile? Well no. Not really. Doh ©Getty ImagesHad Stephanie Hightower, President of USA Track and Field, taken leave of her senses this week? Banning the Mile? Well no. Not really. Doh ©Getty Images

Misguided! Too right, I mean, well, Stephanie, I mean, spoke to her on more than one occasion, spoke to her in Birmingham before London 2012 about the decision to use the city as a training base for US athletes, great ex-hurdler, sensible woman...what was she thinking?

And then, in the quote that followed, I saw the reference to Louis XIV and the mile turned into a smile.

"Per USATF By-Laws, I have the authority as its President to ban any event at any time for the betterment of the sport, and I did so for the Mile because as Louis XIV said: L'etat c'est moi," Hightower said defending her decision.

"Yes, the Mile is still very popular in America, but it is unfair to the other track & field events that receive little if any media coverage and fan interest compared to the Mile and its coveted sub-four minute standard.

France's Louis XIV, who was said to have announced: "L'etat - c'est moi" - "The state - that's me". Using the quote was a bit of a clue Hightower wasn't serious. The views of Louis XIV on the Mile distance have not been recorded ©Hulton Arichive/Getty ImagesFrance's Louis XIV, who was said to have announced: "L'etat - c'est moi" - "The state - that's me". Using the quote was a bit of a clue Hightower wasn't serious. The views of Louis XIV on the Mile distance have not been recorded
©Hulton Arichive/Getty Images

"Also think of all the children competing in other lesser known non-Mile events which will surely impact their fragile self-esteems if the Mile continues to be contested and disproportionately recognised."

"With all due respect to Ms. Hightower, we will challenge her misguided decision even if it means going to Congress to change the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 to stop this egregious action," said Ryan Lamppa, Bring Back the Mile founder.

There is, of course, a long history of spoof sporting stories which have appeared on April Fool's Day.

Two of the best in recent years happened in the space of 12 months in the late 1980s.

On April 1 1988, the Soviet newspaper Izvestia reported that Argentina's prized footballer Maradona, who had led his country to World Cup victory two years earlier, was in negotiations to joining Spartak Moscow, who were to pay him $6 million (£4 million/€5.5 million) to play in their struggling team.

Holding up the World Cup for Argentina in 1986 - Diego Maradona, who played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, Newell's Old Boys, and Boca Juniors again. But never for Spartak Moscow ©Bongarts/Getty ImagesHolding up the World Cup for Argentina in 1986 - Diego Maradona, who played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, Newell's Old Boys, and Boca Juniors again. But never for Spartak Moscow ©Bongarts/Getty Images

The Associated Press picked it up - no gloating here, there but for the grace of God and all that - but had to publish a retraction when Izvestia responded to their query by referencing the date of publication.

State-run Soviet news organisations didn't do funny. Everyone knew that. But clearly Mikhail Gorbachev's new policy of glasnost was beginning to thaw the official Russian sense of humour.

A year later viewers of BBC's Saturday afternoon Grandstand programme witnessed an extraordinary scuffle taking place between members of the newsroom as Desmond Lynam was presenting live to the camera.

As the fight escalated, drawing in more people, Lynam remained steadfast to his task, assuring viewers: "We'll continue to do our best to cover sport in the way you like, backed up by our highly professional team".

Soon afterwards the brawling parties were shown standing together holding a sign that read "April Fool."

All very amusing. And for a while, all very alarming.

Having wobbled just for a second over the Bring Back the Mile effort, I found myself wondering if we were in the same territory again when I saw a piece tweeted by Spikes magazine (@spikesmag).

In it, 38-year-old Kim Collins, the long-running sprinter from St Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean  - still competing today having won the world 100 metres title in 2003 - was promoting the notion that "Training hard does not work".

Kim Collins, the former world 100m champion from St Kitts and Nevis, who says one of the secrets of maintaining an international career over more than 20 years has been not working too hard in training. No fooling ©AFP/Getty ImagesKim Collins, the former world 100m champion from St Kitts and Nevis, who says one of the secrets of maintaining an international career over more than 20 years has been not working too hard in training. No fooling ©AFP/Getty Images

But upon reading the article, it became clear this was no joke. This laid-back and affable sprinter insisted: "Too many athletes train far too hard daily. The problem with this is that the body does not have any or enough time to recover. It is very rare that I train at 90-95 per cent in training. Very rare."

So, no April Fool's there. Nor indeed was there a joke involved in the BBC Sport's interview with Liverpool and England footballer Raheem Sterling, who revealed that he was not a "money-grabbing 20-year-old" after turning down a deal with Liverpool worth £100,000 ($148,000/€136,000) per week.

Not that everyone seemed prepared to accept it. "BBC rounds off a fantastic April Fools Day with that Raheem Sterling interview!" tweeted talkSPORT radio host Danny Kelly.

When I saw the Aaron Cook story I had another little feeling of uncertainty, I'll admit. The former British taekwondo star missed out controversially on a medal at the 2008 Beijing Games before being left out, even more controversially, of the British team at the London 2012 Olympics, despite the fact he was European champion and world No.1 at the time.

Taekwondo star Aaron Cook practising in his home-made gym in 2011, with his mind on the London 2012 Games. He now has his sights on the Rio 2016 Games - and he has a Moldovan passport ©Getty Images for British AirwaysTaekwondo star Aaron Cook practising in his home-made gym in 2011, with his mind on the London 2012 Games. He now has his sights on the Rio 2016 Games - and he has a Moldovan passport
©Getty Images for British Airways




Having moved to the Isle of Man from his home in Dorchester, Cook represented his new homeland at last year's European Championships in Sochi, winning gold and restoring himself to the world No.1 position.

And on April 1, of all days, it was announced that his plans to compete at next year's Rio Olympics for a new country had been substantially advanced tby the receipt of a passport offering him citizenship of...Moldova.

While numerous agencies were splashing it as breaking news, a swift check on insidethegames revealed Michael Pavitt's story of February 27 about Cook's Moldova ambitions.

I hadn't kept up with that story. Foolish, I know...

Mike Rowbottom, one of Britain's most talented sportswriters, covered the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics as chief feature writer for insidethegames, having covered the previous five summer Games, and four winter Games, for The Independent. He has worked for the Daily Mail, The Times, The Observer, The Sunday Correspondent and The Guardian. His latest book Foul Play – the Dark Arts of Cheating in Sport (Bloomsbury £8.99) is available at the insidethegames.biz shop. To follow him on Twitter click here.

Michael Pavitt: Sport can play a key role in bid to remove stigma surrounding mental health

Michael Pavitt
MichaelPavittitgI have to admit to being a little surprised to receive an invitation arrive in my inbox which began with "The Deputy Prime Minister requests the pleasure of your company" at the launch of the Mental Health Charter for Sport.

On arriving at Lancaster House in London, which lies next door to Buckingham Palace, it became clear that I would not meet the said individual, who goes by the name of Nick Clegg. Alas.

The Deputy Prime Minister had helped to launch the Mental Health Charter at the Oval Cricket ground in London, but was not present at the subsequent reception to be held in the grand Lancaster House.

Instead Norman Lamb, Minister of State for Care and Support, was among the first to speak to the assembled crowd at the reception, which predominantly comprised of representatives from various sporting bodies.

The Liberal Democrat MP began his speech in rather jovial fashion, pointing out the event would be his last as a Minister, with his party unlikely to have a role in Government after next month's general election.

Lamb then turned towards the issue of the Charter stating: "If we can help people who are involved in sport, but also use the power of sport and sporting personalities to open up, to talk about their own experiences and make it easier for others to be open, then we can achieve an awful lot."

One such individual is former professional footballer Clarke Carlisle, who suffering from depression, attempted suicide in December. The former Premier League defender, with Burnley, is now recovering from the attempt and attended the launch to give the Charter his backing. Carlisle is now seen as one of the most influential voices in helping to raise awareness of the issue of mental ill health, particularly in sport.

One of the Charter's aims is get elite sporting organisations to provide a framework for their athletes, which provides them with an environment to help them talk about potential mental health problems.

Clarke Carlisle is supporting the charter, as the former footballer recovers from a suicide attempt ©Getty ImagesClarke Carlisle is supporting the charter, as the former footballer recovers from a suicide attempt ©Getty Images



Emma Boggis, chief executive of the Sport and Recreation Alliance, who alongside the Professional Players Association, created the Charter believes that there needs to be a shift in the way that sport and mental health are associated. "Too much of the association between sport and mental health is negative - like when a top athlete suffers problems," she said. "We want to re-frame that relationship so that people understand that sport is a positive place for conversations about mental health."

Boggis' statement made me think back to another high profile case surrounding the mental health of an elite sportsman, England cricketer Jonathan Trott. The batsman left England's Ashes tour of Australia citing a long standing stress-related condition, however his departure was immediately met with suspicion, with people debating whether he was merely leaving due to poor form.

The debate surrounding Trott highlighted the lack of understanding of the issue and perhaps indicated why fewer sportsman would publicly acknowledge an issue with mental ill-health.

Additionally with some sports, such as rugby, there is the impression on the pitch from players that they need to be viewed as strong at all times.

When taking part in such a physically demanding game, gaining an advantage over your opponent might come down to not allowing your opposition to be aware of any potential issue, whether physical or mental. Naturally this would make it harder for athletes to then speak out if they are suffering from a problem.

The Charter attempts to build a framework in which athletes can feel comfortable in coming forward to a relevant person to discuss an issue is commendable, although it certainly faces certain challenges.

However as viewers of sport we need to take upon more responsibility and have a greater understanding of the issues potentially surrounding elite level sportsmen and women.

England cricketer Johnathan Trott admission of a suffering from a stress related illness was initially viewed with suspicion ©Getty ImagesEngland cricketer Johnathan Trott admission of a suffering from a stress related illness was initially viewed with suspicion ©Getty Images



The pressure now on young people entering the elite world of sport is perhaps greater than ever before. Whether that is the attempt earn a professional contract, achieve a place on an Olympic team or strive for a gold medal.

For instance, a young professional footballer is often viewed as having a relaxed and luxurious lifestyle. However there is little appreciation of the fact that they are likely to be subjected to abuse from opposition supporters, however in the age of social media, they can now find themselves the victims of abuse online.

For many Olympic athletes as the clock ticks past the 500 days until Rio the pressure will crank up an extra notch as what they have been building towards for most of their lives gets ever closer. With the pressure to perform at an early stage, it is entirely understandable that an athlete is likely to suffer.

While the pressure on athletes during their career is clear one of the main issues raised at the reception surrounds how to help athletes combat the coming to terms with the end of their career.

It may be an abrupt end to their career, perhaps released by a club at a young age or suffering a career ending injury. However, with many athletes there will be the gradual decline as they grow older. Retirement for an elite sportsman is understandably a traumatic event and naturally could lead to problems.

"At the end of a players career the two years, the transition is crucial," Brendon Batson, executive chairman of the Professional Players Federation, explained.

Referring to a survey of former players Batson claimed that "30 per cent could not really cope with their life [after retirement] and we know that it can lead to mental health issues. Once they leaving playing, due to a lack of a contract or injury, they find it very difficult, it is a real issue that we need to address."

Careers in contact sports like Rugby can end prematurely and sports are attempting to help players prepare for retirement ©Getty ImagesCareers in contact sports like Rugby can end prematurely and sports are attempting to help players prepare for retirement ©Getty Images



Imagine being a swimmer who has woken in the early hours of the morning for over a decade in an effort to pursue an Olympic dream to suddenly come to the end of their career, potentially with minimal earnings and few career opportunities. It is quite a frightening prospect to consider, but for many it is likely to be a reality.

With research by the Sport and Recreation Alliance stating that one in four people suffer a mental health issue, certainly there needs to be more of an awareness of the issue and the fact that physical activity could help to maintain good mental health.

While the Charter at first glance looked geared towards elite sport, there are clearly benefits for the general public in the wider sporting world talking about the issue of mental health.

Sportsmen and women are often viewed as the healthiest of individuals and seen as invincible, however like the general population, they will have their own issues.

It is worth us baring this in mind and by having the conversation publicly about mental health issues in sport, awareness of the issue of mental health can both be raised and the stigma surrounding it can continue to be alleviated.

When I first started interviewing sportspeople, I was advised that I should remember that they are in fact just an ordinary human being. And the same idea needs to be viewed with regard to mental health. Anyone can suffer, be it a journalist, as sportsman or the Deputy Prime Minister.

Michael Pavitt is a junior reporter for insidethegames. To follow him on Twitter click here


Alan Hubbard: Audley Harrison finally bows out after difficult career in and out of the ring

Liam Morgan
Alan HubbardBrain damaged and bankrupt is no way for any Olympic champion to end up.

Whatever we think of Audley Harrison now there can be only be sympathy for the man who promised so much but delivered so little in his 13-year professional career.

The southpaw super-heavyweight champion from Sydney 2000 claims he is suffering from vision balance problems, moodiness and irritability and that his decision to quit at the ripe old fighting age of 43 has prompted research into concussion and brain injuries, and after consulting medical specialists he has decided to call it a day.

Well, there are those among us who believe he needed his head examined to have carried on for as long as he did when it was apparent he was washed up, or even to have turned pro in the first place (though of course there were a million reasons why he did).

Seduced by the BBC's ridiculous £1 million ($1.5 million/€1.4 million) bung in exchange for his amateur headguard and vest, the self-promoting Harrison proceeded to raid Palookaville to hand-pick his own pushover opponents.

So much so it became apparent that the BBC's investment was a scandalous waste of licence payers' money which eventually led to them terminating their association with boxing.

Dear old Audley had the amateur game sussed. He worked the system perfectly, knowing how to score with the counter punches that caught the eyes of the judges and how to box on the back foot without taking risks.

But when it came to the rigours and hazards of the prize ring, he seemed to have neither the heart nor the flexibility to adapt. He gave the impression that while he liked boxing, he did not really like fighting for a living. He was never a warrior like Ricky Hatton or Amir Khan.

Audley Harrison stole Britains hearts with Olympic gold at Sydney 2000 but his career never quite progressed from there ©Getty ImagesAudley Harrison stole Britains hearts with Olympic gold at Sydney 2000 but his career never quite progressed from there ©Getty Images



Six million people watched his debut in 2001 - a first round knockout of American tyro Mike Middleton - but his BBC contract was not renewed in 2004 after he had accumulated a record of 17 wins from as many contests.

Back in Sydney he talked such a good fight we called him Muhammad Audley. But it was not long before promoter Frank Warren memorably rechristened him Fraudley.

Not since the great Muhammad himself has a heavyweight indulged in such self-hype.

The son of a west London plasterer - one of a family of six - he was a double ABA champion, winning the Commonwealth Games final spectacularly in 63 seconds, after a total of just 15 minutes of boxing.

He then stabbed and jabbed his way to becoming Britain's first-ever super-heavyweight champ and the first Briton to win Olympic boxing gold since middleweight Chris Finnegan in 1968. "I am going to be the greatest heavyweight ever to come out of Britain," he declared at the time.

Well, he did manage to win a European title and the Prizefighter tournament but gradually the A-Force became C list, creating a better small screen impression in the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom and the I'm A Celebrity jungle than he did in the ring.

With seven losses in his 38-fight career he became the Eddie the Eagle of boxing, finally crash landing at Sheffield's Motorpoint Arena two years ago when he was bombed out in 70 seconds by big-hitting Deontay Wilder, the fearsome heavyweight who is now the WBC champion.

Audley Harrison's career was effectively over even before he was knocked out by Deontay Wilder inside the first round back in 2013 ©Getty ImagesAudley Harrison's career was effectively over even before he was knocked out by Deontay Wilder inside the first round back in 2013 ©Getty Images



Thus those 13 years of hurt -for the fans as well as himself - concluded with him being caught by the first punch the 6ft 7in Wilder threw and Harrison said he would call it quits before changing his mind, vainly insisting he could still win the world title.

Against Olympic bronze medallist David Price six months earlier he had lasted just 12 seconds longer.

Now, following repeated threats of a comeback - targeting the current Olympic champion Anthony Joshua in what surely would have been another painful mismatch - he says: "After years of denial and sticking to my guns, I'm finally getting out of my own way.

"I've suffered a few traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and will have to work hard to reverse some of the effects taking punches to the head has brought about to my overall health.

"I have vision problems, vestibular injuries that lead to balance disturbances, and have bouts of serious irritability and moodiness that come with TBI recovery."

Harrison, known to be a frequent poker player at the tables in Las Vegas, also admits he has been wayward with his earnings and could face bankruptcy in the UK because of huge tax demands.

The now 43-year-old Londoner has admitted his health has deteriorated during his career and he says he may also have to file for bankruptcy ©Getty ImagesThe now 43-year-old Londoner has admitted his health has deteriorated during his career and he says he may also have to file for bankruptcy ©Getty Images



"I've made many mistakes and learned some tough lessons along the way. I made tons of money and splurged lots of it away with reckless money management, immaturity and a desire to build my empire like Tony Montana," he said.

"Thankfully, my wife started a hair salon business and threw chunks of money into real estate, but I'm still likely have to file for bankruptcy in the UK. I also invested in a pension while living in the UK, so that will be good when I'm much older.

"Without my boxing income, I will not be able to pay the huge tax bill I get each year to satisfy the film partnership I invested into in 2004, and encashed my investment by 2009. The hefty tax bill does not finish until 2022."

We've all done our share of Audley bashing, me included. No British boxer has been more mocked or vilified.

But to his credit he remained affable and approachable and more than willing to talk, which he did volubly and at length.

If only Harrison bashed opponents' noses as fiercely as he did our ears he would have been world champion and not a lampooned contender who threw only one half-hearted punch before being splattered by David Haye in his one world title fight.

Moreover, there have been no out-of-the-ring scandals during his career. No drugs, no boozing, no womanising. He remains deeply religious and committed to family life in Los Angeles with his wife Raychel and two children.

A particular low point of Audley Harrison's career came when he threw just one half-hearted punch during his defeat to David Haye in 2011 ©Getty ImagesA particular low point of Audley Harrison's career came when he threw just one half-hearted punch during his defeat to David Haye (left) in 2011 ©Getty Images



Harrison now plans to start an agency to ensure boxers are given the financial advice he appears to have missed out on. He also intends to take out a trainer's licence in California in a bid to develop a future champion.

He says: "If I'm to achieve my goal of becoming a world champion it will now have to be as a trainer and manager to a bright young star, who will hopefully learn from my mistakes, rather than learning from his or her own."

Fighting his way up from a corrective institution he acquired a university degree (BSc with distinction) and an MBE and leaves us with this poignant requiem for a heavyweight: "There are only so many times you can fall before it becomes foolhardy to continue."

If only he had boxed this clever sooner.

Alan Hubbard is a 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 Games, 10 Commonwealth Games, several football World Cups and world title fights from Atlanta to Zaire

Nick Butler: Beijing appear to have edge in race for 2022 Olympics but human rights issues will cast long shadow

Nick Butler
Nick ButlerFrom being picked up in a VIP bus on the airport runway to being plied with more magnificent, banquet-style food than I thought possible, I have to admit that visiting Beijing to inspect China's 2022 Olympic and Paralympic bid was one of the highlights of my career so far.

The way we were treated in both Beijing and Almaty, the other bidder for the 2022 Games, is far more than we deserve and, to all other journalists stuck in dingy offices or media centres, if you get a chance, please don't turn down the opportunity to attend an Evaluation Commission inspection.

But it was important that, with so few people having visited both cities and seen what each has to offer the Olympic Movement, we did not flinch from criticism where necessary.

In the Kazakh city I was impressed with the venues and bid concept, based around compactness and a genuine winter sporting vibe. I had my doubts, however, about certain political and organisational factors, and awarding the Games there would be a major gamble.

Beijing's bid is virtually the polar opposite.

As you would expect, organisation is very strong, with the economic powerhouse utilising all of its experience from the Beijing 2008 Summer Games. Officials said all the right things and support from all levels of Government was unequivocal. After the anxieties of Sochi 2014, Rio 2016 and Pyeongchang 2018, another Beijing Games would in one sense come as a relief to an International Olympic Committee (IOC) which has had enough of delays and setbacks.

Some venues and conceptual elements were also impressive. It is one of the advantages of returning to a recent Olympic host city, but using five Beijing 2008-leftovers is a sound idea, with Opening and Closing Ceremonies to be held, once again, in the Bird's Nest Stadium, while curling would have a new home in the Water Cube, ahem, Ice Cube.

Using the Bird's Nest Stadium once again is one attractive element of the Beijing 2022 bid ©Getty ImagesUsing the Bird's Nest Stadium once again is one attractive element of the Beijing 2022 bid ©Getty Images



Ski jumping, biathlon and cross country at the foot of the Great Wall of China is another strong part, while the IOC and Winter Federations appear genuinely pleased with plans to hold Alpine skiing and sliding sports in Yanqing.

Yanqing lies in between the two other venue clusters in Beijing itself and Zhangjiakou, the city 190 kilometres to the north-west close to the Nordic and freestyle ski and snowboard venues. The three sites will be linked by a new high-speed railway, due for completion in 2019, which will reportedly reduce distances from over three hours by car to around 50 minutes.

Developing Zhangjiakou, an agriculturally-dominated region known for its wine and history - with the reported site of the first Chinese civilisation 4,000 years ago at Zhuolu County close by - came across as the most powerful legacy aim of the bid. As was clear when we met with local officials, the Olympics would make a huge difference for this area, bringing in tourism and investment and connecting it far better to the metropolis of Beijing.

Reducing pollution levels was also cited as an aim of Beijing 2022, much as it was during Beijing 2008, and it has got far worse since then, with dust storms over the weekend raising levels further, although I must admit it was not an obvious hazard during our visit. Promising free internet access is another good step, but most of the rest of the world, including Almaty, does not have any restrictions anyway.

Encouraging 300 million new stakeholders into winter sport is, however, the major calling card of the bid.

I was not sure about this. Yes, having this new many participants would bring a huge benefit, in a commercial sense as well as a purely competitive one, but where did this 300 million figure come from? Possibly it really would make that much of a difference, but, at this point there is a long, long way to go. It may have been because we were there at the end of the season in March - the scheduled month for the Paralympics in 2022 - but there wasn't too much evidence of winter sporting passion in Beijing, and hardly anyone skiing, and not much snow, in the mountains.

Seeing the Great Wall of China was exciting, but there was not much snow to be seen ©Beijing 2022Seeing the Great Wall of China was exciting, but there was not much snow to be seen ©Beijing 2022



A very different experience to what was seen in Almaty, where 30 centimetres of "fresh, natural" snow was reported last week. After a 2018 Pyeongchang Games set to take place in a slightly underwhelming and non-traditional setting, it would seem hard for the winter sporting community to get too excited about Beijing 2022 as well..

The Agenda 2020 reform process brings an extra layer of complexity to the 2022 race, with Beijing duly focusing on being "athlete-centred, sustainable and economical". This Chinese commitment to Agenda 2020 was wheeled out several times a day during the visit, and on the final day IOC Evaluation Commission chair praised the bid for "embracing the spirit and goals" of the process. A definite tick-in-the-box then.

The trouble is, anyone can find a way in which they conform with Agenda 2020, and this was always going to be the case giving the vagueness of the 40 recommendations passed by the IOC at its Session in Monte Carlo in December. Almaty and Beijing's bids are so vastly different, but both claim this conformity as a core strength of their bid.

The use of five existing venues in the Beijing city centre certainly reflects this, as does the low budget, lower even than Almaty's before the Kazakh city reportedly cut $500 million (£330 million/€460 million) in post Evaluation Commission-visit changes. But the deeper we probed, the more it seemed that a lot of Beijing's spending is actually not included in this budget.

Many of the venues were going to be constructed anyway and apparently will be regardless of the bid being successful, so are seemingly not included, while the IOC was not even informed of wider spending costs on two new highways and the high-speed trainline because it is "unrelated to the Games", part of a wider railway network planned by the Government well before the bid was conceived.

Our reception on the airport runway summed up the organisation of Beijing 2022, but the bid does present challenges for the Olympic Movement ©ITGOur reception on the airport runway summed up the organisation of Beijing 2022, but the bid does present challenges for the Olympic Movement ©ITG


Yet the project has reportedly been brought forward because of the bid, and, with 70,000 people a day due to be carried on the train, it is such a key component and has been so often trumpeted as such, that the term "unrelated" doesn't add up. As it is so key for the success of the Games, for the IOC to not want to know exact costs also seems strange.

This is all very confusing, and I am limited somewhat by having no point of comparison with previous Olympic bid processes, but there does appear a distinct lack of openness and transparency. Is the IOC desperate to avoid these wider figures becoming public in order to avoid a $51 billion (£34 billion/€47 billion) like-figure being trumpeted out like it was ahead of Sochi 2014?

We have not got any sort of figure for the railway yet, although we will continue working on it. But with the trainline to be among the most advanced in China, covering difficult mountainous terrain and set to run every five minutes at peak times during the Games, we can presume it will be expensive.

So is Agenda 2020 actually making the process less rather than more open? This was something said in Monte Carlo, where the public rather than private voting process discouraged members voting against any motion, and is relevant again here.

Rather like as at the IOC Session in Monte Carlo, Agenda 2020 appears as much a superficial attempt at democracy and openness as a genuine one ©IOCRather like as at the IOC Session in Monte Carlo, Agenda 2020 appears as much a superficial attempt at democracy and openness as a genuine one ©IOC



While I am on a moan against the IOC, although journalists were allowed in to both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies in Beijing, unlike in Almaty, the one venue-tour photoshoot we enjoyed in Kazakhstan was abandoned.

There were rumours this was because journalists had dared to ask questions during the Almaty one (i.e. do their job) and if true, this would be ridiculous. Whether this is true or not, it is clear the IOC put huge pressure on both candidates to control media access. Zhukov did, to be fair, attempt to justify in his opening remarks, on the grounds that they needed to fully focus on their inspections. But complete openness and transparency it was not.

The revival of the Free Tibet movement and human rights concerns is another challenge, as it is for Almaty, and it will be interesting to see if the scale of these protests grow over coming months. Close scrutiny and criticism can be expected whoever wins.

Overall I was impressed with the Chinese bid, which remains the clear favourite in the race with four months to go until the final decision is due to be made in Kuala Lumpur, and I am confident that Beijing is capable of pulling it off again.

Yet another Chinese Games certainly presents challenges for the IOC and its President Thomas Bach, and negative stories about high spending, a lack of openness and human rights concerns could prove a constant menace over the next seven years.

Nick Butler is a senior reporter for insidethegames. To follow him on Twitter click here.

Jaimie Fuller: A funny thing happened in international sports

Emily Goddard
Jamie FullerA funny thing happened in "sports-land" last week; an international sports federation leader didn't think he was accountable to the billions his organisation serves.

Last week, with FIFA's Presidential election process beginning to gather pace, current President and candidate for re-election, Sepp Blatter, formally refused an invitation to take part in a televised debate about the future of world football. It would have included the three other candidates but not only did Mr Blatter say "no" he also declined to say why.

I should point out that Mr Blatter was under no obligation to take part, but when all his rivals had already said "yes", his decision and lack of any reasonable explanation show a level of arrogance unbecoming of a global sporting leader.

Contrary to my opening statement, the reality of course, is that this is not funny at all. Sepp Blatter, the man seeking an unprecedented fifth term as FIFA's dictator - sorry make that President - clearly thinks he can do what he wants and still get elected. The world's football loving public is kept in the dark and the Evasive One still expects to win.

And that's the key point. Mr Blatter thinks he can do what he wants because the outcome is a foregone conclusion. The secret to his confidence of course, is it's not the fans who will be voting. With so many eligible FIFA voting members apparently wrapped around his little finger, the views of the rest of the world and the transparency of a fair and open election process simply aren't of interest. He's done his sums and he reckons it's in the bag.... and stuff the rest of us.

Sepp Blatter formally refused an invitation to take part in a televised debate about the future of world football ©Getty ImagesSepp Blatter formally refused an invitation to take part in a televised debate about the future of world football ©Getty Images


As Charlie Sale in the UK's Daily Mail wrote when reporting on Blatter's dismissal of the invitation: "Far better for Blatter is to fast-track FIFA Goal Programme funding to African countries, where he enjoys mass voting support."

The debate was jointly requested by the BBC and Sky for broadcast but deep down, Mr Blatter must know that his global unpopularity means he has the most to lose in a public debate. That's no way to run an international sports federation and he should not be allowed to get away with it. Sadly, FIFA's governance (or lack thereof) allows him to do just that.

Here is an organisation that has been autocratically governed by one man who's made sure his "supporters" are locked in through "development projects" and funding allocation. It's a bit like becoming a member of the Mafia. Once you're in, there's no way out. Mind you, when you're on the receiving end of the Sepp Blatter largesse, you don't want out.

He's been at it since he was first elected 17 years ago so by now he's mastered the art!

Luís Figo said the fans deserve to know what the FIFA Presidential candidates offer for the future ©Getty ImagesLuís Figo said the fans deserve to know what the FIFA Presidential candidates offer for the future ©Getty Images


All the other candidates have publicly responded to Mr Blatter's rejection of the public debate with former Portuguese international Luís Figo saying: "The fans deserve to know what the candidates offer for the future."

Apparently not Luís, apparently not.

In the UK over the next five weeks, General Election campaigning will see political leaders and candidates furiously endorsing their policies and debating publicly at every opportunity. As in most countries, it's all part of a democratic process. Not at FIFA. What they have is a headlong descent towards a closed-shop electoral college overseen by a President whose re-election manifesto is based on the premise that the likes of you, me and billions of others don't have a say and don't need to know.

How on earth can they allow such a man be re-elected?

God help us - and football - if he is.

Jaimie Fuller is the chairman of SKINS. To follow him on Twitter click here. 

Philip Barker: Thrilling Cricket World Cup to end with perfect finale

Liam Morgan
Philip BarkerIt's been brash, cheerful and at times even breathtaking, but now it all comes down to a Cricket World Cup final that the organisers wanted.

Four-time winners Australia will start as favourites against fellow co-hosts New Zealand in front of 100,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

There's no love lost between these neighbours, partly because of an infamous incident in a match on that very ground in 1981. With one ball to go, Australian captain Greg Chappell instructed brother Trevor to bowl underarm to New Zealander Brian McKechnie so that it would be impossible to hit the six needed to tie the match. The normally temperate cricket commentator Richie Benaud -an Australian - called it "one of the worst things I have ever seen done on a cricket field."

Since then, the Kiwis have famously twice beaten the Aussies in World Cup matches on New Zealand soil. Captain Brendon McCullum has called their current campaign the "greatest time of our lives". Their thrilling victory over South Africa in the semi-final has helped elevate his team of Black Caps towards the status enjoyed by his country's legendary All Black rugby union team. This will be their first final.

The roller coaster has been running exclusively on Kiwi rails because they have played all their matches on home soil until now, no doubt to ensure "house full" signs. The money men have succeeded in that but might just have done the players a disservice because New Zealand's chances of victory in the final will depend on just how well they have been able to adjust to Australian conditions in the last few days.

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum has led his side to their first-ever Cricket World Cup final where they will face arch rivals Australia ©Getty ImagesNew Zealand captain Brendon McCullum has led his side to their first-ever Cricket World Cup final where they will face arch rivals Australia ©Getty Images



Many were unhappy about the length of the tournament and it does seem an awfully long time since the whole thing started in Christchurch on Valentine's Day. It took over a month to reduce 14 teams to eight for the quarter-finals.

This was a tournament when batting records have tumbled as never before. Chris Gayle of the West Indies hit the first World Cup double century, but even his towering 215 was soon eclipsed by 237 not out from New Zealand batsman Martin Guptill. Australian captain Michael Clarke is among those to predict a triple centurion in one day cricket sooner rather than later.

South Africa's star man AB de Villiers had earlier plundered 162 off only 66 balls in a rapid assault on the West Indies and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara hit a record four consecutive centuries. Heavier bats, powerplay restrictions on where fielders can be placed and shorter boundaries have all conspired to tilt the odds in favour of batsmen. Six of the top ten World Cup totals over the last 40 years came at this tournament, led by Australia's record 417 for 6 against Afghanistan in Perth.

Sure, there have been a few mismatches but the part played by the four Associate Member nations (AKA the minnows) should not be discounted.

The Afghans drew a lot of attention just by being there but they returned home with their heads held high and a win under their belts. United Arab Emirates had their first World Cup centurion in Shaiman Anwar and Kyle Coetzer reached three figures for Scotland.

The so-called lesser teams, such as Ireland, led by William Porterfield, have more than played their part in an excellent World Cup ©Getty ImagesThe so-called lesser teams, such as Ireland, led by William Porterfield, have more than played their part in an excellent World Cup ©Getty Images



Ireland, with enthusiastic support from the "Blarney Army", beat the West Indies, once mighty in this form of the game and World Champions in 1975 and 1979. A thrilling five-run victory over Zimbabwe in Hobart was arguably the most compelling finale of any group match  This meeting of two so called unfashionable sides had television viewers gripped.

Yet the next tournament in 2019 will, as things stand, be restricted to ten nations. Qualification seems likely to be decided on one day international rankings.

Ireland captain William Porterfield made an impassioned plea on BBC Radio on behalf of the Associates. "It is shutting the door on teams. You have to give them opportunity to qualify," he said.

Porterfield's team were not the only men in Green to enjoy themselves. Bangladesh reached the last eight for the first time. Their passage was sealed by a big finish against disappointing England captained by Irish-born Eoin Morgan. He was criticised with some justification for his performance with the bat. He was also, rather unfairly, vilified for not singing the national anthem. England's 1966 World Cup winning footballers were not singers either, but no one seemed to mind back then.

The two captains are unlikely to use the tactics implemented by their predecessors when they faced off back in 1981 in Melbourne ©Getty ImagesMichael Clarke (left) and Brendon McCullum are unlikely to use the tactics implemented by their predecessors when they faced off back in 1981 in Melbourne ©Getty Images



At World Cup 2015 though, music whether appropriate or not, was considered essential to what the marketing men call "sports presentation". Every boundary greeted by razzamatazz and hoopla which even 30 years ago would have been considered simply "not cricket". The musical bling of Indian Premier League (IPL) matches is obviously what organisers had in mind but for the purist, it actually detracted from the atmosphere.

The closest World Cup final came in 1987 when Australia edged home against England by only seven runs. A similar finale in Melbourne might even persuade them to can that wretched music. At least bearing in mind what happened 34 years ago on that ground, the regulations have been changed to prevent any repetition of "underarm" problems.

Born in Hackney, a stone's throw from the 2012 Olympic Stadium, Philip Barker has worked as a television journalist for 25 years. He began his career with Trans World Sport, then as a reporter for Sky Sports News and the ITV breakfast programme. A regular Olympic pundit on BBC Radio, Sky News and Talksport, he is associate editor of the Journal of Olympic History, has lectured at the National Olympic Academy and contributed extensively to Team GB publications. To follow him on Twitter click here.