Emma Vernon comments on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics ban on political demonstrations, and the impact this has on freedom of political expression Last week, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) released a clarification on Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter. The charter has existed since the inception of the modern games and is essentially a summary […]
Olympics
Sexual Harassment looms over sporting world
As the entertainment industry faces increasing calls for reform to tackle the inherent levels of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behaviour within, and more and more politicians are under scrutiny for similar acts, it is important to recognise the serious problems which are also facing those in sport. Earlier this year, the US women’s World […]
Sport Editorial: North Korean olive branch?
A barbed, stinging, and ultimately entertaining war of words ensued between Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte over the Christmas period. Mourinho, a predictable culprit, teased Antonio Conte in responding to his “clown” jibe – the Manchester United manager later arguing with a Machiavellian sincerity that it was not aimed at the Italian. Conte, up until […]
Disorientation, depression and danger: retirement in sport
“I’m 35 and I still don’t know who I am. I don’t know who I am as a person.” Such candid remarks are likely to painfully resonate with many. The name Jason Brown is rarely recognised, but he enjoyed a relatively successful goalkeeping career, representing Wales and a string of football league clubs. A traditional […]
The dark side of Rio’s artificial paradise
The summer Olympics in Rio De Janeiro ended with 65 groundbreaking Olympic records and 19 world records from some of the world’s most elite athletes. However, the glory of the Olympic torch can be a seductive illusion for many nations, as Brazil came to realise. Preparations for the Rio Olympics had been faced with ongoing controversies, […]
Olympics Review: Rio, Russia and Refugees
In many ways the Olympics are always a reflection of the country and the city in which they are held but this year the parallels felt remarkable. Youthful and vibrant yet with deep problems that trouble its very core is a description that suits both the Olympics and its host nation. Though the similarities go deeper than broad brushstrokes about […]
Rio 2016 Preview: Friday 12 – Tuesday 16
By this Friday the Rio Olympics will be nearly half-way to their completion, which means the continuation of a large number of events, the conclusion of some of the games’ most famous events and hopefully some medals for Great Britain. Listed below are some highlights for the coming days. N.B. All events listed are finals and all times […]
GB Olympic Football? No thanks
It’s summer, it’s a leap year, and that can only mean one thing: the Olympics are right around the corner. The Olympics are a time when people take a look at sports they never normally would give a second thought to – suddenly, everyone is an expert at the triple jump, archery or gymnastics. To the […]
Banning Russia from Rio: A price worth paying to save the reputation of a sport
On Friday the 17th June Sebastien Coe, President of the world athletics governing body the IAAF, announced that Russian athletes would be unable to compete at the Olympic Games this summer. It was decided that since Russia was caught implementing a programme of “state sponsored doping” in November 2015, they have not done enough to correct […]
The Zika virus and its dire impact
On February 1st the World Health Organisation declared that the Zika Virus is a public health emergency after a large outbreak in Brazil. Before you quarantine yourself, here is all you need to know on the virus that is sweeping South America. The Zika Virus is spread mainly via mosquito bites from the Aedes genus of mosquito that populates tropical and […]