Sepp Blatter’s press conference yesterday was supposedly intended to confer the image that FIFA has everything under control. However, it simply served to fuel the flames that Blatter sees himself as the supreme leader who does not need to answer to anyone.
Given the revelations of the past few days, the fact that Blatter intends to proceed with the election as the only candidate quite simply defies belief. Proving that he is a master schemer, he has managed to take out two of his most powerful opponents, whilst finding himself cleared of all charges. The sheer lack of accountability and the greed that he has shown in his ever-lengthening tyranny over football’s governing bodies would stand up to comparison with any current dictator.
His delusional image of himself was clear in the press conference he gave yesterday. In appearing alone, rather than alongside other senior members of FIFA, was an early indication of the standing that he sees himself within the organisation.
He began by dismissing the entire report sent to FIFA by the English Football Association, declaring that no element of the report even prompted any further investigation. Given the gravity of the allegations in the report, refusing even to look deeper into it, even if the proceedings concluded that there was no base to the allegations, is a kick in the teeth to hopes of getting to the bottom of the World Cup bidding process.
But it was his responses to some of the questions that are the most disturbing. To answer the question of how he would reform FIFA in the next four years, his statement that there would be zero tolerance and reinforcing the ethics committee seems laughable against the current backdrop. And his declaration that FIFA is not in a crisis, but is merely suffering some difficulties, is simply delusional.
However, the single answer to one particular question sums up his entire view and the reason that many feel that he needs to step aside for the good of the organisation. In response to the question of whether he would give his backing to Jerome Valcke, the Secretary General of FIFA, and whether Valcke was becoming too politicised, he simply answered, “I will not answer this question. I am the President of FIFA, you cannot question me.”
The obvious step to begin to restore faith in the organisation would have been to postpone the election and to have stepped aside until the investigations are complete. Once conclusions have been reached, the election should have been restarted with a new set of candidates. Simply holding the election after everything that has happened and with only one candidate seems only to reaffirm beliefs that Sepp Blatter is running FIFA as his own personal dictatorship and for his own personal good.
DW
Tuesday, 31 May 2011
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Tragedy strikes Giro d'Italia
On a beautiful day, the riders of the Giro d’Italia were in the middle of the descent down from the Passo del Bocco. After over three hours in the saddle and the climb of the almost 1,000m high pass, the technical descent should have provided some light relief. At least until the helicopter camera panned in on a horrific sight.
The Belgian cyclist, Wouter Weylandt, was lying seemingly motionless on the tarmac, having come off his bike on the descent. As the camera unknowing zoomed in closer, you could see a pool of blood spreading around his still-helmeted head. Understandably, coverage immediately switched to another camera following the breakaway group.
Meanwhile, as the race continued, the race doctor and paramedics were desperately tending to the fallen Leopard Trek rider. Ominously, no further coverage of the scene was broadcast.
As the main group were crossing the line further along the course, the mood around was clearly changing. A rescue helicopter had taken Weylandt away and rumours were circling concerning the condition of the Belgian.
The news came through that the podium ceremony had been cancelled simply adding to the worrying rumours. Just over an hour after the incident, the rumours were confirmed. Wouter Weylandt had passed away on the descent from the Passo del Bocco. He had died at the scene before paramedics had a chance to get him to hospital due to severe head injuries.
In a sport that generally only garners headlines in the UK press for the drugs problem in the sport, it is a chilling reminder that there are more important things at stake. There are certain inherent risks in the sport that mean that riders are putting more than just their bodies on the line every day that they compete.
If a cyclist comes through a season unscathed, they can count themselves lucky. In the chaos of the sprint finish, the leading riders can find themselves elbow-to-elbow in a chaotic maelstrom of bodies racing along at speeds topping 60kph, sometimes on wet roads with no padding other than the virtually non-existent protection that their lycra provides.
The descents can be even more treacherous. Cyclists can top speeds of 100kph on roads often wet and with questionable surfaces and with steep drops on one side. A chilling example of what can happen was seen in the 2009 Giro d’Italia. During Stage 8, the riders descended from San Pietro. The Rabobank rider, Pedro Horrillo, crashed and fell over a guard rail and plunged 60m down a ravine.
When paramedics were able to reach him, he was recovered with fractures to his thigh bone, kneecap and neck as well as a punctured lung and a severe concussion. He was placed into a medically-induced coma for several days and spent over five weeks in the hospital. On his release, he never raced again.
The Giro d’Italia in particular is known for its challenging descents and this latest tragedy races further questions concerning the balance between finding exciting and difficult courses and ensuring the safety of the riders.
Indeed, before the race started, Alberto Contador voiced concerns about several of the descents in the three week race. Speaking about one descent in particular on Stage 14, he said, “I don’t know how we’re going to get down that. I don’t know if they’re going to repave it, or if they will put nets on the corners like on ski runs, because the drops there are tremendous. I only hope nothing unfortunate happens on that day.”
Whilst it was not the descent that he was talking about, after today’s tragedy, his words take on a chilling resonance. Whilst injuries are common, it is the first death in a major tour since the 1995 Tour de France when Italian Fabio Casartelli crashed on a descent and hit his head on the concrete blocks along the side of the road. His death and the death of Andrei Kivilev in 2003 led to the wearing of helmets becoming compulsory.
However, today’s unfortunate incident shows that even with these state of the art safety helmets, tragedy can still strike. At least part of tomorrow’s stage is likely to be neutralised in respect to Weylandts and whoever wins the race, the abiding memory of the 2011 Giro d’Italia will be the death of the Belgian.
In a sport where negative headlines can often pollute our view of the competitors, it is important to remember the risks that they put themselves through every day that they are racing. Unfortunately, the tragic death of the young Belgian Wouter Weylandt has put these risks right back in centre stage. And it will raise further questions for the organisers of these races as to the difficulty of the courses that they select.
The comments of Mark Cavendish sum up the overriding feeling following this tragedy.
DW
The Belgian cyclist, Wouter Weylandt, was lying seemingly motionless on the tarmac, having come off his bike on the descent. As the camera unknowing zoomed in closer, you could see a pool of blood spreading around his still-helmeted head. Understandably, coverage immediately switched to another camera following the breakaway group.
Meanwhile, as the race continued, the race doctor and paramedics were desperately tending to the fallen Leopard Trek rider. Ominously, no further coverage of the scene was broadcast.
As the main group were crossing the line further along the course, the mood around was clearly changing. A rescue helicopter had taken Weylandt away and rumours were circling concerning the condition of the Belgian.
The news came through that the podium ceremony had been cancelled simply adding to the worrying rumours. Just over an hour after the incident, the rumours were confirmed. Wouter Weylandt had passed away on the descent from the Passo del Bocco. He had died at the scene before paramedics had a chance to get him to hospital due to severe head injuries.
In a sport that generally only garners headlines in the UK press for the drugs problem in the sport, it is a chilling reminder that there are more important things at stake. There are certain inherent risks in the sport that mean that riders are putting more than just their bodies on the line every day that they compete.
If a cyclist comes through a season unscathed, they can count themselves lucky. In the chaos of the sprint finish, the leading riders can find themselves elbow-to-elbow in a chaotic maelstrom of bodies racing along at speeds topping 60kph, sometimes on wet roads with no padding other than the virtually non-existent protection that their lycra provides.
The descents can be even more treacherous. Cyclists can top speeds of 100kph on roads often wet and with questionable surfaces and with steep drops on one side. A chilling example of what can happen was seen in the 2009 Giro d’Italia. During Stage 8, the riders descended from San Pietro. The Rabobank rider, Pedro Horrillo, crashed and fell over a guard rail and plunged 60m down a ravine.
When paramedics were able to reach him, he was recovered with fractures to his thigh bone, kneecap and neck as well as a punctured lung and a severe concussion. He was placed into a medically-induced coma for several days and spent over five weeks in the hospital. On his release, he never raced again.
The Giro d’Italia in particular is known for its challenging descents and this latest tragedy races further questions concerning the balance between finding exciting and difficult courses and ensuring the safety of the riders.
Indeed, before the race started, Alberto Contador voiced concerns about several of the descents in the three week race. Speaking about one descent in particular on Stage 14, he said, “I don’t know how we’re going to get down that. I don’t know if they’re going to repave it, or if they will put nets on the corners like on ski runs, because the drops there are tremendous. I only hope nothing unfortunate happens on that day.”
Whilst it was not the descent that he was talking about, after today’s tragedy, his words take on a chilling resonance. Whilst injuries are common, it is the first death in a major tour since the 1995 Tour de France when Italian Fabio Casartelli crashed on a descent and hit his head on the concrete blocks along the side of the road. His death and the death of Andrei Kivilev in 2003 led to the wearing of helmets becoming compulsory.
However, today’s unfortunate incident shows that even with these state of the art safety helmets, tragedy can still strike. At least part of tomorrow’s stage is likely to be neutralised in respect to Weylandts and whoever wins the race, the abiding memory of the 2011 Giro d’Italia will be the death of the Belgian.
In a sport where negative headlines can often pollute our view of the competitors, it is important to remember the risks that they put themselves through every day that they are racing. Unfortunately, the tragic death of the young Belgian Wouter Weylandt has put these risks right back in centre stage. And it will raise further questions for the organisers of these races as to the difficulty of the courses that they select.
The comments of Mark Cavendish sum up the overriding feeling following this tragedy.
“Things like this shouldn't happen. Absolutely sick to the stomach. My thoughts are with his family. RIP Wouter Weylandt."
DW