There's nothing to match a bunch of politicians, princes and sports administrators in pursuit of sporting glory! After sports chiefs criticised the BBC and Sunday Times as 'unpatriotic' for daring to accuse FIFA board members of corruption the acting Chair of the FA suddenly discovered that FIFA was indeed full of 'people whom I cannot trust'.

The Government has finally given up on the idea that hosting an elite athletics event will stimulate sports participation. In September, the target of getting a million people playing some kind of sport three times a week looked certain to be missed. Of course, if the Government had listened they would have known this was never going to happen. So it looks like changing the clocks is the only policy left in the cupboard.

The organisers of London's 2012 Olympics have been accused of undervaluing women's sports and contravening the Olympic Charter's commitments to equality. Sue Tibballs, chief executive of the Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) said: "There is no doubt it sends a clear message that women's sports are not valued equally.

See attachment.

Clause 7.2 of especial interest in respect of legacy costs.

A Canadian coroner has sought to shift the blame for the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili from VANOC on to his alleged inexperience. However, Georgian Olympic Head Giorgi Natsvlishvili rejected the finding saying "It is nonsense to say that an athlete who was officially listed among the world's 40 best lugers ... lacked experience."

Lots in the blogosphere on Coe&Co having chosen to re-route the marathon away from East London.

This comment on Diamond Geezer is really quite touching:

Correction and apology, the Lido is not being taken over by the American Olympic team but by the Paralympic team - for a few hours a day, details not yet available - best to check with the Lido for times.

Anne Laurence, nee Windsor, thinks the Olympic Park is already a hell of a legacy! In an interview with BBC's Inside Sport she enthused about the work that has been done to date saying "That's a hell of a legacy just to begin with...." However, she wasn't sure there would be much more to come after the Games when she went on "never mind the sports legacy that might come afterwards." That was about it for Anne's understanding of legacy, a hell (of a lot) of half finished stadiums.

It's probably unfair to blame the Olympics. In Australia, a former water polo champion, Keri Lane, is accused of murdering a new born baby because she wanted to compete in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Almost as alarming is Peter Keen, Director of Performance at UK Sport, who puts sport up there with 'economic domination' and 'warfare'. In an interview with the Guardian he said: 'Short of economic domination and warfare, I'm not sure what else makes sense of our national identity...'

First it was 'Beckham backs the bid', then 'Beckham to motivate the England Squad'. Now it may be 'Beckham returns to East End roots'. West Ham have been talking to 'his people' in an attempt to rope in the Leytonstone born celeb in its bid to get its hands on the 2012 Olympic Stadium. Still, the lad hasn't agreed yet. Maybe West Ham is a bit of a comedown for Brand Beckham after the various excitements of the World Cup.