Stoke Mandeville begins torch tradition, take a dip at the Olympic swimming pool and Fifa debates the sin-bin, here's this week's ...
*HISTORIC MOMENT*
Sees Stoke Mandeville placed at the heart of the paralympic movement with the first pre-Games torch-lighting ceremony taking place on Saturday. Just as the Olympic torch begins its journey in Olympia, Greece, the International Paralympic Committeee has now recognised Stoke Mandeville's position as the birthplace of the paralympic movement. Stoke Mandeville hospital held the first Games in 1948, organised by neurologist Sir Ludwig Guttmann for World War II veterans. Now, after this inaugural ceremony before the winter paralympics in Sochi, it will play a part in all future torch relays. TeamGB were hugely successful at the London 2012 paralympics, winning 34 gold medals, of which swimmer Ellie Simmonds won two, and many of these medal-winners will attend the event where a "Heritage Flame" will be lit before joining other flames in Russia to form the torch that will light the flame in Sochi on 7 March.
*OLYMPIC SPLASHDOWN*
Is ready to go, but with no running, no bombing and definitely no petting, as Saturday also heralds the public opening of the Aqautics Centre in the Olympic Park and it would take a heart of stone not to feel a tingle of excitement at the chance of a spot of doggy paddling where the medals were won. The centre has a capacity of 750 across the training pool, the diving pool and the competition pool and it is open to everyone, which is real Olympic legacy in action. You can just bowl up in a swimsuit for a dip ("just nipping out for a couple of laps in the OLYMPIC SWIMMING POOL") but it's probably best to book in advance at better.org.uk.
*CYCLING CATCH-UP*
Comes from the BBC, since despite the success of British cycling in recent years it remains hard to find the sport televised. Indeed, this week's World Track Cycling Championships in Colombia where Dani King (see page 17), alongside Laura Trott, Jo Rowsell and Wendy Houvenaghel are team pursuit hot favourites and Jason Kenny defends his keirin world title, doesn't make an appearance on TV until the Beeb steps up on Saturday (BBC1, 1.15pm), so good for them and for the additional red-button coverage.
*ENGLAND CRICKET HOPES*
Rest with the U19 team who play Pakistan in the World Cup semi-final on Monday (Sky Sports 1, 7.55am). England beat India by three wickets in a tense quarter-final on Saturday and should they make the final (1 March) they will face one of South Africa, West Indies, Australia or possibly Afghanistan. The latter should not be ruled out, having already beaten Australia (whose batting development is led by Graham Hick) in the group stages.
*GREAT DEBATE*
Takes place in Zurich on Saturday as Fifa joins the International Football Association Board (Ifab, consisting of representatives from the four British home nation FAs) for their annual consideration of the laws of football. Alongside a no doubt torturously dull debate on what players might be allowed to have written on their "undergarments" (in many cases a name tag, as appended to seven year-old's pants seems appropriate) Ifab and Fifa will declare on the potential use of sin bins (currently being trialled in Dutch amateur leagues), video replays and the "triple punishment" issue, when a player is sent off after conceding a penalty. Reported by guardian.co.uk 9 hours ago.
*HISTORIC MOMENT*
Sees Stoke Mandeville placed at the heart of the paralympic movement with the first pre-Games torch-lighting ceremony taking place on Saturday. Just as the Olympic torch begins its journey in Olympia, Greece, the International Paralympic Committeee has now recognised Stoke Mandeville's position as the birthplace of the paralympic movement. Stoke Mandeville hospital held the first Games in 1948, organised by neurologist Sir Ludwig Guttmann for World War II veterans. Now, after this inaugural ceremony before the winter paralympics in Sochi, it will play a part in all future torch relays. TeamGB were hugely successful at the London 2012 paralympics, winning 34 gold medals, of which swimmer Ellie Simmonds won two, and many of these medal-winners will attend the event where a "Heritage Flame" will be lit before joining other flames in Russia to form the torch that will light the flame in Sochi on 7 March.
*OLYMPIC SPLASHDOWN*
Is ready to go, but with no running, no bombing and definitely no petting, as Saturday also heralds the public opening of the Aqautics Centre in the Olympic Park and it would take a heart of stone not to feel a tingle of excitement at the chance of a spot of doggy paddling where the medals were won. The centre has a capacity of 750 across the training pool, the diving pool and the competition pool and it is open to everyone, which is real Olympic legacy in action. You can just bowl up in a swimsuit for a dip ("just nipping out for a couple of laps in the OLYMPIC SWIMMING POOL") but it's probably best to book in advance at better.org.uk.
*CYCLING CATCH-UP*
Comes from the BBC, since despite the success of British cycling in recent years it remains hard to find the sport televised. Indeed, this week's World Track Cycling Championships in Colombia where Dani King (see page 17), alongside Laura Trott, Jo Rowsell and Wendy Houvenaghel are team pursuit hot favourites and Jason Kenny defends his keirin world title, doesn't make an appearance on TV until the Beeb steps up on Saturday (BBC1, 1.15pm), so good for them and for the additional red-button coverage.
*ENGLAND CRICKET HOPES*
Rest with the U19 team who play Pakistan in the World Cup semi-final on Monday (Sky Sports 1, 7.55am). England beat India by three wickets in a tense quarter-final on Saturday and should they make the final (1 March) they will face one of South Africa, West Indies, Australia or possibly Afghanistan. The latter should not be ruled out, having already beaten Australia (whose batting development is led by Graham Hick) in the group stages.
*GREAT DEBATE*
Takes place in Zurich on Saturday as Fifa joins the International Football Association Board (Ifab, consisting of representatives from the four British home nation FAs) for their annual consideration of the laws of football. Alongside a no doubt torturously dull debate on what players might be allowed to have written on their "undergarments" (in many cases a name tag, as appended to seven year-old's pants seems appropriate) Ifab and Fifa will declare on the potential use of sin bins (currently being trialled in Dutch amateur leagues), video replays and the "triple punishment" issue, when a player is sent off after conceding a penalty. Reported by guardian.co.uk 9 hours ago.
