At the OLYMPIC GAMES 2004 in Athens 9 out of 10 related doping cases in athletics involved athletes from Europe.

The following is a statement from a member of the EAA Council about how this disastrous situation was handled in the first council meeting after the games:

"It has surprised me, that we have not talked in detail about the doping affairs in Athens. It was only mentioned that all cases were related to Europe, and that we should make an effort concerning our reputation.

However, there were no proposals as to how we should do it. The main argument is always that the IAAF is responsible for everything".

This, and much more, about the shortcomings in the anti-doping efforts of European Athletics during the last 10 years, can be found under:

A CRITICAL INSIDE LOOK AT THE ANTI-DOPING EFFORTS OF THE EUROPEAN ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (EAA)

at: www.123hjemmeside.dk/eaa-anti-doping

Streetfootballworld is an international Social-Profit-Organisation based in Berlin, Germany.
Since 2002, we connect the relevant actors in the field of Development through Football.
Together with local organisations from the streetfootballworld Network, we systemise
successful experiences in the field and develop new and innovative solutions for social
challenges.

Streetfootballworld is looking for a Media Manager to develop its international media
strategy.

Click here for more information

Sports that are dominated by China largely remain outside the attention of the English press – and the Chinese are to blame

A remarkable event at the Asian Games went undebated, at least in the English press: the choice of China's flag-bearer for the opening ceremony. Bao Chunlai, a 23-year-old badminton player, had the honour of leading his country for the spectacle that millions around the world followed.

But what was so curious about the choice was that Bao is not yet an achiever; indeed, even in the badminton squad, he is no more than a promising youngster who has yet to win anything of significance. His biggest accomplishment on the international stage was a win at the Korea Open last year, and a runner-up position at the World Championships. In a Chinese badminton team loaded with some of the world's greatest names, Bao is still a kid.

Indeed, it was quite surprising that the Chinese chose a badminton player for the honour of carrying the flag, considering that their squad boasted many of the world's finest sportspeople. Even if they had to choose from badminton, they could've handed the flag to Lin Dan, who is of Bao's age but far more accomplished, having won 19 tournaments over the last four years, including the World Championships and the All England. For sheer consistency in the men's singles, there is nobody in the world to match Lin Dan.

But none of this will make a difference to most of the English-speaking world, because these are names and personalities that are clouded in obscurity. So reluctant have the Chinese been to expose their sportspeople to the world, that an indifferent English press largely ignores events associated with the team that merit attention.

At the Asian Games, for instance, the Chinese badminton squad refused to entertain any requests from the non-Chinese press. This strange behaviour wasn't due to the language barrier – the squad had an English interpreter named Hu, who pretended not to understand when approached for help!

The Chinese set themselves apart from the other teams by their exclusiveness. They train by themselves, do not mix with the other teams, and do not even offer a greeting. They approach a tournament with the sole desire of winning the gold medal, but there is no celebration when the gold is won. They do not care to advertise themselves, and they see no reason why they should accommodate foreign journalists.

Perhaps that's team policy, but the Chinese should realise they're hurting themselves. Most followers of sport around the world can recall only a Chinese name or two (hurdler Liu Xiang and basketball superstar Yao Ming, perhaps), and that's a tragedy given that the Chinese are second-best only to the US in world sport, as seen by their performance at the last Olympics.

At the moment, the Chinese's obsession towards dominating sport resembles a child's obsession towards beating his classmates and collecting the most chocolates on offer. But there is more to sport than winning a certain number of gold medals. Each of their sports heroes, for instance, can be a global ambassador, and it is in their interest to build the brand name. Liu Xiang and Yao Ming are ambassadors for the Chinese, and it's no coincidence that both became famous as independent figures outside the Iron Curtain. The nature of world athletics and basketball is such that it thrives on glorifying the individual, and both Liu Xiang and Yao Ming have been beneficiaries.

The Chinese's reluctance to open up in their bastions of badminton, gymnastics, table tennis, and other disciplines hurts the sport too, because people associate a sport with its personalities. Most people do not follow badminton today because they do not know a Lin Dan from a Bao Chunlai.

A Malaysian badminton official, talking of the Chinese's mysterious ways, said: "Perhaps it's because they want to maintain the aura around themselves. Perhaps they fear that if they open up, other teams will get to know the secrets behind their sucess."

That's a legitimate reason, but the Chinese are investing in sports because it is a forerunner to building business. Given the huge migrant Chinese population in the West and other parts of the world, it should have made business sense to build brands around their sports personalities. Roger Federer and Tiger Woods, for instance, are two of the biggest brand names today. Why aren't badminton world champion Lin Dan and gymnastics world champion Yang Wei similarly well known?

If the Chinese are looking for examples, they needn't look far. A gentleman named Bruce Lee defied traditionalists who scorned him for teaching Kung Fu in the US. Look what a legend he became, and look what he did for the Chinese in Hollywood.