Just a couple of quick stories worth following from the world of sports that have emerged the last few days...
First, the National Hockey League Players' Association announced this week that Executive Director Paul Kelly has been let go. While details have been slow to emerge from the PA, a number of Kelly supporters, including former NHLers Pat Flatley and Glenn Healy, have resigned as a result of Kelly's firing. Allegations and rumours in the last couple of days have indicated that Kelly's firing may have been a result of the former PA boss reading the minutes of a confidential NHLPA summer meeting, causing distrust amongst the union and uncomfortable reminders of Kelly's predecessor, Ted Saskin. Expect more of the story to emerge as the news, and the reasons behind Kelly's release, spread through the full membership.
Also of note this week, world football governing body FIFA have imposed a two-window transfer ban on Chelsea FC for inciting breach of contract in signing a French teenager a couple of years ago. While the club has indicated they will appeal, the ruling and the entire situation will hopefully cast a bit more light on the at-times shady transfer dealings in football involving teenagers. It would be naïve to think that Chelsea are the only club guilty of encouraging a young player to break contract and sign for them. Looking out for younger players, and regulating moves involving teenagers in the professional ranks, is something that has to be looked at more deeply by football's governing bodies.
And lastly, Aprils' Bloodgate has rocked the rugby world this summer, with sanctions and suspensions coming down on Harlequins, Tom Williams, the offending player, and 'Quins director of rugby Dean Richards. New regulations to prevent a repeat of the incident, and a new mandate to protect against cheating in the sport have emerged, signaling a renewed interest amongst the sport's stakeholders to clean up the game and restore some integrity to what the gentleman's game.
Expect more reports on all three stories in the coming days and weeks, but equally take heart in the rather aggressive way in which the NHLPA, FIFA, and the ERC (rugby's European governing body) have reacted to the corruption and cheating that have marred sport of late. While there are still plenty of issues in sport to tackle, this is a step in the right direction...
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