The Olympics, the ongoing Suarez saga and an attention-grabbing darts WAG. Just some of this week’s sporting quotes compiled by JANINE SELF
“I will be happy this time next year if I can look every athlete in the eye — Olympians and Paralympians, whether they have competed as well as they hoped or not, whether they have exceeded expectations or not — and know that we have not left a stone unturned. I don’t want them to think they failed because of inadequate facilities or a lack of testing. You cannot screw up on their behalf. This is about the athletes and always will be” Lord Coe rings in Olympic Year.
“Personally, I’d be happier if Boris Johnson walked out in a bowler hat, lit a sparkler, set off a few fireworks and then said we’ve decided to save the rest of the cash and spend it on school sport. That’s my wish” Des Kelly of the Daily Mail on his idea of an opening ceremony.
“In simple terms he was the sperm donor for me. That’s how it is. He’s given me fantastic genes, which I’m grateful for, but he could be like that guy stood over there” Shanaze Reade, a gold medal hope in women’s BMX, on her non-relationship with her father, in an interview with The Guardian‘s Donald McCrae.
“I do not support fast-tracking people simply to win a medal. I think that all naturalised athletes should follow the normal citizenship requirements” Hugh Robertson, the minister for sport, rejects British wrestling’s “recruitment policy” in eastern Europe.
“Sir, Simon Barnes is quoted on the front page (Jan 2) saying: ‘There is no right on earth so deeply entrenched as the right to grumble.’ Inside, you have a column by Libby Purves on the Olympics. Rarely does one see a columnist proved correct, by another, so quickly” David Simpson, of Darby Green in Hampshire, in a letter to the Editor of The Times.
“We have made a statement and I think it is there for everybody to read. Luis has made a brilliant statement and we will stand by him. There’s a lot of things we’d like to say and a lot we could say, but we would only get ourselves in trouble. We are being evasive because we don’t like getting ourselves in trouble. We know what has gone on. We know what is not in the report and that’s important for us” Kenny Dalglish on Liverpool’s decision not to appeal Luis Suarez’s eight-game ban for using racist language.
“The conduct of Mr Suarez has damaged the image of English football around the world, given the conduct occurred during the course of one of the most famous games in English football, watched by a huge number of people around the world. Mr Suarez’s evidence was unreliable in relation to matters of critical importance” Excerpt from FA’s 115-page report.
“Now the Suarez decision has been explained with a force and a logic that should convince anyone equipped with a set of values that owe more to decent grown-up behaviour than half-baked tribal loyalty, it can only be hoped Liverpool Football Club and their manager, Kenny Dalglish, have the wit to stop embarrassing themselves” James Lawton, The Independent.
“I wonder how long it is before a football club sues a referee for making a bad decision? There’s too much at stake to not have technology. Or a player sues another player for play acting. Which is basically a lie and that is actionable. What’s the difference?” Joey Barton of QPR on Twitter after being sent off for supposedly butting Bradley Johnson.
“Barton, your breath stinks” Johnson’s message to Barton from the audience at the world darts .
“Don’t worry people I’ve seen Boris Johnson from Norwich with his sign at the darts. He’s irrelevant really, absolute no mark” Barton’s Tweeted response.
“I use the analogy that every team has a life cycle and the top teams manage to continually stay at a peak… the cycle is on the face of a clock — with a team at its peak at 12 o’clock and at its lowest point at 6 o’clock. We are a new team emerging on the performance clock. By the end of the Six Nations we can be moving ourselves back towards the top of that performance clock” Stuart Lancaster caretaker head coach of England rugby.
“There’s only one reason why I lost that match — and she was sitting right in the front row. I’ve got nothing against Kim, he played better than me, but the crowd were more interested in his girlfriend than the darts. I just didn’t have the crowd’s respect — and quite frankly, I don’t want it any more” Paul Nicholson complains about the wolf whistles for his rival’s WAG.
“Wayne hasn’t trained well this week, he’s missed a few days and we’re hoping that he trains today, tomorrow and, by Wednesday, he should be OK. It’s little strains here and there” Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United manager, before it was revealed that Rooney had been dropped from the starting team after a Boxing Day night out.
“My resolution – to start the year as a champion, and finish it as a champion” Rooney via Twitter.
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