Stuart Lustigman Column
An article appeared in The Times on Saturday covering the issue of volunteers being driven out of sport by a new coaching framework demanding that people who coach children have qualifications and criminal background checks. As my reader will know I have addressed this topic before and expressed my concerns. The article referred to no less than five different organisations i.e. UK Coaching Framework, Sports Coach UK, Sport Nation, UK Sport and Volunteering England. Hopefully, they can all get their acts together and find a route that will ensure that we get the best of both paid and voluntary coaches without alienating those with natural talent.
No sympathy from me for Max Mosley the FIA (Formula One) President who is under considerable global pressure to stand down. Last month he was accused by the News of the World of taking part in a sadomasochistic sex orgy with five prostitutes during which he appeared to re-enact concentration camp scenes and imitate a German accent. Last week Israel withdrew an invitation that it had issued to Mosley just 24 hours earlier, to visit the country. Mosley is the fourth son of the former leader of the British Union of Fascists, Sir Oswald Mosley, who fought with Jews in the famous Battle of Cable Street in 1936. Whats that they say about the sins of the fathers?
After close examination it would appear that, once again, I didnt make the Sunday Times 1,000 Rich List. Well, at least I wont get those horrible begging letters. However, not so for a number of Jewish businessmen who seem to have a propensity to own Premier League football clubs and are included in the 2008 list. Roman Abramovich (Chelsea), Joe Lewis, Sir Alan Sugar & Paul Kemsley (Spurs), David and Ralph Gold (Birmingham City), Danny Fiszman, David Dein (Arsenal) and Alexandre Gaydamak (Portsmouth). Interesting? Maybe Ill send a few begging letters!
